Chapter 250 Wuyou Trading Company
After the Autumn Struggle ended, Tianshu Academy's recruitment work began quickly.
As the instructor responsible for recruiting new students in Fengzhou, Cao Jinsong went to Fengzhou again after a half-month rest, accompanied by Xiang Fu and Liu Jianan.
Even though they were freshmen last year and did not join the Dean's Office, this is what it means to be a disciple of Fengzhou. If you can do it, you have to do it and not sit idle.
Kuang Cheng also returned to Fengzhou with them.
He came back to Fengzhou to check the account books and count the amount of grain delivered to the warehouse after this year's autumn harvest. By the way, he also set up an external business before the winter came in accordance with Ji You's previous instructions.
Kuang Cheng was just a weak scholar, and Cao Jinsong was afraid that he would be in danger, so he sent him to Fengzhou Prefecture.
After the large-scale joint reclamation in the spring and the grain selection and breeding by the agricultural officials, and the rare good weather and harvest in Fengzhou this year, they all felt that Fengzhou would have a lot of surplus.
But when they saw the numbers, they were still shocked...
Good boy, this evil disciple really made a profit...
After escorting Kuang Cheng to the destination, Cao Jinsong and his party, who were tasked with recruiting new members, left Fengzhou Prefecture and headed southeast along the official road.
Fengzhou is so big, it is equivalent to one and a half Zhongzhou, but there are actually not many people who can get the opportunity to practice Taoism.
Because the biggest threshold for recruiting new members to the immortal sect is not talent, but qualifications. Only the descendants of officials can be selected to practice immortality.
So after several days of hard work, Cao Jinsong and his team finally found two people with good qualifications in Fengzhou. One was the son of the prefect of Shangfang County, and the other was the daughter of the prefect of Anbei County.
In addition, there were two other people who were family members of the Zhenbei Army and were recruited based on their military merits.
As autumn deepened, the teachers who had gone to other states and counties to recruit students returned one after another with the students they had selected.
However, Tianshu Academy’s enrollment this year can be described in three words: a failure.
There is only one person who has achieved perfection in the lower three realms before he reaches twenty years old, and he is a disciple of the Elders' Pavilion.
His elders were great men from the Immortal Sect, so it would not be difficult for him to reach perfection in the lower three realms before he reached the age of twenty. This was not actually considered a successful enrollment, because they were originally going to enter the Heavenly Academy.
That is to say, in the second year of Taiyuan, there was not a single person under the age of twenty who had reached the perfection of the lower three realms and was admitted to the Tianshu Academy.
"Is the reputation of our Tian Academy really ruined?"
"No, I also met other immortal sects' recruiting teachers and outsiders during my trip. After asking, I found that the situation of other immortal sects is mostly the same. The only one that is better is Lingjian Mountain. There are two people who have perfected the lower three realms in recruiting new members."
On a clear autumn day with falling leaves, Ding Ang sat in the tea pavilion of the teaching academy and explained to the returning teachers.
Instructor Sun stroked his beard when he heard the voice and said, "It's not surprising. After all, although the disciples of Lingjian Mountain didn't get the top spot in this Tiandao Conference, because three of their disciples entered the Holy Land of the Sages, they are still the top of the immortal sect in terms of numbers, and their reputation is huge."
Ding Ang picked up his teacup and said, "The impact is more than just this."
"oh?"
"As you all know, Lingjian Mountain has been secretly opposing Tianjian Peak and Xuanjian Peak because of the re-election of the master of the sacred weapon. Therefore, Lingjian Mountain is different from our Tianshu Academy. Every year, new disciples have to choose a peak as soon as they enter the academy, and they can no longer change it. And this year, the two lower three realm perfections both chose Xuanjian Peak."
"Is this true?"
"Yes, after thinking about it, it should be because of the Tiandao Society."
Now, two months have passed since the end of the Tiandaohui. As time goes by, various details of the Tiandaohui battle have gradually spread.
Especially the battle between Ji You and others. I don’t know where the rumors came from, but they were clearer than those of others. It made people feel as if they were there.
Ding Ang was holding a teacup at this time: "Yan Hao, who is known as the strongest person in Tianjian Peak, only received 16 sword strikes from Ji You and was defeated miserably. Yan Rui, who was born in Xuanjian Peak, received 32 sword strikes. Although he was also defeated, he was not injured at all. Xuanjian Peak became famous because of this, and it is not without reason. Moreover, Yan Rui is just a disciple of a side branch, not a descendant of the peak master."
The other teachers nodded after hearing this: "Disciples naturally have a scale in their hearts. The Tianjian Peak of Lingjian Mountain has suffered a heavy loss this time."
"I do know this Yan Rui."
"?"
"As you all know, my wife was born in Lingzhou. According to the information I have learned, Yan Rui should be inferior to Yan Hao. I don't know why he was so powerful at the Tiandao Conference."
Cao Jinsong was sitting in front of the window with his eyes closed, and when he heard this, he coughed.
I don’t know why?
Haha, it’s because my disciple’s wife is the Little Master of Lingjian Mountain!
There is no magnificent masterpiece, only superb acting skills.
When the storyteller heard the cough, he immediately lowered his voice and behaved properly.
Instructor Cao, who brought out the top of the Tiandao Association, is currently very popular in the training academy, and no one wants to offend him.
Ding Ang couldn't help but curse inwardly that he was a bully who took advantage of his superiors, and then he lowered his voice and said, "This year, there is only one person who has reached the perfection of the lower three realms before he reaches twenty years old. I'm afraid there will be no need to hold the autumn competition next year."
“This… is true.”
"Yes, since the others have not yet reached perfection, it is naturally difficult for them to enter the realm of Tongxuan. This title will certainly fall on the head of the disciple of the Elders' Pavilion. From this, it can be seen that Chu He and Fang Jincheng are still a bit unlucky, especially Chu He, who went through so much hardship but still couldn't achieve his wish."
Having said this, everyone fell silent, and couldn't help but recall the autumn fight a year ago, which made their scalps tingle.
The new students admitted were no different from those in previous years. Whether they were disciples of aristocratic families or admitted through quota, they all went to the enlightenment field every day to comprehend the heavenly book.
But just like last year, no one succeeded for a long time.
The same thing happened to the disciple from the Elders' Pavilion, who went from being ambitious to beginning to accept reality.
The new students from Fengzhou practiced Taoism, made friends, and gradually became familiar with the pace of life in Tianshu Academy.
Although they came from official families, they were ultimately descendants of mortals, especially those from Fengzhou. They were actually a little nervous before entering the hospital, especially when they saw those children of noble families blowing pills from bottles and placing a pile of spirit stones in front of them, they couldn't help feeling a little inferior.
But later they discovered that they had never been belittled or looked down upon. Some noble families in Beijing even specially invited them to banquets when they heard that they were from Fengzhou.
In fact, after the battle with Tiandaohui, few people would go to Fengzhou anymore.
This barren land, which originally had no immortal cultivation families, is gradually becoming alienated in everyone's hearts because of the existence of one person.
At the same time, a group of students who had been studying in the outer courtyard of Tianshu Academy completed their five-year term and left Tianshu Academy with endless regrets.
Some of them had higher levels of cultivation and were invited by the aristocratic families and the Lingshi Chamber of Commerce in the capital to become worshippers.
In the past, more people went to the Lingshi Chamber of Commerce to make offerings. After all, joining the Lingshi Chamber of Commerce meant that one could directly use Lingshi.
As for some people whose cultivation level is similar to that when they were admitted to the hospital, no one cares about them at all. They feel it is too shameful to go home, so they will take the initiative to enter the lower-level immortal villas.
But this time was a little different. As soon as these people left the hospital, they met a group of people, led by a fat man with a big chest, who handed them a piece of paper.
Everyone knew that he was Cao Jinsong from Tianshu Academy, and on the paper was an invitation letter from Fengzhou.
Come on, be my slave.
Soon, it was late autumn. The noise of the Tiandao Society gradually faded away, and everyone returned to the silence of their practice, until a new round of tax collection began again.
Gurgle Gurgle——
As the decree to collect taxes was issued, tax carts from local governments began to travel frequently across Kyushu, and the rumbling sound of wheels continued from morning to night.
The government officials also started to get busy, walking through the streets and checking every household, and loading enough production materials onto the carriages.
Some officers would find a slightly larger house and take more. At night, they would take off their uniforms and go to the brothel.
Afterwards, the fully loaded carriages carried 60% of the earnings of the mortals after a year's hard work and were sent to the aristocratic families, immortal sects, and immortal villas in various places to provide for these immortals so that they could focus on their cultivation and stay away from the mundane world.
Of course, there are still people who cannot pay taxes and live in fear all day long. In the end, they still have to wear thin clothes and start exile with their families in this cold winter.
Most of those who cannot pay taxes have new children in their families or elderly parents to support.
The freezing wind was blowing all the way, and the babies in their cradles could only endure the cold and hunger. If they were not careful, the babies would turn purple from the cold overnight.
Some of the elderly and weak who have difficulty walking simply don't run. They look at their children and grandchildren with tears in their eyes, telling them that they are just happy to survive.
But although the world of Qingyun is vast and boundless, where can such a mortal escape to?
Especially during this time of year, government offices in various places would send out a large number of people to intercept and arrest people privately, leaving no way of survival at all.
This was the case with Tie Niu's family who lived in Zhuxi County, Tianshui County, Zhongzhou. They hid from place to place when winter was approaching, but were eventually caught and thrown into jail, losing all hope.
In fact, Tie Niu is not afraid of death, he just lacks the courage to seek death. If he goes with the flow, a single cut on the neck will be the end of him, and he will never come back in the next life.
But the problem is that tax evasion is not punishable by death, but by flogging.
Even if you are beaten to pieces, you still have to pay the share you owe next year.
His wife was frail and his son was still an infant. Tie Niu wanted to bear the pain for them, but he didn't know if he could. He also didn't know how his wife and children would survive if he was lucky enough to be freed.
His family initially advised him not to have children, saying that every life counts, but he didn't listen. He thought that even with the strength he had, he wouldn't be able to take the final step. Unexpectedly, he still thought things were simple.
Behind the iron bars late at night, Tie Niu, suffering from hunger and cold, could not fall asleep.
He just stared blankly until the next morning, when the cell door was opened and the jailer threw him the only bag he had brought with him when he escaped: "You can go now."
Tie Niu opened his mouth and said, "Can we go now?"
"Someone has paid what you owed."
"Then...what about my wife and children?"
Tie Niu didn't believe that anyone had delivered grain to him and thought that the government had made a mistake. However, he did not say anything at the moment. Instead, he anxiously asked about the whereabouts of his wife and children.
The prison boss looked at him and said, "They have already gone home. You should leave as well. Don't waste time."
"Thank you, prison boss. Thank you, prison boss..."
There were five other people who were captured with Tie Niu. They also walked out of the cell in a daze.
Because they had been imprisoned in a dark cell for a night, they felt a sharp pain when they first saw the sunlight. After the white mist in front of their eyes faded, they discovered that grain trucks were constantly coming in and out.
However, these grain carts did not come from the government, but were flying the flags of the Wuyou Trading Company.
Tie Niu rubbed his eyes, gradually getting used to the brightness under the blue sky. Then he walked out of the city, and after turning through many dirt roads he finally returned to the village.
When he pushed the door open and entered the house, he saw his wife holding the child and a bowl of oatmeal porridge in her hands. When she saw him come back, she immediately stood up and hugged her husband.
Tie Niu patted his wife on the back and looked over her shoulder towards the corner of the room.
There was a small bag of grain there with the name of Wuyou Trading Company written on it.
Tie Niu was stunned: "Where did this food come from?"
The wife took the child back to the room and walked out of the living room, taking out a loan note from her bosom: "My mother saw us going in and went to find a merchant to borrow money..."
"How dare mother go to the merchant to borrow money? How much will these blood drinkers have to pay back next year?"
"They don't ask you to pay it back, but they want you to work for half a year."
Tie Niu shuddered all over: "Where can I go to work, and in that spiritual mine where hundreds of people die every year...?"
His wife held his hand and said, "Don't be afraid, my husband. We are not going to Lingkuang, but to Fengzhou."
Hearing this, Tie Niu's eyes gradually widened: "Why is he going to Fengzhou? The officials send people to patrol everywhere every day, isn't it because they are afraid that people will escape to Fengzhou? In the past, you couldn't go even if you paid money, so why can you go now?"
Ever since the tax in Fengzhou was cut to 30% last year, countless people wanted to flee to Fengzhou, but many had their legs broken. They never thought that they could go there now.
After hearing this, his wife shook her head and said, "We are not moving there. You are going to go with Wuyou Company and come back after making money. Taxes still need to be paid to our local government office, and the tax rate is still 60%. My son and I will be detained here. The masters only want taxes. They will not stop you even if you make money elsewhere."
Tie Niu opened his mouth and said, "I'll go there alone..."
"You can live, husband. This is a way to survive. I have asked around. Do you remember the immortal who appeared in Fengzhou a few years ago? He will give you land, and there will be people to help you. As long as you work hard, it will be enough for our family of three to survive."
"But...what do they want?"
His wife looked at him with tears in her eyes: "I don't know what they want, but our calf can survive."
Tie Niu put his arm around his wife's shoulders and said, "I'll go. I'll go to Fengzhou. Did they say when we'll go?"
"We'll go in a few days. My second uncle and the others will go with you. I'll feel more at ease if you can keep me company on the journey."
"What kind of work would require going out in the middle of winter?"
"I don't know..."
"Forget it, I'll just leave it to fate. I'll do my best and come back when I make money, no matter how difficult it is."
The wife raised her tearful eyes and looked at him: "I'm not afraid that you, a heartless man, won't come back. They said that if you don't go home to support your wife and children, they will break your legs."
After hearing this, Tie Niu hugged his wife tightly and said, "I would come back even if your legs were not broken..."
Winter arrived soon after the taxes were collected. A cold current flowed along the northern border, passed over the towering city walls, and chilled the entire country, causing all things to wither.
Among the people of Kyushu, there are actually not many who cannot pay taxes, because such people simply cannot survive in such a world.
But whether they can survive the winter after paying taxes is an unknown, because many poor families have little money left after paying taxes to support their families.
In previous years, some people would choose to fight hard and leave life and death to fate.
Some people would go to merchants to borrow grain, and repay three or five times what they borrowed. If they couldn't pay it back, they would become servants for life, sell their children, and work like slaves.
However, with the fall of the first snow, a batch of low-priced grain began to flow into Kyushu.
Some simply bought the goods half-for-half and gave them away, and those who couldn't afford a penny just signed the work order directly.
In fact, this matter affected the interests of some people, because some businesses specialized in borrowing grain.
These businesses that lend grain to the people are basically relying on some of the lowest-level small families, and these families basically began to decline a long time ago, and can only do these businesses to continue their wealth.
The grain they lent out was actually the taxes collected at the beginning.
Some noble families simply don't need that much, so the money will flow into their hands for operation. A branch of the Lingzhou Lu family is engaged in this business.
They had originally planned to take advantage of this winter to squeeze more money out of mortals, but they didn't expect to encounter something like this.
"What's the background of that company?"
"It's a newly opened business that only appeared in the fall. There's not much information that can be found. We only know that it comes from the north."
"Northerners dare to interfere in my southern business?"
The old patriarch, who had finally achieved the state of integration after years of hard training, was intimidating without anger, and his tone was filled with displeasure: "Can you find out who is the person in charge?"
The Lu family’s housekeeper bowed when he heard the voice and said, “They are all businessmen from Shengjing. We have investigated them over and over again but have not found any background.”
"Let's go and meet this business."
The extremely majestic old patriarch stood up, took a few masters who had reached the perfection of the lower three realms out of the house, and then came to a newly opened shop on Chang Street in Lingzhou Prefecture.
Immediately afterwards, a force of energy passed through the hall. The old patriarch waved his hand and smashed the door plaque with the words "Wuyou" written on it. He shouted at them to leave quickly and never show up here again. He also said that if they came again next time, what would be broken would not just be a door plaque.
The old patriarch was quite cautious in his actions, fearing that there was someone behind him, so he did not hurt anyone the first time he came.
In fact, there is no need to be so cautious about this matter. In his opinion, how much support can people who do this kind of business have?
As expected, the clerk at the counter looked terrified. He prostrated himself on the ground, trembling with fear and not daring to say a word.
Seeing this scene, the old patriarch returned satisfied.
What he didn't expect was that on the next morning, when the old patriarch had just gotten up from his bed, he saw several chariots flying in the air and landing in his house.
An old ancestor of the main branch of the Lu family came forward, waved his hand and slapped him to the ground, looked at him sharply, and asked him to carve a plaque with his own hands and send it over quickly.
When leaving his house, the ancestor of the Lu family could not help but look at the three sword peaks by the sea in panic.
Lingjian Mountain usually doesn't care about worldly affairs, and they rarely intervene even when there are fights between aristocratic families resulting in casualties. He couldn't understand why they would pay special attention to such a trivial matter as selling grain this time.
What's even more terrifying is that he had inquired about the person who came and heard that she was once the personal maid of Xiao Jianzhu of Lingjian Mountain.
It is said that Zhongzhou and Fengzhou are experiencing heavy snow, and even Lingzhou, where it rarely snows, is seeing snowflakes falling.
The ancestor of the Lu family felt a little chilly standing in the snow, but this chilly feeling came from his heart.
(Transition chapter, asking for monthly tickets, and also recommending a book to friends in the group, "Ascension to Immortality, Starting from the Medicine Boy". If you are short of books, you can go and support it. The portal is below)
(End of this chapter)
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