"That's a lot!"

The chief of the forced labor let out a sigh of relief, and counted them one by one: "In addition to the summer tax and autumn grain, there are also fixed money, dian money, money for gods and Buddhas along the river, money for the foot of the car and money for the head of the river, money for the head of the car, money for subscription, money for yellow grain, money for making a book, money for bamboo baskets, money for food, ......."

After the forced labor finished speaking, Zhu Gaochi said word by word: "Twenty-two kinds of taxes? ”

"It should be ......"

The servant glanced at Zhu Gaochi in surprise and explained: "I can't read, and I can't count, as much as the grain chief says, I have to pay!" ”

"These people deserve to die!"

Zhu Gaochi's face turned pale, and he said angrily directly.

"The eldest young master is angry, these officials who harshly exploit the people should be killed one by one!"

Guo An said slowly, "However, I still need to complete the work assigned by the master, and after I go back, let the master play His Majesty and investigate these corrupt officials one by one!" ”

"Hmm!"

Zhu Gaochi nodded fiercely.

"Thank you, two nobles!"

The laborers hurriedly knelt down and kowtowed again and again in thanks.

Guo An asked again: "You don't need to thank me for waiting, what else do you have to tell me to wait?" ”

The forced servant said with a ashamed face: "Back to the nobleman, the villain only knows this!" ”

"That's enough!"

Guo An nodded slowly, and said to Wang Zhong on the side: "Give the flatbread to this force!" ”

"Thank you, thank you!"

The forced labor hurriedly thanked.

Guo An instructed: "Remember that after you go back, you must not reveal any words on the ship to anyone, otherwise those officials will hear it, and you will most likely be retaliated!" ”

"Yes, yes, even if my father and mother ask, the villain won't say it......"

As the servant disembarked with five flatbreads, the fleet set off again.

"Teacher, I didn't expect that in the land where the Jingshi is directly subordinate, there will be such an evil official who exploits the people!"

Looking at the group of children and forced labor that were gradually moving away, Zhu Gaochi said with a hideous expression.

The Ming Prince, who has always been benevolent, can't help but have murderous intentions.

Guo An is face was full of sadness, "With the addition of taxes, the addition of service, the addition of floods and droughts, the food and fishing of officials, and the annexation of the powerful and powerful, the small people are already a little difficult to make a living, and they have to suffer so much exploitation and harm, Your Highness has a long way to go!" ”

"Yes, these people are so miserable!"

Zhu Gaochi also nodded slightly, and then after reacting, he looked at Guo An with a look of surprise, "Teacher, why do you say that I have a long way to go?" ”

Guo An looked at Zhu Gaochi, "Your Highness, you are the prince of the Ming Dynasty!" To solve the suffering of the people, in addition to Your Majesty, you need to take care of it! ”

"It's also ......"

Zhu Gaochi nodded slightly.

After a while, my brows furrowed slightly, I always felt that something was wrong, but I couldn't think of it!

The flotilla continued to go down.

Another day's journey.

What he saw and heard on the road made Zhu Gaochi's mood more and more boring.

Along the way, except for those gentry who were freshly dressed and angry, he did not see a single commoner from relatively wealthy families!

The people here, every single one of them, are tired and toiling!

Even, he often saw that there were officials beating and oppressing the people!

"These thieves!"

In the end, without getting out of this county named Jiading, Zhu Gaochi couldn't hold back anymore, and said with indignation: "Teacher, I want to take care of it, these corrupt officials and corrupt officials in Jiading County, and those evil gentry!" ”

Guo An did not stop it, but told Zhu Gaochi the consequences.

"Your Highness, if your identity is revealed, it is likely to cause some thieves and evil officials to take risks, and even flee to the sea!"

"Teacher, as the crown prince of the Ming Dynasty, I can't sit idly by and watch these corrupt officials and evil gentry oppress the people like this!"

Zhu Gao's eyes were full of cold light.

Guo An said: "In this way, please also ask Your Highness to summon Wang Zhen, as well as Suzhou Mansion Jinyiwei, Songjiang Mansion Jinyi, Zhenhaiwei, and Songjiang Mansion City Bosi, each send a team of soldiers and generals to come and obey orders!" ”

"Teacher, so many summons?"

Zhu Gaochi was startled.

"Be prepared!"

Guo An said, "Weichen is confident, the soldiers of the two hundred divine machine battalions, and the cargo of this fleet can completely protect the safety of His Highness."

However, I am worried that those thieves will see that I and the others are lonely and want to do bad things, and when that time comes, my Shenji Battalion can only kill! ”

"So ......"

Zhu Gaochi pondered for a moment, his expression solemn.

"Someone!"

"The last general!"

The lieutenant, who had been following Zhu Gaochi closely, immediately responded.

"Take my father's edict and go to Suzhou Mansion Jinyiwei, Songjiang Mansion Jinyi, and Songjiang Prefecture City, and ask them to each send a hundred households to Jiading County to obey the order...... Zhenhaiwei sent three hundred households to Jiading County to obey orders! ”

"The last general obeys!"

The lieutenant immediately received the order, and immediately sent four teams of men and horses to rush towards different people.

As soon as these lieutenants left, Zhu Gaochi's whole demeanor changed, his eyes narrowed slightly, full of tyranny, which made Guo An couldn't help but be in a trance, he seemed to see Zhu Di!

"Teacher, I want to take a good look in this Jiading County to see how these thieves exploit the people!"

"Your Highness is free to do whatever you want, I, the two hundred divine machine battalion generals, can suppress all the disobedient people in the county!"

Guo An looked confident.

"Thank you, teacher!"

Zhu Gaochi arched his hand towards Guo An, and then took the guards beside him and walked forward.

In Jiading County, the exploitation of the people seems to have become a matter recognized by all officials.

Before he had gone far, he came across a place where the summer tax was collected.

One by one, the common people, dressed in tatters, dragged their families and mouths, carried the carts, bent their backs, and gave some kind words to a man who looked like a clerk, and handed over food or money while humbly saying some good things.

But.

In this regard, the official was still full of pride, and he wanted to lift his chin to the sky.

"Please also ask Li Gong to be tolerant and tolerant, the things that should be sold in the villain's house have been sold almost, even the iron pot, they have been sold, but they only get one stone of grain, and one or two or thirty yuan......

"Not enough?"

The old man named Li Gong squinted, glanced at the man in front of him, and said lightly: "There are five people in your family, according to the number, you must also pay one stone of grain, or five hundred wen?" ”

The man said with a flattering face: "Yes, yes, please ask Li Gong for a few days, the villain will definitely be able to raise enough!" ”

"Heh, how do you raise it?"

Li Gong smiled coldly, "Also, the court trusts the old man and asks the old man to come here to collect taxes, but one by one, you have to let the old man be lenient, so how can the old man collect taxes?" ”

"But, Gong Li ......"

The man's face was still full of humility, trying to squeeze out a smile, and he wanted to say something kind.

Then Li Gong had already said lightly: "If you can't raise money and grain to pay taxes, let's remember that there are three acres of paddy fields and five acres of dry fields in your home!" ”

The man's face suddenly changed greatly, and he begged again and again, "Gong Li, don't do it, the villain's family is old and young, but they all rely on these few acres of thin fields to fill their stomachs!" ”

"Humph! If you want to fill your stomach, don't those nobles in the court and the soldiers at the border don't need to fill your stomach? ”

Li Gong glared at the man fiercely, "If everyone is like you, and the family is a little nervous, and they want to pay less taxes, or delay for a while, and wait for the rich businessmen in your family to get up, how will the old man's taxes be collected?" ”

The man hurriedly said: "But Duke Li, just paying the summer tax, these must be enough for me!" It's just that you have to pay the fixed money, the point money, the money of the gods and Buddhas along the river, the car foot wallet, the head rice money, and the bamboo basket money, and the villain really can't hand it over! ”

"Huh?"

Li Gong's face turned cold, "What are you talking about, bastard, and dare to doubt the taxes set by Shangguan?" ”

"Li Gong ......"

The man was taken aback.

Li Gong had already shouted again: "Come on, give me a palm!" ”

"Yes!"

Beside him, several strong men stepped forward directly, set up the man, and one of them raised his palm and slapped it towards the man's face.

"Bang Bang ......"

The sound was crisp, and all the people present couldn't help but bow their heads and tremble.

"Gong Li, don't fight, we must pay, we must pay it all!"

"Daddy......"

A woman, along with two and a half children, rushed out and begged for mercy from Li Gong.

"If you say the wrong thing, you have to be next to each other!"

Li Gong said ruthlessly, and then said coldly: "You all listen well, these taxes are the amount negotiated between the imperial court and a group of officials, and everyone in the world knows that the people in my Songjiang Mansion are the richest."

In the past, there was no disaster in the Ming Dynasty, and you could pay it on time, but now there is a drought in the northern provinces, and these taxes have to be paid. ”

"If you can't afford it, think about your family's fields, your houses, your women's children...... There's always a way to get it all in. ”

"Everyone is a villager, and I don't want to embarrass the big guys, but if I can't collect it, I'm going to lose my head!"

As he spoke, Li Gong looked at the man who had been beaten on the side again, and said: "Dashi, don't blame the old man for his heavy hands, we are all small people in the world, and we all have to pay taxes. ”

"Your family is still short of some grain, but there are enough acres of land at home, as long as you take out one acre of land deed and give it to the county bank, you can lend enough money and grain, pay all taxes, and wait until two months later, when the grain is harvested, you can go to the money village and get your one acre of land back......

The man Dashi's face was full of sadness, "Gong Li, Qian Zhuang eats people and does not spit out bones, you also know that if you pledge that one acre of land deed to Qian Zhuang, you will never get it back!" ”

"Why can't you get it back?"

Li Gong waved his hand indifferently, and at the same time motioned to some men on the side to accept the food and money brought by Dashi.

"I will accept the food and treasure money you brought first, and you go and make up the rest of the money and food!"

"Next, Xiaohegou Cui Da Niu!"

"Coming, coming, Gong Li, these are taxes prepared by the villain!"

In the crowd, an emaciated old man, with a young man, walked up with a cart of food.

nodded at Li Gong for a while, his face full of humility.

On the side, two men stepped forward to weigh.

After a while, he reported to Li Gongyu: "Li Gong, a total of two stones and one fight!" ”

"Big bull? Why are there two buckets missing? ”

Li Gong's brows furrowed, staring at Cui Daniu tightly.

Cui Da Niu suddenly cried and shouted: "Gong Li, wrong, wrong, it's really two stones and four fights, my father and son, but they dare to come only after they have prepared enough from home!" ”

"Huh?"

Li Gong glared at Cui Da Niu angrily, "You guy, do you think that we are greedy?" In front of everyone's eyes, all this money and food are handed over to the government! ”

Behind him, a group of laborers also stared at Cui Da Niu fiercely.

"Gong Li, please weigh these big brothers again, it's really two stones and four buckets, these are all the food in our family, you can't make a mistake!"

"Fart!"

A forced servant directly scolded angrily, "Old man Cui, what do you mean by this, in front of the big guys, you frame us like this?" ”

"Fight, fight, these fights ......"

Suddenly, Cui Daniu seemed to remember something, pointed to the fights that were called by the force, and shouted:

"There's something wrong with these wooden buckets, they're bigger than normal!"

"You fart!"

Li Gong was directly angry, pointed at Cui Da Niu and said: "Cui Da Niu, these wooden buckets are all sent by the imperial court, do you want to question the imperial court and Shangguan?"

Moreover, this wooden bucket is placed here, how much grain has been weighed, why is it okay for others, but there is a problem when it comes to you? ”

"Cui Da Niu, Cui Da Niu, if you want to pay less taxes and grain, just say it, you dare to frame the old man, but you think that if you mess around like this, you can pay less taxes and grain?

You must know that the "Da Ming Law. Household law two. Tian Zhai has a stipulation, tax evasion will be punished with forty lashes, and if it is serious, it will be added to another forty, and then a hundred big boards, the old man advises you, or go back obediently, and honestly make up the tax grain! ”

Cui Daniu stared at Li Gong in a daze for a long time, and then looked crazy.

"There is something wrong with these wooden buckets, Li Dade, you are so embarrassed for me to wait, isn't it just a few acres of paddy fields in our family?"

"In the past, the taxes were only car foot money, yellow grain money, and some losses.

But now, you Li Dade overcharged so many taxes at once, this is to force us to death? ……”

Li Gong's face was directly gloomy, and he stared at Cui Daniu coldly.

"Cui Daniu, the old man misses you and the old man, I didn't want to embarrass you, but I didn't expect you to be so tricky?

These taxes are all explained by the old men above, why do you want to mess around like this, pour dirty water on the old man, and bad the old man's name? ”

"You want our lives first, this time we will charge one more tax, and next time we will charge one more tax, and now in order to pay the tax, we only dare to eat one meal a day......

Last year, many villagers and neighbors were forced to sell a few acres of paddy fields, and this year you will have to raise taxes again, I think you are going to take away the paddy fields of our people, so that we will all starve to death......

You won't give us a way to live, we can't endure it like this......"

"Presumptuous!"

Li Gong was furious, "Cui Da Niu not only doesn't want to pay taxes, but also bewitches the public, come here, take him down for me, first whip him for forty, and then go to his home, and search out the remaining grain and make up for it!" ”

"Yes!"

A group of laborers rushed towards Cui Da Niu with expressionless faces.

"Which of you dares to touch my father?"

The young man beside Cui Da Niu hurriedly rushed up and protected Cui Da Niu.

"You not only want food, but also my father's life, are you not afraid of retribution?"

As he spoke, the young man hurriedly shouted to the people behind him, "Fathers and fellow villagers, how greedy Li Dade is, everyone should also understand that if you continue to endure like this, the fertile land and houses in your family will be taken away by Li Dade little by little!"

Even, the last family will be sold to be slaves and servants......"

The people who paid the taxes were suddenly full of commotion.

"Are you going to rebel?"

Li Dade's face sank, and he scolded angrily: "If you receive such a little food, you can starve to death?"

Which of you doesn't want to pay taxes, so stand up?

The old man is the county honor, take down your whole family and exile you to Guozhou! ”

Below, a group of people couldn't help but slowly lower their heads.

Seeing this, a hint of pride flashed in Li Dade's eyes.

Immediately, looking at Cui Daniu's father and son, he was full of coldness.

"Cui Da Niu, Cui Da Niu, you haven't lived well for a few years, and you have to burden your kid, this time you dare to resist paying taxes, and you have to bewitch the public, the old man doesn't punish you fiercely, how can the old man gain a foothold in Jiading County?"

"Come on, hang Cui Daniu's father and son, and each of them will be whipped forty first!"

"Yes!"

A group of forced laborers suddenly rushed towards Cui Daniu's father and son with hideous faces.

"Li Dade, you old thief can't die well!"

"Sooner or later you will be punished......"

"Phew, the old man collects summer tax according to the rules, how can he be retributed? However, you father and son are about to be retributed.

You have to survive, or you won't be able to keep a single acre of the acres of fertile land in your family, and even your house and daughter-in-law will ......."

"Li Dade, you old thief, I must kill you!"

"Hahahaha, the old man wants to see, here, who can kill the old man?"

Li Dade laughed and looked happy.

He likes that when collecting taxes, he can clean up such a few disobedient people who have no background.

In this way, not only can he be given prestige, but he can also be charged more money for grain, and even some fertile land.

As for retribution?

Hmph, when was he Li Dade afraid?

As long as the few people in the county are still there, even if the county is changed, he can still say nothing in the more than ten villages in this area.

Just thinking about it, Li Dade suddenly saw an extremely strong nobleman, dressed in a gorgeous costume, walking out from behind those people with a gloomy face.

"Hongu can kill you! …… You dog thief, you are so rampant, how dare you bully and oppress the people like this, and even want to kill people? ”

"Hongu? Whether it's the official? ”

Li Dade didn't realize the seriousness of the matter, and his mind was full of doubts.

It's just that before I could finish thinking about it, a big foot appeared in front of me.

Subsequently, the whole person flew out directly.

With a pop and smashed on the ground, Li Dade felt extremely painful, as if the bones in his whole body had been broken!

"Oops...... Hiss ......"

After coming back to his senses, a trace of resentment flashed in Li Dade's eyes, and he hurriedly asked, "Who are you, why do you want to be an old man?" ”

"Someone who can kill you!"

Zhu Gaochi said angrily.

At the same time, a group of soldiers wearing armor and straddling steel knives diagonally around their waists appeared behind him, tightly protecting Zhu Gaochi's side.

Li Dade's eyes widened directly, his face full of horror.

…… (End of chapter)