Chapter 78: The Special Characteristic of Ming Dynasty’s Official Salaries Only a Word

Jing Qing lost both of his parents at a young age and lived with his maternal grandmother. The two family servants were from Jing Qing’s grandmother’s side, and they were delighted to have the opportunity to return home, despite the long journey. They quickly agreed, packed their belongings, and exclaimed, “We’re going!” before leaving.

However, they returned shortly after, complaining to Jing Qing that the travel expenses were not enough, sir give me a bit more?

Infuriated, Jing Qing asked if the thirty taels of silver he gave them from Nanjing to Zhenning were insufficient?

Did they think he sent them on a sightseeing tour of the Ming Dynasty’s landscape?

Are they looking for beating?

After Jing Qing took out the whip, they knelt and tearfully pleaded, “Master, outside the city, horses require a deposit of fifteen taels, and the daily rental cost is one tael of silver. For a round trip, it would take at least fifty days, which amounts to fifty taels. Please consider…”

Jing Qing couldn’t contain his anger. Who on earth had become so shameless as to charge one tael of silver for horse rental when it used to cost only three hundred wens per day? When did the prices suddenly soar like this?

Also, they dare to demand a deposit from officials of the Censorate.

“Don’t you know to try another place?” Jing Qing suppressed his rage.

The servants cried out, “Master, we already inquired, but the horses within three hundred li of the capital have all been bought by the King of Liao and King of Min and they’ve even signed contracts…”

Jing Qing felt a headache coming on. King of Liao and King of Min?

Weren’t they the two kings whose titles were revoked, and they became merchants?

It is truly despicable to the extreme! They reveal their deceitful merchant nature within a few days of engaging in business!

“Tell them it’s the Censorate wants the horse!” Jing Qing gritted his teeth.

Anxiously, the servant replied, “Master, it was because we mentioned your name that the initial deposit required was ten taels, but now it’s fifteen taels…”

Jing Qing clenched his fists tightly and took a deep breath!

The King of Liao and King of Min are seeking revenge through private means!

The Censorate had frequently impeached these two, and now, when they urgently needed someone to deliver a message, these two monopolized the horse market, without renting two horses, it will be difficult to deliver the letter.

True, there were some horses in his residence, but they were weak and suitable only for pulling carriages or carrying goods for short distances. If it were to go to Shaanxi, it would probably reach the heaven first.

Turning his back, Jing Qing gritted his teeth, He said, “Go to the treasury, take thirty taels! Depart immediately, no delays allowed!”

Feeling unwilling was only natural.

If it were an ordinary time, Jing Qing would never spend that much money. One horse for fifteen taels of silver, the round trip cost could buy two horses. But now, it’s not an ordinary time.

After ten days, the court will conduct a thorough investigation of the land and its sources. Once these orders are conveyed, and if he fails to handle matters beforehand, the losses incurred will be more than just the cost of two horses.

By this evening, it was nearly impossible to find a horse in the capital city. Eventually, the cost of renting a horse reached ten taels of silver per day, and even that couldn’t meet the demand. Some people resorted to using slow horses, while others rode donkeys to leave the city.

Informed of the developments at the court, some wealthy families began slamming tables, smashing chairs, and venting their anger for four hours before finally sitting down to write letters.

Endless streams of people rushed out of the city, their anxious expressions and hurried footsteps leaving the guards on the city walls puzzled. They occasionally glanced towards the direction of the imperial palace but heard no news of any significant events.

Xu Huizu patrolled the city defenses and ordered to delay closing the city gates for two hours. If people were desperate to leave the city, they should be allowed to do so. After all, every departing person, regardless of their intentions, was leaving to do something beneficial.

In the Grand Secretariat, aside from the three chief secretaries, Yu Xin, Zhang Dan, and Xie Jin, Huang Zicheng, the Minister of Revenue, and Xia Yuanji, the Director of Agricultural Taxes office, were also present. In the middle of the room was the sand table previously used in the Fengtian hall.

Yu Xin gazed at the sand table, lost in thought, and asked Xia Yuanji, “Is land consolidation truly so severe?”

Xia Yuanji nodded slightly but shook his head, confusing Yu Xin and the others.

Before Yu Xin could inquire further, Xie Jin interjected, “Secretary Yu, land consolidation is indeed severe, but perhaps not as grave as His Majesty suggested. When His Majesty used the sand table to project the remaining taxed land after ten years, he only considered the reduction of the original taxed land and did not take into account the portion that would be swallowed up by the black areas. Many of these areas are subject to taxation, such as tax-exempt lands, which are not completely exempt but partially exempt.”

“As I projected, if we do not curb this problem now, in twenty years, the revenue from the South zhili region might not be sufficient to cover the officials’ salaries. In fifty years, the court will be plagued by financial issues, and in one hundred and fifty years, without reform, the Ming Dynasty might cease to exist!”

Upon hearing this, Xia Yuanji stood up and respectfully addressed Xie Jin, ” I have often heard that Senior Cabinet Minister Jie possesses keen insight and remarkable intelligence, and now, having the privilege to personally listen to him, it is truly extraordinary. As Senior Cabinet Minister Jie pointed out, although the Emperor intends to overlook the tax issues arising from the transformation of self-cultivating farmers into tenants, in the long run, his vision will undoubtedly become a reality! However, it may take time, not just ten years, but possibly a hundred years, or even one hundred and fifty years! If it takes any longer, I fear it will be difficult to sustain..”

Had Zhu Yunwen been here, he would surely admire these two individuals. It was precisely after one hundred and fifty years, during Zhang Juzheng’s reforms, that the Ming Dynasty was given a new lease of life.

Xie Jin chuckled and replied, “Vice Minister Xia is truly a remarkable talent. He can respond to questions about land area for each year without hesitation and calculates with utmost accuracy. His future prospects are limitless.”

Huang Zicheng withdrew his hand from touching the sand table and said to Xie Jin, “Vice Minister Xia is indeed a rare talent in the Ministry of Revenue. You must not try to recruit him to the Grand Secretariat.”

Upon hearing this, the others burst into laughter.

Zhang Dan stopped laughing and arranged, “Time is pressing. Minister Huang and Vice Minister Xia, please first draft a new salary plan. The rest of us will come up with measures to restrict land consolidation and strive to present them to his majesty within two days.”

“Very well,” Huang Zicheng and Xia Yuanji promptly agreed, and the two of them went to the table to begin formulating the new salary plan.

The distinctive characteristic of the Ming Dynasty’s salary system can be described in one word: meager!

The salaries were meager to the point of making one feel impoverished.

In the fourth year of Hongwu (1371), Zhu Yuanzhang ordered the Central Secretariat, Ministry of Revenue to determine the annual salaries of civil and military officials.

A First Rank official received 900 dan of grain per year, and a Second Rank official received 600 dan, and so on.

…

A Seventh Rank official received 80 dan, and a Ninth Rank official received 60 dan.

Although in the twenty-sixth year of Hongwu, Zhu Yuanzhang ordered a revision, changing the annual salary to a monthly salary, the increase compared to the fourth year of Hongwu was not significant. For instance, a First Rank official’s salary increased by 100 dan and a Ninth Rank official’s increased by 10 dan.

Let’s take the early Ming Dynasty as an example. As a Seventh Rank County Magistrate, the annual salary is 80 dan of grain. On average, it’s nearly 7 dan of grain per month, which is not bad—over 1,000 jin of grain per year.

The County Magistrate is in good health, married four wives, and has three sons and two daughters. His parents are still alive, and he has two servants. If we calculate like this, with over a dozen people to feed in a month, they still can’t consume that much grain, leaving over 900 catties.

They might take out 200 catties to exchange for some vegetables and tofu, leaving about 700 catties as surplus wealth?

No.

As the County Magistrate picks vegetable leaves from his teeth, someone knocks on the door.

When he opened the door and looked, he saw the officials from various departments, including the Six Bureaus, Granary Department, Horse Department, and others, who were busy with their duties of stationing, guarding, patrolling, urging for grain, and making arrests. They all lined up neatly and respectfully saluted, then extended their hands, saying, “County Lord, what about our grain for this month?”

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