If I fail to overcome the tribulation, I can only return to the Ming Dynasty and become a prince.

Chapter 58 Salaries of Officials

With the money provided by the businessmen, and allowing them to undertake the construction themselves, the enthusiasm for the investment was naturally different. The dock outside Dinghuai Gate soon broke ground.

Moreover, these businessmen were very thieves. They knew that Zhu Zhanqun built the wharf to transport materials for the construction of the military camp, so the first thing he built was not the river near Dinghuai Gate, but the section of the river closer to the military camp.

Moreover, they paid enough wages and asked the craftsmen to work in two shifts day and night in order to repair this section of the pier in the shortest possible time.

In ancient times, this kind of construction efficiency was already top-notch.

So after the craftsmen worked hard for several days and nights, the foundation of Zhu Zhanchun's new military camp was not yet being laid, but the dock next to it was already in shape. The ships transporting materials from the Ministry of Housing and Industry and the Ministry of Works had already docked and unloaded here.

Compared with transporting goods from land by carriages and horses, ships can undoubtedly transport more quantities at one time, and ships can also travel faster than carriages and horses.

This also greatly increased the construction speed of military camps, allowing a mighty new military camp to rise from the ground almost at a speed visible to the naked eye.

However, what was built faster than the military camp was the alchemy room and alchemy furnace that Zhu Zhanjun wanted.

"Your Highness, according to your request, the alchemy furnace is nine feet high, seven feet wide, with three parts inside and five elements outside. It is all made of brass by craftsmen according to the drawings you gave. See if it suits you. If there is anything that needs to be changed, just say it and I will have someone change it immediately." A green-robed official from the Ministry of Industry stood next to Zhu Zhanquan, looking extremely respectful and humble, with his waist bent like a big shrimp. He looked very flattering and humble in his words, for fear that Zhu Zhanquan would be dissatisfied.

Zhu Zhanchun looked at the flattering attitude of the little official in front of him. Although he didn't like a person lowering his head into the soil, he didn't say much.

After all, the petty official in front of me is just a green-robed petty official, not even a green-robed official. In the officialdom, he is commonly known as a ninth-grade sesame official. If he is not an official of the Ministry of Industry, he may not even be able to qualify as an official.

Facing Zhu Zhanquan, the crown prince's second son and grandson, it is easy to understand his humble attitude.

"The alchemy furnace is good, but it will cost a lot to buy so much copper, right?" Zhu Zhanqi looked at the alchemy furnace shining brightly in the sun and asked the official on the side about it. cost.

The huge alchemy furnace is as tall as a person and is made entirely of brass. The cost is definitely not cheap. After all, even if copper is not used as currency in the Ming Dynasty, it can really be used as money.

"Your Majesty, the cost of this alchemy furnace is [-] yuan..." The smile on the official's face was a little stiff, and he said a quite astonishing figure.

"Ten thousand guan... This is not a small amount of money. It is enough to feed, clothe and warm a family of five for three generations, right?" Zhu Zhanquan suddenly sighed for no reason and asked the official a question. Endless questions.

The junior official didn't know how to react, but he answered quickly: "Your Highness is exaggerating. People have to pay court taxes, serve in the military, and support daily expenses at home all year round, especially if something big happens. Need to break the bank.

If it were not for production, just looking at this ten thousand yuan expenditure, two generations would have almost spent it all.

But if you work hard and work hard, with this ten thousand yuan, whether you want to buy a field or do some business, it will be a family business that can be passed down to your family.Of course, it is best to send your children to study, so that they can gain fame and honor their ancestors in the future, serve the court better, and leave a name in history. "

In the minds of people in the Ming Dynasty, studying and becoming an official has been deeply rooted in the hearts of the people. It is the easiest way for ordinary people to achieve class jump and get ahead.

Especially in the Zhu Yuanzhang era, although the official life was not easy, there were still many preferential treatments for scholars. As long as they could pass the examination as a child student or a scholar, their family would be able to enjoy tax exemption, receive money and food from the government every month, and have someone to take care of them.

Therefore, for the people of the Ming Dynasty, studying could really turn them into wealth.

However, this was not what Zhu Zhanyu was concerned about. He just turned to the young official and continued to ask: "What about you, sir? Ten thousand guan should be equivalent to all the salary you can earn as an official in your lifetime. Is it a lot? If you have ten thousand guan, how long will it last for you?"

This question can be regarded as a torture of the soul. As we all know, Zhu Yuanzhang set a very small salary for officials. After that, the emperors of the Ming Dynasty never thought of increasing the salaries of officials. In addition, the officials were given precious banknotes. For officials, Just relying on the salary from the court is really not enough.

But if you want to ask how long ten thousand guan is enough for an official, the answer will be very unexpected.

"I don't dare to call you Your Highness. I am just a junior official in the Ministry of Industry. My surname is Sun. You can just call me Shouzhuo." Sun Shouzhuo hesitated a little, but after gritting his teeth, he said truthfully: "If I am a junior official in the Ministry of Industry, In terms of income, a year's salary is seventy dan, with 45 guan in banknotes, which is about 100 taels of silver. If it is 20 guan of pure silver, it is indeed enough for the humble family to use it for [-] years. But if it is [-] guan, Treasure money..."

Sun Shouzhuo didn't finish his words because Zhu Zhanquan had raised his hand to stop him from continuing.

"There is no need to say these words. The imperial court has banned the private trade of gold, silver and copper. If you shouldn't say anything, don't say it." Zhu Zhanquan looked at the slightly unwilling expression on Sun Shouzhuo's face, and then asked after thinking about it. : "If the imperial court issues new banknotes that can be exchanged for a full amount of silver, do you think the people and the government will be willing to use them?"

Hearing Zhu Zhanjun's question, Sun Shouzhuo replied affirmatively without thinking: "If the imperial court can really issue new banknotes that can be exchanged for a full amount of silver taels, then the people will definitely be willing to use them, and the officials will naturally be the same. It's just that the imperial court is short of silver. , there are so many treasure notes issued, how is it possible to exchange them for a sufficient amount of silver?

I also experienced the Hongwu Dynasty. When Taizu first issued the treasure banknotes, they were indeed valuable, and everyone was willing to spend them.But later on, as the imperial court issued more appointments, the treasure banknotes became less valuable, and people no longer liked to use the treasure banknotes.

A low-level official like Bei Zhi only needs the Lumi issued by the court every year to exchange for some money. The treasure notes issued are really not enough. "

This can be regarded as pouring out bitterness to Zhu Zhanquan. After all, the imperial court issued salary according to the face value of the treasure banknotes. It seems that 45 coins is quite a lot, but in fact, there is a question mark whether the banknotes can be used as one hundred copper coins. .

Therefore, what officials can really spend as money every year is the physical Lumi issued, or various items converted from Lumi.

When Zhu Di sent Zheng He to the West to bring back a large amount of spices, the imperial court began to convert the salaries of officials into spices and distribute them instead of directly distributing rice.

However, at first the spices were valuable, and everyone was happy to accept them. However, after Zheng He's seven voyages to the West, more and more spices were brought back, and the spices became worthless, which in turn reduced the salaries of officials in disguise. It can be regarded as a disguised salary cut.

(End of this chapter)