After the arranged marriage, she farms and survives under the tutelage of the villainous boss.

In the traditional social hierarchy of scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants, Jiang Zhiyun's family wasn't considered a respectable farming household; they were merely exiled families. Now that they had money, they naturally became the target of everyone's attention. Everyone was determined to see her lose it all.

Now, she is prepared for the possibility that she may lose her money.

Zhao Guifen quickly chimed in, "Lord Wang Yan, yes, it's this little slut who's in business. Our whole village knows. I'm her mother, would I lie to you?"

"She also often goes out to sell things, selling bowls of noodles one by one, earning quite a bit of money. How much land tax does our village collect?"

"It's not like someone like Jiang Zhiyun, who makes so much money in business and hands over the lion's share."

Jiang Zhiyun's heart had long since turned cold: "As expected of my biological mother, she knows so much about me."

"So, Lord Wang Yan, please pay all her money immediately."

Zhao Guifen did it on purpose. She knew that Yunniang was stubborn and that the couple would eventually end up fighting against the government and eliminating the Xie family.

The eldest daughter was mocked for being thrown into a pig cage and drowned; she's still crying at home. It's all because they came to collect taxes and devised this cruel and oppressive method.

Anyway, this time I must avenge Wan Niang. Wan Niang was such a good child, and she was harmed by a vicious person like Yun Niang. Now that Yun Niang has voluntarily given up being a child of the Jiang family, she's happy to have some peace and quiet.

There's no need to worry about this unlucky daughter; she can use her mother's status to bully others in the future. Even if Jiang Zhiyun does become successful, she can just use her biological mother's connections to stay at her house. Are they really going to kick her out?

These were all things her stepmother told her.

Therefore, Zhao Guifen is now full of confidence.

Yunniang's personality just needs to be taught a lesson.

Wang Yan stood up straight, his words carrying a high-sounding tone: "Merchants are the most despicable. They exploit the common people to make a profit. Our government is very considerate of the people, but it is because of you merchants that the price of grain has been rising again and again. It is truly the height of evil."

"Although I was the manager of Shikanchang before, I am now the registrar of the county. I have seen too much suffering of the people and I have a deep hatred for businessmen like you!"

Jiang Zhiyun laughed: "I just want to live and make some money by selling things, but in Lord Wang Yan's mouth, I've become so wicked."

"So, Jiang Zhiyun, how about we increase your tax burden to 60%?"

Jiang Zhiyun was not in a hurry. She looked around and saw a person standing at the door with a black robe sticking out. That person should be the newly appointed magistrate.

Jiang Zhiyun remembered this point in time: the new county magistrate came to collect taxes. What had been such a peaceful event in her previous life now felt like a confiscation of all her possessions.

So she deliberately raised her voice: "Sixty percent is fine. Yunniang has no objection; in fact, I think sixty percent isn't enough!"

Jiang Zhiyun knew that these officials despised business people like her the most. Even though she was just trying to make a living and didn't even have her own business, she was still enough for them to bully her.

Xie Shuheng wanted to speak, but seeing Yunniang's composed demeanor, he figured she had her own plans, so he refrained from interfering.

Jiang Zhiyun took out several packets of loose silver she had earned during this period, which amounted to about ten taels of silver. As for the money she made from selling ginseng today, she knew she could keep it safe by keeping her wealth hidden.

"This is all the money I earned from running my stall. Since Lord Wang Yan is so dissatisfied, I, as a poor stall owner, feel extremely guilty. This is all my savings. I'll take it out first."

"All the money I earn, not counting expenses, goes to taxes."

He also had an account book in his hand: "This is all the income I earned from setting up my stall. I hope Lord Wang Yan will take a look."

Ten taels… Wang Yan’s eyes widened. This Jiang Zhiyun was quite capable. He had originally hoped Xie Shuheng would starve to death, but he hadn’t expected his wife to actually be so capable.

“I set up a stall at the market, and every penny of my income is here. I remember it all. I spent five or six taels, and with the initial investment, I still have ten taels left.”

She was very sincere and seemed honest.

Zhao Guifen was dumbfounded: "You just gave him the money like that? There's something fishy going on, Jiang Zhiyun, you're not like this!"

Yunniang looked at her and said, "Because Yunniang knows that Mother wants to see me resist the soldiers today, and then she will drag me to jail, isn't that right?"

"No, I have great respect for the tax collectors."

Wang Yan was in high spirits, and after checking the amount, he found it to be correct. After all, it was quite difficult for a family like this to come up with ten taels of silver. He didn't doubt it; instead, he felt a sense of triumph over Xie Shuheng: "Xie Shuheng, your wife is more sensible than you."

“Miss Jiang, you’ll be much better off with me than with Xie Shuheng. My wife is kind, so you can be my concubine.”

The town knew very little about Wang Yan, but they often saw him with his wife and several children at home. The family often ate food in the market without paying.

Yunniang learned by chance in her previous life that Wang Yan's wife was a local gentry who also ran a cloth business and made a fortune. However, the family was very mysterious, and it was only later that the newly appointed county magistrate found out that the money they made was from smuggling to enemy countries.

More importantly, no taxes have ever been paid. What was just idle gossip in her past life, Jiang Zhiyun can now easily exploit.

Jiang Zhiyun looked up at her and said, "Oh, Yunniang, I almost forgot, I know your wife."

"I remember that Lord Wang Yan's wife comes from a family of local gentry who are also involved in the silver trade. Your parents-in-law are in the silk and cloth business, and in our county, they own most of the cloth and other textiles, don't they?"

"Therefore, they should set a good example. The 60% you mentioned earlier is inevitable, but I will take the lead and still hope that they will donate all of it."

"..." Wang Yan's expression changed immediately. "My wife is just an honest and law-abiding person. She has nothing to do with any local gentry."

"Oh, you don't even know Wang Luo, the owner of Jinxiu Cloth Shop, and his wife Luo Danmei? They're your parents-in-law. If you say you don't know them, does your wife agree?"

Jiang Zhiyun didn't argue with Wang Yan. She continued to look out the door, then knelt down and said, "My lord, I, Jiang, have offered to pay taxes on the money I've earned with my life over this period. Is this enough to ensure a fair outcome?"

"We implore Your Honor to investigate thoroughly. If Lord Wang Yan is not upright, how can he be expected to fulfill his duty of paying taxes? How can we, the common people, have any confidence in him?"

The villagers were all listening at home, and Aunt Hong was leading everyone in a discussion from a great distance, her voice quite loud:

"No way, Lord Wang Yan's own father-in-law and mother-in-law are using so much money to plunder the wealth of us ordinary people."

"My life is so hard, so miserable!"

"Please, if there is a magistrate, come out quickly and save us poor people!"

"..."

Then Magistrate He Jie indeed came out, dressed in plain clothes, the attire of a middle-aged man, not like a magistrate.