"It's been getting worse and worse these years!" said an old farmer carrying a hoe to his field.

The old farmer looked at the crops destroyed by last night's storm, and his heart was full of clouds, and at the end of the year he had to pay the tax of the nearby earl, and he had only recently added a boy to his family, and he didn't know if he could resist it this winter.

At this time, a figure came on horseback from afar, and the old peasant had a bad eye, and when he came near, he was astonished to find that this was the man he feared most, the count's tax collector.

In the eyes of the old peasant, the tax collector is still as arrogant as usual, this person is obviously from his own village, why is he so exploiting his own villagers after becoming an official!

The old peasant only dared to think and complain in his heart, and when he saw the tax collector walking to his side, he turned around and put down his hoe, bent down and looked at the tax collector with a respectful face.

Seeing the old farmer's obedient appearance, the tax collector was very proud, and Shi Shiran explained his intention: "The land in the earl's house suffered heavy losses in yesterday's rainstorm, so the time to pay taxes this time has been advanced, and I came today to inform you." ”

The old peasant hurriedly said: "My lord, our village has also suffered a natural disaster, and my family is still worried about eating! Why is the earl's tax advanced this time, we really can't pay it!"

The tax collector straightened out his somewhat deflated hat and reprimanded impatiently: "Your Excellency the Earl has sent an army to protect you, what should I do if the army has no military rations?

When the old man heard the bad news, he sat down on the ground in despair, hanging his head and being silent.

When the tax collector saw the distracted old peasant like this, he rolled over from his horse, walked to his side and whispered, "For the sake of us all villagers, I will tell you a good way to exempt from taxes." Ensure that your family will not worry about eating and drinking in the future, and there will even be rewards. ”

The old farmer had a look in his eyes, and asked excitedly, "My lord, what can you do?"

The tax collector showed a cunning expression, and said in a gentle and bewildered tone: "I remember that your youngest daughter is sixteen years old, I remember that she has been good-looking since she was a child, our earl's family has been recruiting maids recently, if you want, I will send your daughter over, do you think this is good!"

The people of the village had long heard that the Earl was a lustful and tyrannical lord, and that when a beautiful girl entered his house as a maid, none of them came back alive, and often after being tortured to death, it was enough to give some money to cover up the news.

The families of those girls also approached the Earl for questioning, but they were all beaten back by the soldiers, and even if the Archon accepted the matter, it was at most a symbolic formality, and the Count was fined a small amount of money.

Thinking of these horrible rumors, Canon would not have sent his beloved daughter to such a dangerous place.

After making a decision in his heart, the old farmer quickly shook his head and rejected the tax collector's opinion.

Seeing that the old farmer didn't give him face at all, the tax collector came down with a gloomy face and said: "You still refuse my kind offer, give you a chance that you don't want yourself, it seems that a pariah like you don't need my mercy, okay, I will collect a little more tax from your family this year." ”

It was so deceitful that the old peasant couldn't help but hold the hoe in his left hand, and the anger that had accumulated in his chest was about to erupt, but his shoulders softened slightly at the thought of the consequences of hurting the tax collector.

The tax collector had long known that these peasants dared not speak out, and with a sneer, he rode on his horse, ready to go to the next house to inform the news.

There was a sudden thunder in the sky, and it seemed that the torrential rain had only stopped for a moment, and then there were droplets of beans that gradually dripped down, drenching the old farmer's hair.

Suddenly a thunderbolt pierced the sky and fell from the sky, illuminating the dilapidated village, and the lightning struck the tax collector who had left with a curse, and he and his horse were suddenly lying on the dirt road like charcoal.

"God has opened his eyes!" said the old farmer's old face, and even the wrinkles of his years were unfolded, and he greeted him with joy, as if he were a happy child.

"This is a crystal handed down from generation to generation by the imperial royal family, and it is a strange thing obtained by the founding emperor in successive campaigns. "The Empress didn't know that lightning was happening all over the empire at this time, so she rubbed the crystal for a long time and handed it to Shani.

The head maid, Shani, thought for a while, and then asked Gladys, "Your Majesty, do you really want to give Duke Nicholas the long-standing token of the royal family?"

The empress explained helplessly: "The imperial token can't save the empire's decline, if the ceremony is successful, the empire can still be passed on, I can only gamble like this." ”

Shani had no choice but to nod and say, "Your Majesty, I understand. ”

The Empress sighed and asked Shani, "By the way, has the date for the ceremony begin?"

Shani said respectfully, "Dean David has determined that it will be three days later, when the rainstorm stops, it will be the time to start the ceremony. ”