Chapter 613: Fearful as a Tiger

The midsummer sun was extremely scorching, and under the gallop of the horse, there were gusts of hot wind blowing in front of him, and after a while, Zhang Yue felt that his head and neck were sticky, and the gauze shirt behind him was already attached to his back. The heat on the ground continued to steam, and it was not until I left the city and turned onto a forest path that it improved slightly. However, when his group arrived at Baishazhuang, Xiji Town, they saw that it was already a mess.

Baishazhuang has a total of 60 hectares of land, and there are about 50 or 60 tenants and more than 200 people. However, since the beginning of this year, many families who originally had land have also been willing to donate their land to become tenant farmers. The taxes of the Ming Dynasty were light, but the levy was very heavy, and among the people who accompanied the army in Shuntianfu due to the Northern Expedition, three out of ten stops failed to come back, and even if they were the people who came back completely, they were faced with the end of barren fields or flooded land.

Last year's flood in Shuntianfu made all parts of Wanping Tongzhou unbearable, even if the government relief, after all, it is still difficult for most days, seeing the end of the summer tax, naturally there are few people who have the idea of honoring the nobles and exempting them, although it is not the New Year, the tenants who have just harvested the wheat are also rarely in the ring with the owner once a year. People's hearts are not satisfied, knowing that the two adult men of the Meng family are not there, and the rest are old and weak women and children, so there are the most people in front of Baishazhuang, and there is no way to get through inside and out.

"It is said that the Hou family of Baoding is a first-class noble, naturally exempt from errand service, we have worked hard here for so many years, if it is the turn of the people to draw Ding, wouldn't it be a toss!"

"That is, last year, the flood in Shuntianfu, our land also suffered a lot, a lot of land has not been saved until the time of sowing, the rent of two buckets of this acre of land is too high, and we can't peel off the skin!"

"They are all willing to donate land, each of them is more than ten acres, and these 180 people's families are at least ten acres together, and when the time comes, won't there be more when they pay rent next year? The eldest lady really doesn't collect much from this rent, but this year I really can't pay it, instead of pestering us, it is better to take their land, and next year there will be no famine! ”

Hearing these shouts one after another, Zhang Yue immediately understood why today's chaotic scene came from. Before, he remembered very well that because the East Palace knew about King Zhao's private donation and sheltering fugitive people, the vicinity of Gyeonggi was much stricter in investigating and dealing with this kind of business, but he didn't expect that this kind of atmosphere is still on the rise. It is understandable that the people are afraid of forced service like tigers, but now that the DPRK and China have not mentioned whether they want to fight at all, why are rumors circulating outside that they will send troops to fight in the near future?

Although Baishazhuang belongs to the Marquis of Baoding, it has long been given to her nephews and nieces by Meng Ying, but it has not been transferred because of forced labor and taxes. This level of relationship is known to anyone with a discerning eye, and the tenants are naturally no exception, no one dares to fight in the ring of the Hou family in Baoding, but thinking that it is women who are in charge here, they naturally have to make a fuss, hoping to get more shelter and less money and food. At this time, seeing the surging emotions and sweating profusely, he didn't know whether to agree or not, and he was afraid that one of these people would not rush into the village to cause any accidents, so he was naturally so anxious that he jumped to his feet.

"Last year's flood did flood a small number of fields, but what should have been avoided has been waived, and the rent in Baishazhuang is the lightest! The land of the Marquis of Anyuan is three buckets and five liters, and the Zhuangzi of the British public family is three buckets and two liters, and the other Zhuangzi of the Marquis of Baoding are also two buckets and eight liters to four buckets. You planted the most abundant land near Tongzhou, and you paid the least rent among so many granges, and now you are still clamoring for rent reduction, don't you want to let the master's family drink the northwest wind? As for the conscription, the government has a system......"

Since even these words were torn apart, there was a buzzing sound in the crowd, and for a while, someone shouted: "We are willing to pay an additional 30% rent per mu of land, and we only hope that we can be exempted from military service when the official government of the Northern Expedition levies and distributes the lottery this year!" ”

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

Seeing that the manager was disturbed by these gossiping voices, Zhang Yue made a gesture to Zhang Bu and Niu Dang, who were accompanying him, and saw the two of them step forward side by side, waving their whips in the air and shouting a few times, and after a while, a path was opened. He and Peng Shisan escorted the carriage to the front of the village, and when they saw the middle-aged manager staring at him with wide eyes, he smiled and nodded.

"The more ...... Young Master Yue? ”

"I just heard it outside, what's the matter, fighting in the ring for the summer tax and the extraction?"

The chief manager was wearing a six-in-one small hat on his head, listening to Zhang Yue's question, and then looking at the four energetic guards with waist knives around him, he suddenly felt confident, and hurriedly knelt down and kowtowed, and when he got up, he smiled and said: "You are right, these people are indeed fighting in the ring!" Since moving to this Baishazhuang, there are a lot of land left unreserved, Miss said that the rent is lighter to attract more tenants, so our rent has always been the least, if you plant a little deserted land, the first two years are rent-free, but also to give seeds and farm tools, these mud legs are noisy every year, never a good time to finish renting......"

He babbled and wanted to say more, but Zhang Yue waved his hand to stop him, and turned his horse's head to face the hundreds of people. As far as the eye can see, some of these people are undressed, some are wearing patched tops, and some of their sleeves and trouser legs are rolled high...... Almost all of them had bronzed faces and sturdy bodies, and their clothes were either earthy gray or earthy brown, and their sun-burned faces were staring at him with eyes fixed on him at this moment.

"Who just said that there will be another war this year?"

Although some of the tenant farmers clamored for rent reduction, and some wanted to take refuge in the powerful people, in the final analysis, they were all trying to escape from labor, so they were a little nervous when they saw that a big man seemed to be coming to Baishazhuang. When Zhang Yue turned around and asked this sentence, the crowd fell silent for a while, and it took a long time before someone muttered in a low voice.

"Isn't that all the people out there? Everyone also said that more than 200,000 people were levied last year, and 300,000 yuan will be levied this year! ”

Someone started up, because Zhang Yue's party suddenly arrived, and the people who went up and down suddenly regained their momentum just now. In addition, Zhang Yue looked weak, and his face was pleasant when he asked, and everyone would not give up such a great opportunity to complain, and they all talked nonsense at the moment. For a while, the atmosphere was as noisy as a vegetable market.

Zhang Yue was not impatient, carefully discerning these very incoherent words, and finally understood that the matter of sending troops had been very popular among the people. After a while, he simply jumped off the horse and looked around at the middle-aged or middle-aged men around him again. From the construction of the canal to the construction of Beijing to the dispatch of troops to fight outside the fortress, how the taxes of the Yongle Dynasty are not mentioned for the time being, but the weight of conscription has caused the people to listen to the wind is rain, of course, it is not excluded that some people deliberately fanned the flames.

"I also heard what you said just now, the imperial court has just exempted Kaifeng Weihui and other mansions from last year's flood field rent, but it has not exempted Shuntianfu, because compared to other places, the flood in Gyeonggi last year was relatively light. Everyone has just received the summer grain, if the rent is not completed in time, Baishazhuang will not be able to complete the summer tax in time, what will be disposed of at that time, will you be able to escape? Besides, I also heard that everyone's rent reduction is fake, and the contribution is also fake, but I am afraid that the court will send troops to recruit people. However, this is all chasing after the wind, and there is no discussion of sending troops to the DPRK and China, and there is no way to talk about requisitioning and issuing troops. ”

Hearing this, the crowd immediately looked at each other. The top respect of the Zhuang family is the reading lang, and the top is the official man, looking at Zhang Yue as if he is not an ordinary person, and soon everyone pushed an old man out. The old man was fifty miles away, but his voice was like a bell: "Dare to ask this son, how can you be sure that what we hear is rumors!" ”

Before Zhang Yue could speak, the chief manager standing behind him finally saw the opportunity to come forward, coughed heavily and said angrily: "This is Lord Xiao Zhang of the Ministry of War, and he is also the number one in the court, so naturally there is a sentence to speak!" You all think about it, if this court fights, 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 who are familiar to the people. At this time, compared with Zhang Yue's age, thinking about the title, a large group of people suddenly commotioned, and they wanted to surround but hesitated, and the old man who was the first man was just with his eyes shining, and he stepped forward in crowd, and then knelt down on both knees. Zhang Yue, who was not surprised, hurriedly dragged it up, but he was stunned when he heard those words.

"It turns out that Childe is the famous Xiao Zhang! Hey, the old man's nephew eats military rations in the Beijing camp, and he followed you to guard Xinghe more than a year ago. He said to the old man that time, you are the star king of the sky, you are very capable, hundreds of thousands of troops besieged, you actually repelled them all! Since you said it, of course we believe it. Although there are also floods and droughts now, the year is fine, as long as there is no war, this life can be lived! ”

Although he was very helpless about the words exaggerated by the people, in the face of 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 cadres at that time. When the more than 100 people all nodded vigorously, saying that as long as they didn't fight, they would be better, and he felt even more heavy in his heart. It's just that he can't promise that the court will never fight anyway, and he can only comfort everyone.

After a quarter of an hour, the crowd gradually dispersed, but a few tenants with children did not leave, and after moving forward, Ai Ai said that he hoped that his children would have some of the nobility of the Heavenly Star. Knowing that in the hearts of the common people, those who can be admitted to the Jinshi and become officials are all heavenly star monarchs, and in the face of these tiger-headed little guys with curious eyes in fear, Zhang Yue touched their heads simply, and when these people left with excitement, he ordered the relieved manager to close the door of the village.

It wasn't until this time that Xiao Wufang on the carriage jumped out of the car, and then said with a smile: "I've been thinking about what my brother-in-law looks like in front of people outside, and I finally saw it today!" No wonder so many people like to follow you, you are so majestic and amiable, everyone is willing to believe you. Okay, let's go see Sister Meng first, and you can hurry up and get down to business! ”