Bring your aunt to eat big meat, the scumbag father's family is furious

Moreover, these people were not just one team, but were divided into several teams. They were equipped with knives and swords, and came in a menacing manner. It seemed as if the words "don't mess with" were written on everyone's face.

They prepared carts and carriages, almost blocking the streets, just to load them with grain.

"Hurry, hurry, go home! I heard there's a war going on in the north, and the imperial treasury is empty and can't afford the war expenses, so they're collecting silver and grain from the people. All the major teahouses, restaurants, shops, and every household are required to hand over half of their silver and grain."

"This is exorbitant taxation. Isn't this costing lives?"

"Even if the taxes and levies aren't this heavy, how is this any different from robbery? They're clearly forcing ordinary people like us to our deaths."

"Let's go and hide the silver and food. We must not let these people get away with it."

As the news spread, the streets became increasingly chaotic, and everyone ran home.

Qiao Jianer thought that even if he wanted to buy a shop now, no one would dare to accept the money.

The shop cannot be moved, but the money can be stolen at will.

Once these people have looted the entire city, she can take action.

"Your business is so prosperous, but your entire fortune is only a hundred taels of silver. Who would believe this?

A stern voice rang in my ears, and someone slammed a whip down on the ground.

"Sir, how could I dare to cheat you? My restaurant is big, but it is difficult to maintain because of its size. It is good to have this little profit. If you had come a step later, I would have used all the ingredients for the 100 taels. I am afraid I would not be able to pay even a tael."

Qiao Jianer turned around and saw that it was Boss Cai's turn.

Boss Cai held up the account book and said, "All expenses are recorded in this account book. There is absolutely no room for falsehood. Sir, I wouldn't dare to deceive you even if I had a hundred guts."

The leader, dressed in a black uniform embroidered with a gold eagle, took the account book with a sullen look on his face. He read it carefully from the first page to the last and indeed could not find any faults.

This account book doesn't look like a new one, it looks quite old.

This restaurant is said to be one of the three largest in Yongguan County, and I thought I could get a lot of bargains.

The warden frowned irritably and said, "In addition to the fifty taels, our travel expenses, food expenses, and all the necessary food, clothing, housing, and transportation must all be included. Let's pay seventy taels."

"Ah." Boss Cai looked very reluctant and painful.

"Why, you have a strong opinion?"

"No objection, absolutely no objection." Boss Cai handed over seventy taels of silver.

These people took the money, waved goodbye and rushed to the next house.

The restaurant across the street was forced to take away 1,700 taels. The owner fell to the ground, unable to cry, and was unable to recover for a long time.

Having passed this hurdle, Boss Cai breathed a sigh of relief, a smile of triumph appearing on the corner of his mouth.

Seeing Qiao Jianer, Boss Cai quickly waved to her.

Qiao Jianer unloaded the carriage into the stable and entered the restaurant.

She saw Boss Cai's body bent almost at a 90-degree angle and bowed to her.

"Miss Qiao, thank you so much for saving me and my restaurant."

Qiao Jianer didn't know whether to laugh or cry: "Boss Cai, you are such a grown-up, but you are shortening my lifespan."

Boss Cai sighed, "You deserve this. To say this is a great favor is not an exaggeration. My family of fifty or sixty people depends on this restaurant for food. If they take so much money like the restaurant across the street did, I don't know how we will survive."

"Miss Qiao, from now on, when you come to eat at my place, the bill will be free."

Boss Cai patted his chest and made the promise.

Someone brought up snacks and tea, and Qiao Jianer saw that these snacks were several levels higher than before.

Speaking of which, the taste is very delicate.

"In two or three days, these people should arrive in your village, Miss Qiao, how are you preparing?"

"It's almost done. I plan to wait here today. After these people have collected the silver and grain, I will open another shop."

Boss Cai thought for a moment and said, "At their speed, conquering a city in a day shouldn't be a problem. They came from the north of the city and arrived here in the afternoon. With a few more people, they should be here by evening."

"You've come just in time. There are two more shops for sale. One is right across from my restaurant." Boss Cai pointed to Qiao Jian'er and said, "It's bigger than the shop you saw earlier. It's worth at least three hundred taels."

"It was originally a jewelry store. The owner's family got into a lawsuit and had to pay a large sum of money. So he sold the jewelry to other jewelry stores at prices below market value, and he also wanted to sell the entire store."

"This place can be rented out for at least twenty-five taels a month."

"The for-sale sign I put up a couple of days ago has already had a lot of people come to see the owner. I guess they can't agree on a price, so it's still there. Miss Qiao, if you want to get it quickly, be generous with the price and don't bargain too hard."

This was exactly the shop that Qiao Jianer wanted. She took a look at the address on the sign and found that the owner's house was just two alleys away.

By the evening, those people had collected most of the taxes and grain in the county at a whirlwind.

The wagon trains and cart trains, carrying food, headed north.

The grain-collecting team was divided into numerous teams, heading to the towns under its jurisdiction, and then to the villages.

In the county town, there were sighs everywhere, and everyone looked as pale as death. Some people wiped their tears while walking, and some simply sat on the street and cried.

The shops, teahouses and restaurants were littered with overturned containers, tables and chairs, and broken items.

These are all the consequences of resistance.

A cold wind blew, and the sky and the earth became darker. Qiao Jianer looked up at the sky and saw a layer of dark clouds covering it, and the sunlight was no longer visible.

She also sighed.

Thinking of something, she immediately drove the carriage to the abandoned courtyard where the children lived.

A Da and the others also sat on the ground dejectedly, all of them looking angry. Several of the children had slap marks on their faces. A Wu was the youngest, and there was even blood at the corner of his mouth.

As soon as they saw her, they surrounded her, as if their grievances had finally been released, and they all started crying loudly.

"Sister Jian'er, they are not human. They even want to take away the three taels of silver we have."

"He even said he would beat us to death if we didn't give it to him."

Qiao Jian'er took out a handkerchief and wiped their tears: "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid. It's just this once, and they won't come again."

She hopes so too.

"Sister Jianer, there is a war in the north. Why do they run so far to collect food and money?" Ada asked.

"Because of the drought in the north, we can't collect grain."

Qiao Jianer didn't expect that those people would not even let these children go.

The higher-ups required them to collect half of the tax so that the people could have enough food and clothing, but in practice they collected 70% or even all of it and lined their pockets.

This violates the bottom line of civilians.

She suddenly had a premonition that the world was about to fall into chaos.