Hu Qingfeng and Liu Zhen mentioned that they had received funding from King Yong's Special Envoy when they met in the next few days. The news spread quickly. In the next few days, the entire court was quietly discussing this matter.
Mentioning the plan to help those in distress implemented by King Yong's Mansion, some young officials kept appearing in front of King Yong's Special Envoy Office. They hesitated for a moment, sneaked into the office, and soon left with faces full of joy.
In just seven days, more than 20 officials resigned, almost all of them young and promising officials.
This incident finally alarmed the Zhizhengtang of the imperial court, and Qin Hui, the right prime minister, held a meeting among Zhongshu's subordinates.
Five prime ministers, including Qin Hui, Xu Xiantu, Zhu Shengfei, Zhang Jun and Wan Qixi, discussed the matter of poaching corners of the imperial court in Prince Yong's Mansion.
"The nature of this matter is very serious!"
Qin Hui said to everyone with a serious face: "To put it mildly, Prince Yong's Palace is overstepping its authority and interfering in court affairs. To put it seriously, Prince Yong's Palace is destroying the foundation of the imperial court step by step. We must take resolute measures to stop this behavior. We can no longer do it.
Let this kind of thing spread without limit. If it is not stopped, sooner or later our court will become an empty shell."
Xu Xiantu said slowly: "Everyone can talk big words, empty words, and express attitudes. The key is the measures. Without specific measures, shouting slogans a thousand or ten thousand times will have no meaning."
This was obviously a mockery of Qin Hui's empty words. Qin Hui glared at Xu Xiantu and said: "To do anything, you must first set the rules and regulations, and then discuss them after setting the rules. If I have to tell you every detail, what else do you need to discuss?"
Xu Xiantu said calmly: "Xiangong Qin misunderstood what I meant. I mean, Xianggong Qin should let the following draft a plan first, and then we will discuss the plan, instead of letting a few of us consider the plan. That will definitely happen."
There are omissions."
Qin Hui held back his anger and said: "Decide on some principled matters first, and then discuss specific plans."
Zhu Shengfei added on the side: "Qin Xiangguo is right. First of all, it should be determined and made illegal, and then the people below can do things easily. I support the ban on the so-called aid plan of the Yongwang Palace. They are not being good people.
It’s about buying people’s hearts.”
Zhang Jun also spoke, "I think instead of accusing Prince Yong's Palace of poaching us, we should do things well ourselves and solve the difficulties of low-level officials. I know that many low-level officials have difficult lives. Their salaries are too low, and half of them are used for rent."
The rest of the house is barely enough to support the family, but if an elderly person in the family is sick, it will be embarrassing.
I know about Hu Qingfeng, who was in the newspaper last time. His mother is sick in bed, and her monthly medication costs half of her salary. She also has to rent a house and raise two children. She also has to attend weddings and funerals of colleagues. Life at home is extremely difficult.
The imperial court did not pay salaries for several more months, and finally the family was driven out into the street by the landlord. We ignored them, and the Prince Yong's Palace naturally had the opportunity to intervene.
Everyone, this is the root cause. We must solve the housing problem of low-level officials, increase their salaries, and solve their worries. Otherwise, sooner or later, all low-level officials will run away."
Zhang Jun’s suggestion was supported by Xu Xiantu, “I support Xianggong Zhang’s suggestion. We cannot ban the Yongwang Mansion’s poverty relief plan, but we can solve the difficulties of lower-level officials. There are not enough official houses, but we can increase salaries and provide rental subsidies.
The lower-level officials are no longer in poverty, and Prince Yong’s Mansion’s plan to help the poor is no longer possible.”
Wan Qixi coughed twice and said: "I will say a few words. Mr. Zhang's suggestion is reasonable, but! People are very greedy. No matter how much we increase their salaries, the officials will never refuse to accept the salary from Prince Yong's Mansion."
To take money, we must grasp it with both hands. On the one hand, we must increase the salary, and on the other hand, we must severely punish officials who take money from Prince Yong’s Mansion.”
Qin Hui nodded, "The imperial court's finances are also very tight. I agree with a slight increase in housing subsidies, but as for a punishment plan, I suggest that all officials who take money from Prince Yong's Palace should be dismissed."
After some discussion, the five people finally reached a consensus, which is to provide certain housing subsidies to officials who do not have official residences based on the current market rent situation. Secondly, officials are strictly prohibited from accepting funding from the Yongwang Palace. Once discovered, they will be dismissed immediately.
………..
The emperor Zhao Gou was also very concerned about what the prime ministers were discussing, but what he cared about was not the help for low-level officials. What he cared about was how much money it would cost to provide housing subsidies.
"Three hundred thousand dollars a year is too much!"
Zhao Gou knocked on the table and said with great dissatisfaction: "The imperial government's finances are already tight, and I cry out about poverty every day. Now, as soon as I open my mouth, an additional expenditure of 300,000 guan will be added. Who will pay for this money?"
Xu Xiantu explained: "Your Majesty, three hundred thousand guan is not much. A small courtyard costs six or seven guan a month, and seventy or eighty guan a year. Officials of the eighth and ninth grades can live like this.
But it is not suitable for middle-level officials to live in such a small courtyard with one or two plots of land. They must be larger. The larger one will cost more than ten guan and twenty guan. No matter how high-ranking officials are, their rent will be just
Hundreds of guan. There are hundreds of officials in the imperial court who all rent houses. They have to consider empty positions and alternate officials. Your Majesty, 300,000 guan a year is only 25,000 guan a month. It's really not much."
"You have no ability to make money, and each of you has more ability to spend than the other, and the court has to spend hundreds of dollars to rent a house. How big is this house? Do you want me to give up the palace to them?"
Zhao Gou said angrily: "The imperial court is in such financial difficulty, and yet it wants to take advantage of the imperial court. Can a rent of several hundred guan be called helping the poor?"
Several prime ministers looked at each other. No one thought that the emperor would get angry on this issue, but it was right to think about it. The rent of several hundred guan was indeed not enough to help the poor, but if it was only given to low-level officials and not to middle- and high-level officials, then it would
It's not fair, not to mention that the houses you live in are definitely different at different levels. This is inevitable.
It was Xu Xiantu who understood the emperor. He knew that the emperor did not care about the so-called helping the poor, but was worried about spending too much money. He quickly said: "Your Majesty, we can build some public rental houses at low rents and rent them to middle- and high-level officials.
The rental subsidies we gave to officials came back in the form of rent.
Zhao Gou pondered for a moment and said coldly: "There is no need to build any new houses. Aren't those businessmen who moved their families to Jingzhao selling their houses at a cheap price? The "Beijing News" published a lot of house sales news, and all these businessmen
Confiscate their properties in Lin'an for treason, collect a group of houses and bring them over, and the housing of middle and high-ranking officials will be solved."
Zhao Gou has had this idea in his mind for a long time. He has been waiting for an opportunity, and now he has this opportunity.
"Wei Chen agrees!"
Qin Hui expressed his support without hesitation, "Since they betrayed the imperial court, the imperial court will no longer protect them. They deserve the confiscation of their properties."
The other four people also expressed their support. Although this was obviously plunder and completely violated morality, no one objected. Who should let the other party be a businessman? In all dynasties, those with the lowest status and who can be slaughtered at will are businessmen.
"Qin Xiangguo must quickly find out how many such houses there are, and then make a list to the Plum Blossom Guards, who will execute it. I hope to complete this matter within ten days."
"I obey the order!"
Zhao Gou said to Zhang Jun and Wan Qixi again: "The negotiations with Prince Yong's Mansion will continue. The most I can accept is 200,000 taels of silver per year. This is the upper limit. If the other party is unwilling to accept it, then let them take something else."
The two sides can have differences about the plan, but the negotiations cannot stop and a plan must be found that is acceptable to both parties."
"According to the decree!" The two agreed together.
The ministers retreated. At this time, a eunuch stepped forward and whispered: "Your Majesty, Wu Ji is back!"