Chapter 95: He Clearly Came to Kill Me
ll discuss how to build the house tomorrow."Just as I was about to go to sleep, Si Mei brought me a basin of water for washing my feet."Honey, you must be tired after a long day. Go wash your feet and...Liu Xilai came to Yang Lin as a shopkeeper. It's true that he didn't have any schemes, he just wanted to find another big tree to lean on.
Having served the Liu family for half his life, he now possesses his freedom document. However, to him, it holds little value.
He had no offspring and did not need to consider his descendants. Therefore, whether he was enslaved or free, as long as he could find a good master who ensured his basic needs and allowed him to save some money, he would be able to live comfortably in his old age.
"The shopkeeper is already ready. You go pay thirty taels of silver later, and tomorrow you can take the shopkeeper to the town to rent a house and open a shop."
"The shop's name is Yang's Trading Company. It opens in three days. Currently, the only thing they sell is paper. A transport team will deliver goods every day. You need to keep track of the accounts and settle them once every three days."
After explaining the shop matters, Liu Xi left.
However, just as the sun was about to set, a message came.
The government has come to collect taxes!
At first, some villagers ran to Yang Lin. He was still confused at that time.
Although the summer tax is due these two days, who would come to collect it in the evening
As more and more villagers came, including two who were beaten by the yamen servants, Yang Lin realized that something was wrong!
After a while, the security guards on patrol also brought news.
"Master, many government officials have arrived outside, at least over a hundred of them. Dozens have entered the village, while the rest are waiting outside!"
Zhao Fugui, who came to consult Yang Lin, also realized: "This is going to be a problem!"
Yang Lin frowned slightly and said, "Third Uncle, you brought everyone here, no matter what they're up to. Anyway, I promised yesterday that I would pay this year's summer tax for everyone!"
"Good!"
Zhao Fugui responded with a nod and, accompanied by several others, went door to door to inform people.
"My husband, the visitor is not friendly! They are probably here for us!" Li Yuyao said.
Yang Lin nodded, his brow furrowed in thought as he carefully calculated.
"To collect taxes in the middle of the night, they must have ulterior motives and want to catch us off guard."
"And the ability to mobilize so many people, it must either be County Magistrate Wu Yong, or someone from the Zhou family and the Zhao family!"
"A while back, we just gave the Zhou family a warning, so this time it's most likely the Zhou family and the Zhao family who are behind this."
As for how they will deal with me...
Yang Lin pondered for a moment, frowning as he muttered to himself: "Just now, the person who came said that this time's tax collection, the yamen officers were quite unreasonable, like deliberately picking on people. When you consider that they mobilized so many people and waited outside the village, it's not hard to guess."
"They want to bully the villagers with underhanded tactics, push me to my limit and force me to take action, then frame me!"
For example, beating up officials or even resisting taxation.
"My lady, are you familiar with the law What exactly is tax evasion"
Yang Lin looked at Li Yuyao.
Li Yuxiang's face changed: "Tax evasion is a serious crime, with varying degrees of severity. The most severe penalty can be death!"
She, of course, was intimately familiar with the laws of the Great Qin Dynasty. Some of the provisions were even those she had helped her father emperor revise.
At this moment, thinking of the charge of tax evasion, Li Yunyao couldn't help but frown.
Because she understood, this was a ploy!
Even if they know what they're going to do, there's nothing they can change.
As commoners, we are inherently at a disadvantage when dealing with officials.
Now people are deliberately picking on me, admitting to tax evasion is a serious crime!
Don't you dare question it If you resist, that will be rebellion!
Anyway, even if you look at it from a literal perspective, the other person is always in the right.
So, no matter what, we must make the most thorough preparations and plan for the worst.
"Qingyi, you go and gather all the guards. Distribute ten crossbows and have them ambush in front of and behind the house!"
Now there are thirty crossbows and six hundred arrows produced, but besides training, the crossbows are usually stored in Yang Lin's own warehouse. Throughout the entire guard team, only Zhong Tao can carry a crossbow at any time. "We'll try our best to endure later."
"If the other party is truly going too far…"
Then let's just do it!
Yang Lin looked at the crowd of women.
He had no reverence for the government offices of this era, nor even the imperial court.
If people don't provoke me, I won't provoke them. It would be best if I could live peacefully in this little village.
But if he's truly pushed to the brink, then he won't hesitate to play dirty!
"Understood!"
All the women nodded their heads, each with a surge of determination in their hearts.
Li Yuyao suddenly thought of something and hurriedly asked, "What about the package I gave you to keep last time"
"Oh, in the dry well in the backyard, what's down there"
Yang Lin asked in puzzlement.
Could there possibly be anything in that package to resist the authorities
After much deliberation, Yang Lin could only think that perhaps Li Yuyao came from an official family. There might be something in the bag related to her origins, such as a token of a certain family. As long as it was taken out, all the yamen officers and officials would behave themselves...
But, does that kind of thing really exist
"Wait for me!"
"Don't act impulsively before I get back!"
Li Yiyao didn't explain, leaving behind those words, then took her purple clothes and hurried to the back garden.
Sure enough, there's a problem!
But Yang Lin didn't think much about it.
If Li Yuyao has a backup plan, that would be best.
But no matter what his next move is, you must be prepared.
The only one who can truly protect you is yourself!
It didn't take long, and all the villagers came to Yang Lin's house.
As night fell, the yard of the Yang family was brightly lit with torches.
Besides the villagers, there were also dozens of tax collectors and Zhou Kun and Zhao Deyi, who were also a little confused at the moment.
For this day, they had prepared for a long time, their resolve was unwavering. Tonight, no matter what, they would eradicate Yang Lin!
Therefore, although Zhou Kun was scared by Yang Lin last time, thinking that this was a make-or-break moment, he still gritted his teeth and personally came to Koushan Village.
This time, they were extremely well-prepared.
Besides dispatching almost all the county officials from Jianghe County, they also requisitioned twenty bows and arrows from the storeroom. Everyone was armed with a sword, claiming to be collecting taxes but clearly intending to kill!
But things took a turn they hadn't expected.
After entering the village, they went door-to-door according to plan to collect taxes. In the process, they deliberately provoked and beat two villagers.
I thought that once these matters reached Yang Lin, he would come over and interfere very quickly.
But the result was that Yang Lin not only didn't come, but the villagers all went to Yang Lin's house!
Upon arriving outside, Zhou Kun, riding a tall horse, intentionally shouted: "You peasants, what are you doing here Dare you resist paying taxes"
No matter what Yang Lin wants to do, he puts his hat on first!
"Their taxes, I will pay!"
The crowd parted, and Yang Lin walked out surrounded by a group of young and middle-aged men. without hesitation!However, it turned out Yang Lin had overthought things.The bandit leader is dead, and the remaining seven bandits are terrified. They are all lying on the ground, trembling and sh...