In a blink of an eye, it is the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth lunar month, and various government offices in Beijing are preparing to seal boxes to welcome the Spring Festival.
In fact, even if the boxes are not sealed, people in various government offices will not have the time to work.
What happened to the official?
He’s a human too!
I only have a few days off all year round, and I hope that the yamen will have some surplus and distribute some rice, white flour, vegetable oil and the like. If it is a yamen with a lot of oil and water, I can secretly distribute some dried pork and dried fruits to me!
Before this time, intrigues broke out in the Yamenmen. They were all dignified officials of the imperial court, but they all had their say on who would get how much and who would get what quality.
Being an official means scoring three, six or nine grades!
But there are also those who don't care about these things. They just want to celebrate the New Year. Not only do they take out all the surplus in the yamen and distribute it, but they also use their own money to add things to their subordinates.
For example, Lifanyuan!
Among the six bureaus of the capital, there is no such yamen, and people in the six bureaus talk about it with disdain.
But when it comes to holidays, this disdain turns into jealousy!
So damn irritating! That big boss Cao Guogong is giving things to his subordinates again!
~~
The main hall of Lifanyuan.
Hundreds of officials and staff gathered together. Although the seats were divided according to official positions, the snacks, tea, candies and fresh fruits on the table in front of everyone were the same.
Li Jinglong's personal soldier Li Xiaowai respectfully delivered the notes in his hands to each official one by one.
"Please keep the cargo ticket from Daguangheng Warehouse!"
Li Xiaowai kept repeating with a smile, "With the ticket, each person can receive ten pounds of sugar, two baskets of tangerines, two pounds of pepper, five feet of cotton, ten pounds of lard, two jars of soy sauce, and wine.
Two jars. Fifty kilograms of rice and flour each, thirty kilograms of millet, twenty eggs..."
Officials in the capital are poor, so although these things may not seem like much to wealthy people, to them they are a great gift that gives them both face and dignity.
Everyone who received it smiled and thanked Duke Cao Li Jinglong who was sitting on the main seat.
The latter nodded slightly.
After a while of commotion, the goods invoices were issued, and the hall became quiet, waiting for Cao Guogong Li Jinglong to speak.
~
"It's been a year, everyone has been busy for a year!"
Li Jinglong said loudly, "Long live the Lord personally praised it yesterday morning. Our Lifan Yuan has done a good job this year!"
As soon as the words fell, everyone's faces were filled with pride and radiance.
"Long Live Lord praised us. We did a good job in the matter of the foreign vassals coming to visit us! We also did a good job in the immigration matter!" Li Jinglong smiled again, "I told Lord Long Live that I don't dare to take credit. This is all from below.
My colleagues are diligent in state affairs and fulfill their duties! I also told Lord Long Live that the Lifan Yuan can be in the situation it is today. First, it is because of Lord Long Live’s great kindness, and secondly, it is because of your concerted efforts!”
Look, what is being able to speak? This is being able to speak!
Such a hereditary and irreplaceable prince gave all the credit to his subordinates in front of the emperor!
Li Jinglong continued to laugh and said, "I'm not lying! Without you, this great Lifan Yuan could not survive. Without you working day and night, the Lifan Yuan would not have the dignity it has today!"
After saying that, he paused, and with everyone's expectant eyes, he smiled and said, "This year's official evaluations have been sent in! The official asked me, are there any people who are perfunctory and ineffective in doing things?"
"I directly replied to the Ministry of Personnel. Everyone in our Lifan Yuan is a capable minister and cadre. Their character, talent, and moral integrity are all outstanding! So this year, everyone's evaluations are all excellent!"
Everyone cheered, "I'll thank you sir!"
This statement is equivalent to telling everyone in the Lifan Academy that the reason why you are excellent in the evaluation is because I spoke in the Ministry of Personnel.
You must know that officials in the Ming Dynasty can only be promoted if they are evaluated as excellent for three consecutive years. And once there is an average or lower evaluation in three years, then the efforts of these three years will be in vain.
"No need to thank me!" Li Jinglong smiled again, "Since I am in charge of the Fanyuan family, you are all my family! You also know who I am, haha, protect my shortcomings!"
"Hahaha!" There was a burst of laughter in the main hall.
"I am the only one who can't say good things about my people. Anyone else who says otherwise will have trouble with me!"
Look, what is the art of leadership speaking? This is art!
Let me tell these subordinate officials clearly that I can make you excellent, and I can also make you low.
Follow me and work hard, the future will be bright.
But if you fail to do your job, or if you are perfunctory and delay your official duties, then I'm sorry!
"The goods invoices I just issued to you are my, Mr. Li's, own subsidies for your New Year's goods!"
When Li Jinglong spoke like this, all his subordinates beamed with joy.
"Beijing officials are poor! I have seen your life with my eyes and remembered it in my heart! It's not a heavy gift, just some food, practical and affordable things!" After saying that, Li Jinglong smiled and said, "I eat at home."
No, giving it to my father-in-law’s family is also a way of saving face, isn’t it?”
"Hahahaha!" All the subordinates laughed again.
At this time, Li Jinglong stood up, clasped his fists and said, "Here, I wish you all a happy New Year in advance! This year has been smooth sailing for us, and next year we will go even higher and keep up the good work!"
"Your Majesty, please remember your father's teachings!"
Li Jinglong laughed twice, "I've finished giving out the gifts, now I'm giving out the royal reward!"
Saying that, he waved his hand!
Under everyone's eager eyes, Li Xiaowai came out from behind with two boxes in his hands.
Opening the box, there were thick kraft paper envelopes inside. Each envelope had a name written on it, but I didn't know how much money was inside...
"This year the Yamen has a surplus!" Li Jinglong said loudly, "Since there is a surplus, I, as the head of the family, will ask Da Da to share the profits with everyone! The money is not a lot, but it is enough for everyone to take care of their relatives in the countryside and provide for their wives and children at home.
Get some new clothes!”
Everyone knows what is going on!
You may say that the money is a reward from the emperor, but you may say that it is Li Jinglong's own initiative.
In fact, this amount of money does not need to be paid at all. I have never heard of other yamen paying it. Generally, whoever takes offense to this is afraid that the censors will seize some small excuse and gossip in front of the emperor!
After all, this money belongs to the budget that has not been spent on official matters.
The unspent budgets of other yamen are all in the hands of the Minister of Palm Print, and they are kept as a small treasury of the yamen!
But Mr. Cao Guogong is responsible and does what he says.
Someone opened the envelope secretly, took a look at it, and smiled.
They are all tiger-head banknotes worth twenty silver dollars each. They were just printed by the Royal Bank of the Ming Dynasty, and they still smell like ink!
With this money, I can really have a good year!
The food you eat can satisfy your hunger, and the food you use is practical, but to say it’s all-purpose, it’s still real money!
The house in the family is old and needs to be repaired, the son is getting old and getting married, the daughter is getting old and needs a dowry...the old man has to prepare for the funeral...
Amidst the joy, the envelopes were distributed.
Li Jinglong smiled again and said, "I have reserved a white meat banquet in the casserole..." He said, looking at everyone, "You still have to work hard during the day. After the office is dismissed, you all go home first and take your little girls with you."
, let’s have a great time! In addition, I have also informed Shaguoju over there that each person will prepare two boxes of braised pork for you, and you can also take them back to the elderly at home and your wife to try them!"
"You're too kind!"
~~
While everyone was chatting and laughing, Yang Jing, the imperial censor, frowned slightly when he named the Minister of Lifanyuan.
He pulled Li Jinglong and whispered, "Master, this is how the government's balance will be distributed this year?"
"What if?" Li Jinglong smiled.
Yang Jing grinned, "What will we use next year?"
"I'll ask the Ministry of Revenue to ask for it again next year!" Li Jinglong said with a smile, "The money is all left over from the reception of foreign vassals. It's all within the budget. It won't be wasted until it is wasted!"
"No...I mean!" Yang Jing said anxiously, "Next year, if...there is any difficulty..."
"With me here, what difficulties can we have in the Lifan Yuan!" Li Jinglong took care of everything, "I tell you, if this money is not paid, believe it or not, when the money is asked for next year, Zhang Laoji of the Ministry of Revenue will be able to
Our Lifan Yuan won’t approve new styles in the name of having a surplus! You don’t understand that if the money is not spent, how can we ask for it next year?”