Chapter 107 Tax Exemption [VIP]
As it got dark, the villagers who had been busy all day knew that Huang Songbai had returned, so they deliberately did not disturb him during the day, but chose to go to the Shen family at night.
Everyone came for no other reason than to hear from Huang Songbai what the outside world was like and how it was different from Xiahe Village.
Huang Songbai saw so many people blocking the door of the Shen family, so he simply asked everyone to go to the drying yard, which was spacious and cool at night, and would not disturb the family.
When Huang Songbai set out, Chen Yao handed him a pot of cold tea, telling him to drink it directly when he felt thirsty while chatting with his fellow villagers. "Uncle, do you need us to accompany you?"
Huang Songbai waved his hand while holding the teapot to indicate that it was not necessary. After all, he had experienced many things in the outside world and could handle this matter on his own.
So that night, people from the two villages brought their families and moved stools to sit in the drying yard to listen to Huang Songbai talk about what he saw and heard on his way to the south of the Yangtze River.
Not only that, Huang Songbai also asked his son to go back and take out the calligraphy and paintings Liang Ming had given him and show them to everyone, and explain to them what kind of fruit trees were depicted in the paintings.
He also said that this painting would be hung in the school in the future, and when the rambutan tree planted behind A Yao's house bears fruit, the villagers would be able to taste the fruit.
This "speech" was not filled with fancy words, but was simply Huang Songbai's expression of his true views, actions and feelings.
After hearing such down-to-earth words, the villagers felt even more yearning.
But they also know that they may only deal with the loess land for the rest of their lives, but their children can go to school and have the opportunity to go out and explore the world under the leadership of the two trusted village heads in Shentian.
The people in the two villages all told their children to study hard so that they could leave here and become useful people in the future.
After listening to this inspiring "speech", the villagers returned home satisfied.
In the next few days, whether it was harvesting crops or building stone houses, the villagers were all very motivated, especially when they heard the children from each family reading in unison in the school, they worked even harder.
By mid-September, except for Huang Songbai's house which was still under construction, all the other stone houses in Xiahe Village had been completed. In order to build the stone houses, more than half of the hilltop closest to the village was hollowed out.
All the wheat in the fields has been harvested, which means the government will send people to collect taxes.
As the heads of the two villages, Chen Yao and Tian Baolai each counted the grain production of each household in the village this year.
The result is naturally unsatisfactory.
The worst-off situation was the wheat fields of Niu Wazi's family in Shanghe Village. The fertile land his family rented was close to the lower reaches of Yan River, and the heavy rains during that period caused the river water to rise rapidly.
Almost all the crops in his family's fields were flooded, and the harvested crops were less than 100 kilograms. Not to mention paying taxes, even if they wanted to survive this winter, their family had to tighten their belts to have a chance to stay alive.
Situations like Niu Wazi's family are common in Xiahe Village.
"Ayao, the government will come to collect taxes from us tomorrow. According to the current situation, each household will be required to take one person to the quarry." Tian Baolai closed the account book and frowned. "We need to tell the villagers about this so they can prepare themselves and know who will be sent and who will stay home to earn money to redeem the person."
This matter is very important.
"Then let's gather everyone at the drying yard. We must pay taxes to the government. As for the rent..." Chen Yao was halfway through her words when she saw Yang Jizong's figure entering the gate and heading towards the living room.
Chen Yao stood up to greet him: "How is Zi'an? What did Lord Li say? Is the rent only collected from one person per household?"
Yang Jizong put down the reins, picked up the half cup of tea in front of Chen Yao and drank it all. Then he looked at the two of them and said, "The court has exempted taxes this year. Each family only needs to send one person to the quarry to help Zheng Fu. Once the city wall is built, they can return. There is no need to pay for ransom."
Upon hearing such good news, Chen Yao and Tian Baolai thought they had misheard.
"W-What's going on?"
"Is it true, Zian?"
Yang Jizong poured himself another cup of tea from Chen Yao's cup. "Of course it's true. To show his political achievements this year, Li Menghong reported the disaster in Fang County to the court. The emperor, out of sympathy for the people, exempted this year's taxes, but also required that the winter wheat planting must be successful, otherwise—"
Chen Yao stepped forward and held his hand: "Zi'an, believe me, we will definitely succeed in the winter wheat matter."
"Ayao, Zi'an, I have to tell everyone this good news." Tian Baolai picked up the gong on the table and ran out. He didn't even listen to the rest of the conversation. He ran out while shouting, "Gather in the drying yard. I have good news to announce."
Over at the rabbit house, Wenying and Manager Xu were teaching the village's older girls and young wives how to make velvet flowers. Huang Songbai knocked on the door of the embroidery room and motioned them to put down their work and go to the drying yard.
When the people of the two villages pay taxes, each family only needs to recruit one person to do hard labor in the quarry, and the person can come back as soon as the city wall is repaired, and the pressure will be relieved.
"Dad, I'll go. I'm strong and healthy. Let my brother stay at home and earn money."
"Good boy, Dad knows you are filial. Dad is going. Dad is strong. You two brothers are capable. You must go back to the city to earn money. Although we are poor, we need money to buy food. Otherwise, we will have to go back to the city to earn money."
"But, Dad, well, we're afraid—"
They knew what the children were afraid of. Afraid they wouldn't come back? Afraid they'd end up like Village Chief Zhao.
No, it won't.
The villagers' eyes fell on the gate of the Shen family and the shed behind it.
Now the heads of the two villages are no longer Xue and Tu. With A Yao, Bao Lai and Yang Jizong around, they will definitely not end up like Head Zhao.
The villagers are very grateful to Chen Yao and others for teaching the children in the village to read and write, otherwise these children would not have the opportunity to make a living in the city.
"If you have agreed, come to me to register. You can go to the quarry without worry. This winter, A Yao and I will teach the rest of the people to grow winter wheat and new crops. We will not let you go hungry." Tian Baolai signaled Shi Tou to help him move a table and chairs, spread out the booklet, and wait for the villagers to agree.
"Baolai, I'll go to my house."
As soon as one household decides on a candidate, the other household follows suit.
The next day, when the officials from the government office came to the two villages to issue the imperial order, they suddenly found that the people of the two villages quickly stood up and said they wanted to go to the quarry, without even a cry.
The officer was curious and asked the two village heads, Chen Yao and Tian Baolai, "Did your two villages know the news in advance and discuss it?"
"Yes, it's not because we are afraid of causing trouble to the officials. Don't worry, the people from our two villages will serve well in the quarry, build the city wall as soon as possible, and return home as soon as possible." Tian Baolai stepped forward to explain.
The officers completed the list and then turned to Tian Baolai and Shen Yao. "The Lord has ordered that all wasteland reclaimed by Xiahe Village be registered. Which wasteland does your village want to purchase?"
When Li Menghong and the old official first came to the village, Chen Yao discussed the matter of buying wasteland with the villagers. The price of wasteland was 500 coins per mu. If one family could not afford this much money, several families could buy it together.
So when the officer asked about this, Chen Yao told the officer about the wasteland he was going to buy and paid the money.
"After we send them to the quarry, we'll get the title deeds back to you. There are too many names registered on these acres of wasteland."
After saying this, the officer left with the conscripted personnel.
Boss Luo and Boss Zhang followed the team towards the eastern suburbs. When they reached the stone bridge, they couldn't help but look back.
Luo Lao Da's parents and wife were all in tears, but Dunzi, the only child, didn't cry at all.
This brat, his father is about to leave home to do hard labor, but he won't even pee on the cat. It's such a waste of his love for him.
"Hey, your Chunya and Chunwang didn't cry either. These kids have grown up." Boss Luo felt upset and complained to Boss Zhang in a low voice.
These people who were conscripted had no idea that after they left Shanghe Village and could no longer see each other, the children in the village would cry like cold water dropped into a wok of oil, and their cries would shake the sky.
"Wow - Dad, don't go." Zhang Chunwang couldn't see his father's back, so he ran forward two steps and was about to chase him, but was pulled back by Zhang Chunya.
Luo Dunzi saw Zhang Chunwang crying and started crying too. He pointed at Chunwang and said, "You lose. You have to practice five more characters tomorrow."
Zhang Chunwang hugged his sister, raised his head from her arms and accused Luo Dunzi: "You cried too, you lost too, you also have to practice five more pieces of calligraphy."
"Five articles is five articles, but I still don't want my father to leave. What should I do?" Luo Dunzi could no longer pretend to be a little adult. He was so upset that he threw himself in front of his mother, hugged her thighs and cried loudly.
When the adults who stayed behind learned that the children had made a bet that they were not allowed to cry when their relatives were conscripted and had to let their relatives leave with peace of mind, and that the loser would have to practice five more characters, they all cried and laughed.
While everyone was there, Chen Yao told everyone that she would go to the government to borrow an official ox early tomorrow morning. Together with Baolai's mule and Huang Dongsheng's ox, they could all be used to plow winter wheat this autumn if there was a shortage of manpower at home.
Everyone expressed their gratitude to the three families.
In the evening, after dinner.
The three families were enjoying the cool in the yard. Huang Dongsheng accompanied his cousin to distribute seeds to the villagers. Now that he had been freed from the supply and marketing cooperative, he recruited the two sons of Uncle Zheng in the village as clerks. One went to the countryside to collect and deliver vegetables, and the other looked after the shop.
He planned to follow his father to Jiangnan to deliver goods to his uncle and sister Baozhu after he finished turning the land at home.
"What are you thinking about? You have to pick the plump seeds and put them in your pocket. Look at what you have chosen." Chen Yao slapped the seeds out of Huang Dongsheng's hand and asked him to choose again.
Shen Qingshan took the tea handed to him by Yang Jizong, and while drinking it, his eyes fell on his daughter and he sighed inwardly.
After the house was built, Shen Qingshan and Huang Xing planned to hold a grand wedding banquet for their two children, so that the young couple could live together legitimately.
But Yang Jizong told him that it was not necessary, and said that he would wait until he became successful in the future and then he would have another show with A Yao.
Shen Qingshan was unhappy when he heard this. What would happen if his daughter wasted her best years?
So these days, Shen Qingshan didn't treat Yang Jizong well.
“Knock—knock knock knock!” There was a knock on the door outside, and several old people were arguing. “This is A Yao’s house, there’s no mistake.”
Without waiting for Chen Yao to stand up, Shen Qingshan had already opened the door before his daughter.
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