After rebirth, I joined forces with my mortal enemy to seek revenge.

In the tea shop, Pei Jiaoran generously covered the entire place. While sipping tea, he looked intently at the gate of the county house.

If she guessed correctly. The man driving the donkey cart just now should be the magistrate of Wei County. As for why he drove a donkey cart out to sell goods, he was probably waiting for her to get something out of him.

Just as they were thinking about the soldiers who had gone in to report earlier, they came out, looked around and walked towards them.

"Who are you?" the soldiers shouted at Pei Jiaoran.

Hearing this, Pei Jiaoran smiled, took a piece of paper from his sleeve and handed it over.

The soldier lowered his head and looked at the notice, and he could only recognize the word Qinghe County. But it still has the official seal on it. He glanced at Pei Jiaoran up and down, showing contempt, "The newly arrived county magistrate?"

"Yes. Please go in and tell me something. I want to see your county magistrate." Pei Jiaoran said with a smile.

"Yes. Our county magistrate has said that if you are a colleague, please come in and sit down." The soldier pointed to the door, "Let's go."

After listening to the soldiers' words, Pei Jiaoran raised his lips. According to what this soldier said, if he were a local powerful man, he might not be able to enter the county gate.

More than ten people were left to continue resting outside. Pei Jiaoran took only five people, including Cui Shang, and followed the soldiers into the county house.

Stepping into the county house, a shabby atmosphere hit my face.

Cui Shang couldn't help but clicked his tongue and glanced at Pei Jiaoran from the corner of his eye. He looked calm and calm again, as if he had anticipated what would happen.

Following the soldiers, they walked around seven or eight turns on the verandah before reaching the backyard.

What comes into view is a grape trellis with vines climbing on it. Under the shelf is a vegetable garden. The man in gray robe that I had seen before was standing barefoot in the field, holding a ladle in one hand and a wooden barrel not far away. There is a strange smell in the wind.

Pei Jiaoran frowned slightly.

"Xu County Magistrate, they are coming." The soldier said.

However, the man in gray robe did not respond. Instead, the soldier turned around and ran away without a trace.

He looked at the gray-robed magistrate in front of him who was concentrating on watering and fertilizing the vegetables. Pei Jiaoran glanced around and saw a rattan rocking chair not far away. She walked over slowly, gathered her clothes and sat down.

As soon as she sat down, Cui Shang's eyes widened even more.

An unpleasant smell rushed into his nose from time to time, and Cui Shang had no choice but to move to Pei Jiaoran.

I don't know how long it took before the gray-robed county magistrate came out of the vegetable garden. I fetched water from the well and washed my hands, then took a porcelain bowl from the wooden table on the side and went to the chicken coop to feed the chickens.

Pei Jiaoran raised his head and glanced at the sky, tapping his knees with his fingers.

"Ms. Pei, are you planning to sleep outside?" Cui Shang asked in a low voice.

They have been waiting here for a full hour. But Pei Jiaoran and the gray-robed county magistrate acted as if they didn't know each other existed. Let each do his own thing.

"What's the rush?" Pei Jiaoran yawned, "We can't delay other people's work."

The county magistrate finished feeding the chickens and packed up the chicken coop. Then he walked towards them.

The gray-robed magistrate squinted and scanned everyone, "Who is looking for me?"

"It's me. The newly arrived magistrate of Qinghe County." Pei Jiaoran raised his lips, "I'm passing through here and came here to pay my respects."

"You are not the county magistrate, nor are you a tax payer." The gray-robed magistrate pulled up a chair and sat across from Pei Jiaoran. "The material of your clothes is not ordinary, and the quality is good. Are you from Chang'an?"

"Xu County Magistrate is smart." Pei Jiaoran said.

"It's not that I'm smart. It's that you guys don't look like tax payers, let alone a county magistrate." County Magistrate Xu sighed, "Besides, how can there be so many people surrounding you alone?" .I think your last name should be Pei."

Pei Jiaoran cupped his hands and smiled, "Xu County Magistrate's guess is really accurate."

"This is not called guessing, but observing." County Magistrate Xu poured a cup of tea and drank it in one sip, and said slowly: "What small officials like us need to learn most is to observe. Understanding the people's sentiments is the most basic, and another point is Observe words and emotions.”

"For example, observe other people's demeanor and movements. Although you have never spoken, you give people a sense of majesty. And if it were anyone else, they would have left in anger. You didn't. You can tolerate my neglect. This is better than many people. good."

"Why should I be angry? I was just thinking about why you farm and feed chickens. But I understand what you said just now." The smile on Pei Jiaoran's face gradually deepened, "Xu County Magistrate wants to understand the sentiments of the people, in addition to going from house to house Door-to-door visits. Another thing is to get involved in people’s lives and see how they buy rice and vegetables and how much they spend every day.”

"Miss Pei deserves to be a high official. She can think of so many places. Going door to door to collect taxes is a skill, but if you want to truly understand the people's sentiments, you still have to blend in with them. Live as them. For the state capital Only when you pay taxes can you have a sense of balance in your heart."

"Isn't the imperial court going to implement a new order soon?" Pei Jiaoran casually smoothed the wrinkles on his clothes, "In the past, this tax was in accordance with the imperial regulations. Will tax collection be easier than before?"

Hearing this, County Magistrate Xu sighed, "How can it be so easy?"

"Still difficult?"

"You are from Chang'an, so you are naturally used to the imperial court's tax collection methods. But Heshuo is different." Magistrate Xu picked his teeth with his fingers and said: "This place has powerful families and arrogant soldiers. Although the people also want to Taxes are paid, but how they are paid is decided by the people in the Jieshuai Mansion. The feudal town relies on these people to support them, so naturally they will not be too harsh. And the people also have to rely on the protection of the feudal town soldiers, and the taxes they pay are actually equivalent to We are raising soldiers. The better the soldiers and horses are raised, the safer they will be."

"Miss Pei, if you go around Heshuo, you will find that as long as you are in the three towns, there are no bandits. This is the benefit of raising soldiers. If you raise soldiers, you will be able to suppress bandits. And these bandits Most of them will become soldiers. Even if some people don't pay taxes, when they think about the benefits of raising soldiers, they are still willing to pay taxes according to the wishes of the Commander-in-Chief. The mutual benefits between both parties have allowed it to continue for so long."

"If there is a new order from the court, if the county magistrate wants to be promoted, he must meet the examination requirements and ask the rich and powerful to help pay the two taxes. But in this way, the county magistrate and the powerful will inevitably be confused. Common people They also complain a lot about the new order, even if they don’t understand it, but too much grievance can easily lead to disaster, especially in a place like Heshuo.”

"I know that the imperial court adheres to the principle of two-thirds tax, and your new order cannot circumvent this point. The tax for leaving envoys in the state is composed of various counties. Although these taxes are paid by the people, some people are unwilling to pay them if they are not paid in full. , the county can only find people to help. This help comes from favors, and with favors, there will be profit sharing. If this continues, no matter how good the new order is, it will be corrupted, and no matter how honest the official is, he will be polluted. If you only want to If we are just reaping profits in Chang'an, will the new order from the imperial court still be supported?"

Pei Jiaoran sat up straight, "Can't we let the people make their own plans?"