Chapter 396: Helping the Villagers Out of a Tight Spot

Ceng Popo believed it to be true, only then accepting the rice and flour, her mouth full of endless thanks.

"This Refined Rice and Refined Flour are very expensive; you gave me two large bags, I should be the one thanking you."

Bai Wei handed the rice and flour to Ceng Popo, thought for a moment, then took a few peaches from her space and knocked on Zhou Yanli's door.

"Brother Yanli, these are peaches the villagers brought; they said they were picked from the mountain. Let you have a taste."

Now that she had the Jade Pendant, she naturally would not treat those around her poorly; Zhou Yanli had been taking care of her during this time and had also lost quite a bit of weight.

However, Zhou Yanli was harder to fool, so she dared not take out more.

Sure enough, Zhou Yanli looked at them carefully, his brows knitting together, "Are there peaches on the mountain?"

"There are." Bai Wei lied with her eyes wide open, "Right on the mountain behind the village; the villagers picked a basketful back. I've already eaten some, these few are for you."

Zhou Yanli hesitated for a moment before accepting them, saying with a cold face.

"Thank you."

Bai Wei let out a sigh of relief and quickly turned to leave, lest the other party ask more and she reveal the truth.

By nightfall, she still had not received the note sent back by Xiao Moting.

Bai Wei went to inquire around the Fishing Village again, but there was still no news.

Her brows knitted tight.

So much time had passed; what on earth had gone wrong on Xiao Moting's end? Why hadn't he replied to her all day?

The moon set and the sun rose.

In the blink of an eye, it was the next morning.

As soon as Bai Wei woke up, she rushed to the beach, preparing to ask the fishermen heading out to sea for news of Xiao Moting.

But just as she reached the village entrance, she saw a group of government soldiers gathered.

Leading them was still that same Leader from yesterday.

The soldiers were herding over a dozen young men from the village, tied together in a row.

The villagers were weeping and wailing, begging incessantly.

"Official, please don't take my son away for military service; we will definitely scrape together the head tax."

"This is the only seedling left in my family, I beg you to have mercy."

The Leader shouted impatiently, "I already told you about the military service! Every village follows the Collective Responsibility System; you must gather twenty people, otherwise, everyone will be dragged into the army."

"What is collective responsibility?" Bai Wei asked, surprised.

At this moment, Zhou Yanli's voice came from behind her.

"The Collective Responsibility System means taking the village as a unit to conscript laborers collectively; not one person fewer will do."

"If you want to pay the head tax, you must also have the whole village pool the silver together—one hundred taels per person; twenty people means two thousand taels of silver."

Bai Wei's eyes widened, "It can be like this? Isn't the government being too unscrupulous?"

Zhou Yanli sneered slightly, "Otherwise, how else would they earn silver?"

Up ahead, Ceng Popo was also kneeling on the ground, begging the commander.

"I beg you, our village will definitely scrape the silver together, please let them go."

"Mother, I don't want to join the army." The man was bound by hemp rope, howling with snot and tears, "Joining the army is a death sentence; my eldest brother and second brother are already gone. If I die, who will provide for your old age and burial?"

The two were locked in a struggle.

At this time, the soldiers dragged a few more young men from the village.

"Boss, we've gathered twenty people; it's a full count."

Bai Wei had seen these young men before, too.

They were all fishermen, very honest and kind; two of the young men had even run over to give her fish to eat when they saw she was a stranger.

The Leader waved his hand, "Take them all away."

Instantly, the villagers' cries and wails shook the heavens.

"My son!"

"Father, Mother, I don't want to go."

Bai Wei could not bear it in her heart and suddenly stepped forward.

"Officer, wait!"

"I will pay the two thousand taels of head tax."

As soon as the words fell, the surroundings went completely silent.

The surrounding villagers, as well as the soldiers in the front, all looked at her in unison.

Zhou Yanli was also slightly stunned, his brows knitting lightly.

"You want to pay this money for them?"

"Yes." Bai Wei nodded without hesitation.

During this time, she had been living in the Fishing Village, and the villagers had all been very good to her; some gave her clothes, some gave her fish and shrimp, and there was an aunt who brought her eggs that had just been laid at home to help her nourish her body.

Although the Fishing Village was a remote and impoverished place, the villagers were all very simple and kind.

Since she had received their kindness, she could not watch the villagers suffer.

"You have this money?" The Leader narrowed his eyes in suspicion, his face full of disbelief.

Bai Wei nodded, "I do. Wait for me a moment, I'll go back to my room to get it."

The Leader pondered for a moment and beckoned two small soldiers over.

"Follow her and see if she's trying to pull a trick."

The villagers were also shocked and all crowded forward.

"Young lady, where did you get the silver?"

"You mustn't lie to them, or they will throw you into the dungeon."

"It's fine, I have it." Bai Wei smiled, said nothing more, and led the two soldiers toward the house.

Arriving at the doorway, she stopped.

"Wait here at the door for a moment; I will bring the money out."

After speaking, she walked into the house and immediately took out the Jade Pendant.

In the Warehouse, there were still over a hundred large mahogany chests collected from the Fusang People, and among them, a dozen or so were filled with gold, silver, jewelry, antiques, and jade wares.

Although two thousand taels of silver was a large sum, Bai Wei could afford it.

Gold and silver were too conspicuous and would be hard to explain.

Bai Wei rummaged through the Warehouse and picked out a jade Incense Burner inlaid with precious stones and a Gold Crown adorned with cat's-eye gems.

These two items were small in size, making it easier for her to make up an excuse if anyone asked.

She walked out of the house.

Under the sunlight, the treasures shimmered.

Instantly, the two soldiers stared with wide, unblinking eyes.

Carrying these two treasures, Bai Wei arrived at the entrance of the Fishing Village.

"Officers, can these two items cover the two thousand taels for the Head Tax Document?"

"Hiss!"

The Leader gasped in shock, "These are truly fine treasures; worth it, they are well worth it."

As he spoke, he hurriedly took the items.

Seeing Bai Wei actually produce such treasures, the entire village was in an uproar.

"Young lady, where did you get these?"

"They look expensive at a glance; this girl must be the daughter of a wealthy family."

"Nonsense, she must be the daughter of a high official who ended up in our Fishing Village."

Zhou Yanli stood to the side and took a glance.

The villagers could not recognize them, but he saw at a glance that both items were antiques from the previous dynasty, and their value far exceeded two thousand taels of silver.

The Leader took the two items, waved his hand to order the release of the twenty young men who had been tied up, then handed the Head Tax Document to the village chief and left, feeling completely satisfied.

"My son!"

"Mother!"

The released young men and their families in the village embraced tightly, overcome with emotion, both sides wearing expressions of those who had survived a disaster.

The villagers also crowded around Bai Wei, expressing their gratitude in a cacophony of voices.

"Young lady, we owe this all to you this time!"

"Thank you so much; our village will definitely find a way to pay you back."

Bai Wei was surrounded by the villagers, smiling and waving her hands.

"It's alright, they were just two pieces of Jewelry; there is no need to pay me back."

"If you really want to thank me, just help me inquire about news of my friend."

The villagers nodded one after another.

"You have helped us with such a big favor; leave the matter of finding someone to us."

"We will definitely inquire; we will go to the surrounding villages right now to ask, and we will surely find your friend."

Only Ceng Popo looked puzzled.

"Strange, when I saved this girl, I didn't see her carrying these treasures."