latelenovela Chapter 175
Chapter 175
A new county magistrate came to Jiangdu County. Apart from causing some disturbance among the gentry, ordinary people didn't care about it at all.
Anyway, when the officials came, it was nothing more than a few things, such as increasing contributions and taxes, extracting oil and water, and scraping land.
After so many years, everyone has become numb.
Whatever you like, anyway, if you can have a bite to eat and survive, that's enough, and you don't want any other ideas.
However, there was one person who seemed to be looking forward to it. This person was Bai Wenju, the young master of the Bai family, a big family in Jiangdu County.
In the former Qing Dynasty, the imperial examination system was abolished, but the Bai family still let Bai Wenju receive traditional private school education.
In the view of Bai Wenju's father, Bai Futian, the imperial examination system has been implemented for thousands of years, so how can it be said that it is abolished?
The emperor must have been deceived by the treacherous ministers around him, and when the emperor comes back, he will definitely restart the imperial examination!
It's a pity that Bai Futian hadn't waited for the day when the emperor came back, and the Qing Dynasty was dead!
Naturally, it is meaningless to study the Four Books and Five Classics again.
Therefore, Bai Futian entrusted a distant relative to send Bai Wenju to Shangyang Academy in Dongjiang City, the capital of Lingnan Province, and later admitted to Lingnan Higher College.
If Bai Futian could travel back to the past, then he would definitely slap himself a few big mouths at that time.
It was this learning experience in the new-style school that quickly broadened Bai Wenju's horizons, and his whole person underwent a fundamental transformation from the inside out.
Bai Futian originally thought that after his son graduated from university, he would be able to find a good job in the county as a foreign student, which would also add luster to the Bai family.
However, when Bai Wenju returned to his hometown, the first thing he did was to bring a dozen college classmates to burn the Bai family's cornucopia—[-] acres of poppy fields.
Hearing the news, Bai Futian fell down clutching his chest, and almost didn't get up in one breath.
Bai Wenju himself was impassioned, saying that opium harms the country and ruins our people, and that such poisons must be eradicated completely!
I want to follow the example of Tan Gong back then and eradicate opium, starting with my own poppy fields!
Bai Futian almost went crazy. He felt that his son was suffering from hysteria and was possessed by a demon. He first drove away some of his son's classmates, and then invited witches and gods to exorcise his son.
In the end, not only was it unsuccessful, but Bai Wenju seemed to be getting sicker. He directly stole the usury IOUs from his family, and then burned them all in front of the tenants and poor farmers in the village.
Bai Futian collapsed immediately, this time he didn't believe in any witches and gods, and directly declared in front of the whole clan that he didn't recognize Bai Wenju's son, and kicked him out of the Bai family.
At the same time, Bai Futian also asked the doctor to prescribe some medicines for tigers and wolves, and asked the village lady Wang to find him some golden girls with big boobs and round buttocks.
In the words of later generations, Bai Futian's tuba practice is useless, and he is ready to start practicing trumpet!
After Bai Wenju was kicked out of the Bai family, he didn't stop there, but continued to spread his ideas in Jiangdu County.
Although the gentry were extremely disgusted with Bai Wenju, Bai Wenju was Bai Futian's son after all, even if he was kicked out of the Bai family, it was his family's business.
His son, he can be beaten and scolded any way he wants, and if outsiders want to touch Bai Wenju, believe it or not, Bai Futian will directly bring his clansmen to kill him.
Therefore, everyone regarded Bai Wenju as a buzzing fly, and simply turned a blind eye, out of sight and out of mind.
Although Bai Wen made great efforts to publicize his idea of "eradicating opium and saving Chinese people", few people in the county bought it.
Therefore, when Lin Hongfei came to Jiangdu County, Bai Wenju had a new idea in his heart.
Bai Wenju felt that Lin Hongfei was of the same age as him, and he came from the capital. He had naturally received a new education, so he would definitely agree with him.
If he could get Lin Hongfei's support, he would definitely be able to wipe out all the opium in Jiangdu County!
So, with this in mind, Bai Wenju came to the gate of the county government office one morning and asked the guards to see Lin Hongfei.
The guards standing guard at the gate were soldiers from Jilu brought by Lin Hongfei. They didn't dare to delay and immediately reported to the captain of the guard.
The captain of the guard briefly chatted with Bai Wenju, confirmed that this person was not a threat, and then reported the matter to Lin Hongfei.
"Bai Wenju?"
"Ha ha!"
"I was just about to get to know this person, but I didn't expect him to come to my door."
"Please come in!" Lin Hongfei said enthusiastically.
Soon, Bai Wenju was brought to the living room by the guards. Lin Hongfei looked at this thin, handsome peer in front of him, but there was a hint of tenacity in his eyebrows and eyes, and then smiled and said:
"Master Bai, I've admired you for a long time!"
Bai Wenju stretched out his right hand: "Hello, County Magistrate Lin!"
Lin Hongfei did not hesitate, shook hands with Bai Wenju, and motioned for him to sit down.
"Master Bai, I heard from the guard that you have something important to discuss with Mr. Lin. I don't know what it is?" Lin Hongfei laughed.
Bai Wenju simply took out a stack of papers full of handwriting from an old briefcase in his arms, and placed it in front of Lin Hongfei.
"County Lin, since the former dynasty, foreigners have introduced opium into the country, plundered our people's wealth, and destroyed our people's bodies."
"Such vicious things that are harmful but not beneficial, they must all be eradicated."
"This is the anti-drug plan in Jiangdu County that I wrote by myself. I hope that County Magistrate Lin can implement it and completely wipe out such vicious things in Jiangdu County!"
Lin Hongfei was not in a hurry to answer, but picked up the plan and browsed it roughly, then put it down lightly, and pushed towards Bai Wenju.
"Young Master Bai, although your plan is quite reasonable, have you ever thought about it? About [-]% of the arable land in Jiangdu County is currently planted with this thing."
"How many people are waiting for this thing to bloom and bear fruit, and to reap the pulp and sell it for money."
"In this season, if I eradicate this thing, it will be too late to plant any crops."
"At that time, these people will neither be able to cut pulp and sell it for money, nor grow crops. How will they live this winter? It's hard to starve to death."
Bai Wenju is not a fool, he frowned, and his voice was obviously much cooler: "County Lin, so you are against this matter?"
Lin Hongfei chuckled: "No way, this matter is related to the food and clothing of these common people, so I have to be more cautious!"
Hearing this, Bai Wenju stood up suddenly, put away his anti-drug plan, and said with a sneer:
"Hehe, after all, isn't it still the same thing as [The Clothing and Food Department of Million Water Workers]?"
"Is it not enough for our people to suffer from this? For the benefit of this moment, the future of the country has been ruined!"
Bai Wenju packed up his things, turned around and was about to leave. Before leaving, he said to Lin Hongfei in disappointment and anger:
"County Lin, it's a pity that I thought you were from the capital and were my age. I thought you were different from those short-sighted and selfish people."
"Now it seems that a person's nature has nothing to do with his hometown, knowledge, or age!"
When Lin Hongfei heard this, he feigned anger and said, "Master Bai, you are scolding me in front of me."
"Believe it or not, I slashed you!"
Without any fear, Bai Wenju laughed loudly and said, "It's quick to draw a sword, and it will live up to the boy's head."
"Bai's head is on this neck, waiting for your Excellency to take it away at any time!"
Hearing this, Lin Hongfei couldn't hold back, and burst out laughing: "Hahaha!"
Of course, it wasn't Bai Wenju who he was laughing at, but the poem Bai Wenju quoted.