Chapter 501: “Why—does my family also have to pay taxes now?”

“So just because you say it’s over, it’s over?” Madam Chen’s face was cold with anger. She had not a shred of goodwill left for this clerk who kept declaring her son dead. Rudeness alone might have been tolerable—but to openly curse her Zhì’er as gone? That was something she could not endure.

“Heh… and what exactly does a village woman like you intend to do about it?” The household clerk let out a sneer, adopting the full arrogance of his usual yamen demeanor.

Old Master Zhu was already sweating. ‘Why is the second son’s wife so unreasonable? he thought anxiously. We just barely got the clerk to let things go, and now she’s stirring things up again. This isn’t our home—if we anger him, it’s our family that will suffer. How can she not understand something so simple?’

“A ‘village woman’—is that how you address me?” Madam Chen shot him a fierce glare, her voice sharp as a blade.

“In Huaining County, there’s no one I can’t call what I please.” The clerk swept his gaze over her disdainfully, a cold smile curling on his lips as he stood there in a deliberately domineering posture.

“Lord Feng, Lord Feng, please calm your anger.”

At this moment, Zhu Shouren stepped forward, pushing past the others. He cupped his hands in a deep bow—so deep it reached the limit of courtesy—and met the clerk’s eyes briefly. Then he turned back, straightening up, his expression turning stern as he addressed Madam Chen.

“Sister-in-law, this is Lord Feng, a clerk of the Household Office of Huaining County. He oversees the fish-scale land registers and the taxation records, and is responsible for the collection of grain and taxes throughout the county. His visit to Xiahe Village to measure land is an official duty carried out under orders. You must be mindful—if you obstruct official business, the consequences will not be something our family can bear.”

“Hmph.”

Before Zhu Shouren had even finished speaking, Clerk Feng let out a heavy snort. With a sharp flick of his sleeve, he tilted his head upward, presenting nothing but his lofty chin to the crowd.

“It is I whom you are not qualified to address that way,” Madam Chen retorted coldly, her anger only deepening at his attitude.

“You—”

Dark clouds gathered on Clerk Feng’s face. He looked like a fierce tiger being provoked by a mere rabbit—on the verge of baring his fangs in irritation.

“Lord Feng, please calm your anger,” Zhu Shouren quickly stepped forward again, bowing once more. “My sister-in-law is a rustic woman, ignorant of proper conduct. Please do not take offense.”

“Oh? So it’s Young Master Zhu.”

Only now did Clerk Feng seem to properly notice him. His raised chin lowered slightly, and his tone shifted, regarding Zhu Shouren with newfound consideration.

“Why aren’t you at home studying for the examinations? I’ve heard that Lord Liu has high expectations for you. You mustn’t disappoint his trust.”

“I thank you for your kind words, my lord.” Zhu Shouren bowed again. As he did, his fingers made a subtle motion, and he cast a fleeting, almost imperceptible glance.

“Mm.” Clerk Feng nodded knowingly.

The two exchanged a tacit understanding—no words needed, as if everything had already been arranged beforehand.

“Very well. For Young Master Zhu’s sake, I’ll let this matter pass,” Clerk Feng said, clearing his throat. He cast Madam Chen a glance, his expression that of someone bestowing a favor. “I won’t argue with you this time. But let there be no next time.”

“Thank you, Lord Feng, thank you,” Zhu Shouren said repeatedly, then turned toward Zhu Pingan’s father and Madam Chen, gesturing insistently with his hands. “Second Brother, Sister-in-law—quickly, thank Lord Feng.”

Right on cue, Clerk Feng assumed an even more imposing posture, waiting for their bows and apologies. In his mind, the display of authority had gone far enough—this little show of dominance was complete. It was time to move on to the real matter at hand.

“Lord Feng?”

Madam Chen let out a cold laugh. “May I ask—what rank does Lord Feng hold?”

The question caught him off guard. The clerk coughed lightly, the official tone on his face faltering as a faint flush crept over it.

Though he wielded some practical authority within the yamen, he was, in truth, nothing more than an unranked functionary—someone without formal standing in the imperial hierarchy.

“What—are you higher than the county magistrate?” Madam Chen pressed further.

His face reddened even more. The magistrate was a seventh-rank official—how could he possibly compare?

“I, however, was personally granted the title of Sixth-Rank Anren by the Emperor,” Madam Chen said coldly. “Even your county magistrate must greet me with respect when he sees me. And yet you call me ‘village woman’ again and again?”

Clerk Feng’s expression flickered uncertainly.

Of course he knew her identity. Back when the magistrate had sent people to convey thanks, he had been aware of it. But earlier, he had deliberately ignored her status—intentionally so.

His plan had been simple: treat her like an ignorant peasant woman, establish dominance first, frighten her into submission. Surely, she wouldn’t even remember her honorary title.

Intimidate them, then proceed with the land measurement and taxation—everything would fall into place.

As for whether Zhu Shouren’s scheme would ultimately succeed, that was none of his concern. What mattered was the promised twenty taels of silver—he wouldn’t accept a single coin less.

But what he hadn’t expected—what he truly hadn’t anticipated—was that Madam Chen was not so easily cowed.

Now that she had brought up her status, Clerk Feng’s expression shifted several times before settling into a stiff, insincere smile. He cupped his hands in a shallow bow, his tone neither warm nor cold.

“Oh, so it is Madam Zhu. I had thought you just another village woman. This humble official greets Madam Zhu.”

Though he performed the gesture, there was little genuine respect in it.

A Sixth-Rank Anren? So what?

It was merely an honorary title—empty prestige without real power. If Zhu Ping’an were still alive, that would be another matter entirely. But now? With no backing, no other officials in the family, no influence even within the county—what did he have to fear?

“Humph.” Madam Chen gave a cold snort.

“Madam Zhu, please don’t take offense. This land measurement is carried out under official orders,” Clerk Feng continued with a thin smile. “When Lord Zhu was present, your household naturally had no need to worry about taxes. But now… once the land is measured, it will be easier to calculate what your household must pay in the future.”

He paused, his expression gradually turning more severe.

“You should understand—our dynasty places great importance on taxation. As the law states: ‘Those who fail to declare their land, or declare it falsely, shall have all their holdings confiscated and be sentenced to a year of corvée labor.’ Late payment, underpayment, or evasion will be punished heavily—not only confiscation of land, but forced labor as well.”

“Paying grain and taxes is the natural order of things,” he added with a cold smile. “Now that Lord Zhu is no longer here… unless your family produces another xiucai or juren to qualify for exemption, otherwise…”

He let the words hang in the air.

Old Master Zhu, hearing this, instinctively turned his gaze toward Zhu Pingan’s father. Unbidden, he recalled the suggestion Zhu Shouren had made that day.

“Who says my son is gone? My Zhì’er will definitely come back!” Madam Chen’s anger flared again. She looked ready to claw at him, but Zhu Pingan’s father quickly held her back from behind.

“Madam Zhu, you should accept your loss,” Clerk Feng said impatiently, waving his hand dismissively. “I have work to do. Once the measurements are complete, someone will inform you when it is time to pay taxes. Continue the measuring.”

“Pay taxes?”

“Why—does my family also have to pay taxes now?”

At that moment, a young man’s voice rang out clearly beside Clerk Feng’s ear.

“Of course. Paying grain and taxes is the natural—”

The clerk answered impatiently, but as his gaze shifted toward the speaker, his eyes suddenly widened.

The rest of his words caught in his throat.

It was as if an invisible hand had seized him by the neck. His voice choked off mid-sentence, and even his body began to tremble uncontrollably.