The eldest sister-in-law started off with a barrage, "We just canât stand you villagers, why do we have to pay taxes while you donât? If you donât pay, the government uses the money we contribute to repair the dikes, and you just take advantage of us? No way! You think youâre never going to grow old, and now you want to complain to the authorities? Fine, go ahead, weâll all go too. All the nearby villages will join in, just to testify how your Yangdong and Yangxi Villages dodge taxes."
"Hmph, you people are just shameless," one of them said. "If itâs because of your failure to pay taxes, and the government no longer funds the dike repairs, then weâll be the ones living in fear come summer. When that time comes, just wait to be beaten to death by people from our villages. Nobody wants to back down anyway, letâs see whoâs afraid of whom, whether your village has more people or our combined villages do."
"Right, whoâs afraid of whom!"
Yang Chuxia listened from the side, extremely pleased. She couldnât deny that the eldest sister-in-law was incredibly sharp. With just a little guidance, she could speak so effectively.
It looked like she would need to give her a good amount of silver as a reward.
The Land Officers from both Yangxi and Yangdong Villages were dumbfounded at this time, and so were the villagers. How had their refusal to pay taxes suddenly become a matter involving other villages?
They were only two villages, and they had challenged the authorities believing that the current County Magistrate was kind-hearted and incorruptible and would take their circumstances into account to some degree, not wanting their lives, and if they were to be arrested, just as they had thought, it would save them money on food in prison.
But facing off against other villages was a different matter. Just like what had just happened, beating up people from their own village would cost a lot in doctorâs fees. The two Land Officers looked at the ground and saw several villagers holding their arms and legs with pale faces. They suddenly felt alarmed. Were these people seriously injured?
"Donât bother looking. As you might have guessed, those people have broken arms and legs. Injuries to the tendons and bones take a hundred days to heal. The medical expenses, the cost of medicine, and the recuperation costs will conveniently cover the tax for their entire family," said Yang Chuxia, smirking at the two Land Officers.
Seeing their faces change color, she demanded loudly, "Tell me, what are you planning to do next? Iâm not a patient woman. If I donât get a satisfactory answer today, I guarantee everyone from your two villages will end up just like them, every single one with a broken leg, including you two Land Officers!"
"You, you... Youâre shameless, youâre despicable..." Yang Chuxiaâs boldness left the Land Officer trembling and cursing.
"Enough. Youâre not young anymore, so donât bother trying to curse me. Calling me shameless and despicable? Itâs the pot calling the kettle black. Think about your own actions, who is truly more shameless? Refusing to pay taxes and sending the women of the village to fight? Whoâs more shameless? When the county officer arrives, you see the village maidens throwing themselves at him to avoid taxes, is it to avoid paying or to try and seduce the county officer? Who is really more shameless here?"
"Exactly, you villagers from both places donât have any shame," the godsend sister-in-law chimed in. "In the future, we neighboring villages wonât dare to let our boys marry your village maidens, and our maidens wouldnât dare marry into your villages. Itâs just leading all the good girls astray."
As soon as sister-in-law spoke, the faces of the Land Officers, as well as those of the women and girls of the villages, all turned pale, because they had forgotten this point, forgotten how much damage a bad reputation could do to their village.
Seizing the moment, Yang Chuxia added fuel to the fire, "Do you mean to tell me there arenât even two educated people in your village? If this gets out to the schools, how will their peers view their character?"