Jizhou City.
The guards at the city gate are checking each person one by one.
The Daqian Dynasty levied a city gate tax on goods entering the city.
The crowd entering the city was divided into two lines: the left line consisted of ordinary people, and the right line consisted of merchants carrying goods.
He Youyou's carriage was lined up with ordinary people to enter the city.
Bored in the car, she got out and chatted with Butler Qian while waiting.
He Youyou stood in the left column, but craned her neck to look at the right column.
They looked at the goods with great interest; there was a wide variety, including aquatic products, grains, cloth, bamboo, and timber.
The tax officials guarding the city set up a writing desk with ink and paper at the city gate and meticulously recorded the taxes.
As she was looking around, He Youyou suddenly turned her head and saw a line of ordinary people, some of whom were carrying baskets with several chickens and ducks on their backs, heading to the city to sell.
She asked curiously, "Why are these chicken and duck sellers included? Aren't they taxed?"
Steward Qian, with a solemn expression, cupped his hands in a gesture of respect to the heavens and said, “Our dynasty is wise and compassionate towards its people. All small and trivial items are exempt from taxation. Even if a few poultry raised by the people are sold, their value is not high and they need not be taxed. With such a wise and enlightened emperor, the world is fortunate and the people are blessed.”
He Youyou clicked her tongue in admiration: "Look how proud you are."
Butler Qian chuckled: "Does Madam know about the past dynasty? In the late years of the past dynasty, the taxes were heavy and various pretexts were created. Even scholars carrying books into the city were taxed. Compared to the past dynasty, isn't our dynasty politically enlightened and peaceful?"
He Youyou nodded.
That's true.
Every dynasty has a period of diligent governance at its beginning.
As they were talking, they suddenly saw a tall, old-fashioned carriage coming from behind the merchant caravan.
"Huh? Why are the carriages lined up in that queue?" He Youyou asked curiously.
Upon hearing this, Steward Qian also looked at the carriage: "Oh, this is the carriage of the Cheng family in the capital. Madam, please look, behind that carriage is the Cheng family's caravan, and the goods are still bearing the Cheng family's flag. That's why they are forming a merchant caravan."
He Youyou looked back at the old-fashioned carriage and saw dozens of large carts behind it, all loaded with goods.
"This caravan is quite large..." He Youyou exclaimed.
"The Cheng family's Shengyuanxiang is the largest business in the capital, with branches all over the country. It has been in business for generations since the previous dynasty, and is a century-old family of merchants that has never declined," Steward Qian explained to her.
He Youyou looked at him with newfound respect: "Wow, not bad, Lao Qian. I didn't expect you to be so knowledgeable. You can recognize which caravan it is just by looking at the flag."
Steward Qian's expression faltered slightly, then he composed himself: "The Cheng family's caravan travels frequently in Jizhou, so we naturally get to know them after seeing them so often."
Just then, the Cheng family's carriage drew closer.
A hand gently lifted the curtain of the carriage from the inside, and half a face peeked out from behind it.
He Youyou was stunned.
She tugged at the butler's sleeve: "Old Qian, is the Cheng family involved in human trafficking?"
"Huh?" Butler Qian was taken aback by his question.
He Youyou lowered her chin and pointed to the half of her face behind the carriage curtain, saying, "Such beauty must be priceless."
Butler Qian quickly coughed twice: "Madam, please be quiet. This is the second young master of the Cheng family, Cheng Tingrui, courtesy name Minzhi."
He Youyou sighed inwardly.
The half of the face she saw could easily be mistaken for that of a refined gentleman who had grown up immersed in poetry and literature.
"Sigh, it's a bit of a waste for someone with that kind of temperament to be a businesswoman," He Youyou sighed.
As soon as he said that, the hand that was lifting the curtain trembled inexplicably.
Cheng Tingrui suddenly turned his face and glanced at her indifferently.
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