EBE Chapter 265: Are Nobility Above the Law?
Chapter 265: Are Nobility Above the Law?
Upon hearing this, Tang Yu's first reaction was surprise, but not anger; instead, he was stunned.
Not a buddy?
When did the Qin state start charging an entrance fee to its cities?
I do not know how?
He never imagined that such an outrageous thing could happen in the world.
City entry fee.
It should be understood that all policies of the entire Qin state were decided upon by him and Ying Zheng before they could be issued and implemented.
As for the city entry fee, Tang Yu clearly remembered that he did not seem to have set one.
So he raised his eyes to look at the soldier in front of him with an unusually arrogant expression and asked.
"Entry fee? What's that? I've never heard of it."
Upon hearing Tang Yu's words, the soldier looked him up and down.
Upon closer inspection, it became clear that he was not only handsome but also tall and imposing, with an extraordinary bearing, making him clearly not one of the young masters from Handan.
After all, they had all met the noble young men of Handan.
Despite their noble names, they were nothing more than a bunch of nouveau riche, and none of them possessed the same aura as Tang Yu.
After thinking about it, he decided to give the other party face and explain things properly.
"This city entrance fee is a basic fee in our Handan city."
"After all, you've come to a city as big as Handan. The construction and operation of Handan all require money."
"Once you come to Handan City, it means you will enjoy the benefits and privileges associated with Handan City."
"It's not too much to ask you to spend some money, is it?"
"And the entrance fee isn't much, less than two taels of silver per person. How about that? It's a good deal, isn't it?"
"Young master, you'd better hand it over quickly."
Looking at the soldier's appearance, Tang Yu thought for a moment and decided not to make things difficult for him.
After all, he knew that such a thing could not possibly be done by a mere soldier, and the entrance fee could not be collected by a mere soldier at will.
Obviously there's someone behind him.
It was the people behind him who made him do it.
"It seems that there are still too many parasites in my Qin state."
Tang Yu sighed, raised his eyes to look at the soldier in front of him, and slowly spoke.
"If that's the case, could you tell me which Qin law or regulation governs this city entrance fee?"
"If you can tell me, then I'll pay the entrance fee."
The soldier in front of him was dumbfounded.
He originally intended to give Tang Yu a stern reprimand.
However, seeing the huge difference in size between himself and Tang Yu, and considering that the other party might be a high-ranking nobleman from the Qin Kingdom, he sighed.
“Young master, this matter is not in accordance with any law or regulation of the Qin state.”
"This was decided by the noble lords of Handan City themselves, who are the descendants of the Zhao nobles who originally lived in Handan City. They are now the people in charge of Handan City."
"They've set an entrance fee for the city. I'm just a lowly guard soldier, what can I say? What can I do?"
Tang Yu remembered this information after hearing it.
He then took out the silver coins he had in his pocket and paid the entrance fee.
After all, I came here to investigate a case and resolve local disputes, so I can't reveal my identity right away.
Otherwise, what's the point of traveling incognito?
After watching Tang Yu pay the city entrance fee, the soldier bowed to Tang Yu, took the money, and turned to leave.
Tang Yu observed the soldier's actions throughout, and in the end he was surprised to find that the soldier did not take any benefit from the city entrance fee, but instead handed it all over.
Tang Yu gasped in shock.
It seems things aren't quite what he expected; perhaps these soldiers are also victims.
After entering the city, Tang Yu discovered that Handan truly lived up to its reputation as the original capital of the Zhao Kingdom, its prosperity only slightly inferior to that of Xianyang.
Compared to other cities Tang Yu passed through on his journey, it was far superior.
However, as soon as Tang Yu arrived, he sensed a strange atmosphere. It seemed that many people avoided him as much as possible after seeing his clothes and his overall demeanor, as if they were hiding from something terrifying.
Seeing this, Tang Yu understood.
However, he didn't have time to disguise himself, so he took two or three steps directly to the secretary official who had been sent to Handan.
He looked at the soldiers guarding the door and said seriously.
"I would like to meet with the local Party Secretary and officials in Handan. Please inform them."
Tang Yu originally thought that he could meet this secretary official by saying a few words.
After all, according to his regulations, secretaries and officials should not refuse visits from the people without a valid reason unless there are special circumstances.
This was a method Tang Yu had to come up with out of necessity, since there wasn't a sophisticated reporting system like the one he had in his previous life.
Perhaps the oppression suffered by ordinary people in the previous generation, as well as the harsh treatment by some unscrupulous officials, could still be addressed through certain channels by the people themselves.
However, this cannot be done for one lifetime, so secretaries and officials currently also bear this heavy responsibility.
That is to advocate for the people's grievances!
He was curious: with such a big event happening in Handan, what exactly was the secretary and official doing?
Why is it that so far the intelligence is still being sent by Ying Zheng's Black Ice Guard spies, instead of the reports from the scribes and officials?
To Tang Yu's surprise, the guard glanced at him and said in a surprised tone.
"Sir, judging from your appearance, you should be a nobleman. Why do you also need to see this clerk?"
Tang Yu was stunned when the official finished speaking.
Judging from my appearance, I should be a nobleman. I shouldn't be meeting this secretary/official.
So it seems that it should be the common people who see this secretary and official, and it should also be the common people who report the situation to this secretary and official.
It seems that the nobleman was indeed the one who interfered, preventing these commoners from meeting with the officials.
However, Tang Yu still shook his head.
"Please inform them that I have something urgent to attend to."
At this moment, a troubled look appeared on the soldier's face.
"Young master, although I don't know which family you belong to."
"But I want to tell you that this secretary is not someone you can just see whenever you want these days."
"The prefect of Handan stipulated that no one may visit the clerks or officials without a valid reason."
"If you need to visit him, you must obtain his permission first."
Upon hearing this, Tang Yu's expression turned cold.
"what?"
"When did this law come into being in our Great Qin land?"
"Shouldn't it be that the secretary or official being met only needs to give a brief announcement, check that they are not carrying any sharp weapons, and then be allowed to meet the secretary or official through a veil?"
What kind of regulation is this?