Shocking Change

"Two taels of silver?"

Lin Yin frowned slightly. His mother, Wang He, was nervously entertaining several officers who had come to their door.

She served them good tea and water, but when the tax amount was stated, her face turned ashen.

"Sir officer, we are just running a small business. Why are you collecting a full two taels of silver?"

Even though Wang He was frightened, she still mustered her courage and quietly asked.

Two taels was simply too much.

One must know that an ordinary farmer couldn't even earn five taels in a year, yet they were being asked for two taels in just one season.

Their cloth shop business had only been open for less than a month.

Just as life was starting to look hopeful, this exorbitant tax weighed heavily on Wang He's heart.

"Heh, nowadays the Heavenly Dynasty faces internal strife and external threats, with foreign nations eyeing us covetously. The taxes for all merchant families are like this."

The leading bailiff chuckled, his expression indifferent.

"Three days. The taxes must be paid within three days."

With that, the lead bailiff signaled the other two bailiffs to prepare to leave.

Just as his mother, Wang He, respectfully saw the three out the door, Lin Yin's heart suddenly tensed. There seemed to be something in the darkness outside the door.

Forcing down the urge to investigate, Lin Yin's expression remained unchanged, but ripples of unease spread through his heart.

Was someone spying on them?

After seeing the three officers off, Lin Yin immediately instructed his mother to extinguish the lights and quickly went to the door and window on one side of the room.

He slightly lifted the curtain, revealing a corner of the street shrouded in darkness. The three officers were walking swaggeringly, without the apprehension of ordinary commoners facing the night.

Until the three of them left, Lin Yin still had no findings. It all seemed like his imagination.

"Yin'er, what's wrong?"

His mother, Wang He, stood beside him, her face filled with worry under the cover of darkness.

She knew Lin Yin wouldn't act like this for no reason; he must have discovered something strange.

Lin Yin slowly shook his head.

"Mother, let's rest early today. We'll pay that two taels of silver tomorrow."

"Okay!"

Mother didn't ask further, just returned to her room to rest with a worried expression.

Lin Yin didn't go back to his room. Instead, he stayed in the living room and began to meditate cross-legged.

Time trickled by. Outside, apart from the howling night wind, there seemed to be nothing else.

When the bright sunlight shone on Lin Yin's cheeks through the thin gauze window, he suddenly opened his eyes.

He had accompanied his Old Mother to the Taxation Office, which was a tax collection office specifically established in local areas by Tiancong Kingdom.

After Lin Yin and his mother submitted the account books for inspection, and upon confirmation that they were correct, they paid two taels of silver.

Because they were paying commercial tax, it was paid at the Market Building. As they were leaving, they happened to run into Third Uncle Lin De, whom they hadn't seen in many days.

Third Uncle Lin De was in a hurry, his eyes downcast, seemingly preoccupied. He walked past them without even noticing Lin Yin and his mother.

"Third Uncle!" Lin Yin greeted him.

"Nephew Lin Yin? Sister-in-law!"

The gloom on Lin De's face vanished. He forced a smile and hurried forward to exchange pleasantries.

When he learned that Wang He had paid a full two taels of silver, his expression changed drastically.

"What, are yours different?"

Commercial tax was different from Land Tax; it was calculated based on personal Income. Madam Wang saw Lin De's unpleasant expression and felt surprised.

"This... ours is also the same, the same."

Third Uncle Lin De looked hesitant. After a brief exchange of pleasantries, he seemed unwilling to talk further and hurried upstairs.

Wang He was puzzled, while Lin Yin was lost in thought.

If you find this book good, remember to add it to your Bookshelf to avoid losing it next time.

Recalling Lin Ai's words from a few days ago, Lin Yin had a bad premonition for some reason.

The building was calm as usual. Lin Yin didn't linger and left with his mother.

As they walked through the market, they bought some supplies. Besides buying some daily meat, Mother also bought Lin Yin a Peace Talisman.

Even though Lin Yin repeatedly refused and even explained that such things were just for show, he couldn't refuse his Old Mother.

Reluctantly, Lin Yin put the folded Yellow Talisman into a triangle shape and kept it close. Fortunately, these things only cost one coin each.

Thus, mother and son spent a rare time strolling together. As Lin Yin and his mother, Madam Wang, walked out of the market, they were drawn to the surging crowd.

"Hurry, something big has happened!"

"The official is furious!"

"Hurry to the Langshi Yamen."

As they walked, farmers in coarse cloth and linen clothes, hunters with bows on their backs, and even merchant officials in silk who clearly had status, hurried towards the yamen, surrounded by retainers.

The sudden change caused Lin Yin and his mother, who were about to return home, to stop in their tracks.

Lin Yin was curious about such a grand spectacle.

"Mother, shall we go take a look too?"

At this moment, Madam Wang was also surprised. Clearly, she hadn't seen such a large-scale event in a long time. The two of them, clinging to each other, followed the crowd towards the yamen.

When they reached their destination, a crowd had already gathered inside and out. Exclamations and terrified screams occasionally erupted from the crowd.

Although Lin Yin was thin, he was not short. His gaze easily swept over the heads of the crowd, looking towards the familiar yamen.

Huh!?

It was nothing to look, but the moment he looked, Lin Yin's heart was deeply shaken.

"Ah, they... they!"

At this moment, his old mother, Wang He, had clearly seen the three figures hanging from the door lintel. Her face instantly turned as pale as snow, and her body staggered. Fortunately, Lin Yin was quick-witted and supported her in time, preventing her from collapsing to the ground.

Let alone his old mother, Lin Yin's face was also extremely grim.

What met his eyes was a truly horrifying scene!

Rough hemp ropes were digging into their necks. The three bailiffs from last night had their toes half a foot off the ground, gently swaying in the wind, like discarded rag dolls.

The most terrifying thing was their faces. Their nostrils were clogged with black and red scabs, and dark red blood vessels in their eye sockets clung to their cheekbones, as if still dripping.

All seven orifices were empty, and the blood seemed to have not stopped, dripping down their chins onto the yamen threshold, forming small puddles of blood.

Madam Wang tightly covered her mouth, her face filled with terror, and recognized the three men.

"They..."

"Mother, don't say it!"

Lin Yin picked up his mother on his back without a word and ran towards home. As they passed, the surroundings were filled with exclamations and screams.

As the two were moving, three figures appeared in front of them. They did not dodge or yield, but instead, they walked straight towards Lin Yin and his mother.

His pupils contracted. By a hair's breadth, Lin Yin shifted his steps, his body brushing past the approaching figures.

"Huh..."

A voice tinged with slight shock echoed in his ears. Lin Yin's gaze swept over a familiar face before he hurried away.

"What's wrong, Brother Ba!"

Among the three, the man in the lead showed surprise, turned, and looked at the youth carrying his mother and sprinting away.

"That guy... that guy is that kid from the Lin Family?" Brother Ba frowned tightly.

"Lin Family kid? Which Lin Family?"

The other two also turned back curiously to look, but Lin Yin's figure was no longer visible.

The man called Brother Ba's expression turned grim, his eyes flickering, his mind lost in thought.

"It's that Lin Yin, the one Si Hu Big Brother was looking for trouble with before. Have you guys forgotten so quickly?"

"Lin Yin? That frail scholar is running so fast."

The two retainers thought for a moment, then seemed to recall something, their faces showing astonishment.

"It seems this kid has some secret..."

Brother Ba's eyes flickered.