Chapter 269 - 165: Taxes (3)
He was now the Guard Commander for the North City Li Family. The taxes he usually paid were only a small fraction of his monthly stipend.
But helping him get an exemption was a favor. Besides, Chu Lingguang had already asked him to look after the family of Mrs. Chu of the Zhang Family. An additional favor would make the man feel more invested.
’As for why he didn’t have Guo Wei look after Mrs. Chu of the Zhang Family, first, there was a clear difference in their status. Second, if Li Yishan could handle it, why bother Guo Wei? And if Li Yishan couldn’t, Guo Wei would step in to help on his own accord once he found out the Zhang Family was in trouble.’
After writing down Li Yishan’s name,
Chu Lingguang considered it carefully, then wrote Mr. Niu’s name after Li Yishan’s.
The day Mr. Niu’s goat was taken by Landlord Zhang, Chu Lingguang had gotten it back for him with a single note. Afterward, Mr. Niu had brought him a large bowl of goat’s milk.
Of course, a bowl of goat’s milk wasn’t enough to warrant such a large reward from Chu Lingguang. The key was that when he had returned to Liu Family Gully that day, the other residents had avoided him like the plague. Only Mr. Niu had greeted him. By helping Mr. Niu with the tax exemption, Chu Lingguang wanted to teach the other villagers a lesson.
It was also for this reason that Chu Lingguang only wrote down Mr. Niu’s name, not his entire family’s.
’He could help ten households get tax exemptions, and he could also have Lord Xu withdraw the decree after it was issued. Writing only Mr. Niu’s name was a message to the other villagers, but it was also a test of Mr. Niu’s character. If he understood the social subtleties at play, it wouldn’t be too late for Chu Lingguang to add his family’s names.’
’If Mr. Niu grew resentful because only his name was on the list and not his family’s—a classic case of a small favor earning gratitude while a large one breeds resentment—then Chu Lingguang would simply cross his name off.’
’His status was different now.’
’If others took the Favors he granted for granted, Chu Lingguang could retract them at any time. He wasn’t helpless like he used to be.’
’Only then would people treat him with proper reverence and understand just how valuable his Favors were.’
’As for the few empty slots, Chu Lingguang wasn’t in a hurry. There would be plenty of opportunities to fill them later. In fact, it might even be useful to let people know he still had a few slots available; he could earn another wave of Favor Points that way.’
After he finished writing, Chu Lingguang handed the list to Lord Xu.
Lord Xu immediately ordered the Chief Constable to handle the matter at the County Yamen and deliver the Literary Decree for tax and corvée labor exemption to every household on the list before the night was over.
「That evening.」
Wine Street was as bustling as ever.
Inside Butcher Hu’s meat shop, a few pounds of shriveled, dried pork belly were still hanging. He waved a strip of cloth to shoo the flies away from his stall.
"Heh heh, Old Hu, it’s been a few days. How come the Martial Arts Scholar hasn’t come to see you?"
Liu Qianqian, who sold grain and oil next door, teased him. He was a villager from Liu Family Gully and had only managed to open his small shop on Wine Street a little over two months ago by relying on Chu Lingguang’s reputation.
"What do you know? Chu has been busy day in and day out. He’ll remember me when he has a free moment," Butcher Hu said, displeased.
"Chu saved me and our son. Even if he doesn’t come to visit, we should go see him and offer our congratulations once he’s not so busy," said Chun Ju, who was sitting inside the shop with their child.
Chu Lingguang had saved her years ago when she was pregnant. She had given Butcher Hu a chubby son, and now she was pregnant again—three months along.
The couple had never forgotten Chu Lingguang’s act of kindness, and they weren’t looking for him to give them anything now that he was successful.
"People don’t think alike. If I were Chu Lingguang, after I beat Samba, and I knew you two were willing to give away over a hundred pounds of meat for me, I’d squeeze in some time to visit, no matter how busy I was. Let me tell you the truth: he hasn’t been back to Liu Family Gully a single time since he beat Samba," Liu Qianqian scoffed.
"Heh heh heh, what Qianqian said might be harsh, but it makes sense. Chu Lingguang isn’t the man he once was. He doesn’t need any meat from the Hu Clan anymore. You two should wise up and not go bothering him for no reason. If you get turned away at his door, you’ll be the only ones who are embarrassed," Boss Huang, who sold porcelain bowls from across the street, chimed in mockingly.
BANG!
"Chu is not the kind of person you say he is."
Butcher Hu, enraged, slammed his boning knife onto the chopping block.
"Fine, fine. Consider me a busybody. I didn’t say a thing."
Boss Huang saw that Butcher Hu was angry, so he chuckled and returned to his own shop. He and Liu Qianqian exchanged a look, both shaking their heads with wry smiles, cursing Butcher Hu under their breath. ’What an idiot.’
’A butcher trying to latch onto someone powerful... what a pipe dream.’
"Don’t get angry with them. As long as Chu understands our intentions, that’s all that matters. Whether he comes to visit or not is a separate thing," Chun Ju quickly comforted him.
Butcher Hu nodded. He had been running his meat shop for many years and had met all sorts of people, so he was naturally open-minded. Still, if Chu Lingguang had really forgotten him just like that, he couldn’t help but feel a little bitter.
"Is this Butcher Hu’s meat shop?"
Just then, two Officials appeared at the entrance of Butcher Hu’s shop. Butcher Hu had just sat down for a rest and thought he had a customer. When he stood up and saw the two Officials, he hurriedly put on a smile and greeted them. "Yes, my lords, I am Butcher Hu."
"Are you two Lord Officials here to buy some meat?"
Chun Ju asked nervously. The couple’s hearts pounded with anxiety; a visit from Officials was rarely a good thing.
Liu Qianqian, Boss Huang, and other nearby shopkeepers all noticed the two Officials and began to gather around, curious. They all assumed Butcher Hu was in some kind of trouble.
"Boss Hu, no need to be nervous," one of the Officials said. "We’re here to deliver a Literary Decree. From now on, your Hu Clan no longer needs to pay taxes, nor will you have to worry about being conscripted for corvée labor."