They were full of ambition and excitement.
In times of peace, they protect the people's peaceful lives; when war breaks out, they go to the battlefield, leading from the front and establishing great achievements.
"Uncle, cousin, do you blame me for making this arrangement for you?" Qiao Lian'er knew they had no objections, but she still had to ask, because it was a suggestion she made in a moment of panic, without consulting them beforehand.
“Silly Lian’er, we couldn’t be happier. This is a great opportunity for our Qiao family. Besides, what Lian’er has done has been wrong? I believe this is the right choice,” said the eldest brother of the Qiao family.
“Yes, Lian’er, following General Chu is no ordinary military service. We will strive to improve ourselves.” Qiao Dayong smiled, his eyes shining.
He didn't finish his sentence, but everyone understood that with a general who appreciated them, as long as they performed well, they had no worries about their future.
The men of the Qiao family had thought about joining the army before, but they thought that it would only be cannon fodder, with little chance of advancement, and they might not even see a general before they died. What was the point? They might as well become bandits and rob the rich and heartless.
Today, General Chu protected them and suddenly made them into squad leaders, filling them with ambition and making them eager to put their skills to use and make a name for themselves.
Chu Zhuo laughed and said, "If you're all in the camp and can't protect and take care of your families, you've already got enough martial arts skills and strength, so you don't need to train much anymore. How about this, the few of you who are officially going will go every three days, and the rest of you who are preparing will go every six days. You can arrange your own time and take turns coming every one or two days."
"If you have too much free time, you can go if you want."
Qiao Dayong alone could defeat Song Laosan, so why would he need them to train?
Going to the camp was just a formality, a way to strengthen the connection and relationship with the soldiers.
This was an extra favor, preventing the men from having to stay in the camp every day. Having official military status and being able to reunite with their families more often was a blessing they couldn't ask for.
Everyone was still a little worried, after all, Qiao Dayong was getting married and if he couldn't take care of his family, wouldn't that be unfair to Lingyin?
Today I encountered both a demon and a bodhisattva.
Fortunately, the Bodhisattva was more powerful and managed to suppress the demon.
With such a big incident, the soldiers were only required to pay 70% of the grain tax. Song Laosan wanted to collect more, but with Supervisor Qu and Chu Zhuo watching over him, he had no choice but to give up.
With so many ups and downs today, what does it matter if the tax is reduced by one or two percent? He can make it back from other villages. Right now, he just wants to adjust himself and get back double the humiliation he suffered today.
These villagers were all opposing him and helping the Qiao family.
A dark idea began to form in Song Laosan's mind.
If 70% of the land in Datian Village is requisitioned, and 90% is requisitioned in Sunjiatun, which is only two miles away, the villagers won't even be able to afford food. What will the villagers of Sunjiatun do then?
Once a person has a resentful mindset, they are bound to do some things out of control.
"Chief Supervisor Qu, it's time for us to go and collect the money from the Song family," Chu Zhuo said to Chief Supervisor Qu.
“The Song family has a hundred taels of silver saved up, which can help them make a greater contribution to the Great Swamp Kingdom,” Qiao Lian’er said.
The Song family hadn't hidden any grain or silver last night, clearly indicating that Song Laosan would let his family off the hook. However, Song Laosan wasn't the only one coming to collect taxes.
Something flickered in Supervisor Qu's eyes.
With a wave of his hand, he hurriedly led his men out.
While collecting taxes from other households, Song Laosan kept an eye on his own.
He saw that both Supervisor Qu and Chu Zhuo were heading towards the Song family, and his face immediately became alert. He also led his men to follow them.
"I have already levied taxes on the Song family, so you don't need to worry about it."
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