Magistrate Shen sat in the high hall.
Sixty or seventy merchants were seated, and even the poorest shopkeeper in Ping'an County was wearing clothes of good material.
"Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to come to the county office for tea." Magistrate Shen said in an orderly manner, looking around the crowd, and said slowly: "Wang Yuanwai has made a lot of money recently, right?"
When Wang Yuanwai was called, he immediately stood up and said: "No more, no more, just to support the family."
Magistrate Shen sneered: "Other merchants have to pay commercial taxes every month, but you, Yuan Wang, don't have to pay a penny, and you can only support your family?"
Yuanwai is considered a low-level official title. It is a sinecure that the rich buy with money. Once they are registered, they no longer have to pay taxes to the government. This official title was donated by Wang Yuanwai with a lot of money decades ago when he was the richest. It was very beautiful for a while.
At this moment, Magistrate Shen suddenly mentioned this matter, which made Wang Yuanwai very panicked. He didn't understand why the magistrate mentioned this matter.
"You have been a member of the Communist Party of China for twenty years. How much business tax has been exempted in these twenty years, I will not tell you." County Magistrate Shen took a sip of tea, "Now that Ping'an County is in disaster, as a member of the Communist Party of China, you , you should also bear part of the responsibility. How about this, you pay back three years of business taxes, and I will write this in a post and report it to the prefect. If any descendants of your Wang family take the imperial examination career in the future, this matter will be a good deed for the Wang family, and will be passed down to future generations. There will be great blessings.”
Wang Yuanwai was suddenly stunned.
Isn't this just asking him to take out money?
Three years of taxes... Let him do the math. The annual income from all the Wang family's properties is about more than 10,000 taels of silver. The yearly taxes and fees are about more than 1,000 taels of silver. In three years, that is 3,000 taels of silver!
God, how much soap would he have to sell to earn back three thousand taels of silver?
Magistrate Shen's voice became darker: "Why, Wang Yuanwai is unwilling. It seems that you have insulted Yuanwai Lang..."
"No, no, no, sir, the official is willing!" Wang Yuanwai's voice was full of bitterness, "Within three days... oh no, just today, before dark, the official will have three thousand taels of silver delivered."
As soon as he said this, all the surrounding merchants took a breath.
Many of them can't earn more than three thousand taels of silver a year, but the Wang family can pay so much in taxes. No wonder everyone says that the Wang family is the best in Ping'an County.
At the same time, they were also somewhat grateful.
Fortunately, they don't earn much, otherwise, they would be the ones being slaughtered now.
At this time, Magistrate Shen's eyes turned and fell on the two people in front: "Mr. Zhou, Mr. She, the Zhou family sells salt, and the She family sells iron. If it weren't for the protection of the government, it would be very difficult for these two businesses. Keep doing it... When Ping'an County is in crisis and the government is stretched thin, can you two be as generous as Wang Yuanwai?"
Mr. Zhou: "..."
Mr. She: "..."
When they saw Wang Yuanwai being slaughtered, they knew they would not escape.
But they didn't expect that this knife would come so quickly, and they hadn't even figured out how much money they would pay.
If you put out too much, you might look like you are too fat.
If there is not enough money, I am afraid that the county magistrate will be dissatisfied.
After all, the business the two of them run relies on the government to survive. If they offend the government, it will be a dead end.
Wang Yuanwai felt comfortable. He drank tea with a smile and said: "Master Zhou is wearing better materials than me. The Zhou family can't pay less than the Wang family. I heard that Mr. She hangs around Yihong Mansion every night and spends money like water. I must I will be more generous to the county magistrate."
Master Zhou and Master She both cast angry glances at the king.
In the end, the two had to agree to donate three thousand taels of silver to the victims and hand it over to the government before dark.
The other merchants present were trembling.
Everyone avoided Magistrate Shen's eyes for fear of being named.
"Sir." A slightly older businessman stood up and said, "All the merchants gathered here today to raise money for the victims. As long as they are merchants in Ping'an County, they should donate generously. So, Suiru people, don't you think so? Should I show off?"
As soon as he said this, many merchants present nodded.
Sui Ruren, a ninth-grade Ruren personally conferred by the Holy Emperor, was born among the common people and should devote herself to the common people. How could she stay out of this matter?
The most important thing is that they heard that Sui Ruren's soap workshop produces thousands of pieces of soap every day and can earn hundreds of taels of silver a day. After all, they are richer than Wang Yuanwai.
The king went out with three thousand taels of silver, so the Suiru people should bring out at least five thousand taels of silver.
Magistrate Shen glanced coldly at the person who spoke.
These businessmen can do business in Ping'an County only because of the protection of the government.
The fact that Sui Ruren's business can be so big has nothing to do with the Ping'an County government.
Again!
He sneered: "What do you think of yesterday's newly improved treatment prescription?"
"My nanny's son has a high fever. After taking the prescription, he is much better this morning." Wang Yuanwai said with cupped hands, "Doctor Rendetang said that this prescription came from a wandering miracle doctor. May I ask the county magistrate, what is the name of this miracle doctor?" My mother is ill, and I would like to ask a miracle doctor to diagnose her pulse."
"The person who submitted the prescription is Sui Ruren." Master Yuan sneered coldly, "The reason why Sui Ruren didn't come is because in the past three days, Sui Ruren has been studying the prescription without taking off his clothes. In ancient times, Shennong tasted hundreds of herbs, but now Sui Ruren personally Testing the medicine... When the medicine proved effective, Sui Ruren fell ill. The fever refused to go away and the condition was dangerous. He didn't know whether he could survive it... Hehe! I just asked you to cough up a little money, and everyone was reluctant. , and Sui Ruren almost lost his life..."
Everyone present was stunned.
Did the new prescription come at the cost of Sui Ruren's life?
Some of them had seen Sui Ruren, and their minds were filled with Sui Ruren's gentle smile and gentle voice...
The people of Suiru are so righteous, but looking at them...
At this time, a figure walked in from the gate, it was shopkeeper Gao who had been imprisoned for three or four days.
He said coldly: "As people from Ping'an County, you should have the responsibility and awareness to protect Ping'an County... Hehe, I am a foreigner. I have been in Ping'an County for less than ten days. After seeing the current miserable situation in Ping'an County, I I can't help but feel sad. I am willing to dedicate myself to the people of Ping'an County and the refugees outside the city. This time, Gao came to Ping'an County for business. He brought a total of 5,000 taels of silver, all of which were donated to Ping'an County Government, please do not refuse, the county magistrate!"
Shopkeeper Gao looked upright and solemn.
But my heart is bleeding.
Just because he had an affair with a widow who sold tofu in the city, he was taken to jail and tortured for three or four days.
If he doesn't pay the money, he will be convicted. Damn it, Mr. Yuan said, and he will spend at least three years in jail.
He came to Ping'an County for business, but he became a prisoner for no apparent reason.
Spending money to eliminate disasters is like losing money in business.
Master Yuan laughed: "Shopkeeper Gao is a man of great righteousness. He is a blessing to the people of Ping'an County. I hope everyone will follow the example of Shopkeeper Gao."
Those merchants from Ping'an County sitting below, what else can they say? In the past, there were people from Suiru who took risks, and later there were foreigners who donated five thousand taels of silver. As people from Ping'an County, they have been protected by Mr. Shen. What other reason can there be for people to shirk?
"Li Ji Tea Shop, one thousand taels of silver."
"Xu Ji Liquor Store, five hundred taels of silver."
"Yelai Inn, two hundred taels of silver."
"Zhang Ji's grocery store, fifty taels of silver."
"..."
Merchants are reluctant to pay.
They probably paid the donation based on three years of taxes and fees. When they were added up, it ended up being as high as 20,000 taels of silver.
Magistrate Shen's eyebrows relaxed and he said slowly: "After you have money, the next step is to buy grain. I will collect grain from you at the price of one hundred cents per catty. This time it is voluntary."
