CHAPTER 149: CHAPTER 149: TH-THANK YOU, MASTER XIE

Jiang Hu’s new house was bustling with activity.

The news that the Jiang family didn’t need to spend a penny, and that Master Liu had covered everything, spread throughout Fu’an Village.

At this point, the word envy had truly worn out its welcome.

After finishing their own work, the villagers made a point to come see Jiang Hu’s new house, with people gathering almost every day.

These people were skilled laborers, and various necessary items for building the house were continuously delivered to Fu’an Village, so much so that they even didn’t need any extra hands for odd jobs.

Luckily, the grain tax collectors arrived quickly, diverting everyone’s attention.

Accompanying the constables was another official, who, along with bringing many people, began purchasing sorghum and corn after collecting the grain tax.

The price was ten percent higher than the grain merchants’!

"Is that you?" Jiang Hu was stunned to see the person.

"Mind your manners, how can you speak to Master Xie like that?"

A guard beside him loudly reprimanded.

Master Xie quickly patted the guard: "No need to be so impolite."

He then hurriedly walked a few steps forward: "Brother Jiang Hu, long time no see."

That enthusiastic demeanor, to an outsider, might suggest they were relatives.

Jiang Hu finally reacted, quickly trying to salute: "Greetings..."

Regardless of which kind of official it was, anyone who could bring guards and be addressed as "Master" by the constable was someone he should greet.

However, just as he was halfway through his salute, Master Xie held him up.

"There’s no need for such formalities, let’s focus on business first. I’ve been looking forward to this day and came to your village first specifically."

The rest were bewildered, not understanding what the situation was.

Jiang Hu, however, understood; wasn’t this the middle-aged man he had encountered the day he delivered syrup and old turtle to the restaurant?

Back then, he thought it was someone looking for seeds to plant crops.

As it turned out, was this man some incognito official?

Seeing his bustling demeanor, already starting to command the constables to work, Jiang Hu dared not delay, and couldn’t even explain to E’niang and the others, but hurried forward to help.

The constables were old acquaintances; having visited several times this year, it was always the same people, and they basically knew where the Jiang family’s grain was stored.

The new grain and the old grain were easily distinguishable at a glance, and having been to the Jiang family several times, they all knew which room stored the new grain.

Inside the room, there were two more beds, which surprised a few people, but they said nothing and started moving the grain.

However, upon lifting their heads, they were shocked: "Oh heavens, Xiao Jiang, you have so much grain in your house!"

Almost piled up to the roof!

Having collected grain taxes for many years, such a staggering sight had been encountered only here, in Fu’an Village, no, specifically at the Jiang family’s!

Clearly with only six or seven mu of sorghum and corn, it was more than what others harvested from eight or nine mu!

If they hadn’t visited Fu’an Village many times to confirm that the Jiang family only had that much land, they might have thought the Jiang family was underreporting their land!

Master Xie also came over, standing at the door, looking at the slip in his hand, then at the sacks before him.

It was a slip obtained from the village head, recording the area of the Jiang family’s farmland.

The grain tax was one-third of the grain, collected thrice a year: first during the wheat harvest, then now, and finally after the rice harvest.

As for the other crops like soybeans and peanuts, they weren’t so meticulously monitored, generally letting the common people have some breathing room, not being overly stringent.

After all, Fu’an Village was an exception, with most people in these lands barely scraping by, living in poverty.

After entering Fu’an Village, Master Xie noticed the villagers were healthy, full of energy, unlike the impoverished and struggling populace he had seen elsewhere.

He remembered Jiang Hu, and even though Jiang Hu mentioned that the whole village planted that kind of sorghum, he wanted to see Jiang Hu’s for himself, thus urged people to come to Jiang Hu’s house first.

What he saw left him stunned.

He couldn’t quite believe it, looking between the slip of paper in his hand and the mountain of grain before him.

He swallowed, turning to look at Jiang Hu, who was stuck behind him.

"Jiang Hu, did you really only plant three mu of sorghum and three mu of corn?"

Jiang Hu nodded: "Yes, the whole village knows."

"Master Xie, last year Jiang Hu’s family, no, I should say the whole Fu’an Spring’s corn had a particularly high yield, and Jiang Hu also reported discovering new sorghum, keeping seeds for it, is this it?"

The speaker was a middle-aged man named Zhang Hu, quite familiar with Jiang Hu, as he was a leading figure among the grain tax collectors, and people usually listened to him.

Master Xie quickly turned to look at Jiang Hu.

Jiang Hu nodded honestly.

"Indeed, Master, that’s how it was. Last year, we planted less than a mu, and didn’t gather many seeds. After paying the grain tax, I sold all that was left to the villagers."

Master Xie’s face instantly showed disappointment: "Foolish, foolish!" he pointed at Zhang Hu.

Zhang Hu was bewildered, wondering why he was being blamed.

Fortunately, Master Xie explained shortly after.

"With such high yield, not retaining it for seed purposes, after paying the grain tax, it would get mixed and consumed without distinction!"

The grain tax replenished the national treasury and also served as salaries for government officials.

The accusatory look left Zhang Hu embarrassed, but he had no choice but to explain.

"Master Xie, I am but a low constable; there’s no way I could act arbitrarily."

"Moreover, I did report to my superiors before that the crops in Fu’an Village grew well and had good yields."

The latter statement shut down Master Xie’s scolding, and with furrowed brows, he cursed: "This Xie Cheng, a failure indeed!"

Jiang Hu dared not interject, not even knowing who Xie Cheng was, but assumed he was Zhang Hu’s superior, at least a minor official.

Zhang Hu also dared not interject, pretending not to hear anything.

Fortunately, Master Xie soon collected his thoughts, looked at the grain before him, and contemplated.

"Weigh the grain first, determine the grain tax, and when it’s carried back, make sure the grain tax from Fu’an Village is separately accounted for!"

Zhang Hu repeatedly nodded, indicating there was no issue; with Master Xie’s directive, no one would dare argue.

Master Xie stepped out of the way, ordering his guards to help.

E’niang was a bit nervous, but still went ahead and brought out stools and a small table, placing them under the eaves, and boiled some water.

Master Xie originally paid no attention to E’niang and sat down directly until he sipped the chrysanthemum tea.

Seemingly in disbelief, he finished the cup and finally put it down.

Noticing E’niang standing a bit awkwardly not far away, holding two children.

"Madam Jiang."

Master Xie suddenly spoke, startling E’niang, who was tugged on by Xiaomi, only then realizing he was addressing her.

With a ’thud’, E’niang knelt down.

"Thank, thank you, Master..."