Liu Xiudao took the list given to him by Zhu Yuanzhang and returned to his small courtyard, a group of rich families and squires had been waiting in his courtyard for a long time, and when they saw him come back, this group of people rushed up and asked urgently around Liu Xiudao: "What's wrong?" Is he willing to go? ”

Liu Xiudao smiled bitterly and threw the list in front of them: "Let's see for yourself, this is what Zhu Ba has interrogated from the head snake in the past few days, he wants us to pay truthfully according to this list, and those who pay more will come back, and those who pay less will quickly make up for it......."

The squire put his head together, followed the list, and after a while found his name, only to see that his own land and shops were clearly written on the back, although it was not entirely accurate, but the difference was not far from ten.

"Silk!" Everyone gasped, it's over, the net worth has been investigated clearly, even if you want to hide the family's property, you can't do it, do you have to hand over all the family's wealth to get out? They continued to look down, and there was a number marked behind it, which was the silver two numbers they should have handed in, and when they saw this number, everyone breathed a sigh of relief, this number was not high, and it was ...... The numbers demanded of most people are much lower than the limits they can accept.

Some of the squires were already mentally prepared to take out more than half of their wealth to eliminate the disaster, and at this time, as long as they had less than one percent of their family wealth, it was indeed very small.

"Huh? How weird? I've seen thieves rob and kill, but I've never seen this kind of ...... stop in moderation," someone couldn't help but speak.

"Yes, this Baishui Zhuba is indeed different from ordinary thieves......"

"What do you say, what does he mean by taking this number?" A wealthy businessman couldn't help but say: "I think the amount he charged me is very strange, two hundred and seventy-five taels, it doesn't hurt my muscles and bones at all, and it makes me feel a pain in my flesh just now......"

"yes, that's my number...... Three hundred taels, what a strange number, for my family, this amount of money really doesn't matter. The squires were talking.

Liu Xiudao looked at them guessing there, and couldn't help but sigh: "What are you guessing blindly, haven't you figured it out yet?" There is a reason for the money that everyone collects. ”

"What's the truth?"

"Your family is two hundred and seventy-five taels, right? Is it exactly 30% of the money you make in a year? Liu Xiudao asked.

"Yes! Hey? You don't say I didn't notice, it's exactly 30%. ”

Liu Xiudao turned to another squire: "Are you the three hundred taels you received?" Is it exactly 30% of your annual income? ”

"Huh?" The squire also suddenly said: "That's right, although there is a little discrepancy, but it is almost thirty percent." ”

At this time, the squires carefully pondered the number assigned to their own family, and they couldn't help but say: "That's right, our figures are all thirty percent of the income. ”

"Strange, why the harvest is three?"

Liu Xiudao sighed lightly and said, "This is ...... The amount of taxes paid by the founding of the Ming Dynasty was three out of ten for those who brought their own farm tools to cultivate the land...... In September of the third year of Hongwu, due to the gradual development of the military tun, the reclamation of land is more, and the situation has changed, the ministers of Zhongshu Province asked the troops of Shanxi * West Taiyuan and Shuozhou to pay taxes. Ming Taizu ordered not to levy, the following year, Zhongshu Province and said: He*South, Shan*East, Beiping, Shaanxi *West, Shan*West and Zhili Huai'an Zhufu Tuntian, where the official gives ten taxes to cattle breeders, and those who prepare their own ten taxes and three. Taizu still asked for exemption...... It wasn't until many years later, when the Ming Dynasty was already wealthy, that Taizu allowed taxation, that is, according to the method of ten taxes and three ......"

When these words came out, all the wealthy businessmen were a little incredulous: "Mr. Liu, what do you mean...... This Baishui Zhuba is not robbing, but ...... Harvest...... Tax? ”

"That's right, he's collecting taxes."

"Then why should it be collected according to the standards of the founding of the country? Later, there was a whip law and so on, and the method of collecting taxes changed many times......" someone asked.

Liu Xiudao said helplessly: "What do you know, for more than two hundred years, the imperial court has been indiscriminately increasing the distribution, adding a few cents per mu this year, a few cents per mu next year, and ...... the year after next For example, in the forty-sixth year of Wanli, Liaozuo used soldiers, adding nine cents of silver per mu, and Chongzhen added three cents per mu for three years...... In this way, in the past two hundred years, it has been added to a very outrageous number, and if it is collected from you, it will not be a tax, but a robbery, and after the tax is collected, you will also become a rogue, and go out to rebel with a hoe. This Zhu Ba is obviously a smart and calculating, and he used the ten taxes and three plans at the time of the founding of the country to collect taxes, which shows that he really wants to collect taxes, not rob. ”

When the wealthy businessmen heard this, they all felt incredible, and after half a ring, a person said in a low voice: "Mr. Liu, we have paid this tax, and it is indeed not much to pay three out of ten taxes, if you can buy a safe family." But what we're most concerned about ...... After this Zhu Ba received the money, would he leave or not? ”

Speaking of this question, Liu Xiudao's spirits perked up, and the look on his face suddenly became proud, and he smiled: "Haha! I have already relied on the three-inch incorruptible tongue to move the white water Zhu Ba, he only needs to collect this tax, he will leave the city and enter Zhongtiao Mountain, and then go all the way east along Zhongtiao Mountain, and drill into Taihang Mountain! ”

"What?" Everyone was overjoyed: "Mr. Liu is talented!" How did you say that Zhu Ba was moved? ”

Liu Xiudao laughed, let the squires sit down, served tea, and then began to talk slowly and logically about the strategy he proposed, what to drill into Zhongtiao Mountain, avoid the officers and soldiers, enter the Taihang Mountain to station, etc., and talked about his own clever plan from beginning to end.

After listening to this, the squires were immediately impressed: "Mr. Liu is really powerful, this strategy even we think is feasible after listening to it, then Baishui Zhuba will definitely go into Zhongtiao Mountain according to what you said...... Haha, Puzhou City is safe now...... When the city returns to the hands of the imperial court, we will jointly sign the list of Lord Zhizhou and send a certificate of appreciation for your wise retreat from the thief! ”

"Hehe, you're welcome, this is what a late student should do!" ――

Zhu Yuanzhang's army stayed in Puzhou City for two more days, and the taxes sent by the squires arrived, and Zhu Yuanzhang left eighty percent and divided two percent to Xue Hongqi.

As soon as Xue Hongqi got the money, she immediately distributed it equally to the horse thieves under her command, leaving the same amount for her own and distributing it to her subordinates, and did not monopolize the largest share because she was the leader, this righteousness is commendable, but Zhu Yuanzhang did not praise her for dividing all the money.

"Sister Xue Hongqi, I think...... You shouldn't divide the money evenly and save a portion of it for your team. Zhu Yuanzhang persuaded.

"Why?"

Zhu Yuanzhang shook his head and said: "As a leader, you should look at the income of the team from a long-term perspective, and distribute the funds in a unified manner. ”

"This ...... Please forgive my little sister for not understanding! Xue Hongqi Khan said.

"For example, if your brothers need to add a new batch of scimitars, because the money is divided, they will have to go to the blacksmith to make knives themselves, and in this case, the scimitars will have the problem of inconsistent specifications and chaotic standards." Zhu Yuanzhang patiently explained: "But if you unify all this money and go to a blacksmith shop to customize a batch of identical scimitars, your cavalry barracks will be much cleaner...... The same can be applied to food, clothing, and so on, and the combat effectiveness and morale of the entire army will be changed......"

"Ahh I see! Xue Hongqi understood as soon as she heard it, but she still shook her head with a smile and said, "Eighth Brother Zhu, you are reasonable, but the money earned by the younger sister still wants to be shared equally with the brothers, so that it will be exciting." ”

"Hmm!" Zhu Yuanzhang stopped at the point, and did not persuade him, because Xue Hongqi had no ambition and did not have the idea of constantly growing the army, so it is understandable that she was reluctant to do this, and she could naturally solve this problem if she was incorporated in the future.

The eighty percent of the silver he received was first rewarded for meritorious deeds and given to his brothers, and the rest was sealed in boxes and carried by the elite soldiers of the old team to bring back Baishui for military expenses.

After cleaning up, Zhu Yuanzhang didn't want to stay in Puzhou for a long time, if he stayed too long, he would really provoke guys like Governor Xuanda and Governor of Shanxi, and things would be troublesome at that time. Taking advantage of the fact that the imperial court has not reacted yet, it is only right to leave quickly.

With his order, the whole army quickly rose up, opened the south gate of Puzhou City, and thousands of troops left the city and marched in the direction of Zhongtiao Mountain in the south.

Baishui Zhuba is leaving! This is obviously a big event, although the people in the city, the squires did not come to see off, but they inevitably want to come to see the excitement, the south gate is full of people, Liu Xiudao and a few people with heads and faces inevitably have to show up, standing on the edge of the city gate and posing a posture of "farewell to the righteous army".

Zhu Yuanzhang deliberately called Liu Xiudao and asked, "After I leave the city, how can I walk the safest?" ”

Liu Xiudao said seriously: "A few miles to the south, there is a Wangzhuang, after passing Wangzhuang, go to the southeast, walk a few miles, there is a village at the bottom of the mountain...... This village is called Yamochi Village, which is the reason why it is at the bottom of Nakajo Mountain...... After passing the village, you can see a deep ditch called Xiaoliugou...... As long as you enter Xiaoliugou, even if you go deep into Zhongtiao Mountain, the officers and soldiers will never find you again. ”

"Hmm!" Zhu Yuanzhang nodded and said: "Don't lie to me, if the road you say is false, I will kill you back to Puzhou to destroy you." ”

"Don't dare to be late!"

"Don't dare to be the best!"

"What about you...... Good along the way...... We won't send you away......"

"Hahaha!" Zhu Yuanzhang laughed loudly and left the city!

(To be continued)