Allure of a Country Maiden-Chapter 54 - 52 Tax and Labor

Chapter 54: Chapter 52 Tax and Labor

Chapter 54 -52 Tax and Labor

Xiao’er arrived home just as Shen Chengyao was returning, “Father, where have you been?

You’re just getting home now?”

“Xiao’er is back, I just came back from the village chief’s house.” The father and daughter entered the house together.

Seeing that they had returned, Mrs.

Liu began to serve dinner, “Perfect timing.

You’re both back.

Let’s eat first.”

Xiao’er washed her hands and face before sitting down at the table, “Father, did you go to Uncle Village Chief’s house because of the wasteland reclamation?”

“Yes, the village chief agreed to persuade others on our behalf tomorrow.

He’s also convening a village meeting to discuss tax collection and labor service.”

“What percentage of taxes are we to pay this year?” Mrs.

Liu asked upon hearing this.

“It’s the same as last year, thirty percent.

This is because the past two years have been poor, and the Imperial Court is accommodating the people.

The taxes are likely to be raised next year.” Shen Chengyao repeated what the village chief had told him.

“And what about the labor service?

When should we serve?

How many people does each household need to provide?”

“For the labor service, households with fewer than two adult men need to send one, those with three to four adult men need to send two, and those with five or more adult men need to send three.

We have to leave in five days and we are expected to work for one month.”

“We’ve already chosen the day to start building our house, but father will be busy then.

Can we pay silver to substitute for it?” With so many things going on, if Shen Chengyao had to undergo labor service, they may as well not build the house.

The labor service was a laborious task.

There was no pay, and the work typically involved improving irrigation, road repair, and bridge construction – all public welfare projects, so no salary was given.

Some people might be assigned to temple construction which pays ten coins a day.

Hence, many people were reluctant to perform labor service, but it was compulsory.

“We need to pay 20 taels of silver per person as a substitute.” Shen Chengyao hesitated, considering the fact that 20 taels were quite hefty, and he was reluctant to part with that much.

Still, staying home could help with many ongoing tasks, like building the house.

“Even if it’s fifty taels, we must pay it.

We cannot start the house construction and wasteland reclamation without you, father.” Considering the requirement to pay 20 taels per person to avoid labor service, it appeared that the national treasury was empty and seeking to extract silver from the wealthy.

Most ordinary people wouldn’t be willing to pay 20 taels, considering the amount of work needed to save that much.

“Our home construction can be postponed.”

“No, I want to live in a new house.” Upon hearing Shen Chengyao’s words, Xiao’er immediately lapsed into being a stubborn child.

“I also want to live in a new house.” Jinghao seconded the motion.

“Then let’s pay the 20 taels.” Seeing that his children disagreed, Shen Chengyao gave in.

“The eldest brother’s family also returned today, probably for the labor service.” Mrs.

Liu changed the topic.

“The eldest brother’s family must send two people for labor service.

Neither the eldest brother nor Wen’er has done it before.

They’ve probably returned to discuss the matter.” Whenever there was labor service, Shen Chengzong, Shen Chengyao, and Shen Chengzu would go.

The main family had never been before.

This year, the main family, including the old master, needed to send two people.

If the old master were to go, Shen Chengguang and Shen Jingwen would be figuratively ‘drowned in spit’ by the villagers.

Sure enough, not long after dinner, Shen Chengyao was called to the main house.

“Mother, Father,” Shen Chengyao greeted his parents upon entering the main house before turning to Shen Chengguang, “Eldest brother has come.”

“Third brother, come sit over here,” Shen Chengzu was also called into the main house.

“Old Third, I heard you bought land to build a house.

Impressive indeed.

I didn’t think the first to buy land after the split would be you, Old Third.

Did you buy one acre or two of wasteland?

Have you prepared the clay bricks?” The tone of Shen Chengzong’s voice could not be described as friendly.

It was sharp and satirical, full of veiled criticisms.

“If you can’t talk properly, then keep quiet!” Mr.

Shen glared at Shen Chengzong.

Shen Chengyao paid no mind to his brother’s sarcastic remarks, and after sitting down next to Shen Chengzu, he asked, “Dad, did you call us brothers here to discuss something?”

“Isn’t your eldest brother in town, getting news faster?

We’ll have to start paying taxes and doing labor service in a few days.

I just wanted to ask what your plans were.”

Shen Chengzong, having invested all his money in a profitable business in the North and South through his sister-in-law Mrs.

Li’s brothers, said, “My family has no money, we have lost everything, of course we have to give food and perform labor work.”

“Fortunately, our Hua’er is only 13 years old and still has a year to go before reaching 14, so he doesn’t have to do labor service.

I went and did it for a month in the past years, and I almost lost my life.” He intentionally gloated at the main family.

This year, after the family split, the main family couldn’t avoid the fate of labor service.

In previous years, Mr.

Shen always defended them, arguing that someone who is educated, although he has not achieved the rank of a scholar, at least he is a student, and how could he be expected to perform labor service.

“My family is planning to build a house and can’t spare the manpower, I think I will pay the tax directly with food, and use silver to replace labor service.”

Mr.

Shen paused when he heard this, then returned to his senses.

Probably Shen Chengyao didn’t know that those who didn’t want to do labor service this year had to pay 20 taels of silver.

In the past, it only took five taels to replace labor service with silver.

“This year, if you don’t perform labor service, each person has to pay 20 taels.”

Shen Chengyao didn’t react much upon hearing this; he already knew.

However, Shen Chengzong and Shen Chengzu were surprised.

“Why does it cost so much silver this year, and how much tax is being collected?” Shen Chengzu hurriedly asked.

Although his family is small, according to past years, after paying the tax with the crop yield, it is just enough to feed a family, with very little surplus.

If the tax is increased, even getting by will be a problem.

“The tax hasn’t changed, it’s still 30%.” Mr.

Shen shook his head.

Shen Chengzu was relieved to hear this, “I also plan to pay directly with food and perform labor service.” To say nothing of his family not having that much silver, even if they did, he wouldn’t want to spend it.

Going out to work for a year wouldn’t earn you 20 taels, let alone working for just a month.

It was just a month’s hard labor, after all.

He was used to it and didn’t think much of it.

Mr.

Shen and Shen Chengguang were both surprised that Shen Chengyao had not reacted strongly.

Shen Chengguang’s eyes rolled, had their third brother’s family become wealthy?

They could afford to bring out 20 taels of silver.

Mr.

Shen sighed: “There are drawbacks to dividing the family after all.

In the past, it was enough to send three people per family for labor service, but now our family has to send five.

Jingwen is still just a lad, reading books from a young age, and being a student, he must never do labor service.

He must not ruin his health and hinder his studies.

Your eldest brother has to manage the shop and can’t go either, so the only one from the main family who can go is me.”

“What are you talking about?

You’re already old, if you go to serve a month’s labor, it’s uncertain if you’ll make it back alive.

What are all these sons for, let them pay a bit of silver and you won’t have to go.

If they don’t pay, I’ll go to the government and report them right away,” Mrs.

Shen glared fiercely at her three sons sitting below.

Shen Chengzong became upset when he heard this.

“Mom, we’ve just split the family, you know that the ten taels my family got were all given away to Hu, the housekeeper.

Where did my family still have silver?

Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t.

If I could divide myself into two, I’d go replace dad instantly without a second thought!

Young people should go and perform labor service to polish themselves.

If we let an old man go instead, forget about becoming an official in the future.” After saying this, he looked at Shen Chengguang.

“What are you saying, second son?

It’s my own decision to go, it’s not anyone else’s business.” Mr.

Shen was displeased with the words belittling his eldest grandson.

Shen Chengyao kept quiet, even though he thought it wasn’t right for his elder brother and nephew to think this way.

But he also knew his father always pampered them since childhood.

As for his nephew going to perform labor service, he didn’t think he was up for it.

With his father going, he felt it was the normal course to follow.

His family had just agreed that if Mr.

Shen went, they would give five taels of silver.

The five taels of silver could be quickly earned back by going into the mountains more in the future.

Shen Chengzu was also in a dilemma, but since his mother had said so, he had no choice.

After the family split, he hadn’t really used the ten taels his family received.

He did have silver to spare after all.

Ah, he had planned to save a few more taels of silver to build a house.

Looks like the plan to build the house will have to be put off again.

“Anyway, I don’t have any silver to pay, Dad, you know this.

If you really want money, ask the third and fourth brother, the third brother has money to buy land and build a house, can’t he afford ten or eight taels?

Without one or two hundred taels, who would dare to build a house from green bricks and large tiles.” Obviously someone had forgotten that he had just criticized them for wanting to build a house made of mud bricks.

“Alright, the third and fourth, you two will pay ten taels each, then we’re done here.

You can all leave” Mrs.

Shen didn’t want to hear their nonsense anymore, she directly gave orders and dismissed them.

That left Shen Chengyao and Shen Chengzu stunned, were they asking them to pay everything?!