"May I ask, Your Majesty, what errands do you want to entrust me to?"
"Monitor the feudal lord!"
Zhu Yuanzhang seemed to have regained his imperial demeanor, "The kings of Jin, Yan, Zhou, and the vassal kings who will become vassal in the future will all be under surveillance!"
"Ah?" Li Qing was stunned, "Let me monitor you..."
"Not bad." Zhu Yuanzhang patted him on the shoulder, "Just do it, we will support you."
Li Qing scratched his head. He wasn't afraid, he was just surprised. He didn't expect that Lao Zhu couldn't even trust his own son now.
The King of Qin, Zhu Xi, has really made a good start this time. Zhu Di and his brothers may not have a good time in the future.
"When does it begin?"
"Celebrate the New Year!"
Seeing that he was not afraid, Zhu Yuanzhang's expression became gentler. He liked Li Qing's temperament of not looking forward or backward when doing things, and not afraid of getting into trouble.
Li Qing nodded and asked: "Do you want to stay in the capital, or go to the vassal lands of your highnesses in person...?"
"You decide this for yourself."
Zhu Yuanzhang said, "As long as you can do your job well, it doesn't matter whether you stay in the capital or go to the feudal territory."
"I understand."
…
After returning home, Li Qing crossed his legs and took a leisurely stroll, thinking about where to go first after the New Year.
Perhaps it was because the name of Emperor Yongle was too loud, there was always a voice in his mind urging: Go to Peking, go to Peking!
"Sir, what's for lunch?"
Lianxiang was dressed in linen clothes, carrying a vegetable basket and preparing to go out to buy groceries. The coarse linen clothes covered her pretty figure tightly, and her fair face turned dark, and she even got a lot of freckles out of thin air.
Li Qing laughed and said, "I asked you to dress up ugly when you go out, but there is no need to be so ugly!"
"Aren't you afraid of causing trouble for your husband?" Lianxiang said with a smile, "As long as your husband knows that I am beautiful, I don't care what other people think."
"You girl..." Li Qing pinched her cheek and took out a few treasure bills, "Buy more delicious food."
Lianxiang nodded, but did not accept the money, "My servant has money."
"Just take it, you are mine, why are you so polite?" Li Qing pushed the treasure banknotes to her, "Buy some snacks like candied dates and preserves. The family is not short of money, so there is no need to be too prudent in life."
"Well, your servant knows." Lianxiang's eyes were full of autumn.
"Go!"
Li Qing leaned back in his chair and continued to relax, holding a cup of tea and sitting under the tree thinking about life.
After living leisurely in the mountains for ten years, he has long been accustomed to this slow-paced lifestyle and likes it very much.
During this period of time, he had enough of killing people, ransacking homes, and living without a moment's leisure. Fortunately, life returned to peace.
Li Qing stretched his body and gently massaged his shoulders with a pair of jade hands. He couldn't help but sigh: "It's better to be salted fish!"
"Salted fish?"
Wan Ling asked curiously, "Sir, do you like salted fish?"
"Metaphor." Li Qing smiled, "It means self-destruction and no pursuit."
"That's right." Wan Ling nodded ignorantly, and then said, "Sir, you have great ambitions, so you are not a salted fish."
"Oh haha……"
Li Qing was overjoyed, "Tell me, why am I so ambitious?"
Wan Ling's face turned red and she hesitated: "You are a female servant, how can you guess what the master is thinking."
"Oh, your little mouth is so sweet."
"Then... sir, do you want to try it?" Wan Ling said bravely, her pretty face burning.
This girl, if she has a bigger butt, she will be attractive... Li Qing ignored her and planned to keep her for the New Year.
At noon, according to his instructions, the meal was extremely rich.
Li Qing ate happily.
He stayed up all night last night. He fell asleep after lunch and slept until evening.
I was bored, so I went to Zhenfusi for a walk.
Whether you work or not, you still need to have the basic ethics of clocking in at work, and your salary cannot be in vain.
He is a fourth-rank official in Jinyi Town Fusi. Although he is only a fourth-rank official, his salary is really good. The annual salary is 240 dan, including a 20% increase, which is 288 dan per year.
To be honest, I’m really not that low.
Everyone says that the salary in the Ming Dynasty is low, but if you calculate it carefully, although the salary in the Ming Dynasty is far less than that in the Song and Yuan Dynasties, it is really not low.
The purchasing power of Ming Dynasty banknotes is also quite stable at this stage, with the currency consistently costing one stone per meter.
According to the prices of later generations, a regular banknote would cost almost 700 yuan.
His annual salary this year is two hundred thousand.
And it's after tax, which is enough for him and his three daughters to eat and drink well, and have no worries about food and clothing.
Of course, it would not be enough to provide for a coachman, support a domestic servant, and marry a bunch of wives, but given his current situation, it would definitely be enough.
Zhu Yuanzhang was not generous enough, but he was right about one thing. The salaries he paid to officials were indeed sufficient in theory.
However, all the officials have a consensus, that is, once I become an official, my whole family will not have to work, and the court must support them.
But they didn't want to think about it, he was the only one working, why did Mr. Zhu want to support their whole family?
You marry 20 little wives and let Lao Zhu support you?
Isn't this nonsense?
It is for this reason that people follow what they say, indicating that the salary is low.
In fact, in the middle of the Ming Dynasty, due to excessive currency issuance and inflation, official salaries were indeed low and life was even difficult.
But at least in the Hongwu Dynasty, officials' salaries were indeed sufficient. Zhu Yuanzhang was not bragging when he said there was endless money to spend.
People like Lao Zhu have gone through strict calculations.
…
The days are lived day by day, plain and fulfilling, the fragrance of red sleeves is charming, and you can do everything. This kind of life is very happy.
However, sometimes he would go to Jiaofangsi to have some extravagance, and hire an oiran or something to add some fun to his life.
Before we knew it, it was already the end of the year.
Due to the funeral of Empress Ma, the New Year's Eve was much more deserted than before, but for Li Qing, this New Year was already full of New Year's flavor.
The twenty-ninth day of the twelfth lunar month.
The courtyard is kept spotless, with couplets pasted up and small lanterns hung up. Although it cannot be dressed in red or green, it looks quite festive.
Several women wearing double-breasted coats were busy in the yard. Li Qing held a cup of tea and watched from the side, feeling relaxed and happy.
"Sir, please try the meat buns that have just come out of the pot."
Wan Ling wrapped two hot steamed buns in oil paper and trotted over. The snow-white meat buns were bumpy and almost jumped out several times.
Li Qing picked up one, blew it a little, and couldn't wait to take a bite. "Well, it's soft and fragrant. It's much more delicious than the ones outside."
"As long as you like it, sir." Wan Ling's eyes narrowed into crescent moons.
Li Qing finished the steamed buns three times, five by two, and felt that he was still unsatisfied, so he ate another one too.
"Sir, keep some belly. We need to eat later." Wan Ling said, "I'll eat dumplings later."
"Dumplings and steamed buns are similar. They are made of dough and stuffing." Li Qing smiled. "I didn't have lunch at home. I have to visit my colleagues."
Mao Xiang, Zhang Heng, and Liu Ming have returned. In addition, Liu Qiang and Li Yu have also rushed back, leaving only a small number of people to continue handling the case.
During the Chinese New Year, worldliness and sophistication are indispensable.
Today and tomorrow belong to the Chinese New Year, and there are not many people in the Yamen, so Li Qing went directly to Mao Xiang's house.
Mao Xiang's house was very lively, with high-ranking officials such as fellow magistrates, ministers, governors and governors all present.
"Everyone is here!" Li Qing held the gift and smiled at Mao Xiang, "Boss, where can I put this?"
The butler behind him spread his hands towards Mao Xiang with a look of helplessness on his face.
The corner of Mao Xiang's mouth twitched, "I know you got the gift, give it to the butler."
Li Qing seemed to have just discovered the butler and said in surprise, "Oh, so you are here. If I had known earlier, I wouldn't have brought you here. This makes me tired."
Butler: I followed you all the way, but you clung to me and refused to let go. Do you blame me?
As for the gift of twenty taels, Li Qing felt some pain in his body. When he saw Mao Xiang, he didn't even look at it and just complained that he was losing blood.
If he had known this, he would have given away cheap goods.
Everyone sat down again. After a while, the servants served wine and food. A group of people drank, ate meat and talked about the mountains. It was very lively.
"Li Qing, are you a hungry wolf?" Mao Xiang shouted angrily, "Stop eating, I have something to tell you."
"Uh-huh..." Li Qing put down his chopsticks, "Boss, tell me."
"About your new errand, the emperor told me." Mao Xiang wiped his hands and said, "You and Zhang Heng will hand over the local investigation of Guo Huan's case. After the New Year, go and do your business!"
"Okay." Li Qing agreed with a smile and continued eating and drinking.
Zhang Heng asked curiously, "Li Qing, has the Emperor arranged a new job for you?"
"ah!"
"Can you tell me?" Zhang Heng looked gossipy, and Liu Ming and others also looked curious.
Mao Xiang waved his hand and said, "Don't ask, you will know later, drink and drink..."
