Chapter 501: Using Food to Replace Military Service
When it is not their turn, the people can just stand by and watch.
But now that the conscription order has arrived, how can they not be nervous and afraid?
They don't want to die.
To be precise, they did not want to die for that cruel and incompetent monarch.
As citizens of the Great Wei, what benefits has that damn emperor ever given them?
Since they don’t have it, why should we let them go into battle and kill the enemy?
Looking at the terrified eyes of the people, Shen Wan raised her eyes and looked at Wang Qi: "Is there no other way?"
"What else can this humble official do?" Wang Qi shrugged, indicating his helplessness. "The higher-ups have given me orders, so I can only follow them."
"The state government gave us a ten-day deadline."
"If you don't hand over five hundred strong men within ten days, I'm afraid I'll lose my official position."
These five hundred strong men are neither too many nor too few.
But no matter what, behind every able-bodied man is a family.
"Princess, please save us!" Seeing this, the people knelt down and begged.
Shen Wan thought about it and said lightly: “There is no rush for this matter, we still have ten days.”
"Everyone, go back first. If you have any good ideas, you can come to the mansion to find me."
"As long as there is a glimmer of hope, I will not let you go to the battlefield."
The people still believed Shen Wan's words very much.
However, the imperial court was in a hurry to ask them to hand over so many people in a short period of time. It seemed that the situation at the border was not clear.
They would rather pay more taxes than die.
After hearing this, the people left with many thanks.
As for the matter of selling grain, let’s talk about it later.
What’s the use of money if you’ve lost your life?
After seeing the people leave, Shen Wan and others returned to the Princess's Mansion.
Autumn has arrived, and the banana trees outside the green gauze window have turned slightly yellow, but the colorful chrysanthemums in the corner of the wall add a bit of brightness to this early autumn.
Shen Wan stood by the table and enthusiastically made a cup of tea for Wang Qi.
Now the roads outside the city were unobstructed, and she no longer needed to pretend. She even drank the finest Biluochun tea collected from the national treasury.
The temperature in the space is constant.
No matter how long the tea is stored, it still retains the taste of when it was first put in.
"It's good tea, but it's a little off." Wang Qi took the tea and took a sip casually.
Shen Wan didn't say anything, but just made another cup for Xie Mubai.
I have to admit that her tea-making skills are really poor.
It was obviously a high-quality tea, but the taste was obviously much worse when it came to her.
But even so, Xie Mubai still thinks it is the best.
He snatched the teacup from Wang Qi's hand and said unhappily, "If you don't like it, don't drink it!"
Habit!
This is top-grade Biluochun. Even if Wang Qi is rich now, he can't afford to drink it.
"Who said I don't like it?" Wang Qi snatched the teacup away and said unhappily, "I was just saying it casually."
"Besides, I also hope that the sister's tea art can be improved."
"With your attitude towards me, aren't you afraid that I, your brother-in-law, will disagree with this marriage?"
hateful!
They haven't even gotten married yet, but they're already protecting this sickly girl so closely. What will happen after they get married?
Seeing that Wang Qi dared to act like his brother-in-law in front of him, Xie Mubai's face immediately darkened.
He was about to explode, but was stopped by Shen Wan.
"Okay, all of you, please stop talking." She smiled and looked at Wang Qi. "But is what you said about the conscription true?"
It is true that the border is not peaceful now, but it has not yet reached the point of complete collapse.
Even if the imperial court wanted to recruit soldiers, it would not mobilize such a large number of troops.
"You actually suspect that I'm lying?" Wang Qi raised his eyebrows and looked at her meaningfully.
Shen Wan smiled cunningly: “Isn’t it?”
"Did you deliberately not say the second half of the sentence?" Xie Mubai took a sip of tea and looked at Wang Qi with a sneer.
Hearing this, Wang Qi couldn't help but spit: "Damn it, I knew I couldn't associate with you and your wife."
"You two are so cunning, there's probably nothing in this world that can be hidden from your eyes, right?"
I thought I was extremely smart.
But he never expected that he had no secrets at all in front of the couple.
The old tutor was right, this Xie was a little fox, and a very bad little fox at that.
"That's because you're too stupid." Xie Mubai said coldly without any hesitation, "Tell me, what additional conditions did the court put forward?"
Upon hearing this, Wang Qi was so angry that he almost fainted.
What?
This sickly guy actually said that he was stupid?
Are you sure? You are the most talented person in Wei.
Seeing Shen Wan here, Wang Qi didn't feel comfortable getting angry.
"Okay, I'm stupid!" he said angrily. "The court said if you don't want to go, you have to pay grain instead!"
"They have big appetites, ten stone of fine rice per person!"
After hearing this, Shen Wan and Xie Mubai couldn't help but look at each other.
Sure enough, the dog emperor and his son are really sinister.
Since the fiefdom did not require the payment of grain and fodder, they came to ask for it in a roundabout way.
Lan Yang finally had a good harvest this year, and the father and son wanted to plunder it all.
I have to say that their strategy for raising food supplies is pretty good.
Although it is a bit unethical, it is extremely practical.
"Okay, then let's pay the grain." Shen Wan thought for a moment and said, "But I have to thank you for letting me be such a good person in front of the people."
Whether it is paying grain or money, it is far better than paying people.
Lanyang City is already sparsely populated. If the five hundred able-bodied men are removed, there will be even fewer young people in the city.
Wang Qi couldn't help but laugh when he heard this, "My sister is a good person, not as sinister as someone else!"
While smiling, he deliberately glanced at Xie Mubai.
It's insidious.
No matter how Wang Qi evaluated him, Xie Mubai didn't care.
Seeing that this sickly guy ignored him, Wang Qi felt like a punch hitting cotton, and suddenly felt frustrated.
Strange, why is he silent?
She wanted to tease him a few more times, but Shen Wan had already smiled and asked Ran Qiu to send her away.
Thinking that Da Niuniang and her daughter were still waiting at home, Wang Qi didn't stay any longer.
I have to say, getting married is great!
Since getting married, Wang Qi's tall and thin figure has become noticeably plumper.
With the careful care of his mother, he became fatter day by day.
For this, Feng Da once mocked him without any hesitation.
But Wang Qi's face darkened and he solemnly explained that this was called "happy fat".
Whether you are fat or thin, as long as you are happy, that is enough.
After sending Wang Qi away, Xie Mubai looked at Shen Wan and asked, "Have you decided to use the food in the space?"
Ten dan of fine rice per person, so five hundred people would get five thousand dan.
Even if Lan Yang had a bumper harvest this year, they simply couldn't afford so much refined rice.
This damned emperor and his son clearly want to squeeze every last drop of blood out of the people!
"Why do we need to use the space?" Shen Wan's eyes rolled and she smiled mischievously, "You forgot that the new rice from all over the country has been put into storage."
"If I'm not mistaken, there must be quite a bit of food stored in the granaries in the state capital."
Xie Mubai couldn't help but smile after hearing this.
How could he forget?
Before arriving in Lanyang City, this little woman loved collecting things from everywhere.
Whether it was the national treasury or the third prince's private property, they were all now lying quietly in her space.
"Then I'll trouble you." He smiled and held her in his arms. "It is a blessing for the people of Lanyang to meet you."
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