When Hu Changan heard this, he also said seriously: "I think the salary of all ministers should be increased."
As soon as these words came out, everyone was shocked.
This Hu Changan is really not afraid of death!
This time, Zhu Yuanzhang's reverse scale was definitely touched.
Sure enough, upon hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang's brows furrowed dangerously: "Shilang Hu, tell me why this official's salary is so low?"
"The monthly salary for an official of the first rank in the imperial court is eighty-seven dan!"
"This year, it will be a thousand stones of rice."
"Producing this thousand kilograms of rice requires more than fifty strong laborers to work hard for a whole year."
"Fifty people support one person, isn't that too little?"
At this point, Zhu Yuanzhang was already a little annoyed.
In his heart, this salary is definitely not low.
Even in Zhu Yuanzhang's view, this kind of treatment was already generous.
He never expected that even Hu Chang'an would dare to contradict him because he thought his salary was too low.
Is it because he earns so much money that he no longer cares about this small amount of money?
The more Zhu Yuanzhang thought about it, the angrier he became. He couldn't help but slap the table and yelled at the ministers: "Tell me, do you still think this salary is too small?"
When everyone heard this, they didn't dare to say a word.
The corruption scandal has not passed just now, and now to stand up and say that the salary is too low is simply to think that one's life is too long.
Even if they really feel that the salary is too low, none of them dare to say anything.
However, when Hu Changan heard this, he was not afraid at all: "Your Majesty, the courtiers are afraid of your majesty, so naturally they will not tell you the truth."
"But I am here to settle the account for you."
"Take the seventh-grade county official as an example. The annual salary of a seventh-grade county official is about twelve shi of rice."
"This is equivalent to the harvest of five strong laborers in one year."
"In other words, these twelve stones of rice can feed about five people."
"According to His Majesty's calculations, an ordinary family is indeed only about four or five people."
"But in reality, how many officials have only five people in their families?"
"Generally, officials are composed of an old man and a young man. These two old men, a wife and two children make up a family of five."
"Not to mention that nowadays, as long as you are an official, you will find several servants and maids at home, and you will even take in a few concubines."
"As a result, the original standard of five people has seriously exceeded the standard."
"In addition, I have to move around during the holidays, and these meager salaries are even more stretched."
"So in poverty, these officials can only take desperate risks to embezzle people's hard-earned money."
“I believe that if we want officials to avoid corruption, we must increase their salaries appropriately.”
"Only when officials live a prosperous life will they not think about corruption."
"Coupled with His Majesty's two-pronged approach of severe punishment and law, corruption will be able to be fundamentally eradicated!"
When Zhu Yuanzhang heard this, he also fell into deep thought.
Zhu Yuanzhang was not a person who didn't know how to adapt. Hu Chang'an gave him some advice, and Zhu Yuanzhang came to his senses.
Zhu Yuanzhang pondered for a moment, then suddenly called by name: "Du Yan, Hubu, tell me, how many mouths do you have in your family that you need to support?"
Du Yan was suddenly called and was stunned.
But after a moment, Du Yan came to his senses and said respectfully to Zhu Yuanzhang: "Your Majesty, there are a total of eight people in my family who need support."
"These eight people are my parents, my wife and concubine, my three children, and a maid."
Hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang also flashed his eyes.
Unexpectedly, it turned out to be exactly what Hu Changan said. Just pick an official and your family would have eight people to feed!
Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes darkened and he continued to ask: "I wonder if your family is living well now? How many meals of meat do you eat in a month?"
Hearing this, Du Yan also replied respectfully: "To answer your Majesty's question, I am living a relatively comfortable life at home now."
"My wife and concubine will make some nühong to supplement the family income, and my parents will also grow some vegetables to eat."
"In a month, we can probably eat two meals of meat."
Although Du Yan said it lightly, everyone in the court shed bitter tears for Du Yan.
It is indeed shabby to be an official at this level.
Not only does the wife have to work to support the family, but even the parents have to work in the fields.
And in this month, I can only eat meat twice!
This is simply worse than the life of some wealthy farmers!
No wonder Du Yan looks so weak, it turns out he was born from starvation!
Even Zhu Yuanzhang looked intolerable.
As an emperor, Zhu Yuanzhang did not eat meat every day, but he could eat meat for at least twenty days a month.
He never expected that as an official of the imperial court, Du Yan's life would be so miserable!
Zhu Yuanzhang couldn't help but understand Hu Changan's words.
It seems that sometimes taking desperate risks is indeed a last resort.
Thinking of this, Zhu Yuanzhang turned to another minister and asked: "Wang Aiqing of the Ministry of Rites, can you tell me how many people there are in your family?"
The minister who was called was immediately shocked.
After being stunned for a moment, the minister hurriedly came out and replied: "Your Majesty, there are a total of ten people in my family."
"These ten people are Chen's old mother, Chen's wife and two concubines, Chen's four children, and two young servants."
When Zhu Yuanzhang heard this, he also sighed slightly.
It seems that this big family is more lively than Du Yan's before.
Next, Zhu Yuanzhang randomly selected a dozen people in the court.
Among these dozen people, not one of them is a family of five.
Among these people, the smallest household has seven mouths to feed.
And the largest among them actually has a family of fifteen people to feed!
The salary that Zhu Yuanzhang had set before was simply a drop in the bucket!
Even as stubborn as Zhu Yuanzhang, he had no choice but to believe Hu Changan's words.
It seems that the corruption of these officials does have his problems involved.
In such a poor life, I am afraid that I am even worse than a farmer.
It’s no wonder that some of these weak-willed people take desperate risks and think about corruption!
However, Zhu Yuanzhang was still a little aggrieved: "Hu Aiqing, I understand what you mean."
"But even so, this is not the reason for their corruption!"
"If the salary is not enough, they can ask me for it."
"They should never take action against innocent people!"
"No matter what, they should be punished!"
"Although what you said, Hu Aiqing, makes sense, how should this salary standard be customized?"
"I think no matter how high the setting is, there will always be people who are greedy and continue to attack the people!" This chapter has been completed!