Wei Qing nodded to the soldier beside him, and they immediately got to work.
But before they had even finished measuring the first measure, Wei Qing stopped the soldier: "What are you doing? Why are you adding bamboo strips to the wooden measuring cup?"
The soldier was instantly embarrassed. He tried to pull Wei Qing aside and explain to him.
Wei Qing, however, said sternly, "Stop pulling and tugging, remove the bamboo strips immediately, do you hear me?"
Soldier: "..."
Isn't this standard practice for tax collection? Lord Wei, who used to be a county magistrate, should know how to collect more.
How could Wei Qing not understand? It was precisely because he understood too well that he wouldn't allow it to be done: "I said we're withdrawing, did you hear me?"
Seeing everyone watching, Gu Yuan quickly advised, "Sanlang, why don't we just forget about it? It's not that much higher, really."
It's already much shorter than what the imperial court added.
"No, it has to be the right amount." Wei Qing was incredibly stubborn. Seeing that the soldier wouldn't move, he stood up and prepared to do it himself.
Left with no other option, the soldier had to retreat.
Wei Qing was still not satisfied, so he called over a soldier and ordered, "Go and tell the tax collectors in other places not to raise the wooden measures. I will go and check them one by one."
"..." The soldier swallowed hard. "Yes, Lord Wei, I'll go right away."
After the young couple paid their taxes, they were stunned.
How come there's still so much left?
So, did the imperial court collect so much more grain from them in the past?
Because the grain they brought this time was the same amount that the imperial court used to collect, and yet there's still so much left.
"Lord Wei, a just and upright official!"
In front of the makeshift tax collection stall, a large group of people knelt on the ground.
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