The trials of corruption cases are still ongoing, and almost every four or five days, someone is sentenced to death or exiled.
The number of exiles has exceeded 10,000!
Guangdong, Fujian, and Zhejiang provinces were exiled to the Penghu Islands and established water villages (small naval bases) on the Penghu Islands.
Jiangxi, Hunan and Guangxi provinces were exiled to Zhenyuan, Rongzhou (Rongshui), Xunjiangbao and Linxibao (these two places were in Sanjiang County).
From Shaanxi and Henan provinces, they were exiled to Xihe and Hengshan areas.
Sichuan and Hubei provinces were exiled to Nanguangbu in southern Sichuan.
The remaining provinces, depending on the seriousness of their crimes, will be exiled to Youyan, Pyongyang, Tsushima Island, and Sado Island.
Especially in southern Sichuan, the army was even used.
The Southern Guangdong Department is probably located in Gaoxian, Gongxian, Junlian, and Xingwen areas, where various ethnic minority tribes are scattered.
The garrison troops in Sichuan and Hubei, the Cao Army, mobilized 30,000 people to kill them, forcing the various ministries in Nanguang to surrender, and set up forts at key locations. The exiled officials and people settled around the forts for cultivation.
…
Imperial City, Council Hall.
The atmosphere in today's imperial meeting was still somewhat depressing.
Xiao Chu was the first to speak: "There are only more than 20,000 officials in the country, and now hundreds have been beheaded, hundreds have been exiled, and more than 1,000 people are in custody awaiting trial. One-tenth of the officials have been investigated and dealt with in the turmoil inside and outside the court.
, local government affairs are stagnant, this is not a long-term solution. It is very good for officials and princes to rectify the administration of officials, but everything must be done in a certain way!"
Zhai Ruwen first looked at Zhu Guoxiang, then observed Zhu Ming's expression, and then said: "Please let me know how long the case will be investigated."
Zhu Guoxiang said: "The investigation will last until New Year's Day. The first day of the first lunar month of the sixth year of Hongwu will be set as a limit. As long as we no longer take bribes and bend the law in the future, previous crimes will not be pursued. If you dare to commit the crime again, the new and old cases will be investigated together."
At this time, there is still more than a month before the Chinese New Year. When all the cases are completed, it is estimated that more than one-tenth of the criminals will be dealt with.
Is Ju Ming not as ruthless as Zhu Yuanzhang?
Although the number of dead in the three major cases in the early Ming Dynasty was in the tens of thousands, the number of officials who were beheaded was really not that many, and a large number of family members and common people were among them.
As for Zhu Yuanzhang's crackdown on corruption, he did not dare to kill any more, and could only let officials continue to work in shackles.
"Where there is punishment, there is reward," Ju Ming began to change the subject. "The rest are all honest officials, or they are lucky. I will discuss with Your Majesty to increase the official salary again so that truly honest officials can live a more dignified life."
This is to give a stick and a sweet date to quickly appease the officials.
The father and son began to sing the double act and Zhu Guoxiang continued: "The salary in the former Song Dynasty was too complicated. Although it was streamlined in the Ming Dynasty and the New Dynasty, it still seemed too complicated and trivial. I plan to add money for materials, extra money, rice, job money, and meal money.
, salary, charcoal, salt, paper, yuan and money, etc., are all converted into money and grain, and except for spring and winter clothes, they will not be given separately in the future."
People usually understand salary as lumi and job money.
But other wages are also very terrible. For example, the former Song Dynasty Prime Minister, Privy Council, etc., the monthly salary is 300 guan. This is only the salary money, and there is also special money paid during the holidays.
The prime minister's meal allowance is 50 guan per month.
In addition, Yuan followers are allocated, such as the prime minister, who can recruit seventy followers, and the court is responsible for paying wages.
(For those with an official title of "envoy" or another title, the maximum amount of material money is 400 guan, and the maximum amount of money for a follower is 100.)
Compared with the preferential treatment of civil servants in the Song Dynasty, the Ming Dynasty was indeed too harsh.
Zhu Guoxiang said: "The first grade is: the salary is 600 guan, and the lumi is 300 shi. The first grade is: the salary is 550 guan, and the lumi is 280 shi. The second grade is: the salary is 500 guan, and the lumi is 250 shi. The second grade is: the salary is 450 gu.
Guan, Lumi 220 stones."
After hearing this, the important ministers did not react much.
Because this is the result of converting all benefits into money and food.
The Ming Dynasty, which treated officials harshly like Zhu Yuanzhang, also had other benefits besides regular salary.
The cloth distributed in winter and spring alone is worth a lot of money, but now you have to buy it yourself, and the court is only responsible for distributing two sets of official uniforms.
Moreover, such a high salary just now is only for a first- and second-grade official.
How much is the combined total of the first and second products in the country?
The salary of third-grade officials must have dropped significantly!
Sure enough, Zhu Guoxiang continued: "The third grade: the salary is 350 guan, and the lumi is 200 shi. From the third grade..."
Look, compared to the second and third grades, the monthly salary has dropped by 100 yuan.
When I got to the fifth and eighth ranks, my salary suddenly dropped again.
Zhu Guoxiang said: "The seventh rank: the salary is 50 guan, and the lumi is 60 shi. The seventh rank: the salary is 45 guan, and the lumi is 55 shi. The eighth rank, the salary is 30 guan..."
There are more than 20,000 officials in the country, more than 80% of whom are eighth- and ninth-grade officials.
This is the bulk of salary expenses!
The Song Dynasty talked about preferential treatment for civil servants, but it was just crazy salary increases for senior officials, but the eighth- and ninth-grade officials had a very difficult life.
According to the salary reform re-established by the father and son, the actual wages of middle- and high-level officials were actually much lower than those of the Northern Song Dynasty. However, the salaries of seventh-, eighth-, and ninth-rank officials at the bottom were somewhat higher than those of the Northern Song Dynasty.
Zhu Guoxiang continued: "If it is an official position with harsh conditions, such as being an official in a desolate and remote place, there will be additional money in addition to the salary. In principle, regardless of actual position or false title, the position with the highest grade shall prevail, and it is absolutely not allowed.
Get two and three salaries. In addition, those who have been promoted to positions such as Third Division, Third Young Master, Zhu Guo, Special Jin, etc. can receive an additional salary."
Although the ministers and ministers present were not short of money.
But the new salary law announced by Zhu Guoxiang still made them smile. It was not about money, but because they felt that they had received the respect they deserved.
Zhu Guoxiang added: "You recruit the personal attendants of officials at all levels yourself, and the court will not pay the personal attendants."
Ju Ming answered: "The benefits of the title have also been improved!"
"The price per household in the city will be increased from 25 cents per month to 30 cents per month, and the number of households with a real food seal will be increased. In addition, the number of titles for civil servants will be increased, and a large number of titles will be given after the Jin Dynasty is destroyed."
"The new dynasty can have ten thousand households, and it will be a real seal!"
When these words were spoken, all the ministers were shocked.
In order to suppress the military generals in the Northern Song Dynasty, firstly, they did not allow hereditary titles, and secondly, they suppressed the number of households with real income.
In the Northern Song Dynasty, the official seal of 3,000 households was already a top priority. Prince Zhu even said that it was allowed to have 10,000 households.
Putting aside honors, what are the practical benefits of being a Marquis of Wanhu?
With 30 coins per household, the food supply for thousands of households is only 300 coins per month.
How many thousands of households can exist at the same time?
It is estimated that there are only one or two. Even among the founders of the country, there are only four or five who are worthy of the heaven.
This amount of money is not much for the imperial court, but it can bring great honor to military commanders, who are really willing to risk their lives for meritorious service.
Ju Ming added: "The title decreases when it is hereditary, and the title decreases faster when it is hereditary. This is to encourage the noble children to use their own swords, weapons, and titles instead of relying on the shadow of their fathers to enjoy their achievements."
The titles in the Ming Dynasty were more hereditary than those in the Song Dynasty.
However, not only does the title decrease, but also the real title decreases very quickly. Perhaps after two or three generations, the descendants of nobles will still be marquis or earl, but apart from the fixed salary based on rank, there are no other benefits.
It just sounds nice to say it. If you want to get the food seal, you have to make meritorious service to the court!
After the imperial meeting, the important ministers left one after another, and their spirits became much more uplifting.
The father and son have never been emperors or princes. The country's system and laws have to be gradually improved, and this time they have been improved through major cases.
Overall, the Ming court's annual official salary expenditure was actually much lower than that of the Northern Song Dynasty. Moreover, canceling various benefits and converting them into money and grain could also eliminate many illegal operations and reduce the corresponding number of officials.
Allowing officials to purchase welfare supplies on their own can also make the market more standardized.
In addition, the path of Enyin officials was blocked. Even if redundant officials did appear in the Ming Dynasty in the future, it would definitely not be as serious as the Song Dynasty.
The next step is to revise the "Da Ming Law". It is estimated that Ju Ming will die before this thing can be completely finalized, and then the emperors of the past dynasties will come up with some supplementary provisions.
After everyone left, and the eunuchs also voluntarily left, Zhu Guoxiang suddenly said: "At the end of the sixth year of Hongwu, I will officially retire."
Ju Ming nodded: "Alright."
Now it was Zhu Guoxiang's turn to be surprised: "You actually agreed?"
Ju Ming said: "This time to fight corruption, I have made the decision in everything. How can you still have any authority as the emperor? Did you do it on purpose?"
"Hehe." Zhu Guoxiang smiled proudly.
Investigating and punishing one-tenth of the total number of officials in the country has almost reached the limit. If the investigation continues, the world will be in chaos.
Zhu Guoxiang felt very tired and refused to be emperor again.
"Xu Fuyan's two sons are too innocent. Let's find an opportunity to reinstate them in the future." Zhu Guoxiang warned.
Zhu Ming nodded and said: "I have recorded the officials who have been innocently implicated. There are only a few who are reinstated every year. But it cannot be done with a big fanfare, so as not to affect the effectiveness of the fight against corruption."
Zhu Guoxiang asked: "If Li Bangyan is dismissed, who will be replaced as a cabinet minister?"
"Zhao Quan, Minister of the Ministry of Industry," Zhu Ming said, "This man has done a good job in water conservancy. This time, many officials in the Ministry of Industry were investigated, but Zhao Quan was not corrupt. Such an honest and capable minister should be commended and promoted."
Zhu Guoxiang asked again: "Who will take over as Minister of the Ministry of Industry?"
Zhu Ming smiled and said: "Qin Hui is good. He is extremely capable and will definitely be qualified for this position. Moreover, there is a lot of money in the Ministry of Industry. It just depends on when he reaches out. I don't believe he can bear it!"
Zhu Guoxiang said: "Then let Meng Zhao be transferred to the position of Minister of the Ministry of Punishment, and then give him another official position as compensation. Huan Guo was promoted to the Minister of Rites, and in addition, Zhao Ding, Li Gang, Ling Guxu and others were recalled to the Sixth Ministry as ministers."
The father and son discussed various aftermath matters, and the investigation and punishment of corrupt officials continued.
Soon, the salary adjustment plan was promulgated in the form of an edict, which stabilized the minds of officials to a certain extent.
Especially the adjustments related to titles, the senior generals are particularly happy.
Everyone wants to be able to live and seal ten thousand households. The three hundred guan per month for the fiefdom is nothing. What they want is the honorary title of "ten thousand households".
During the Northern Song Dynasty, 10,000 households in a city belonged to the prince level, and the Shishifeng was one-tenth of the Shifeng. If you continued to perform meritorious service, the Shishifeng would basically not increase when it reached 3,000 households, and the Shishifeng when it reached 5,000 households was
Very rare.
Li Bao, Zhang Guangdao and others are very likely to be able to seal thousands of households, which is equivalent to crushing all the nobles in the Northern Song Dynasty!