Chapter 82: Ten stones? No, it’s twenty stones.
The following period of time was probably the most tiring time in Zhao Pingwei's life.
After busying herself with one household every day, Lin Xi uses a rice mill to prepare all the rice for the family.
At Xiao Yongyan's suggestion, Lin Xi asked the Ma brothers for help and dug a cellar.
Although the Ma family repeatedly emphasized that rice is best stored in the cellar, Lin Xi insisted.
She just needed a covert means. In fact, all the extra rice was stored in the system's backpack.
To this end, she spent 10 experience points to open an extra grid.
County town, county government office.
The lawyer was waiting at the door early. Today was an auspicious day for the new county magistrate to take office.
By the way, the lawyer had never thought that such a remote small county would have changed two county magistrates in a short period of time, and now this is the third one.
One of the previous two was promoted and the other was sent to prison. I wonder what the fate of the new one will be.
Soon, the sedan chair arrived and the lawyer hurried forward to greet it.
I saw a young man coming down from the sedan chair. He had a well-proportioned figure and a handsome face. He looked like a nobleman.
"Sir, you have worked hard on the journey. The welcoming banquet is ready and we are waiting for you to take a seat!" The legal advisor said in a servile manner. He heard that this sir's name was Hang Qi and he was from the capital, so he didn't know why he came to their remote place.
"That's not a big deal," Hang Qi asked, "I have something to ask you. Do you know Xiao Yongyan?"
The master never expected that Hang Qi would show concern for this man right from the start, so he quickly said, "I know, he committed a crime in the capital and was exiled here, he is in Taoli Village."
"I remember there are conditions for exiles to live in the village." Hang Qi said.
Master: "Yes, yes, sir, if you remember correctly, the exiled people must pay a tax of ten shi of grain a year, otherwise they will still be slaves."
"Ten shi," Hang Qi read these two words, "is it a lot?"
Master: "It's a lot. Let me do the math for you. One mu of land can only produce four dan of grain at most. Ten dan means at least two and a half mu of land, and that's on top of the fact that they don't eat or drink. Besides, the exiles don't have land, so they can only reclaim wasteland, and the fertility of wasteland is not comparable to that of good farmland."
"So, they will definitely not be able to complete the ten-stone quantity tomorrow?" Hang Qi asked.
The master nodded confidently, "It's impossible to do it. To be honest, no one who was exiled here has ever been able to do it."
"Can't do it? That's easy." Hang Qi smiled playfully.
Xiao Yongyan, I didn't expect that this day would come to you.
…
The busy autumn harvest is finally coming to an end, but every family is becoming more nervous because the annual tax collection day is approaching.
The tax rate in Taoli Village is 15%, which means one-fifteenth of an acre of land.
For most people, after paying taxes, the remaining rice was enough for them to eat.
But considering the balance between famine years and good years, this tax rate can only be said to be neither high nor low.
Knowing that the Linxi family had no experience, the Ma family specifically reminded them to prepare enough rice in advance and to never mix in rice of poor quality.
Once the government sees this, they will hold you accountable.
Soon, Lin Xi saw the government team.
But there was an extra sedan chair in the team. In the past, it was the lower-level constables who came to collect grain, and no one rode in a sedan chair. Could it be that some important person came today?
It turns out that he is really a big shot.
The nosy children in the village brought news that the person coming today was the newly appointed county magistrate.
Hearing this, the villagers couldn't help but feel even more uneasy.
Over the years, I have never heard that a small matter like grain collection requires the county magistrate to supervise it personally, but it would be a big deal if a legal advisor came.
At this moment, he had no intention of finding out why the county magistrate came, so Zhao Lizheng quickly changed into decent clothes and went to greet him.
Xiao Yongyan and Lin Xi were mixed in the crowd, and Lin Xi had a bad feeling.
A person got off the sedan chair. The moment Xiao Yongyan saw it, he froze for a moment and held Lin Xi's hand tightly.
The force coming from his hand was shocking. Lin Xi asked in a low voice, "Do you know him?"
"Hang Qi." Xiao Yongyan said.
Although there was no further explanation, Lin Xi could tell from Xiao Yongyan's face that this man might be at odds with him.
Zhao Lizheng diligently brought a chair and served him.
Hang Qi sat on the chair and said, "Don't just stand there, line up quickly, one by one."
Under the coordination of the village head, everyone quickly formed a neat line.
Hang Qi watched the whole process but did not interfere. The procedure was exactly the same as in previous years, and he even asked about the situation of several households.
At first, the villagers' fear was alleviated for a long time.
Seeing that the line had reached Linxi, she pulled the donkey cart forward.
Just as the official was about to weigh Lin Xi's grain, Hang Qi suddenly spoke up and looked at Zhao Lizheng, "I heard that there are two exiles in the village. Who are they?"
Zhao Lizheng hurriedly said, "It's them."
Hang Qi's eyes then fell on Lin Xi and Xiao Yongyan, "What a coincidence, the rules for exiled people seem to be different."
"My lord, the tax for exiled people is calculated at ten stones," said the lawyer.
"Ten stones? Do you remember it clearly?" Hang Qi asked.
The master nodded and said, "I remember it clearly, I can't be wrong."
Hang Qi signaled two officers to weigh the grain. Ten dan of grain was not a small amount. As they weighed the grain basket by basket, Hang Qi's face became more and more stiff.
What the master said yesterday was that the goal of ten stones was absolutely impossible to achieve.
But judging from the current results, ten stone of grain is clearly enough.
"Sir, ten stones." The officer reported.
Hang Qi looked at Xiao Yongyan and said, "Great."
Xiao Yongyan said calmly, "Thank you."
Hang Qi waved his fan and changed to a more comfortable sitting position. "The young lady's share is full. Xiao Yongyan, what about yours?"
When these words were spoken, everyone was shocked.
What do you mean Lin Xi’s share is full? Hasn’t the goal of ten stones been achieved?
"It has already been weighed." Xiao Yongyan replied.
"That's not right," Hang Qi waved his fan, "Master, I just said ten stones. For the two of you, it should be twenty stones, Master, don't you think so?"
Although he didn't know why Hang Qi wanted to pick a fight with Xiao Yongyan, he had been in the government for many years and he still had some sense. "Your Excellency is right. It was clearly stated just now that ten stones is the weight for one person."
The people queuing were in an uproar. Even a great god couldn't grow more than 20 shi of grain in a year. The government's request was simply outrageous.
There was endless discussion, but Hang Qi ignored it and just looked at Xiao Yongyan with a smile.
"Pay another ten stones, otherwise, Xiao Yongyan, you are refusing to accept taxes. This county has the right to send you to a bitter and cold place as a slave." Hang Qi leaned back in his chair and glanced at Xiao Yongyan.
Since the ten-stone standard didn't stop him, he didn't believe he could achieve the twenty-stone goal.
"Sir," Lin Xi stepped forward, "you mean to say that my family still owes ten stones of tax?"
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