In the sixteenth year of Great Liang Dezheng, the scorching August sun baked Zhao Family Village, and the air was filled with the dry, hot smell of dust.
Wu Guohua squatted in the vegetable garden, his fingers gently parting the leaves of a tomato plant, checking the ripe, red fruit on it.
Sweat trickled down his forehead, forming dark little circles on the soil.
During this period, after the pumpkins mutated and evolved, other vegetables also evolved one after another, allowing them to be planted all four seasons of the year, so the Wu Family would never lack vegetables again.
"Guohua! Come back quickly!" Third Uncle Wu Wenwu's urgent shout suddenly came from the direction of the courtyard.
Wu Guohua's heart tightened, and the tomato in his hand almost dropped.
Third Uncle's voice held a rare panic.
He quickly stood up, patted the mud from his trousers, and jogged back.
Before he even entered the courtyard gate, he heard a sharp voice shouting: "...It's written clearly in black and white! Is your Wu Family trying to resist paying taxes?"
In the courtyard stood two constables in black uniforms, iron rulers hanging from their waists, their faces grim.
One of them was tapping the document in Grandfather Wu Jiulong's hand with his iron ruler, making crisp "pa pa" sounds.
Wu Guohua noticed that his Grandfather's veins were bulging on the back of his hand, but he was strongly suppressing his anger.
"Officer," Grandfather's voice was hoarse and restrained, "We are cultivating ownerless barren slopes, and according to the rules, the first three years are tax-exempt..."
"Nonsense!" The short, fat constable spat, spraying saliva onto Grandfather's face, "Under heaven, is there any land that is not the King's land?
This document has the county magistrate's personal seal.
Do you dare to deny it?"
Wu Guohua quietly moved closer to his mother.
Zhang Chunfang's hand was as cold as iron, gripping his wrist tightly.
He looked around and saw that the whole family was there—his father and two uncles stood behind his Grandfather, their faces ashen;
The women huddled at the entrance of the main hall, the youngest, Guoqiong, was tightly held in Third Aunt Cai Liuer's arms, too scared to make a sound.
"One hundred Wen per mu per year, so twenty mu is two taels of silver per year."
The tall, thin constable stroked his beard, squinting as he surveyed the Wu Family's thatched house, "We'll give you half a month to prepare."
Two taels of silver!
Wu Guohua gasped.
This was equivalent to two years of the entire family's income without eating or drinking!
He looked at his Grandfather, the wrinkles on the old man's face seemed even deeper, like they were carved by a knife.
"Officer..." Grandfather still wanted to say something, but he was pushed aside by the short, fat constable.
"Less nonsense!
If you can't pay in half a month..." The constable sneered, slapping the iron ruler against his palm with a loud crack, "...then just wait to eat prison food!"
The two constables swaggered away, leaving a deathly silence in the courtyard.
Wu Guohua heard his own heartbeat, frighteningly loud, and his temples throbbed.
"Father..." Father Wu Wenbin was the first to break the silence, "We..."
Grandfather waved his hand, then stooped and walked into the main hall.
The whole family silently followed, even the youngest child dared not make a sound.
In the dim main hall, his grandmother lit the oil lamp with trembling hands, and the dim yellow light stretched everyone's shadows long, like a group of trapped beasts.
"Bring out all the money in the house."
Grandfather's voice seemed to come from a very distant place.
His mother, Second Aunt, and Third Aunt silently returned to their rooms, and soon came back holding several tattered cloth bundles.
The cloth bundles were spread out on the table, containing scattered copper coins—some old, heavily worn coins, some brand new ones, and even a few foreign coins from who knows what year or month.
Grandfather counted them one by one, his rough fingers trembling slightly.
When he finished counting, he sighed deeply: "Five hundred seventy-three Wen..."
It wasn't even half of what they needed.
Wu Guohua felt as if a heavy stone was pressing on his chest.
He knew the family was poor, but he hadn't realized they were this poor.
Although they hadn't gone hungry in recent months, clearing land, buying tools, and acquiring farm implements had nearly depleted their meager savings.
"I'll go borrow from Landlord Zhao!" Second Uncle Wu Wenzhang suddenly stood up, his eyes red, "At worst, I'll pay him more interest!"
"Sit down!" Grandfather roared, banging his pipe heavily on the table, "Don't you know what kind of person Zhao Zhilin is?
He wishes we would borrow his usurious money!"
Silence fell over the main hall once more.
Outside, cicadas shrieked, making people agitated.
"Or..." Third Aunt Cai Liuer spoke timidly, "I'll go back to my maiden home and ask..."
Grandfather shook his head: "Your maiden home suffered a flood last year, where would they have extra money?"
Wu Guohua watched the adults' helpless expressions, feeling as if a block of ice was in his stomach.
He recalled the history books he had read in his previous life and knew that this "land tax" was simply an extortion under a false pretext.
Zhao Zhilin must have seen that the Wu Family had been doing well for the past six months, which was why he came up with such a vicious plan...
"Is Old Wu Jiulong home?" A sharp voice suddenly rang out from outside the courtyard.
The whole family exchanged glances.
Grandfather took a deep breath, leaned on his cane, and walked out.
Standing outside the courtyard gate was Zhao Family's steward, Zhao Fu, with two servants behind him.
Zhao Fu squinted his triangular eyes, fanning himself with a folding fan, looking just like a cunning weasel.
"Steward Zhao, what brings you here?" Grandfather's voice was as cold as ice.
Zhao Fu made a feigned bow: "I heard your esteemed household has encountered difficulties.
My master specifically sent me to offer some convenience."
He pulled a piece of paper from his sleeve and slowly unfolded it: "This is an IOU for two taels of silver, and as for the interest... it's only three percent."
Three percent interest!
Wu Guohua gasped.
This was even darker than ordinary usury!
Borrowing two taels of silver meant having to repay nearly four taels in half a year!
Grandfather's hand trembled inside his sleeve, but he showed no emotion on his face: "Thank you for Master Zhao's kindness, allow us to consider it."
"Don't be so quick to refuse."
Zhao Fu suddenly lowered his voice, revealing a chilling smile, "My master has an even... even better method."
He beckoned, and a servant stepped forward: "I heard your Guoqiong girl is six years old this year?
She's quite pretty.
If you're willing to send her to the Zhao Manor to be a servant, then these two taels of silver... will be waived!"
These words were like a red-hot iron, piercing fiercely into the hearts of the Wu Family members.
Second Aunt Li Juhua cried out and lunged at Zhao Fu, but she was held back tightly by his mother and Third Aunt.
Six-year-old Guoqiong didn't know what was happening and cried loudly.
"Get out!" Grandfather's roar shook the sparrows under the eaves, scattering them in flight, "Get out of here!"
Zhao Fu calmly straightened his clothes, smirking: "Old Wu Jiulong, don't refuse a good offer.
If you can't pay the tax in half a month..."
He gave a meaningful glance at the crying Guoqiong, "...it won't be this price anymore."
After the Zhao Family left, Second Uncle Wu Wenzhang, like a raging beast, grabbed a hoe and was about to rush out: "I'll fight them!"
"Stop!" Grandfather grabbed him, his voice hoarse, "Do you want the whole family to go to jail?"
Second Uncle's hoe clanged to the ground, and the seven-foot-tall man squatted down, burying his face in his hands and sobbing bitterly.
Second Aunt held Guoqiong, her tears like broken strings of pearls.
The entire courtyard was filled with an air of despair.
Wu Guohua stood in the corner, his fingernails digging deeply into his palms.
He looked at his crying family, at his Grandfather with his hunched back, at his trembling younger siblings, and an unprecedented rage burned in his chest.
"Grandfather..." He heard his own voice, surprisingly calm, "I have a way."
The whole family looked at him in unison.
Wu Guohua took a deep breath and whispered, "Those potatoes... should sell for a good price."
Grandfather's eyes suddenly lit up, but then dimmed again: "Grain prices are cheap now, a catty of potatoes is only five Wen..."
"Ours are different."
Wu Guohua said firmly, "Grandfather, you've tasted them, you should know."
Wu Guohua looked at his family's shocked expressions and said softly, "Selling these potatoes for ten Wen a catty wouldn't be too much, would it?"
