"Ahem, at least we won't have to pay taxes anymore."
“Father, we haven’t paid any taxes either… You’ve forgotten, the year before last you even sent a letter to the king pleading poverty, and the king took pity on us and gave our family some silver.”
"Uh... forget it." The Gu family patriarch was a little tired. The news outside made his old bones feel excited, but he found that he couldn't do anything about it.
Unlike those large, prestigious families, the Gu family had absolutely nothing to do even if they wanted to do something.
But then he suddenly realized something: "That's right, we can raise taxes! Make money!"
The son finally stopped talking.
The patriarch seemed to have found the direction to lead the family to the light: "Yes! Starting tomorrow, no, starting today, taxes will be increased throughout Yicheng!"
Gu Xiaojia nodded. He felt it wasn't appropriate, but he didn't want to further damage his father's confidence.
While others are busy seizing power and dividing it among themselves, my father is busy exploiting the common people. This is truly...
Seeing his son's hesitant expression, the patriarch said smugly, "Collect some money, and I'll use it to build good relations with the powerful families in the capital. That way, I'll be considered as participating in this grand event."
Gu Xiaojia suddenly realized.
"Study hard! You'll be the head of the family in the future."
A tax increase controversy began to sweep through Yicheng, and the city's residents complained bitterly about the tax increase policy proposed by the Gu family.
The world is already bad enough; if taxes are increased on top of that, how are people supposed to survive?
But the lackeys of the Gu family didn't care about that. Although they were low-level fighters, they were still much stronger than ordinary people.
Not paying taxes? We'll smash your vegetable stall and beat you up.
Even more outrageous, the head of the Gu family only mentioned increasing taxes, and his subordinates immediately started adding their own additional taxes. All sorts of taxes appeared. Vegetable farmers had to pay stall tax in the morning, commercial tax at noon, and management tax in the afternoon. Want to leave? Sorry, you also have to pay a city exit tax when leaving the city.
For a time, Yicheng was in complete chaos.
However, when the tax was collected at a lumber shop, it was met with skepticism from the shop assistant.
The lackeys had no idea where a lumber shop got the audacity, especially since the owner was a frail woman.
Peng Huan'er is now extremely frugal, because her young master frequently requests strange and unusual items, and sometimes even hires fighters to escort him. The money is flowing out like water, and she feels that she has less and less money. She has no choice but to be more economical. When she heard about the tax collection, Peng Huan'er was furious.
She's no longer the clueless maid she used to be; she now has the air of a shrewish proprietress.
Just as the fighters were about to make their move, Fang Zhiyi rushed back, smiling obsequiously as she paid the tax.
"Young master! Why did you give them money! They'll take it now, but they'll come back later!" Peng Huan'er was furious.
Fang Zhiyi looked at her, scratching his head in confusion. This girl has changed too much. She even dares to go head-to-head with aristocratic families now?
"Isn't it all because you're always talking about independent thinking?" Xiao Hei muttered.
"It's alright, just give them what they want. Got it?" Fang Zhiyi said.
Peng Huan'er was clearly unhappy: "Then you should be more frugal. You're always buying this or hiring people to buy that from other places. How can our money withstand your extravagant spending?"
In the past, she wouldn't have dared to say such a thing to Fang Zhiyi.
Fang Zhiyi said helplessly, "The time is not right yet... Believe me, we'll just have to put up with this humiliation for now."
"What timing? Young master, you're not like yourself anymore."
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