Be a small county magistrate in ancient times

Chapter 484 Unexpected Danger

Meng Changqing was concerned about the project outside the city wall and was also worried about Wen's illness. Two months later, a few white hairs appeared on his head. Meng Changqing was quite surprised when he discovered it by chance.

When I have time, I will ask Wen whether Old Man Meng and her older brothers have the problem of premature graying of hair.

When Mrs. Wen heard this, she hurriedly called Lai Cai to go out and buy walnuts and sesame seeds. She also asked Bafang to call Doctor Hu and insisted that Doctor Hu take her pulse to see what was wrong with her body.

Meng Changqing finally broke free and planned to go up to the city wall to see the construction progress of Wengcheng. However, just as he went out, he saw a man and a horse coming towards him quickly on the official road.

Judging from the man's clothes, he should be a yamen runner from Liangzhou Prefecture.

Sure enough, when the man came up to him, he said, "Sir Meng, the prefect has ordered you to go to Liangzhou Prefecture tomorrow to discuss important matters."

"I understand." Meng Changqing spoke without any expression, but Bafang next to him smiled and nodded at the other party, inviting the runner who delivered the message to come in for tea.

"I have to go back and report. Thank you for your kindness."

Seeing that person turning around and leaving, Bafang quickly followed him, helped him onto the horse, and asked in a low voice, "Brother, what's the matter in the mansion that requires my master to come?"

"I don't know." The bailiff got on his horse and left without revealing anything.

Bafang looked at Meng Changqing, "I don't think it's a good thing."

Meng Changqing smiled and said, "Why do you always say such things? You should have some confidence in your young master's luck."

The next day, Meng Changqing couldn't laugh anymore.

In the reception room of the government office, Liu Dexiang, who was sitting on the main seat, spoke, "You have been in Liangzhou longer than this government, and you all know the difficulties here. In the early years, when foreign enemies invaded, Liangzhou focused on military affairs to resist them. Now that the Yan army has not dared to rebel for several years, the government affairs of Liangzhou should also change."

"What you said is correct, sir." Hua Rujin, who was sitting next to him, agreed.

Meng Changqing sat in the corner, looking at everyone sitting in the hall one by one. When his eyes fell on Ding Aixue, he paused. Seeing that the other person had a frown and a tired face, he guessed that something must have happened to him.

He was also the last one to arrive today. Before the master and disciple could say a word, Liu Dexiang asked them to sit down.

Ding Aixue didn't notice Meng Changqing's gaze, and didn't seem to pay attention to the nonsense Liu Dexiang was saying.

After some polite remarks, Liu Dexiang finally said the most essential point, "... each county should also increase taxation, so that the people under its jurisdiction can also contribute to Liangzhou."

After these words were spoken, no one dared to respond.

Raising taxes is not a simple matter. Many people are already on the brink of collapse and are barely making ends meet. Asking them to pay more taxes is tantamount to forcing them to die.

They knew very well how many people like this there were in each county, so they naturally did not dare to respond to Liu Dexiang's words.

"Sir!" Zeng Jing stood up. "May I ask what taxes you want to increase? Under what pretext do you want the people to pay more taxes?"

Liu Dexiang looked at him, and suppressed his anger, and finally lowered his head, but still bowed and asked for an answer.

"Mr. Zeng has poor hearing and misunderstood what I said. When did I say that I would impose new taxes?" Liu Dexiang said, "I have been checking the taxation in recent days. The head tax and land tax in Liangzhou are lower than those in other prefectures.

As mentioned before, there are no foreign enemies now, so Liangzhou should do the same as other prefectures do in these two matters. "