17: Chapter 17 Tax Collection at Your Doorstep

Ye Jing also returned home after a long absence.

As soon as he entered the house, his two grandchildren, Ye Tianhao and Ye Tianyao, rushed over and affectionately called him "Grandpa."

Wu Guiyun wept with joy seeing her husband and father-in-law return safely. Wiping her tears, she hurriedly said, "Father, Brother Xuan, you're finally back."

During these past few days, she and Liu Xianglan had been waiting at home, incredibly worried.

Ye Xuan quickly stepped forward to support his weeping wife. "Guilan, why are you crying? Haven't we returned safely? We caught a lot of prey in the mountains and sold them for a good price. We don't have to worry about the Tax Silver anymore!"

Liu Xianglan, who could now walk around after her confinement period, brought over some water. She was also happy, a smile on her gentle face. "Father, sit down and rest. Sister-in-law has been out of her mind with worry these past few days, always getting up at night to look toward the village entrance, fearing something might happen to you in the mountains."

Beside them, Ye Tianyao pulled on Ye Jing's sleeve, looking up with her small face to ask, "Grandpa, are there many big tigers in the mountains? Mother said you had to deal with a big black bear. Is it even bigger than the old yellow ox in the village?"

Ye Tianhao also leaned in, his face full of admiration. "Grandpa, can you really shoot an arrow through a wild boar's head like the old man next door said?"

Ye Jing laughed heartily, amused by the children. He reached out to scratch Ye Tianyao's little nose and patted Ye Tianhao's head. "It's not that exaggerated, but there are indeed many dangers in the mountains. It's lucky your grandpa has enough experience; otherwise, we wouldn't have been able to bring back so much prey."

As he spoke, he pulled a heavy cloth bundle from his robe and spread it out on the table.

The bright white silver emitted a soft luster, as if brightening the entire room.

Under the astonished gazes of his two daughters-in-law, Ye Jing smiled and said, "By hunting in the mountains and selling the prey, we've made a lot of money. It's enough for the Tax Silver!"

Upon hearing that the Tax Silver could be paid in full, Wu Guiyun and Liu Xianglan were overjoyed.

Seeing his Family so happy, Ye Jing naturally felt a sense of relief. Because of the pressure of the Tax Silver lately, not only had they been living frugally, but the Family hadn't known a moment's peace.

Now, with the silver raised from hunting and the eight-plus taels earned by his two sons selling grain in the city, they could not only pay the taxes in full but also have quite a bit left over.

That evening, Wu Guiyun and Liu Xianglan used the meat Ye Jing had bought to cook a sumptuous dinner. Ye Tianhao and Ye Tianyao, who hadn't eaten meat for a long time, were drooling with greed and ate until their bellies were round.

Ye Jing looked at his two grandchildren and then at Ye Tianhui, who was smacking his lips in Liu Xianglan's arms.

The Immortal Willow's Immortal Light came from the Family's development; naturally, the more descendants, the better.

It seemed that for the Family to flourish and branch out, wealth was absolutely indispensable. He would need to earn more money.

For the next few days, since the Tax Silver had been raised, Ye Jing didn't need to run around anymore and stayed home peacefully to rest and recover.

Three days later, on a clear and bright day, Ye Jing sat by the threshold resting and smoking his pipe.

The Ye brothers had just gone out to repair farm tools. Wu Guiyun and Liu Xianglan were busy in the kitchen preparing breakfast, with curls of blue smoke drifting from the chimney, exuding a warm, domestic atmosphere.

Ye Tianhao and Ye Tianyao, dressed in clean coarse cloth clothes, were chasing butterflies in the courtyard. Their crisp laughter prompted the baby inside to babble along.

Suddenly, the fat-eared Niu Gui swaggered in from outside the courtyard, followed by an official whom he was whispering to with a fawning expression.

The official was thin and gaunt, but his eyes were sharp and full of shrewdness as he strode inside.

"Lord Duan," Ye Jing stood up, his behavior fairly respectful.

This official was named Duan Peng, a tax collector sent by the town magistrate's office. He was notoriously greedy, using every trip to the countryside to extort money, leaving the common people angry but afraid to speak out.

Not to mention, Duan Peng was Niu Gui's brother-in-law; Niu Gui had married his sister. Unfortunately, Niu Gui's wife had passed away early, but this didn't affect the good relationship between Niu Gui and Duan Peng.

Now that Niu Gui had come with him, it was clear they did not come with good intentions.

Niu Gui sneered at Ye Jing, "Old Man Ye, have you raised enough Tax Silver? Today is the day to pay up!"

With a smug smile and eyes full of calculation, he was certain Ye Jing couldn't pay. He had specifically followed his brother-in-law to see how this stubborn old man would cope.

If he couldn't pay the tax, those two mu of land belonging to Old Man Ye would be his!

Niu Gui's tone held a hint of a threat. "Ye Jing, government tax collection is no joke. If you can't pay today, according to the law, people will be held accountable and punished!"

At this, Duan Peng looked coldly at Ye Jing's Family; that single glance carried an invisible pressure.

Hearing this, Wu Guiyun and Liu Xianglan's faces turned slightly pale inside the house. In these times, commoners feared officials, terrified they might be seized on the spot for the slightest mistake.

Seeing Niu Gui's petty, triumphant look, a faint smile played at the corners of Ye Jing's mouth. He turned to Wu Guilan and said, "Guilan, go get the silver."

Wu Guilan quickly responded and went into the house.

As soon as Ye Jing spoke, the smug smile on Niu Gui's face froze. Could this Old Man Ye really have raised the twenty-nine taels of Tax Silver?

Duan Peng also straightened up slightly, a hint of playfulness appearing in his eyes.

Wu Guilan came out carrying a heavy money bag and handed it to Ye Jing.

Ye Jing weighed it in his hand and said to Duan Peng with a smile, "My Lord, please count this silver. Is it exactly twenty-nine taels?"

Duan Peng stepped forward and opened the bag. Seeing the bright white silver inside, even an experienced official like him was momentarily dazzled.

Niu Gui also leaned in and let out a "Hey!" "That's so much silver!"

His eyes nearly popped out of his head as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing. The Ye Family, who could barely manage to feed themselves in the past, could actually produce so much silver! He looked at Ye Jing with constant shock and suspicion.

Duan Peng's reaction was not much better than Niu Gui's. Seeing that the silver was real, his face became so gloomy it looked like it could drip water.

Niu Gui's heart hammered. Along the way, he had told Duan Peng that Ye Jing's Family definitely couldn't pay, so they could force the old man to sell his land cheaply and then seize the Ye Family's house and fields.

He had calculated everything, but he never expected Ye Jing to actually pay the taxes. Now, he wouldn't get any benefit at all.

Duan Peng took the silver and weighed it.

With the Tax Silver paid in full, Duan Peng was displeased but couldn't say much. He simply took out his ledger and marked a red circle by the Ye Family's name to indicate payment.

As the official departed, a line of ancient text appeared in Ye Jing's mind.

"Paid the Tax Silver, resolved the Family crisis, obtained eight points of Immortal Light! The Family's Immortal Light has reached the target; obtained the ability to Plant Enlightenment."

Ye Jing was very surprised. Previously, when he named his grandson Ye Tianhui, the Immortal Willow gave him one point of Immortal Light. Now, after paying the taxes, it had actually increased by eight points, and he could even apply the Immortal Light to plants to enlighten them.

In other words, if the Family prospered and obtained more and more Immortal Light, would the Immortal Willow awaken different abilities accordingly?

He thought about it for a moment and felt it made sense. By paying the taxes in full, the whole Family could live in peace, which meant every member of the household had overcome a crisis.

As for this ability to Plant Enlightenment, what exactly was it?

Ye Jing couldn't figure it out. He subconsciously looked at the rice drying outside the courtyard.

Ancient text appeared over the pile of rice: "Mortal Grain, full grains. Can consume five points of Immortal Light to evolve into a Spiritual Plant. Evolution direction: High Yield."

Ye Jing was startled. He hadn't expected the Immortal Willow's Immortal Light could be applied to plants, but it would consume five points at once. One wisp of Immortal Light could make Ye Jing ten years younger; if used on a plant, perhaps it would have even more powerful effects.

High Yield.

Ye Jing silently repeated these two words. This was exactly what farmers hoped for most. If the rice yield was high, they might earn a lot of money and solve the Family's food and clothing problems.

Ye Jing thought for a moment and decided to use these five points of Immortal Light on the rice to see what magical reaction would occur!

Without hesitation, he chose to enlighten them. Walking over and rubbing the rice, he found nothing strange; it seemed there would only be a reaction once they were planted.

Ye Jing began to look forward to what kind of extraordinary things this rice, which cost him a full five points of Immortal Light, would grow into!