Chapter 37: Gloomy and sad
Sad and gloomy.
It can be said that since the government officials announced a 20% tax increase this year, the entire Daliushu Village has been in a state of gloom and gloom.
If you pay taxes, people will starve to death if you don't do it.
But if you don't pay taxes, you have to serve in the military. Fighting against the barbarians in the northwest, narrowly escaping death, is simply going to die.
However, in the face of this situation, there is naturally a solution.
That is dedication.
How the aristocratic family developed was by obtaining the privilege of tax exemption and exemption from labor. The villagers contributed land and accumulated it from generation to generation.
In Daliushu Village, some homesteaders who could still make ends meet decided to go to Mr. Liu's house.
Suddenly, more than ten families donated land to Mr. Liu.
However, once he surrenders, he will become a vassal of the Liu family from now on and will no longer have the status of a free person.
Roads such as imperial examinations and military examinations are insulated, and from now on, generations will have to rely on the main family to live.
However, these are just a few lucky ones.
The Liu family has been a landlord for decades. Their family already owns a lot of land. After taking over more than a dozen properties, the land has reached the tax-free limit.
If you accept donations again, you will have to pay taxes.
Many villagers in Daliushu Village felt regretful after seeing this. But after hesitating for a moment, he missed this good opportunity.
However, for the Fang Yue family, it was not bad.
Their family had accumulated a lot of food this year because of their efforts, and they could still afford the 20% increase in tax.
Time, another month has passed.
The last time the yamen officer said it was a three-month deferment, and it would be enough to pay it all within three months.
But of course they can't really wait until three months to collect taxes. After all, tax collection is a process.
If it really takes three months to collect, someone will definitely delay it. If it goes back and forth, it might take a month or two.
When the time comes, I will definitely be punished by the county master.
On this day,
Fang Yue had just finished practicing and was washing up in the yard.
"Dad, come here and help catch this rabbit. Mom will make braised rabbit for you at noon." Mrs. Chen came out of the kitchen and said to Father Fang who was feeding the cows.
Father Fang said to Fang Yue without raising his head: "Xie'er, go catch the rabbit and take it to your mother."
"Okay, Dad." Fang Yue put down the water basin in his hand and turned around to catch the rabbit.
But at this time, Chen's roaring voice sounded:
"Hey you idiot, I told you to catch rabbits, but you can command my pigs. If it weren't for the pigs, would you be able to eat the rabbits? What are you doing here? Why don't you go and catch the rabbits? !”
Father Fang was stunned for a moment, and then he remembered that he had the 'lowest' status in the family now, especially since he couldn't 'order' Pig in front of his mother-in-law.
How could I forget this!
"I'll go right away, I'll go right away."
Father Fang felt annoyed, smiled bitterly, and begged Chen for mercy.
"Mom, just let me come. I can catch you faster than my father."
Before Fang's father took action, Fang Yue had already caught the rabbit in his hand, bled it and skinned it. He was extremely skilled and quickly processed the rabbit and gave it to Chen.
Soon, it was noon.
A table with meat and vegetables, four dishes and one soup is a sumptuous meal for me to prepare for lunch.
A family of five, each person gets two pieces of bread and a bowl of thick soup.
In the past, Mrs. Chen wouldn't have dared to think about this day, but now She'er hunts twice a month, and each time she brings back a lot of prey and meat.
Therefore, the Fang family can have a meal of meat every now and then.
Coupled with the food exchanged for meat and villagers, his family now has no shortage of food.
The government's taxes for this year have been paid in full in the past few days.
"ah--"
While everyone in the Fang family was enjoying lunch, they suddenly heard a scream coming from outside.
Fang Yue couldn't help but stand up quickly, walked out of the yard, and looked in the direction of the sound.
"It turns out it's Liu Sanjia, and those are the county government officials. It seems it's because of this year's taxes."
At this time, a circle of people had gathered in front of Liu San's house.
"Uncle Fuquan, Aunt Caihua, what's going on with the Liu San family?" Fang Yue came to the edge of the crowd and asked.
"His family can't pay taxes, so now the government officials want to recruit people to serve as soldiers." The hunched-over Uncle Fuquan sighed.
At this time, three government servants walked out of the courtyard of Liu San's house. Behind them, Liu San was chained and followed with his head pulled down.
The clothes on Liu San's body were torn and bloodstains were everywhere. It was obvious that he had been beaten before being locked up.
"Fathers and fellow villagers, listen, this Liu San is maliciously resisting taxes and disobeying the king's laws. Today we took him and escorted him back to the county government and sent him to the northwest at a later date."
"You all should take a good look. Among all of you who want to resist the law in the future, he will be a role model!"
The leader of the corvee showed a fierce look in his eyes and glanced around. None of the surrounding villagers dared to look at him, and all of them lowered their heads unconsciously.
Among the crowd, Fang Yue looked at Liu San's house through the gap.
Among them, the tables and chairs were scattered, as if someone had rummaged through the cabinets, making it a mess.
Suddenly.
He had some guesses in his mind: these corvees might have seen that they could not collect taxes, or they might have increased taxes privately, so they simply 'searched' Liu San's house and took the opportunity to plunder property.
Then Liu San, who stopped them, was taught a lesson, and by taking the person, he could also kill the chicken to scare the monkeys, so that other villagers in Daliushu Village would no longer take chances, and it would also be easier to collect taxes in the future.
Soon, the government officials moved on to the next house to collect taxes.
Sure enough, with Liu San as an example, the subsequent tax collection work went much smoother.
Looking at Liu San being dragged away, many neighbors and fellow villagers could not help but feel hurt by others.
But at most everyone is sympathetic,
More?
But he didn't, and he didn't dare.
Even Fang Yue just took a look and had no intention of helping.
After all, all the yamen servants are skilled in martial arts, and the leading corvee is also a martial arts master who has mastered skin polishing. As for the other two, although they have not polished skin, they have also developed their strength, and their strength cannot be compared to Ergou. But it's not much different when you think about it.
What's more, these government officials represent the Wei Dynasty, and if they are touched, the government will be provoked.
Fang Yue just wanted to make the whole family's life better, so naturally he couldn't fight against the government.
"This world seems to be getting more and more difficult. You must pass this martial arts exam!"
Fang Yue sighed, and the idea in his heart became more and more determined.
Only by having an official body can we survive better in this world. In the future, if everyone in the family moves to the county town, life will naturally become better.
"Xie'er, what happened outside just now?"
After returning home, Chen quickly asked.
Even if Fang Yuedang told what happened to Liu San's family, he heard that Liu San was beaten half to death and was dragged away to the army.
Mrs. Chen couldn't help but pat her chest, feeling scared for a while. Fortunately, she had a pig at home, otherwise she wouldn't know what to do this year!
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