The salary of officials in the Ming Dynasty was not high, and the silver system promulgated during the Ming Taizu period was not to issue silver money, but to directly distribute grain, which is similar to a grain stamp. Pen | fun | pavilion www. ｂｉｑｕｇｅ。 ｉｎｆｏ

An official from the sixth grade paid eight stone of grain per month, and one stone of rice was 90 catties at that time, that is to say, an official from the sixth grade had a monthly salary of 720 catties of rice.

In the middle of the Ming Dynasty, when the price of rice was the cheapest, a stone of rice only cost 300 Wen, and many officials in the DPRK and China exchanged food stamps for silver, but the result was only a few taels of silver, and they couldn't even drink a meal, which was extremely miserable.

However, this is not the worst, because even if the price of grain is reduced, the officials receive food stamps, a few hundred catties of rice a month, although they can't live a luxurious life, at least the whole family has no problem eating enough.

With the rise in grain prices and the Ming Dynasty government, after the first year of orthodoxy (1436), a new policy was introduced: "Relax the ban on the use of silver, and use silver at the rate of the government and the public." ”

Since then, silver has been circulated as a formal and legal currency, and the price of goods in the market has also been changed from copper money to silver for settlement, and the officials' salaries have naturally become silver.

According to the price standard of buying one stone of rice for one tael of silver at that time, it changed from a six-grade official to eight taels of silver per month.

Although the officials not only did not lose money, but also increased several times from the lowest time, two taels of silver a month, but now that there have been droughts for many years, grain prices have soared in many places, and the price of grain in the northern region has even risen to a sky-high price of two taels of silver and one stone.

In the past, the officials who could receive eight stones of grain per month can only buy a little more than six stones a month, and the imperial court often defaults on the money, and many lower-grade officials are almost unable to support themselves.

Originally, the issue of grain prices and the issue of the grain price was not of concern to the ordinary people, but Li Hongfei was so angry that he suddenly increased the official's income by 2.5 times, and it soon became a hot topic of discussion among the common people.

Even many craftsmen who are queuing up have no bottom in their hearts at this time, and it is a good thing that the salary has doubled, but there is no pie in the sky, how can a good thing happen to these craftsmen all at once?

"Don't be impatient, this official is a word, this official is a unified standard set by the imperial court, which really can't be changed, but Lord Bi is an official of the Ministry of Commerce, and part of his money is issued by the imperial court, that is, eight taels of silver that should be obtained from the six-grade officials, and the other part is issued by Mr. Zhou Furen, the chairman of Suzhou Heavy Industry, because Zhou Furen invested in a government-run enterprise, his business needs to recruit a large number of craftsmen and technicians, and the court and Mr. Zhou belong to a cooperative relationship, although Mr. Zhou is provided with craftsmen and technicians. But Mr. Zhou still needs to pay for the salary out of his own pocket. Li Hongfei explained loudly.

"And not only Mr. Zhou's company, but all our government-run enterprises in Suzhou, the outstanding craftsmen and technicians in them can pass their respective skill assessments, and then obtain official positions at the same time, enjoy the imperial court and the owner, two salaries, this is what the official said in the original notice, double salary commitment."

Li Hongfei didn't dare to challenge the salary and silver system of Ming officials, so he could only play a side game, and his explanation to Zhu Youzhen was also very simple, that is, let the imperial court use the salary and official position to attract those craftsmen, once these craftsmen are controlled, let them all stand on the side of the imperial court, then the imperial court will no longer have to worry about the businessmen dragging their feet.

Attracting craftsmen is tantamount to tying the merchant to the chariot of the Ming Dynasty, and Zhu Youzhen will not lose any of this transaction.

As for the businessman's side, Li Hongfei is even more of a good person, since the imperial court has obtained forty percent of the shares, it is natural to fulfill the obligations of the imperial court and help you pay half of your salary, so that you can make more money, what are you not satisfied with?

So after both sides were settled, a happy situation was finally formed, even those far-sighted guys among the businessmen did not dare to say anything, after all, the imperial court accounted for forty percent of the industry, and gave them officials, enveloped craftsmen, and let them work hard, shouldn't they?

And those court officials who failed to join the Ministry of Commerce can only be envious and jealous, and want to get a double salary, then you go to take a craftsman's license!

The craftsman profession that was not welcomed before has now become a fragrant profession in Suzhou.

The onlookers became even more restless after listening to Li Hongfei's explanation.

It is difficult to say whether the imperial court's salary can be cashed, but who is Zhou Furen, who is the richest man in Suzhou, will he still be repaid because of a few dozen taels of silver?

"My lord, I am Zhao Erniu of the blacksmith shop in the east of the city, I have been focusing on ironsmithing for 30 years, in terms of technology, I dare to call the second in Suzhou, no one dares to call the first, do you think I can join the business department?" A burly muscular man suddenly said to Li Hongfei.

Good guy, he is a fierce man who has been focusing on the ground for 30 years, looking at the age of the other party, he is in his forties, and he started striking iron at the age of ten, can he move a sledgehammer on the ground.

However, the people around him didn't talk about anything, obviously this person is still a little famous in Suzhou City.

"I am Li Tiedan, the three generations of my ancestors are carpenters, almost half of the furniture in this Suzhou City is made by my family, and I also want to be an official to make a lot of money." A good-looking teenager said.

"Cut! Your Lao Tzu and your grandfather's carpentry work is really good, you still owe some fire in your young life, go back and practice more! ”

"That is, the Eight Immortals table that my master made last time, I still have to put a book underneath to ensure balance, if it weren't for your grandfather to personally apologize, my master would have to let you lose money." Someone followed.

"My Lord, I'm ..........."

“..........”

Some local craftsmen, hearing Li Hongfei's explanation, couldn't bear it anymore and began to promote themselves for a while.

"Don't worry, don't worry, there will be a lot of people recruiting this time, everyone will line up in order and come one by one." Li Hongfei said with a smile.

He is now a big official, so he naturally has to have the shelf of a big official, and what can make him personally shoot can only be big fish, these ordinary small fish and shrimp, let's leave them to the officials below to deal with.

"My lord, Chairman Zhou's money has not yet arrived, and it will take a lot of time to select the site, so all the craftsmen will be recruited in advance, and I am afraid that it will increase a fee!" Some officials are worried.

This person was recommended by Zhou Furen, who used to do business in the north and had business dealings with Zhou Furen, and later Li Zicheng caused trouble in the north, and this person had to give up his family business and come to Suzhou, and took refuge under Zhou Furen's door and became a bookkeeper.

Now that Li Hongfei has opened the Ministry of Commerce, a large number of people with business experience are needed to take care of it, and Zhou Furen recommended the other party to join the Ministry of Commerce in order to give Li Hongfei a favor, and also to help his friend.

Li Hongfei glanced at the other party and said with a smile: "It is worthy of being a businessman, this labor cost has begun to be calculated, but this talent is the most valuable asset, and the official would rather spend money to support them than to lose them in vain, so let's go and discuss with several other government-run enterprises to see if they need craftsmen, and tell them that maybe there are better craftsmen than them, so if they are interested, they will come and choose them personally." ”

"In addition, those who have not joined the government-run enterprises are also allowed to come and recruit craftsmen, but you remember, the best craftsmen must be reserved for the government-run enterprises."

Li Hongfei's idea is very simple, if you don't use it now, it doesn't mean that you won't need it in the future, recruit people first, and then there will be a competition for posts, and it will also give those craftsmen who think they have taken the iron rice bowl a sense of urgency.

However, he did not expect that his unintentional move would create the first large-scale comprehensive talent trading market in Chinese history..........