Carrying AK into Ming Dynasty

Chapter 523
"Your majesty, just let go and spend the flowers. I... know where there is a silver mine, a big silver mine!" Liu Hongjian lowered his head and said in a shocking manner.

Hiss—the sound of several people breathing in the Qianqing Palace instantly.

"Your Majesty's words are serious?" Ni Yuanlu, Minister of the Household Department, stood up abruptly.

Although the old ministers knew that Liu Hongjian never joked about major issues, the news of the silver mine was earth-shattering, which really surprised them.

There are only two silver mines in Yunnan and Huguang in the Ming Dynasty, and because of the high mountains and deep forests, mining and transportation are extremely difficult.

If Daming really discovers a new silver mine, it will be a great blessing for the imperial court!

"Where is the silver mine?" Chongzhen's hands trembled, and he asked Liu Hongjian expectantly.

"Our newly established Menggu Province has a huge silver mine!" Liu Hongjian knew it was inconvenient to joke at this time, so he had to say seriously.

The heart said that there is a shortage of mines, are you looking for me?I have a map of the distribution of minerals around the world, and I'm afraid to scare you if I show it.

Previously, Liu Hongjian had been busy with wars and had no time to think about these things. Now that the world is at peace, and there are many people in Ming Dynasty who have nothing to do, it is a good time to mine.

Not to mention overseas, not to mention the sixteen provinces of Ming Dynasty, but in Menggu, there are nearly [-] silver mines discovered in later generations, and it is the largest silver mining province in China after all.

But Liu Hongjian was afraid that if he told the truth, he would be treated as a fool by these uncles.

After all, in the past 300 years, the Ming Dynasty has only found these two silver mines that can be mined, and they are all guarded by heavy soldiers as if they are treasures, lest they go wrong.

Now you tell them that our Daming is full of silver mines, and there are nearly [-] of them in just one province, are you stupid, or are they stupid?

If it is a sin to know a lot, then it is even more uncomfortable to know but not to speak out.

"Outside the pass..." Chongzhen's eyes lit up, and he believed it when he mentioned outside the pass.

Out of trust in the Ministry of Industry, Chongzhen actually did not believe that there were silver mines in Daming Pass. After all, the Ministry of Industry supported a hundred officials who went around to investigate the mineral deposits.

But it is different outside the customs, that is a place that Daming has almost never set foot in.

"That's right, Your Majesty, Menggu Province is located on a plain where you can see everything at a glance, and it's very convenient to mine." Liu Hongjian said with a slight smile.

We have a mine at home, so you can make waves, are you afraid?
Even if the family's mines are exhausted, he still knows that on the other side of the strait, there is also a world-class large mine in Wa, whose silver reserves are enough to support the entire Asia for half a century.

If that’s not enough, then let’s build a ship. Australia also has a silver mine with huge reserves. On the far side of the Pacific Ocean, there is an unearthly treasure that has been dug for 300 years—the silver capital of Potosi.

"How did Liu Qing know, why didn't you tell me earlier?" Chongzhen glared at Liu Hongjian and felt upset again, the meaning was very clear, you bastard, why didn't you tell me such important news earlier?

"Hey, I only got the news recently. I've been busy with the Engineering College and the Martial Arts Hall. I think I'll talk about it later when I have free time." Liu Hongjian scratched his head and said.

"Hmph, I really don't know what to say about you, this is a major event for the country, and you can't tell the difference!" Chongzhen was very happy even though he was unhappy on the outside.

For more than two years, he has been familiar with Liu Hongjian's various extraordinary abilities, and it is right that his ancestors bestowed upon him to help Daming.

"The mine is there, and I can't run away. Your majesty, I guarantee that Ming Dynasty will not be short of silver in the future. The courtiers have worked so hard, so their salaries should be increased." Liu Hongjian said solemnly.

The reason why he didn't announce the location of more mines is another reason for his worry. Deflation is not good, but inflation is not a good thing either!

Now Daming doesn't have an expert in the field of economics to control it. Even he is a half-baked guy.

In a few years, I am afraid that if you buy a stone of rice, you will have to pull half a carload of silver in exchange.

This is not worth the candle. Before he studies and understands the rules and regulations in economics, he dare not mess around.

Still the same sentence, the mine can't run away, so it's buried in the ground. As long as the ship is strong and the guns are strong, you can go digging whenever you want, and maybe the miners won't need Daming to do it.

Thinking about the grand occasion of launching warships to transport money around after the navy was completed, Liu Hongjian still had a little expectation in his heart.

"What do you guys think? Let's all share your opinions." Chongzhen suppressed the excitement in his heart, and raised his eyebrows to the other senior elders who were also excited.

"Second minister!" Ni Yuanlu, Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs, spoke first.

"Senior minister!" Li Banghua, the chief assistant of the cabinet, also expressed his position.

"Senior minister!" Several other elders also raised their hands in favor. After all, who would refuse to give him a salary increase?

"So, it just so happens that the cabinet ministers are all here, so let's discuss the adjustment of the salary of officials of all ranks now!" Chongzhen immediately brought up a new topic.

Now that his worries have dissipated, and he is not a miser, he naturally wants to ease his relationship with the officials by raising his salary.

After all, his relationship with the courtiers was too tense during this period of time.

The Minister of the Ministry of Households is in charge of the distribution of salaries for officials all over the world, so Ni Yuanlu naturally took the lead in speaking out.

The salaries of officials at all levels in the Ming Dynasty have been adjusted since Emperor Taizu until now, and have only been adjusted once during Emperor Chengzu.

Officials of the first rank, the monthly salary is 90 taels, the monthly salary of the first rank is 75 taels, the monthly salary of ministers of the second rank is 60 taels, and the monthly salary of the third rank is 48 taels.

In descending order, the monthly salary of the county magistrate of Zhengqipin is only [-] taels, which is astonishingly low.

Zhu Yuanzhang suffered from poverty since he was a child, and what he hated most in his life were corrupt officials. After he inherited the throne, the salaries he set for officials were never high.

But even Liu Hongjian knew that the wages of officials in the Ming Dynasty were low, but he still didn't expect it to be so low.

I said in my heart that you, old Zhu, are really ruthless. You want the horse to run, but you also want the horse not to eat grass.

Moreover, the salaries of local officials are not just to support their own family. All the teachers and other employees recruited by the county magistrate need to spend their own money to support them.

In addition, most of the salaries were converted in kind, and the actual money received was even less. As a result, another unwritten term was born in the Ming Dynasty-Huo consumption.

To put it bluntly, it means withholding a part of the tax as funds, but how much to withhold depends entirely on the ability and conscience of the officials, and corruption breeds from this.

Why bother?

"Add [-]%?" Ni Yuanlu added up and said softly.

He was worried that Chongzhen would not be happy if the increase was too much. After all, the matter was of great importance. There were nearly [-] officials at all levels in the imperial court.

"Twenty percent? How is twenty percent enough?" Liu Hongjian laughed as soon as he heard it, and said to himself that a dignified seventh-rank county magistrate doesn't earn as much as a craftsman in his ordnance shop. What a joke in the world?
(End of this chapter)