Chapter 7: If You Do Not Step Forward, Who Will?

One cannot thrive without a touch of madness. Without such a spirit of wholehearted dedication, how could my father possibly stand out and bring honor to our family by becoming a scholar? The Fang family of Huaxi has never had any cultural traditions, nor any support from the gentry or the officialdom.

The clerks and subordinates of the county office are often ruthless, cunning individuals who oppress the good and innocent, leaving one to wonder whether they can handle such a situation

In summary, Fang Yingwu transferred the tax exemption quota to another party, and the beneficiary paid Fang Yingwu half of the profits as compensation. However, this behavior is somewhat ambiguous and falls under the category of exploiting loopholes in the system, resulting in the Ming court losing one labor force and a tax of one stone and seven dou.

What about now? Fang Yingwu let out a long sigh and murmured a phrase that was very familiar from a past life—"It is difficult for newcomers to stand out"

Certainly, although Fang Yingwu nearly made a fool of himself, he would not admit that this was due to his overly strong sense of superiority.

Finally, Wang Kui sighed: "For many years, most of the official titles in the county have come from these prominent families. It is very difficult for those outside their gates to enter the county school, unless they possess truly exceptional talent or gain the favor of the esteemed gentlemen. The most famous example is the current Prime Minister, Shang Ge Lao, who, despite coming from a humble background, achieved the highest honors in the imperial examinations, thereby establishing the reputation of the merchants in the southern part of the county."

Regarding the flattery from the neighbors, Fang Ying should merely smile and dismiss it; impressing a few simple villagers from remote mountain areas is truly nothing to be proud of

This left Uncle Fang Qingtian extremely frustrated; how could he not have thought of managing the duty-free quotas in this way? He had wasted eight years with surplus duty-free quotas that went unused.

In reality, it was mere boasting, yet it was interpreted as commendable ambition, causing Fang Yingwu to silently chuckle in bitterness. At that moment, he realized that his father's image in his heart suddenly grew tall and formidable, and he no longer dared to harbor any resentment or disdain towards his father

The interests of both parties have been maximized. Several relatives rented three acres of land under the name of tenants, paying an additional three dou of rent per acre to Fang Yingwu, yet they can exchange this for a tax exemption of six dou. Even a blind person can see that this is quite advantageous. By the way, these families will also take turns managing Fang Yingwu's meals

Even in this remote mountain village, interpersonal relationships are a very delicate issue. Is it worth the risk of offending petty individuals to rent three acres of land? This requires careful consideration

It is almost unimaginable how much effort and dedication a common farmer's child must invest to carve out a path through this "group of death" in the county and attain the precious title of scholar

To put it bluntly, it is about elevating oneself while simultaneously pushing others out to resolve troubles, such as the current issue of the county officials coming to the village to apprehend people. This reflects the survival wisdom that has become second nature among the common folk.

Everyone feels that Qiu Ge'er truly lives up to being the son of a scholar's family. At such a young age, he is exceptionally gifted, unlike the villagers. He is knowledgeable, has his own ideas, is capable of handling affairs, and can get things done. He is undoubtedly a remarkable figure in this village

Fang Yingwu received a signed document, which temporarily settled the household dispute. However, he noticed that his uncle was still lingering nearby, and he understood immediately that his uncle surely had intentions of renting the three acres of land he owned.

However, Fang Yingwu would not rent the land to him. Firstly, he truly disapproves of his uncle's character and does not wish to engage in any financial dealings, to avoid future troubles. Who knows if he would deliberately delay the rent payment, relying on his status as an elder?

However, although the scholar has gained a certain level of respect and privilege, there remains a significant chasm to be crossed between him and the officials. This presents a challenge for my father, and it is likely the reason why he is so determined to study and pursue knowledge.

"Esteemed uncles, what brings you here?" Fang Yingwu approached and inquired.

However, at the same time, Chun'an County is indeed an unequivocal stronghold of the imperial examination system, although the scholars predominantly emerge from a select group of scholarly families. These prominent families have held onto educational resources for generations, nurturing one strong candidate after another for the examinations

When such an awkward situation arises for Fang Yingwu at www.hetushu.com, it is the same for him. However, Fang Yingwu is in a position where he can afford to be self-sufficient, and he even has the option of selling himself to a wealthy family like the Wang family if necessary. In contrast, his uncle Fang Qingtian, who has a family to support, cannot afford to waste time; if he neglects the farming during these crucial days, his entire family will surely go hungry.

Thus, Fang Yingwu resolutely ignored his uncle, but he did not want to go to the fields himself, so he quickly spread the news about renting out the land. In this way, each year, three mu of land could yield about two sheng and two to three dou in rent, enough for him to eat his fill, especially since the land in his family was exempt from taxes

The villagers replied, "A few officials from the county have come to the village to arrest people, and they are being quite overbearing. We request the young gentleman to take a look!"

The greatest difference between this era and the 21st century lies in the perceptions of human nature. He has deeply realized that the phrase "a crane standing among chickens" has another layer of meaning, which is that "a tree that stands out in the forest will be the first to be cut down"; this pit was dug by himself.

However, Fang Yingwu has never been someone who easily resigns to fate; otherwise, he would not have worked diligently to gain admission to a prestigious university despite being an orphan in his previous life. In this life, he has already made bold claims, and he is determined to take on challenges no matter what.

In the evening, Fang Yingwu became the center of attention, surrounded by enthusiastic relatives, filling his room to capacity

Through a casual conversation with Wang Kui today, Fang Yingwu realized that living in this isolated small mountain village is truly inadequate; one must venture out to broaden one's horizons. Otherwise, relying solely on the "historical materials" in one's mind to imagine things can easily lead to the absurdity of a frog in a well.

Fang Yingwu and Wang Kui chatted for an entire afternoon, only parting ways when the sun began to set. Before taking his leave, Wang Kui praised Fang Yingwu, saying: "Noble nephew, you truly live up to being the son of Minister Fang. Your ambitions surpass those of ordinary people, and you indeed possess the demeanor of your father. I have high hopes for you"

Fang Yingwu almost blurted out, "Why are you looking for me? What does this have to do with me?" when the yamen runners came to apprehend someone. However, he forcibly held back and asked, "What do my uncles and aunts need me for?"

Furthermore, I do not wish to be seen as a pushover. After working hard to separate, if I ultimately rent the land to the second family, it would make me appear too weak and easy to bully in the eyes of others. I absolutely cannot allow others to have such an impression; otherwise, everyone will want to take advantage of me.

From the very beginning, when he was in a disadvantaged position, he managed to subdue his uncle, and ultimately, he shared the court's grace and benefits equally with the villagers. The methods and competence displayed by Fang Yingwu, as well as his astute and capable demeanor, left a profound impression on the villagers

For thousands of years, the common people have lived this way. Of course, there have also been times when they encountered unworthy leaders, such as when a leader called for rebellion and many were confused and drawn into the uprising.

In the Daming era, Chunan County in western Zhejiang, according to the official household registration records, had over 10,000 households, more than 40,000 residents, and 2,600 hectares of farmland. From any perspective, it can be considered an unequivocally remote mountainous county, making it understandable that Fang Yingwu, who was well-versed in historical materials, would have a premonition of "this place is easy to navigate" when he found himself there.

Given that things have reached this point, the lesson for my uncle has been sufficient; further turmoil will only tarnish my reputation. Fang Yingwu then called out to his uncle with the demeanor of a victor: "I will allocate five acres of land to your branch; if you agree, go find Second Uncle tomorrow to formalize the agreement"

If one remains indifferent and pretends to be deaf and mute, it is likely that in the future, it will be difficult to face others in the village. Fang Yingwu found himself in a dilemma, as this seemed to force him to take on responsibilities, akin to pushing a duck onto a perch

What does it matter even if one sees through it? The villagers believe this is a sign of self-respect, which is why they place their hopes in him. Since you have the ability, if you do not step forward, who will? The failure to accomplish something is a matter of capability, while whether or not to act is a matter of attitude

When faced with issues, they always seek a leader who can take charge; without a leader, they are at a loss as to how to proceed, and for this reason, they are willing to endure some grievances

Fang Yingwu listened intently, his eyes wide open, and heard about three branches of the Fang family. Truly, they are worthy of being the largest clan in Chun'an County. Unfortunately, those branches of the Fang family have no actual connection to the Fang family of Shanghuaxi Village; they are not the same as the Fang family depicted in the illustrations.

Fang Yingwu suddenly understood that these villagers at the grassroots level may lack great wisdom, but they are never short of the cleverness needed for survival

Certainly, those who are sought after are generally either wealthy merchants or gentry. However, this small village of Huaxi lacks both. The eldest among them, my second uncle, is just an old fool. Recently, I have been standing out, appearing to be a capable person, and being the son of a distinguished scholar, they have come to me for assistance.

The villagers blocking the door saw Fang Yingwu come out and exclaimed in unison, "Young master, something is wrong!"

However, it is quite unusual that the land rent reaches as high as 70%, yet everyone is more than willing to accept it

According to Wang Kui, the primary source of talented individuals from the imperial examination in this county comes from nine families. Undoubtedly, the foremost among them is the Wu family from Yun Village in the eastern part of the county, which has produced one-tenth of the individuals with official titles in this county. The others include the Xu and Hong families from Shufu in the western part of the county, the He family from Wenchang Village in the north, the Fang family from Fushan Village, the Fang and Wang families from Fuxi in the southeast, the Fang family from Jinxian Creek in the northeast, the Hong family from Jinxu in the easternmost part of the county, and the Hu family from Cixi outside the west gate of the county seat.

He plans to visit the county town after finishing this local chronicle. On one hand, he intends to try to claim the rations that belong to his father from the county school, taking whatever he can get; on the other hand, he aims to conduct a field study of the local customs and practices to prepare for the future

After taking a short nap in the afternoon, Fang Yingwu noticed that the weather was quite nice and decided to read in the courtyard outside. However, when he walked into the yard, he found that seven or eight villagers were blocking the entrance.

Ultimately, three acres of land were divided into small plots and rented out to four relatives. Among these four individuals, one received an exemption from labor for this year, while the other three shared a tax exemption quota of 1 stone and 7 dou.

Because Fang Yingwu was granted a tax exemption of two shi by the court for his family, after reserving three dou for themselves, they allocated the remainder to several relatives. Through Fang Yingwu's intricate calculations, which were as bewildering as a celestial script, they arrived at a division method of seventy percent of the rent, which was the most beneficial arrangement for both parties

Fang Yingwu pondered for a moment and then understood his uncle's mindset. As long as the division of the family property remained unclear, his uncle would be unable to engage in farming. Who could know if that piece of land would still belong to him tomorrow?

If there are any consequences, it is that this division of the family has made the villagers regard each other with newfound respect. It is not to be underestimated; in the lives of ordinary people, a division of the family is one of the most significant events, and it can easily lead to complicated entanglements

On that afternoon, unable to wait for others to come and rent the land, Fang Yingwu released another message: "My family can exempt two relatives from corvée labor. In addition to myself, there is still one vacancy. At the same time, my family can exempt two sheng of land tax, and the quota is hardly used up, leaving an equivalent of one sheng and seven dou of grain as surplus. In the future, anyone who rents my family's land will be able to enjoy the above two benefits from the court under the name of my family’s relatives and tenants!"

Having completed the division of the family property and the leasing of the fields, Fang Yingwu was able to relax completely and enjoy a good night's sleep. The next morning, he leisurely took a stroll around the village and also went to the neighboring village to borrow the latest edition of the county annals from Wang Kui.

Everyone naturally expressed: "Young Master, you are a person of great capability. When something happens in the village, if you do not step forward, who will?"

Like several hundred other villages in the county, Huaxi's daily life consists solely of farming, paying taxes, and serving in the military, leading a rather mundane existence. Occasionally, exceptional talents may emerge, but they are akin to genetic mutations. For instance, the most notable figure to have come from Huaxi is Mr. Fang Qingzhi, the father of Fang Yingwu.

After a night of silence, the next day, Fang Yingwu and his uncle went together to find their second uncle, asking him to be a witness as the two families made an agreement to separate their households. According to the agreement made yesterday, the houses would be divided equally, with the main house receiving three mu of land and the second house five mu.

The village is not large, and any news spreads quickly. Some families, having insufficient land for cultivation, are naturally tempted by the three acres of land rented by Fang Qingtian. However, they also know that Fang Qingtian wishes to continue farming this land, which causes them to hesitate.

Upon returning to the courtyard, I saw my uncle anxiously pacing in circles, clearly distressed.