There were many people blocked at the other end of the checkpoint, and they were in a stalemate not knowing what was going on. There were many government officials and some soldiers at this end.
The people who were stopped happened to be facing Zhao Hanzhang and the others. They were the first to see Zhao Hanzhang riding a big horse. Because there were neat cavalry behind her, they were stunned for a moment and then they realized what they were doing. They immediately turned around and pulled the horses and horses to turn around.
The people behind also saw it, including those carrying burdens, pushing carts, and those driving ox carts, mule carts, donkey carts, and horse carts. They all turned around and ran back in panic.
Zhao Hanzhang raised his eyebrows slightly, but before he could react, the soldiers and government officials who were blocking the checkpoint with their backs to them turned around and saw them, and were startled. They immediately ignored the checkpoint and jumped over the railing to follow them in panic.
Ran.
Zhao Hanzhang:......
She fell silent, then pointed her fingers forward and ordered: "Stop the person and don't hurt him!"
After Zhao Erlang and Qiu Wu heard the order, they immediately rushed out with their men like wolves and tigers. They were war horses, fast and well-trained, and quickly crossed the checkpoint to pursue them.
Four soldiers jumped down from behind and quickly moved the railing that served as a checkpoint. The cavalry behind quickly caught up with Zhao Erlang and others, and soon surrounded the people who were shouting and trying to escape.
The people who were surrounded at this moment were merchants, government officials, or soldiers. They were all mixed together and looking at them with panic and fear on their faces.
Some people lost their goods, while others struggled to hold on to their belongings and huddled on the ground, but still refused to give up what they had in their hands.
Zhao Erlang was dissatisfied when he saw it and shouted: "Why are you running? Didn't you see us carrying the flags of Yuzhou and Zhao Jiajun? What are you doing?"
Qiu Wu coughed lightly and said: "Erlang, these people are traders at first sight. Let's ask them why they gather here? Or wait for the girl to come up and ask."
Zhao Hanzhang came up, followed by a huge group of refugees.
The government servants and soldiers who were kneeling on the ground realized what they were doing and hurriedly knelt forward to salute, "Greetings to the general. I wonder which general in the Zhao family's army it is?"
Zhao Hanzhang: "You raise your head and take a look?"
The leader of the Yamen raised his head and glanced at Zhao Hanzhang, then immediately lowered his head and kowtowed repeatedly, "I don't know if the king is coming, so I couldn't greet you from afar. It's a small crime. I will go back and inform the county magistrate to come and greet you."
Envoy."
"No need." Zhao Hanzhang asked: "I will go see your county magistrate myself. What I'm curious about is what are you doing?"
Seeing that her question was gentle and that she had confirmed her identity, the officer relaxed a little and answered honestly: "I have been ordered to search for bandits and inspect the incoming and outgoing goods."
"Since you are searching for bandits, why do you run away as soon as you see me?" Zhao Hanzhang asked: "How do you know that I am not a bandit without even asking?"
The yamen servant smiled in a hurry and said: "Who doesn't know that our Zhao family army in Yuzhou only has one female general? She is a magic soldier at first glance. How can she be a bandit?"
Zhao Hanzhang snorted coldly, pointed his horsewhip at a man kneeling beside a carriage, and asked: "Tell me, why are you stopped here? Are you bandits?"
The other party was shocked and quickly denied it.
If they were identified as bandits, not to mention the goods they brought, even their lives might be at risk here, and their death would be in vain.
He said: "We were stopped here because we had to count the goods and pay the tolls and various commercial taxes."
Zhao Hanzhang asked with interest: "What are their names?"
The other party quietly raised his head and glanced at Zhao Hanzhang, and saw that she was smiling, not showing any ferocity at all, but for some reason, his heart was trembling a little, and his voice was lowered, "Tolls, commodity value tax, vehicle and horse tax, foot tax, etc."
Tax compliance..."
Zhao Hanzhang heard that there was indeed a foot tax, and even a mountain, forest, and lake tax, because they damaged the environment by passing through mountains, forests, and lakes.
Zhao Hanzhang couldn't help but nod, the tax was indeed complete enough.
She smiled and asked, "Then why are you blocked here? I saw you were making a noise just now. I wonder what you were arguing about?"
The other party replied anxiously: "I, we heard the announcement from the envoy Zhao that if you go to Yuzhou to do business at this time, the commercial tax will be reduced by half when you enter Yuzhou, and there will be no other miscellaneous taxes. The two commercial taxes on grain and linen will be waived."
And I got rid of everything, so that’s why I came.”
The smile on Zhao Hanzhang's face fell as soon as he leaned forward slightly, stared at the government servant kneeling in front and asked: "Did you hear that? Has your county government received this announcement?"
Just now, I felt that Zhao Hanzhang's gentle government servant was sweating on his forehead and shivering under the attention of five hundred cavalry. An invisible pressure began to press on him. He couldn't bear it, so he said: "Little, little is under the order."
Don’t dare to act alone.”
Zhao Hanzhang asked coldly: "Whose order?"
"County, County Lord..."
The yamen servant's voice became lower and lower, and his body became closer and closer to the ground.
Zhao Hanzhang snorted coldly, raised his head and scanned the whole place and said: "All government officials and soldiers in Xi'e County should move to the left, and vendors should move to the right. All goods carried by them are grain and linen, and they can pass directly. Other goods can pass directly.
Yes, except for half of the commercial tax, you don’t have to pay any other miscellaneous taxes. Now, let’s get started.”
Everyone was stunned for a moment, and they all secretly looked up at Zhao Hanzhang to make sure that she was not joking. Only then did someone boldly stand up tremblingly, pull the two bullock carts forward with his son, and said with a flattering smile to Zhao Hanzhang: "Mr.
Jun, this is all food for me."
Zhao Hanzhang raised his chin and said to the Yamen servant who was still kneeling below: "You haven't checked yet?"
The yamen officer didn't expect to ask them to inspect it, and thought she would let Zhao Jiajun take over.
They quickly got up and went to check. The speed was much faster this time. As long as there was no contamination and it was indeed grain, they would let it go.
Behind Zhao Hanzhang were more than 3,000 refugees, and two oxcarts had to pass through them. The father and son were still very nervous.
But although the refugees looked at them, they were not excited. When they got to the back, the father and his son also discovered dozens of vehicles behind the team, which looked like food.
The father and son breathed a sigh of relief and immediately slapped the cow's butt to make it walk quickly.
Seeing that the first team went out smoothly, everyone's thoughts immediately became excited. First there were those carrying burdens, then those pulling ox carts and donkey carts, and the larger caravans lagged behind.
Because the goods they bring are relatively miscellaneous, except for grain and linen, which are completely tax-free, other goods are half-tax exempt.
But this is already a great discount for them, especially since they only charge commodity value tax and do not charge any other taxes.
After working hard for a long time, the government officials and soldiers finally sent all the blocked caravans out of the checkpoint, and then stood in front of Zhao Hanzhang with their heads lowered to listen to the instructions.
Zhao Hanzhang did not lecture them. After getting on his horse, he said: "Let's go, take me to see your county king."
Zhao Hanzhang recalled it carefully and asked: "Your county magistrate is called Gao Cheng?"
The yamen servant sweated and lowered his head, "Yes."
Zhao Hanzhang nodded and said: "It's a good name." But he doesn't look like a good person in terms of what he does.