Chapter 613: Fear like a tiger

The midsummer sun was extremely hot. As the horse galloped, hot wind blew in his face. After a while, Zhang Yue felt sticky on his head and neck, and the gauze shirt behind him was already stuck to his back and the ground.

The heat continued to rise, and it did not get better until they left the city and turned onto a forest path. However, when his group arrived at Baisha Village in Xiji Town, they saw that the place was already in chaos.

There are a total of sixty hectares of land in Baisha Village. The number of regular tenant farmers plus long-term workers originally amounted to about fifty or sixty households with more than two hundred people. However, since the beginning of this year, many families with land have also been willing to

They surrendered their land as tenant farmers. The taxes of the Ming Dynasty were light, but the corvée assessment was heavy. Among the civilians in Shuntian Prefecture who accompanied the army for the Northern Expedition, three of the ten stops failed to come back intact, and even though they came back intact,

People also face the end of fields becoming barren or the land being submerged.

Last year's Shuntianfu flood caused great suffering to all parts of Wanping and Tongzhou. Even if the government provided relief, life was still difficult most of the time. When the summer tax was paid, it was natural that some people had the idea of ​​​​honoring and exemption. Although

It's not the end of the year, but the tenants who have just harvested wheat have to compete with their bosses once a year. People are dissatisfied. Knowing that the two adult men of the Meng family are not here, and the rest are old, weak, women and children, so in front of Baisha Village

There are the largest number of people there, and the place is full of people inside and outside.

"It is said that troops will be sent out to fight again in the near future. The Baoding Hou family is the first-class nobles, so naturally they are exempted from the service. We have worked hard here for so many years. If it is the turn of the civilians to be drawn, wouldn't it be a torment?

Human!"

"That's right, last year's flood in Shuntian Prefecture also caused a lot of damage to our land. Many of the land was not saved until it was time to sow. The rent of two buckets per acre of land was really too high, which put our

Not even if you peel the skin off!"

"They all donated land voluntarily. Each of them has more than ten acres. The one hundred and eighty families living together will have at least ten acres. When the time comes to pay the rent next year, won't it be too much? The eldest lady is indeed collecting the rent.

It’s not much, but we really can’t hand it over this year. Instead of pestering us, it’s better to take over their land, so next year there won’t be this famine!”

Hearing these shouts one after another, Zhang Yue immediately understood the reason for today's chaotic scene. He remembered clearly before that because the East Palace knew about King Zhao's personal donation and sheltering of fugitives, there was no such thing as this kind of thing near Gyeonggi.

The investigation and punishment of the activities have been much stricter, but unexpectedly, this trend is still on the rise. It is understandable that the people are afraid of the corvee like a tiger. However, the government has not mentioned whether there is going to be a war at all, so why are there rumors outside that there will be a war soon?

Rumors about sending troops to fight?

Although Baisha Village belongs to the Baoding Marquis Mansion, it was given to his nieces and nephews by Meng Ying a long time ago, but it was never transferred due to labor and taxes. Anyone with a discerning eye knows this relationship, and the tenants are no exception. The Baoding Marquis family members

No one dared to fight in the ring, but considering that it was women who made the decision here, they naturally had to make less noise, hoping to get more protection and less money and food. This made the manager of the village miserable.

He was sweating profusely and didn't know whether to agree or not, and he was even more afraid that one of these people would rush into the village and cause an accident, so naturally he jumped in panic.

"Last year's floods indeed flooded some fields, but the ones that should have been exempted have been exempted. The rent in Baisha Village is the lightest! The land of Anyuanhou's family is three dou and five liters, and the British public village is three dou and two liters.

Sheng, even in other villages of Baoding Marquis, the prices range from two to eight to four dou. This is because you are considerate and specially reduced. You are planting the richest land near Tongzhou, and you have paid so much.

The lowest rent in the farm is still clamoring for a rent reduction. Isn't it because the owner is deliberately letting the owner drink from the northwest wind? As for the selection of corvees, the government has a system..."

Now that these words have been broken down, a buzzing sound suddenly sounded in the crowd, and someone shouted loudly: "We are willing to pay 30% more rent per acre of land, just to ask the government to conquer the north this year."

You can be exempted from military service when you are drafted!"

"I'm willing to pay 50% more!"

Seeing that the steward was confused by all these chattering voices, Zhang Yue made a gesture to Zhang Bu and Niu Gan who were accompanying him. They rode their horses forward side by side, waved their whips in the air and shouted a few times. After a while, they

He opened a path. He and Peng Shisan escorted the carriage to the front of the village. Seeing the middle-aged manager looking at him with wide eyes, he smiled and nodded.

"The more...the more you master?"

"I just heard it outside. Why, are you fighting over summer taxes and draft?"

The manager was wearing a Liuheyi unified hat. After listening to Zhang Yue's question and looking at the four energetic guards around him with swords on their waists, he suddenly felt confident and hurriedly stepped forward and knelt down to kowtow. After he got up,

He smiled apologetically and said: "You are right, these people are indeed in the ring! Since moving to Baisha Village, a lot of land has been left unused. The lady said that the lower rent can recruit more tenants, so our

The rent has always been the lowest. If the land is slightly abandoned, the rent is free for the first two years, and seeds and farming tools are given. Unfortunately, these mud-legged people make trouble every year and never fully pay the rent..."

He rambled on and wanted to talk more, but Zhang Yue waved his hand to stop him, and turned his horse's head to face the hundreds of people. Looking at it, some of these people were undressed and cheerful, and some were wearing patched jackets.

Some sleeves and trouser legs are rolled up high... Almost everyone has a bronze face and a strong body. The clothes are either earthy gray or earthy brown. Their faces are sweaty from the sun, and they have pairs of eyes at this moment.

They all stared at him.

"Who just said there would be another war this year?"

Although some of the group of tenant farmers clamored for rent reduction, while others wanted to take shelter under the powerful family, in the final analysis, they all wanted to escape from labor, so when they saw a big shot coming to Baisha Village, they were all a little uneasy. As for Zhang

Yue turned around and asked this question. The crowd fell silent for a while, and it took a long time before someone murmured something in a low voice.

"Isn't that what is said outside? Everyone also said that last year more than 200,000 civilians were levied, and this year 300,000 will be levied!"

Some people raised their heads, and because of the sudden arrival of Zhang Yue and his entourage, the people who were in a state of confusion immediately regained their previous momentum. In addition, Zhang Yue looked weak and had a pleasant face when asking questions, and everyone would not give up such a complaint.

Everyone started talking about the great opportunity. For a moment, the atmosphere was as noisy as a vegetable market.

Zhang Yue, however, was not impatient. He carefully analyzed these unorganized words and finally understood that the dispatch of troops had been widely rumored among the people. After pondering for a while, he simply jumped off his horse and looked around again.

The men around them are all middle-aged or in their prime. From building canals to building Beijing to sending troops to fight outside the Great Wall, let’s not mention the taxes of the Yongle Dynasty for the moment, but the heavy burden of corvee has caused the people to listen to wind and rain. Of course, it is not ruled out.

Someone is deliberately fanning the flames.

"I also heard what you just said. The imperial court has just exempted Weihui and other prefectures in Kaifeng from the land rent caused by last year's floods, but not Shuntian Prefecture. This is because compared to other places, the floods in Gyeonggi Province last year were relatively light. We have just collected

If the summer grain is not paid in time, Baishazhuang will not be able to pay the summer tax in time. Will you be able to escape what will be done at that time? Besides, I have also heard that everyone’s rent reduction is a lie, and the donation is also a lie.

, but they are afraid that the imperial court will send troops to recruit civilians. However, this is all based on speculation. There has not been any discussion on sending troops in the court, and there is no way to talk about recruiting."

Hearing this, the crowd suddenly looked at each other. The people in the village respected the scholar the most, and the officials were the most feared. Looking at Zhang Yue, he seemed to be an unusual person, and soon everyone recommended an old man to come out. The old man

Fifty years away, he said in a loud voice: "May I ask this young master, how can you be sure that what we heard are all rumors!"

Before Zhang Yue could speak, the manager standing behind finally saw the opportunity and came forward. He coughed heavily and said angrily: "This is Mr. Zhang from the Ministry of War, and he is also a high-ranking figure in the court."

, of course he speaks in a precise manner! Think about it, if this court goes to war, how can he not know the truth? "

There are many people with the surname Zhang in the world, and there are also many people with the surname Zhang in the court, but there are only a few people with the surname Zhang that the common people are familiar with. At this time, comparing Zhang Yue's age and thinking about the title, a large group of people suddenly

There was a commotion, and some people wanted to surround them, but some hesitated. The old man who was leading the group stepped forward with his eyes shining, and then he knelt down on his knees. Zhang Yue, who was surprised, quickly pulled him away.

I got up, but I was stunned when I heard those words.

"It turns out that the young master is the famous Mr. Xiao Zhang! Hey, the old man's nephew is in the capital camp and eating military rations. He followed you to defend Xinghe more than a year ago. He told me that time, you are the star king in the sky.

You are very capable when you come down to earth. You were besieged by hundreds of thousands of troops, but you actually repelled them all! Since you said it, of course we believe it. Although there are floods and droughts nowadays, the year is not bad. As long as there is no war,

It’s a wonderful day no matter what!”

Although he was helpless at the rumors and exaggerated words among the people, facing the old man's sincere face and trusting tone, Zhang Yue naturally couldn't say that he was just lucky, and he was surrounded by capable people at that time. By that time

More than a hundred people nodded vigorously and kept saying that life would be easier as long as there was no war. He felt even more heavy in his heart. However, he could not promise that the court would never go to war, so he could only feel relieved.

Everyone talks.

After a quarter of an hour, the crowd gradually dispersed, but the tenants with their children did not leave. After moving forward, they repeatedly said that they hoped their children would be a little bit as noble as the stars in the sky. Love is among the people.

In his heart, those who can be admitted as Jinshi and become officials are the stars from the sky who have descended to earth. Facing the fearful and curious eyes of these tiger-headed little guys, Zhang Yue simply touched their heads, and when these people left with excitement on their faces, he

Then he told the relieved steward to close the farm door.

Until then, Xiao Wufang in the carriage jumped out of the carriage, and then said with a smile: "I have been thinking about what my brother-in-law looks like in front of outsiders, and I finally saw it today! No wonder so many people like it.
Chapter completed!