burning nations

Chapter 12
There is a lake in the middle of Yunzhou, named "Dayeze". The north bank of the lake is a swamp that is difficult to develop. At the southwest end of the swamp is a mountain called "Liangshan". Zhang", and to the south is "Yuncheng".One lake and two counties with nearly a million people are stuck in the palm-sized place at the west end of Onozawa. The land has naturally been developed and used to the extreme, but it is still inevitable that there will be refugees everywhere, or enter the lake as robbers, or sell themselves as slaves, and try their best to be humble earn a living.But no matter whether they are doing evil or doing good, many people don’t even have the qualifications to become bandits, and they don’t even have the opportunity to be cattle or horses. Zhang Cai walked on the side of the road, knowing what is called "frozen bones", so he just fell down on the side of the road, I was so hungry that there was only a skeleton left.

Horrible!
When Zhang Cai thought that this was already terrible, he didn't know that there was something more cruel than this!
In the autumn of the 38th year of Zhangwu, God blesses there is no disaster. The wheat, barley, oats, and rye that the farmers have planted for a year are ripe, and the fields are full of busy harvesting. It's half a day of leisure, but the farmers are having fun.

Zhang Cai was also infected by the peasants. Yes, life is very hard and the pressure is great. If you are not careful, you will be displaced, but no matter how difficult life is, you still have no hope of giving up life. You work hard at sunrise and rest at sunset. , and also worked silently for the empire. With them, there is an empire, and with them, there are high-ranking nobles. They are the masters of the empire, and the empire protects them as a matter of course.

While walking, looking at the working people in the fields, perhaps it was at this time that Zhang Cai planted the seeds in his heart to let the people of the world "the tiller have his land" and "don't let the world have no more refugees".

But who knows, what kind of fertilizer was applied to this seed and what kind of water was irrigated when it grew up?

At this moment, Zhang Cai doesn't think about what kind of face he will have in the future.

There are many villages and towns here, and the population is too dense. When you are tired from walking, you can go to a village to ask for a bowl of water. Although Qi Qi doesn’t drink for nothing, the common people say that a bowl of water is just what they want, so in the end it is Zhang Cai. Take the money and forcibly break other people's fingers and put it in.Qi Qi said with a smile that Zhang Cai's kindness really hurts.

Just as everyone was saying goodbye and preparing to leave, they suddenly heard chickens and dogs jumping at the entrance of the village, and from time to time they saw peasant women running in panic.Zhang Cai took a closer look curiously, and it turned out that an official came. Behind the official, there were several people holding water and fire sticks, and another person was carrying a pen and paper and an abacus.

"Father, why are the government servants here?" Zhang Cai asked without understanding.

Qi Qi's complexion was very ugly, his eyes were narrowed into slits, and he answered two words coldly: "Tax collection."

"Tax collection?" Zhang Cai seemed to understand, "The empire protects the people, and it is reasonable for the people to submit a tax to the empire, but why are the people in the village running away?"

Qi Qi let out a long sigh: "How can the people not be afraid of excessive taxation and extortion?"

"Qi Da, hold her down later, or you won't be able to hold her down. The old man allows you to knock her unconscious." Qi Qi thought that she had expected something, and ordered Qi Da and the others in advance.

"Yes."

Zhang Cai is in a daze, what is going to knock me unconscious?

Zhang Caizheng wondered, the official servant had already taken over the paperwork and account books from the subordinate officials beside him.Glancing at Qi Qi's side from the corner of the eye, he saw that the nine people were all dressed in embroidered clothes, the old man sitting there was not angry, and the woman next to him was all over the country, and the seven strong men saw that they had lost their lives, so they decisively chose to ignore and Smile back.

"Where is Gouzi, the head of Dongmaizi Village?!"

As soon as the words fell, an honest farmer immediately stood up.

But beside the village chief was a little dark-skinned little girl in ragged clothes.

"Go back to Master, I'm here."

The official cast a disdainful glance at the village head, seeing the village head's clothes all covered in patches, he was even more disdainful, seeing the little girl who entertained him as black as a briquette, he felt sick for a while.

So the official errands began to "do business".

"Dongmaizi has 3 mu of land, which should produce more than 3200 shi of grain. According to the imperial agricultural tax, only 3% is collected, 6 shi of grain should be paid, 7200 shi of loss on the way, and 800 shi of grain should be paid. Dongmaizi Village has adult There are more than 8000 people in Dingkou, and the payable head tax is 8900 dinars. In addition, the empire temporarily sent additional troops for the northern imperial iron men and golden men to invade the south. There are also debts owed over the years, borrowing government relief money of 8900 dinars, which is equivalent to interest of 17800 dinars. Dongmaizi Village needs to pay a total of 17800 dinars and 16800 shi for food."

One second before the officer finished speaking, the people in the village chief burst into tears.

Zhang Cai was shocked, she looked at Qi Qi with unbelievable eyes, is this true?Empire taxes are so heavy!The total amount of money is [-] dinars, a gold pancake.

Qi Qi darkened his face and signaled Zhang Cai to continue reading.

Zhang Cai suppressed the fire in his heart and continued to read.

The officials seemed to have expected it a long time ago, as if they were sure that the villagers would cry a lot. It felt like a drama that was staged every year.

Sure enough, after crying for a while, the villagers stopped crying, and the village chief was soft-spoken from the official, and the official deliberately weighed it for a while, and then Zhang Cai's jaw dropped in surprise.

I saw the official messenger wandering in front of many village women, and then grabbed the hands of two village women, and then the village chief coaxed and accompanied him with a smile on his face. familiar.

The rest of the guards also started to behave indiscreetly, touching and pinching, taking the villagers' air-dried meat and taking the villagers' smoked fish, but the village chief kept smiling.

Zhang Cairen is already stupid, the village head is so shameless, what's the matter!

Feeling very peaceful around her, Qi Qi turned her head and saw Zhang Cai with a serious face, but she didn't see any anger in her eyes. She was very surprised at Zhang Cai's growth rate, and was able to hold her breath so calmly.

"Child, let's go."

Qi Qi patted Zhang Cai lightly, almost taking Zhang Cai out of the fountain.

Zhang Cai withdrew his thoughts, nodded and left awkwardly.

Leaving the village, Zhang Cai tried hard to restrain his lust on the way, and then asked why.

Qi Qi replied: "I can understand your mood and thoughts, but tigers have tiger dens, and dogs have dog holes. If you see it, you will see it. If you know it, you will know it. You can't force it."

Zhang Cai asked again: "Is the taxation of the empire really so high?"

Qi Qi replied: "There are two kinds of taxes in the empire. One is the agricultural tax and the poll tax. The agricultural tax is only charged [-]%, and the poll tax is only for adults, and only one dinar is charged. However, in addition to conventional taxes , and there are other apportionments, such as the "Yu Tie Qian" and "Yu Qian Qian" you hear, it is a temporary showdown."

"Temporary appropriations can vary in strength, but in the word "temporary", officials at all levels of the empire can use their hands in the interim, and then fill their pockets." Qi Qi said, "For example, the empire wants to apportion 5000 yuan temporarily, and go to the local government. It will be 1, 2, or even 3. Another example is that the empire only accepts it for 3 years, and the local government will receive it for 10, 20, 30 years or even continue to accept.”

Zhang Caiqi trembled coldly: "Isn't the empire investigating?"

"How to investigate?" Qi Qi asked back, "How can we ensure that the investigators will not be bribed and become colluded? What about the evidence? The empire cannot impose criminal laws based on suspicion. Hey~ the corruption of officials."

[I really hope that those Donglin party members can help protect the crown prince and change this situation. 】

Zhang Cai didn't think it was difficult: "What's so difficult about it? When I hunt deer, I shoot its legs, but sometimes I dig the hole first. Since I can't shoot the leg, I dig a hole! Hunting There are many means, since there is no evidence, then there is no need for evidence."

Qi Qi raised his eyebrows and reprimanded: "Don't say such things in the future!"

Zhang Cai shut up aggrieved.

"Daddy, can my son go to Onozawa to see it?"

Qi Qi glanced at the sky: "It's still early, as long as we can go to Yuncheng to live before the sun goes down, otherwise we will have to sleep in the wilderness."

Zhang Cai readily agreed, turned south and walked to the north shore of Dayeze, the wide lake came into view, the rippling blue waves reflected the sparkling light, and the fish in the water shuttled in groups. Although Qi Qi and others seemed to be a "big puddle" ", but who told Zhang Cai to be ignorant? He couldn't help but praise the scenery.

"It's so beautiful here! Daddy, how big do you think Onozawa will be?"

Qi Qi didn't speak, and closed his eyes to feel the autumn wind on the lake.

"Tsk, the fishy smell of the sea is missing."

Zhang Cai diverted his eyes and saw that there were patches of reeds by the lake. The reeds were at least 1 meter high and at most 3 meters high. He immediately remembered that it was a good place to hide an ambush.Zhang Cai had sharp eyes and saw someone cutting reeds in the reed marsh. Her curiosity drove her to take Qi Ba and Qi Shi to have a look.

After questioning Zhang Cai, he suddenly found out that reeds can be used as fuel. If a stone of reed bundles is sold in the city, you can get at least 1 or 2 dinars. Reeds grow very fast and are inexhaustible. , the market has always existed, and it is an iron rice bowl.

Zhang Cai thought that this would be a good idea. By harvesting reeds and selling them for money to buy food, he could live without farming by hand.So Zhang Cai foolishly asked the old man how life was like with such a reed beach in your house, the old man looked at Zhang Cai like a fool, and then heaved a long sigh.

Only then did Zhang Cai know that this piece of reed beach was owned by an owner, and it belonged to a noble family in Yuncheng County. Thin oatmeal and black bread mixed with grass are very good.

If you make a mistake at work and bring losses to the master's family, the master's family will not find a chance to deduct all your rations justifiably.

Zhang Caiwen's tone was trembling, and even his rations would be deducted. Is this still a human being?Are you working hungry?
The old man said that girl, you are too young, and it is the supreme gift of the master to have a meal. If you are greedy, the master will kick you out. There are many people in Yuncheng who want to work.

Zhang Cai asked again that I must give you a place to live. The old man said yes, the master allowed him to live on this reed beach, cut some reeds to make a bed, and used thatched grass as a quilt, which is very comfortable.

The old man's words let Zhang Cai understand where the lower limit of the nobility is—there is no lower limit!
Can this treat ordinary people as human beings?Does this treat ordinary people as human beings?Even pigs and sheep have nests, but ordinary people don't even have nests!

Whether you are a farmer or not, you work hard every day in exchange for living without dignity.Those who have land endure the exploitation of the government, and those who have no land endure the oppression of the nobles, but they cannot vent their anger. Instead, they want to be submissive and thank the master for his food. This is the empire?

Zhang Cai was deeply disgusted, she was tired of being angry.

"Father, does Your Majesty know what happened here?" Zhang Cai couldn't hold back when he came back.

(End of this chapter)