Jin Yiwei’s efficiency has always been famous.
After only an hour or two, Nie Xing brought back cartloads of delicacies, exuding an alluring aroma.
When more than a thousand craftsmen saw it, their emotions were instantly aroused and they swallowed unconsciously.
There were even younger guys drooling.
It’s so pitiful that they have never tasted such delicacies in their lives.
When Zhu Gaoxu saw that Song Li was still standing there, he shouted angrily, ‘Old Song, what are you doing standing still？ Order someone to bring the table over and get ready for the banquet!’
Song Li trembled and immediately reacted, quickly instructing the officials from the Ministry of Industry to arrange the dinner table.
Nie Xing came forward with sweating profusely and said, ‘Second Master, according to your instructions, those restaurants have started to work.’
‘These wines and dishes are just the first batch. The brothers will send the second and third batches later. It is expected to cost several hundred taels of silver…’
Zhu Gaoxu waved his hand and sighed.
If the thousands of craftsmen in front of them only had a simple meal, ten taels of silver would be enough to feed them.
In order to make up for the past debts owed by the imperial court to them, Zhu Gaoxu ordered people to send these wines and dishes, which only cost a few hundred taels of silver.
Those dignitaries, wealthy businessmen, and wealthy businessmen would spend more than this amount of money just to have fun with prostitutes in Qinhuai, ten miles away!
This is unfair!
He is obviously a top craftsman of a great country’s important weapons, but he has been treated unimaginably badly.
Those who are hard-working and willing to work not only have no food to eat, but are also tortured and humiliated by villains. Those who are flattering are in high positions, with bells and pans, food, and romance.
This is not a scene that should appear in the prosperous times. There are still too many areas that Ming Dynasty needs to improve.
As a descendant of later generations, Zhu Gaoxu naturally knew the importance of these top craftsmen. If Ming Dynasty wanted to embark on the road of industry, these craftsmen were indispensable and rare talents!
What should we do to change this situation and the current situation of craftsmen in the world？
For a moment, Zhu Gaoxu fell into silence.
Why can’t the craftsmen have enough to eat？
Why are the craftsmen working so hard but still unable to support their families？
It’s not just because Li Wenhui and others deducted salary and were corrupt.
There is another important reason, that is, the salary system established by Emperor Taizu Gao is too low.
For example, for a seventh-grade official, his annual salary is forty taels, which is barely enough to support his family and their expenses.
However, the real salary paid to officials is not money, but rice.
It is stipulated that the official salary should be paid in rice and paid on a monthly basis. The level of salary should be consistent with the grade.
During the Hongwu period, official salaries were mainly composed of two parts rice banknotes, and they were mainly given in rice. However, during the Yongle period, the system of converting rice into banknotes was fully implemented.
The banknotes are the Ming Dynasty treasure banknotes. Because the imperial court issued them indiscriminately without restraint, the value of the Ming Dynasty treasure banknotes continued to depreciate. However, the old Zhu family did not realize the seriousness of the problem.
In the eighth year of Hongwu, the price of one stone of rice could be purchased with treasure money.
As a result, by the first year of Yongle’s reign, one stone of rice was worth ten coins.
In other words, in just twenty years, Ming Dynasty’s treasure banknotes have depreciated more than ten times in value.
This is a slow but irreversible process. When the Ming Dynasty survived for hundreds of years, it only took more than 20 years for the value of its treasures to depreciate more than ten times.
During the Xuande period, because there were too many treasure banknotes in the market and the depreciation was too great, they were like a piece of waste paper. Emperor Xuanzong and Zhu Zhanji had to order to stop the issuance of treasure banknotes. From then on, the Ming Dynasty never issued new treasure banknotes.
A good hand, a bad hand.
Even dogs don’t want Ming Dynasty’s precious money. It can stink for ten miles in the face of the wind.
But now is the Yongle period, so the treasure banknotes are still of some value.
However, Zhu Lao Si continued to carry out many major projects, so that the national treasury was empty and the finances were tight. He and Xia Yuanji cut official salaries in disguise, stipulating that 30% of the salaries of Beijing officials should be given to rice, and the remaining 70% should be ‘discounted in spring and summer, and Su in autumn and winter’. Wood pepper’, this is ‘Zhe color’.
Distributing luxury goods such as peppercorns as salaries, and the official discount value is lower than the market value, is actually a disguised reduction in officials’ salaries.
Officials’ salaries are already ridiculously low, and the emperor of Lao Zhu’s family still defaults on his salary from time to time. How can officials survive？
The official salary system formulated by the great ancestor Zhu Yuanzhang is basically forcing officials to become corrupt!
Even if the officials are like this, the salary of the lower-level craftsmen is even more unbearable. It is difficult for them to feed themselves!
After all, this is the fault of Lao Zhu’s family!
If Zhu Gaoxu wants to improve the treatment of craftsmen, he must first increase the salaries of officials, otherwise the civil and military officials of the entire dynasty will not agree.
Thinking of this, he had a headache.
Song Li and his men moved the dining tables one by one, and Nie Xing directed the Jin Yiwei to carefully place the food and wine on the tables.
Zhu Gaoxu looked at the more than a thousand craftsmen with eager faces in front of him and said loudly, ‘The old, weak, sick and disabled will come out. You eat first. The rest of the food and wine will be delivered continuously. Young brothers don’t have to worry.’
After hearing this, the craftsmen were still a little hesitant and dissatisfied.
But when Nie Xing pulled out the bright sharp knife, everyone immediately became honest.
Old Liu Tou, who had just been talking to Zhu Gaoxu, stepped forward tremblingly and sat down first.
Soon some old people and young craftsmen came forward uneasily. After confirming that it was ready to eat, they immediately started gobbling it up.
These craftsmen are all talented and capable, so their appetites are astonishing. In less than a moment, tables of delicacies were wiped out.
Fortunately, Jinyiwei kept bringing food and wine, which calmed down the craftsmen who had not eaten.
Zhu Gaoxu felt very uncomfortable as he watched these craftsmen devouring their food.
…
At the same time, Zhu Di walked into the Yamen of the Ministry of Industry.
‘Go and see what that bastard is doing!’
Soon someone came to report, ‘Your Majesty, Prince Han is hosting a banquet for the craftsmen of the Ordnance Bureau!’
Zhu Di ‘？？？’
What？
Host a banquet to entertain…artisans？
What do you mean？
How can you, the Prince of Han, who oversees the country, hang out with these craftsmen if you don’t deal with the government affairs？
Zhu Di squinted his eyes, and his old face suddenly became serious.
But when he walked into the Ordnance Bureau compound, he was stunned by the scene in front of him.
What he saw was a group of beggars in ragged clothes, lying on the table and devouring food.
He looked as if he had not eaten for hundreds of years. Even though his mouth was full, he still reached out and grabbed a handful.
Song Li looked back and was so frightened that he immediately knelt down to salute, but Zhu Di waved his hand.
‘What’s going on？ These beggars are…’
‘Dad, where are the beggars？ These are all craftsmen from the Ordnance Bureau!’
Zhu Gaoxu sighed helplessly and pointed out their identities directly.
Zhu Di was startled when he heard this, ‘How is this possible？ How could they be so… down and out？’
‘It’s not a good thing you, Emperor Yongle, did!’
Zhu Di ‘!!!’
Your mother!
This bastard thing!
When did you become so brave？
I am the emperor after all, don’t I want to lose face？