Chapter 75: Big Stick and Sweet Dates

"Have you heard the news?"

"Where did General Lin come from? Which senior official in the court did he rely on?"

"Do you think that if each of us contributed some money to the Shangshu in the capital, could we avoid this disaster?"

"The Shangshu is a distant water that cannot solve the immediate fire!"

In the main hall of the Li family, most of the gentry in Chicang County gathered here to discuss countermeasures.

Naturally.

The focus of these gentry's discussion was Lin Chen's fatal official notice to check the land tax.

As a gentry who was rampant in the countryside, the Chicang County government had to give some face, so when paying taxes, they naturally tried every means to deduct.

In the last years of ancient dynasties, most of them would experience a fiscal austerity situation.

In short, the court had no money.

Where is the money?

This requires asking landlords and gentry like Li Xi.

Take the Li family as an example.

There are hundreds of tenant farmers who are attached to the Li family.

These people nominally rented the Li family's land to cultivate, so they naturally did not need to pay taxes.

The Li family, which should have paid the taxes for these tenants, had previously enjoyed a back-up relationship, so no one in Chicang County dared to collect them.

Now, once the land tax is investigated, these gentry will definitely bleed a lot.

Li Xi looked at the flickering eyes of the people present and shook his head.

Fortunately, the Li family surrendered early, so they didn't have to mix with these insects to fight against the government.

Seeing that Li Xi didn't speak, the gentry present were like ants on a hot pot, anxious.

A long-bearded man wearing a Sichuan brocade robe and a plump figure couldn't stand it anymore, and bowed to Li Xi again and said:

"Brother Li, you have to say a few words, what should we do?"

Everyone present looked at Li Xi, and there was hope on their faces.

After all, in Chicang County, the Li family has the highest status.

Li Xi laughed at this, drank a sip of tea, and still didn't plan to say anything.

After all, he couldn't make the decision on this matter, and everything depended on General Lin.

There was no need for the Li family to upset the general for these people.

Seeing that Li Xi was still hesitant to express his opinion, everyone looked a little ugly, and they knew in their hearts that the Li family had made a decision and would not go along with them.

"In that case, we are busy with affairs, so we'll leave first."

At this time, seven or eight gentry stood up with ugly expressions and were about to leave.

"Brother Wang Zhi!"

"Alas!"

Seeing that the gentry headed by Wang Zhi left without looking back, the rest of the people hesitated.

Li Xi looked at the confident back of Wang Zhi, his eyes flickered.

The Wang family has only been rich for more than ten years, and it is said that they have something to do with a martial arts sect called the Money Gang.

This sect has mixed reputations.

As long as they have money, the other party dares to do anything, and is ranked alongside Fengyu Tower as the only two killer organizations in the martial arts world.

Could it be?

Li Xi was shocked by his own guess.

Could it be that Wang Zhi wanted to hire the people of the Money Gang to kill Lin Chen, the troublesome court military officer?

While Li Xi was hesitating, the other gentry also stood up and said goodbye.

Only the middle-aged man in brocade robe stayed and looked at Li Xi with suspicion.

This man was called Lin Hua, the head of the Lin family, and he was very close to the Li family.

"Brother Li, why didn't you say something just now?" Lin Hua asked with a puzzled look.

"Brother Lin." Li Xi motioned him to be patient. "Come with me to see someone."

Lin Hua didn't understand what he said, but he also stood up and followed Li Xi to the inner hall.

I saw a group of mighty soldiers standing on both sides of the inner hall!

This scene shocked Lin Hua.

It turned out that General Lin, who they were discussing how to deal with, had already arrived at the Li family!

No wonder Li Xi, the old fox, didn't express his position, but he had already chosen a team.

"Brother Lin, the Li and Lin families are of the same blood."

Li Xi kindly advised Lin Hua not to go against the court.

After all, Lin Chen really had a knife in his hand.

When Lin Hua heard what Li Xi said, his expression changed, and then he nodded with difficulty.

"Thank you, Brother Li, for informing me in advance." Lin Hua bowed to Li Xi gratefully.

Seeing this, Li Xi's face was relieved a lot.

"Let's go, follow me to pay a visit to General Lin."

Lin Chen did not touch the tea placed beside him, and Li Xi's legitimate son Li Cheng'an was receiving him on one side.

What he didn't expect was.

In addition to Li Cheng'an, there was also Li Xunhuan who was winking at him.

That look was saying, brother, we meet again.

As for the obscure sight that looked at him from time to time, it also made Lin Chen's mouth twitch undetectably.

I didn't expect that the main family of the Li family was related to Li Xunhuan.

The atmosphere in the inner hall was a little weird.

However, when Li Xi and Lin Hua came in, the atmosphere eased.

"General Lin!" Li Xi smiled and introduced Lin Hua beside him.

"I meet General Lin!" Lin Hua was very respectful.

Lin Chen raised his hand to signal him not to be so restrained.

"Do you know why this general is here?" Lin Chen looked at Li Xi with a burning gaze.

"I don't know."

"There are starving people everywhere in Chicang County. You gentry don't think about disaster relief, but force the hungry people to buy land. Don't you take the court's laws seriously?"

Lin Chenyi's words defined the nature of the gentry in Chicang County.

Sure enough.

Li Xi and Lin Hua, who heard these words, looked tense.

Not taking the law seriously, at the least, is to be lawless.

At the most, it is the same as the White Lotus thieves.

Just when Lin Chen was beating up Li Xi and Lin Hua, Li Xunhuan looked at Lin Chen with a strange look in his eyes.

This official young master who had passed the imperial examinations in three gates and seven Jinshis also knew the learning of being an official.

The county magistrate of Chicang County, Li Xunhuan, also disliked him and thought he was a corrupt person.

But he didn't expect that this court military officer, although a general, had a lot of literary talent in his conversation.

A man of both civil and military talents!

This made Li Xunhuan want to make friends with Lin Chen even more.

Lin Chen naturally didn't know what Li Xunhuan was thinking, and he was still beating up the two.

"Investigate the land tax, do you have any objections?"

"Objection?"

Li Xi subconsciously looked at Lin Hua and smiled helplessly.

The knife was clamped on his neck, what objection could there be?

Lin Hua and Li Xi shook their heads in unison.

In that case.

Lin Chen's attitude towards the Li and Lin families who were willing to cooperate was slightly softened.

As the saying goes, one hand is a big stick and the other hand is a sweet date.

After the beating, some compensation should be given.

"This general intends to recruit hungry people, provide work-for-relief in Chicang County, build new water conservancy projects, and open up wasteland."

Hmm?

Li Xi and Lin Hua looked confused when they heard this.

What is work-for-relief?

After Lin Chen briefly explained it to the two of them.

The eyes of the two family heads lit up.

According to Li Xi, the Chicang County government will recruit hungry people, and then build new water conservancy projects around Chicang County.

These traditional gentry know the benefits of water conservancy projects.

But why are they unwilling to do it?

It's nothing more than not wanting to sacrifice themselves for the benefit of others.

Water conservancy projects are one aspect.

According to Lin Chen's meaning.

The newly opened wasteland can be exempted from taxes for two years.

This rule also applies to large families such as the Li and Lin families.

You know, this is a good opportunity to expand the share of land legally and in compliance with regulations.

The two of them immediately stepped forward and bowed, saying:

"The Li (Lin) family is willing to cooperate with your administration!"

...