Emperor Ming Dynasty

Chapter 264
The scorching sun was in the sky, and the entire Jiujiang City was bustling.

Zheng Sen brought a few servants to the so-called service department.

The full name is the Huguang Office in Jiujiang.

Although Jiujiang City is still affiliated to Jiangxi in theory, it is actually controlled by King Yu, and Yiying Yamen pretended to be confused and was incorporated.

The other yamen remain unchanged, but they must follow the advice of the service department.

The long line is like an irregular long snake, twisted and crooked, and it can't be seen at a glance.

Looking at it, Zheng Sen couldn't help sighing: "There are so many people in Jiujiang City who want to go to Huguang!"

"Yes!"

Several businessmen in line sighed: "You have to come here yourself, otherwise it won't work, it's too troublesome."

"Hey, if you don't have a guide, you won't be able to pay the customs duties, and you will suffer a lot at that time."

At this time, the ears of the big man on the side moved, and he couldn't help but understand.

"How do you say that?" Zheng Senqi said, "Wouldn't it be better not to pay customs duties?"

The big man's face was full of fat, and seeing Zheng Sen's appearance as a young master, he couldn't help but smile kindly: "This young master doesn't know something, under King Yu's banner, the tax is only collected this time."

It turns out that every merchant ship or trader entering Huguang must pay customs duties, and the prerequisite for paying taxes is Luyin.

After paying this tax, there will be no more toll tariffs when entering the province. It can be said that the journey is unimpeded, saving a lot of time and cost.

"What if there is no guide?"

"There is no guide? Then you will be arrested and serve corvee for half a year. Some people will suffer."

The businessman said with lingering fear: "I have encountered this before. Two hundred catties of fat meat, after half a year, it is only one hundred and twenty catties. Fat pigs have become thin sheep."

Zheng Sen frowned, why are you so strict?

Could it be that the king of Yu used heavy codes in troubled times?
It seems that the idea of ​​smuggling is serious.

"How much is the tax paid?"

Zheng Sen looked at the endless queue, and suddenly realized that this is a great wealth, not a small amount.

"The road guide is here, and the tariff is in Huguang."

The businessman said softly: "Ten tax one to ten tax three, the young master doesn't look like a businessman, if you are interested, you can go and have a look."

"That high?"

"It's not too high, what about Sichuan? No more money to go in."

Zheng Sen was stunned, this is darker than his own home, [-]% of the travel expenses, it is really terrible.

Thinking in his heart, he couldn't wait to look back and forth, there was a sea of ​​people, and he couldn't see the end at a glance.

How much does this cost!

The long wait wears people's hearts away. Even though he was surprised for a long time, Zheng Sen has run out of patience.

"My lord, are you going to Huguang?"

At this time, a thin man with a philistine face looking around asked with a smile.

"What?" Zheng Sen's heart skipped a beat.

"With one tael of silver, you can get the road guide in advance."

The thin man said with a smile.

"My lord, it will be here in half an hour at most, there is no need to spend this little money."

The fat businessman beside him shuddered, and hurriedly persuaded him.

Zheng Sen raised his eyebrows and ignored the persuasion: "Really?"

"It's natural."

The thin man lowered his head and said, "My relative works in the administrative department. Not only can you register in advance, but you can also get the road guide right away."

"And, when it's finished, at least half a day can be saved."

"For half a day, wouldn't it be more comfortable for you to go to the brothel to eat and drink than to wait here?"

These words deeply moved Zheng Sen, one tael of silver bought half a day, no matter how you look at it, it was worth it.

The fat businessman was also tempted, but thinking about money, he gritted his teeth again.

Soon, Zheng Sen was led into the Office of the Office from the other side, and saw a group of bustling people.

The thin man went around all the way, came to a room, knocked on the door, and when it was opened, a small official in soap clothes didn't even lift his head, obviously familiar with it:

"Name, place of origin, age, purpose of going to Huguang..."

Zheng Sen was not afraid of anything, so he made up a fake name and used it as an excuse to study and play, and fooled it.

The man didn't ask, he looked up and wrote:

Five feet five inches in length, with a short beard on the chin, regular facial features, thick eyebrows and big eyes...

In almost a few sentences, Zheng Sen was written about Lu Yin.

The servants around me were no exception, and paid a few taels of silver.

Immediately, he realized the value of the money.

Almost ten stamps were stamped in half a quarter of an hour, and if you line up in order, you will have to work for at least half a day.

A tael of silver is naturally worth it.

After getting the road guide in advance, Zheng Sen naturally didn't have to wait in line, and went directly to the boat and left Jiujiang.

This is not only half a day, if you count the time of closing the city gate, it is a whole night plus half a day.

"Even if it is silver, it cannot escape the rules."

Although Zheng Sen spent money to go the other way, he deeply understood that this group of people just sped up the steps, not that they forged a fake one for him.

Rules, this is what impressed him the most.

However, it is obvious that the speed can be accelerated, so why deliberately delay the time?

For Jiangnan?
All conjectures appeared in his mind.

Every move and every move profoundly interprets King Yu's attitude towards Nanjing.

Stopping and stopping along the way, he was deeply touched.

Although Huguang is still not as good as Jiangnan, it has more order and hope.

The shabby farmer is willing to serve the crops even in hot weather. He told Zheng Sen:

King Yu only collected one bucket per mu of land, and as long as he took good care of it, the more productive ones would be his own.

"Furthermore, King Yu exempted Liao's and Lian's salaries, and did not allow those officials and gentlemen to collect taxes casually, which made it much easier."

In the vibrant rice fields, there are countless such farmers.

And on the Jianghe official road, the inns that have sprung up from the ground are almost overcrowded.

Ships, horses, almost no vacant space.

The businessmen who came and went were in high spirits, constantly clamoring to make money.

There are no tax cards between counties, the official roads are neat and open, and there are post stations where you can rest your feet.

Especially those officials and gentlemen, they dare not stretch out their hands at will, which is the greatest good news for small traders.

Listening to his words, Zheng Sen sat upright, and the tea in his mouth became more and more unpleasant.

"If you want me to say, it has to be the joy of suppressing the bandits."

A burly man opened his clothes and said enthusiastically: "In the past, there were no 80 people. Even if the sky is bright and bright, how dare we follow the official path?"

"Nowadays, three or five of us are just walking together. Don't say that we don't see those thieves and bandits. Even the beasts are few. Before, we wanted to make a jacket with a wolf."

"Hey, you smoked the jackals away with urine, right?"

In an instant, everyone laughed, and the entire station was filled with cheerful atmosphere.

Upon hearing this, Zheng Sen put down his teacup.

Not good, very bad.

Farmers and merchants all like Yu Wang and forget about the court, and they don't know what happened to the scholar-bureaucrats...

(End of this chapter)