Wang Ci couldn't refuse, thinking that no matter what the thieves' intentions were, it would always be good for the family. Then he stood up and said, "Student, I would like to thank them for this." After saying that, he bowed deeply.
"Haha, you're welcome." Seeing his softened attitude, Xiong Buyou thought that the plan was about 70% certain. Of course, whether the sour man is willing or not will not affect the final result, but with his participation, things will go smoother. To win over the indigenous intellectuals, it would be better to have the help of him as the county magistrate.
The Executive Committee originally did not attach much importance to indigenous intellectuals - their own knowledge structure and system are far inferior to those of any scientists in time and space, whether Chinese or foreign. From the perspective of time-travelers, the greatest value of these little intellectuals who only know a few Four Books and Five Classics is literacy.
However, over time, the Executive Committee's view of indigenous intellectuals has changed to a certain extent due to feedback from social information continuously collected during its work. After all, no matter how poor the intellectuals are, they are in theory masters of knowledge, and they are also the reserve army of the bureaucracy. Therefore, they still enjoy considerable status and prestige in society.
In this way, the indigenous intellectuals have been elevated from a human resource that can be used to a class that needs to be focused on attracting. In ancient societies where knowledge was scarce and the illiteracy rate was extremely high, literate people not only had the right to speak, but also the power to judge right and wrong. The attitude and background of this group of people can affect many ordinary people.
In addition, from the incomplete lists of students and children they collected, it can be seen that, except for some poor scholars from small civilian households, many scholars were actually the children of gentry and landlords. Being able to win over them is equivalent to winning over the local gentry in disguise.
Therefore, the Foreign Business Committee began to launch a special project to win over scholars in the county - codenamed "Moli Xuan". In addition to students, candidates, and scholars, children without merit were also included in the plan.
After a period of investigation and research, the Foreign Commerce Committee has generally grasped the entire cultural situation of Lingao.
Overall, the level is extremely low.
Of course, this extremely low level is said in the context of the Ming Dynasty. From the perspective of Hainan Island, Lingao's cultural construction is still among the best in Qiongzhou Prefecture. After all, Lingao is also a thousand-year-old county, and there is always some accumulation.
However, due to the sparse population, the proportion of scholars in the county is also low. There are about thirty students in the county who have registered in the county school, and about sixty or seventy students have taken the county examination.
There is a quota for the number of students in a county. The most valuable ones are naturally Linsheng, who can receive six measures of rice every month, usually thirty for a large county and twenty for a small county. There are twenty places for junior students in Lingao. In addition to Linsheng, there are additional quotas for hyperplasia and epiphysis, but there is no subsidy. There are many such people in areas with a strong literary style, but there are only a few dozen or so in Lingao.
The county is facing financial difficulties, and the income from the school fields is almost non-existent. Even the village students have been unable to get rice for many years, let alone others. Of course, there are many scholars who are well-off and don't care about this little money, but for the poorer people, life is very difficult.
After having a general grasp of the situation, Wang Ci asked Tiandihui to help plant fields for education. The Foreign Business Committee felt that this was an excellent opportunity to start a career in education.
Xiong Buyou stood up, walked around the hall, and looked at the desolate situation in the yard from the corridor. He shook his head and said, "I didn't expect that this county Confucian Temple is so desolate!"
Wang Ci blushed: "It's always the students' incompetence..."
"I can't blame you for this," Xiong Buyou said carelessly, "the county has not given you a penny or a grain of rice in the past few years. It is already very difficult to support you to this point. For the sake of Lingao's literary spirit, Wang The teachings are worthy of the painstaking efforts and dedication.”
When these words came out of Kun Thief's mouth, Wang Ci's eyes almost turned red.
What a pity! He thought, I came to Lingao, a small county in the south of the country, to teach, and I was running around every day. I tried every possible way to raise donations from the gentry. I lost several pairs of shoes, was robbed by bandits, and almost lost my life. I encountered a hurricane at the seaside and almost died in the belly of a fish. After seeing enough of the cold faces of the gentry, I managed to survive until now. The county magistrate just said "Thank you". Unexpectedly, this Australian, who has only been overseas for more than a year, can see so clearly. Suddenly I felt a great sense of confidant.
"I don't dare take this seriously." Wang Ci calmed down, "Since I have become the magistrate of this county, I have to do my best." He sighed, "I just want to have a clear conscience."
"Good, but please have a clear conscience!" Xiong Buyou knew from his expression that the bowl of rice soup was effective. Before coming, everyone discussed how to impress Wang Jiaoyu. After discussion, this aspect scratched his itch more. After giving it a try, it turned out to be true.
He then deliberately sighed: "It would be great if all the officials in the Ming Dynasty could have a clear conscience!"
This remark smacks of criticism of current affairs. Although Wang Ci was a small tutor, he was not a frog in the well. What he saw and heard on the way to and while taking office, and the letters he exchanged with his family, friends, and classmates made him feel that the current situation was going downhill day by day. He didn't want to comment on this in front of the thief, so he just kept silent and just sighed.
Xiong Buyou felt that the heat had arrived. Said: "I saw that the Moli Xuan next to the county school is in a dilapidated state. If it is not repaired, it may collapse, and this good story in the Lingao literary world will be lost..."
"Why don't students want to renovate it?" Wang Ci has been worried about this matter. He is not from Lingao County, but if this important relic of Lingao literary world is destroyed on his watch, how will the county annals write about him a hundred years later? Thinking of this, he felt restless.
"I also begged the county magistrate, but the warehouses in the county were empty and there was no extra money or rice. Even if a few migrant workers were recruited to work, they would still have to be fed. Furthermore, carpenters and bricklayers would not come if they were only given food to eat. "Wang Ci was helpless. Repairing a house is not a small sum of money. It requires hiring workers and buying wood, bricks, and lime. The overhead is huge.
"Since the county has no money, we can help repair Moli Xuan." Xiong Buyou took the opportunity to make a request.
"You guys practice?" Wang Ci glanced at him in surprise. What is the plan of this thief? Why are you helping to repair the house for no reason? What's in it for them.
"Exactly, not only Moli Xuan, but also here." Xiong Buyou pointed outside, "Your Confucian Temple and County School should also be repaired. Otherwise, it will be really unsightly."
"This -" Wang Ci was confused for a moment and murmured, "I can't afford this, I can't afford it."
"Hey, there's nothing I can't afford. I've already said that since I've settled down in Lingao, this is our hometown. There's nothing I can't afford to build a Confucian Temple and County School for my hometown. It's called benefiting my throat, hahaha."
Wang Ci couldn't think of anything to refute these unreasonable words, but he instinctively felt that this was a weasel paying New Year's greetings to a rooster. There must be some intention behind it.
"Okay, that's it. Just listen to the good news." Xiong Buyou didn't wait for him to react, stood up, cupped his hands, and left.
"Hey - eh - please stay -" Wang Ci felt something was wrong and wanted to discuss it again, but how could his footsteps compare to Xiong Buyou? After chasing him out of the house, Xiong Buyou had already left the courtyard.
I had no choice but to go back to the house first. I thought it would be best to report this matter to the county magistrate first. Otherwise, you will be acting arbitrarily, and it will be a serious matter if something happens.
"Master——" The doorman came again.
"What's up?!"
"Master Xiong left two boxes of gifts. Do you want to carry them in for you?"
"Gift?"
"Yes, this is the gift list." Menzi presented the gift list.
Wang Ci opened it and saw six colored gifts: three hundred catties of brown rice, two jars of fruit and wine, one thousand sheets of fine white paper, one hundred various brushes, one hundred tablets of pine smoke ink, and five books. Ten volumes. The rice was replaced by circulation coupons of equal value.
The gift is not very heavy, but very affordable. Except for wine, everything else can be used to support poor scholars. Lingao here is blank whether it is paper making, pen making, ink making or printing. All pens, inks, paper, and inkstones were trafficked from Fucheng. The journey was long and the price was naturally high, which became a huge burden for scholars.
"There are still books?" Wang Ci was surprised. Do they think that they are like the mud-legged people and want books that are full of vulgar Chinese characters and have no understanding of literature and science?
"Yes, there is a box."
"Throw it away!" Wang Ci said without hesitation, "No, use it to light the fire!"
"Ah?" Menzi is illiterate, but he also knows how valuable books are in the local area, "Master, this-"
"If you are told to burn it, you will burn it."
"Yes, sir." Menzi retreated.
Wang Ci quickly got dressed and went to the county government office to see Magistrate Wu.
The yamen servant soon spread the word: please meet him in the flower hall.
When Wang Ci came to the flower hall, he saw Magistrate Wu wearing a Ge robe and sitting on a new "Australian-style" rattan chair. Next to him was a huge wooden basin with a large piece of ice in it like a crystal mountain. It was steaming white. As soon as you walk into the house, you feel cool and cool.
"Your Majesty, I'll pay my respects——"
"Okay, okay, the weather is hot. This false courtesy can be dispensed with." Wu Mingjin waved his hand, "Come on, Lao Wang, please take off your clothes and sit down too!"
"Don't dare to lose your etiquette in front of the superior." Wang Ci said respectfully.
Wu Mingjin secretly cursed: "Sour!" He said, "Then please invite the old man to sit down. Someone, give the old man a bowl of iced sour plum soup!"
"Go back to the master," the waiter said, "The plum juice is gone. I sent someone to buy it in Dongmen City. I have new kvass sent by Master Xiong at home..."
"Just take this and tell the kitchen to bring some crushed ice." Wu Mingjin nodded.
"Don't dare to disturb me." (!)! ~!
