AWB Chapter 20 City Entry Tax
Chapter 20 City Entry Tax
Chapter 20 City Entry Tax
The city entry tax was a money-making scheme devised by Wang Wenzhou. Old Zhang asked this question because everyone in the streets and alleys of Hanshan County was talking about it.
Old Zhang had just finished cooking at the No Return Tower and, as usual, wanted to go find his old friend Cheng Benqing for a drink.
Before Old Zhang even reached the table, Cheng Benqing asked, "Have you seen the notice posted by the county government?"
“Old Cheng, you know I can’t read, how could I understand the notice?” Li Mu’en said.
Li Mu'en was about the same age as Lao Cheng and Lao Zhang. He ran a blacksmith shop in the county town. Because his wife had passed away and his son had started his own family, he often ate at Buguilou. Over time, he became acquainted with Lao Cheng and several other literati.
Old Cheng grumbled, "This new magistrate is a ruthless scoundrel. The notice says that starting tomorrow, everyone entering the city will have to pay one coin as an entry tax."
When Old Zhang heard his old friend talking about his granddaughter's husband, he stopped and wanted to hear what they had to say.
"Really?" Li Mu'en was skeptical.
"How could this be fake? It's clearly written in black and white on the notice. Although it's not much, how can officials levy taxes like this? A city entry tax is unheard of in thousands of years of history," Old Cheng said disdainfully.
"Paying taxes to enter the city? Has this magistrate gone mad with poverty?" Li Mu'en said angrily. Old Li had lived in Hanshan County for generations and had never heard of having to pay an entrance tax to enter the city. This magistrate was outrageous.
"Hehe..." Old Cheng sneered, "Whether the magistrate is desperate for money or not, I don't know. I only know that this fool won't be a magistrate for long."
"What do you mean?" Old Li asked.
"As the saying goes, even a hero can be brought down by a single penny. A single penny may not seem like much, but it can be deadly. Putting aside whether Lord Wang's actions will incite a popular uprising, even though he is a county magistrate, he cannot have absolute power. If he dares to collect city taxes, I dare to report him to the prefecture." Old Cheng sneered.
Old Cheng, this seasoned scholar, though repeatedly failing the imperial examinations, still possessed an unyielding pride. He harbored resentment towards Wang Wenzhou for a long time. "I've taken the exams for over thirty years and I'm still just a scholar," he thought. "You, a mere youth, didn't even take the exams, and after a few years at the Imperial Academy, you became a county magistrate. Is that fair? You only became a county magistrate because of your good family background and powerful grandfather. In the end, you're just a nobody!"
“Good! Old Cheng is right! I also think this Lord Wang is a fool. Do you know what? The other day, this fool spent a thousand taels of silver to book the Drunken Flower Pavilion for a year.”
"How much? Did I hear that right? One thousand taels! The Drunken Flower Pavilion has a dozen or so girls, 20 copper coins a night. If you book them all, you'd get at most two hundred taels of silver a year."
"That's why I say he's stupid!" the man continued. "The eldest son of the Li family, a few days ago, got beaten up here by some people. Guess what happened in the end?"
The people present all shook their heads.
"In the end, this fool Wang gave each of the three men who beat him an official's robe, making them all yamen runners. Yesterday, the four of them even came here to drink."
“I know that. Yesterday I saw Wang the Fool riding in a sedan chair, carried by four sedan chair bearers dressed in green clothes and wearing green hats.”
"Yes! Those four sedan chair bearers are the same people who beat up Wang Shazi here a few days ago. Li's eldest son is one of them."
"Who are you calling a fool?" Old Zhang couldn't stand it anymore. These old friends were insulting his grandson-in-law like this, so he had to say a few words in his defense.
"Haha..." Old Cheng laughed loudly, "Who else could it be but your grandson-in-law?"
"Hey, Old Zhang, that's impressive. You've become the father-in-law of the county magistrate."
"Old Zhang, if I ever need anything in the future, I'll have to ask you for help!" Old Li's words were meant as a compliment, but were actually sarcastic.
"Old Cheng, what did my grandson-in-law do to offend you? Why are you calling him an idiot?" Old Zhang asked his old friend, Old Cheng.
Old Cheng took a sip of wine and said earnestly, "Old Zhang, we've known each other for over forty years. We even studied together in a private school back in the day. There are some things you might not want to hear. You need to talk to your grandson-in-law. He wants to collect city taxes, you know that?"
"No way!" Old Zhang shook his head. He still couldn't believe it. His grandson-in-law came from the Xinjian Earl's Mansion. How could he do something so outrageous?
"Haha..." Old Cheng laughed, "The notices are all up. I say, Old Zhang, that day you insisted on him marrying your granddaughter, were you out of your mind?"
After being mocked by his longtime friend, Old Zhang was embarrassed. He began to doubt whether he had really misjudged Wang Wenzhou. But then he recalled the scene from that day again. No matter how he looked at it, he couldn't see Wang Wenzhou as stupid.
Wang Wenzhou's actions that day were truly extraordinary. A dignified county magistrate, beaten so badly, would have been unbelievable if he had revealed his identity. Yet, after just a few words, he was able to become sworn brothers with his attackers—this was no fool's act. He felt that even if Wang Wenzhou truly intended to collect city taxes, there must be a reason.
Could this guy really be so shameless as to break off an engagement? He's playing with his future like a joke.
Old Zhang thought this way because Wang Wenzhou had booked the entire Zuihualou restaurant that night, eating and staying there. Just now, Wang Qiang had even come to order food without paying. Old Zhang was quite straightforward; it was his granddaughter's husband, why should he pay for a meal? His granddaughter, Zhang Jiao, gave him a huff.
Old Zhang became increasingly uneasy. He concluded that Wang Wenzhou was deliberately collecting city taxes to tarnish his own reputation and avoid becoming magistrate. And the reason Wang Wenzhou was tarnishing his reputation was because Old Zhang had forced him to marry Zhang Jiao. Wasn't this just disgracing the Xinjian Earl's family?
Old Zhang rushed to the Drunken Flower Pavilion, intending to persuade Wang Wenzhou. If all else failed, he would return the marriage certificate Wang Wenzhou had written to him. He couldn't bear to see Wang Shouren's descendants tarnish their reputation.
Old Zhang patted Wang Wenzhou on the shoulder and earnestly advised him, "Sir, you can't act recklessly! How can you collect taxes arbitrarily? How can you collect an entry tax?"
“Old Zhang, you don’t know the value of firewood and rice until you’re in charge!” Wang Wenzhou said deceitfully. “Hanshan County is a small county, and the government is poor! You don’t know, Hanshan County doesn’t even have an official sedan chair. My sedan chair was a rip-off from Li Jinshui.”
Old Zhang nodded. He knew that Hanshan County was poor, and none of the previous magistrates had ever ridden in an official sedan chair.
Old Zhang said, "Sir, if you don't have money, I have some savings here. You can take them. This city entrance tax really shouldn't be collected!"
Wang Wenzhou was somewhat moved upon hearing this. Although Old Zhang had tricked him into marrying Zhang Jiao, a tough woman, Old Zhang genuinely treated him like family.
“Old Zhang, how can I, the magistrate of Hanshan County, use your money! Besides, this is official business, I can’t possibly put my own money into public funds!” Wang Wenzhou said with a smile.
“My dear son-in-law! You really have to listen to your old man! Right now, everyone in the streets and alleys is talking about the city entry tax. Some people are already thinking of going to Hezhou to complain to the prefect about you!” Old Zhang didn’t mention his old friend Lao Cheng, because he was afraid that Wang Wenzhou would cause trouble for his old friend again.
"I am the head of this county, how can I change my mind so easily!" Seeing the worried look on Old Zhang's face, Wang Wenzhou continued, "Don't worry! I come from the Xinjian Earl's Mansion, after all, I won't bring shame to my ancestors!"