However, Qiao Lian'er observed that he did not actually show any anger towards these villagers in his eyes.
"Hey, don't be impulsive. The county princess is the master of our Qingfeng Plain. Let's talk this out. She would never harm us," said an elder.
“Although the county princess is young, she has made military achievements and represents the face of the imperial family to a certain extent. She will think of everyone’s interests, so please rest assured,” another clan elder quickly added.
The implication was clear: if Qiao Lian'er didn't consider the villagers' well-being, they shouldn't blame everyone for being ruthless.
A hint of coolness appeared in Qiao Lian'er's eyes, but it quickly disappeared.
She stood up: "He Lizheng, let's gather everyone together. I have something to say."
It's better to clarify things publicly than to be maliciously speculated about or even cause trouble.
He Lizheng did as instructed, and he was also waiting to see what governance methods the newly appointed county magistrate would adopt for this fiefdom.
Before long, all the villagers—about two hundred households and more than three thousand people—gathered on the vast farmland in front of the village, forming a huge, dark mass.
Many of them were holding weapons and staring at her with wary eyes.
Looking at it this way, there really is some pressure.
Qiao Lian'er raised an eyebrow, somewhat speechless. It seemed that her reputation for wanting to oppress the villagers had already spread.
All she did was go to He Lizheng's house, cook a pot of rice, and talk about the prospects of growing this kind of rice.
She went to look around the carriage, but actually took out a megaphone from her spatial storage.
Qiao Lian'er composed herself, her expression solemn, and returned to the front of the group.
"I'm here today to talk to you about taxes and corvée labor."
The sound, with its penetrating power, floated in the air, and even the villagers standing furthest away could hear it clearly.
The villagers' expressions became even more tense; this was the issue they were most concerned about. For a moment, the air seemed to freeze, as if it wouldn't move.
Qiao Lian'er said, "The original tax system of Qingfeng Plain included taxes on silk and cloth, land tax, and population tax. In addition, there was corvée labor. He Lizheng, please explain it in detail."
“That’s right. The silk cloth tax varies depending on the type of crops grown in each village, based on their respective characteristics. Some places are suitable for mulberry cultivation and silkworm rearing, while others are suitable for cotton cultivation. The grass is horse fodder, harvested every ten days in spring and summer to feed the horses. At that time, this was a general’s residence, and the fodder was given to the general to feed his horses. The land tax is levied per mu (unit of land area), with 30% collected out of 100. The poll tax is levied per person, with each person aged 15 to 60 paying 100 coins per year,” He Li explained from the side.
"As for labor service, every household had to send out several able-bodied men throughout the year to do things like digging canals, building mountain roads, and logging."
Many people even ended up with injuries and long-term effects.
Why are the people so vigilant? Because they are suffering.
Farmland is the bottom line for ordinary people, their last source of food and clothing, and the guarantee of their livelihood and lives. It must not be shaken under any circumstances.
I wonder what this newly arrived county magistrate plans to do.
Qiao Lian'er knew that in the past, apart from the fodder needed for the army to raise horses, all taxes were paid to the Ministry of Revenue. In the laws of Daze Kingdom, she was a prince and could levy taxes on the people in her fiefdom, which was different from the previous generals.
She wanted to turn this place into her base and rear base, and get them to obey her as soon as possible. The first step was to give these villagers benefits.
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