Chapter 270: Chapter 165: Taxes 4

The lead Official chuckled and handed the Literary Decree to Butcher Hu.

Upon hearing this, everyone was stunned, staring at the two Officials in disbelief.

Butcher Hu, who had just been reaching out, snatched his hand back in fright. He stammered, “Ah… This… My lords, what has my Hu Clan ever done to deserve this?”

“Lord Officials, we’re just a common family. Are you sure you haven’t made a mistake with this decree?”

Chun Ju asked, unable to believe her ears.

“That’s right, it’s for your household. It’s written clearly right here. Lord Xu even gave special instructions for us to deliver it with the utmost speed.”

the Official replied.

“What?”

Butcher Hu and Chun Ju were completely dumbfounded. The couple accepted the Literary Decree with trepidation.

The other Official explained, “You two need not worry. Your exemption from taxes and corvée labor is thanks to a Literary Decree that the future Martial Arts Scholar, Young Master Chu, had Lord Xu issue for you.”

“Young Master Chu defeated Samba, bringing great honor to our Baiyang County. The Court has given him an exceptional reward. So even though he isn’t a Martial Arts Scholar yet, his status already surpasses that of a Martial Arts Scholar. Not only can his immediate family be exempted from taxes and corvée labor, but he can also grant the same treatment to ten other households. And you are one of them.”

the lead Official added.

“So it was all thanks to Chu! I knew he wouldn’t forget Old Hu!”

Hearing this, Butcher Hu was so overjoyed he burst into tears.

“This kindness from Chu… how can we ever repay it?”

Chun Ju said, also wiping away tears.

The couple had rallied the shopkeepers of Wine Street to go to the Martial Arts Hall’s entrance and cheer for Chu Lingguang. At first, the other owners were unwilling, afraid they would be implicated if Chu Lingguang’s reputation was ruined. In the end, it was the couple’s promise—that if everyone went along, they would give each person a catty of meat afterward, win or lose—that finally convinced the others to go.

Although Chu Lingguang had been busy recently, he had appeared at the Fengyue Building a few times without once coming to see them. The couple never said anything, but deep down, they felt a little slighted.

Now, seeing that Chu Lingguang had helped them get exempted from taxes and corvée labor, the couple realized that he had never forgotten them and had been thinking of them all along.

“Young Master Chu has a boundless future. The two of us are quite envious that you’re acquainted with him. We heard from Lord Xu that he will be leaving Baiyang County tomorrow. If you have time, you should see him off.”

the lead Official said again.

“Alright. Thank you, Lord Officials. Please wait just a moment.”

Butcher Hu wiped his tears, tied up the few catties of meat left in his stall with a reed rope, and handed it to the two Officials. “You’ve worked hard, Lord Officials,” he said warmly. “It’s just a small token of my appreciation. Please accept it.”

“This… haha! Well then, many thanks, Boss Hu.”

The two Officials exchanged a smile. They finally understood why Chu Lingguang would remember a simple butcher.

“Let’s pack up and go home.”

After seeing the Officials off, Butcher Hu said to Chun Ju.

“Okay.”

Chun Ju nodded. Chu Lingguang was leaving tomorrow; the couple had to go home and prepare.

“Did you hear? Chu Lingguang got Boss Hu’s whole family exempted from taxes and corvée labor!”

“That’s a huge favor! Their children and grandchildren won’t have to suffer in the future.”

“Sigh, it’s our own fault for being so indecisive. If we had supported Chu Lingguang back then like Old Hu did, maybe we could have benefited too.”

“Did you all hear? The two Lord Officials said Chu Lingguang can exempt ten households from taxes and corvée labor. On all of Wine Street, only Boss Hu’s family has it. There must be spots still available!”

The shopkeepers on Wine Street burst into discussion, each one looking at Butcher Hu’s family with immense envy.

Liu Qianqian and Boss Huang were stunned for a long while. The two of them had just been telling Butcher Hu not to get his hopes up. They never expected to be proven wrong so quickly.

Not only had Chu Lingguang not forgotten Butcher Hu, he had even helped his entire family get exempted from taxes and corvée labor. That favor was far more valuable than a personal visit.

“Sigh… we brought this on ourselves.”

Boss Huang lamented, returning to his shop dejectedly.

Liu Qianqian also returned to her grain and oil shop and sat down, looking utterly crestfallen, as if she had just missed out on a huge fortune. She even forgot to attend to her customers.

「Zhang Family Gully.」

Mrs. Chu of the Zhang Family and her household also quickly received a Literary Decree exempting them from taxes and corvée labor. Although the family had long thought that Chu Lingguang would help them with this as soon as he passed the examination, they still couldn’t help but weep with joy when they received the decree.

“Our family owes Lin Guang too much.”

Zhang Da said emotionally. Master Hei had just made him the foreman of the tile factory; the only person in the entire factory with a higher position was Hei Hu’s second uncle.

His wages had also tripled.

He hadn’t even finished celebrating one good thing when Chu Lingguang delivered another huge surprise.

“What nonsense are you talking about? Lin Guang is family now.”

Mrs. Chu of the Zhang Family reminded him.

“You’re right, wife.”

Zhang Da froze for a moment, then began to cry as he spoke.

“A Literary Decree for tax exemption?”

“Yes, Young Master Chu had it arranged for you.”

An Official also delivered a decree to Landlord Zhang. Landlord Zhang couldn’t believe it, so moved he was at a loss for words. Chu Lingguang had actually done what he said he would. It felt like a dream.

“Master Guo has taken on a fine disciple.”

When Mr. Liu learned from Zhang Jiatting that Chu Lingguang had secured a tax exemption for his daughter’s family, he sighed with heartfelt admiration.

As a private tutor, he received preferential treatment from the Court and was exempt from taxes and corvée labor himself, but he couldn’t extend that privilege to Zhang Jiatting. Now, with Chu Lingguang’s help, his daughter and son-in-law would also be able to live a good life.

「Liu Family Gully.」

A large crowd had gathered at the entrance to Mr. Niu’s house.

“Hehe, have another bowl!”

Mr. Niu had also received a Literary Decree. Although it only exempted him alone from taxes and corvée labor, it still lessened his burden considerably. He would now have more time to take his sheep into the mountains.

He had squeezed two bowls of milk to serve the two Officials.

“No more for us, Mr. Niu. It’s getting late, we have to head back now.”

The two Lord Officials took their leave.

Mr. Niu saw them part of the way.

When he returned, he saw Mrs. Liu and the others staring at him with sour expressions.

“Old Mr. Niu, Chu Lingguang could have clearly exempted your whole family from taxes and corvée labor. Why did he only exempt you?”

Mrs. Liu said mockingly.

“I didn’t really help him with much. To have my own taxes and corvée labor exempted is already a tremendous favor. At least for the rest of my life, I won’t have to toil from dawn to dusk like before. I have to repay this debt of gratitude.”

With that, Mr. Niu returned to his sheep pen and tossed some fresh fodder into the enclosure.

“Look how smug he is. It’s just an exemption for one person.”

“If I were Chu Lingguang, I’d have exempted his whole family or none at all.”

someone jeered sourly.

“If I had known, I would have trusted him from the start. Maybe I could have gotten some benefit too.”

“I heard he can still help several more households get exemptions.”

“Now he won’t even come back to Liu Family Gully. We brought this on ourselves.”

Others were filled with regret.

“Hey, Liu Qianqian’s back.”

“Qianqian, did you know? Chu Lingguang got Mr. Niu exempted from taxes and corvée labor.”

Mrs. Liu said to Liu Qianqian.

“Oh.”

Liu Qianqian glanced at the cheerful Mr. Niu in the sheep pen and nodded woodenly.

“Don’t you have anything to say about it?”

Seeing Liu Qianqian’s lack of reaction, Mrs. Liu and the others pressed her.

“Chu Lingguang also got Butcher Hu’s whole family exempted from taxes and corvée labor.”

Liu Qianqian replied.

“What?”

Everyone was stunned. So Chu Lingguang did remember Butcher Hu.

Mrs. Liu suddenly recalled the scene: Chu Lingguang riding back on his horse, calling out a greeting at her door, and she, in response, had shut the kitchen door and window.

’If I had been as warm as usual that day, maybe Chu Lingguang would have helped our family get an exemption too. In the end, it’s all because I was so ungrateful.’ Thinking this, Mrs. Liu couldn’t help but feel like crying.

Many of the more perceptive people realized that Chu Lingguang had exempted only Mr. Niu to send them a message: he, Chu Lingguang, distinguished clearly between gratitude and grudges. He would neither forget the good people had done for him, nor would he forget their actions. Only if they took his Favors seriously would he, in turn, take them seriously.

*(There will be another Chapter tonight, I’ll try to get it out early. The updates have been a bit slow these past few days, so I hope to get 15,000 characters out today.)*

*(It’s the end of the month, please give me all your monthly tickets!)*

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