Water Ink Panel: Starting with Bow Technique to Hunt the Sun and Patrol the Skies
Chapter 83 - 7 One-Hit Kill

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"What? Are you two joking, sirs? One tael of silver... For our entire family, even during a bountiful harvest, not eating or drinking for a month would only bring in one tael of silver."

"Are you questioning us?" A tax official suddenly drew a tiger head knife and pressed it against Zhang Baqing's neck, "I don't care what method you use, but you must pay this one tael of silver. In addition, you must also pay the Yellow Peril Tax."

Zhang Baqing was completely bewildered, "What kind of tax is this?"

"Haven't you noticed how exhausting it is for the County Magistrate these past few days, eliminating the remnants of the Huang Tian Sect every single day? To ensure the safety of you common people, we set out early and return late without a moment's rest, so you should show some compassion for us."

One of the tax officials sheathed the knife from Zhang Baqing's neck.

Zhang Baqing opened his mouth to ask, "Sirs, then... How much is the total spring tax this time?"

"Two and a half taels of silver per household."

"What..." Zhang Baqing was left speechless upon hearing this, thinking he must have heard wrong.

"Forest tax two hundred cents, household tax three hundred cents, Leftover Woman Tax one hundred cents, road tax one hundred cents, canal tax two hundred cents, property tax one hundred cents, broken window tax fifty cents, a discount on the tiger tax for you, nine hundred fifty cents, Yellow Peril Tax five hundred fifty cents."

"All of this is clear and straightforward," the two tax officials said impatiently, "Any questions? Quickly go and collect. Otherwise, we will have to spend the night here today, and you'd have to add an overnight tax."

Zhang Baqing was filled with indescribable anger and shock.

This was just the spring tax alone.

It was already far beyond their capacity to bear.

But looking at the two officials' tiger head knives, Zhang Baqing dared not protest further.

Oblivious to the frigid weather, these two government officers only wore thin uniforms, their faces were red with health.

Their martial prowess was certainly stronger than Chen Yuan and the likes of Shen Qing.

Might was right, he simply couldn't match them.

He just felt oppressed.

Zhang Baqing took a deep breath and sighed, "I'll go urge for the payments."

Watching Zhang Baqing's departing figure, the two officials commented dismissively, "This bunch. They won't move without a whipping and have the brains of a blockhead."

"Be thankful. To have something to eat and drink in these deep mountain forests is already a blessing."

"What's gotten into the County Magistrate, to suddenly demand so much?"

"Isn't it because of the endless battle against the Yellow Bandits every year, hikes are happening everywhere in the country, not just our county? Besides, no matter how much is collected, our rule remains—Sanctuary keeps thirty percent, the County Magistrate takes thirty percent, and the remaining thirty percent is ours. The rest depends on our own capability."

"Mm, that's right."

...

"Two and a half taels, so much?"

Upon hearing the spring tax suddenly demanded two and a half taels of silver, Shen Qing found it hard to believe.

The taxes had reached astronomical levels.

Zhang Baqing sheepishly stayed silent.

After pondering for a moment, Shen Qing said, "Zhang Bazi, wait for me a moment."

With that, Shen Qing returned to his room and took out eight taels of silver, placing them on the table, "Zhang Batou, here are eight taels of silver. Consider it for my family, my uncle's family, and Tian Xiaohu's three families' spring tax. Here's also five hundred large coins, see who needs it and help them out."

Zhang Baqing was amazed, seeing Shen Qing with a casual wave of his hand produce eight taels of silver, leaving him speechless.

He didn't expect such a significant change in Shen Qing, nodded several times while praising, and took the money out.

Shen Qing wasn't too distressed about the money; as long as the issue could be resolved with money, he didn't want to bother further.

Those two tax officials, if Shen Qing remembered correctly, were both martial masters of the Bone Refining Realm.

Fewer troubles were better than more.

Because of the tax collection, the village was thrown into chaos.

It was not easy for Zhang Baqing, who finally managed to collect some from each household, handing it to the two tax officials.

The officials checked the amount, frowning, "Why is it so little?"

"Sirs, some households only have the old and weak left, they are truly struggling. I hope you can show leniency," Zhang Baqing pleaded sincerely.

One tax official took out a roster and said, "Your Hongshan Village has a total of thirty-six households, you should have collected ninety taels of cash, but there's not even sixty taels here—do you take me for a fool?"

"Sirs, our village now only has twenty-nine households, the Chen family has lost seven."

"Are you stupid, or do you think I am? The roster clearly states thirty-six households; could all the remaining ones have died?"

Zhang Baqing mumbled, "They are all dead!"

Bang!

As soon as he finished speaking, he felt a massive force in his abdomen.

He flew through the air and crashed into the wall under a tax officer's kick.

Struggling to open his eyes, he felt the figures ahead were wavering.

"Have everyone come forward. I will check each one. I don't believe they've all died," the tax officer said fiercely.

Many may become concealed households to evade taxes—it takes some effort—but this blatant tax evasion was something they were witnessing for the first time.

"Yes, yes." Bowing his back, Zhang Baqing nodded and bent over.

Dong dong dong!

The sound of gongs echoed, gathering many villagers.

As the time felt right.

One of the tax officials held the roster and looked at the crowd, "Hongshan Village has thirty-six households. Now you claim seven households are all dead? I've never heard something so outrageous. Whoever can explain these people's whereabouts clearly, I'll allow a reduction of three hundred tax cents for them."

"Reporting, sir, they are indeed all dead."

"Yes, they are dead."

The gathered villagers agreed, living in the village with little exposure to the outside world.

Regarding the incident with the Chen family, they had participated more or less, very worried about facing punishment under the Great Zhou's laws, so they dared only to speak half-truths.

Hidden among the crowd, Shen Qing observed the scene closely, feeling that these people, at least, understood the weight of the matter, not being foolish.

The tax official, growing impatient, didn't want to waste more time, "Since that's the case, the spring tax for those seven households will be divided among you all, adding six hundred cents per household."

"Whoa..."

The tax official's words were like a drop of water in boiling oil, inciting outrage among the people.

They were dissatisfied with the tax official's arrogance and tyranny.

An old hunter, in particular, spoke angrily, "To gather this tax money, we can't even afford to eat. And now you want more?"

Hearing this, the tax officials not only didn't relent but became even more arrogant.

They drew their tiger head knives and coldly questioned, "Do you have an issue?"

"I not only have one but a big one!"

The old hunter, accustomed to roaming the mountains, exuded a wild aura.

"Good, very good, excellent," said one of the officials, stepping forward with a cold demeanor, saying "good" several times.

As he finished the last word, light flashed in his hand.

Thud.

The old hunter didn't understand what happened before his head was lopped off with a single stroke.

Blood spurted out, spreading across the scene.

The tax official turned to look at the crowd, "Does anyone else have issues?"

All the villagers of Hongshan Village remained silent.

The other tax official closed the roster and said, "If you can't gather enough tax money, see if there are siblings nearby—in the city, there is a current shortage of forced labor, and you can use labor to offset taxes."

Forced labor?

Hearing these words, everyone shivered.

Those who served as forced laborers rarely returned alive.

"Good, I see everyone's silence means no issues; so that's how it will be."

"I have something to say."

Among the crowd, Shen Qing slowly stepped forward and approached the two tax officials.

"What is it?"

"Sir, how much is your life worth?"

"Hmm? How dare you!"

Thud!

The tax official hadn't finished.

Shen Qing brought his fingers together, striking at lightning speed toward the officer's throat, deeply piercing it.

Wind Defying Finger.

A deadly strike.

"Ho ho ho... you…"

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