Exile with Storage Space: Family Fortunes in the Barren Lands Chapter 557 - 0518 Another Reason (1)

The villagers who led the way looked into the house a few tis, waved to the hoowner, and then left.

The hoowner walked into the house, smiled, and greeted everyone, "It’s cold, drink more." Then he called his wife to bring so wine.

Second Young Master Lou rubbed his forehead, "This wine really goes to my head, that’s enough, we want to eat sothing and rest early, we have to travel early tomorrow."

Lou Chengye, also feeling dizzy, shook his head, "Second Brother, I think... I can still drink a bit."

"You want to drink? Buy it yourself, I have no money left."

"Second Brother, can you lend so?" Lou Chengye tugged at the sleeve of Second Young Master Lou.

Second Young Master Lou refused to give any, pulling back his sleeve, "No money, no money, we have to buy goods in Qingyang County, where would I have money to buy you wine?"

The hoowner and his wife exchanged looks.

"Stingy." Lou Chengye yawned, "So tired, so sleepy."

"Feeling sleepy, little brother? I’ll make a fire pot for you, warm yourself by the fire." The hoowner said with a smile.

Second Young Master Lou said, "Well, hurry up. We’re all tired and want to rest early."

"Alright, wait a mont." The hoowner went to find a fire pot.

His wife followed him to the backyard.

The couple whispered in the kitchen.

"Seventh Uncle said that the drug is quite strong; just a pot of wine is enough. If we give them another pot, it may arouse their suspicion," the hoowner’s wife whispered.

The hoowner touched his chin, "You’re right. Two young ones are already groggy; no need for more wine, it costs money to brew it."

"Then quickly get the fire pot ready and let them sleep," said the hoowner’s wife.

"Understood."

The two prepared a large fire pot and carried it into the side room.

After dinner, Second Young Master Lou instructed people to carry the luggage into the resting room and told four guards to take turns in pairs to keep watch over the mule cart and horses during the night.

The rest of them rested in a room arranged by the hoowner.

Two guards took night watch, and eight others squeezed into a small room.

The beds were far from enough.

They laid dry grass on the floor and sat down, leaning against each other, warming themselves by the fire and dozing off.

Because they had been forewarned that the hoowner might harm them for their money, no one dared to really sleep; they just leaned against the wall with their eyes closed for rest.

Lou Chengye was especially alert, paying close attention to any sounds outside.

At so unknown point in the night, a few people stealthily approached the house.

One among them tiptoed to the mule cart and pushed the two dozing guards, who didn’t react and continued their deep snoring.

"Seventh Uncle, they’re fast asleep."

"Let’s go inside."

Just then, the main door of the house suddenly opened, and the hoowner ca out, "Seventh Uncle, everyone inside is sound asleep; we can move now."

"Alright, everyone head into the house, grab the things, and let’s go," this person instructed in a low voice.

"Got it, Seventh Uncle."

Four people, along with the hoowner and his wife, bent over, stepped lightly, and entered the house.

The hoowner’s wife openly lit candles for light.

They pushed open the door to the side room, and several people imdiately got busy.

But at that mont, Lou Chengye suddenly opened his eyes.

He rushed forward, grabbed one person, and punched hard, "Second Brother, Third Brother, Fourth Brother, wake up!"

Everyone else in the room also opened their eyes, with soone shouting loudly, "You have so nerve, breaking in to steal?"

The two guards sleeping inside the room imdiately got into a fight with the invaders.

Outside, the two "unconscious" guards drew their swords from the mule cart, with one guarding the cart and the other charging into the house.

"Seventh Uncle, they weren’t drugged!"

"Charge in, snatch what we can!"

Instantly, the house turned into chaos.

Though young, Lou Chengye was not lacking in strength.

He moved swiftly and soon subdued "Seventh Uncle."

"Stop everything! Move even a bit, and I’ll snap his neck!" Lou Chengye shouted loudly.

The guard with the sword placed it against "Seventh Uncle’s" neck.

The hoowner’s wife scread in fright, and Second Young Master Lou shouted, "Shut up, make another noise, and you won’t live!"

The woman, terrified, imdiately fell silent.

A guard rushed over and tied her up.

The leader, "Seventh Uncle," was caught, and the others, facing the guards’ swords, were all frightened.

They all knelt down and begged for rcy.

Second Young Master Lou walked up to them with his hands behind his back, "You’re quite bold, deceiving people to co, drugging to steal and kill! Don’t you want to live?"

"Young Master, spare us, we were forced into this with no other way. We used to be honest farrs." One of them pleaded with tears.

"Don’t insult the term ’honest people.’ Honest people don’t commit such acts of drugging, harming, and stealing." Second Young Master Lou sneered.

"Second brother, report to the authorities." Third Young Master Lou suggested.

"No! Please don’t report us, we will do anything you ask." "Seventh Uncle" also begged for rcy.

Lou Chengye looked at these people and said, "Second brother, I think sothing is fishy here, let’s interrogate them first."

He saved everyone, and Second Young Master Lou felt a bit of admiration for his younger brother, so he said, "Let’s do as Fifth Brother suggests. Third and Fourth Brothers, interrogate them!"

Third Young Master Lou and Fourth Young Master Lou each found a stick and began to interrogate the villagers.

Before torture was applied, these people started speaking out the truth.

It turned out that last autumn, the governnt had levied high taxes on the villagers, requiring each person to pay ten taels of silver to repair village roads and the stone bridge.

For people from an even poorer village than Taohua River Village, ten taels of silver per person, fifty taels for a family of five, seventy taels for seven, was an astronomical tax!

If the tax wasn’t paid, the strong laborers would be conscripted into the military to guard the borders.

Although dozens of taels were a lot, with so hardship and thriftiness over two or three years, they could save it up.

However, once a person was taken away, they might never return. As long as a person was at ho, money could eventually be earned back, but if they’re not there, the loss is a permanent one.

Many families had no choice but to take out high-interest loans and pay the head tax silver.

But borrowed silver had to be repaid.

At the end of last year, so families, unable to repay the high-interest loans, had to sell their children, while others turned to stealing.

Lou Chengye thought of the horse and provisions lost near the bridge last year and coldly asked, "I ask you, on the twenty-fifth of winter last year, soone had tied a chestnut horse with a white streak on its forehead to a tree by the bridge. Who stole that horse?"

The few people glanced at Lou Chengye and then looked at "Seventh Uncle."

Lou Chengye sneered, "Oh, it was you who stole it."

He had just entered the bushes to relieve himself, and in that short ti, the horse was gone.

Along with around two hundred taels of silver and several fine cloaks.

Without money and belongings, he lived a wandering life and nearly froze to death during the snow.

Rembering last year’s predicant, Lou Chengye’s anger boiled, and he kicked "Seventh Uncle" hard.

"Seventh Uncle" was tied up and unable to move.

He sighed, "Little Young Master, I was forced to the brink and had no choice but to take this path. But rest assured, the horse is still tied up at my ho, as for the silver..., it’s been divided among several families to pay the taxes."

Second Young Master Lou looked at these people, "Every year the governnt collects tax silver, and a notice is posted about it. Was there an official docunt issued for this ten taels of head tax?"

Ten taels of silver, was this issued by the county governnt? Or was soone perpetrating a scam?

To ask for ten taels per person, how is that different from robbery?

Driven to robbery, who would dare pass through here?

Second Young Master Lou felt his anger rising.

The villagers looked at each other and then all at Second Young Master Lou, "We’ve never seen such an official docunt."

"Who notified you about the tax silver?" Second Young Master Lou asked again.

"It was people from the county governnt who ca to collect." A villager said.

Second Young Master Lou narrowed his eyes, "County governnt?"

A re county governnt has no right to collect taxes personally; only the State Governnt can decide on taxation.

Third Young Master Lou said, "Second brother, this matter seems complicated."

Second Young Master Lou glanced at the villagers, "You say the county governnt levied heavy taxes on your village, forcing you to desperation, leading to such thefts. We can’t just take your word for it; I have to check the evidence."

The villagers anxiously said, "If Young Master does not believe us, you may inquire in the village, but if you question the county governnt people, it’s unlikely you’ll find anything."

"Seventh Uncle" sneered, "You’re just rchants, what will you find out?"

Second Young Master Lou looked at him, "I must know if your villagers are colluding together to fabricate this."

"Young Master doesn’t believe us, we have nothing to say." "Seventh Uncle" snorted heavily and turned his head.

Second Young Master Lou glanced at these people and said to the guards, "Tie them all up, I want to investigate this matter overnight."

"Yes, Second Young Master." Several guards found ropes, tying the others up together with the couple who owned the house, and locked them in another bedroom.

Second Young Master Lou assigned two guards to watch these people and began discussing the matter with everyone.

"Villagers live together from generation to generation, when one prospers, all prosper; when one suffers, all suffer. Neighborly relations are far better than those in towns. Unless there’s enmity between individuals, villagers generally won’t offer information. We’ll have to co up with a good thod to verify." Second Young Master Lou said, "We must think of a suitable thod to check."

Lou Chengye pondered for a mont, "Big brother, let go inquire."