An increase in salary is something that is beneficial to all officials, but it is of little use to Han Du. Therefore, if he stood up and asked Lao Zhu to increase his salary, Han Du would not do such a thing.
Even if it is for the officials themselves, they must stand up.
"They fight for it themselves?" Zhu Biao was a little undecided.
Han Du looked at Zhu Biao and whispered: "Your Highness, no one cares about the benefits of effortlessness. If His Highness takes over everything and does everything for the officials, then how will they know that His Highness does this?"
What’s the hard part about it?”
None of the officials understood Zhu Biao's difficulties. Even if Zhu Biao accomplished this, the officials would not be very grateful to him. They might even think that Zhu Biao said something in front of the emperor and gave them a salary increase.
Well. No one will cherish something that is too easy to obtain.
"Your Highness must ask all officials to stand up for this matter, or at least let them support His Highness." Han Du said in a deep voice. .??.??
Zhu Biao immediately understood that he was not stupid at first, but that he was kind-hearted and felt that as long as it was something he could do, it would be okay if he tried his best.
Zhu Biao pondered for a while, stroking his beard and said: "But, wouldn't it be better for me to invite all the officials to discuss this matter?"
Han Du immediately stood upright and said with a smile: "Your Highness does not need to discuss with anyone. You only need to raise the issue of salary increase in the morning, and you will naturally get the full support of all officials. Even if the matter fails in the end,
All the officials will also thank His Highness for his kindness, and they will only blame themselves for not working hard, and it has nothing to do with His Highness. On the contrary, if His Highness takes over everything, then everyone will be happy if the matter comes to pass. But if the matter does not come to pass in the end,
I'm afraid His Highness will also be complained by hundreds of officials, which will be a heavy blow to His Highness's prestige."
Seeking a salary increase for the officials may seem like a way to show favor to the officials, but if it is not done well, it will be self-defeating. Before Zhu Biao proposed a salary increase to the emperor, even if the officials knew that the salary was too low,
He had to endure it silently. Zhu Biao proposed a salary increase, which gave all officials great hope.
But as great as the hope is, there will be great disappointment. If Zhu Biao gave all officials hope, but ultimately disappointed them, then the huge gap would turn into resentment against Zhu Biao.
Since Han Du decided to help Zhu Biao with all his strength, he naturally would not just watch him fall into the trap.
"Okay, that's it." Zhu Biao nodded with satisfaction.
The next morning during the court meeting, Zhu Biao stood before His Majesty Dan. First, he waited for his father to finish listening to the court meeting.
When the old eunuch shouted, "If you have something to report, please leave the court if there is nothing to do."
Zhu Biao turned around and bowed down to his father, and said loudly: "I would like to inform my father that I have something to report."
When Lao Zhu heard what the prince said, a smile suddenly appeared on his face. Although Zhu Biao was always present in the morning court, he rarely spoke up. Now seeing that Zhu Biao had something to report for the first time, Lao Zhu was very happy.
"It's okay to say it, Biao'er."
Lao Zhu reached out his hand towards Zhu Biao grandly and couldn't help laughing.
"My son, I sincerely request my father to increase the salary of all officials."
Lao Zhu's smile suddenly froze on his face. He never thought that Zhu Biao would suddenly do this to him. He looked at Zhu Biao with questioning eyes and didn't understand why Zhu Biao would mention this.
Is Lao Zhu willing to increase the salary of officials? Of course he is not willing. The so-called hatred of corrupt officials is obvious to all. In addition, he naturally has no good impression of officials. Even in Lao Zhu's opinion
, the salary he gave to Baiguan was enough to support Baiguan and their families, but he never thought that Baiguan's salary was not only used to support their families. Officials in the capital could indeed use it all to support their families, but those
The county magistrates of each county still need to use their salaries to support the ungraded servants of the government. If the county government cannot even support the servants, then who will serve the county magistrate?
Zhu Biao's words were like a huge stone thrown into the calm lake of the court, and immediately set off huge waves among the officials. Even senior officials like the six ministers couldn't help but look at Zhu Biao.
His eyes were filled with joy and gratitude.
The other officials couldn't hold it any longer and started whispering. The solemn court suddenly became buzzing, like a vegetable market.
When the old eunuch saw that the emperor's face was not so good, he immediately stood up and shouted loudly: "Quiet!"
The noisy voices quickly subsided and the court became quiet again.
After Lao Zhu paused, he stared at Zhu Biao and asked: "Are the salaries of officials very low? If the salaries are really low and make people unable to survive, how did they survive after so many years? Or
Say, you were deceived by others, and that’s why you played like this?"
During the gap between words, Lao Zhu's eyes glanced back and forth among the ministers unkindly.
. All the officials who were caught by Lao Zhu quickly lowered their heads. At least 80% of the people in the court have personally experienced the pain of too low salary. Although the other 20% of people have not experienced it, they have
I've heard of it more than once.
However, under the emperor's power, no official dared to propose an increase in salary in the past. Many officials had to suffer in silence even if their families were poor.
Now that His Highness the Crown Prince actually stood up and offered to increase their salaries, the officials' long-suffering sighs were immediately released, and everyone felt refreshed.
Zhu Biao raised his head and replied seriously: "Father, time has changed. In the early years of Hongwu, my father determined the salary of all officials in the world. It has been almost twenty-nine years now. Over the years, the salary of all officials has not increased even if
It is one penny. But in the early years of Hongwu, the world was in decline. At that time, the annual tax revenue of the world could only be 5 million guan. But now, the tax revenue collected by the Shipping Department alone is almost 20 million guan a year. The Ming Dynasty
The annual tax revenue exceeded 30 million yuan last year. Taikoo is building bank vaults every year, and now the number of bank vaults alone has increased by seven."
The Ming Dynasty's treasury is not without money, but it is too rich. Since the opening of maritime trade, tens of thousands of merchant ships go to sea every year, and the shipping department has paid more and more taxes to the treasury.
However, everyone's expenses in the Ming Dynasty were basically fixed. Take the salary of hundreds of officials for example. Over the years, the Ming Dynasty tax increased from 5 million guan to 30 million guan, but the annual salary of 100 officials increased from 5 to 30 million guan.
It hasn't increased by a penny.
That is to say, the construction of water conservancy and roads, as well as the Ordnance Bureau and Longjiang Bao Shipyard, only cost some treasury.
However, the national treasury needs nearly 25 million yuan more wealth every year, and it is far from enough to spend just to do this. In desperation, the Ministry of Revenue had no choice but to build more bank vaults in Taicang to store the money that could not be spent every year.
Complete silver.
There is a saying that today's officials are very vivid, that is, "guarding the golden mountain and begging for food."
"Nonsense!" Lao Zhu roared angrily.
Based on Lao Zhu's love for Zhu Biao, he almost never scolded him. But today, in this court, in front of all the officials, Lao Zhu actually scolded Zhu Biao angrily.
This was an unprecedented first time. Even Zhu Biao was shocked and could not react for a while.
Lao Zhu said in a deep voice: "In the past, the salary was enough for all officials to live, why is it not enough now? If the imperial court has money, then
It belongs to the imperial court. It can be stored there for emergencies. Why does it have to increase the salary just because the imperial court has money? What if one day the imperial court suddenly runs out of money? Can the salary be reduced?
?”
All the officials were dumbfounded. The monthly salary they received now was very pitiful. Listening to the emperor's intention, if one day the court encountered any big trouble, they would actually have to reduce their salary?
Zhu Biao shook his head and said: "Father, the current salary is really not enough for an official to live."
"In the early years of Hongwu, the price of rice was only qian per shi. Now it is 900 yuan per shi. The price of rice is even cheaper than before. Why is the same salary not enough?" Lao Zhu began to be a little dissatisfied with Zhu Biao's speech for the officials.
Zhu Biao nodded and replied: "Father is right. From the price of rice, it is indeed cheaper. But firewood, rice, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, tea, except rice and firewood, the prices of other things are increasing. Especially
The price of renting a house in the capital has more than tripled, please take a look at it."
Zhu Biao took out a memorial from his arms and presented it to his father with both hands. This is the current price of goods in the capital and surrounding counties that he sent people to investigate, as well as the price of goods in the early years of Hongwu that he read and copied. Comparing the two, the difference can be seen.
Extremely obvious.
Lao Zhu got the memorial and opened it, and saw two very obvious time points on it, one was the first year of Hongwu, and the other was the twenty-ninth year of Hongwu. Below the two years, there were rows of tables, and in each row of the table
It's the same thing, just marked with two different prices.
As Zhu Biao said, except for rice and firewood, the prices of almost everything else have increased, and in some cases they have increased four or five times.
After reading it, Lao Zhu suddenly closed the memorial and sat on the dragon chair without saying a word.
When the officials below saw this, several ministers exchanged glances with each other and immediately knelt down. Other officials saw that their ministers had knelt down, and they also knelt down.
"My ministers, I sincerely ask the emperor to show compassion and increase his salary."
When Lao Zhu heard this, he became furious. He pointed at the leader of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, Du Ze, and asked, "Is your salary not enough for you to support your family?"
Du Ze was also willing to take the risk. He raised his head and said seriously: "I am a second-grade official, and my monthly salary is sixty-one thousand dollars, which is enough for me to support my family. At most, I can rent a dilapidated small courtyard, and the monthly salary is only ten thousand dollars."
Money. But Your Majesty, what about those officials of the eighth and ninth grades? Their monthly salary is less than five guan, and they cannot even rent a dilapidated courtyard, so how can they support their families?"