Chapter 99 Take the person away
Ye Wan had just come out and hadn't even had a chance to ask what was going on when the village chief's son ran off.
"How annoying! Disturbing my sleep so early in the morning, what are you doing?" Er Ya cursed as she came out of the house, yawning.
Daya said softly, "Erya, don't say things like that in the future. Maybe something urgent has happened."
It's all because of what you say; Er Ya never even realizes when she's offended someone with her mouth.
Er Ya turned her head and saw Ye Wan, then asked with a grin, "Mom, are we going or not?"
Anyway, their family won't be looked down upon by the villagers anymore, so it's fine if they don't go.
Er Ya felt that life was wonderful now. She could eat meat as soon as she woke up, and she had beautiful clothes and hair accessories. It would be even better if she could live in a new house.
But she was quite satisfied with it.
"Go see what's going on, and see if Sanya is awake yet."
Just as Ye Wan was about to say that the three children wouldn't go since Sanya hadn't gotten up yet, Sanya came out of the house, dressed herself, though her hair was a mess.
Ye Wan combed San Ya's hair, and the family went to the village entrance.
Upon arrival, they discovered that there were more than twenty people on horseback at the village entrance, each carrying a knife.
The village chief counted the number of people, walked up to the man at the head of the group, and bowed. "Sir, all the men, women, and children of our village are here. I am the village chief of Shenggou Village. What are your orders?"
The soldiers arrived in the village early in the morning and ordered the village chief to gather the villagers as quickly as possible. The village chief, not knowing what to do, quickly did as instructed.
Could it be that they've come to collect taxes?
"The tax we were told before was two taels of silver per person. We're starting to pay now. Each household should keep the children, and the rest of you should hurry up and gather money and grain, quick!"
The village chief was so frightened that he told the villagers to do as he was told.
The policy of paying two taels of silver per person was something every household had prepared for beforehand, having heard rumors of it. Some even carried the money with them when someone came, while others used grain to make up the difference and rushed home to get it. Everyone lined up to pay.
Many people were secretly relieved, thinking that two taels of silver was better than the ten taels that the bandits had charged them when they came in disguise.
Pan Dong, who was in charge, looked displeased as he watched the villagers line up to pay.
Everyone said that King Jing was deceiving his superiors and concealing the truth from his subordinates, and sure enough, these villagers were able to pay their taxes.
It seems I must report the news truthfully when I get back. Prince Jing is indeed harboring evil intentions, even secretly cultivating high-yield crops like sweet potatoes.
They deserve to die.
Ye Wan pretended to go home, but actually went to her spatial storage to take out some silver coins and put them in line.
Not every family could afford the two taels of silver per person fee, and soon cries of pleading could be heard.
"Sir, please grant us a few more days. We will definitely deliver the grain, we will definitely deliver it."
"Enough with the nonsense, take him away!"
Those who couldn't pay taxes were sent to the army; this has always been the rule.
Ye Wan and Lin Anyuan stood together in the crowd, without much reaction.
She is selfish and not a saint; she doesn't want to meddle in other people's business.
Pan Dong looked at the villagers and suddenly spoke up, "Are there any suspicious people among you? If you can report them, one report will be worth the tax for one person!"
His men would ask him these questions whenever he visited a village, with the aim of identifying those among the people Jing Wang had infiltrated.
No sooner had he finished speaking than a woman spoke up.
"have!"
The village chief recognized who it was and stamped his foot in frustration, lowering his voice, "Zhang family, what nonsense are you spouting? Don't talk nonsense, or you'll anger the officials."
There were no suspicious people in their village; they were all honest, hardworking farmers.
Pan Dong's gaze fell on the woman who had spoken. "Oh? Tell me, what news do you know?"
Zhang Erniu's mother shrank her neck and whispered, "Lin Anyuan from our village, he... he colluded with bandits before."
"What nonsense are you talking about! You woman, you..." The village chief was both anxious and afraid.
Zhang Erniu's mother burst into tears, "When did I say anything out of line? Didn't everyone see him colluding with bandits before?!"
"Which one is Lin Anyuan?" Pan Dong asked loudly from his horse.
Ye Wan and Lin Anyuan both felt a chill in their hearts.
Lin Anyuan squeezed Ye Wan's hand, telling her to stay where she was, and walked to the front of the crowd.
"You're Lin Anyuan?" Pan Dong's eyes lit up when he saw Lin Anyuan, his gaze practically glued to him.
I never imagined that such a beauty could be hidden in this remote and impoverished place.
If we take it back to the capital...
Lin Anyuan lowered his head and replied, "Yes, Your Excellency, this humble subject is indeed you."
Pan Dong raised his whip, "Colluding with bandits, take him away!"
"Sir, sir, Lin Anyuan did not collude with bandits!"
The village chief tried to explain, but was whipped.
"If you dare utter another word, I'll take you all with me!"
"Zhang family, what are you doing all of a sudden? Have you forgotten that Lin Anyuan saved our whole village? How could you do this!"
The first to speak up was Widow Tian, who even pushed Zhang Erniu's mother.
They're all from the same village, so it's fine for them to gossip and bicker occasionally, but how can they talk nonsense about something that resulted in someone's death? Besides, Lin Anyuan was their savior.
Seeing that most people were glaring at her angrily, Zhang Erniu's mother cried and said, "Have you all forgotten that Lin Anyuan is a beast? My Erniu was beaten by Lin Anyuan before. I saw it with my own eyes. Why do they have the right to bully people like this?"
And that woman from the Ye family, why is she so high and mighty, even slapping Erniu in the face?
"Stop making noise! I think you're a rebel!"
Pan Dong was startled by his horse and almost fell off. Enraged, he raised his knife and struck.
"ah--"
Zhang Erniu's mother, who was speaking just a second ago, collapsed into a pool of blood the next.
The woman's screams and the child's cries were a chaotic tangle.
Ye Wan covered Sanya and Erya's eyes and looked at Lin Anyuan.
These aren't government soldiers; they're more like bandits.
Not long after, all these people left, including Lin Anyuan.
All that remained on the ground was the body of Zhang Erniu's mother, covered with a straw mat, and the sobbing of her husband and son.
Er Ya spat out a curse as she cried, “Shameless! How dare you say my father colluded with bandits? Now he’s getting his comeuppance, serves him right!”
"Er Ya, stop cursing and go home. If you had any conscience, you wouldn't have pushed your father out."
Lin Anyuan was taken away, and Ye Wan's thoughts were in disarray.
How can she rescue Lin Anyuan? Lin Anyuan is still recovering from serious injuries and has been conscripted into the army. What should she do?
"Oh... this... Ye, if you have any difficulties in the future, just tell us, and we'll all help if we can."
Supported by his youngest son, the village chief walked up to Ye Wan and spoke, his face pale.
He was just whipped; he's old and almost couldn't take it.
"Thank you very much, village chief."
Ye Wan sincerely thanked them and took the three girls home.
On that day, all the villages in Minxian County suffered as if locusts had swept through the land.
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