……

Lu Er sighed: "This city is bigger, grander, and more beautiful than Wumang City, especially the temple in the center of the city is even more exquisite, this Golden Light Empire seems to be richer than the Qingyun Empire......

Liu Zhibang smiled and said: "According to the description in Mu Tong's "Divine Enlightenment Continent Scenery", the Jinguang Empire worships Jinuism as the state religion, and nearly eight adults in the country believe in Jinuism. The clergy in the religion have an honorable status, often intervene in court politics, and influence public opinion, this religion originally originated in Qianwu Mountain, and after thousands of years of inheritance, it gradually became the state religion of the Jinguang Empire...... It's just that the Golden Light Empire is richer than the Qingyun Empire, but it's not necessarily, let's go first and take a look......"

Liu Zhibang said that, he rode forward and went to the gate of Dushan City.

"Paying Taxes...... Those who entered the city had three copper coins each, and one copper coin for each horse...... "A guard at the city gate stopped in the middle of the road and shouted.

One of the people who wanted to enter the city asked, "Isn't it true that everyone only needs two copper coins and horses don't charge money, why do you have to collect so much today?" ”

"It's so unreasonable, you collect taxes so indiscriminately, and you don't let people live!" Many of the voices of the crowd complained.

The tax collector at the city gate scolded: "Don't fucking be crooked, this extra tax is for the construction of a temple for the great god Jinu, and you dare not pay it?" ”

Someone in the crowd said, "Ah...... Didn't you just pay for the repair once at the beginning of the year? Why do you have to pay it again? ”

The tax collector shouted impatiently: "Less nonsense, pay the money, don't pay the money and get out!" ”

The people who entered the city muttered, reluctantly took out the money and handed it to the guards at the city gate, and shook their heads and entered the city.

"Where are you from, and what are you doing in Dushan City?"

The guards at the gate of the city saw that Liu Zhibang and his entourage were wearing cyan robes, which were very different from the shorts and shorts of the people of the Jinguang Empire, and stopped them.

Lu Er greeted him and said, "We are guys from the Oriental Company, this time we are from Xia Yuan City, and we will go to the Dongfang Company firm in Dushan City to deal with some things......

The guard stretched out his hand to Lu Eryi and said, "Bring the customs clearance documents!" ”

The guard looked at Lu Erdao with the paper: "Lu Erfu is you?" ”

"It's me!" Lu Er responded.

"Which one is Liu Zhengding?"

Liu Zhibang also responded.

The tax collector glanced at Liu Zhibang and his entourage, and said, "Oriental Company...... But the great merchants, each of you shall pay five copper plates into the city, and two copper plates for the horses......"

When Lu Er heard this, he said angrily: "They only need three copper plates, why do we need so many?" ”

A tax collector sitting behind the table at the city gate was lying on his back in a chair, his feet were high on the table, and he looked at Lu Erdao with disdain: "Boy, those people are the people of the Jinguang Empire, aren't you, our General Song has confessed, the tax rate of the people who came over from Xia Yuancheng has been doubled, but I only accept you five copper plates alone, and I have taken care of it very much, you should be grateful to Dai De to ......."

"You ......"

Liu Zhibang stretched out his hand to grab Lu Er and said, "Give them to them, let's go into the city ......"

Liu Zhibang and his party paid the money and entered the city, and the officer looked at the back of Liu Zhibang and his party and snorted: "Let you be arrogant for a while, and wait for General Gu Song to raise grain and grass, and serve you Han bandits in one pot, and we will have another rich piece of land in Dushan City......"

Liu Zhibang didn't look back when he heard this, his brows furrowed slightly, and he said to Lu Er: "Send the message back to investigate thoroughly, who spread the news of our cooperation with the Hengchang Chamber of Commerce, there must be a mole in Xia Yuan City......"

Lu Er nodded slightly, and the group quickly walked through the city gate towards the Dongfang Company in the city.

The population in Dushan City is dense, because the whole Dushan City is built on this small hill, the streets are relatively narrow, and the avenue in front of the shops is crowded with all kinds of small stalls and vendors, and there are many beggars sitting on the side of the street and constantly stretching out their hands to ask passers-by for money, the garbage all over the ground emits bursts of foul smell and the aroma from the food stalls, mixed with the sweat of the passing crowd, forming an unbearable atmosphere, Liu Zhibang covered his nose, but looking at the natural appearance of the people on the street, he had to put his hand down again.

Everyone walked along the street, walked around the circular street for a long time before they reached the location of the Oriental Company on the mountainside, and the Oriental Company men who received the notice greeted Liu Zhibang and his party wearing green clothes and long shirts.

A capable young man greeted him and said, "You are Manager Liu, I am Yang Biao, the manager of Oriental Company in Dushan City, welcome to everyone, you have worked hard along the way, go in and rest!" ”

Liu Zhibang nodded and said, "Manager Yang has worked hard, this is my assistant Lu Er, let's go in and talk!" ”

Yang Biao is in his early thirties, with thick eyebrows and big eyes, an honest face, and a very affinity, enthusiastically welcomed Liu Zhibang and his party into the business, and assigned someone to take Liu Zhibang and his party to the backyard to rest. After two flights of steps, Liu Zhibang arrived at the residence, pushed open the window, half of Dushan City was displayed in front of him, only to see rows of gradually lower yellow roofs extending to the city wall at the foot of the mountain, outside the city wall is a large area of farmland, and further away is the jungle that is cut out by the village, where the view is excellent, the landscape is also excellent, it is worthy of being one of the best locations in Dushan City.

After closing the door, Yang Biao respectfully knelt in front of Liu Zhibang, hugged his fists and said: "Subordinate Yang Biao see the patriarch!" ”

Liu Zhibang helped Yang Biao up: "Get up, you are Mu Tong's henchman, this is Lu Er, the head of the Guards Regiment, there are no outsiders, tell me about the current situation of the Oriental Company!" ”

After Yang Biao got up, he said respectfully: "I have been looking forward to seeing you since I received the letter from the shopkeeper Mu, and I finally looked forward to you today." The shop of the Oriental Company was originally the branch of the Hengchang firm in Dushan City, and later we cooperated with the Hengchang Chamber of Commerce, and the two shops on the side were also plated, most of the goods of our Oriental Company here came from Xia Yuancheng, because many of the goods were relatively novel, and the selling price was really good, but due to the targeted policy of General Gu Song, our performance here was not too good......

Liu Zhibang asked: "What are the policies against us?" ”

Yang Biao replied a little depressedly: "Gu Song saw that our goods were selling well, and added a 'new property tax', as long as it is the goods that other businesses in Dushan City do not have, this commodity will be charged double the tax rate, the more goods we sell, the more taxes we pay, in this way, our Oriental Company actually did not make more money here, but let the City Lord's Mansion collect more taxes and leave......"

……