Near noon, Gu Wen had just finished breakfast when he heard wailing outside his residence.
Stepping outside, he saw a round-faced merchant with a large belly clutching the legs of a government official and wailing, surrounded by a large group of government officials and government workers continuously moving items out of his house, appearing as if they were about to confiscate everything.
After inquiring through his servants, he learned that the Market Trading Department was collecting taxes again, specifically targeting merchants with a "household tax."
The Market Trading Department, responsible for the collection of commercial taxes, also managed the taxes for all merchants. It was led by a deputy director and staffed with eight minor yet influential officials, who tightly controlled the merchants like fearsome beasts.
As for the reason behind their actions resembling a house raid, it was because the tax officers also needed to supplement their household expenses.
