Wei Fuzi felt a little strange.
I thought this might be a somewhat well-educated cavalry team. When he heard the words about going to lead the donkey, he felt that he was overthinking it.
So, he took two steps back.
He lowered his head and waited for all the soldiers and ruffians to go in before closing the door and staying in his small building.
But don't provoke them.
They didn't want to dismantle those desks and use them to make fires.
at this time.
Li Chenan came to him with Zhongli Ruoshui and three others.
Li Chenan had already taken off his armor, and he bowed his hands towards Master Wei, "Old man, excuse me!"
Wei Fuzi was startled, raised his head, and saw that delicate face.
There was a smile on that face.
There was a hint of weariness in the smile.
He doesn't look like a martial artist, but more like a scholar.
"Ah... General, you're welcome."
After hesitating for three breaths, Wei Fuzi also raised his hand and asked cautiously: "May I ask where the general comes from?"
"We're coming from Annan Road."
"Oh... I heard that Wuya Pass was opened and Wu and Ning formed an alliance... May I ask General, how is the trade between the two countries over there now?"
Li Chenan smiled and said, "Old sir, don't call me general, just call me Xiao Li."
"Wuyaguan has indeed been opened and closed, and merchants from the two countries have also conducted trade through Wuyaguan."
Master Wei glanced at Li Chenan again.
The corner of his eye swept across the three girls beside Li Chenan.
The military is not allowed to bring family members with them.
The man said don't call him General... then he is not in the military.
But although the number of this cavalry is not too large, the dark armor looks very powerful.
If this cavalry is protecting him, then this man's status is somewhat high.
They came from Annan Road...
Could this be the cavalry of the Red Flame Army?
His surname is Li... his age is about the same as the rumors... and he has three confidantes with him!
The young man behind just said that he wanted to get a dog to supplement him!
Old Master Wei was shocked, and he had vaguely guessed the identity of Mr. Li!
It should be so.
I just heard that he was going back to Kyoto and ascended the throne to become the emperor of Ning Kingdom!
Why did he come to this northern desert?
Old Master Wei thought a lot at this moment.
"Master Li, if you don't mind me, can you please sit down in a humble house?"
Li Chenan thought for a while, "Then I'll excuse you!"
After saying this, Li Chenan turned around and gave Wang Zhenghaoxuan an order:
"Take some people to the town to buy some food... and buy some firewood, quilts, etc., so that everyone can have a good night's rest and set off early tomorrow morning!"
He looked at Old Master Wei again, "Mr. Please lead the way!"
"Master Li, please!"
Old Master Wei took Li Chenan and the four of them upstairs.
Wang Zhenghaoxuan looked at their backs and suddenly turned to look at Amu:
"Elder brother, he only asked me to buy it, but didn't give him any money...Does this mean he asked me to rob it?"
Amu's eyes widened immediately:
"Go and try it!"
Wang Zhenghaoxuan spread his hands, "But I don't have any money!"
"...Neither does senior brother!"
Xiao Wu came over.
He took out a cloth bag from his arms.
Open it, and there are five shiny ingots of silver inside!
Wang Zhenghaoxuan's eyes lit up: "Where did you get it?"
Xiao Wu grinned.
He reached out and handed it over.
Making babbling gestures.
Wang Zhenghaoxuan couldn't understand, "Let's go and see what's delicious together!"
…
…
The second floor of the gatehouse.
The light gradually dimmed, and Old Master Wei lit a lamp.
Also replaced a pot of tea.
Li Chenan and Master Wei sat opposite each other, and Zhongli Ruoshui and the other three sat on the left and right sides of Li Chenan.
"Excuse me, sir, what's your surname?"
"My surname is Wei."
"Oh, Mr. Wei, if it doesn't rain in Qingshi Town, how many people will there usually be?"
Old Master Wei poured tea and shook his head with a smile: "Even if it's a market on weekdays... Qingshi Town has a market on March 69th. During the market, there are some farmers and hunters coming to the market, but there are not many people."
"There are only 320 people in the town, old and young, which is not even comparable to a village in Jiangnan Province. So even these few shops are now vacant... there is no one there. !”
Li Chenan nodded.
After the team entered the North Desert Road, they did not see many villages along the way, but there were quite a few abandoned fields.
"I see that although the land of Yingzhou is mountainous, the fields under the mountains are still suitable for farming."
"I heard that the imperial court has also reduced many taxes. At least the heavy taxes that Ji Tai imposed on the people back then have been cancelled. Does the old gentleman know whether the lives of the people here have improved now?"
Old Master Wei raised his head and looked at Li Chenan, becoming more and more sure of the young master's identity.
He pondered for a moment, stroked his goatee, and said slowly:
"I have heard some news from outside."
"Reducing those taxes is indeed a major event for the court to benefit the people, but..."
"Our Beimo Road is too far from Kyoto. It seems that the tax reduction policy has not spread to Beimo Road."
Li Chenan was startled, leaned over, and asked very seriously: "What Mr. Wei means is that the entire Beimo Road is still heavily taxed?"
Old Master Wei suddenly smiled:
"I'm just a teacher. I just heard rumors that the common people's tax is still divided into two taxes and 30% each... I also heard that in places like Jiangnan Province and Annan Province, which are actually richer, the common people's tax has been reduced to two taxes and three percent each. One percent."
"Perhaps this policy of the imperial court has not yet spread to Bei Mo Dao... If it could be spread earlier, the lives of the people of Bei Mo Dao would naturally be a lot easier."
After a pause, he added: "It's just two points!"
Li Chenan asked: "Why?"
"Where the mountains are high and the emperor is far away, even if the court reduces taxes, the local area is still poor!"
"For example, in Xuhuai County, if the county magistrate has to maintain county government expenses, if he relies on the small amount of taxes stipulated by the court... Even if the county magistrate subsidizes all the monthly salary given to him by the court, it will not be enough!"
"Poor!"
"The people are poor and have no business or workshops!"
"Even if all the two taxes can be collected, how many copper coins can be left in Xuhuai County after they are handed over to the court?"
"This account is very simple. The remaining copper coins cannot sustain the minimum expenses of the county."
"Then what can be done?"
“The only way is to formulate local miscellaneous taxes, such as horse tax, dog tax, chicken, duck, cattle and sheep tax, etc.!”
"No, in order not to pay these taxes, there is not even a dog in the entire Qingshi Town, and there are not many cattle and horses in the entire Xuhuai County."
“Farmers don’t have cattle to cultivate the fields, so they rely on people to pull the plows.”
"There are no ox-carts or horse-drawn carriages to transport some farm products, so we have to carry them on our shoulders..."
"As long as there are people with a little ability and a little wealth, the most people left Qingshi Town last year and this year!"
"People always yearn for a better place and always hope to live in a fairer environment."
"Once they leave, the population of Xuhuai County will be smaller, the county government will be even more short of money, the miscellaneous taxes will be higher, and the people left behind... will only suffer more!"
Li Chenan understood.
This is another vicious cycle.
Can you blame the local county magistrate?
Unless he's lining his own pockets, they can't really be blamed.
Can we blame the people for being lazy?
just can not!
The burden on them will only get heavier and heavier!
But couldn't escape.
There is only one result——
There are fewer and fewer people!
No one dares to have children anymore.
Because I can’t afford it!
They are already clinging to life. In a few years, when they die, this Bluestone Town may gradually disappear.
Even Xuhuai County may gradually disappear.
Li Chenan stood up, stood in front of the window, opened the window, and looked at the pouring rain outside.
He took a deep breath and picked up the pen on the desk. There was still some ink in the inkstone. His pen fell into the ink and then onto a piece of paper:
"Hillside Sheep"
“The peaks and mountains are like clusters, the waves are like angry waves, and the mountains and rivers are like Tongguan Road inside and outside.
Looking at the Western Capital, I hesitated.
It is sad that wherever the Qin and Han Dynasties traveled, thousands of palaces and palaces were turned into dirt.
Prosperity, people suffer
Death... the people are suffering! "
