The old man said excitedly: "I am sixty-seven years old."
In the Qin Empire, where the average life span was no more than fifty-five years old, sixty-seven years old was definitely considered an advanced age. In fact, the imperial court also gave preferential treatment to these elderly people.
For example, if you are over sixty years old and meet an official below the third rank, you are not allowed to kneel down and pay homage.
From the age of seventy onwards, the local government will pay condolences and send gifts every year.
When you are over eighty years old, you don't even need to salute when you see the emperor. Ordinary princes and nobles have to take the initiative to dismount when they see you.
"The empire governs the world with benevolence and filial piety. It is really shameful that my father-in-law, at such an advanced age, would pay such great courtesy to his juniors."
Li Chen said warmly: "Although the tax issue has been investigated and the additional taxes on ordinary people have been cancelled, this is what the court should do, so there is no need to be grateful."
With tears in his eyes, the old man said: "I don't know that untouchables like us are living in poverty. With this tax cut, everyone has a way to survive. This is a life-saving grace."
Waving his hand, Li Chen was about to speak, but his father-in-law hesitated and asked: "I heard that Mr. Zheng was dismissed from his official position?"
Li Chen raised his eyebrows slightly and replied: "Yes, he will not continue to serve as the prefect of Weihaiwei."
The old man immediately said: "We don't know the identity of the master, but we also know that the master must be a very important person. Master Zheng's punishment is also the punishment imposed by the master. But I am ignorant, can you please take back your life?"
Li Chen said with great interest: "Zheng Baorong created extortionate taxes on the people without authorization. Since those undue taxes have been cancelled, he will naturally be punished. You should be happy. Why are you begging him instead?"
?”
The old man showed a righteous expression on his face and said: "Weihaiwei's coastal defense was all built by Mr. Zheng. Now that he is gone, who knows what the subsequent prefect will do? Most likely they will abandon it, but like this
If so, it will be difficult for us to go fishing."
Li Chen smiled and remained calm.
Su Jinpa, who followed behind, looked unhappy when he heard this.
This group of common people not only want to get benefits, but also don’t want to pay more taxes?
Sure enough, Li Chen asked: "But even Zheng Baorong, the money he needed to build coastal defense was also spent from taxes. Now that these taxes have been cancelled, it is not enough to maintain coastal defense. Whether he stays or not, the result will be
the same."
"Where is the court?"
The old man said plausibly: "Shouldn't the imperial court allocate funds?"
"The national treasury is already empty. Everyone knows about the natural disasters in the past two years. Money is needed everywhere. If the imperial court invests in the construction of coastal defenses, it will not only be Weihaiwei, but also other coastal cities. It will be an astronomical sum.
The imperial court cannot afford the numbers."
Li Chen's patient explanation made the old man shake his head and said: "In the final analysis, the court is still incompetent."
Li Chen was actually speechless by these words.
"Old man, this is wrong."
It was Su Jinpa who spoke.
"Originally, the imperial court's national policy was to ban fishermen from going out to sea to fish. However, the situation has been bad in recent years. Fishermen are also common people and they have to survive. Therefore, the imperial court basically turned a blind eye to fishermen going out to fish in offshore waters.
Even though the government is not really pursuing the case, the current situation is difficult, so the imperial court will naturally use its limited money on places where it is more needed, so how can there be any money left to build coastal defenses?"
