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Chapter 97 Reverse Operation

Liang Shixian was utterly bewildered and intimidated by the "greeting gift" San Shier had orchestrated.

After that scare, he instantly felt that his current standing as a seventh-rank county magistrate was somewhat beneath a meeting with the master of this household.

Their status and position were simply not on the same level.

If not for the heavy responsibility he carried, he would have beaten a hasty retreat and gone no further. But then he recalled the disaster victims he had witnessed along the way, living in dire hardship and misery, and he forced himself to stand firm and uphold his integrity.

"The people from far and wide look upon Chengcheng as a sea of suffering!"

"Now, only I can save them."

"No retreat! Forward!"

He straightened his official hat, smoothed the wrinkles from his robes, adjusted his belt, and his stride became firm and resolute. Turning to his aide, yamen runners, and hangers-on, he declared, "Wait here. Do not move rashly."

Then, following San Shier, he ascended the steps to the highest level of the watchtower.

In truth, Gao Yiye was absolutely terrified. She was just an ordinary village girl; a county magistrate was, to her, an unimaginably high-ranking official. She couldn't have dreamed that she would one day face a magistrate, let alone sit calmly before him.

Fortunately, she had practiced!

"The more dignified my demeanor, the more respect the Heavenly Lord will receive," she constantly reminded herself, allowing her to maintain her composure and keep her expression from faltering.

Seeing this woman, Liang Shixian secretly thought, "She barely acknowledges my official robes. Indeed, a seventh-rank magistrate is too low for her, isn't he? The matriarch of such an ancient, venerable family must have met countless high-ranking officials and nobles."

A flicker of panic stirred within him!

"I must hold steady, I cannot let my imposing air falter, or this matter will surely fail."

And so, the two of them, each maintaining a tense aura of presence, sat down facing each other across the expansive hall.

San Shier formally introduced them: "This is the chief madam of our master's household, and this is Magistrate Liang Shixian, the newly appointed county magistrate of Chengcheng County."

Gao Yiye dared not speak, only nodding slightly. "Mhm."

Liang Shixian thought, "What an arrogant display, a mere 'mhm' is all she offers."

San Shier said, "Esteemed Magistrate, may I ask what brings you this way from so far?"

Liang Shixian had no mood for pleasantries and stated directly, "Upon my arrival in Chengcheng County, I learned that this county had recently suffered greatly from banditry. Fortunately, Inspector Cheng Xu fought valiantly and, in the end, beheaded Wang Er, pacifying the rebels. However, after this conflict, Chengcheng County is severely weakened; the entire region is filled with disaster victims... As I traveled here, I saw nine out of ten homes deserted, livelihoods ruined, and the common people suffering beyond words. My heart is truly... truly... alas..."

As he finished speaking, tears actually welled in the corners of his eyes.

Li Daoxuan, using an ultra-HD camera, focused on him through the window, zooming in on the image on his phone screen. Seeing the tear tracks at the corners of Liang Shixian's eyes, he couldn't help but wonder, "Is this fellow a corrupt official merely putting on an act, or a genuinely good official shedding tears for his people? It's impossible to tell yet."

Liang Shixian sighed, then, shifting his tone, continued, "My abrupt visit this time is truly an act of desperation. Chengcheng County's tax revenue for this year has not yet been fully collected, and now Wang Er and his rebels have plundered the official granary. Even a clever cook can't make a meal without rice, and after much deliberation, I realized that to save the disaster victims across the entire county, I have no choice but to seek help from the local gentry..."

As he said this, San Shier, having served for years in official capacities, immediately understood: "Imposing levies!"

Such levies have existed since ancient times.

But typically, they were used to reduce taxes for the wealthy by shifting the burden onto the poor.

To his surprise, this Liang Shixian was doing the opposite, intending to levy the taxes the poor couldn't pay onto the wealthy.

This is what you call "acting against the natural order."

Huh?

No, wait!

This should be called "setting things right."

San Shier was utterly flustered in that instant.

Outside the diorama box, Li Daoxuan couldn't help but be stunned. He genuinely hadn't expected to find an official who employed such counter-intuitive methods.

Seeing San Shier's astonished expression, Liang Shixian knew he had startled someone again. Well, he often startled people, precisely because he rarely sided with his peers.

He had come to serve as an official in Shaanxi precisely because he had offended officials from the Eunuch Party in court, leading to his "exile" to this virtually "dead-end" county magistracy.

The Eunuch Party wanted him dead.

They aimed to use the Emperor's hand to eliminate him.

But he still wished to struggle, to fight back.

Liang Shixian waved a hand, pointing out the window. "Madam, your Li family is so wealthy, rich enough to build such a magnificent fortress. Even your tenants are plump and well-fed, and heaven itself favors you, bringing rain specifically for your small plot of land. So favored by heaven, you should naturally bear heavier responsibilities. Now, the people of Chengcheng County are suffering, their lives are wretched. To ask them to pay taxes at this time would be akin to taking their lives. Why doesn't your Li family offer some silver to pay the taxes on behalf of the people, to help them through this difficult time, perform this great act of charity, and accumulate blessings for your descendants? What do you say?"

San Shier was stunned. Usually so quick-witted, he too was left dumbfounded when faced with a man who defied convention like Liang Shixian.

Li Daoxuan, however, spoke up: "Refuse him!"

Gao Yiye looked at San Shier and slowly shook her head.

San Shier jolted awake. The Heavenly Lord's instructions had come, but this time, he was somewhat confused. The Heavenly Lord was usually benevolent and generous, constantly bestowing all sorts of supplies to save people, virtually granting every wish. But this time, he was unwilling to pay taxes on behalf of the people. It was truly strange.

Encountering two 'reverse operations' in a row had left San Shier completely lost.

He stiffly addressed Liang Shixian, "Magistrate Liang, please forgive us, but our Li family cannot agree to your request."

Rejected, Liang Shixian was not surprised. Asking for money was never easy, and San Shier's reaction was within his expectations. He immediately added, "I understand that this matter is indeed not so simple. But the Li family might consider this: if the common people cannot survive, they will surely rebel. Once they rise up, forming hordes, burning, killing, and looting, is your Li family truly unafraid of being submerged by these rebels? Along my journey, I have already witnessed several wealthy estates burned to the ground."

At this point, his tone grew somewhat grim: "Your Li family, being so prosperous, could easily become a target for rebellious mobs. Are you truly unafraid of becoming the next family to be burned down? In these troubled times, why not offer some silver to appease the common folk, and consider it 'paying to avert disaster'?"

Indeed, San Shier found his words quite sensible.

Not long ago, he had vigorously urged Zhang Yaocai not to press for taxes.

But just now, the Heavenly Lord had...

San Shier began to waver.

Just then, Li Daoxuan spoke again: "Tell him that paying taxes on their behalf is out of the question. Not a single copper coin of our money can fall into the hands of corrupt officials. However, we are willing to provide grain to aid the disaster victims. Every single grain must reach the stomachs of the suffering people."