"You said forget it, forget it?" Chen's face was not in a good mood. She was very angry at the household clerk who said that her son was gone. It would be rude, but he dared to curse that her son was gone.
"Hehe, what do you want, a country woman?" Hu Shu sneered and put on the usual airs he displayed in the county government office.
Old Master Zhu's forehead was covered with sweat. How could the second son's wife be so ignorant? I just managed to get the household secretary to let it go, but now you are throwing a tantrum again? This is not your home. If you anger the household secretary, you will be the one who suffers. How can you not understand this simple truth
"Do you think you can call me a village woman?" Chen glared at the clerk.
"Is there anyone in Huaining County that I cannot call upon?" The clerk glanced at Chen with contempt, sneered, and put on a strong attitude.
"Master Feng, Master Feng, calm down." Uncle Zhu Shouren stepped forward and bowed to the household clerk. He exchanged glances with the clerk, then turned around and straightened his back to lecture Chen with a serious face, "Sister-in-law, this is Master Feng, the clerk of the household office of Huaining County. He is in charge of the fish scale atlas and the land register of money and grain in Huaining County, and is in charge of the collection of money and grain in the whole county. Master Feng came to our Xiahe River to measure the land. He was ordered to do official business. Sister-in-law, please pay attention. If you hinder his official business, we will be offended."
"Hmph." Feng Hushu snorted coldly as soon as his uncle Zhu Shouren finished speaking, flicked his sleeves, turned his face to the sky, and left everyone with a condescending chin.
"You can't even call me that!" Feng Hushu's attitude made Chen even more angry.
"You" Feng Hushu's face was full of gloom, like a tiger provoked by a rabbit. It seemed that he was about to show his fangs impatiently.
"Master Feng, calm down." Uncle Zhu Shouren stepped forward again and bowed to Feng Hushu, "My sister-in-law is a country girl and doesn't know much, please don't blame me, Master."
"Oh, it's Master Zhu, why aren't you studying at home to prepare for the exam? I heard that Master Liu has high hopes for Master Zhu. Master Zhu, please don't disappoint Master Liu's trust." Feng Hushu seemed to have just seen his uncle Zhu Shouren. He lowered his chin and looked at his uncle Zhu Shouren differently.
"Thank you for your good wishes, sir." Uncle Zhu Shouren bowed again, made a small movement with his fingers, and gave a subtle look.
"Yeah." Feng Hushu nodded tacitly.
The two of them had a great understanding of each other, and everything was implied without words, as if they had discussed it beforehand.
"Forget it, for Mr. Zhu's sake, I'll let it go this time. I won't bother with a village woman like you, and I won't do it again." Feng Hushu cleared his throat and glanced at Chen, looking like he was doing her a favor.
"Thank you, Lord Feng." Uncle Zhu Shouren thanked him repeatedly, then turned his gaze to Zhu's father and Chen, and gestured with his hands to remind them. "Second brother, sister-in-law, why don't you thank Lord Feng quickly."
Feng Hushu put on airs at the right time, waiting for Zhu's father and Chen to bow and apologize. He felt that the show of power was enough and it was time to get to the point.
"Master Feng?" Chen sneered and asked. "What rank is Master Feng?"
Several products
Chen's question made Feng Hushu, who was always putting on airs, cough. His face, which was full of official tone, turned red. Although he had some real power in the county government, he was just a clerk and did not even have a position in the court. How could he have any rank? He was not even in the mainstream.
"Is there a high-ranking county magistrate?" Chen asked again.
Feng Hushu's face turned even redder. The county magistrate was a seventh-rank official. How could he be qualified to be compared with the county magistrate
"I am a sixth-rank Anren appointed by the emperor himself. Your county magistrates have to bow and greet me when they see me, but you call me a village woman all the time." Chen sneered.
After hearing this, Feng Hushu's expression changed. In fact, he had always known that Chen was a sixth-rank Anren. He also knew that the magistrate had sent someone to express his gratitude. However, he had just deliberately ignored Chen's identity. He did it on purpose because his purpose just now was to give Chen and Zhu's father a warning, so he deliberately ignored Chen's identity as a sixth-rank Anren.
She thought, what knowledge can a village woman like Chen have? She decided to show off her power and prestige first, which would probably scare the village woman. She herself couldn't even remember her title of Sixth Rank An Ren.
First, give them a show of force to intimidate them, and then measure the land and talk about the money and taxes to scare them.
As for whether Zhu Shouren's plan could succeed, it was none of his business, but the twenty taels of silver he had promised before must not be reduced by a single cent.
However, he never expected that, contrary to what Zhu Shouren said, this Chen was not an ordinary village woman.
Now, hearing Chen mention his status as a sixth-rank Anren, Feng Hushu's facial expression changed several times, and then he put on a stiff smile, and bowed to Chen with a fake smile, and saluted indifferently, "Oh, it turns out to be Madam Zhu, I was wondering which village woman it was. I meet Madam Zhu."
Although Feng Hushu was paying respect, he didn't show much respect. What's the matter with the Sixth Rank An Ren? It's just a title of courtesy, and there is no real power. If Zhu Ping'an were still alive, it would be another matter. But now, Zhu Ping'an is gone, you don't have any backing, and there are no other officials in your family, even no one who is well-known in the county, so what do you have to worry about? That's why you dare to accept this matter.
"Hmph." Chen snorted coldly.
"Please don't blame me, Madam Zhu. I am here to measure the land on a mission. In the past, when Lord Zhu was around, Madam Zhu's family naturally had no worries about taxes. But now, I have measured the land, and it will be easier to calculate Madam Zhu's taxes in the future." Feng Hushu said with a wry smile.
"You should know that our dynasty attaches great importance to taxes. The so-called 'whoever dares not to take tax, or takes tax without reporting the facts, will have all the tax confiscated and will be made a county official for one year'. Failure to pay on time, underpayment or non-payment will be severely punished. Not only will the land be confiscated, but also hard labor will be imposed." Feng Hushu went on, his expression gradually becoming serious.
"Paying grain and taxes is only natural. Now that Lord Zhu is gone, unless your family produces another scholar or juren, you will be eligible for tax exemption, otherwise..." Feng Hushu sneered.
After hearing what Feng Hushu said, Mr. Zhu couldn't help but turn his gaze to Zhu's father. He thought of the proposal made by his eldest son Zhu Shouren that day.
"Who said my son is gone? My son will definitely come back." Chen was furious and wanted to scratch him, but was stopped by Zhu's father behind her.
"Madam Zhu, please accept my condolences. I'm busy now. I'll send someone to notify Madam Zhu when the tax is paid. Okay, continue measuring." Feng Hushu said impatiently, then waved his hand and ordered the bailiff to continue measuring.
"Pay taxes?"
"Why, does my family have to pay taxes too?"
At this moment, a young man's voice sounded in Feng Hushu's ears.
"Of course, paying taxes is a matter of course," Feng Hushu replied impatiently, his eyes accidentally sweeping over the speaker, and he couldn't help but widen his eyes, unable to say anything else. The roar in his throat was like someone was choking him, and his body began to tremble. (To be continued.)