Chapter 105: Going to the Countryside to Collect Grain Taxes

After leaving the county office, they saw a carriage circling around from the back gate. Master Zheng sat inside, lifting the curtain.

Li Yi was somewhat surprised and said, “Master Zheng, are you also going to press for the grain tax?”

Master Zheng smiled and replied, “Inspector Li, I am here under the county magistrate’s orders to investigate the situation.”

“Are you not afraid the people might riot?” Li Yi asked.

“With you, Inspector Li, here, everything will surely be safe,” Zheng said confidently.

This only made Li Yi feel more uneasy.

The group headed westward, climbing several slopes along the dusty road. The sun was fierce, and sweat poured down their faces.

After two breaks, they arrived at Yang Family Village.

This was the largest village west of Mizhi County, and the villagers were busy watering their fields.

Upon seeing the officials arrive, many villagers hurried back to report.

Soon, the previously scattered villagers were organized, each carrying shovels, hoes, and sickles, blocking the road with fierce determination.

The county clerks grew weak in the knees at the sight.

The clerk, shrinking back nervously, pointed at the villagers and said, “Master, Inspector, we don’t know what madness has struck these troublemakers this year. As soon as our men arrived, nearly a hundred surrounded us. Scaring them off is impossible, and we can’t fight them. The usual methods of binding, beating, or threatening relatives to collect taxes are all useless now. If this keeps up, we’ll be the ones getting beaten. How can we collect the taxes then?”

Master Zheng’s scalp tingled as he looked at the fierce villagers, then turned to Li Yi.

Though secretly the leader of the Farmers’ Association, Li Yi was still officially an officer.

He calmly said, “Let’s go in first and see.”

Presence and reputation matter. With the dreaded Li Yi nearby, the clerks felt much more confident.

No matter how many unruly peasants there were, with Inspector Li around, who would fear a crowd of farmers?

The clerks gripped their water and fire staves tightly and strode toward Yang Family Village.

“Listen up! We are government officials, and the one on horseback behind us is the Inspector of Suijin Town. Smart ones, step aside,” shouted the clerk loudly.

The previously fierce villagers quietly put down their weapons and made way.

The clerks, relieved but almost moved to tears, thought, “Damn, after all the beatings and scoldings lately, today we can finally act like real officials. How nostalgic.”

Li Yi nodded toward the Farmers’ Association steward in the crowd and rode his horse into the village.

The clerks shouted, “Where does Liu Changti live?”

The surrounding villagers refused to answer.

One clerk glanced back at Li Yi, standing nearby, and immediately felt emboldened.

A man stepped forward, grabbed a villager by the collar, and sneered, “The master is asking you a question. Tell us, where does Liu Changti live?”

The villager snorted coldly, ignoring him without a word.

The clerk habitually raised his hand to strike, but the villagers immediately surrounded him with fierce looks, causing him to lower his hand in fear.

“Don’t get impulsive! The Inspector is right behind me. Assaulting an official is a grave offense,” the clerk warned.

Hearing this, the angry villagers calmed but still blocked the way.

The clerk dared not strike and turned, pleading with Li Yi for help.

Suppressing a smile, Li Yi dismounted, stepped forward, parted the villagers, and counseled, “The officials are asking questions. Answer properly.”

The villagers obediently stepped aside.

The clerks felt empowered again and barked, “Speak up! Where does Liu Changti live?”

A villager pointed toward a distant courtyard. “Over there.”

The clerk snorted and cursed, “You troublemakers never learn until it’s too late. Help the officials do their job, or you’ll regret it.”

Then, pushing past the blocking villagers, they stormed into the tax debtor’s home.

Several clerks kicked open the courtyard gate and burst inside with cruel faces, swinging their water and fire staves to smash everything.

With a loud crack, a huge pottery jar shattered, water spilling everywhere.

Clothes hung out to dry were thrown to the ground and trampled.

A woman rushed out and tried to stop them but was immediately pushed down, left crying helplessly on the ground.

The clerks paid no attention and continued their rampage inside, dragging out a limping man.

Two children, terrified, ran out and hid in the woman’s arms.

The woman wept, begging for mercy, but the clerks ignored her and clamped their staves on the limping man, who howled in pain.

This stirred unrest among the villagers, who quickly gathered around.

Someone shouted, “Stop hitting him!”

Others angrily echoed, “No hitting! No hitting!”

The clerks saw Li Yi standing nearby and showed no fear.

Raising their staves, they stepped forward and shouted at the villagers, “Officials are just doing their job! You troublemakers don’t get a say here. Anyone who continues to make trouble will be locked up. Let’s see who’s not afraid of death—we’ll skin you alive!”

A villager stepped forward with a blank expression and said, “Sir, you’re here on orders, and we don’t obstruct. But who said acting on orders means you can abuse and beat people at will?”

“Oh? So there really is someone who’s not afraid to die,” sneered the clerk.

The clerk approached with a mocking grin, pointing at the villager. “There really is a lowlife like you in this world. What if I beat you? If you’re not satisfied, you can hit me. I’ll see if you dare.”

The villager glared furiously.

The clerk smiled disdainfully and leaned in with a chuckle. “What’s wrong? Not brave enough? If you hit me today, and your whole family still survives, then I’m a dog.”

The villager clenched his teeth and looked toward Li Yi.

Li Yi offered a subtle encouraging smile and turned away.

“I guess you won’t dare…” the clerk taunted.

Smack!

Before he could pull back, a sharp slap landed on his face.

The slap was swift and fierce, leaving a clear red handprint on half his face and stars in his eyes.

He clutched his face in disbelief.

After half a second, he snapped back and cursed angrily, “How dare you hit me? This is rebellion! Today, I’ll make sure you suffer.”

He lunged forward to grab the villager who struck him.

At that moment, the surrounding villagers surged forward, scaring him into retreat.

Seeing the crowd’s strength, the clerk glared fiercely and turned to Li Yi. “Inspector, someone has assaulted an official.”

Li Yi stood with his hands behind his back, surveying the scene, smiling as he said, “Assaulted? When did that happen? I didn’t see anything.”

“Didn’t see?” The clerk was taken aback, then boldly grabbed the villager who had slapped him and shouted, “Inspector, this is the one who hit my subordinate.”

Li Yi looked at the Farmers’ Association steward being grabbed, suppressing a laugh as he sharply asked, “Bold of you—did you just hit an official?”

The steward smiled and shook his head. “Inspector, how could I possibly hit an official?”

“He’s the one who did it, everyone saw it,” the nearby clerks chimed in.

Master Zheng’s face darkened as he looked at Li Yi, sensing something amiss.

The steward cleverly turned to the gathered villagers and called out, “Friends, did I just hit an official?”

The villagers loudly responded, “No, you didn’t.”

A mischievous voice shouted, “I only saw you hit a dog, not an official.”

Laughter erupted like thunder among the villagers.