Yinshan Record

Chapter 336 Exploitation Leads to Popular Rebellion

The flames crackled and burned in the hearth, and the sparks from the charcoal trembled in the wind, illuminating the faces of the people around them. The firelight cast long shadows, like iron chains firmly binding the ground.

"Everyone is here?"

An elderly man with gray hair looked around at the familiar faces.

They were all familiar faces; many of them were people I had watched grow up. Some I had done business with, and others I had fought or argued with their fathers.

The fourth son of the Li family, the eldest son of the Wang family, the second uncle of the Zhang family—all the influential figures from the village's various families have arrived.

"Erxiao has returned from the estate. The clerk said that this year's taxes must be paid in full, just like in previous years."

"But we suffered a disaster this year. Didn't the imperial court say it would exempt the affected prefectures and counties from taxes and corvée labor?"

A middle-aged man frowned.

"Registration Officer Tian said that none of the counties affected by the disaster reported were Wenning, and the county magistrate was therefore commended by the court for his loyalty and dedication to the country."

"This corrupt official, is he willing to trade our lives for his future?"

"That guy surnamed Tian is no good either; he just wants to make a quick buck while taxes are being collected."

The crowd below was in uproar, but the old man didn't say anything; he simply moved closer to the flames.

As people get older, they become particularly sensitive to the cold.

I hope to be near a fire, and I hope to have a few more people around me.

"Registration Officer Tian said that this year's taxes and grain should be collected normally, and the rules should not be broken."

The old man continued, "And those villages that drank the talisman water will be punished again."

"Punish? On what grounds?"

"Paying taxes and grain is already difficult enough; what else do they want?"

“Drinking the talisman water is considered associating with a demon. According to the law, one should be punished with eighty strokes of the cane. Either pay money or the county government will drag them out one by one, regardless of age or gender, to be beaten.”

The old man looked at the fire in the stove; the flames slowly tore through the cold air, but his heart felt as if it were frozen solid.

The yamen runners' sticks could kill someone with ten blows, or they could leave someone unharmed with a thousand blows, depending entirely on how much money was paid.

silence.

"If the men in the family get beaten, can the county reduce the fines?"

A man spoke up and asked.

"No, the clerk said it's either all of us get beaten or we have to pay up."

The old man shook his head and said, "Besides, the magistrate's term is up, and he wants to make a quick buck before he leaves."

"Is he going to force us to our deaths just because his term is up?"

A man said angrily, "Didn't we tip off the Tian family? Didn't we even lead those two immortals to their estate?"

“They are not immortals, but demons. Your words will cause us trouble. Besides, we didn’t inform them. At most, we mentioned it to the Tian family.”

"Registration Officer Tian said the Tian family would remember this favor we received, but the county magistrate wants to collect the money."

The old man looked at the men in front of him.

"We need to pay the money, but as for how much, let's discuss it further..."

The man, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke.

"You all agree that I won't pay a single penny."

"Fourth brother?" The old man frowned. "What do you mean?"

"We have no money. We only have some seed grain left at home, and we still need to get through the winter."

Li Laosi rubbed his hands together: "If we pay the taxes and grain, my family will starve to death. Where am I going to get the money they owe us?"

“We won’t pay either. Did the emperor grow every single grain of rice in the fields? Instead of providing compensation after the disaster, they have the nerve to keep fining us. Let them fine us.”

"These corrupt officials are trading our lives for their futures! Do they want our lives? Let them come and take them!" The old man looked at the agitated crowd below and continued, "Registrant Tian said that drinking the talisman water will only last for a month at most, and after that, we have to keep drinking it, or we'll catch the plague. Right now, everyone is hunting demons, and he still has some talismans that he can sell to our village at a low price. We don't pay taxes, but we still have to pay to save our lives, right? If we don't pay taxes, Registrant Tian probably won't sell us the talismans so easily."

The group fell silent.

The old man also sighed.

"Everyone's lost their temper, and they've cursed the corrupt official. Let's discuss how to get through this. Selling one's children sounds tragic, but even selling them to a wealthy family as slaves is better than suffering with one's own parents..."

Yes, what else can we do?

If this really escalates, the imperial court has a million soldiers.

The man-eating monsters that had lived in the Xuan Mountain to the north for so many years were wiped out just like that.

"It's better."

Li Laosi clapped his hands and pulled something out of his chest.

"Look what this is, everyone?"

"A yellow talisman?" "Fourth brother, where did you get this?" "Good heavens, this is a lifesaver!"

Li Laosi looked at them, then took out a white cloth from his pocket and slowly tied it around his head.

“I met other missionaries who were leading people toward the county seat to resist taxes and demand that the county magistrate exempt them from this year’s taxes and grain, and also open the granaries for relief.”

“Resisting taxes? Isn’t that tantamount to rebellion?” “The magistrate would never agree to that. If he did, wouldn’t that confirm that he’s deceiving the imperial court?”

"Fourth brother, do you have any more talismans?"

Li Laosi looked at them and said, "I also asked the propaganda teachers. They said if the county magistrate doesn't comply, go to Cizhou Prefecture to tell the Censorate. If the Censorate doesn't listen, go to Jiankang to tell the emperor. As long as you tie a white cloth strip on your head and follow them to resist taxes, you'll get a yellow tally."

"Wouldn't that really be considered a rebellion?"

"Sigh, let's hurry to the estate to report this. Maybe the clerk will even remember our contribution."

Li Laosi looked at them and said, "Even if you rebel, do you have any way to survive if you don't rebel? Everyone around is rushing to the county town. If we don't go, where are we going to get the yellow tally? Can Tian Zhubu deliver it? As for Tianzhuang, I think Tianzhuang will be the first to go under."

He patted his buttocks, stood up, and said, "You can continue discussing here. I'll bring my men over tonight."

The old man watched as he weakly opened his mouth.

"This is not tax resistance, this is rebellion."

"It's a rebellion, it should have been a long time ago."

Li Laosi looked at the old man and said, "Fifth Grandfather, what's the difference between living like this now and punishing one's entire family?"

"Fourth Brother, I'm sticking with you. When are you leaving?"

A man bit his finger and looked at him.

"No need, let's go our separate ways. I'm afraid you'll tie me up and take me to the authorities."

Li Laosi smiled and said, "You should think this through. All the surrounding villages are resisting taxes. If our village dares not to resist, how will we live in front of our fellow villagers in the future?"

After he finished speaking, he shook the dust off his clothes and walked towards the door.

The door was pushed open, and a cold night wind rushed in, almost extinguishing the flames.

The old man sighed and said nothing.

He knew he wouldn't be able to pay the taxes and grain this year.

Originally, if everyone pooled their resources, they could have managed to come up with a number, but now that one family is missing, it's destined that they won't be able to.

Moreover, it's unknown how many spirited young men will follow the fourth brother.

"Let's all go."

The old man used the firelight to look at the faces of the people around him.

"Those who want to go home can go home, those who want to resist taxes can resist taxes, and those who want to sue the officials can sue the officials."

(End of this chapter)