The rise of the poor

Chapter 625
"Master Zhou lives in the fourth rank, but his life is so simple, which is rare in the world." After listening to Zhang Butou's explanation, Zhu Ping'an greatly admired Zhou Houjie's simple style.

Although it is said that the official salaries of the Ming Dynasty were notoriously low in the past dynasties, the official salaries are still much higher than those of ordinary people.Moreover, Zhou Houjie, as a fourth-rank magistrate, is highly appointed by officials in the Kyoto area, half a rank higher than the local officials of the same rank, and his salary is also half a rank higher than that of the local fourth-rank magistrate. It is rare.

Calculated according to this year's salary standard, the salary of a fourth-rank magistrate is 24 shi (meters) per month. Zhou Houjie, the prefect, is an official in the capital, and his salary is half a level higher than that of the local government, with a monthly salary of 25 shi (meters).

Here, "stone" is read as dan.

Shi, dou, sheng, and he are all traditional units of measurement in ancient times. They are all in the decimal system. Ten he is a liter, ten liters is a dou, and ten dou is a stone. It is very convenient to calculate.

The Ming Dynasty issued salaries in units of "stones". Before the Ming Dynasty, official salaries were issued in units of "dou" or "sheng". If the official salary is issued, it is obvious that the imperial court is petty, and it is not enough to show the imperial court's style of loyalty and respect, so "stone" is used to distribute the salary instead.To give a simple example, it is equivalent to that a company used to pay wages in units of "corners" and "cents". The new boss felt that this was too petty and could not show the company's loyalty to employees' wages. Use "yuan" as the unit.

One "stone" of rice is equal to 10 buckets, which is equal to 100 liters. One liter of rice weighs about 1.25 catties, and one stone of rice weighs about 125 catties.Zhou Houjie's monthly salary is 25 shi, which is 3125 catties. According to this year's prices, it is equivalent to 13 taels of silver.

If calculated according to the current salary, Zhou Houjie is about 8000 per month.With a salary of [-], he only eats cabbage, tofu and salted radish sticks every day.This is really very, very commendable.

"Zi Hou, you are from the countryside, so you are confused. Every meal has three dishes, and white flour and steamed buns are enough. How simple is this. Think about how many people in our Ming Dynasty still eat a lot of food. , I can’t fill my stomach. Compared with them, this is already a luxury.” Zhou Houjie suddenly said seriously.

Zhu Pingan smiled wryly when he heard the words, "What your lord said is that you don't think about yourself, but you should also think about Mrs. Sister-in-law and Mr. Ling. It is simple to reduce one vegetarian dish and add one meat dish to each meal."

"Zihou is too worried. Zhuojing and Quanzi are both in their hometown in Anhui. Although I am not a wealthy family, my ancestors also left more than ten acres of Susukida to grow melons, vegetables, chickens and ducks. The two of them eat more than me. It's convenient." Zhou Houjie waved his hand and smiled.

"Master Fuzun has been an official in Beijing for many years. He is alone and has never brought his family with him. Last year, the young master originally planned to visit Mr. Fuzun, but he was unable to make the trip due to the long distance and lack of travel arrangements." As soon as Zhang Butou finished speaking in Zhou Zhifu, he endured I couldn't help adding a sentence.

Uh

Hearing this, Zhu Ping'an turned his gaze to Zhou Houjie, and couldn't help feeling a little bit emotional.

Naked official!

This is an ancient naked official!
Modern times are different. Modern naked officials are officials whose spouses and children have emigrated abroad.

Naked officials in ancient times were not like modern ones. They did not go to other places to be officials and bring their families because the official salary could not afford to support their wives, children, and servant girls. Zhou Houjie was like this. He was alone and had nothing to do.Therefore, most of the naked officials in ancient times were honest and upright officials, and every single hair of them was a hundred times more magnificent than those naked officials in modern times.

"Talking." Zhou Houjie glanced at Zhang Butou.

"My lord, it's not that my subordinates talk too much, but my subordinates are wronged by your lord. Look, my lord, how many officials are like you. To put it bluntly, the dinner table of your subordinates is better than yours. Much richer. Cabbage tofu, pickled vegetables, how can your body be able to bear it for a long time, and how can you be the master of the people. No family members, no maids, only an old housekeeper. To put it boldly, you You’re not an official, you’re a monk.” Catcher Zhang seemed to have been holding back for a long time, but this time with Zhu Pingan by his side, he was so bold that he took advantage of the topic to say what he had been holding back for a long time.

Hehe, the words were rough and reasonable, Zhu Ping'an nodded, and it is true that Zhou Houjie's work is really close to that of an ascetic monk.

"It's easy to go from simplicity to extravagance, but it's hard to go from extravagance to frugality." Zhou Houjie smiled slightly, took a sip of tea and said, "Although I am a fourth-rank official, the salary plus special salary and rewards are quite a lot. However, if you are not in charge of the family, you don’t know how expensive firewood and rice are. Although you earn a lot, you also spend a lot. Han Bo and I need 2 taels of silver for food every month. I also have to honor 2 taels of filial piety, 2 taels of filial piety to my grandfather, 4 taels of incense in the clan ancestral hall, and 2 taels of subsidy for the offspring of the clan. These are all used for nine out of ten of the salary, and other expenses are not counted. Now it is very good. "

Hearing this, Catcher Zhang raised his head to look at Zhou Houjie, and murmured for a long time, but didn't dare to say what was in his mouth.

Zhu Pingan knew what Zhang Tutou wanted to say, and it was nothing more than gray income such as moistening pens, burning money, etc. Zhang Tutou was right for not saying anything. With Zhou Houjie's temper, Zhang Tutou would probably be reprimanded if he said anything.

"Ping'an has benefited a lot from a meal today. Although Ping'an may not be able to be as clear as an adult and happy to suffer as an official in the future, he must also learn from an adult with a bright moon on his shoulders and a breeze in his sleeves." Zhu Pingan sat upright, serious bowed his hands in admiration.

Zhu Pingan benefited a lot from this meal, and learned a lot from Zhou Houjie, and he was inspired a lot just by being clean and honest.

"Okay, what a bright moon on one shoulder and breeze on two sleeves! Zihou and I have known each other not long ago, but he knows me and understands me." After hearing Zhu Ping'an's words, Zhou Houjie couldn't help but said, "I'm a farmer. Zizi can get to where he is today, relying on the bright moon on his shoulders and the breeze on his sleeves. As an official, I don’t want to be famous in history, and I don’t want to show my name. I only want to serve the country and the people. What I can do for the Ming Dynasty and the people of the Ming Dynasty is limited. Since I, Zhou Houjie, have not done much for the country and the people, I can’t even bring disaster to the country and the people. This official is not for the sake of fame, but for the sake of being worthy of the heaven, earth, and people. I will be an official in the future Turning into a handful of rotten soil can also nourish the earth." Zhou Houjie put down his teacup and said with emotion.

Hearing the words, Zhu Ping'an was touched by the scene, and couldn't help thinking of a poem from the Qing Dynasty, which was very suitable for Zhou Houjie.Seeing the pen, ink, paper and inkstone beside me, I couldn't help myself for a moment, took the pen in my hand, and wrote it down.

For a while, pen and ink flow freely:
"Gift to Zhou Zhifu"

The mighty distressed day slanted, and the whip pointed eastward to the end of the world.

Fallen flowers are not heartless things, into Chunni more quadrangle.

(End of this chapter)