So, Qiao Lian'er stopped the carriage and watched those people enter the village fork in the road.
"Sister Lian'er, why aren't we leaving?" Ling Xiao asked.
Do you know what they went there to do?
"What are they doing? So many people must be catching robbers, and really tough ones at that," Ling Xiao said.
Qiao Lian'er shook her head. It seems that in ancient times, news was really scarce, and people were not very vigilant.
The events that happened in the county town yesterday should have spread throughout the nearby villages by now.
Lingyin and her two children also sell kimchi in the county town, so they must have seen some of the situation, but since it didn't happen to them, they figured those people wouldn't come to their door.
“They came down to collect silver and grain, from the county seat to the towns, and from the towns to the villages, taking half from each household. In fact, they took away 70%.”
"What? They're even going to levy taxes on the village? How much money do the villagers have? Even if the grain has just been harvested, after paying the grain tax, most of what's left is barely enough for one family to eat."
"Where would we get more?"
Qiu became uneasy. Their family had even less land, and Ling Xiao had a three-year-old brother. With an extra male member in the family, they could get two more acres of land. However, when she was pregnant with Ling An, Old Madam Ling passed away, and the Ling family divided their property. The child in her belly was not counted.
There's also silver, which was meant for Qiu'er's dowry. If they take 70% of it away, how much is left? All that hard work during this time has been for nothing.
Qiu was very anxious.
"Why should they take so much? We have to pay grain tax every year. It's not like we don't pay it. They think they're here to catch robbers. What's the difference between them and robbers?" Ling Xiao said loudly.
Qiu was frightened and quickly hugged him and covered his mouth.
"You silly boy, how could you say such a thing? If someone hears you, they'll arrest you and throw you in jail."
Ling Xiao stared wide-eyed, too afraid to speak.
Lingyin frowned in distress, but the villagers nearby all knew how much their family had earned during this period.
They didn't publicize it, but the villagers could deduce this from the price and quantity of kimchi.
Saying you don't have much money, or that you can hide it, probably won't work.
“Auntie, how about this: you give me your money and grain, and say you’re borrowing the money and selling the grain to me.”
“My carriage can carry two thousand catties of grain, and after deducting the weight of the people, it can carry fifteen hundred catties.”
“Okay, okay, let’s do it this way. There’s still time.” Qiu Shi immediately agreed.
Lingyin nodded to her, "Then let's hurry back to Lingjia Village."
Seeing how readily they trusted her, Qiao Lian'er knew that this in-law relationship was a good match.
Qiao Lian'er drove the carriage back, and then went to Lingjia Village from the fork in the road.
Ling Laosan was planing a wooden board in the yard, with a pile of sawdust under the table.
Ling An sat below, scooping up the sawdust and scattering it back down, having a great time.
"Third brother, third brother, something's happened, something really bad has happened."
"What happened?" Ling Laosan wiped the sweat from his brow.
Qiu grabbed his arm, leaned close to his ear, and told him what had happened.
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