Early the next morning, Han Du was having breakfast when he saw the old eunuch walking in for the first time.
Surprised, Han Du pointed to the steamed buns and porridge on the table and asked, "Why are you here so early? Have you eaten? If not, how about eating some together?"
The old eunuch laughed, actually sat down, reached for a bun and took a bite. He scooped out a bowl of porridge and took a sip.
Han Du looked at the old eunuch with strange eyes, not understanding what his actions meant.
The old eunuch raised his head, glanced at Han Du, and said with a smile: "When the old slave was young, his family was poor, and all he wanted to do was have a mouthful of hot porridge. However, most of the time he ate wild vegetable leaves. That’s all. Man, in fact, in this life, isn’t this a mouthful of hot porridge what you want? Of course, your steamed buns are also amazing, I feel they are no worse than those in the imperial kitchen.”
Han Du couldn't help but feel speechless as he watched the old eunuch shouting at each old slave. Looking at this huge capital, how many people dare to regard this bad old man as an old slave?
A man who accompanies a king is like a tiger who accompanies him. Before the old eunuch, the eunuch beside Lao Zhu would be replaced almost every year or two. But it has been more than ten years since the old eunuch served Lao Zhu. And up to now, Lao Zhu is still very satisfied with the old eunuch and shows no signs of replacing him.
"I've always been timid, please don't scare me, father-in-law." Han Du tested the old eunuch's intention.
The old eunuch smiled and said: "Are you still cowardly? I have never seen anyone more courageous than you in my whole life. How many heads have you grown to dare to interfere in such a thing?"
Han Du immediately understood that the old eunuch was warning him to participate in persuading the emperor to increase his salary. He let out a long sigh, "Father-in-law, do you think this is what I want? I can't help myself!"
Now that I have decided to stand on Zhu Biao's side, I must always show my due role in front of Zhu Biao. Otherwise, what use would he have to himself?
Not to mention that there was nothing wrong with Zhu Biao's move. It was also in compliance with the situation. The salary of all officials had indeed reached the point where it had to be increased. If this problem is not solved now, there will be endless troubles in the future.
Even if Zhu Biao's move was wrong, Han Du wanted to stand on Zhu Biao's side. These five tests are right and wrong, but positioning is very important.
After hearing this, the old eunuch nodded with a smile and said: "It is true that I can't help myself, that's how people are. By the way, where is Her Royal Highness the Princess? Can I allow this old slave to go and pay my respects?"
"An Qing is about to give birth and needs more rest now." Han Du's face was full of smiles. Before he knew it, An Qing was about to give birth to his third child.
The old eunuch was stunned for a moment, and then he quickly raised his hands and congratulated: "What a joy!"
"Thank you, thank you~" Han Du quickly returned the gift.
Then he asked: "I wonder if my father-in-law is here today. What are your orders?"
Hearing this, the old eunuch nodded slightly and said, "The Emperor has a decree to send you to the palace for an audience."
"Ah?" Han Du looked at the old eunuch in surprise. When Lao Zhu summoned him, why did the old eunuch seem to be unhurried? Not only did he sit down and eat a steamed bun and a bowl of porridge, but he also chatted with himself for a while?
"Let's go quickly, don't keep the emperor waiting." The old eunuch smiled and motioned for Han Du to follow him into the palace.
Han Du didn't have time to think carefully and hurriedly followed the old eunuch.
Arriving at Qianqing Palace, Han Du saw Zhu Biao already sitting next to him.
"I pay my respects to the Emperor and His Highness the Crown Prince."
Han Du looked at Zhu Biao and saw him smiling and nodding secretly. Han Du suddenly knew that it wouldn't be a bad thing if Lao Zhu summoned him today. If this is the case, then why did the old eunuch behave just now?
Lao Zhu glanced at Han Du while sitting upright, and said calmly: "Get up and sit down."
"Thank you, Your Majesty." Han Du stood up and slowly walked to the golden pier.
At this time, Lao Zhu took a sip of ginseng tea and put down the teacup. Said: "I thought about it all night last night. If we can increase the salary of all officials on the grounds that the officials and gentry will not pay the grain, I still agree."
Han Du glanced at Lao Zhu in surprise. He didn't expect that Lao Zhu, who was always stingy, actually agreed. He subconsciously looked towards Zhu Biao and saw Zhu Biao giving him a grateful look.
Han Du pondered for a moment and then understood that his reminder yesterday must have had an effect. Compared with the fact that the officials and gentry do not pay taxes, which results in the world's rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer, and the taxes on the poor becoming more and more heavy, Lao Zhu is obviously still willing to spend money.
Lao Zhu himself experienced the end of the Yuan Dynasty personally, and he knew very well what kind of things the poor and destitute people would do. Compared to the entire Lao Zhu family's world, some property is really not worth mentioning.
After a pause, Lao Zhu changed his tone and asked: "But with the increase in salary, will it be possible to prevent officials from being corrupt?"
Han Du shook his head decisively.
Lao Zhu immediately put his hand on the desk, leaned forward towards Han Du, and asked sternly: "What do you mean? Could it be that I have increased their salary, but it can't stop them from being greedy? Then why should I increase their salary? ?”
Han Du had no choice but to explain: "Your Majesty, the increase in official salaries is just to ensure the normal life of officials. As for the corruption of ink... it has never been stopped since ancient times. How can there be no more corruption of ink just because of a one-time increase in salary? What’s up?”
"If the salary is enough, no one will be greedy for ink. Then the salary in the Tang Dynasty and the former Song Dynasty is more than ten times that of the Ming Dynasty. Is there no greed for ink in the Tang Dynasty and the former Song Dynasty?"
After hearing this, Lao Zhu immediately sat back. When he asked that sentence just now, he had a complicated mood in his heart that he was eager to increase his salary and would no longer be greedy for ink. But if Han Du said this, he would not believe it.
However, after Han Du directly told him that it was impossible to completely eliminate Tan Mo by increasing his salary, Lao Zhu couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.
"Five Dynasties Rivers, Mountains and Winds"
However, Lao Zhu also had to admit that what Han Du said was reasonable. If increasing the salary can avoid corruption, then the salary of the Tang Dynasty and the former Song Dynasty should not lead to excessive corruption. However, the greed for ink in these two dynasties was not as weak as in other dynasties.
Lao Zhu used both hands to support him. When Zhu Biao saw him, he quickly stepped forward to help him. After Lao Zhu stood up, he waved his hand and got rid of Zhu Biao's support, walked to the window alone, looked up at the sky and sighed:
"Is it really difficult to cure corruption and reach the sky?"
Han Du was silent for a moment, raised his head and looked at Lao Zhu's back, and said: "Taimo can only channel, not contain. It can only be reduced as much as possible. As long as people's hearts are still chasing profit, it cannot be cut off."
After hearing this, Lao Zhu immediately turned around, stared at Han Du and asked, "Do you have any way to reduce it?"
"I do have a plan." Han Du nodded.
"Oh?" Lao Zhu was surprised. Lao Zhu knew better than anyone how difficult it was to control corruption. Even peeling daylilies can't stop officials from being greedy, and Han Du actually said he had a way?
Lao Zhu immediately sat back on the chair, waved and shouted: "Come here, give me some tea."
Then he looked at Han Du and said, "Speak slowly."
Han Du smiled and took the tea handed over by the eunuch, took a sip of tea to moisten his throat, and said: "The price of houses in the capital is very high now. Even a three-level house in the outer city can usually be sold for four to five thousand guan." The price is high. But seven or eight years ago, the price of such a house was one or two thousand guan. In just a few years, the price has more than doubled. And if a house with three entrances is built in the outer city now, the materials The cost of the work will not exceed Qianguan."
Lao Zhu also just learned about the price of houses in the capital. If it weren't for Zhu Biao's memorial, Lao Zhu wouldn't have known that the prices of houses and rental houses in the capital had risen to such an extent. But Lao Zhu didn't say anything about this. In his opinion, these are common people's things, and it is a good thing to increase the price.
But now Lao Zhu looked at Han Du and didn't understand what Han Du wanted to express. "What does the house price you mentioned have to do with the fight against corruption?"
Han Du did not answer Lao Zhu directly, but continued to ask: "Your Majesty, now a three-in house in the outer city is worth four to five thousand guan. Does your Majesty agree with this?"
Lao Zhu nodded, "Of course." This is the price among the people. Why does he disagree?
Just agree, Han Du nodded again. He continued: "There is a saying that if you want a horse to run well, you don't want to feed the horse enough grass, but hang a handful of grass in front of the horse. In this way, the horse has to eat the grass in front of its mouth. A handful of grass and he will try his best to run.”
Seeing that both Lao Zhu and Zhu Biao were confused, Han Du smiled and continued: "Although the capital is prosperous, it is not easy to live in. If the emperor orders the Ministry of Industry to build a house in the outer city, it will be given to hundreds of officials to live in. Set a rule that if an official can be clean and honest for ten or fifteen years, the house will be directly awarded to him. In this way, officials will have hope and will easily avoid corruption."
"Even if someone wants to bribe an official, how can he give out four to five thousand guan to bribe him in the first place? But it's only a few dozen or a few hundred guan. Everyone weighs the pros and cons in their mind, so how can they make the official give up? The house you got?"
Lao Zhu suddenly realized it and burst into laughter. "Okay, good idea. As long as they are not fools, no one will give up a house worth four or five thousand coins for tens or hundreds of coins."
Zhu Biao looked at Han Du with shock in his eyes. Such a difficult thing to control corruption was actually accomplished by Han Du. With this policy, officials who are not greedy by nature will not easily accept bribes from others, let alone be greedy.
"Moreover, as the Ming Dynasty becomes increasingly prosperous, the price of houses in the capital will definitely continue to rise. By then, the value of a house will no longer be four to five thousand guan, and it is even possible to double it." Han Du laughed. Then he said, and added, "All officials have suffered enough from renting houses over the years. They all take the increase in house prices into consideration. There are no officials who don't understand this."
