Li Shanchang was full of opinions, but facing Zhu Yuanzhang at this moment, he really didn't dare to say more, for fear that this man would cut him off with his sword.
For the sake of his own life, Li Shanchang ran away with his head in his arms.
Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Li Shanchang's back and snorted heavily.
The anger in my heart was overwhelming, and I felt a strong sense of being deceived.
Lao Zhu has a very strong temper. When Zhang Ximeng listed so many books for him, he couldn't read them all, so he just chewed them up.
He is not afraid of hardship, is not afraid of getting up early and going to bed late, and works conscientiously like an old farmer to take care of his own business.
He believed that all matters, no matter how big or small, should be taken care of. Chang Chang argued with Li Shan Chang over a trivial matter and became red-faced, blowing his beard and staring.
If your whole heart is focused on it, there won’t be anything bad about it!
But today, Zhu Yuanzhang realized that he might have made a mistake.
When it comes to governing a country, you really don’t get rewards by putting in your life and hard work.
This industry is very tricky. If you don't master the know-how, the more effort you put into it, the less you will gain, or even the exact opposite.
That is to say, he worked hard at night and in the morning, and turned himself into a king who subjugated his country.
Take the design of the official system as an example. It seems that who should be the minister, who should be the minister, who should be responsible for execution, who should be responsible for supervision... these are definitely big things, at least much more important than the salary of officials.
But in fact this is not the case at all.
After thousands of years of development, the bureaucracy has evolved to a very mature stage, with a clear division of labor, each performing its own duties, checks and balances, and strong supervision.
All these things that should be there are already there.
It's just whether they are suitable or not, and whether they can perform their duties smoothly... These things are very complicated, and it doesn't mean that choosing a capable minister can solve the problem.
Basically, after encountering problems during the implementation process, we need to prescribe the right medicine and make adjustments.
In other words, this is a problem that needs to be solved only after normal operation.
In contrast, the initial setting of official salaries is much more important.
After all, it is difficult to say who is virtuous or not, but it is clear who is worth how much!
Do you still want us to support you?
That's a dream!
We would rather use money to serve the people than support you bastards!
Also, Li Shanchang, please remember this for us.
It is wishful thinking for you to put the most important things at the end and try to muddle through.
Lao Zhu recalled what Zhang Ximeng told him, and Lao Zhu understood it completely.
A person's energy is limited. No matter how hard he tries, there will always be areas he cannot take care of.
In this case, it is better to focus on some urgent matters. As for other government affairs, just leave it to Li Shanchang. If anything happens, let him settle the account.
This also facilitates the division of responsibilities. Otherwise, everything would be on our shoulders and if something goes wrong, we would be responsible for it, and it would be difficult to pursue the case.
As expected, once you become the King of Wu, you think about issues from a different perspective.
Mr. Zhang made the point in a timely manner!
Zhu Yuanzhang reflected deeply here and suddenly felt that he had gained a lot. Seeing that there was nothing wrong with him, Zhang Ximeng stepped in and wandered off to see Li Shanchang.
I did Lao Li a big favor today, so I must get something in return.
Zhang Ximeng entered Li Shanchang's check-in room and found Old Li holding his head in pain. There was cold sweat on his forehead. He was obviously very frightened.
Are you scared?
What are you thinking about?
They even brought things like job land and job money to the table. It’s strange that Lao Zhu didn’t get angry!
"Brother Li, what are you thinking about?"
Li Shanchang raised his head and looked at Zhang Ximeng, who was about to cry.
"Xiang Zhang, I remember your life-saving grace deeply in my heart, and naturally I dare not hide it from you... But if I don't set up these names, the amount of salary will scare the higher-ups."
Zhang Ximeng was suddenly speechless, so there was something like this!
Also, if Li Shanchang didn't separate his salary and calculated it all together, it would be extremely huge and shocking, and Zhu Yuanzhang might be even more angry by then.
It’s just that you, Lao Li, didn’t scare Zhu Yuanzhang, but instead you tricked yourself.
"Brother Li, my lord is smart and wise. I can't hide this trick from him. Although I also want to earn more salary, I also need life flowers. You'd better think carefully about how to deal with my lord! If my lord next time
Still not satisfied, I can’t help you!”
Zhang Ximeng glanced around and found a bag of tea on Li Shanchang's table, just wrapped in ordinary paper. However, Zhang Ximeng could smell a faint fragrance. According to his judgment, it should be of the highest quality.
Li Shanchang is so cunning. When he saw Zhang Ximeng staring at the tea leaves, he quickly said: "Prime Minister Zhang, I am a layman, I don't understand tea, and I can't taste it. You can take it and use it when I write an article in the evening."
Only with the fragrance of tea can you write wonderful works, and write masterpieces that will be handed down from generation to generation!"
Li Shanchang pushed the tea leaves to Zhang Ximeng.
Zhang Ximeng was stunned for a moment. He could even hear his own heartbeat!
That’s right!
We finally took the bribe!
Many years ago, apart from receiving some rewards from Zhu Yuanzhang, he only received one gold ingot from Lu Qiuyun. This was the first time he formally accepted a bribe. Although it was only a bag of tea, it was of extraordinary significance and extraordinary!
This is his first step towards becoming wealthy and improving his quality of life.
Even if you don’t think you’re greedy, it’s still a good start!
Zhang Ximeng took the tea leaves from Li Shanchang and quickly put them away. Then he paused and lowered his voice, "Brother Li, the matter of official salary is not that simple. There is no limit to how much you can count up. No amount is too much.
.But it must not be too low, otherwise it will encourage officials to take bribes and bend the law. After all, they hold great power, but they can still be choked to death? In short, it can be different from ordinary people, but it cannot be too outrageous. You have to grasp this degree well.
, I will help speak to the Lord later."
When Li Shanchang heard this, he nodded repeatedly, feeling like he was crying with joy!
This tea bag is so worth it!
It's just two pounds of West Lake's best Longjing, but it actually got Zhang Ximeng's advice and guarantee. If I had known this earlier, it would have been better to visit Zhang Ximeng in advance, and how could I have angered the superior?
Damn it!
"Thank you very much, Mr. Zhang, for your help. I will definitely drink tea with Mr. Zhang later."
Li Shanchang thanked him again and again, and he still wanted to draw up a detailed charter. Zhang Ximeng did not stop, so he took the initiative to say goodbye and returned to his residence.
There was an unstoppable smile on his face. After he returned, he quickly boiled water and tasted the tea he had gotten.
As a result, the moment Zhang Ximeng opened the paper package, he was stunned.
Why is something wrong?
Why is there a piece of paper in this paper bag with writing on it? When I unfold it, it turns out to be a pawn ticket.
Who would put a pawn ticket in a tea bag?
The thing pawned turned out to be a box worth a thousand dollars.
Tea, pawn tickets, boxes... subway, old people, mobile phones...
Zhang Ximeng was stunned for a while. He did not ask Li Shanchang, but silently took out a treasure banknote, and then went straight to the pawn shop. He wanted to see what was the secret of this box?
Was it a simple careless mistake, or was someone giving Li Shanchang a gift? Or, was it Lao Li who gave him a gift?
It was so easy to accept a bribe, but there was a story behind it. Zhang Ximeng didn’t know whether to cry or laugh...
Not to mention Zhang Ximeng's investigation into the pawnshop, let's talk about Li Shanchang. After a lot of work and two all-nighters, he lost weight and became much more haggard. Only then did he get his new salary.
He thought carefully and repeatedly, and there was no doubt that the ministers would be dissatisfied with this thing.
But there is nothing he can do. If he satisfies you, I will be dead if I go up to the top.
Li Shanchang handed over his plan. For officials of the first, second, third and fourth grades, the annual salary ranges from one thousand shi to three hundred shi, and each step decreases by 100 shi, and all are given a salary of 300 guan.
The genuine fifth grade is two hundred and twenty stones, which is reduced by fifty stone, and the banknotes are all one hundred and fifty guan. The sixth grade is one hundred and twenty stones, which is reduced by ten stones, and the banknotes are all ninety guan. The straight and seventh grade is reduced by ten from the sixth grade.
The stones and banknotes are all sixty pieces.
From the eighth grade, it is seventy-five shi. From the ninth grade, it is reduced by five shi.
After Li Shanchang's plan was handed over, before Zhu Yuanzhang could say anything, officials from Zhongshu Province, as well as officials from Yingtian, Hangzhou, and other places, all fell out.
What's the meaning?
Prime Minister Li, are you going too far?
With such a small salary, even if you raise an eagle or a tiger, you won't be able to get enough to eat!
Didn't we originally agree that we should refer to the salary of the Song Dynasty? Although it will be cut off a lot, we all know it in our hearts, but we still have to mean it!
We don’t ask for the water from the Yellow River to come rolling in, but we can’t use such a small thing to fool things!
no!
We need to find a higher-level judge!
Li Shanchang has been prime minister for such a long time, and this is the first time he has encountered collective opposition from his subordinates. With his respect as the left prime minister, he can't suppress it.
Everyone was furious and filled with righteous indignation. They first contacted each other, and then several ministers came to Li Shanchang, ready to go to Luo with swords in hand and make a bitter presentation of their interests.
In the entire Zhongshu Province, except for Jia Lu and Zhu Sheng, two relatively detached political advisors, everyone else started to move.
Li Shanchang's check-in was like the six major sects besieging Guangmingding. It was so exciting!
Prime Minister Li, who had long sleeves and was good at dancing, finally realized what it was like to be weak on the left and weak on the right.
These guys who usually don't speak well have finally shed their disguise!
"Okay, let's go see the superiors now and let the superiors decide!" Li Shanchang had no choice but to hurriedly go to see Zhu Yuanzhang. Other officials also followed, and they had to explain their worth.
Zhu Yuanzhang watched the whole thing with cold eyes. The more violent the officials' reaction was, it showed that he had grasped the key point. He was happy that he had not been deceived, but he was angry because of the greed of the officials.
Even the ninth-rank official, the lowest official, has an annual salary of seventy dan and thirty guan of treasure notes.
It’s enough to eat, drink and spend money, and a first-grade official can get a salary of one thousand stone per year, so why are you still not satisfied?
Lao Zhu only felt a wave of anger rushing straight to his forehead. Li Shanchang could no longer hold it back. Perhaps a direct conflict between the emperor and his ministers was just around the corner.
At this time, Zhang Ximeng arrived, "Comrades... let me say a few words. Based on the situation in Hangzhou, after equalizing the land, each person can get fifteen acres of land. In some places, it is far from enough. According to the situation in Hangzhou,
The yield of two shi per mu, calculated as two crops per year, is sixty shi of grain. In addition, land tax must be paid, and seed irrigation must be deducted... An ordinary person only has thirty or forty shi of grain, and he has encountered
In the famine years, there may be so many. The lowest officials receive twice as much as ordinary people. How many times do you think it is appropriate?"
After Zhang Ximeng said calmly, the officials who were still aggressive just now calmed down instantly. The embarrassed Li Shanchang also had a chance to breathe. He glared at the group of men and asked angrily, "Mr. Zhang is right, how much do you want?"