To his surprise, the villagers, who were wary of their arrival yesterday, were much more gentle and friendly today.During the conversation, Huo Caiyu learned that their village has no name, and all these families have lived here for generations; In the past, the popularity was quite strong, and every household at least had young and middle-aged people, but now only the old and young women and children are left.Huo Caiyu carried an axe to help the peasant woman chop wood, and was slightly strange when she heard this: the young men were not dragged by the imperial court to serve in the conscription.The weather-covered peasant woman rubbed the hemp rope, the movements in her hands paused, sighed, and her voice faintly revealed a trace of despair, like my family, Zhang Laohan's two sons, who said last year that there were traitors who made a rebellion and temporarily added military service, were all pulled away, and they have not come back.Zhang Laohan's daughter-in-law later got sick and had no medicine, and she also died in this world!
The axe in Huo Caiyu's hand sank slightly, and his heart was faintly heavy.The general Meng Zhenglang went to the southwest to quell the rebellion a few years ago, but he has not returned yet, and these people should have gone there.Because of his father, Huo Caiyu knows more about the situation in the army.The Ogi Dynasty is now riddled with holes, and the army is no exception, and empty salaries abound.If it was peacetime, it would be enough, but the border passes were in an emergency, there was a rebellion in the southwest, and the moths of the army could not make up for the shortage, so they temporarily pulled the common people to make up the numbers.He saw that Zhang Laohan only had a little grandson in his family, and wondered where Zhang Laohan's son and daughter-in-law had gone, but he didn't expect to be dragged to serve in forced labor.I heard your brother say, are you going to visit relatives in the county government?
The peasant woman suddenly changed the topic, listened to the advice of the eldest mother, and went on the road early, so as not to delay.Huo Caiyu was stunned: Why?
It's not time to collect the spring tax, you two young adults, the tax collector doesn't care where you come from, just go straight to servitude!
Huo Caiyu frowned, finished chopping the last piece of firewood, and stopped with an axe.Thank you little brother for your help.The peasant woman put down the hemp rope and said with a smile, "I will trouble taking this axe to Sister-in-law Liu's house."
They only have this axe in a village.It's not that I said, your brother treats you really well.The peasant woman cleaned up the firewood, chattering, there is no food in our village, he begged for a little rice from door to door, and finally mixed it up to cook you such a bowl of porridge, look at the two of you are not like it, are you cousins?
That little brother looks good and looks good when he smiles, I don't know who will be so lucky in the future, Huo Caiyu can't hear the latter words.Your Majesty went door-to-door begging for rice for him?
No wonder what rice and beans are mixed in that bowl of porridge!
And listening to Aunt Zhao's words, she only cooked one bowl?
Didn't Your Majesty eat nothing?
Huo Caiyu's eyes flickered, and he turned around suddenly, wanting to see his majesty.At this time, he suddenly heard Li Jinyu shouting from afar: Let go of my chicken!
Opposite Li Jinyu was a beggar-like man with a black body, one leg still lame, and he was holding a hen that was constantly struggling and didn't let go.They say they are hens, but they are actually very small, as thin and meatless as the rest of the village.Li Jinyu glared at him angrily.He finally reached a deal with this sister-in-law surnamed Liu, bought a chicken and went back to make up for Huo Caiyu's body, but was snatched away by this cripple who suddenly jumped out!
Although he was very afraid of dealing with people, it was to nourish Huo Caiyu, the future emperor and the lord of the world, how could he be snatched away!
If it weren't for the fact that this guy is frighteningly thin and his legs are not flexible, he would have started fighting a long time ago!
I won't eat or keep this chicken, so just give it to me!
The cripple sneered, can't you rich young masters spend more money to buy it?
At this time, Huo Caiyu arrived, frowned slightly when he saw the situation on the field, and stood in front of Li Jinyu to protect him first.When the cripple saw the imposing Huo Caiyu, his face showed a slight hint of fear, and he took two steps back with a limp, having the intention to leave the chicken and escape, but he was reluctant to get the food in his hand.Huo Caiyu didn't want to make a random move on this kind of lonely person, so he spoke first: Let it go.Since His Majesty wants it, then he naturally wants to help His Majesty keep it!
The cripple gritted his teeth and was about to say something, when suddenly a middle-aged woman came out from behind the thatched hut, and raised her eyebrows upside down: Qian Cripple!
You stole chickens and stole the old lady's house?
Get out of here!
Bad luck!
The cripple sneered at each other: Your family is worth this little bit of chicken, I'm still here to help you deal with it!
Who wants you to deal with it!
Sister-in-law Liu stuck her waist and pointed outside, my chickens are clean, they are dirty when you touch them, hurry up and roll with the chickens!
Li Jinyu couldn't help but scream: That's my chicken!
Sister-in-law Liu turned her head and comforted him: Little brother, don't worry, sister-in-law will give you another one, don't pay attention to that bastard.Qian Cripple sneered and limped away with the chicken.Li Jinyu felt a little strange: Obviously, they had the advantage here, so they snatched the chicken directly, although Sister-in-law Liu was scolding the street, she still sent the chicken out, why?
Qian lame left, the anger on Sister-in-law Liu's face suddenly dissipated, and she was replaced by a somewhat helpless look, and turned her head to look at Li Jinyu: Let you see the smile, let's take a chicken and leave.Li Jinyu muttered unconvinced: Sister-in-law, there are only three in your family, and if we take one more, there will only be one left.That can't be helped.Sister-in-law Liu sighed, anyway, she won't stay long, so she will treat it as a good deed.took the chicken again, sister-in-law Liu enthusiastically helped to remove the hair and cook it in the pot, and on the way to cook the soup, she talked about the lame money: he is also a poor man, he used to be a good boy, but a few years ago, the tax officer came to collect taxes, his family couldn't pay taxes, the valuable things in the family were pulled away, and the worthless ones were smashed to pieces, and he and his father were dragged to serve, his father was ruthless and broke his leg directly, and the tax officer didn't want him, so he pulled his father and mother away.Li Jinyu was stunned when he heard it.Later, his legs were not good, and he went out to find his father and mother while begging for food, went to the county, and then came back like this.Sister-in-law Liu sighed and added a fire to the stove, hearing that his mother was insulted by those heavenly killings on the road, and his father was beaten to death while protecting his mother, and his mother simply committed suicide.Huo Caiyu lowered his head and clenched his hands.Go early, and see that you should be the children of a good family, and stay at home and don't come out.Sister-in-law Liu persuaded again, the tax officer will come to collect taxes in the next few days.Li Jinyu was stunned and said: Didn't I hear that there is a new deal?
Sister-in-law Liu snorted disdainfully, those dog officials are not just thinking of ways to squeeze our last bit of oil and water.Before they could say anything more, suddenly there was a noisy shout outside, followed by a high-pitched and shrill shout: Spring tax has been collected!
Pull out the valuable things in the house!
A long-accumulated panic suddenly appeared on Sister-in-law Liu's face, she stood up suddenly, looked left and right, looked at Huo Caiyu and Li Jinyu again, and gritted her teeth: You guys quickly hide in the tank!
Neither of them moved.Come on!
Sister-in-law Liu is so anxious that she wants to jump to her feet, the tax officer doesn't care if you are from here or not!
Huo Caiyu raised his head again, his brown eyes filled with forcibly suppressed flames.He turned his head to look at Li Jinyu: Your Majesty, you can rest in the house.After speaking, Huo Caiyu stepped out directly.Li Jinyu was stunned for a moment, of course he refused to be obedient, and followed Huo Caiyu out of the door.Outside, it was the tax collector.A middle-aged man wearing a green scarf looked at the people in the village arrogantly, and said with disgust: Okay, don't be verbose, pay the taxes, and the grain and iron tools will be completed.He took out a slip from his sleeve and read it again, and after reading the various taxes of poll tax, spring ploughing tax, seedling tax, and field tax, all the people in the village were as white as earth.This year, there are more tax items.According to this tax amount, they can't fill the pot and sell iron in the whole village!
Li Jinyu was a little surprised, he couldn't believe his ears.In the long list of tax laws listed by the tax official just now, even chickens must be taxed according to the number of chickens!
No wonder Sister-in-law Liu said that those chickens can't be kept!
Three or four officials in the back pulled a large cart and were waiting to put things on it.Zhang Laohan stepped forward with a bitter face: My lord, I paid taxes at the end of last year, and I really have no surplus grain now?
The official squinted at him and sneered, if there is no surplus food, then hand over the guy!
No matter how bad it is, it's okay.His gaze swept over, and it happened to fall on Huo Caiyu and Li Jinyu, and his eyes lit up, yo, two more people?
Coincidentally, I haven't served in conscription, have I?
Take!
Zhang Laohan was shocked: My lord Mingjian, these two people just passed by the official who lost patience, raised his hand and was about to slap him: Why do you talk so much about this old immortal?
I'll take you away with me again!
It's just that before the slap fell, it was firmly caught by a hand.Huo Caiyu pinched the tax officer's arm expressionlessly, and without waiting for the tax officer to react, he gently pulled and pulled him, and told him to dislocate.Although he has not recovered from his serious injuries, it is not a problem to teach such wicked people such vain steps and only bully the people.The tax collector immediately let out a howl like a pig, and intermittently threatened: You, who are you who dare to obstruct it, and I don't care who the imperial court collects taxes, I just ask you, didn't the imperial court give an order, and the tax law of Qingshui County will be implemented according to a whip law?
Huo Caiyu's voice was faintly angry, how dare you resist the order?
What kind of whip tax officer's eyes rolled, and just wanted to deny it, he was recognized by Huo Caiyu, used some force in his hand, and shouted: Tell the truth!
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The tax officer howled in pain again, and then said truthfully: The new policy of the imperial court does require the tax law of Qingshui County to only accept cash silver, but how can anyone take cash in such a poor place?
The county government issued an order to ask us to collect and resell on our behalf, which is nonsense!
Huo Caiyu used some strength in his hands again, and the new tax didn't say that at all!
And there are not so many harsh taxes and miscellaneous taxes!
Here, this little tax collector of mine, how did I know that the tax collector couldn't stand the pain, and begged for mercy while giving those officials a look, telling them to do it quickly.Those officials looked at each other, and they all saw the meaning of retreat in the eyes of the other party.They are all related households, relying on flattery, bribery and some officials to get mixed with the official errands, drinking flowers and wine, but fighting is not good at all.The person in front of him looks like a practitioner, and he is so tight, who is willing to go up and ask for hardship?
Huo Caiyu has an excellent memory, not to mention that half of the new deal is from him, so he naturally knows very well the amount of taxes that should be paid in this village.If the tax collector collects according to this method, it is almost ten times higher than the tax required by the actual whip law!
One can imagine where this excess profit went.The more Huo Caiyu thought about it, the more angry he became, and he couldn't wait to twist the tax officer's arm directly.This strong man, since you are passing through this place, why bother with things?
The tax officer couldn't help but threaten, you must know that the imperial court is not easy to mess with!
Brave man spare his life!
Huo Caiyu suppressed his anger, let go of his hand, and kicked the tax officer: Get out!
Then the servants stepped forward and helped the tax collector up.The tax officer knew that these wastes behind him couldn't beat the person in front of him, so he gritted his teeth and wanted to wait until he went back to the county government to put this person on a wanted warrant, and the tax in this village would be doubled later!
Seeing that the group was about to leave, Li Jinyu suddenly spoke: Wait, I will pay the taxes in the village for them.Everyone's eyes immediately converged on him.Suddenly surrounded by everyone, Li Jinyu instinctively shrank behind Huo Caiyu's back, and then reappeared, with two or three more sparkling beads in his hand: These are enough, right?
Huo Caiyu was slightly stunned, and his eyes focused on those beads.These beads are all dark and contain gold wire, and they are of extraordinary quality at a glance.The most important thing is that it is exactly the same as those beads in his house!
Those beads and gold cups all appeared inexplicably in the package after my sister came back from the palace last time, so it seems that it is really Your Majesty who secretly stuffed her belongings for her sister?
Huo Caiyu's distraction, Li Jinyu has already negotiated with the tax officer.The tax collector could also see that these beads were of extraordinary value, many times larger than the target of his tax collection this time, and if he sold them, he could make a lot of money!
The pain of the unloaded arm was instantly covered with greed.The tax officer took a deep look at Li Jinyu's white and ignorant face, and a smile appeared on the corner of his mouth: Since this is the case, I will accept it.After receiving the beads, the tax collector gave a vague look to one of the servants.The officer understood and slipped away.This eldest young master who came from nowhere looks quite oily and watery, so it's better to simply go back and ask for help now that they can't beat the Lian family next to them!
Sending away the tax officer, Huo Caiyu and Li Jinyu discussed it, planning to go directly to the county government.According to the information from the tax officer, the order given by the county government was basically to keep the original policy unchanged, and the problem obviously lay with the county guard.Huo Caiyu had learned in advance that the county guard of Qingshui County was Prime Minister Ye's cousin, and there was no doubt that he was a supporter of the Prime Minister's faction.The only problem now is that they don't know where to go.In this era, there were no mobile phones and GS, and no one knew exactly where this small village was in Qingshui County.Huo Caiyu and Li Jinyu had a meal of chicken under the warm hospitality of the villagers.The village was really poor, but they still worked hard to make rice and noodles, and picked the few vegetables in the field, hoping to make Huo Caiyu and Li Jinyu, who helped them, feel better.Sister-in-law Liu also killed the remaining chicken.Before leaving, everyone refused to ask Li Jinyu's beads as a reward, there was no way, Huo Caiyu secretly left a little broken silver on the table where they were eating.Before leaving the palace, he brought a little silver tael with him, but it was not much.Not long after leaving the village, they were stopped.Qian Cripple turned out from behind the tree, still carrying the chicken that he had snatched away, and seemed to be a little timid and ruthless: Can you take me with you?
Li Jinyu was a little surprised: Take you?
Where to?
You're going to the county hall, aren't you?
I know the way.Huo Caiyu frowned slightly: What are you doing in the county government?
Qian crippled his teeth and lowered his voice a little: You are adults from the capital who came to check taxes, right?
Li Jinyu's eyes widened suddenly: How do you know?
Huo Caiyu didn't have time to stop it, and suddenly glanced at Li Jinyu helplessly.Li Jinyu reacted consciously and covered his mouth.After receiving Li Jinyu's confirmation, Qian Cripple's eyes suddenly glowed with hope, and his voice also carried a strong longing: When I went to the town to inquire about the news, I heard the beggars in the town say that the imperial court seemed to be going to make some new taxes; But none of us here know that you two are dressed luxuriously, and you know about the new tax, it must be Lord Qincha who came to Weifu in the capital for a private visit!