The so-called poll tax, as the name suggests, is to pay taxes according to the number of people in each household.

Whether it is a baby in swaddling clothes or an elderly person who cannot work, taxes must be paid. A family of seven pays taxes on seven people, and a family of ten pays taxes on ten people, which is a temporary tax that is neither reasonable nor moral.

In ancient times, there were many such taxes, most of which were due to lack of money, and the governors of each local government apportioned them in their respective localities in order to make up for the lack of money they had.

However, in the name of the emperor, it was the first time that the imperial court collected taxes in the Tang Dynasty.

The imperial court wanted to recruit poll tax in the countryside of Gyeonggi Province near the capital, and the Gyeonggi Prefecture of Gyeonggi Province sent tax collectors to Woniu Village to inform the governor to pay the tax.

At this time, the chief Zhang Gong was playing with his grandson in the courtyard, holding a rattle in his hand.

In the courtyard, Zhang Chengsi's father Zhang Gong, Zhang Gong's daughter-in-law Wang, Zhang Gong's wife Diao, and relatives, friends, neighbors, and a family of twenty or thirty people.

Suddenly, the sound of horses' hooves outside the chai gate came from far and near, and came to the door of Zhang's house.

The people in the courtyard looked carefully, three soldiers with helmets and armor and sharp blades hanging from their waists, and the rural people rarely saw the soldiers, so they were all stunned in the courtyard.

Zhang Gong turned his head to look.

There were three horses standing at the gate of Chai, and three people came down immediately, all dressed in Tang Dynasty official clothes.

Standing at the door of Zhang Gong's house and looking into the courtyard.

One of the people in the lead said, "Excuse me, is this the family of the head of Zhang Li in the countryside here?" ”

Zhang Gong didn't know why, came to the door of Chai Fei, and hugged his fist at the three of them, "Three military masters, I am here Lizheng, the little old man's surname is Zhang, his name is Zhang Gong, I don't know who the three of you are?" ”

"We are the tax collectors of Gyeonggi Province, the capital city, and we came to your village to ask you to organize the head of the people and notify you to pay the head tax. ”

Zhang Gongyan said, "I see, if the three military masters don't think my family is simple, they will come to the courtyard to sit." ”

The three soldiers looked at each other and said, "It's fine." ”

Zhang Gong invited the three soldiers into the courtyard.

In the courtyard of Zhang's house, Zhang Gong's wife, daughter-in-law, son Zhang Chengen and wife were all in the courtyard.

Zhang Chengen brought three chairs to the three soldiers and placed a coffee table.

The three soldiers sat down in the courtyard and looked at the scenery of Woniu Village.

One of the soldiers, "Zhang Lizheng, the scenery of your Woniu Village is very beautiful, I am on an errand in this capital, and I went out of Chang'an City for the first time, came to your Woniu Village, and saw your scenery." ”

Zhang Gong, "This military master joked, my Woniu Village is not far from Chang'an, the capital, and the scenery of this Woniu Village is really a beautiful scenery outside Chang'an City." ”

Zhang Gong and the three military masters were talking in the courtyard.

Zhang Gong poured tea for the three soldiers one by one, and then asked, "Dare to ask the military master, according to the laws of our Tang Dynasty, there is already an agricultural tax in the tax, why is there still a poll tax now?" ”

The leader of the military said, "We don't know why the imperial court will send a poll tax, but we only know roughly that Emperor Dezong is ill, and some ministers propose to invite the holy hand of the national teacher under the governance of the Tang Dynasty to Chang'an." Because there was no money to entertain, he asked the countryside near Chang'an to pay for it, and also set a tax name called poll tax. We are also forced to do so, and we are also sent to the local area to convey it. ”

Zhang Gong nodded, "That's right." ”

Looking at the sky, it was almost noon at this time, and it was about to be time to eat, so he said to the three people, "The three military masters are far away from Chang'an and come to my Woniu Village, and I am afraid it will be noon at this hour." The three of you must not have drunk water yet, so it is better to drink some tea at my place and have lunch before leaving. ”

When it is not big, the food and drinks are prepared in the house and brought to the courtyard.

Dinner for four.

At this time, someone went outside the hospital to find Zhang Chengde, the second son of the Zhang family.

It is said that at this time, in the Deng family, Zhang Chengde, Zhang Chengsi, and Liu Yan are talking to Deng Chang and his wife.

Someone came running, and when they arrived at Deng Chang's house, they said, "Brother Chengde, there are a few officers and soldiers in your house, I don't know what is going on, you can go back and have a look." ”

When Zhang Chengde heard this, he hurriedly said goodbye to Deng Chang, "Brother Deng, there is something in my family, I will say goodbye, and we will talk another day." After speaking, he took the lead in leaving the Deng family.

Zhang Chengsi and Liu Yan also said goodbye to Deng Chang.

Deng Chang was puzzled, so he asked the people who came to report the incident, "Our Woniu Village has always had simple customs and simple people, and the people live and work in peace and contentment, how can the soldiers come?" ”

The reporter said, "I only saw three officers and soldiers from the Zhang family, and I don't know what they are doing." ”

After the reporter and the Zhang brothers left.

Deng Chang's daughter-in-law Wang came to Deng Chang with the baby in her arms, "Husband, you see that the Zhang family has a soldier, is there something happening in the village?" ”

Deng Changyan said, "A few years ago, because of the difficulty of Fengtian, the imperial court did not treat the people as human beings, and we were all fish and meat on the court board to be exploited by corrupt officials and corrupt officials. ”

It is said that Zhang Chengde, the second son of the Zhang family, heard that there were soldiers at home, and hurried home.

When I arrived at the door, the family photo was even more lively yesterday.

Many villagers heard that the Zhang family was coming, and the officers and soldiers came to the courtyard to watch the excitement.

Zhang Chengde walked to the courtyard, through the bamboo fence, and saw four chairs and a coffee table in the courtyard, on which there were rice and two plates of side dishes.

His father, Zhang Gong, was beckoning three soldiers to dinner.

Relatives and friends of the Zhang family stood in a circle.

Zhang Gong saw his son Zhang Chengde coming back through the bamboo fence, and he was reassured and went to catch up with the villagers, "Don't you go home for dinner at noon?" We are all gathered here to watch, how can we eat with peace of mind? ”

The three soldiers said, "It's not a good thing for everyone to eat together, it's good to sit down and eat together, it's lively." ”

Someone let.

In the courtyard, there are really people who want to sit.

Zhang Gong blew his beard and glared, "You people have nothing to do to come to my house, don't go back to your house for dinner at noon, I have dinner with the imperial court, do you want to have a good time?" ”

There were people laughing in the courtyard.

Zhang Gong said to the three soldiers, "The countrymen are not sensible, come, the three military masters eat." ”

The three soldiers set out from Chang'an and came to Woniu Village to announce the imperial order, and before they had eaten at noon, they saw that it was past noon, and the three of them began to eat when they were hungry.

At this time, Zhang Chengde entered the hospital from outside and greeted Zhang Gong, "Daddy." ”

The three soldiers didn't know Zhang Chengde and asked Zhang Gong, "Who is this?" ”

Zhang Gongyan said, "This is the second son of my family, named Zhang Chengde. ”

"Oh, it's the noble son of the Zhang family who is back, come, sit here, and everyone eats together." There are people among the military who give in.

Zhang Chengde said, "Our dealer sometimes doesn't eat at noon, and the three generals still eat by themselves." ”

"That's embarrassing."

After lunch, the three soldiers took their leave.

Sent off the three soldiers and watched them whip their horses and whip away.

Zhang Gong sighed, "Alas, I'm afraid that our farmer's style will not be peaceful." ”

Zhang Chengde, "What's wrong?" ”

Zhang Gong, "The imperial court doesn't know what crazy it is, and it wants our village people to pay taxes, this is not the autumn harvest time, where will I go to collect taxes for him." ”

Zhang Chengen, "Daddy, as far as I know, according to the laws of the Tang Dynasty, farmers only have agricultural taxes, salt taxes in salt fields, and tea taxes for tea planting, why do we still have to pay taxes now?" What taxes are paid today? ”

"It's ridiculous to say, the court wants us to pay a poll tax."

"Daddy, what is a poll tax?"

Zhang Gong, "That is, each family pays taxes to the imperial court according to the capitation, and a family of five pays taxes for five people, seven people pay taxes for seven people, and ten people pay taxes for ten people." ”

Zhang Chengsi, who listened for a long time, said, "Uncle, the imperial court has to pay a poll tax, and newborn babies and old people who can't work in the fields also have to pay a poll tax?" ”

Zhang Gong, "As long as it is a head, you have to pay a poll tax." ”

Zhang Chengsi, Liu Sheng was furious, "Isn't the court unreasonable? ”

Zhang Gong, "The three officials told me that Emperor Dezong was sick, and he was going to hold a conference of the holy hands of the national teachers, and there was no silver in the imperial court, so he asked the rural farmers near Chang'an City to pay for it, so there was such a tax." What's the use of us scolding the court for being unreasonable here? ”