Although the incident in the northwest was discussed in court, it wasn't a big deal. The second matter was the key, which was the salary increase. After all, it was too much of a fuss.
After finalizing the first matter, Shen Shixing said, "Then let's discuss the second matter, which is the salary increase for the officials."
Basically, no one would object to this matter, especially at this time. The government had just finished distributing grain to the gentry. If anyone objected to the salary increase, they would probably be scolded to death.
Many officials indeed couldn't afford to eat, so this had to be considered.
Increasing the salary of the officials could more or less appease the resentment of the government and the gentry.
"Daming has been established for more than a hundred years. The prices of goods are no longer the same as when the country was founded. Coupled with the official salary, many officials can't make ends meet. It is indeed necessary to increase the salary.
Especially the officials in the capital, many people sigh that it is not easy to live in the capital. "
Wang Guoguang, the Minister of Personnel, spoke first, "So I think that the salary increase is indeed necessary."
"In the past, the court was in a difficult situation. Now that the government and the gentry are distributing grain together, it is indeed necessary to increase the salary.
When the country is in trouble, the officials can sacrifice their family to help. But now that the court is doing well, the officials can't be disappointed! "
After Wang Guoguang finished speaking, a few more people chimed in. Everyone was in favor of increasing the salary.
Of course, the big shots present didn't lack money, let alone the salary increase. But no one would complain about having too much money.
However, everyone was worried about the Emperor's attitude. Ever since the salary increase, the Emperor hadn't expressed his opinion.
Everyone was very clear about the Zhu Emperor's character. Ever since Emperor Taizu, the Zhu Emperor had been stingy for a long time.
It was basically the same for every generation. Some of the later ones could use the excuse of not having enough money, but the rich ones were also stingy, such as Emperor Taizu.
"In spring and summer, we give money, and in autumn and winter, we give sumu and pepper." Sumu and pepper were used as salaries for the officials.
Sumu and pepper were naturally tributes from the western countries. Later, Zheng He brought back a lot of it when he went west.
But these things couldn't be eaten or sold. The officials held them in their hands and looked at each other. Zhu Yijun even thought that the reason why the officials opposed the "Western Expedition" was because they were angered by the "payment of salary" of spices.
At that time, the imperial court was rich. Not only did they not increase the salaries, but they also thought of ways to deduct the salaries of the officials.
Although our current emperor hasn't shown this, ever since he took over the government, this young emperor has always been making money. He doesn't spend much.
Every day, the palace's expenses were cut again and again. Every meal consisted of four dishes and one soup.
An emperor who was so cruel to himself, who was so stingy to himself, would he be willing to raise the salary of his officials?
If Zhu Yijun knew that the officials thought of him this way, he would probably drag them out and beat them. Am I that kind of stingy person?
But now that things had come to this, it was time for the Emperor's "Sacred Heart Dictatorship".
Since everyone agreed, the emperor wouldn't force the officials to object. Besides, Zhu Yijun was also in favor of increasing the salary.
Nodding his head, Zhu Yijun said in a deep voice, "What all of you said makes sense. Let's increase the salary!
However, how to increase it and by how much is the problem. Everyone, you tell us and we will listen. "
Originally, when they heard that the emperor agreed, everyone was relieved. But when they heard what he said later, everyone's hearts were in their throats again.
"I think that since we are increasing the salary, we should proceed from the actual situation. First of all, banknotes should be eliminated."
This time, the first to speak was the Grand Secretary of the Cabinet, Yu Youding. He pointed directly at the hated banknotes among the officials.
Banknotes had depreciated in value during the Daming period. During the Hongzhi period, one thousand banknotes were "only worth three percent of silver and two copper coins."
During the Wanli period, even hundreds of banknotes were "not worth dozens of copper coins."
If you went to the shops to buy things with banknotes, people would definitely treat you as a lunatic and drive you out. The common people didn't recognize banknotes at all. Therefore, although the officials still had a high salary in name, the amount that they actually received and could spend was getting less and less.
Li Xian, the Grand Secretary of the Cabinet during the Tianshun period, said that after he received his salary, "daily expenses were not more than ten days." A month's salary was only enough for ten days of expenses.
In fact, during the Zhengde period, the imperial court stopped issuing new banknotes. However, the officials still used banknotes. In the hearts of all the officials, using banknotes to pay for the official's salary was the worst.
Giving you a pile of waste paper that couldn't be spent was equivalent to cutting the official's salary in disguise.
"I think that Minister Yu is right!" The Minister of War, Wu Dui, also spoke up.
"Since the Zhengde period, the imperial court has abolished the use of banknotes. The salaries given to the officials should not be paid with banknotes. Therefore, I also think that we should abolish the use of banknotes to pay for the official's salary. Instead, we should pay the official's salary."
Zhu Yijun looked at these old foxes. His face was expressionless, but he was sneering in his heart.
If he changed the banknotes to silver, then he would be impoverished by them. It should be known that a first-rank official's annual banknote was more than seven thousand strings of coins. According to the official exchange rate, that was more than seven thousand taels of silver. It was going to kill him.
The other officials also began to echo Yu Youding's words. Their attitudes were very firm. It was obvious that they wanted to remove banknotes from the official's salary.
Zhu Yijun nodded and said in a deep voice, "Since that's the case, then we will no longer use banknotes to pay for the official's salary. In the future, all the official's salary will be paid in silver. We will use a method of combining lumi and silver."
Hearing the Emperor's words, everyone was stunned. Since when did their Emperor become so easy to talk to?
However, this was a good thing. Everyone's faces immediately revealed a joyful expression. After this matter was settled, then the rest would be easy to deal with.
Without banknotes, the official's salary would be paid. This solved the big problem.
Zhu Yijun's gaze swept across everyone. He had no interest in discussing and directly said, "The matter of the official's salary is settled!
When the cabinet goes back, check the prices in the capital together with the Ministry of Revenue, and then come up with an official's salary for me. "
"I have one thing to say. The official's salary can't be a one-size-fits-all."
"It has to be adapted to the local conditions. For example, the officials in the capital. It's not easy to live in the capital, so there should be more. The local officials have their own government offices and mansions, so there can be less.
It's not easy to be an official in a remote place, so there should be more. Do you understand? "
When everyone heard this, they hurriedly bowed and said, "We understand!"
Zhu Yijun nodded, stood up, and said, "Then let's do it this way!
The Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Personnel have to come up with a proposal as soon as possible. If it's too late to do it all at once, then we'll start with the Northern and Southern capitals. When the time comes, we'll expand to the other provinces. "
"Your subject understands!" Shen Shixing hurriedly bowed and said, "We'll definitely come up with a proposal as soon as possible."
As he walked back, Zhu Yijun sneered in his heart. You want me to take out silver? Do you think it's so easy to take my silver?
When the time comes, you'll know that it's too difficult to make money. As the saying goes, if you're alive to make money, you won't be alive to spend it.
Reminding Shen Shixing to start with the two capitals wasn't because Zhu Yijun wanted to quickly pay the salaries of the officials. It was better to delay this kind of thing for a while.
The purpose of Zhu Yijun saying this was to start from one place at a time. His current strength wasn't enough, so it was good to clean up one place at a time.
Speaking of which, the reorganization of the Imperial Censorate should also be put on the agenda. It was of great use!
The news of the salary increase quickly spread throughout the capital. The officials could be described as celebrating.
Especially after they received the promise that they wouldn't use banknotes to pay their salaries, they were so happy that their eyes disappeared from smiling.
However, there were also smart people, such as Pan Cheng. After this Grand Scholar who could pretend to be stupid returned home, his face didn't look too good.
In the Cabinet, Pan Cheng's position was actually slightly awkward.
Shen Shixing, Yu Youding, and Wang Xijue were in the top three in the same year.
It had long been a good story outside, but this was not good news for Pan Cheng, one of the four Cabinet Grand Scholars.
If the three of them grouped together, he, the Grand Scholar, would become a decoration.
Originally, Pan Cheng didn't care about these things. He himself didn't care much about official positions.
In the 35th year of Jiajing, Pan Cheng was promoted to the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy in Nanjing.
In his later years, Emperor Shizong focused on peace and didn't care about court affairs. He often worshipped in the palace. Most of the officials wrote "Qing Ci" in hopes of advancing into an official position. However, Pan Cheng disdained this and "stubbornly refused", so he resigned from his official position.
In the 4th year of Longqing, Emperor Shizong succeeded the throne. Pan Cheng, as Emperor Shizong's teacher, became the Minister of the Ministry of Rites. Two years later, he resigned.
In the 6th year of Wanli, Pan Cheng became the Minister of the Ministry of Rites again.
In the 11th month of Wanli, he became the Crown Prince's Grand Protector. After only a month, Pan Cheng resigned.
After nearly 50 years of official career, it was difficult to advance and easy to retreat. Pan Cheng had long accepted it.
"Grandfather, why are you so angry?"
Pan Cheng's grandson, Pan Zhisheng, was also not young, but he had no interest in official career. He was infatuated with mountains and rivers, but he was good at drawing and hated official matters.
Originally, he didn't want to come to the capital, but his grandfather was getting older and it wasn't suitable for him to have no one to serve him.
After the New Year, his grandfather would be 70 years old. As a grandson, he should be by his father's side to show filial piety.
Looking at his grandson, a smile appeared on Pan Cheng's face. "The capital is not a place to stay for long!"
Pan Zhisheng was stunned. His grandfather had long given up on official career. However, Zhang Juzheng had recommended him before his death. Pan Cheng's family was from Zhejiang, so he and Zhang Juzheng were from the same hometown. That was why he wanted to come to the capital to stabilize the situation.
He didn't expect that he would stay for five years. In these five years, his grandfather had never said such words.
"Grandfather, did something happen?" Pan Zhisheng looked at Pan Cheng cautiously and asked.
Shaking his head, Pan Cheng sighed and said, "Grandfather is 70 years old this year. It's rare to live to 70 years old. No one knows how many years I have left to live.
These two years, my spirit is getting worse and worse. I'm not qualified to be a Grand Secretary of the Cabinet. "
"Grandson, grind some stones for grandfather. Grandfather will write a letter of farewell!" Pan Cheng didn't say too much to his grandson and directly ordered.
Pan Cheng had been in the capital for five years. He knew very well about his son. When he promised something easily, it would never be simple in the future.
If he increased his salary now, there might not be anything in the future.
He was already 70 years old this year. Why should he get involved in these things?
Maybe he would die in a few years. If he didn't have peace before death, it was not wise!
While he could still move, he should go back to his hometown and play with his grandson. He didn't want to die in office and leave an impression of nostalgia.
Now things hadn't happened yet. He should leave quickly. When it happened, he was afraid that he wouldn't be able to leave even if he wanted to.
The next day, Pan Cheng's letter was sent to the palace. This letter of farewell instantly shocked the whole court.
Now there were four Grand Secretaries of the Cabinet in the court. Which one of them wasn't important? In addition, the court was stable. Everyone had been in their positions for many years. Now someone suddenly resigned. How could they not be shocked?
In addition, Pan Cheng's resignation was sudden. No one was mentally prepared!
When Zhu Yijun received Pan Cheng's letter of farewell, he was also confused.
However, as he flipped through the memorial, Zhu Yijun understood Pan Cheng's intentions. In the memorial, Pan Cheng described in detail his life, from passing the provincial examinations to becoming an official. It could be said that he had been conscientious and conscientious all his life.
He was 70 years old!
Zhu Yijun sighed helplessly. Pan Cheng's today also represented the tomorrow of others.
Glancing at Zhang Jing, Zhu Yijun said in a deep voice, "Go and count the ages of the six Ministers and several Grand Secretaries of the Cabinet for me."
"Yes, Old Slave will do it now!" Zhang Jing answered, bowed, and went out.
As for Pan Cheng's resignation, Zhu Yijun was ready to approve it. First, there was nothing to do. Pan Cheng was indeed old and wanted to go home. Second, Pan Cheng was indeed old.
He was 70 years old. Not to mention in this era, he was not young in the future. Maybe one day he would retire.
In Pan Cheng's own words, while he could still move, he should go home, enjoy the rest of his life, play with his grandchildren, and enjoy the scenery. This was his last enjoyment.
He had been an official for Daming all his life. In his old age, he should enjoy life well.
With such a reason, Zhu Yijun really couldn't refuse, so he simply approved it directly.
However, he retained the first-rank treatment and retired with the title of Minister. After returning to his hometown, he could still write memorials to himself and receive a salary. This was also an official and reward for the old official, which was equivalent to the retirement treatment in the future.
Soon, Zhang Jing came back with a note in his hand and gave it to Zhu Yijun.
Shen Shixing, the Grand Secretary of the Cabinet, was 52 years old. Yu Youding, the Grand Secretary of the Cabinet, was 61 years old. Wang Xijue, the Grand Secretary of the Cabinet, was 57 years old. Shen Shixing, the youngest of the three Grand Secretaries of the Cabinet, was 52 years old.
Wang Guoguang, the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, was 74 years old. Wu Dui, the Minister of the Ministry of War, was 62 years old. Fang Fengshi, the Minister of the Ministry of Works, was 65 years old. Pan Cheng, the Minister of the Ministry of Rites, was 70 years old. Zhang Xueyan, the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, was 51 years old. Xu Xuemo, the Minister of the Ministry of Justice, was 66 years old.
Looking at the age of his senior officials, Zhu Yijun sighed helplessly.
It was estimated that these people would all retire in the next few years, not because of anything else, but because of their age. Not to mention others, Wang Guoguang, the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, was likely to submit a memorial soon. Especially after Pan Cheng's retirement, he had to consider the selection of successors!
After Daming's batch of people retired, there would not be many capable people left, or they could not be compared with these people in the period of the Jiangling Party.