A lot of people have been stopped at the checkpoint, and it’s unclear what’s happening as there’s a standoff. On this side, there are quite a few governnt officials and so soldiers.
The people who were stopped were facing Zhao Hanzhang and her group. They first saw Zhao Hanzhang riding a big horse, with orderly cavalry behind her. After a brief mont of surprise, they quickly realized who she was and imdiately turned around, pulling their carts and horses to retreat.
The people behind them also noticed and started to panic, turning back in haste; there were those carrying loads, pushing carts, and driving ox carts, mule carts, donkey carts, and horse carts.
Zhao Hanzhang raised an eyebrow and was about to react when the soldiers and governnt officials, who were facing away from them, noticed her group and were startled. They imdiately abandoned the checkpoint and jumped over the barriers, running away in panic too.
Zhao Hanzhang: ...
She fell silent and firmly pointed forward with two fingers, commanding, "Stop them, but don’t hurt anyone!"
Zhao Erlang and Qiu Wu heard the order and imdiately charged out like wolves, bringing their n with them. Mounted on warhorses, they were fast and well-trained, quickly passing the checkpoint to give chase.
Four soldiers jumped down and quickly moved the barriers that served as the checkpoint. The cavalry behind swiftly caught up with Zhao Erlang and the others, and soon surrounded those trying to run in all directions.
At this mont, those who were surrounded, whether rchants, officials, or soldiers, all mixed together, looked at them with faces full of panic and fear.
So people had dropped their goods, while others clutched their belongings tightly, crouching on the ground, yet unwilling to let go.
Zhao Erlang saw this dissatisfaction and shouted, "Why are you running? Didn’t you see the flags of Yu State and the Zhao Family Army? Tell , what are you doing?"
Qiu Wu coughed slightly and said, "Erlang, these people are obviously rchants. Let’s ask them why they have gathered here. Or maybe wait for the young lady to co and ask."
Zhao Hanzhang approached, followed by a vast group of refugees.
The governnt officials and soldiers kneeling on the ground finally reacted, quickly crawling forward to salute her, "Greetings, General. We didn’t know which general of the Zhao Family Army had arrived."
Zhao Hanzhang: "Why don’t you raise your head and take a look?"
The leading governnt official raised his head to look at Zhao Hanzhang, imdiately lowered it again, and kowtowed repeatedly, "We were unaware of the envoy’s arrival and failed to greet you from afar. It’s our fault. I’ll go and inform the County Magistrate imdiately to welco the envoy."
"No need." Zhao Hanzhang asked, "I will see your County Magistrate myself. I’m curious about what you’re doing here."
The official relaxed slightly, seeing she was asking gently and confird she wasn’t so leftover Xiongnu or bandit. So he answered honestly, "We’re here on orders to apprehend bandits and inspect goods coming in and out."
"If you’re here to apprehend bandits, why did you run the mont you saw ?" Zhao Hanzhang asked, "Didn’t you even question ? How do you know I’m not a bandit?"
The official quickly smiled obsequiously, "Everyone knows there’s only one female general in the Zhao Family Army of Yu State. As soon as we saw the lady, we knew you’re a divine weapon, not a bandit."
Zhao Hanzhang snorted coldly, pointing with a whip to a person kneeling beside a cart, asking, "You there, why were you stopped here? Are you bandits?"
The other party was startled and hastily denied it.
If they were identified as bandits, not only their goods but their lives might be at stake, and even death would be in vain.
He said, "We were stopped here to tally our goods and pay the transit fees, as well as various comrcial taxes."
Zhao Hanzhang beca interested and asked, "What kind of charges are there?"
The person sneaked a glance at Zhao Hanzhang and saw her smiling with no hint of ferocity, but for so reason, he still felt a chill in his heart, and his voice lowered, "Transit fees, goods value tax, cart and horse tax, footprint tax..."
Zhao Hanzhang heard there was even a footprint tax, and there was even a forest, mountain, and lake tax because they passed through forests, mountains, and lakes, they damaged the environnt.
Zhao Hanzhang couldn’t help but nod, stating that indeed the taxes were comprehensive enough.
She then asked with a smile, "Then why block the road here? I saw you arguing earlier, what was that about?"
The other party answered apprehensively, "We heard Zhao Envoy’s announcent that those coming to Yu State to do business now will have their comrcial taxes halved upon entering Yu State. All other miscellaneous taxes will be waived, and both grain and cloth taxes will be entirely exempted, so, that’s why we ca."
The smile on Zhao Hanzhang’s face vanished. She leaned slightly forward, staring at the official kneeling in front of her and asked, "Did you hear that? Did your county governnt receive this announcent?"
Just now, the official, who thought Zhao Hanzhang was gentle, began to sweat on his forehead, trembling slightly under the watchful eyes of 500 cavalry. An invisible pressure started pressing down on him, and he couldn’t take it. He said, "I-I am acting on orders, dare not act alone."
Zhao Hanzhang coldly asked, "On whose orders?"
"C-County Lord..."
The official’s voice lowered and his body sank closer to the ground.
Zhao Hanzhang snorted, glanced around, and said, "All governnt officials and soldiers from Xie County step to the left, rchants step to the right. Those transporting grain and cloth can pass directly. For other goods, apart from paying half of the comrcial tax, no other miscellaneous taxes are required. Now, begin."
Everyone was stunned for a mont, then secretly glanced up at Zhao Hanzhang and, confirming she wasn’t joking, soone tentatively stood up, trembling, and with his son, pulled two ox carts forward, smiling fawningly at Zhao Hanzhang, "Envoy, all I have are grains."
Zhao Hanzhang nodded slightly, gesturing to the officials still kneeling below, "Aren’t you going to inspect?"
The officials didn’t expect to inspect and thought Zhao Family Army would take over instead.
They quickly scrambled up to check. This ti it was faster. As long as there was no hidden contraband and it was indeed grain, they allowed passage.
Behind Zhao Hanzhang were over three thousand refugees. The father and son were nervous as their two ox carts passed through the group.
But the refugees, although watching them, did not panic. When they reached the back, the father and son saw dozens of carts in the back of the line, clearly loaded with grain.
The father and son breathed a sigh of relief and imdiately patted the oxen’s rumps to urge them forward.
Seeing the first group pass smoothly, everyone else began to ready themselves to move; first those carrying loads, then those pulling ox carts and donkey carts, while the larger rchant caravans fell to the rear.
Because they carried a mix of goods, aside from grain and cloth, which were completely tax-free, other goods had a half tax exemption.
But that already provided a significant benefit, especially since they only charged the goods value tax and waived all other nad taxes.
After a busy half-day, the officials and soldiers finally escorted all the held caravans through the checkpoint and then stood in front of Zhao Hanzhang, heads lowered, awaiting instruction.
However, Zhao Hanzhang did not scold them. Instead, she mounted her horse and said, "Let’s go, take to et your County Lord."
Zhao Hanzhang recalled and asked, "Is your County Magistrate nad Gao Cheng?"
The official, sweating, bowed his head, "Yes."
Zhao Hanzhang nodded, "That’s a good na." But from the deeds perford, it doesn’t seem like he’s a good person.
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