Linbian Village is under the control of the Tian family in Qingliu Town, and it has not yet reached the point of master and servant, which is somewhat similar to the relationship between tenants and tenants, but because the Tian family is one of the three major controllers of Qingliu Town, if Linbian Village can't pay taxes, the Tian family will send people to kill and vent their anger, and there will be nowhere to redress their grievances.

"If, I mean if, in case you can't pay your taxes, and the Tian family sends someone to kill and vent your anger, have you ever thought about resisting?" On the way to the place where the tax was paid, Liu Xiu asked Lausanne in a low voice.

Hearing this question, Lausanne's eyes widened all of a sudden, and he said blankly: "Resistance? ”

"I mean, if you can't stand and wait for someone to kill you?" Liu Xiu nodded and whispered.

Luo Shan interjected on the side at this time and whispered in horror: "Noble people, don't say such things, it is impossible to resist if you resist, because then you will definitely be retaliated by the Tian family, and there will only be more deaths!" ”

Speaking of which, Luoshan gave Liu Xiu an example, it seems that in a certain period thirty years ago, there was also a village that rebelled because it couldn't pay taxes, it was a collective rebellion, and as a result, things got bigger and bigger, and when it was almost out of control, a mysterious and powerful warrior came, and within one day, all the main members who participated in the rebellion were killed!

Since then, no matter how difficult it is, no one has ever thought of resisting, and generations have come over, and they have become accustomed to it.

After hearing this, Liu Xiu sank, yes, under the iron-blooded suppression, who would dare to resist?

At the same time, Liu Xiu also had a vague guess in his heart, big households control the people's livelihood, is it possible that these big families rely on or are attached to martial artists?

The amount of information is too small, and Liu Xiu has no way to judge.

The place where the Tian family collected their taxes was located on the edge of Aoyagi Town, and was a separate compound surrounded by a walled and guarded by black-clad and sword-wielding guards.

When Liu Xiu and the others arrived, there was an endless stream of people coming and going in and out of the compound, some people used ox carts to transport grain, some came purely with carts, and some came directly with burdens......

Luo Shan told Liu Xiu that those people were here to pay taxes, and at the same time smiled bitterly that the scope of the early spring floods was too large, and the number of people who paid taxes here in previous years was at least ten times more than in front of them, so it was a lively scene.

Liu Xiu nodded to show that he understood, looked at some people with children and asked, "I understand those people who brought food to pay taxes, but why did those people with children empty-handed?" ”

In just a while, Liu Xiu saw at least twenty or thirty people walking towards the gate of the courtyard with children, so he asked.

"They can't afford to pay their taxes, so they bring their children to pay their taxes," replied Lausanne in a muffled voice.

Liu Xiuxin said in his heart, although he had heard of such a thing for a long time, but seeing it with his own eyes was another matter.

At this time, Luo Shan said on the side: "If those children enter the Tian family, it's okay, although the freedom of life and death is in the hands of the Tian family, but at least they don't have to worry about food and clothing, and there is a follow-up salary to help the family, if the Tian family doesn't collect it, in order to make up enough food tax, those children may be sold cheaply, the result is unpredictable, hey, at this time of year, there are countless things that break the family in ten miles and eight towns......"

What about those who can't afford to pay their taxes and don't have children to pay their taxes? What should they do?

Liu Xiu didn't ask these questions again, his heart was a little chilly, the scorching sun shining on his body couldn't dispel the chill in his heart, he secretly scolded himself, he had long expected the suffering of the people, why did he still ask? On the contrary, he also upset himself.

Experiencing these personally, Liu Xiu had the urge to turn around and leave, returning to the cliff of life and death without asking about the world, out of sight and out of mind, this is not an escape, but he is powerless to change anything.

Liu Xiu asked himself that although he was not a great person, he also had compassion for the suffering of the people, but what could he do? This is not a family-by-family affair, but the norm in the world, and he asks himself if he has the ability to change the whole world.

Shaking their heads, putting aside their troubles, Liu Xiu and Lausanne stepped into the wide gate of the courtyard without being stopped and interrogated, and even the knife-wielding guards didn't even bother to look at them.

After stepping into the courtyard, Liu Xiu had a full view of the situation here.

At the front is a row of warehouses, in front of which there are more than a dozen tables, and in the back sit the person who holds the pen, who is responsible for registering the taxes of each village and family, and if the signature is correct, someone will move the grain to the warehouse for storage.

Luo Shan said that in previous years, it was more than ten times more lively here, no wonder both the guards outside and the people in charge of registration here seemed a little lazy, perhaps they were much more idle than before.

You have to queue up to pay taxes, Luo Shan took the initiative to find a place with a small line to stand in the back, and Liu Xiu and the others waited on the side.

The old village chief said that in previous years, the village would take the initiative to transport the grain after a collective count, and the villages were similar, and there were very few people who came to pay taxes alone, but this year was different, because of the disaster, it was impossible to count collectively, so each family could only figure out their own way.

This has undoubtedly increased the workload of the Tian family's registration personnel, but there is no way to do it.

Originally, it was supposed to be a big event for half of the village to be dispatched, but this year, because of the silver thread grass, it was enough for Luoshan to line up alone.

On the way to line up in Luoshan, Liu Xiu looked around curiously.

It is really embarrassing for all living beings, those who have food taxes are still sad, and those who have no food to use their children to deduct taxes are even crying and grabbing the earth.

"Deacon Zhao, look at it again, my son must be a strong laborer when he grows up, and others are very diligent, please accept it!" A middle-aged man prayed while holding a young boy.

The old man in green clothes in front of him shook his head and smiled bitterly and said, "It's not that I said, I don't know if your son will be strong when he grows up, but I don't dare to accept his appearance, and I will be blamed by the master's family......"

On the other side, a middle-aged woman handed over a little girl to someone else with tears in her eyes, and kept telling her to be obedient and not to upset the owner's family.

Not everyone in charge of registration has such a good temper, and when Liu Xiu observed the surroundings, there was an angry roar from the right front.

"Get out, this is the third time you've come, and you have said that you won't accept your son, and tell you to go back and find a way, you are sincere in blocking me, right? Come on, hit me, hit me hard! ”

As the roar rang out, it was followed by the sound of fists and kicks to the flesh accompanied by screams.

A father and son were punched and kicked by three sturdy black-clothed guards, the child was only three or four years old, although the adults were beaten, but the child was kicked out because he did not dodge in time.

The child's father was nervous about the child, and the corner of his mouth was bleeding from the corners of his mouth, and the guards chased after him.

The child cried, hugged his father and did not let go, and the adult was beaten, and the fists and feet inevitably fell on the child.

Seeing this scene, Liu Xiu subconsciously frowned, he couldn't say anything when the adults were messing around and being beaten, but the child was innocent.

As if he saw Liu Xiu's idea of wanting to be nosy, Lausanne quickly grabbed him and shook his head and said: "Engong, just look at it, this kind of thing happens many times a year, they will be beaten at most, if you come out, you will implicate yourself, and then it will not be a matter of beating up."

Liu Xiu took a deep breath, what Luosang said was right, but he really couldn't bear to see that three or four-year-old child being implicated, such a young child, although the guards did not take the initiative to beat him, but if he didn't pay attention to a little injury, he would be ruined for a lifetime.

I can't come forward to make trouble for Lausanne and them, and even bring more trouble to the father and son, but I can't watch the child being implicated......

Seeing a firewood knife pinned to Luosang's waist, Liu Xiu suddenly had an idea.

When they subconsciously looked at this side, Liu Xiu bent and straightened the firewood knife in his hand in a timely manner, back and forth, and looked at that side calmly.

Then, the guards gasped with their eyes, subconsciously stopped the beating, and glanced at Liu Xiu with some fear, Liu Xiu didn't provoke them and didn't meddle in their affairs, they couldn't say anything, but when they saw Liu Xiu's movements, they were chilled, if they broke their bodies, wouldn't their bones be broken?

So, they finally kicked the father of the father and son to get him out, and they left in a bright way.

A farce ended in such a hurry.

Liu Xiu returned the chai knife to Lausanne, and it couldn't be better to end the farce so calmly.

"Your Excellency, come here, it's our time," Luo Shan, who was queuing up over there, shouted at this side.

Not paying attention to the curious gazes that fell on him around him, Liu Xiu calmly came to Luoshan's side.

Behind the table in front of him, an old man in gray looked at Liu Xiu eagerly and asked, "Are you from Linbian Village?" Silverthread grass in place of an entire village's taxes? Quick, what's the thing, show me, if it's true, it's fine, if it's fake, you should know the consequences! ”

Silver thread grass is a good thing, Liu Xiu knows this, seeing this person's excited voice at this time, Liu Xiu estimates that the value of silver thread grass is probably far more than he imagined.

Because of this person's excitement, the voice was inevitably much louder, and when the three words silver thread grass appeared, a pair of eyes around subconsciously looked over, and more than a dozen black-clothed guards were quietly approaching this side, and even Liu Xiu saw the back of someone who immediately turned around and left in a hurry.

Liu Xiu untied a bamboo tube around his waist, poured out the silver thread grass, handed it over, and said, "Yes, silver thread grass, this year's grain tax in Linbian Village"

When he took out the silver thread grass, Liu Xiu obviously felt that the atmosphere around him seemed to be much more solemn, and under the gaze of a pair of eyes, the old man in charge of registration reached out and took a trembling hand to take it and look at it seriously.

"Silverthread, it's really silverthread......" he muttered as he looked at Silverthread, his voice trembling.

After confirming, he immediately looked at Liu Xiu and Luoshan with a smile and said: "Silver thread grass is confirmed, Linbian Village does not have to pay the grain tax this year, come, who is the representative?" Here's the signature! ”

At this moment, thirty black-clothed guards had already come around, holding the hilt of their knives and looking around with cold eyes, and the villagers who came to pay the taxes subconsciously moved into the distance.

Luo Shan quietly shook his head at Liu Xiu, who wanted to say something, and then couldn't wait to sign it.

After getting the voucher, under the envious gaze of a group of guards and the envy of villagers in other places, Luoshan and Liu Xiu walked to the villagers' side.

"Brother Luoshan, the value of silver thread grass is definitely more than your village's grain tax, why don't you let me speak? Maybe we can fight for greater benefits," Liu Xiu asked in a low voice as he walked towards the villagers.

Luo Shan smiled disapprovingly: "Nobleman, I understand what you mean, but this is enough, when I came out, my father explained that if the silver thread grass can be deducted from taxes, everything will be fine, don't be greedy"

Liu Xiu was stunned for a moment and understood.

Of course, the old village chief knows that the silver thread grass is more than that value, he lets himself take care of the point, the bottom line is to deduct taxes, if he can't let himself stand out, if he can, naturally he doesn't have to cause trouble anymore.

"It's a blessing to suffer losses, the old village chief also knows how to behave in the world with insufficient greed......" Liu Xiu muttered in his heart.