MTL - After Dressing Up As a Stepmother, I Transformed the Whole Family Into Working In the Fields-Chapter 494 Don't make an ugly scene
Under Old Man Liu’s expectant gaze, Liu Ji rarely became serious.
He said firmly: "I have been used to it after being separated for so many years. I have never thought about moving back, and I have no such plan."
As soon as he finished speaking, Old Man Liu, who was originally full of confidence, suddenly darkened. The smiling faces of Liu Bai, Liu Zhong, He, Qiu, and others suddenly fell.
People in the village are basically straight-forward, and their thoughts are written on their faces.
Qin Yao raised her eyes and glanced around. Old man Liu and Mrs. Zhang were full of astonishment, as if they had never thought that Liu Ji would refuse the proposal to move back.
After all, the current family philosophy is that children and grandchildren are all together, sharing resources, helping each other, joining together when possible, and never dividing the family unless absolutely necessary.
Liu Bai and Liu Zhong sighed together, as if they had expected this result, but they still couldn't hide their disappointment.
He's eyes were about to burst into flames, and he almost pointed at Liu Ji's nose and yelled: Third brother, how could you do this!
In contrast, Mr. Qiu neither fought for nor refused. To put it mildly, he just let everything happen. But in fact, he just didn’t want to take risks at all. He expected Liu Ji to agree to move back, but was also afraid of messing up the current relationship between the two families.
Qin Yao was watching without caring about her own business, and He's angry eyes suddenly glanced towards her.
He asked excitedly: "Yao Niang, you said before that you will never forget our own family if you have any advantages, right?!"
Qin Yao nodded and acknowledged it generously, "I keep my word."
"But I, a woman with a foreign surname, cannot take charge of the matter of relocation. I will leave everything to my husband's arrangement."
She will not stand up for anything that offends others!
Liu Ji didn't care about this. When he heard her words, "Everything depends on the arrangements of the husband," he had no regrets even if he was the one who stood out!
This was the first time that an evil woman had treated him with such a low eyebrow in front of outsiders. Even though he knew she was pretending, Liu Ji was still very happy.
“Ahem~” He covered his lips with his fist and coughed, suppressing the corners of his mouth that were raised crazily, and said with a smile just a second before He was about to explode:
“I know that if I really move back, you guys, eldest brother, second brother, and fourth brother, won’t be very happy. You want me to move back, just for the benefit of scholars being exempted from corvee taxes.”
“Since my wife has already told my eldest sister-in-law and my second sister-in-law that she will never forget our own family if there is a good thing, I will naturally fulfill this promise for her.”
Qin Yao secretly rolled her eyes, but since she wanted someone to be the villain, she couldn't help but let him drift for a while.
Old man Liu was delighted, "Third brother, have you agreed to move back?"
"No." Liu Ji raised his hand to signal his father not to worry, "I have a plan that can reduce taxes for our brothers without having to move back."
“What about the corvee?” As expected, Liu Fei went to the academy to study. Unlike his overjoyed family members, he immediately caught the loophole in his third brother’s words.
The third brother only said that taxes would be reduced or exempted, but he did not say that corvees could also be reduced.
Liu Ji glared at Liu Fei, "You are so smart!"
Liu Fei stared at his third brother without any fear.
Liu Ji had to explain the matter clearly and said with a shrug: "I can't do anything about the corvee."
Unless he really moves back and becomes a family again, his family can enjoy the privilege of being exempted from corvee.
"But!" Liu Ji changed the topic and reassured: "Given the current situation of our family, it is not difficult to find someone to do the corvee on our behalf. Anyway, my method can only exempt you from taxes."
As he said that, everyone in the old house seemed dissatisfied. Liu Ji banged the table and raised it horizontally. The second-rate character reappeared and sneered:
"You are still not satisfied with this. If you insist on me moving back, I will move back. But when the time comes, eldest brother and second brother, don't regret it. If you want to separate the family again and let me go, I will not leave again!"
As he said this, Liu Ji counted with his fingers, "Since we are one family, there is no reason to farm separately and spend money separately. My fame is not for nothing. It is all saved by my wife's hard work." The money is piled up, I’m afraid you don’t know the cost, I will use the abacus to calculate it for you, and the four of us brothers will share it equally.”
As soon as Liu Ji finished speaking, Qin Yao quietly took out the small abacus she carried with her and handed it over from under the table.
Liu Ji looked at the abacus forced into his hand and was slightly stunned. The evil woman deserves to be an evil woman. This method is indeed high!
Picking up the abacus and shaking all the beads, Liu Ji raised his fingers to start calculating.
Liu Zhong stretched out his hand, took the abacus and put it aside, "Third brother, tell me, what is your method that can reduce our family's taxes?"
Before He could react, she looked dissatisfied at Liu Zhong who stopped Liu Ji from settling the score. Liu Bai glared at her and whispered:
"That's almost it. It's good to be able to reduce taxes, but we can't afford to pay that bill."
"Family, don't make it ugly." Liu Bai increased his voice, and He suddenly woke up.
Yes, the whole family relies on the third family, she almost got a photo!
He quickly smiled at Qin Yao and Liu Ji and said nothing.
Seeing their attitude, Liu Ji felt a lot better. His tax exemption was not in vain.
The evil woman said that if you want a horse to run, you have to give it grass.
He has little friendship with the people in the old house, but the evil woman does need their help when she is alone at home. It is not impossible to give some of the benefits of being a scholar.
Having traveled a few times and witnessed the power of those aristocratic families, Liu Ji knew in his heart that the higher he went, the more manpower he would need, but the fewer people he could trust.
The relatives in Laozhai who have the same blood as him are the helpers that he can use with confidence.
What's more, everyone in Laozhai has a higher bottom line than him. No matter how bad they are, they can't be much worse. They have a little desire and greed, but they are easier to control.
Liu Ji was thinking about Xiao Jiujiu, and expressed his idea slowly and calmly on his face.
His simple and crude method was to ask everyone in the old house to 'sell' all the fields under their name to him, and naturally all taxes would be exempted.
Of course, if you are worried, the two of them can write another document privately, and the guaranteed land will actually still be the land on the old house.
"Anyway, you still have to plant the land and harvest the food yourself. I'm just a name." Liu Ji said, spreading his hands.
There are many people in the county who operate like this. The people do not raise officials and do not correct them. Everyone turns a blind eye and gets by in a daze.
Coupled with Qin Yao's reputation in Kaiyang County, Liu Ji didn't think anyone dared to expose him.
“Dad, if you think it’s okay, let’s give the land deed to me today, and I’ll go to the government office tomorrow to get it done. This autumn harvest, you won’t have to pay taxes anymore.”
Old man Liu has been an honest friend all his life. Although he was very moved by Liu Ji's proposal, he was hesitant when he thought of the risk of being exposed.
The three Liu Bai brothers were all anxious. Old Liu hesitantly got up and went back to his room to get all the land deeds. (End of chapter)
