I

Xu Ying's house is in a dilapidated hall.

The whole family is there, with sad faces, waiting blankly for the end of the world.

Yesterday morning, the evil slave of the Fei family came once.

He said that Xu Ying had broken Master Fei and asked him to pay ten taels of silver for soup and medicine. He also liquidated the rent arrears from previous years, plus rolling interest, and the total was reduced to four taels and seven cents, two cents and six cents.

The family lived frugally and finally raised a few chickens that were ready to lay eggs, but they were all captured by evil slaves to pay off their debts.

Even the food at home was taken away, leaving them with no rice to cook in the future.

When the evil slaves left, they said: "My lord is benevolent and righteous, and allows you to default on the land rent. Even if the young master is beaten, I will not force you to a dead end. Where can you find such a charitable master in the whole Qianshan Mountain? It doesn't count in your eight lifetimes." Good deeds. The master said, I will give you one more day to collect the remaining money. If you can't collect it, prepare the land deed and transfer it. Our master is really kind-hearted. As long as the bones and skins of the fields are left, To your family. Please remember my kindness from now on!"

The whole family burst into tears.

According to the classification standards of New China, the Xu family was once wealthy and could be classified as a "well-to-do middle peasant": they had their own land and lived a relatively prosperous life, but they were unable to hire long-term and short-term labor.

But ten years ago, there was a major disaster in Qianshan and drought locusts arrived.

Xu Ying's grandfather and grandmother died of starvation one after another. Her father and three brothers fled with their family to survive.

On the way to escape famine, Xu Ying's eldest brother, eldest sister, and cousin starved to death, and her cousin was sold to Yapo in exchange for food. Xu Ying's second uncle also starved to death, and her aunt later remarried. The third uncle, who was not yet married, went into the mountains and became a bandit, and there has been no news about him so far.

Fortunately, he met a good official, and the county magistrate Da Jiliang took office. He erected a cabbage monument, provided porridge and grain, and used work as relief. Xu Ying's family finally survived.

After returning to his hometown, he could only borrow money from usury to farm the land.

The interest was compounded, and even the interest could not be repaid, and most of the land was taken away one after another.

All of a sudden, he was transformed from a "well-off middle peasant" to a "lower-middle peasant" who made a living by part-farming and part-tenanting, and had to work part-time.

Now that something like this happens again, it seems that the remaining land will be gone, and the outcome waiting for them is to become "poor peasants".

…

"The third son should not be allowed to study. How can he get into trouble if he farms honestly..." Xu's father had injuries on his face from being beaten yesterday, and he muttered a few words repeatedly.

Xu's mother cried silently: "I have to think about it, just in case I get admitted as a scholar."

Xu's father did not dare to resist the evil slave, so he could only blame his wife: "The scholar failed to pass the exam, but he got into a big disaster. The money the third son spent on buying books and pens was not as good as marrying Haowa and asking for a wife!"

Haowa is Xu Ying's cousin Xu Hao.

When the second aunt remarried, it was inconvenient to carry the oil bottle with her, so she was adopted and fed by Xu's father. She is twenty years old this year and has not yet gotten married.

Xu Hao is an honest man with a somewhat dull personality. He said: "My third brother has been smart since he was a child, so he should go to school. If he becomes a scholar and husband, our family will not have to go to war. I can get married a few years later."

Xu's mother whispered: "How about asking Zhen Niang and my uncle for help?"

Zhenniang is Xu Ying's sister Xu Zhen, who married an ordinary farmer in a neighboring village.

Xu's father shook his head and said, "How can Zhenniang help? She hasn't given birth yet. Don't let her know about this."

The whole family fell silent again.

Only Xu Ying's younger brother Xu Mao, a three-year-old little kid, was still playing with snot all over the floor, not understanding that the sky at home was about to collapse.

After waiting left and right, Xu's father came out of the hall, squatted at the door with his sleeves rolled up, and looked at the figure of the evil slave of the Fei family from a distance.

It never appeared, like the executioner's knife, which was always held up and refused to be cut down.

The evil slave didn't come, but three schoolchildren came.

Fei Ruhe was wearing a luxurious silk robe, and he could tell at a glance that he was a young master from a wealthy family.

Xu's father felt ashamed and did not dare to look directly at him. He buried his head in greetings and said, "How are you, young master?"

No matter which young master he is from, it is always right to greet him first.

But Xu's mother recognized them and knew they were her son's classmates. She quickly went back to the house to pour water: "Young masters, please drink water."

Along the way, Fei Ruhe was indeed thirsty, so he took the clay bowl and drank heavily. He was looking for an opportunity to come out to play and was too lazy to care about such nonsense. He said to Zhao Han: "You can tell it."

Zhao Han put down the bowl, cupped his hands and said, "I've met my uncle and aunt."

Xu's father stood up quickly, nodded and bowed, and said in fear: "You don't dare, you don't dare. Master, please don't shorten the life of us farmers."

"Master, you are polite." Xu's mother actually said a long blessing.

Xu's mother has seen the world and worked as a maid in the Fei family when she was young. Because he tried to seduce the master, his mistress kicked him out. She was first betrothed to a lame old widower. After her husband died of illness, she remarried Xu Ying's father.

After Xu's mother saluted, she hurriedly asked: "Ying baby...is my Xu Ying okay? He hasn't been home for two days."

Zhao Han did not tell the truth, but smiled and reassured: "Xu Ying is fine. The mountain chief pities him for his intelligence, and he will live in the academy from now on."

"That's good, that's good." Xu's mother finally felt relieved.

Although Xu's father complained that he should not send his son to study, he only said so verbally. In his heart, he still hoped that his son would succeed.

Even faced with the oppression of evil slaves and the fact that their only land was about to be taken away, the whole family did not dare to let their son know, lest it affect his mood in studying. They didn't go to Hanzhu Mountain either, thinking that it would be better for their son to hide in the academy than to be bullied at home.

Zhao Han added: "Uncle, aunt, the rent and interest owed by the Xu family will not be repaid in the future."

"Really?" The Xu family couldn't believe it.

Zhao Han explained: "Fei Taigong has died of illness, and they have no time to come to press for rent. There may be major changes in the future. The acres of land you rent will also be used as school fields in the future. The mountain chief promised to give you a few more acres."

Xu's father knelt down with a bang and said with a frantic forehead: "Thank you, the mountain chief, thank you, sir, thank you, young master. From now on, we will act like cows and horses, and we must repay your kindness. Thank you, thank you..."

Others also kowtowed and huffed and knelt on the ground.

Even the three-year-old kid was kneeling and seemed to find it particularly interesting.

Zhao Han saw that all the men in the Xu family were injured, so they must have been robbed at home. He did not stop the other party from kowtowing, but left a piece of silver and called Fei Ruhe and Fei Chun to leave silently.

The Xu family kowtowed for a long time before they realized that the three young masters were gone and there were still pieces of silver lying on the ground.

Father Xu burst into tears, wiped his tears and said, "Good people, they are all good people. I met a good person today!"

…

Fei's involution has lasted for twenty or thirty years.

The main reason is that there are too many branches that have been separated and cannot be twisted into a single rope to the outside world, and most of the nearby land and businesses have been occupied by the Fei family.

If you want to continue to expand, you have to attack your fellow tribesmen!

When news spread that Fei Songnian was angry to death, nearby tribesmen took action first.

Zhao Han has witnessed several good shows on his way back and forth.

"Don't move, this is my master's field!"

"Your master? Your master is so pissed off. Your wife has done such a good thing and she has disgraced our Fei family!"

"If you dare to steal Tianji again, we will take action!"

"Are you going to take action? Copy the guys and beat them to death!"

"..."

Two groups of slaves started fighting at the edge of the field. The field foundation belonging to Fei Songnian's family was ripped off by the tribesmen and then moved more than ten feet away.

Just grab it head on, totally shameless.

After Fei Songnian's death, only orphans and widows were left. Several daughters had already been married off. How long would it take if we didn't rob them now?

Not only that, nephews and grandnephews who were close to Fei Songnian also came to collect debts. He said that the old man (Fei Songnian's father) had an uneven family division, that such-and-such a shop should belong to me and such-and-such a house should belong to him. He also said that Fei Songnian had occupied the famous calligraphy and paintings left by the old man.

Mrs. Zhang wore mourning clothes and took her son to the ancestral home to cry. Unfortunately, the patriarch fell ill.

So, Mrs. Zhang sent people back to her parents' home to ask for help. Her brothers were filled with indignation and led hundreds of slaves to come to demand justice.

This move aroused the Fei family's public outrage: how could outsiders be allowed to interfere in the Fei family's internal affairs? Is the Zhang family trying to rob the Fei family's property?

The two clans were at odds with each other and had decided to file a lawsuit, which made the county magistrate Feng Xun miserable.

As the chief official of a county, when encountering a family property lawsuit, you can eat first and then second.

But that also depends on who the sufferer is, just the Fei family and the Zhang family. Feng Zhixian didn't dare to eat either of them, so Feng Zhixian also fell ill.

The two tribes fought with each other and several lives were lost.

The Fei family had many people and the Zhang family could not defeat them, so they sent people directly to Nanchang to hand over the petition to the censor.

The patrol censor came over quickly and asked for some cards. He turned around and disappeared, saying that he was going to investigate the case in private.

Hanzhu Academy.

Hu Mengtai sarcastically said: "Brother Dazhao, Fei's family style is really an eye-opener for my foolish brother."

Fei Yinghuan was actually able to laugh: "Let them make a fuss. It's already rotten anyway. Just take off your clothes and let outsiders see clearly."

Hu Mengtai was stunned and speechless.

Fei Yinghuan shook his head and sighed: "Let's go and study with brother Zhan. I finally figured it out. Fei is hopeless. I just want to see if I can pass the Jinshi exam and jump out. I will stay in seclusion and study hard for three years. In the next year, I will go to Beijing to take the examination. If I fail, I will donate my official position to be the county magistrate."

Fei Yinghuan and Hu Mengtai went to Zhan Zhaoheng to study and make art together.

The three of them aspired to take the imperial examination, and they usually learned from each other and lived a very fulfilling life.

Especially Zhan Zhaoheng, although he is only fifteen years old and has not even passed the national examination, his eight-part essay can actually crush Fei Yinghuan and Hu Mengtai.

Jiangxi Provincial Examination is a hellish difficulty, but for Zhan Zhaoheng, it is like searching for something. If he passes the imperial examination in two years, he will be able to take the imperial examination in Beijing in four years of Chongzhen, and maybe he will be admitted to the imperial examination first.

The three of them encouraged each other, regardless of complicated matters.

As for helping to reorganize the academy, Fei Yinghuan only had to express his position at critical moments as an independent scholar, and he could easily pick up a shop in Hekou Town.