The hostility the people of Gan State felt towards Wei State suddenly dissipated, and they were filled with even more anger and dissatisfaction with the rulers of Gan State. The families of the soldiers who died in the battle of Gan State not only received no compensation from the court, but also received no tax relief, and even had to endure additional exploitation and oppression. This stark contrast deepened the resentment of the people of Gan State, and the grief they had originally felt at the time of the defeat gradually turned into dissatisfaction with the Gan State court.
Although they were just ordinary people and could not do anything to threaten the rulers of the Gan Kingdom, the Gan Kingdom encountered unprecedented difficulties when it wanted to continue recruiting soldiers. Many people began to evade military service with various excuses, and some people even chose to run away to the mountains and forests and become savages rather than work for the Gan Kingdom court.
After all, compared with Wei State, joining the army in Gan State is a completely insecure option. Not only is the salary meager, but you may also be abandoned at any time.
The imperial court of Gan State could not allow the situation to continue to deteriorate, so the rulers of Gan State decided to take coercive measures, sending a large number of officers and soldiers to forcibly conscript the people into the army, even resorting to violence to threaten those who refused to serve. All men over the age of sixteen in Gan State were required to serve in the army. This move not only failed to improve the conscription work in Gan State, but also exacerbated the domestic conflict.
Moreover, because the refined salt business on which Gan State relied for its survival was also impacted by the refined salt produced by Wei State, there was not much money in Gan State's treasury to support them in maintaining huge military expenses. Therefore, Gan State's court reduced the treatment of soldiers while frantically increasing taxes on the people in order to make up for the increasingly huge military expenditures.
There were also many cases of corrupt officials enriching themselves. A 10% tax increase by the imperial court would often turn into 30% or even 50% of miscellaneous taxes under the exploitation of local officials, which made the already difficult life of the people of Gan State even worse.
In a small town in Gan State near the border of Wei State, officials from Gan State came to a village to collect taxes. Although many people in this city had made a small fortune by smuggling refined salt from Wei State, they also paid money to avoid the additional taxes imposed by the Gan State court.
Unexpectedly, the officials in this city were not satisfied with the taxes he had collected. Even after he handed over the part of the silver required by the court, there was still a large amount of silver left. However, when he looked at the silver that he got so easily, his greed grew more and more, and then he sent soldiers to these people to continue asking them to pay taxes.
When the people asked the officials why they had to pay more taxes they had already paid, they sneered and said, "The court wants money to recruit soldiers to protect you from Wei. Otherwise, if Wei attacks, do you think you can keep your wealth?"
Although the people were angry, what the official said made some sense. In the past, when their country was conquered by other countries in the Shengwu Continent, the property of both dignitaries and ordinary people would be looted. Therefore, even if these people were about to lose everything, they could only grit their teeth and take out their few savings to pay taxes.
But just then, a warrior who frequently traveled to Wei State stepped forward. He looked at the officials coldly and demanded, "The Emperor of Gan State has only ordered a 10% tax increase to fund military spending, and you officials have not only taken 30% of our taxes, but you are also trying to bankrupt us. Is this also His Majesty's will?"
When the official heard the warrior's question, his expression darkened. "How dare you, a mere warrior, question the actions of an imperial official? Doesn't the city lord know the imperial decree? Just hand over the money when I tell you to. Why are you spouting so much nonsense?"
The warrior continued to question without giving in, "You keep saying it's the imperial court's decree, but the information I heard from my friends in the capital of Gan State is that the imperial court only increased taxes by 10%, while you greedy and selfish parasites have increased it to 30%. So where did the extra 20% go?
"I'm afraid it's been divided up by you corrupt officials, right? Even though we've already received 20% of the tax revenue from the imperial court, you greedy parasites still refuse to give up. Now you dare to come here and ask us to pay more taxes. Do you really want to drive us, the people, into a dead end?"
The official sneered and said, "We are determined to make you bankrupt, so what? Do you still dare to rebel? You must know that the majesty of the imperial court cannot be shaken by you, the common people.
Besides, the county magistrate and us officials all studied Confucian classics and passed the imperial examination to become officials. Even if Wei invades Gan State, Wei will still need scholars like us to govern the local area. If we surrender to Wei, we can still become officials and make a fortune. You peasants who can't even read a single word will only be slaughtered and plundered. How dare you question our decision here?"
When the people heard this, they could no longer suppress the anger in their hearts. They had not expected that before they even attracted the butcher knife of the Wei State, they would be forced to the point of having their families destroyed and their lives taken away by the officials of their own country.
The warrior stared at the official in front of him with red eyes, holding the long sword tightly in his hand. He really wanted to kill the official with one sword, but he was afraid that his impulse would implicate his family and fellow villagers, so he could only suppress the anger in his heart and did not vent it.
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