Chapter 322 (2/2)
“Isn’t Xie Wen the provision officer?” Miss Liu asked only to receive a nod fro! The people on those horses said that he is going to be executed to seek justice for us!”
“Take me there!” Miss Xie panicked as this Xie Wen was her husband
Miss Liu was afraid that sonant Miss Xie and had her husband and her little brother bring her to the walls The four of the the roads before reaching the walls They only ed to squeeze their way to the front with the help of the two men
“Give way! Give way!” Everyone looked up and saw horses pulling a prisoner’s cart Inside it was Xie Wen
“Xie Wen! Xie Wen!” Miss Xie shouted out However, there were too many people present and her voice silenced by the crowd
Xie Wen was escorted near the walls Behind hi watch on the walls in case Liu Bei decided to suddenly attack
“Everyone, quiet!” A scholarly person requested for the crowd to be silent so that Xu Shu’s words could be heard However, a single scholar was not enough Just as the scholar did not knohat to do, Xu Shu stood up and walked towards the market Xie Wen then knelt in front of him Xu Shu suddenly took a deep breath and roared “Silence!” As Xu Shu was also a warrior, his roar was powerful This caused the people to turn silent
Once everyone becah of relief His injury worsened from his earlier action After a while, Xu Shu said, “People of the city I ae King I aiving me the post of Military Advisor I have always been cautious for any negligence His Highness builds his foundation based on the common people For the common people, he benevolently set the taxes to be at thirty percent and gave fertile land so that you could live happily and peacefully He did all this for the people” Xu Shu spoke of Liu Mang’s benevolence as his opening speech There were those thankful to hioodwill More people would forget goodwill after a long period of time Xu Shu wanted to reain feel thankful
“That’s right! His Highness is a good ave us land! He would even give us more land if we have children He is a saint!” Ancient China also had a history of agriculture besides its history of war This was their main occupation With land and thirty percent tax, the people would be able to eat their fill This was a huge benefit that they could definitely see
Xu Shu felt satisfied at the people’s gratitude Only bastards would think badly of the so much benefits “However, not everyone thinks that way Just a few days ago, that bandit Liu Bei seek the riches of Yangzhou and wanted to take possession of Shouchun He also wants to confiscate your land They also want to increase the tax back to fifty percent Don’t you think such people are very detestable?” Xu Shu started to rouse to people
“Yes!” The people cried out The people came to Shouchun for the fertile land If take their land away, they would not be able to survive There was also the fifty percent tax During those turbulent tio back after tasting luxury Such an action would only stimulate their wrath
Xu Shu wanted to direct their anger to Liu Bei If Liu Bei wanted to beautify himself, Xu Shu wanted to demonize him He would make Liu Bei into a demon that wants the people to starve
“Liar!” Xu Shu’s words provoked a hatred ast the people Liu Bei’s hidden spies could not allow this If the people start to hate Liu Bei, everything they worked for would be finished Even if they still ed to capture Shouchun after that, the Liu Bei’s Army would become helpless The spy stood up and pointed at Xu Shu as he yelled, “The Left General came to supress rebellious ministers Why would he take away our land and increase our taxes? These are just your one sided slander!”
Everyone’s attention gathered onto the spy Xu Shu also looked at thein his heart “Distinguished person Who are you?”
“I auished person I am simply a common person from Yuzhou At Yuzhou, we all worshi+p and thank Lord Xuande for his kindness Even the people from Xuzhou have the same opinion as us Lord Xuande had been chased away from Xuzhou by that bandit Cao but the people of Xuzhou followed him all the way to Yuzhou! How could such a saint take away our land and raise our taxes? Lord Xuande is still outside If we surrender, he would let bygones be bygones You have huht on the walls and die for you?” The man that stood up spoke confidently
The ry again as they were truly thankful to Liu Bei The people never cared about as in charge All they wanted was a safe environiven such a condition, it would be better to surrender to Liu Bei Their favourable impressions of Liu Bei made the spy feel proud
“Who is this?” When the ’s Ar hist those watching the crowd This meant that this person should be the leader of the spies
“Haha Then let me address you as brother! Brother You said you cahtly
“Yes I am from Yuzhou!” Thehiuards thentowards hi? Do you want to kill me after I speak the truth? Doesme alone would not help you from the others!” The man provoked He was certain that Xu Shu would not kill hi Liu Bei
“Kill you? Haha I, Xu Shu, a people and treat such actions in disdain!” Xu Shu replied disdainfully, causing the man to feel ashamed
“You said that you are from Yuzhou and that Liu Bei, Liu Xuande, is a saint In that case, why did you cozhou instead of Liu Bei?” Xu Shu asked If Liu Bei was so good, go to Liu Bei Co that Yuzhou was inferior to Yangzhou
“I… I…”
“What’s wrong? Nothing left to say?” Xu Shu asked indifferently The coreed with Xu Shu’s words that if this zhou fro in Yuzhou
“He King I wanted to see if he is a Saint like our Lord Xuande!” Theto be a traveller and not a citizen Such people would only be forced to stick around because a war broke out
“Good A studious person!” Xu Shu did not expect such a reply but would Xu Shu allow the o? Of course not! “Since you are a student, I am sure you know some mathematics1 In that case, let me ask how much is the tax in Yuzhou?”
“The tax in Yuzhou is… This is…” The tax at Yuzhou was sixty percent This was a fact
“If you do not want to say it, I will say it! The taxes in Yuzhou is sixty percent! It is double the taxes set in Yangzhou! Liu Bei Liu Xuande is a villain that attacked us because he does not want us to maintain thirty percent taxes! He does not want the people to have fertile lands! The reason for this is because our taxes has caused his people in Yuzhou to co! Liu Bei did not want to see his people ood lives! In his jealousy, he sent troops and using the excuse that he is here to supress rebellious zhou! He wants the people to once again pay sixty percent tax! Tell me! Is such a person a hypocrite? Is he not a vile and treacherous person?”
“Yes! Yes he is!” The people’s eyes turned red They now believed that Liu Bei wanted to take away their lifeblood andwanted to drive a wedge between the people of Shouchun On the other hand, Xu Shu used the people’s interest to ood of the people? How can you say you are thinking of the people’s benefits when they cannot eat enough? You no longer have enough provisions! In order to defend Shouchun, you can only let the people starve Right now, they are fed with two portions! Tomorrow, they may only be fed with one portion! You oes on! Even if you have fertile land, the harvest would only coht as well choose to survive! Open the gates! That ould not starve to death in Shouchun!” The ain It was an objective fact that Shouchun does not have enough provisions It was true that their four portions of food slowly beca if they starve to death In the end, they ht as well choose to live a hard life Such were the people in ancient times They would rebel when there is no food
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几何 Technically, it eo to do with taxes Read separately, it ed it back to lish flow better