I become a god in another world

Chapter 737 On the eve of the war
Chapter 737

The household registration records of Fengmen Village are very detailed and accurate.

It includes the birth times of all newborn babies in Fengmen Village, and there are no errors or omissions.

When Magistrate Pang received the first household registration book handed over by the old man, he was extremely excited and immediately rushed to the Demon Suppression Division to hand it over to Zhao Fusheng.

"Sir, this is the household registration information for Fengmen Village that I just received. I have checked it against last year's registration information, and sure enough, there are people coming and going."

Magistrate Pang said:
"When the officials ordered me to conduct a household registration survey last year, there were over seven hundred registered residents in Fengmen Village. Now, after another recount, there are nearly two hundred more," Magistrate Pang shook his head.

"These troublemakers—"

He habitually made a sarcastic remark, then continued:

"But it's the taxes—"

Zhao Fusheng shook his head:
"Just erase this tax." She thought for a moment, "Leave the amount for the Demon Suppression Division unchanged for now, and erase one of the tax revenues from the imperial court."

With the decline of the Han Dynasty, the Demon Suppression Division almost achieved local autonomy.

Zhao Fusheng held a special position, and even if the court were to report the elimination of this tax, it would only be a formality, and the Han Dynasty would not dare to refuse.

Magistrate Pang had some concerns:

"My lord, the amount of tax revenue from Changtiao Town is secondary. What I fear is that if this method works, other towns will follow suit, and if the amount becomes too large, it will cause you trouble."

He was just the head of a county.

He was not present when Zhao Fusheng held the meeting with the Demon Suppression Division that day. He was unaware of the several things Zhao Fusheng mentioned, but he was worried that Zhao Fusheng would get into trouble if he arbitrarily changed the tax payment standards.

In Magistrate Pang's view, even if Zhao Fusheng was capable, the tax policy was related to the Han Dynasty court, and he was afraid that if the two sides were to fight, the Demon Suppression Division would not protect her and would bring her trouble.

The current prosperity of Wan'an County is inseparable from the existence of Zhao Fusheng.

Magistrate Pang has lived to this day and is nearing the end of his life. He spent most of his life in a daze, living in ignorance. It was only in his old age that he finally had the opportunity to put his knowledge and talents to use, and he cherished this opportunity very much.

He didn't want anything to happen to Zhao Fusheng; he wished she would live to be a hundred and protect Wan'an County forever.

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."

Zhao Fusheng shook his head:
"To be honest, since I started investigating ghost cases last year and went deep into the countryside, I have discovered that the Han Dynasty has a lot of taxes, and the people are suffering terribly, regarding taxes as a tiger."

She said:
“Every year, there are many kinds of taxes, such as cotton, hemp, silk, rice and millet. Officials and clerks would come to the countryside to collect them from time to time, which was laborious and time-consuming.”

After being collected, the grains piled up in the county. Some of the grains that were originally high-quality grains when they were collected might have become infested with insects and turned into inferior grains by the time they were transported to the prefectures and counties.

In order to meet their targets, officials would collect more taxes during the collection process.

Once they reach the prefectures and counties, they may not be transported to the capital in time. If they are left there, they will become fattened by rats and ants, and some will be consumed.

In order to meet the imperial court's summons, the various prefectures would raise the standards when setting taxes.

For example, the tax on rice and millet in the current season should have been 10%, but in order to prevent losses, a tax of 30% was set.

These standards, when applied to ordinary people, feel like an insurmountable mountain.

In addition to the various materials for tax collection, the manpower required for transportation is also a huge cost.

At this time, the people of the Han Dynasty were living in misery, and many people turned to banditry. There were many bandits on the roads, especially during the seasons when taxes, grain, and silver were transported.

Vehicles transporting grain and money must be escorted by soldiers. As a result, with so many people, they need to eat, drink, and relieve themselves. The transportation costs and the food and drink of the people on the road are then passed on to ordinary people.

All of these factors are the reasons why the lives of the people in the Han Dynasty became increasingly difficult.

"Of the several hundred taels of tax revenue I've eliminated from Changtiao Town, only a few hundred taels will be turned over to the Han Dynasty's treasury, but the burden on the people will be doubled." Zhao Fusheng sighed.

“If this continues, the people will suffer and resentment will be rampant.”

If life is not enjoyable, death will not bring peace either.

She shook her head, deciding not to discuss the issue further for the time being.

"Therefore, I plan to abolish some minor taxes, and at that time, taxes on rice, cotton, hemp and textiles will be converted into silver."

In this way, the problem of local county and town officials frequently sending officials to the countryside to collect taxes was avoided, as well as the potential losses.

For ordinary people, it is also more direct and straightforward.

“Some tax items are too numerous and too repetitive,” Zhao Fusheng said. “I have recently reviewed some government files, and there are several tax payments in Wan’an County that were used to pay the garrison to suppress bandits more than a decade ago.”

Zhao Fusheng sneered:
"I haven't looked at the government records for that year, but I guess it must have been the banditry in Huanggang and Fengmen villages."

Magistrate Pang looked embarrassed and nodded.

There were bandits in Wan'an County, but as Zhao Fusheng said, most of these bandits were concentrated in the Fengmen Village and Huanggang Village area.

Previously, banditry was rampant, even comparable to ghostly scourges, but since Zhao Fusheng took action to eliminate the bandits in Fengmen last year, the banditry has not gained momentum since then.

"If we calculate the time, it should be seventeen years ago. At that time, the Wan'an County government invited the garrison to help, and this money was included in the tax revenue." According to local rules, when inviting the army to help drive away bandits, the gentry, merchants, and common people all had to contribute money.

After paying this money, an additional, inexplicable tax was levied.

The common people were confused and unaware of the different types of taxes. Once the "bandit suppression" campaign ended, this tax became a confusing mess, which continues to this day.

Those in charge only care about collecting money; they'd rather collect too much than too little.

Even if someone realizes something is wrong, who dares to openly discuss it?

Those below, however, were completely unaware of what was going on.

Most ordinary people are illiterate and can't even do basic accounting. They only know that life is getting harder every year, and the annual tax revenue is like a mountain pressing down on everyone's heads. But they have no idea which taxes should be collected and which shouldn't.

This has led to the current situation.

Magistrate Pang was a scholar and the head of the county, so he understood what Zhao Fusheng was saying.

But he didn't have the confidence or the ability to point these things out earlier.

On the contrary, Zhao Fusheng has the confidence and strength, and she is willing to care about people's hardships, so it is most suitable for her to handle this matter.

After a long pause, Magistrate Pang said:

"It is a blessing for the people of Wan'an County that you are so considerate of their suffering. However, it is best to proceed slowly and carefully. I am afraid that if I rush things, I will cause trouble for you."

He was wholeheartedly trying to do what was best for Zhao Fusheng, but he was also afraid that her methods might be too aggressive and offend people.

Zhao Fusheng smiled and said:
"Don't worry, there are some things I haven't had a chance to tell you yet because everyone has been busy. It's good that you're here today, there's something I don't want to hide from you anymore."

Upon hearing this, Magistrate Pang was taken aback, then clasped his hands in a gesture of respect:

"Sir, please speak."

Zhao Fusheng stared at him intently:
"Mr. Pang, there's something I don't want to hide from you."

Her tone and demeanor made Magistrate Pang a little nervous. Then Zhao Fusheng told Magistrate Pang about the prophecy in the Qiankun Pen of the Demon Suppression Division regarding March of next year.

"During the ghost calamity in Wuqing County, I planned to send Shaochun and the others away from the ghost realm. The ghost carriage needed a location, and I wrote your name in the ghost register, but something went wrong." She sighed deeply at this point.
"I thought I was being cautious, but I miscalculated the time difference within the Ghost Realm, causing the ghost carriage to arrive in Wan'an County next March. I suspect that the paper figure Zhang is hiding in the carriage, and next year it will be detrimental to Wan'an County."

Upon hearing this, Magistrate Pang was initially startled, but his panic gradually subsided as he looked at Zhao Fusheng.

Zhao Fusheng glanced at him:
“Zhang the Paper Man has acted in an extreme manner. I am not afraid that he will target ghost tamers, but I am more afraid that he will use ordinary people as a threat.”

Therefore, before March next year, Zhao Fusheng must sort out the household registration and at the same time invite the two ghosts, Qiao Yueshan and Liu Huacheng, to their divine positions, making all necessary preparations.

"Liu Huacheng's rules are related to the Ghost Book."

Zhao Fusheng said:
"You need to sort out the household registration in Wan'an County within these two months. Then I will record the names of the people into the Ghost Register."

In this way, Liu Huacheng's vengeful ghost law will mark all the people of Wan'an County—which is also a way of bringing the people under the protection of the vengeful ghost.

After she explained the whole story, Magistrate Pang finally understood her good intentions.

"So I don't care about any changes to the imperial tax system. Let's solve the immediate problem first. I'll take responsibility for all the consequences. You just need to do it."

As soon as Zhao Fusheng finished speaking, Magistrate Pang immediately responded:

“What you have said is clear, sir. I, Lao Pang, am not an irrational person. Please rest assured, sir, leave everything to me. I guarantee that I will hand over all the household registration records of Wan’an County to you before February.”

Zhao Fusheng nodded.

The two exchanged a few more words, but Magistrate Pang, eager to get things done, got up and left.

As he was about to walk out of the hall, Zhao Fusheng watched his retreating figure and suddenly called out:
"The Giant Man".

Magistrate Pang immediately stopped and turned around: "Does Your Excellency have anything else to say?"

Zhao Fusheng looked at him:
"This crisis is significant; the ghost train has marked you, and you might also be—"

The prophecy of the Qiankun Brush mentions that in the 248th year of the Han Dynasty, an important figure will die in Wan'an County.

For Zhao Fusheng, everyone in the Demon Suppression Division was an important figure, but Magistrate Pang, who was involved in the changes in Wan'an County, was also an important figure.

Magistrate Pang was stunned for a moment, and then suddenly laughed:

"Don't worry, sir, I know what I'm doing."

After he finished speaking, he felt as if a thousand-pound weight had been lifted from his heart:

"I am not a famous person. If it weren't for the adults, I would most likely have died in the ghost disaster in Wan'an County last year."

He said:

“Wan’an County also has a long history. It has existed since the establishment of the Later Han Dynasty and has had countless county magistrates.”

County magistrates are mostly replaced every three years, and these people come and go, all treating this place as a temporary place to stay.

In this world, officials appointed by the imperial court can't achieve anything significant; they're just transferred to the Demon Suppression Division as clerks.

Magistrate Pang, among the countless former officials, was not an outstanding figure.

"A hundred years from now, my name won't be on the monument in Wan'an County. I'm just a passing phase. Who will know who I am?" Magistrate Pang said with a carefree laugh.

"But if what you say is true, sir, and if such an extraordinary thing as the Qiankun Brush predicts that an important person will die in Wan'an County next year, and if that person is me, then it is enough to prove that I am not just a minor official in Wan'an County, nor a passerby in time, but someone who can be recorded in the county's history. Then even if I die, I can die with a smile on my face. This is my wish, and it is a good thing for me. Why is sir so considerate of my worries?"

After speaking, he bowed deeply to Zhao Fusheng:
"However, on the other hand, it is an honor for me that you have spoken frankly to me and are worried about me. You are not hiding anything or deceiving me. I should be even more diligent in serving you."

After speaking, Magistrate Pang glanced at Zhao Fusheng, who looked dazed, bowed again, and slowly withdrew.

After he left, Zhao Fusheng sighed softly.

Time flew by and it was already late February.

Over the course of these two months, Magistrate Pang methodically followed the plan, sending word of the renewed tax investigation to the villages and towns under the county's jurisdiction.

Initially, Fengmen Village initiated the registration and petition process among its residents.

The county government responded promptly and hinted that it was willing to thoroughly investigate the more than 300 taels of silver in taxes levied in Changtiao Town.

Even though this was still just a rumor, other villages and towns couldn't sit still and launched petitions from thousands of people.

Over the next two months, letters of appeal from all over the country poured into the town like snowflakes, and from there they were passed on to the county government.

This inevitably involves some degree of deception.

In an effort to increase their credibility, villagers in many villages have resorted to falsifying population figures—some villages and towns have submitted petitions with several times more people than previously reported.

For Magistrate Pang, these villagers were only concerned with the immediate situation and not the long-term consequences, leaving him both amused and exasperated.

He sent these exaggerated household registration records back to various villages and towns, ordering them to conduct a thorough reinvestigation.

This caused a delay of about two months. It wasn't until February 21 that all the household registration information, which had been checked repeatedly, was sent to the county government. Magistrate Pang and his clerk stayed up for five days to check the information. After confirming that it was correct, they personally delivered several boxes of household registration information to the Demon Suppression Division.

It was already noon on the 27th, and there were only a few days left until the fifth day of the third lunar month.

Magistrate Pang has been working hard lately and has lost a lot of weight. The hair on his forehead is thinner and has turned almost completely white.

His lips were chapped from being so busy. As soon as he arrived, he took the tea offered by the servant of the Demon Suppression Division and drank several mouthfuls to moisten his throat without paying attention to anything else.

After finishing his drink, he then said to Zhao Fusheng:

"Sir, the household registration is right here. I have checked it repeatedly. Even if there are minor errors, I can guarantee that most of them are correct."

Zhao Fusheng nodded in satisfaction:

"Thank you."

Magistrate Pang said, "Sir, as for the tax revenue from various places, I have taken the time these past few days to sort out my thoughts and write them down. However, I haven't organized them yet. I will submit them to you for review once they are organized."

Zhao Fusheng glanced at him upon hearing this.

It seems that after the two had discussed the disaster that would occur on March 5th, Magistrate Pang consciously began making some preparations.

His words today sounded like he was making his final arrangements.

Just as she was about to speak, Magistrate Pang added:
"I've done what I can. I'll have to trouble you with the rest, sir."

Zhao Fusheng said:

“You have already done a lot for me, and the people of Wan’an County will remember your kindness in the future.”

Upon hearing this, Magistrate Pang's face showed satisfaction.

He had other things to do, so after sitting for a while, he quickly said goodbye and left.

As soon as he left, Zhao Fusheng immediately summoned Guo Wei and ordered him to send someone to prepare a carriage.

As darkness fell, she and Kuai Manzhou boarded the carriage and headed to Beggar Alley in the south of the city.

(End of this chapter)