I, Liu Bian, Sanxing Han Dynasty

Chapter 410 Sima Yi

The county officials under the jurisdiction of Henan Yin, based on the household registration data, assigned county and township officials from all over, starting from Luoyang, to visit households.

"The emperor issued an edict. Due to the drought, each household in Henan Province will be exempted from rent for 60 mu of land... Well, your family has 200 mu of land, and you have already paid taxes for five months this year. Now the rent you should pay is 7 shi 3 liters..."

"You have hundreds of acres of good farmland... I'm sure you won't default on rent... Oh, by the way, this is something my master asked me to return to you. My master once said that you shouldn't accept gifts without merit, so please check it out so that you don't have to explain it later..."

Within a few days, such scenes began to appear in various places in Luoyang and gradually spread to other counties under the jurisdiction of Henan Yin.

If Henan Yin was the first to come into contact with the new tax system, then Hanoi County must be the second.

Henei Prefect Zhong Yao is an old minister of the emperor's palace. Although the number of visits to the prince's palace by the current emperor when he was the crown prince was very limited, no one dared to ignore this identity label.

Therefore, when Zhong Yao summoned the county officials with great fanfare and unquestionably asked them to inform the people of the news of the new tax system first, no one doubted Zhong Yao's will.

Then, almost without surprise, the two major powerful families, Sima and Zhao, in Wen County, not far from Huai County, the capital of Henei Prefecture, received the news in advance.

Sima Lang was at home, facing the two people from the Zhao family who came to visit him, and he already had some guesses in his mind about their purpose.

Now Sima Fang is serving as an official outside, while Sima Lang, Sima Fang's eldest son and former boy servant, stays in his hometown to take care of family affairs and also to build up a reputation in the village.

"Brother Wei Sun, Brother Wen Chu, I haven't seen you for a long time, you are still as charming as ever!"

Both powerful families were located in Wen County, and they were related by marriage to demonstrate their close relationship.

Zhao Weisun heard this, but ignored Sima Lang's greetings and asked directly: "The fire is about to burn you and me, and Boda is still sitting there quietly?"

Seeing Sima Lang about to speak, Zhao Weisun said again: "Don't tell me you haven't heard about the new tax system!"

Sima Lang had no choice but to admit, "I have indeed heard about it, but this is the national policy. What can you and I do? For now, we can only follow the will of heaven."

Another Zhao advisor, Zhao Wenchu, heard this and echoed, "Wei Sun, what Boda said makes sense!"

When Sima Lang heard this, he knew the attitudes of the two people who came here today -

Zhao Zi has a gentle temperament, and his attitude towards the new tax system is just like his temperament.

But Zhao Weisun was different. During the Zhongping period, he was sent by Emperor Xian to the Liyang Camp as the inspector of the camp, responsible for supervising the regular camp soldiers stationed in Liyang County. Later, there were changes in various places and personnel changes. Zhao Weisun became the military Sima of the Liyang Camp, and now he happened to be on leave and going home.

He looked down upon Zhao Zi's weak attitude and said to Sima Lang, "I only regret that all the officials in the court are mediocre and unable to help the country, which led to such bad policies! Boda, I know that you have been quite knowledgeable since you were young. You are not like some cowardly rats who are full of thoughts of accepting everything that happens!"

"You...you...you!" How could Zhao Zi not hear the hidden meaning behind Zhao Weisun's words? But he pointed at Zhao Weisun and thought for a long time, but he didn't say a single word. He only said one sentence - "If you insist on doing what you want, I will have to take my family away from here, so as not to be implicated by you!"

Afterwards, Zhao Zi hesitated for a while, turned away, and bowed to Sima Lang before leaving.

Sima Lang didn't know what Zhao Weisun had learned in the Liyang Camp that made him act so tough, but he knew that Wen County in Henei County was too close to Luoyang, and it was also too close to the Eight Camps of the Northern Army and the Eight Commandants of Xiyuan!

Not to mention that Zhao Weisun was only the deputy of Liyang Camp, so what even if he was a captain?

How does it compare to Zhong Yao?
Apart from the inconsistent conversation between Sima Lang and Zhao Weisun, Zhao Zi was startled as soon as he turned a corner after leaving the house. "Zhongda, why are you here?"

Zhao Zi looked at Sima Yi who was calm and composed, and suddenly realized that Sima Yi might have been eavesdropping just now.
"Lord Wenchu!" Sima Yi bowed, not at all embarrassed by being caught eavesdropping, and said openly, "I came to look for you, big brother, but I didn't expect to meet Lord Wenchu..."

As he spoke, he pointed inside the house and asked, pretending to be ignorant: "I saw Lord Wenchu ​​just arrived, why did he leave in such a hurry?"

Even a clay man has some temper. Although Zhao Zi has a gentle personality, how could he not feel emotional when he was ridiculed by his own people in front of outsiders?

Now, he was very excited and seeing that Sima Yi was asking the question sincerely, he did not hide the answer.

"New tax system? I see!" Sima Yi invited Zhao Zi to his residence, and after listening to Zhao Zi's story, he asked, "If Lord Zhong is there, he will definitely promote the new tax system, and Wen County is no exception. May I ask Lord Wenchu, what can be done to stop it?"

Zhao Zi shook his head: "The left and right are just colluding with each other, pretending to obey but secretly disobeying, so Wei Sun is busy looking for your elder brother."

Judging from the words he used, it was clear that he did not approve of this behavior.

"The other day I was reading the Zuo Zhuan, and I read that Guo She said to Duke Hui of Jin: 'Without the skin, where will the hair be?' Now, the whole world belongs to the king. Even if Duke Wenchu ​​leaves his hometown, where can he go?"

When Zhao Zi heard this, he knew that Sima Yi was indeed eavesdropping, because he had just talked about the quarrel between him and Zhao Weisun in the hall.

But on second thought, he was just saying that in anger, and Sima Yi was right. It was impossible for him to live in hiding with his family!

But Zhao Weisun had a stubborn character, especially after becoming a general in the army, it was good enough that he didn't look down on him. If he could have persuaded him, he wouldn't have wanted to seek Sima Lang's help.

Zhao Zi could only continue to shake his head.

Sima Yi was not discouraged and said, "I have seen that Lord Zhong has always been methodical in his actions. For example, when implementing the new tax law, if he encounters a slight setback, I am afraid he will choose someone to establish his authority."

Zhao Zi sighed to himself, feeling that he was being dragged down.

Sima Yi:?

Afterwards, he analyzed the pros and cons to Zhao Zi from several different angles.

What about food, clothing, and daily expenses after leaving home, the future of my descendants, and the clan members in the clan...

Although Zhao Zi agreed with his words, he never said he would do anything about it.

Although Sima Yi knew that Zhao Zi was well-known throughout Wen County for his gentle temperament, he was not so gentle to this extent...

The young Sima Yi finally couldn't bear it anymore and said, "Lord Wenchu, my two families have a Qin-Jin friendship, and now I will not deny it... At this moment, Lord Wenchu ​​has to do something!"

Others may be blind, but Sima Yi had already noticed the murderous aura coming from the direction of Luoyang.

If you, the Zhao family, want to deal with the problems on your own, go ahead and don’t involve our Sima family!
Only then did Zhao Zi realize that all Sima Yi had said before was to provoke him to take action.

(End of this chapter)