Chapter 6 Selling ancestral property for study

After the death of Heshen's father, Chang Bao, his family was neglected, and he had no source of income, so his family declined rapidly.Without a fixed source of income, learning is an industry with only input and no output in a short period of time, but He Shen insists on continuing to study.How did He Shen know the importance of reading?Maybe it's because the book has its own house of gold and Yan Ruyu's utilitarian thinking; maybe it's because He Shen realized the reality of his family and studied hard to get a title in the imperial examination is the only way out.No matter what the reason is, anyway, He Shen has made up his mind, no matter what, he must continue his studies in Xian'an Palace Official School.

In order to raise living expenses, as the eldest son of the family, he had no choice but to hold back his shame and go around borrowing money in the face of other people's eyes.He first borrowed money from his father's old friend.Chang Bao's former friend, when he was alive, came and went frequently, and was very affectionate. When Chang Bao died of illness, he not only took away Heshen's hope, but also took away the friendship of relatives and friends. The inexperienced He Shen originally thought that his uncles and uncles would never die, so he visited the door full of hope, but he was kicked out or rejected.Begging again and again, except for making Heshen experience humiliation again and again, there is no exchange for a copper plate.

Seeing that the family was struggling to make ends meet, He Shen remembered that his grandfather had left fifteen hectares of official land in the Baoding area, so he went to Baoding to find a way. Heshen's father, Chang Bao, had a subordinate named Lai Wu. Chang Bao trusted him very much during his lifetime, and he always handed over his family's 15 hectares of official land to Lai Wudai to take care of him.Chang Bao has been an official abroad for many years, and Lai Wu also took the opportunity to earn some money, and the mercury handed over was often insufficient.Chang Bao rarely doubted this, and never asked.After Chang Bao's death, Lai Wu became more and more shameless, and the fifteen hectares of official land was just like Lai Wu's own, and the rent money handed over to Heshen's family was even less.

When Heshen was in poverty, he had to go to Baoding with his servant Liu Quan, planning to borrow some money to use him.When Lai Wu saw Heshen coming to his house, he naturally knew it well, but on the surface he still treated each other with courtesy, arranged banquets, and pretended to be warm to Heshen and Liu Quan.He Shen knew that he was his father's old subordinate, and his words were quite obedient: I think my father was kind to you back then, but now that my father has passed away, my brothers and I have no tuition fees, and the dozen or so members of our family are also struggling with food and clothing. Borrow some money, ask for help, and tide you over.He Shen knew that Lai Wu had tampered with the tax bank before, and he was an unhappy person, so he didn't dare to say more, and proposed to raise a hundred taels of silver.This number is actually not much. Lai Wu has managed these lands for many years and concealed more than this amount of money that has not been handed over.

Unexpectedly, Lai Wuzhuo took advantage of Heshen's young age, so he really played with Lai.He used the excuse that the weather in Baoding has been abnormal in recent years, droughts and floods are uncertain, and the land harvest is very small.Coupled with the Qianlong Emperor's southern tour in the past few years, the people of Baoding needed to pay taxes and donate money. The income of the fifteen hectares of land was really pitifully small, and the rent could not be collected on time, so there was not much money left.Lai Wu said boldly: If the young master wants ten taels, my whole family of Lai Wu will tighten their belts and get them together.Now there is really no place to raise the one hundred taels.

He Shen already knew in his heart that Lai Wu would do this, so he stopped being polite and expressed his thoughts one by one: In order to manage the land for many years, Lai Wu gave only 60 to 70% of the silver and grain to He Shen's family every year. After death, it was reduced by another 20-30%.Heshen's family was thinking about their old love, and they never pursued it.Now that the Heshen brothers are in urgent need of silver taels, it is enough for Lai Wu to pay off the old debts, but they have to shirk like this. Unexpectedly, after hearing Heshen's showdown, Lai Wu became more confident, stood up and said loudly: You mean I lied to you?The sky is not beautiful, droughts and floods are uneven, the tenants are unscrupulous and treacherous, and the rent will not be paid if they can.I'm just managing it on my behalf, so what can I do?If you really need money urgently, you can sell the land.Anyway, I can't make up a hundred taels of silver!

In ancient times, selling land was no joke, which meant you were a prodigal.Since ancient times, officials and merchants bought land as their family property when they got rich.Many wealthy people invest in buying land at the right time and buy a lot of good land, so they become rich and gentry; those who are poor in their families will not even think about selling their land unless they have to.In short, selling houses and land is tantamount to prodigal, not to mention that the land of Heshen's family is the official land passed down from the ancestors.When Lai Wu urged Heshen to sell the land, it was clear that he was taking advantage of the fire to rob and take advantage of others' danger to occupy the ancestral property of Heshen's family.The servant Liu Quan was so angry that he wanted to roll up his sleeves and beat Lai Wu.Lai Wu finally showed his fierce face, and simply drove He Shen and his master and servant out.

He Shen knew that there was no reason to talk to Lai Wu, and there was no way to borrow money.Anyway, the land belongs to Heshen's family, and the land deed is in my hands, so it is reasonable to travel all over the world, so a paper of complaint was handed over to Baoding Mansion.Unexpectedly, Na Lai Wu had long been colluding with the prefect of Baoding, and the prefect said that He Shen was making trouble for no reason, intending to extort money. Liu Quan, who was accompanying him, was so angry that he was panting heavily, but he couldn't do anything.Instead, He Shen calmed down, knowing that his arms couldn't twist his thighs, and it was useless to talk, so he turned around and walked out silently.

what to do?Younger brother He Lin is still at home anxiously waiting for He Shen to raise funds for school.Everyone was watching his jokes, but he couldn't borrow a copper coin.Sell ​​land?How can I be worthy of my ancestors; if I don't sell them, I will not be able to live, so I am even more sorry for them. If you stick to this field, after all, there will still be some land rent income every year. Although it is not much, the basic life in the future can be guaranteed.But in this case, studying is completely hopeless, and I can no longer get a student background, so I lose the goal of moving forward.If you sell the land, you can have at least two years of study expenses, but won't you have your spine broken?If the stepmother wants to scold him, the people around him will probably spit and fly around. It would be strange if he didn't drown himself. Besides, if there is no result in studying, wouldn't it be more difficult for him to live?

The little He Shen really felt helpless. In the bleak autumn wind, he sat in front of the steps covered with fallen leaves, with a frown on his face.The sky is full of clouds and clouds, and the situation is unpredictable. He Shen suddenly wakes up.Can the inheritance of the ancestors only be used as a fig leaf to avoid death from freezing and starvation?If you don't work hard, you will sit and eat in the morning and evening.In life, there must always be some great achievements.Instead of wasting time and energy on keeping real estate and wasting one's will, it is better to simply sell it, obtain capital, invest in studying and working hard, and win a more brilliant future for yourself.

In an instant, He Shen made up his mind.In order to continue studying at the official school of Xian'an Palace with peace of mind, gain fame, and get out of the barriers of relying on ancestral property to live in ignorance, He Shen made a decisive decision and decided to sell the land.He Shen, who just turned thirteen years old, gave up his half-dead existence and chose for himself a difficult and thorny road to the light. The money from the land sale was just enough to cover Heshen brothers' living expenses for two years, which was enough to ensure that Heshen could successfully complete his studies at Xian'an Palace Official School.Xian'an Palace official school is full of noble children, most of them are ignorant and playful.The quick-witted He Shen brothers know that money is hard-won and there is only one chance, so they work harder.Like a silkworm chrysalis that spins silk silently, it is preparing for itself to break out of its cocoon and become a butterfly. Heshen's decision was bold and correct. Relying on the silver taels obtained from selling the land, he and He Lin's studies at the official school in Xian'an Palace would not be interrupted.Here, He Shen received a very good traditional education, which laid a good foundation for him to fully display his talents in the future.