Chapter 906: Testify
Yu Dong frowned, she wanted to ask why Magistrate Li did not punish the entire village. Though those villagers did not eat the human flesh but that did not mean that they were not accomplices because of them how many children lost their lives? If they had chosen to speak earlier then nothing would have happened!
But she did not say anything and simply listened to what Magistrate Li had to say. Though she did not know much about Magistrate Li, she still had a good impression of her given that she cared about her people.
" There are two things that I want to tell you all, the first thing is that you all do not have to submit grains as taxes this year," Magistrate Li spoke word by word causing quite a stir in the hearts of the villagers as they all looked at her with surprise in their eyes.
Really? They do not have to pay grain tax this year? Everyone in the village knew that each year they needed to pay tons of grains as taxes to the officials. If they could not cough up grains then they needed to pay money, in case they failed to do both things, they ended up losing their lands to the imperial family causing them to turn into refugees.
" Are you for real?" One of the villagers could not help but ask to which Magistrate Li smiled and then nodded,
"That's right, even though we have no way to calculate the damages precisely but I know that as the only village which was the closest to the ocean, you all suffered the maximum damage which is why you do not need to pay for this year's tax."
" Hooray! We don't have to worry about the taxes this year! We can farm in peace!"
" Thank you! Thank you for your grace, Magistrate Li!"
" We can still survive!"
" There is still hope mother! I can buy your medicine, don't give up so soon now!"
At first, the villagers were shocked but soon they started to cry out of joy, they clapped and hugged each other. This time no one could stop their tears, they had all seen how Yu Dong who could not pay the grain tax had to sell away her land and then reclaim it all back, their lands were their life and blood, and if they lost their lands what will they do? Where will they go?
The villagers who were touched to the extreme knelt on the ground and then thanked Magistrate Li as they shouted praises for her.
Yu Mai, who was being carried by Ye Liu looked at his sister who was kneeling along with the rest and couldn't help but turn to look at his second brother-in-law and ask, " Why are they all kneeling? Is that woman a bad woman?"
Only tyrants would make people kneel like this, this was something that Yu Mai knew. As he worked in a restaurant where his bad boss would make him kneel every time she was upset.
Ye Liu smiled at Yu Mai and then shook his head as he replied, " That woman is not bad, she came bringing a piece of good news because of this everyone is thanking her."
The grain tax was like a devil for the farmers even though they worked day and night, they still had to share half of their good-quality grains with the imperial family.
Although the officials said that it was for the country's benefit, everyone in the village knew that half of those grains were pocketed by the officials, themselves while the other half was sent to the imperial country where the rest of the officials continued to pocket more and more grains until the true tax reaches the imperial family. Though it was nothing to those officials, farmers like them had to suffer a lot, grains like sorghum, wheat, barley, peas, radishes, scallions, carrots, and finger millet were collected and handed to the officials.
Though it looked like it was a lot the production of these grains was not easy as they all lived not far from the ocean. The villagers had to hand almost more than half of their grains which they have collected to the officials before they could pay the amount that was set by the imperial family and the corrupted officials.
When Chen Mi looked at the people who were kneeling, he sighed in relief as well. He patted his son and then said in a happy voice, " Looks like your birthday will be extravagant, bun bun. With no grain tax, Mommy will have more money to spend on you."
Little Bun's birthday was in spring, last year when he was pregnant Yu Dong had sold away all the lands except a few barren lands which belonged to them and they had nowhere to go. Now that their conditions had improved and they didn't have to pay the tax anymore he did not have to worry about cutting this and that off from the list of his son's birthday.
Little Bun raised his head and looked at his daddy before grinning, as soon as he smiled Chen Mi caught two milky teeth poking out of his gums causing his lips to turn up as well.
" You have grown up well, haven't you bun bun?" He poked his son on the cheek, last spring he felt like he was going to die but now he was going to celebrate a joyful new year with his son who looked plump and beautiful.
Fang Chi and Shen Li also looked at Magistrate Li, behind them four small kids along with Zhu Qian were poking their heads out of the house.
When everyone was done thanking Magistrate Li raised her hand and continued,
" The second thing is that your taxes will be paid by the Big stone village."
Though Magistrate Li could not execute those who chose to stay silent, it did not mean that she was going to let them off either. She specifically chooses this punishment for the Big Stone Village after visiting them personally.
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This content is taken from fr(e)ewebn(o)vel.𝓬𝓸𝓶