Stability Is a Luxury

"I'll ask you one last time, are you going to pay the tax or not?!"

The tax official squinted, looking impatiently at the family of three in front of him.

Zhang Shun said righteously, "Sir, my family paid the autumn tax ten days ago!"

The tax official held up the ledger in his hand and snorted, "You paid? Then why isn't your name written on it?"

"Impossible!"

Zhang Shun shouted, "I saw you write it with my own eyes! You're trying to extort double the tax from my family!"

"Slander!"

The tax official whipped his whip down with a "slap," sending the young man to the ground. "Why would I only try to collect double from you and not from anyone else?!"

A bloody gash immediately appeared on Zhang Shun's face.

He gritted his teeth and tried to argue, but Aunt Li hurriedly stopped him, plastering a smile on her face. "Shunzi, shut up. If the official says it wasn't paid, then it wasn't paid."

Children don't understand how formidable tax officials can be.

There's a saying, "Officials aren't scary, but the people who manage them are." Even though tax officials are minor functionaries, they can sometimes be more terrifying than the county magistrate!

"Sir, please wait, I'll go back inside and get the money to pay up!"

Aunt Li didn't know when her family had offended the tax official and decided to get through this immediate crisis first.

She hurried home to get the money.

Not long after, a desperate scream echoed from the house.

"Oh, heavens!"

"Where's the money—"

The thirteen taels of silver they had hidden at the bottom of the water vat had vanished without a trace!

Hearing the commotion, Zhang Shun's lame father stumbled inside. Upon seeing the empty hiding spot, he collapsed onto the ground. "Thieves, there are thieves!"

The tax official lost his patience and lashed out twice at Zhang Shun's father's back. "Are you trying to fool me?!"

"Sir!"

Zhang Shun's father grimaced in pain. "My silver was right here! Thirteen taels, there were thirteen taels!"

The tax official scoffed. "I could say I have three thousand taels of gold at home. If you have no money, just confess!"

"Dad—"

Seeing his father being beaten, Zhang Shun rushed forward in a panic, only to be knocked down by a whip, his entire face covered in blood.

He lay on the ground, completely bewildered.

It wasn't until he saw two figures in white robes in the crowd of onlookers flash him triumphant smiles that he suddenly understood.

"You, it was you!"

Zhang Shun staggered to his feet and lunged at the two disciples. "Give me back my silver!"

"Go to hell!"

The slightly plump disciple kicked the young man down. "Where's your proof?!"

Zhang Shun was furious. "You colluded with the tax official!"

"Slander."

Hearing this, the tax official raised his hand and lashed out with his whip several more times, leaving the young man's skin torn and bleeding.

"Damn peasant!

"He's biting everyone like a mad dog, arrest him!

"Send the old man to Cangzhou to repair the city walls, and the young one to Hezhou to repair the riverbanks!"

The surrounding villagers were struck dumb with fear.

Watching this, almost everyone understood what was happening, but no one dared to say a word.

Whether it was officials or martial artists, they were not people ordinary folk could afford to offend.

If the masters want you dead, you die.

Covered in blood and dirt, Zhang Shun roared in utter frustration.

He had fished from dawn till dusk, saving up for a full four years, all so he could learn a few martial arts moves and have an easier life in the future. Why had it come to this?

Was it because he hadn't worked hard enough?

"Shunzi!"

A voice with full of vigor rang out.

Chen Sanshi pushed his way through the crowd.

Upon seeing the two martial arts school disciples, he immediately guessed most of what had happened.

Shunzi had offended them by splashing them with sewage, so they had retaliated by bribing the tax official to collect taxes twice and stealing their savings, intending to use this method to directly kill Shunzi's entire family.

It was utter nonsense. Thinking about it, Chen Sanshi felt a chill down his spine.

If Qin Xiong had been willing to spend silver to bribe them, he might have ended up in the same situation.

He stepped forward, "Sir, may I pay the tax in his stead?"

"Brother Shi?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Shun couldn't lift his head in shame.

He hadn't seen it through before, taking out silver to help Shi Ge'er, how could he have the face to let Shi Ge'er help him?

Aunt Li and her husband were also ashamed, wishing they could find a hole to crawl into.

Not only them, but the surrounding villagers also showed looks of astonishment.

"Hmm?"

The tax official's expression darkened, "Kid, are you sure you want to meddle?"

"I naturally wouldn't dare interfere with your official duties."

Chen Sanshi pulled the tax official to a corner and pointed at Zhang Shun's father, saying in a low voice, "It's just that this cripple can't do any work. He might die on the way, and it would be a waste of grain."

The tax official raised an eyebrow, "You mean..."

Chen Sanshi took out two taels of silver and quietly slipped them into his hand, "Sir, forget about the cripple. As for Zhang Shun, he was disrespectful to you, so he deserves to be sent to hard labor."

This was all he could do.

The other party was clearly targeting Zhang Shun; Zhang Shun's father was merely caught in the crossfire.

If Chen Sanshi forcefully intervened, not only would it not change the outcome, but it would also bring disaster upon himself.

As he was speaking, those two disciples from the martial arts school were staring intently at him from within the crowd.

It was better to save one if he could.

After all, Zhang Shun was young, and there was still a 20% chance of survival if he went to perform corvée labor.

"Heh heh, you sure know how to handle things."

The tax official found it amusing.

He had taken money to teach Zhang Shun a lesson, and the old man was dispensable anyway. Being able to earn an extra two taels of silver, why not?

With that thought, he calmly accepted the silver and announced, "The Zhang family's head tax is paid in full. Let him go. Take the young one away and send him to Hezhou!"

The outcome was decided.

Everyone present basically understood what was happening.

"Little Stone's move was clever. He didn't offend anyone and saved Shunzi's dad."

"This kid is truly loyal."

"It's a shame he's not studying anymore. Otherwise, if he became an official in the future, he'd definitely be a good one."

"Little Stone, I, Scabby Head, am convinced by you this time!"

The villagers whispered amongst themselves, expressing their admiration for Chen Sanshi's actions.

"Shunzi."

Chen Sanshi walked up to the thin, dark-skinned youth and gently patted his shoulder, "I did my best."

"Brother!"

Zhang Shun knelt down with a thud, "You saved my life, and now you've saved my father's life. If I can return alive, I will definitely repay you by working like an ox or a horse!"

He kowtowed three times.

"What are you doing, putting on a play? Stop the nonsense and get going!"

The yamen runners took Zhang Shun away, while the tax official continued to tally the next household.

Aunt Li watched her son leave and fainted on the spot from crying. Zhang Shun's father sat on the ground, completely numb.

Similar scenes would continue to unfold on this final day of the autumn tax.

At least one-tenth of the male population in and around Poyang County would be arrested.

The vast majority of them were farmers.

After three hundred years of land annexation, over ninety percent of the land in and around Poyang County belonged to wealthy gentry and martial arts schools.

Farmers were basically tenant farmers.

Every year, they had to pay half of their harvest as rent, and then pay taxes on the remainder. At the end of the year, they barely had enough to eat.

"Sir, spare us!"

"After several years of poor harvests, and still having to plant ten percent 'Spirit Grain' on every mu of land, we simply cannot survive."

"Less nonsense, take them away, take them away!"

"..."

The Great Sheng Dynasty had numerous ways of collecting taxes.

The most bizarre of all was undoubtedly the "Immortal Tax."

Fifty years ago, in the 21st year of Longqing, Emperor Longqing had a dream. He claimed to have seen an immortal in his dream, who gave him a batch of seeds. The immortal said these seeds could grow into immortal grass, and that offering this immortal grass to the immortal would ensure the empire's prosperity for generations to come.

Thus, starting from the 22nd year of Longqing, the Emperor issued a decree.

All cultivated land across the country had to allocate one-tenth of its area to planting "Spirit Grain." Those without farmland were required to pay the tax in silver, equivalent to the value of the grain.

The problem was, this "Spirit Grain" was not immortal grass at all. Not only was it inedible, but it was also poisonous, and highly poisonous at that!

Anyone who ate it would die on the spot!

It was a complete waste of land, making life even harder for tenant farmers who were already struggling to survive.

Chen Sanshi stood by the edge of the field. In less than half an hour, he saw at least three or four households whose male members were arrested, not even sparing seventy-year-old men.

Suffering!

The people suffered!

Physical oppression was one thing, but the spiritual oppression was even heavier. Officials and disciples from martial arts schools were all considered "masters." Who dared to provoke them?

Just like a moment ago, when Chen Sanshi was saving someone.

The way two martial arts school disciples looked at him was something he would never forget.

It felt as if saying the wrong word would lead to eternal damnation.

That feeling was truly awful.

It was precisely because he was a commoner that he was oppressed and exploited everywhere, living a life of constant caution.

He suddenly made a decision.

Old Man Xu had said something wrong.

In this kind of world, living a stable life was a luxury for ordinary people.

Only by striving with all their might could they have a chance to turn things around!

"Tomorrow, I'm joining the army!"