Heavy snow fell, and the mountains, rivers, trees, and roads were covered with thick snow coats, turning into a world covered with silver. On both sides of the road, crystal clear icicles were hung on the branches that had fallen leaves, while the evergreen pine and cypress sand trees were filled with fluffy snowballs, which fell down rustling when the wind blew.

A few snowflakes fell on Old Man Cai's neck, and immediately turned into water droplets and slipped down his dark skin. Early in the morning, the weather was extremely cold, but Old Man Cai was steaming hot. A rope was placed around his neck, holding the handlebars with both hands, leaning forward desperately, pulling the cart forward with difficulty in the snow, leaving two deep snow ruts on the snow he walked past.

Old Man Cai is a charcoal seller. The 2,000 kilograms of high-quality white charcoal pulled in the car was the result of his busy work for more than a month. He wanted to rush to the city as early as possible, sell the cargo of charcoal, and then go back, and try to burn a cellar this year as quickly as possible.

The price of white charcoal this year is good! Originally, the best white charcoal in Yuejing came from four northern counties, close to the mountains, with the best wood and the best cellars. The charcoal they burned was also called smokeless charcoal. In Yuejing, it has always been in a monopoly position, with good prices and in short supply. However, charcoal sellers like Laohan Cai, who are not far from Yuejing, are too poor in the quality of white charcoal burned. They are generally supplied to ordinary people, and the price is less than one-third of that smokeless charcoal.

But this year has been very different.

The four northern counties rebelled! His Majesty the Emperor sent troops to surround the place like an iron barrel. Not to mention white charcoal, I am afraid that even a mouse can't get out. The price of white charcoal soared. In the past, the price of charcoal, like Old Man Cai, was already the best of ten taels of silver, but this year, it could be sold for thirty taels. The price has increased several times. How could it not make Old Man Cai happy?

In the countryside, people like Old Man Cai are already considered capable people. They usually farm, but in winter, they open a cellar to burn charcoal and burn a cellar to at least have money for the New Year.

If his son had not become a soldier and had been sent to the four northern counties, Old Man Cai would have wished that the war there would never end, so that he could sell the charcoal to a high price every year!

But now, he didn't think so. It was always dangerous to join the army and fight. Although the imperial court's troops now have the upper hand, I heard that Jiang Haokun from Ningyuan in the north actually colluded with the barbarians, and that was some cruel people! Now Old Man Cai hopes that the court will quickly wipe out those guys so that his son can leave the dangerous place earlier.

When he thought of his son, Old Man Cai felt a little sad. He was his only son. He could not have to be a soldier, but he followed him to farm in the village, burned charcoal in the winter, and lived a good life. Who knew that Old Man Wang's son in the village went to work as a soldier the year before yesterday, but when he came back this year, he became a small officer. When he returned to the village, he wore a new military uniform and put on various gifts in mules. Every family in the village got a piece. Old Man Wang was very proud and even set up a table at home and invited his neighbors to drink. Even for that meal, he didn't know what Old Man Wang's son said to his son. The stubborn boy turned around and told him to join the army.

Of course, Old Man Cai refused. But no one expected that when he turned around, his son fled. When the news came back, he had already become a soldier. Just a few days ago, the stubborn boy asked someone to bring a letter back, and his army had already gone to the four northern counties.

The boy hadn't been home for more than half a year. Old Man Wang sighed. His son was still filial and sent money to his house every month, saying that he had good food and clothing in the army, and he had a subsidy of five taels of silver every month, which was very hard. In the end, he proudly told Old Man Cai that many of the people who joined the army with him were eliminated, but he was outstanding.

Five taels of silver per month is indeed a lot. He worked hard for one winter and could burn at most two cellars. Apart from the capital, he could only earn more than ten taels. But this is life-long money. He would rather his son be eliminated.

After half a year, my son sent back thirty taels of silver, all of which were put on a jar by Mr. Cai and hid under the bed. This is his son's money, so he can't move around. In the future, he has to tell his son about his wife. I just want God to bless him and don't let his son have anything to do.

The old cow who pulled the cart mooed a few times, as if he felt Old Man Cai's mood. The huge bull head stretched over and rubbed against Old Man Cai. Old cow is one of the biggest entrusted properties of Old Man Cai. If it weren't for the sharp rise in the white charcoal market this year, he would not be willing to let the cow come out to pull the cart at this season. If he broke his legs and feet, it would be broken. But even so, as long as he was on the flat ground, he would always use his strength to pull the cart, so that the cow could save some strength. Only when he was on the uphill road would he be willing to let the cow work hard.

After entering the city, he went straight to Xicheng. Speaking of Dayue, after the construction of the Ming Dynasty, what made Mr. Cai feel the deepest is that he didn't have to pay any more money to enter Yuejing. In previous years, he had to pay the city gate tax. The more he collected, the more he collected, but all the soldiers guarding the city were happy or not, and they could do it or two. They were unhappy and could not afford dozens of dollars. He was dragging a cart of charcoal like himself, and it was impossible to enter without a tael of silver.

Now, this money is saved.

Of course, when you arrive in Xishi, you will have to collect taxes there.

I came here last winter. Looking at the Western Market where nothing has changed, Old Man Cai also asked in his heart that the tax collectors would change. In the past, those who were always familiar with each other and had a lot of money, and they were always kind-hearted, afraid that the emperor would change to some tax collectors, so they would definitely have to spend more money today.

The ox cart was parked under the huge archway in the west city. When he saw the tax collector walking out of the hut on one side, Old Man Cai felt relieved. He was still the tax collector from the past, and he was considered his own family and his surname was Cai.

"Old Cai, you came so early!" The tax collector named Cai looked up at the sky, "Did you leave home in the middle of the night?"

"Yes, yes!" Old Man Cai walked over with a smile, "It's time to sell it early and return home, it's so cold."

"That's right. Lao Cai, the charcoal price is very good this year. You guy is going to make a fortune." He walked over and lifted the thatched cart cover on the ox cart. The tax collector looked up and down the cart of charcoal with neatly sized.

"It's good if you don't lose money!" Old Man Cai smiled.

"It's estimated that it's 2,000 kilograms. Twenty tax one, Old Man Cai, this car of charcoal can be sold for thirty taels of silver according to the market this year, and one tael five in taxes." The tax collector's eyes were very poisonous, and he estimated the weight of Old Man Cai's car at a glance.

"How can I get two thousand kilograms, only one thousand five!" Old Man Cai approached the tax collector, took out ten coins from his sleeve and stuffed them into the tax collector's hand. "The market is not as good as you said. It would be good to sell it to twenty taels of silver. I don't know if it can be sold."

In previous years, tax collectors basically stopped and kept calm. Then hello, I, everyone, but this year it was a little different. The tax collector retracted his hand like he encountered charcoal, and more than ten copper coins fell into the snow.

"Old man Cai, what are you doing?" the tax collector cursed: "Don't want me to hurt."

Old Man Cai was a little confused again. Wasn’t this the same thing in previous years? Could it be that the market conditions are good this year, so he thought the money was too low, so he gritted his teeth and took out dozens of coins and stuffed them into the tax collector’s hand.

The tax collector shrank a few steps back, "Old Man Cai, you are bribery. If I hadn't been for the sake of being familiar with people, I would have caught you and not put it away."

Seeing that the other party didn't look like he was too little, Old Man Cai felt a little scared. Why did he become selfless in the blink of an eye? Naturally, he didn't know that the Ming Dynasty promoted the admission of officials to officials. Tax publicans, like these, have now been subject to official salary, and have increased a lot of times. Of course, in management, it is also harsh and inhumane. Several tax publicans have been found to accept bribes, and not only have lost their jobs, but also sued for the lawsuit.

The tax collector in front of him has been working in the West City for decades. According to the current policy, the pension money he can get when he retires in a few years is equivalent to the salary of a seventh-rank official. Of course, he is unwilling to spend his future pension job for this little money.

Maybe at this time, a pair of eyes were staring at me in the dark. After I collected these dozens of cents, I would have someone from the Supervisory Office arrested me before I could warm up.

"Old Man Cai, one or five cents of silver tax money." The tax collector took out a stack of things from his arms, tore off two pieces from it, and handed them to Old Man Cai, "Hold it, this is the certificate of your tax payment."

Old Man Cai knew that this 250 yuan could not escape. Before selling a pound of charcoal, he had already spent one 250 yuan. He couldn't help but feel a little painful in his heart.

But the money still has to be paid.

He sighed, took out two copper coins from the chain above the shaft, put half of the copper coins back, and handed them to the tax collector.

The tax collector did not collect it, "Old Man Cai, now there is a regulation on the above, half of the tax money can be used for the past copper coins and silver, and the other half must be used for the banknotes that have just been issued."

"Bank notes?" Old Man Cai looked at the other party blankly, "What is that?"
Chapter completed!