My Fulang is a Delicate Flower Chapter 108 Part 4

Ji Taoyu gave a dry cough. Thinking carefully, the little fellow could only drink milk for now. With many goats in the pasture, there was only more than enough milk, there was never a shortage.

As for clothes, the ones that had been made by his paternal grandmother, maternal grandmother, aunts, and uncles while he was still in the womb were already enough for him to wear until he turned two.

As for toys, the crib was almost overflowing with them. His uncles never returned from a trip without bringing back some little trinkets.

Ji Taoyu knew he had chosen the wrong excuse. He touched the tip of his nose: "Well... I can't think of anything specific right now, but if we go into the city and look around, we're sure to find something we need to buy~"

Huo Shu didn't confirm or deny this, he just reached out and lifted the person onto the horse.

The group left the mountains. On a small path near the main road, before Huo Shu could even go to the authorities, they spotted government officers.

"Hey, you there! What are you up to!"

From a distance, they saw a line of yamen runners in blue uniforms approaching, calling out to them from afar.

"Officers, has something happened? We are villagers from Wujiang Village up ahead, just on our way to the city to buy some spring planting fertilizer."

Ji Taoyu, being the most harmless-looking among them, was the first to reply to the yamen runners.

"You're from Wujiang Village?"

The leading yamen runner scrutinized the group, somewhat suspicious: "I had no idea Wujiang Village was so prosperous, with everyone riding horses."

"You flatter us, officer. We usually do a bit of small business on the side, so we need some livestock for transport."

The leading yamen runner glanced at Huo Shu a few times. If he weren't holding a young ger, and the ger showed no signs of being coerced, he would have thought they had run into bandits. He didn't press further with questions, instead asking: "Since you're from Wujiang Village, do you know about the new village established nearby?"

Upon hearing this, Ji Taoyu's expression changed slightly, and he looked at Huo Shu.

"We heard some talk about it in the village when we returned for the New Year, but we haven't seen anyone ourselves."

Huo Shu said calmly: "Might I ask what the officers are looking for them for?"

"We received reports that a significant number of refugees have relocated to this southeastern area. Their numbers are substantial enough to form their own village, but they haven't reported to the authorities. Since they've come to our Yuchang territory, the government naturally has to manage it."

Huo Shu shot a glance to Jiang Yuhou beside him. Understanding the hint, Jiang Yuhou immediately took out some scattered silver: "What a coincidence to meet you gentlemen officers on the road. It's only just spring, still bitterly cold, and you're already out on official business. Truly diligent. A small token of our esteem for you to have some tea."

The yamen runners didn't expect to receive such a "gesture" in such a poor, remote area. Their faces broke into smiles as they accepted the silver: "What's this for?"

"It's about this new village. We're not sure what the government's stance is, and whether we might be able to do some small business there. They're refugees, right? They must lack everything. If we take some goods over, we might make a little money."

The yamen runner laughed: "You sure know how to do business."

"But the government doesn't know the exact location of that village yet. These people came from blessed places like Tongzhou and Lianping Prefecture, yet they have no sense of procedure. Coming to our turf, setting up a village, using our land, and they don't even report to the authorities!"

"The Magistrate is furious about this. Once we find their hiding spot, he'll make them pay sixty percent of their grain harvest this year, all at once!"

Jiang Yuhou chimed in: "Since they've come to our territory, they certainly should pay taxes. But they are, after all, here to escape disaster. Won't the government offer any relief? We hope things don't escalate into trouble!"

The yamen runner sneered: "Relief? Pah! Giving them a place to take refugee is good enough! And you think they deserve relief? They're dreaming! Cause trouble? They wouldn't dare! Unless they want to rebel too? That would be perfect for the court to wipe them out in one go!"

Another yamen runner added:

"I gather you haven't heard.The Sixth Prince is leading troops to attack the pirates and has won successive victories. Now it's just mopping-up operations. It probably won't be long before the coastal frontier is pacified. Then he'll turn his attention to the rebels in Tongzhou. If they dare cause trouble with the government, they're following the same path as the Tongzhou rebels."

"If you discover any trace of them, report it immediately! There will be a reward!"

"They came from rich places like Tongzhou. Even the common folk are wealthy. Those who managed to escape definitely aren't from poor, destitute families. If you go there to do business, squeeze them hard."

Jiang Yuhou offered an ingratiating smile: "Thank you for the advice, officers."

After parting ways with the yamen runners, everyone's expressions were grim. "This is intolerable! The Magistrate of this county is truly inhuman! It's bad enough they won't accommodate the refugees, but to actually want to exploit them further? It's utterly hateful."

"But how did they get wind of it? How do they know we've established a village here?"

Huo Shu said coldly: "Who do you think suffered a loss because of us being there?"

"Those bandits we drove out?"

Huo Shu didn't answer.

The nearby villagers had only felt gratitude towards them and would never have been so ungrateful. The only ones capable of this were the bandits who had viewed them as a fattened sheep. Not only had those bandits failed to get a single bite, but they had also been attacked by Huo Shu's group. They must have held a grudge and certainly poisoned the authorities' minds against them.

Given the government's current attitude, it was clear they saw the group as having no solid foundation and wanted to exploit the situation to pressure them. It was likely going to be very difficult for them to gain official settlement status. They could not possibly accept such deliberately harsh conditions for registration.

If they were forced to hand over sixty percent of their grain harvest, it would essentially reduce them to being tenant farmers for the officials.