Zhu Di: My fourth son is a great emperor of all time?

Chapter 123 They dared not move, for fear of saying the wrong thing.

He paused, seemingly considering his words, but finally mustered his courage, also to make a better impression. The last time the curtain opened, the conflict between Emperor Taizong and Emperor Shizu had seriously damaged his lineage, leaving a huge negative impact on Zhu Di's mind. He had to do everything he could to salvage his image.

"The salaries of officials in our dynasty are inherited from the system established by the Taizu Emperor, with lofty intentions aimed at fostering integrity. However, times have changed, and the prices of rice and goods during the Yongle era are incomparable to those at the founding of the dynasty. A seventh-rank county magistrate's annual salary of ninety shi of rice seems like a lot, but it is barely enough to support his family, maintain his official status, hire staff and clerks, and handle social obligations. He is struggling to make ends meet! This is a flaw in the system, not a result of human laziness! Human nature is driven by self-interest, and if the salary is insufficient to foster integrity, the desire to 'live off one's position' will inevitably arise. Official corruption has been difficult to eradicate in every dynasty, not only in our Great Ming, nor under the reign of our father. The key lies in how to curb its extent and guide its desires."

Zhu Gaochi raised his head, his gaze earnest.

"Your subject dares to suggest that we consider appropriately adjusting the salaries of officials so that they can make a living and remain in their positions. At the same time, we should supplement this with strict laws and strict supervision. This two-pronged approach may alleviate this problem. Simply continuing the ancestral system of low salaries is not a long-term solution. It will only discourage good officials and give corrupt officials something to complain about."

Zhu Gaochi's words were like a boulder thrown into a calm lake. Although he did not directly accuse his grandfather Zhu Yuanzhang of having flawed policies, his phrases such as "the flaws of the system," "the salary is insufficient to support honesty," and "adjusting salaries" were already bold questions about the ancestral system.

"Absurd!" Zhu Gaoxu jumped out to refute immediately, as if his tail had been stepped on, his voice loud and clear, filled with indignation at the need to uphold ancestral rules.

“Brother, you are mistaken! The Great Ancestor, with his enlightened mind, established the system of low salaries precisely to temper the will of officials, to make them understand the hardships of the people, and to be selfless in serving the public. Although the salary is meager, the honest will remain honest. The embezzlement of people like Zhou Wuzui is due to their corrupt intentions and despicable character. How can it be attributed to the ancestral system? If everyone had a high salary, would it guarantee that they would not be corrupt? The extravagance and corruption of the Song and Yuan dynasties are a stark warning!”

He clasped his hands in a fist salute to Zhu Di, speaking with great passion and fervor.

"Father, in my opinion, the only way to deal with corrupt officials is through severe punishments! Discover one, kill one! Confiscate their property and exterminate their entire clan as a warning to others! Let the heads roll, and see who dares to reach out again! The rules of the founding emperor cannot be changed in a single word! To change them is to disrespect the founding emperor, to shake the foundations of the nation. Fourth Prince did a good job killing in Xunzhou! He did the right thing! That's how it should be done! As for salary? Hmph, as long as they don't starve! Officials are here to serve the people, not to enjoy themselves!"

Zhu Gaosui stood to the side, his eyes darting around, a seemingly fair smile spreading across his face, and slowly began to speak.

"Second brother, please calm down. Eldest brother is only concerned about the country and its people. However..." He changed the subject.

"The rules set by the founding emperor naturally have their profound meaning. Lower salaries for officials can indeed lighten the burden on the people. Besides, our imperial family provides very generous salaries to the imperial clan members. Isn't that also to demonstrate kinship, allowing the imperial sons and grandsons to enjoy their lives in peace, free from worldly affairs, and focus on serving the court? This distinction between internal and external affairs, and between civil and military roles, and the varying salaries, is simply the way our ancestors weighed things. A life of hardship for officials is also a form of training. If they are corrupt, they can be executed, and the national treasury will be fuller."

His words, ostensibly intended to smooth things over, were actually a ploy to sow discord. He pointed out the reality of the generous salaries of members of the imperial family, casually linked the low salaries of officials to the idea that they "deserve to be killed," and subtly directed his criticism at the crown prince who had proposed the "adjustment."

As Zhu Di listened to the completely different arguments of his three sons, his expression was as if shrouded in mist.

The leader's words hit a nerve, revealing the helplessness of lower-level officials and hinting at the possibility that ancestral rules need to be updated with the times. However, touching upon ancestral rules is a serious matter.

The second son's words were forceful and resolute, upholding the absolute authority of the founding emperor and the rigidity of the system. They were full of decisive and ruthless courage, but they seemed too simplistic and crude, ignoring human nature and reality.

The third son's words, seemingly tactful, were actually insidious. He casually attributed corruption to personal character and used the generous salaries of the imperial family to highlight the officials' austerity as "deserved," subtly sowing discord.

Zhu Di's gaze fell once again on the report concerning the famine in Xunzhou and the trial planting of sweet potatoes. His fourth son's ruthless execution of corrupt officials in Xunzhou was swift and decisive, while his introduction of new grains showed compassion. Was he taking concrete action, on that small plot of land in Xunzhou, to try and solve the fundamental problem raised by his eldest son—increasing revenue and reducing expenditure? Or was he putting his second son's "killing" strategy into practice?

"Salary..." Zhu Di began slowly, his voice low and carrying a hint of barely perceptible weariness.

"This concerns the very foundation of the nation; a single move can have far-reaching consequences. Please allow me to reconsider."

He neither expressed support for nor disapproval of anyone, but his simple statement, "Let me think about it again," already revealed the weight this matter carried in his mind.

He looked south, his gaze seemingly piercing through mountains and rivers, landing on the newly cultivated sweet potato field in Xunzhou. Would the "sweet potato" that the fourth brother had introduced be successful? What would the yield be? If it could truly solve the food shortage, then Xunzhou's predicament would have a turning point, and perhaps it could also bring a new variable to this stalemate of "ancestral system dispute"?
"As for Xunzhou," Zhu Di finally issued his decree.

"Prince Qi has introduced new crops with great care. He has ordered the prefectures and counties along the way to facilitate the allocation of grain, seeds, farming tools, and skilled farmers needed by Xunzhou. Anyone who dares to exploit the people and cause famine like in Qingpan County shall be executed immediately upon verification, without needing to report to the Emperor."

"Yes!" the three princes replied in unison, each with their own thoughts.

Spring in Xunzhou has quietly passed amidst hope and busyness.

The sweet potato vines, carefully tended by Zhang Xiuping, displayed an amazing vitality, spreading wildly across the barren sandy soil and slopes.

In the garden of the Prince's Mansion, Zhu Gaoshuo personally dug up a mound of soil. When he saw the spindle-shaped tubers of varying sizes but in large numbers that had formed beneath the soil, even though he was mentally prepared, he couldn't help but gasp.

"It's done! Ping'er, it's done!" Zhu Gaoshuo held up a bunch of heavy tubers covered in mud, his eyes shining with ecstatic joy. The tubers had a purplish-red or pale yellow skin. Although they were not as large and uniform as the improved varieties of later generations, there were a lot of them, and they felt quite heavy.

"Quick! Weigh it! Calculate the yield per acre!"

Soon, the results came out.

The experimental fields cultivated with meticulous care in the Prince's Garden yielded a staggering 15 shi (900 kg) per mu. Even the experimental fields on the sloping land outside the city, which were managed extensively, yielded more than 8 shi (480 kg) per mu. These figures shocked the entire Xunzhou government office and the Prince's Palace like a thunderclap.

It should be noted that at this time, even the best paddy fields in Jiangnan, with meticulous cultivation, could only yield three or four shi of rice per mu. It was truly astonishing that the barren land of Xunzhou could produce so many tuberous foods.

(End of this chapter)