Jin Feng glanced at Qing Mulan: "Just wait, once the notice comes out, there will definitely be refugees everywhere!"
"I believe this. Every year when taxes are collected, a large number of refugees appear."
Qing Mulan said: "If a refugee is caught, the worst he can do is to be sold and sent into the army. If he performs well in the army, he will still have the opportunity to make meritorious service and be rewarded, but for rebellion, the Nine Tribes will be punished!
Besides, this is not the first time taxes have been raised, and no one dared to rebel in previous years."
Position determines thinking. Although Qing Mulan is not a playboy and has a passion for serving the country, she is also a down-to-earth descendant of nobles, and her thoughts have many similarities with other nobles of the well-off society.
For example, after catching County Lieutenant Zhao, Jin Feng thought of sending it to the government to handle it according to law. This would not only save trouble, but also be clean from beginning to end, and no one could find fault with it.
However, Qing Mulan felt that the words of Lieutenant Zhao provoked Jin Feng's dignity as a noble, so she chose to kill him on the spot, and then used her brother's influence to calm the matter.
In fact, Qing Mulan did not use this incident to show off her family's power, but it was this kind of education she had received since she was a child.
Perhaps in the eyes of the established nobles, the authority and so-called dignity of the nobles are the most important, and the common people are just tools like cattle and horses.
I feel that the people value the clan, so I put a yoke on the people to punish the nine clans, and then they can do whatever they want.
With more whips, the cows and horses will run faster and do more work.
There has been peace in Dakang for too long, and I am afraid that the emperor and the court officials have forgotten that cows and horses will push and kick others when they are sore.
What's more, ordinary people are people with flesh and blood and ideas, not cattle and horses.
After being beaten once or twice, the people may be able to bear it, but if you keep pushing them to death and don't give them a way to survive, they will rebel.
"Mu Lan, let me tell you a story."
Jin Feng knew that Qing Mulan's thoughts were deeply ingrained and it was useless to talk about truth, so he had to change his strategy.
He picked up the tea bowl to moisten his throat and said: "A merchant bought a camel, which was very strong and hard-working. When the merchant went out for the first time, he asked him to carry two bags of goods. The camel was very easy.
When he went out for the second time, the merchant added four bags of goods, but the camel still walked smoothly. So when he went out for the third time, the merchant added two more bags to the camel.
When the goods reached eight packages, the camel was already very tired, but he still persisted and did not collapse.
The merchant also saw that the camel was already very tired, but he thought that it would be okay to add half a pack after eight packs were already loaded, so he added another half pack to the camel.
The camels were also very motivated, gritting their teeth and dragging eight and a half bags of load, and walked hard. But just as they walked out of the warehouse door, a straw fell on the goods.
The camel, which had reached its limit, finally couldn't bear it any longer and fell to the ground, never to get up again."
Qing Mulan obviously understood what Jin Feng meant and looked thoughtful: "Sir, do you mean that this tax increase will be the straw that breaks the camel's back?"
"I think it's very possible, because this tax increase is different from previous years."
Jin Feng said: "Many common people now know from veterans that the Tielin Army won the battle at the border this year and destroyed Dangxiang's Southern Expeditionary Army. The common people were looking forward to lowering taxes. As a result, instead of lowering taxes, the imperial court increased taxes.
The psychological gap in taxation is very large and will make the people completely disappointed with the court.
At the beginning, people might be afraid that killing the nine tribes would harm their clans and choose to become refugees, but when none of the nine tribes can survive, what else will the people be afraid of?"
"What should we do?"
Qing Mulan broke into a cold sweat after being told by Jin Feng.
If the people rebel, it means that a dynasty has become extremely corrupt.
The border is surrounded by powerful enemies. If the people within the territory rebel again, it will almost sound the death knell of Dakang's demise.
"It's very simple, just ask the court to take back the order."
Jin Feng replied calmly.
"Impossible. How can it be possible to take back the decree that the imperial court has announced to the world? Where will the face of His Majesty and the ministers go?"
Qing Mulan blurted out without thinking.
This also proved that Jin Feng was right. Even though he knew that the tax increase might force the people to rebel, Qing Mulan's first thought was the face of the emperor and courtiers, not the life and death of the people.
"Then there's nothing I can do."
Jin Feng helplessly spread his hands.
Facts have proved that Jin Feng’s guess was correct.
After the notice was announced the next day, the people's resistance was extremely fierce.
Since ancient times, the common people have believed that people should not fight with the officials. People who meet the officials are extremely humble, for fear of making the officials unhappy.
But on this day, countless policemen throughout Dakang who read out the notices were spat on by the people, and bloodshed even occurred in some places.
Only in Jinchuan, although the people were disappointed because there were no more bandits to collect the annual grain, they were not too excited.
But people are also discussing this matter.
"How could this happen? Didn't the Marquis and our husband lead the Tielin Army to win the battle in Weizhou City? Why did the imperial court increase taxes instead of lowering them?"
"How do I know it's not Mr. Jin who is telling lies?"
"Old Zhou, please stop talking nonsense here. My brother just retired from the Tielin Army this year. He personally participated in the Battle of Qingshui Valley and was blinded in one eye by a party member's bow and arrow. If you continue to slander Jin
Sir, if you slander the Tielin Army, I will break off all relations with you!"
"Without Mr. Jin wiping out the Hutoushan bandits, we would never have had a good life. Old Zhou, how dare you speak ill of Mr. Jin. If the people in Xihewan hear this, they will beat you to death!"
"Everyone, I was wrong, I was wrong, I shouldn't have doubted you, sir, please let me go!"
The man named Lao Zhou quickly bowed and begged for mercy.
After all, we are from the same village, so the other men stopped holding on and continued to discuss.
"I heard from the caravans passing by that the mountains are full of people these days. They are afraid that they will not be able to pay taxes and are ready to flee into the mountains and become refugees!"
"Really? Lao Yuan and I went hunting yesterday. We walked in the mountains for almost a day. Why didn't we see anyone in the mountains?"
"We in Jinchuan don't have bandits to collect annual grain, and we can still go to Xihewan to work. Even if the tax is increased by 10%, life is much better than in previous years. Who will go to the mountains to become a refugee?"
"That's right, it's all thanks to Mr. Jin. If it weren't for Mr. Jin, we would probably have to go into the mountains!"
"Taxes are already heavy. How can we survive if we add another 10%?"
"When I get back later, I have to kowtow to Mr. Jin's memorial tablet again!"
…
The people of Jinchuan were already grateful to Jin Feng, but now that they saw the misery of other counties, their gratitude to Jin Feng was even greater.
Jin Feng's influence in Jinchuan also expanded, and the influence brought about by tax increases also continued to expand throughout Dakang.
On the fifteenth day after the announcement was made public, Qing Mulan hurried into Jin Feng's house.
"Sir, you were right, something really happened!"
[The author has something to say]
I wanted to write two chapters yesterday, but unfortunately I didn't finish one. I was really sleepy, so I went to bed first... plus yesterday's, I owe you a total of fourteen chapters, I remember them all.