in the village.

The mustachioed general snorted disdainfully.

"Humph! A group of useless mountain people, all listen to me, in order to ensure the smooth progress of the border guards, the imperial court will levy additional taxes this year, and you must pay twice as much tax silver or equivalent materials as last year. ”

"What?!"

When the villagers heard this, they all looked shocked.

"Another increase in taxes?! Or double the tax this time? And let us not live. ”

"Taxes are increased every year, and every year is increasing, you might as well kill us."

"That's it!"

"Taxes are so heavy that they don't give us a way to live."

General Mustache's eyes sank: "Hmph! What a bold man, how much of the court's taxes to pay, that's the court's decision, you people dare to resist? ”

He raised his hand and pointed.

"These few, who opposed the most just now, bring them to me!"

More than a dozen officers and soldiers rushed over with sharp spears and escorted out several villagers who had just spoken out against them.

An old man in the crowd, with gray hair and a cane, hurriedly took two steps forward and said pleadingly: "The general is angry, the general is angry, they don't mean to contradict you, but the tax is getting higher and higher year by year, and this year it has directly doubled, and everyone will inevitably have some complaints."

"Please give us a little more time, and please spare a few of them, and we will definitely find a way to collect the taxes."

The mustache general smiled with satisfaction.

"Very good, the village chief deserves to be a reasonable person. After three days, the general will come here again to collect the tax, and if he cannot pay it, he will arrest the man and sell the woman and the child to pay the tax.

"Close!"

With hundreds of soldiers, General Mustache turned and left.

The effect he wanted had been achieved.

After three days, more could be squeezed out of the hands of these villagers.

That's enough.

"Quick, go untie the ropes from their bodies, and take them down to heal."

The old village chief gestured.

A dozen villagers stepped forward to untie the ropes from the men who were tied to their stakes and carried them to the house of the only doctor in the village.

"Hey...... Village chief, I can't live this day. ”

"Every year, every year, if this continues, how can we live."

"Yes, village chief, this year's tax is double that of last year, and we can't get it at all. What's the difference between that and killing us all? ”

All the villagers complained to the old village chief.

But.

The old village chief can't help it.

He frowned and thought for a while, and said, "Don't worry, everyone, I'll be cheeky and ask for it, hoping that they can collect less taxes, and then everyone will find a way to get together and strive to pay this year's taxes first."

"Otherwise, those who are soldiers will catch the strong men, but no one will be able to stop them."

"Otherwise, let's move out."

"yes, let's move somewhere else."

"Where to move? Don't you have to pay so many taxes everywhere? ”

"Hey......"

The villagers hung their heads and sighed.

The world is so big, it is not the king's land, you have to pay harsh taxes and miscellaneous taxes wherever you go, you can't escape, and it's useless to resist.

"Village chief, I still have fruit wine made from the wild fruits I picked last time, and I took people out hunting before and hunted some game, which should be able to offset some taxes."

Zada took the initiative to say.

"In the past three days, I will continue to take the others out to hunt and strive to hunt more."

The old village chief nodded: "Okay, let's go and prepare, and I'll go early tomorrow morning." ”

Zada nodded.

It's not early enough to go out hunting.

I can only wait for the next morning.

"Village chief, we have discussed it for a while, and we are going to go to that hill thirty miles away to collect more hemp, and make more clothes to offset taxes."

"Village Chief, we ......"

"Village Chief, we ......"

Many villagers have come up with their own solutions.

The old village chief nodded: "Okay, everyone will find a way to do it separately, we must pay this year's taxes first, and then think of other ways to keep everyone fed and clothed."

"Hey...... Let's hope that next year's taxes will come down. ”

Hearing this, the villagers all shook their heads secretly.

Tax cuts?

Is it possible?

In recent years, which year has the tax not been higher and higher every year?

"Brother Zada."

Suddenly the shouts rang out.

Zada, who was discussing who to take to hunt, immediately turned his head and saw Lin Yan approaching.

"Is that you?"

Zada looked surprised.

After all, he invited Lin Yan to come here as a guest at that time, and Lin Yan also said that he couldn't come because of something, but he didn't expect to meet again in a blink of an eye.

Lin Yan said strangely: "Brother Zada, what's going on here?" ”

Others also noticed Lin Yan.

The old village chief asked, "Zada, who is this little brother?" ”

Zada explained, "Village Chief, this little brother is from somewhere else, and most of the time ago, I and the people of the hunting team had seen him near the Black Dragon Pond. ”

The old village chief nodded: "Oh, I see. Then you can greet this little brother, and I will continue to think of a way with the others. ”

Zada nodded, "Okay, village chief." ”

Zada explained a few more words to the other hunters, and then took Lin Yan to his house.

A woman with her eyes open, but her eyes are already gray, and she can't see anything, with two children.

One of the teenagers was the one Lin Yan had seen.

The other child was only less than two years old, and he couldn't express himself clearly, and after seeing Lin Yan, he was a little scared, always secretly glanced at Lin Yan, and buried his head in his mother's arms.

After a while, he tilted his head out again and secretly glanced at Lin Yan.

Seeing Lin Yan looking at him, he immediately buried his head back again.

"Brother Lin, please be seated."

Zada greeted Lin Yan.

On the way over, he had already learned that Lin Yan's surname was Lin, so he called him Brother Lin.

After sitting down, Lin Yan couldn't help but ask, "Brother Zada, what happened in the village, why does everyone look sad?" ”

"Alas......" Zada sighed and shook his head, "nothing, it's just ...... I'm afraid there are no good things to greet you today, Brother Lin, those wild meats, as well as the fruit wine at home, will have to be used to pay taxes in three days. ”

Lin Yan was a little strange: "Is the tax very heavy?" Under normal circumstances, the taxes levied by the imperial court will not exceed one to two percent of the people's annual income, so how can everyone not pay them? ”

Zada looked at Lin Yan in a daze.

"One...... One to two percent? ”

Lin Yan nodded: "Yes, the taxes paid by our people there every year are one to two percent of their annual income." ”

Zada was stunned: "This ...... So low? ”

His words suddenly made Lin Yan understand that the taxes here are probably really heavy.

Lin Yan then asked tentatively, "How many percent are you here?" ”

Zada said with a look of disbelief: "You only have one or two percent there?" We...... We calculate here that last year it had reached 40% of the annual income, and this year it will be doubled on the basis of last year, and it must be handed over after three days, otherwise we will have to arrest strong men and sell women and children. ”

Lin Yan was taken aback: "What?!" ”

Last year, it was forty percent.

Doubling this year?

What kind of bastard came up with this, and let people not live?

Lin Yan couldn't help frowning: "Brother Zada, are you sure?" ”

Zada nodded affirmatively: "Of course I am sure, just now a team of soldiers came to the village to collect taxes, and the leader was named Duan Yan, who was the nephew of the general soldier of the local garrison, because everyone couldn't pay so many taxes, and they also injured several people." ”

At this time, Zada's eldest son couldn't help but say angrily: "This dog court, sooner or later, I will turn against it one day." ”

Zada hurriedly covered his eldest son's mouth and smiled apologetically at Lin Yan: "Brother Lin, the child is not sensible, don't take it seriously." ”

Lin Yan said: "Brother Zada, you don't have to be like this, if this situation is true, I will also reverse it." But as far as I know, this is not the case, but I am afraid that you officials here are greedy and deliberately collect heavy taxes. ”

Zada has also realized it.

After all, it is impossible for one place to pay only one to two percent of the tax, and another place to reach forty percent, and this year it will even double to eighty percent.

It's simply not possible.

Lin Yan said again: "In this way, I know some people, they may be able to help, and this matter will be left to me to solve." ”

Zada was stunned: "Really...... It's true? ”

Lin Yan nodded: "Really." ”

Zada held Lin Yan's hand excitedly, and the whole person knelt down: "Brother Lin, this ...... Thank you so much, if you can help our village solve this problem, I Zada would like to repay you for your kindness by making cattle and horses. ”

Lin Yan helped him up: "Brother Zada is serious, these are what I should do." ”

Originally, Zada wanted to stay with Lin Yan to eat something here.

But.

Lin Yan didn't stay, just asked about the location of the local garrison, and then asked some things about the spiritual treasure medicine in the Black Dragon Pond, and then left.

"I see, I didn't expect that the tentacles to be really a spiritual treasure medicine, but this is only a half-treasure medicine, and it needs to be refined together with more than a dozen local herbs to remove the impurities in it in order to reach the level of a real spiritual treasure medicine."

Lin Yan didn't ask Zada to help pick herbs.

After all, this time.

The people in the village are busy preparing for the tax.

Lin Yan planned to wait for them to settle the matter of paying taxes, and then ask Zada and others to help pick herbs.

Otherwise.

At this point in time, asking them to help pick herbs will only increase their burden.

After all, it was impossible for the people in the village to rely on just a few words from Lin Yan.

I believe he can handle the taxes.

Soon.

Lin Yan went to several nearby villages, and the results were all the same.

Sure enough, the garrison imposed heavy taxes on all the nearby villages.

Originally, Lin Yan could wait until three days later, and wait for the garrison to come and collect taxes in a certain village, and he would get it dirty.

But he didn't have that much time to wait.

Soon, Lin Yan found the local garrison base camp.

This place is close to the border pass, so there is no government office, only a garrison, and the number of garrisons is quite large, reaching 50,000 people.

At the same time, because this is a reserve garrison, not a real front line.

So.

The commander-in-chief and deputy general of the garrison here are only masters at the level of a great grandmaster, not a powerhouse who has entered the Saint Realm.

And at this moment, it is already nightfall.

"Stop! Who? ”

The soldiers guarding the gate shouted loudly.

The archers on the watchtower have also opened their bows and arrows, and they can attack Lin Yan at any time.

Lin Yan showed the waist card of the commander of the Jinyi Guard.

"Lin Yan, the commander of the Jinyi Guard of the Beizhen Fusi, I want to see your general soldiers."

A soldier stepped forward to confirm Lin Yan's waist card.

Then he hurriedly clasped his fists and said, "My lord, please wait, I'll go in and pass it on." ”

The Jinyi Guard and the Military Department are not a system.

Here it is.

The identity of the commander of the Jinyi Guard is not so good, and it is impossible for the soldiers guarding the door to let Lin Yan enter and exit casually.

Lin Yan was not in a hurry and waited calmly.

This time, he was too lazy to go around in circles, and planned to suppress it directly.

Slash the slash!

The penalty that deserves the punishment!

Go back and report the matter to the authorities.

Soon.

A lieutenant ran out and hurriedly saluted Lin Yan: "The last general, Long Armor, has seen the prince!" General Duan is not in the camp, and the last general has already sent someone to inform the general, and he asks the prince to forgive him. ”

Lin Yan nodded.

Know yourself.

That's even better.

"Lord Wang, please come inside." Vice Admiral Long gestured.

In the big camp.

Lin Yan said with a gloomy face: "I heard that you collected taxes from the people nearby, and last year it reached forty percent, and this year it will be doubled on the basis of forty percent, whose idea is this?" ”

Vice Admiral Long was stunned: "What? How could such a thing happen? ”

Lin Yan said in a deep voice: "You stand here and don't move, let the soldiers outside the tent call the officials who collect taxes in." ”

Long Kai nodded: "Come on, go and call General Duan Yan over." ”

"Yes!!"

Lin Yan looked at the deputy general Long and said calmly: "When this king asks later, I will ask General Long not to speak." ”

Long Kai clasped his fists: "The last general understands." ”

This is to avoid suspicion.

It is also to prevent collusion.

And Long Kai has realized that he is afraid that something is going to happen today.

And it's a big deal.

Soon.

A general with a mustache was called to the big tent, he looked at Lin Yan who was sitting on the main seat with some astonishment, and then looked at the deputy general Long Kai standing next to him.

I suddenly realized that the person who came was a big man.

The mustachioed general Duan Yan clasped his fist towards the dragon armor: "I've seen Deputy General Long, I don't know why the general summoned me?" ”

Long Kai said: "This is King Xia, he has something to ask you." ”

Duan Yan hurriedly bowed to Lin Yan with his fists in his fist.

"The last general has seen the Xia King!"

Lin Yan said calmly: "How is the tax? ”

Duan Yan was slightly stunned.

It's a bit of a defensibility.

But he knew that the imposition of heavy taxes could not be said.

"Back to the prince, most of them have been collected, but some Diao people are unwilling to pay them, and the last general has been running around for the past few days, and he will be able to collect all the taxes within half a month, and then hand them over to the national treasury."

Lin Yan said: "Oh? So, you've been personally traveling from village to village to collect taxes yourself? It's really hard for you. ”

Duan Yan smiled: "It's all what the last general should do." ”

Lin Yan looked at the dragon armor next to him and said, "Whose subordinate is this person?" ”

Long Kai clenched his fists: "Back to the prince, he is General Duan's nephew." ”

Lin Yan understood: "I see. When will that general return? If he doesn't come back, I'm afraid I won't see his nephew again. ”

Duan Yan was stunned.

What do you mean?

Long Kai also frowned: "Lord Wang, this matter still needs to be verified, please don't rush to a conclusion based on just one side of the word." ”

Lin Yan's eyes condensed slightly: "Do you want to say that what this king personally went to get is a perjury?" ”

Long Kai hurriedly bowed his head: "The last general will not dare." It's just that General Duan hasn't returned to the camp yet, and even if he wants to dispose of it, he should wait for General Duan to come back before making a decision. ”

Lin Yan nodded: "Well, you're right, you have to wait for him to come back, and then dispose of him together." ”

Long Kai's expression changed slightly.

To dispose of a garrison commander-in-chief?

Is this Xia King crazy?

And.

In the affairs of the Ministry of War, it is not up to him to intervene as a prince who has nothing to do with the Ministry of War.

Is this trying to stand on the opposite side of the entire military department?

Things about Lin Yan.

Long Kai and the others had also received the news a long time ago.

Xia Wang, Lin Yan.

The reputation in the rivers and lakes is very loud, and the real power in the imperial court is probably the Beizhen Fusi, and although Jinyiwei is directly under the command of today's saints, its main function is to check and balance the martial arts of the rivers and lakes, not to supervise the civil and military officials.

And the military department does not have anyone from Xia Wang Lin Yan.

He thought he could dispose of a general soldier at will?

Duan Yan also heard it and knew that Lin Yan was not good.

But he didn't have any timidity.

After all.

His uncle is the chief soldier here, and he can adjust the 50,000 troops stationed here at the first order.

And.

When the time comes to send someone to arrest those untouchables and come over to testify, the brothers under his hands will also threaten those untouchables, and Lin Yan can't do anything to him.

"Humph! A bunch of untouchables, look back at how I clean you up. ”

I snorted softly.

Duan Yan was not worried at all, but began to think about how to clean up those villagers who dared to sue.

This fearless look fell into Lin Yan's eyes.

It made Lin Yan even more convinced that it was impossible for the general soldiers of the garrison here not to know.

What a moth!

It didn't take long.

Duan Bangqing, the chief soldier, rushed back, and as soon as he entered the tent, he saw Lin Yan and Long Kai, as well as his nephew Duan Yan, who were all there, and sure enough, it was the same as what the soldiers said.

His eyes rolled slightly, secretly guessing the true purpose of Lin Yan's visit.

At the same time, he strode forward, knelt down on one knee, and clasped his fists.

"The last general, Duan Bangqing, see the prince!"

Lin Yan said calmly: "General Duan, just kneel first." ”

Duan Bangqing, who was about to get up, was stunned.

What?

Kneel first?

Suddenly, his knee, which had already lifted half of it, knelt back again, and arched his hand: "I don't know what the prince commands?" ”

Lin Yan raised his eyes and glanced at Duan Bangqing.

"Duan Zongbing, this king asks you, what is the crime of falsely spreading the holy will?"

Duan Bangqing was stunned.

False Divine Will?

This is a great sin for the Nine Clans.

What does Lin Yan mean by suddenly asking such a question?

I have nothing to do with him, let alone interests.

He can't be guilty of targeting himself, can he?

Long Kai and Duan Yan were also stunned, they never expected that Lin Yan's first sentence after seeing Duan Bangqing was actually this sentence.

And the weight of this sentence is not light.

"Is Mr. Duan dumb?" Lin Yan said in a deep voice.

Duan Bangqing frowned and said: "If you falsely convey the holy will, you should punish the nine clans, and the crime is unforgivable." ”

Lin Yan nodded: "Very good, it seems that you still know that this is a big crime, then the king will ask you again, your nephew Duan Yan pretended to spread the holy will, and levied heavy taxes on the people of nearby villages, more and more year by year, and said that this is the will of the imperial court."

"General Duan will invite the holy decree out, this king really wants to see when this holy decree was issued."

Duan Bangqing's face sank slightly: "Lord Wang, there is no evidence for this matter yet......"

"This king is the proof."

Lin Yan directly interrupted Duan Bangqing in a deep voice.

"Moreover, this king is not here to seek verification or anything, but to see how General Duan is going to deal with this matter."

Duan Bangqing's face was a little unpleasant.

He stood up.

"Lord Lin, without evidence, you want this general ......"

"Get on your knees!"

Rumble!!

The powerful coercion made Duan Bangqing, who had just gotten up, kneel down in an instant, and slammed his knees on the ground, directly smashing out two pits.

Duan Bangqing's face changed suddenly.

That's when I remembered.

The rumored Xia King Lin Yan is an existence that can slash the powerhouse of the transcendent and enter the Holy Realm.

It seems that the rumors are true.

Lin Yan's expression cooled: "This king didn't let you get up, you dare to get up, it seems that General Duan wants to rebel." ”

Duan Bangqing gritted his teeth and endured the terrifying coercion.

"The end ...... Weekend...... Can't. ”

Long Kai and Duan Yan next to him were also dumbfounded.

They didn't expect that Lin Yan was so strong, and he looked like he didn't plan to show any evidence at all, so he wanted to directly judge the case.

And.

The coercion of the powerhouse of the transcendent saint realm is really terrifying!

The air in the tent seemed to be frozen.

The Grand Master couldn't afford it.

Lin Yan slowly accepted the coercion: "Tomorrow, I will escort Duan Yan to show the people in the village, and behead the people in the evening, and the heads of the rest of the nine clans of your Duan family will be temporarily placed around your necks."

"It is ordered that, within three days, all the taxes collected over the years be returned to the people of each village. If you dare to commit it again in the future, this king will personally behead your nine clans! ”

Duan Yan was dumbfounded: "What?!" ”

Duan Bangqing was also shocked.

"Lord Wang, the last general is willing to double the compensation for the people of the villages, and I also ask the prince to give my nephew another chance to spare him this time."

Duan Bangqing pleaded.

Lin Yan's eyes sank slightly: "Falsely transmitting the holy will, extorting and extorting, any of which is a capital crime, or will Duan Zongbing accompany him to die?" ”

The corners of Duan Bangqing's eyes twitched.

Duan Yan panicked: "Uncle, you save me, you save me, most of the taxes I collected before are all filial to you......"

Duan Bangqing hurriedly drank: "Shut up!" ”

Pity.

It's too late.

Lin Yan's face was slightly gloomy: "It seems that General Duan not only knows that your nephew is rampant, but you also took the lion's share."

"Vice Admiral Long, take down their uncle and nephew, parade through the streets together tomorrow, and behead them in the evening. This king will personally supervise and behead him. If they dare to escape, they will take down all nine of them and ask them for their guilt together. ”

Long Kai clasped his fists: "Yes!" ”

He knows.

This time it's really a big deal.

Duan Bangqing said angrily: "The surname Lin, you dare?" This general is a protégé of Xiangye, if you dare to touch me, Xiangye will not let you go. ”

(End of chapter)