"Ha ha ha, Senior, that is different. If Xunhai Trading Company's goods were bought in Xi Kingdom, they must have official tax documents, and upon arriving here, they would not need to pay again. But if Xunhai Trading Company merely passed through Xi Kingdom, it would have already paid customs duties when entering Xi Kingdom and would not need to pay again when leaving!" Xiao Jian explained with a smile. "However, judging by Qi Jin and the others, they seem to have traded in Xi Kingdom and have no official tax documents, so they must pay a certain proportion of customs duties here at the border!"
"Then wouldn't they still have to pay taxes upon entering Gaza Kingdom?" Xiao Hua asked.
"Of course! These customs duties belong to Xi Kingdom; those on the other side belong to Gaza Kingdom!" Xiao Jian nodded.
Xiao Hua sighed with feeling. "Alas, the way of commerce is not easy either!"
"Customs duties are an important part of a nation's revenue and expenditure; they cannot be waived!" Xiao Jian said with great familiarity. "Of course, it is not only commerce that is difficult. Nothing in this world is easy—not even being the ruler of a nation!"
As they spoke, the group descended the great bridge. Sure enough, beneath it stood another group of men much like Xi Kingdom's soldiers, except their armor and banners were entirely different.
The group entered Gaza Kingdom's border. Half a li from the bridge, there was unexpectedly a tea stall. Xiao Hua glanced at the blazing sun overhead and instructed them to rest nearby.
They waited for the time it took to eat a meal before nearly twenty horse-drawn carts, led by Qi Jin, finally emerged from where the soldiers had stopped them. When Qi Jin saw the carts parked