The Emperor is Above

Chapter 12: Annual Tribute Confrontation (Part )

"What does Mao Sheng want to do? Does he think that this Mao Qiu Pavilion is his own tomb?"

A tall and burly senior official said angrily to the others, "It would be fine if they arbitrarily asked for the annual tribute to be paid nearly ten days in advance, but they actually raised the standard by so much.

In the past few decades, the annual tribute paid by the upper common people was comparable to the mid-level body-building prey, but this year they have to pay high-level body-building prey. "

"Of course Mao Sheng wants to attract the emperor's attention by making achievements in politics, hoping to be promoted to a higher rank!"

Another thin senior official next to the tall senior official couldn't help but sneer,

“The rulers of Xing State for dozens of generations have always valued military achievements, but our Maoqiuting is located in the capital, not in a border area where wars are raging.

Not to mention the stronger wild folk settlements, even the ninth-grade exotic beasts are often cleared out by the city guards, so of course he can only rely on political achievements to get ahead. "

"Bei Qu Gong, Nan Xiang Ming, you two old foxes, stop complaining!"

Another gray-haired senior official interrupted the two people's complaints and came over with a smile and said,
"I heard that this time the decision was made after the head of the pavilion discussed it with Qiu Dao and sought the opinion of Diannong. There were other reasons as well and we were just innocent victims.

Just now I saw your servants selling prey at the market. Hurry and bring it over. If you sell it, you will have to buy it back.

This time, it was the Sima under the command of the city guard Lvqiu Mufeng, who came forward to supervise the payment of the annual tribute by the title of Maoqiuting this year, and to ensure that no deception to the monarch could occur. "

"The Sima of the city guards under Luqiu Mufeng's command?"

The tall and thin upper commoner and the thin upper commoner were startled, looked at each other, and without bothering to complain, hurried towards the market.

When Qing Yi, Daniu, Chai Yong and his party arrived, they happened to meet two senior officials, Beiqu Gong and Nan Xiangming, who were hurriedly walking out.

"Hey, isn't this the lower commoner Yi who has incredible luck? I heard that you picked up a ninth-grade exotic beast for free." The upper commoner with gray hair smiled and looked at Qing Yi, but had no intention of getting closer.

"It turned out to be Mr. Bailiang. I haven't seen him for many days and he is still in good health. It's really good news."

According to the original memory in his mind, Qing Yi also greeted this upper commoner with a smile. The two parties had no close relationship, and of course no hatred, they were just acquaintances.

"Xia Shuyi, Xia Shuyi——"

A chubby lower-ranking official hurried over, his eyes narrowed into slits as he smiled on his fat face, "I heard that you hunted quite a few wild wolves, and the leader was a ninth-grade exotic beast.

I want to buy one from you, and I don’t ask for your ninth-grade exotic beast. Just sell me a high-grade body-building beast. I guarantee you’ll pay a high price.”

"Is there still such an operation?"

Qing Yi looked at the fat man in front of him who looked more like a businessman than a nobleman, and couldn't help but feel a little confused. Annual tribute could be bought and sold? It seemed that the monarch did not forbid such behavior.

After thinking it over carefully, Qing Yi smiled and said, "Master Tu, I haven't made up my mind yet. If I need to sell it later, how about I consider you first?"

The chubby lower official seemed a little disappointed, but he still politely bowed and said, "Then I'll leave it to Lower Official Yi. I'll go to the market and have a look."

There were a total of six upper common officials and twelve lower common officials in the entire Maoqiu Pavilion. They had gathered in the pavilion until almost noon, but the pavilion chief Maosheng, Diannong Shuqiubing, and Qiudao Kou Rui did not show up.

"Maosheng has become even more arrogant this year. It's really too much!"

"Maosheng probably thinks he is about to be promoted to a noble official. He is so rude."

The chief of Maoqiu Pavilion only managed the administration of a 30-li area on behalf of the king, so the upper and lower common people did not accept his jurisdiction. At this time, people were talking unscrupulously, and Qing Yi listened carefully without talking to anyone. "Ahem, ahem, ahem—"

At around three quarters past noon that day, someone suddenly coughed to remind them, and the pavilion chief Maosheng and his group finally appeared.

A tall man in full armor walked side by side with Mao Sheng at the front, with Diannong Shuqiu Bing and Qiudao Kou Rui following closely behind them.

Thirty city guards followed behind him, dressed in bright clothes and armor, holding swords, shields, spears, and lances, with longbows slung over their bodies and quivers hanging from their waists. They walked in clear formation, and a mighty military force rushed towards them.

With the city guards as a powerful team, the private armies of the Mao, Shuqiu and Kou families seemed to be in a dismal state. They were far from adequate in both appearance and morale.

He was dressed in black robes and a dark hat. He was probably in his early forties, with fair skin, flowing beard, a pair of slightly slanted eyes, slightly raised eyebrows, and an expression that gave off a sense of majesty without even being angry.

He sat in the main seat facing east and nodded to the Sima of the City Guard sitting next to him. Then he looked around at the six senior officers and twelve junior officers present and spoke slowly:

"The rites say: All state affairs rely especially on men of noble titles, so that they can cultivate virtue and learn the Way. In spring they will be trained in learning, and in autumn they will be trained in archery, so that their skills can be tested and promoted or demoted accordingly.

I have been ordered by the king to manage the Maoqiu Pavilion, which is thirty miles in radius. In previous years, I did not do my best due to the complicated affairs in the pavilion. I am truly ashamed of the king's trust.

Fortunately, the city guard Sima Zuo Gongyu has suggested that from this year onwards, all of our knights in Maoqiuting will not only pay tribute to the king, but also be tested on archery and swordsmanship."

Seeing that the faces of the upper and lower commoners present were getting uglier, Mao Sheng shouted coldly: "You have all been treated kindly by the king for a long time. Now I just want you to understand the etiquette between the king and his subjects. Is there anything else that is difficult for you?"

The city guard Sima, known as Zuo Gongyu, sneered at this time: "The annual tribute is a great honor between the monarch and his subjects! Could it be that all of you here are not the monarch's titled subjects?"

"Annual tribute to the emperor is a righteous ceremony between the ruler and his subjects. How dare we have any objection!" The upper and lower commoners shuddered and knelt down and bowed in unison.

Facing the beatings from Mao Sheng and Zuo Gongyu, Qing Yi did not make any unusual movements. He felt that the gazes of these two people as well as Shu Qiu Bing and Kou Rui were vaguely scanning him, and he was afraid that the attack was yet to come.

"Annual tribute to the emperor, the duty of a vassal--"

"If you hear something in the morning, you will be worried in the evening—"

Bai Liangweng, Beiqugong, Nanxiangming and other senior commoners, respectfully presented their own prey one after another. Most of them were not very big in size but had high-level body-building strength.

The lower commoners are not as strong as the upper commoners, but they can more or less meet the annual tribute standards. However, at this time, everyone's attention is attracted by the ninth-grade wild wolf monster behind Yi.

Da Niu, Chai Yong and ten other people worked together to carry the huge wild wolf in.

"Wow, it's really a ninth-grade exotic beast——"

"What a heaven-defying luck! How come I didn't pick it up?"

The upper and lower commoners around were amazed. In fact, they thought Qing Yi was too young and stupid. How much could the reward from the king be worth?

If it were them, they would simply take out a high-level body-building wild wolf as an annual tribute and leave the ninth-grade wild wolf monster behind.

Whether it is sold or used for other purposes, there will be great benefits. At least the animal skin is the best material for armor, and wolf teeth are the best material for making weapons.

Sergeant Maosheng first carefully examined this ninth-grade exotic beast, revealed a satisfied smile, and then stared at Qingyi with interest for a long time.

Suddenly he laughed and said, "I never thought that a mere lowly scholar could actually hunt a ninth-grade wild wolf."

(End of this chapter)