The first snowfall of the second year of Chongzhen came earlier than before.
It was only early November, and the entire city of Beijing was already covered in ice and snow.
Let alone going out, even heating at home was extremely cold. Chongzhen was also worried about the people in the world. He didn't know how many people would not be able to survive this winter.
In the midst of worry, it was finally time for the sealing of all officials. The cabinet had already experienced the sealing and vacation of all officials, so there was no need for him to worry at all.
After more than two years of planning, there was no clarification within Ming Dynasty, but nothing major would happen, and Chongzhen was rarely at peace.
Perhaps because of his broad heart and fat body, before the opening of the official seal ceremony, through his unremitting efforts, four concubines in the harem, including Concubine Yuan Guifei and Concubine Tian Guifei, became pregnant one after another.
This filled the entire palace with joy.
On the first day when the officials opened their seals, Chongzhen went through the formalities in Huangji Hall and then asked the officials to leave.
As soon as the officials returned and left the Meridian Gate, Bi Ziyan stopped everyone: "Everyone, your majesty is kind and thinks of all officials. From today on, all officials' salaries will be in accordance with Hongwu's twenty-five-year plan, and there will be no compromise." and treasure banknotes and real objects,
According to the rice price of the previous year, Lumi or equivalent silver will be distributed in full, and any excess will be refunded at the end of the year. This edict has been published in today's Daming Daily. Please go back and take a good look!
As a colleague, I would like to say a few words. Your Majesty has restored his salary. Although it is not high, it is still passable. The Ming Dynasty is still in a difficult period with many foreign enemies. At present, it can only go so far. It will become more and more difficult in the future. The better,
If you dare to commit corruption again, don’t blame His Majesty for killing you. "
Huh……
Except for a few cabinet members who had already known about it, the more than a hundred ministers at the Meridian Gate were stunned, with disbelief in their eyes.
During the Ming Dynasty, salaries were extremely low, especially after several reforms such as Zhese and Baobao. Although the life of officials could not be said to be poor, it was relatively tight.
Especially after the new emperor launched a strategy of returning land to the people, all their original land and other land were handed over to the court, and their sources of income dropped sharply.
From the six ministers to the fourth-rank officials, everyone has a smile on their face. If this was not at the Meridian Gate, they would be dancing.
Life is finally getting better.
They were excited, and the people in the entire capital were talking about it.
"The emperor is still kind. He distributes his salary in full. He is the most generous person since Taizu!"
"Have you ever counted how many officials, wealthy businessmen and gentry the emperor has confiscated in the past two years? The treasury may not be able to hold it all!"
"Yes, the treasury has piled up so much. If it were me, I would be more generous!"
"I don't know if you are generous or not, but I know that you must be a prodigal. It will be difficult to get it back if you increase your simplicity. The money in the treasury will eventually be spent. What will you do then?"
"Have you forgotten to return the land to the people? Plant it first and then lend it. The average is six taels per mu. The national treasury receives tens of millions of taels every year, and there is simply no way to spend it all!"
"A considerable number of officials are corrupt because their salaries are too low. Now that they have been restored, there will be fewer corrupt officials!"
"Aren't you naive? There are a few people who can become corrupt officials who have conscience. It's impossible to expect their conscience to find out."
"I don't understand. It's understandable that officials have resumed their salaries, but why do subordinate officials and servants have their salaries? The subordinate officials are as high as five dan, the low as three shi, and the servants are one and a half dan.
In addition, the ones I get secretly on weekdays are probably higher than those of officials. It's a comfortable life! "
…
All the officials and people who saw the edict were discussing it.
Especially the officials and subordinate staff who received the benefits were extremely happy.
But this happiness only lasted for two or three days, and two more edicts were passed down one after another, making them completely withered.
The general meaning of the second edict is to adjust the law for punishing corrupt officials. Those who give bribes will be punished one level higher than those who take bribes, ranging from punishment with a stick to death in severe cases.
The general meaning of the third edict is that the imperial court established an inspection team directly under the emperor to implement the strategy of "four no two directs".
The issuance of the two edicts confused the officials who were still happy to have their salaries restored.
"Just now I was thinking about how my salary was restored, and even the subordinate officials and servants are here. It turns out they are waiting here!"
"The idea of heavy penalties for bribery is a good one. As long as the wealthy businessmen and gentry don't pay bribes, they will take much less bribes!"
"The establishment of the inspection team has stopped officials from being lazy because they have no money to pay. Anyone who dares to be lazy will be killed immediately. This is forcing officials to be honest!"
"Forcing them? Why do you want to be an official? Isn't it for the party in charge? It is the most basic thing to be honest and complete your job. Now it is still driven by external forces. This is a shame."
"Yes, it is the most basic thing to receive a salary from the court and complete your job. When will you be rewarded for completing your job?"
"Hey, after being an official for thousands of miles, in order to have food and clothing, and the court is so strict with the punishment, I guess there are not many people who want to be an official!"
"Humph, the most important thing in the Ming Dynasty is people who want to be officials. They are not qualified, but there are many people who are. Besides, how can they be as hardworking as us people?
We work at sunrise and rest at sundown, and do farm work under the bright sun in the dog days of summer. We only earn one tael of silver a month, but from the ninth level to the lowest, we have five stones. Did we say anything? "
"You can't say that. We studied hard for ten years, spent all our days and nights, and had to go through several exams. Our efforts are definitely no less than yours!"
"Hahaha... It's ridiculous. We also want to study, but do we have the chance? Do we have the spare money? If there is the opportunity, some great talents may not emerge among us ordinary people. With the same opportunity, we may not be worse than you.
If you are not the second or third generation of officials and businessmen, you may not have a better life than us! "
…
The three edicts were like three thunders, waking up the entire Ming Dynasty.
The officials were both happy and frightened. They were happy that their salaries had been restored and their lives were getting better. But they were frightened by the existence of the inspection team, which was like a sharp knife hanging around their necks.
The gentry and wealthy businessmen were full of panic, and they unanimously issued orders to make the younger generations restrain themselves. If they violated the laws of the Ming Dynasty again, no one could protect them. They had already experienced the emperor's cold blood.
The happiest people are the people. They don't ask for special care from the government. As long as the officials are honest and honest, so that they don't have to be oppressed by wealthy businessmen and gentry, life will be wonderful.
The three edicts gave the people of Ming Dynasty unlimited vitality. It seems that the weather is not so cold anymore, because this is hope.
With this hope, the ice and snow melted and everything revived.
On the last day of February, hundreds of officials from the seventh rank and above in Beijing gathered in front of the Meridian Gate. Everyone's face was full of doubts, and so were the six ministers and nine ministers of the cabinet.
