Chapter 287: Thousands of Troops
Geng Qiaoju smiled awkwardly and said, "Go in through the door."
The four of them went in and saw that it was extremely simple, with only a table and a few chairs, all of which looked quite old.
In the next room there was a simple wooden bed made of planks and some simple daily necessities.
There was a blackboard hanging in the other room. In the small space, there were more than a dozen small wooden tables and benches squeezed into it.
Cheng Yaoyao couldn't believe it, "Is this a classroom?"
Geng Qiaoju explained: "This is a temporary classroom. The original classroom was that room."
She pointed to a house not far from the window and said, "Last month, rocks rolled down and smashed a big hole in the roof. The house also cracked and became a dangerous building.
I didn't dare to let the children study in the dilapidated house, so I moved everything here. I had no funds and couldn't afford to hire a teacher, so I taught the children while doing my work in the village.
But it was too small, and could only accommodate less than 20 students. When the new semester started, there would be even less space.
I was thinking that after I got the grant, I would either repair the old classroom or just build a new one.”
Luo Jiu stood at the window and looked out. A tall house soon caught her attention.
"That house seems to be empty. Whose is it? Can't it be rented out as a classroom?"
Geng Qiaoju followed her gaze and said, "That house you're talking about? That's nobody's. It's the Geng family's ancestral hall."
Luo Jiu hurriedly asked: "Are most of the people in Gengjia Village members of the Geng clan?"
Geng Qiaoju replied: “That’s right.”
"Then the students in the village are probably all descendants of the Geng family. Why can't the ancestral hall be used as a classroom?"
Geng Qiaoju sighed, "Because the ancestral hall is a holy temple for men, it enshrines the tablets of male ancestors, and all the people who participate in the discussion and decision-making of clan affairs, big or small, are men.
There are only a few situations in which women can enter the ancestral hall: either they have made a mistake and have to kneel in the hall to be punished; or they are responsible for cleaning the hall and preparing all the sacrificial offerings during sacrifices; or they are responsible for bringing food to the table for the men to enjoy when the hall opens for celebrations.
I have suggested using the ancestral hall as a classroom, but my clan leader, my third uncle, refused.
There are many girls among my students, but my third uncle said that girls have too much yin energy and he was afraid that they would offend the ancestors, so he did not agree to let girls take classes there, and he also did not allow me to teach there.
He said that if he wanted to use the ancestral hall for teaching, he would first have to invite a man to teach, and second, only male students.
Geng Qiaoju couldn't help but sigh again as she spoke, "So I say, the situation will only change when all those who cling to old ideas are dead."
Luo Jiu shook his head. "No, that's too easy for them. We have already established a country, and we will never allow these old guys to oppress women and abuse their power under various feudal excuses."
Geng Qiaoju was helpless, "But there is nothing we can do."
As she spoke, she opened a metal cabinet, copied a copy of the county's grant account book, and handed it to them.
Luo Jiu put away the evidence and said, "I don't think Ma Youguang's matter is urgent right now. The matter in your village is more urgent. Where is the abandoned baby tower? I want to go and take a look."
Geng Qiaoju led the way, and the four followed her up the mountain. They soon arrived at an abandoned temple. A two-meter-high stone pagoda stood among the ruins.
Geng Qiaoju stood outside and gestured, "It's right here."
Luo Jiu was about to walk in, but Zhong Jialing hurriedly pulled her back and said, "Don't go in."
Luo Jiu patted her hands, "If you are afraid, just wait for me here. I am not afraid, I didn't throw them away, nor did I give birth to them. If these infant souls have spirits, I hope they will turn into evil ghosts and haunt the culprits, making them restless every night."
She strode in. Although she was mentally prepared, she couldn't control her surging emotions when she saw the tiny baby's skeleton wrapped in the tattered cloth.
Cheng Yaoyao and Zhong Jialing held Feng Qi tightly on the left and right, followed behind Luo Jiu, looked around, and felt that this place was inexplicably eerie and scary.
Zhong Jialing: "I think I heard a baby crying, let's go."
Cheng Yaoyao: "I heard it too. This place gives me the creeps."
Feng Qi silently pulled out the dagger and held it in his hand, "Don't be afraid, my sword can kill gods and Buddhas, let alone ghosts."
"No." Luo Jiu suddenly said: "I also heard crying, very faint, but nearby."
"Ah? Then...then let's look for it?"
Everyone immediately dispersed to look around. The sound was intermittent and extremely weak. Finally, Luo Jiu stopped in front of the stone tower and stretched out his hand towards the dark cave entrance.
Zhong Jialing was shocked when she saw this scene, "Be careful, wear gloves!"
Before he finished speaking, Luo Jiu fished out a baby wrapped in old clothes.
Everyone rushed over, not knowing how long this baby girl had been abandoned here. Her face was cold, her breathing was weak, and her newborn body was curled up in a small ball.
What is even more puzzling is that her eyes were covered with a layer of mud and a stone was stuffed in her mouth. Her instinct for survival made her cry continuously. Even though her mouth was scratched and bleeding by the stone, she still tried hard to make her voice heard.
The faint cry seemed like an earth-shaking cry, accusing the world of cruelty.
Feng Qi was puzzled, "What's going on?"
Geng Qiaoju explained: "There is a saying in the village that parents who abandon their baby girls are afraid that the child will come back to find them, so they cover her eyes with mud to prevent her from seeing the road. They also block her mouth with stones so that she cannot complain to the King of Hell in the underworld."
How could there be parents who are worse than beasts?
Bang! Feng Qi was so angry that she kicked the abandoned baby tower. The stones made a harsh sound when they rubbed against each other. She kicked it a few times, and the stone tower that had stood for many years collapsed, revealing the white young bones inside.
Geng Qiaoju looked at the bones, turned her head away reluctantly, and said with tears in her eyes: "I have known this place since I can remember.
In summer, there is a foul smell here. One time, my friends and I went to the mountain to play and came to see it out of curiosity. We accidentally ran into a baby who had been abandoned for two or three days. She was bitten by maggots and ants..."
She still felt a chill when she recalled that scene many years ago. "Growing up in this place is not easy for girls. Fortunately, my parents were educated. They didn't throw me away, but also let me go to school well.
But what’s the use of studying and becoming an official?
I can't change those people's old ideas, I can't save the children here, I am too incompetent."
As they were talking, Luo Jiu and Cheng Yaoyao had already used kettles to wash the dirt off the baby's eyes and carefully took the stones out of her mouth. Zhong Jialing took off her coat and held the child in her arms.
Luo Jiu said: "It's not that you are incompetent, but your own strength is not enough to fight against thousands of years of outdated ideas.
We need to take the child to the county town for treatment first. You wait for two days. We will come back with helpers in two days. Together, we will fight those old guys. "
Geng Qiaoju was puzzled. "You have helpers? Where did you get them? How many helpers can you find?"
Luo Jiu replied: "Yes, there are thousands of troops coming from all directions."
After leaving the village, Zhong Jialing immediately took out the car from the space and drove all the way back to the county.
When they arrived at the county town, everyone split into three groups. Cheng Yaoyao and Zhong Jialing took the child to the hospital for examination.
Feng Qi went to buy new desks and chairs, and also looked for a construction team that could build a school.
Luo Jiuze found a place where he could make a phone call and took out five dollars. "I'm going to make a long phone call. Don't let anyone disturb me."
The boss happily took the money and pushed the phone in front of her, "Go ahead and call, you can call all day long."
Luo Jiu called the Beijing Office and said, "This is Luo Jiu, connect me to President Quan."
The problems of Gengjia Village require the comprehensive intervention of a strong force. This force must be fierce enough and have the courage to smash all old traditions with one punch.
She thought of the farmers' association, but the local farmers' association in Gengjia Village was not good enough, and she didn't even trust the farmers' association in Yi County. So she discussed with Comrade Quan Sheng, "Can we let the farmers' association conduct cross-governance?"
Just like the group exchange inspection work, the farmers' association from the neighboring province was transferred here to clean up the local old forces.
Luo Jiu thought that this method could not only solve the problem of inaction of local farmers' associations, but also allow farmers' associations from other places to not have to consider relatives and village relationships and could work more freely.
She told Comrade Quansheng about the situation in Yi County, and Comrade Quansheng praised her, saying, "Your suggestion is very feasible. In order to avoid the situation in Yi County, I think we can launch a nationwide campaign of farmers' associations to govern in different places and eliminate the old forces across the country.
I will ask someone to draw up a charter and distribute it nationwide immediately.
Your problem is urgent. Let me recommend you a lady who is a farmer's association woman who has frightened many landlords in Hunan Province. I will ask her to take people and set off overnight. We will reach Gengjia Village in the next two days."
"Okay." After Luo Jiu finished his phone call with Comrade Quan Sheng, he thought about it and called his home in Peking.
Fubao answered the phone, and his single "Hello" was filled with a strong sense of aversion to school.
Luo Jiu couldn't help but smile, "What are you doing?"
Fubao sighed heavily, "Second Mom, I'm in agony, doing my homework."
"How's your study going?"
"Not bad, first place in two subjects."
Luo Jiu curled his lips and said, "Let me guess, one is a physical fitness class, and the other is a class taught by Liuzi."
Fu Bao scratched his head in embarrassment, "How do you know everything? But I declare that I didn't force Liuzi to give me the first place, but he taught a simulated confrontation. He said that if I took the exam, I would be the first. Then who can compete with me?"
Luo Jiu smiled and shook his head. "Okay, I know you've worked hard. Don't suffer at home anymore. Come to Yi County and fight against corrupt officials with us. I'll ask for leave from Comrade Quan Sheng for you."
"Great!" Fubao jumped up excitedly. He hung up the phone and immediately threw his homework book into the trash can. He quickly called Liuzi and asked, "Are you going to Yi County?"
Liuzi said sadly, "I have to go to class."
"Then you go to class. Anyway, my second mother has asked for leave for me. I am free now and will leave for Yi County tomorrow morning."
After Fubao finished speaking, he hung up the phone.
After a while, Comrade Quansheng received calls from Luo Jiu and Liuzi one after another.
Luo Jiu told him that he would ask for leave for Fubao and let Fubao go to Yi County for support.
Liuzi told him that he was not feeling well and needed to rest for a while, so he asked another teacher to take over his class.
Comrade Quan Sheng smiled and said, "Then you should have a good rest and take care of your health."
Liu Zi couldn't help but raise the corner of his mouth, "Of course, thank you for your concern."
"The road in Yi County is not easy to travel, be careful on the road."
"I will, uh..." Liuzi spoke too quickly and found embarrassedly that he had let the cat out of the bag.
However, Comrade Quansheng agreed, so he called Fubao with confidence and said, "Pack your things and drive me with you tomorrow morning."
The two people from Peking will not arrive for a few days, but the people from the Farmers’ Association should be on the way tonight.
Luo Jiu looked at the map, estimated the time, and fell into deep thought.
Cheng Yaoyao and Zhong Jialing came back from the hospital with a baby in their arms. Aunt Ye saw them bringing back a baby and couldn't help but ask, "What is this..."
Cheng Yaoyao did not hide it from her and told her the truth: "It was an abandoned baby thrown away in the village, and we picked it up."
Aunt Ye looked at the baby in the cradle in surprise, "Poor child! She is so young, how can you girls take care of her? Leave her to me, I have helped relatives take care of children since I was young, I can take good care of her."
Zhong Jialing said, "We are young, and it is not difficult for us to take turns to take care of a baby. But you are busy with the business of the store, and you also need to rest. How can you have time to take care of her?"
"Yes, I can hold her and watch the store at the same time. Even though I'm almost fifty years old, I'm still sharp-eyed and sharp-witted, and my brain is still good. I can easily take care of a child. You can rest assured that I will take care of her for one night. If I can't take care of her, I'll hand her over to you tomorrow."
She was very persistent, so Cheng Yaoyao handed the child to her and said, "Thank you for your help, Auntie. We are upstairs, you can bring her up anytime."
Boss Ye took the child, held him aside with a gentle look and coaxed him.
Luo Jiu and Feng Qi were talking in the room. When they saw the two men coming in empty-handed, they were stunned and said, "Children..."
Cheng Yaoyao smiled and said, "The child is fine. The doctor said she is very strong and has no other illness. She is just weak from hunger. We have already fed her milk powder in the hospital.
I just got downstairs, and Aunt Ye saw me and insisted on taking care of me for one night. I saw that she really liked children, so I gave it to her. "
Luo Jiu nodded, "That's good. Fubao will arrive in about four days, and the people from the Farmers' Association will arrive in about two days.
Sister Qi and the construction team have decided to go to Gengjia Village the day after tomorrow morning. We will build a school on one hand and fight against feudalism on the other.
In the end, we need to arrest the corrupt official Ma Youguang and remove the protective umbrella behind him.”
Cheng Yaoyao: "Last time I heard someone say that this Ma Youguang has people in Peking. I think we should investigate carefully before our identities are exposed to find out who is supporting him in Peking."
Luo Jiu: "Let Qingyun and Gu Meng stay here to investigate. We will prepare in the next two days. The day after tomorrow, we will pick up the comrades from the Farmers' Association and go to Gengjia Village first."
Two days later, Geng Qiaoju was teaching the children in a small classroom when she suddenly heard a commotion outside. The children stretched their necks and couldn't help looking outside.
Geng Qiaoju frowned and peeked out of the wooden window. Feng Qi was coming over in a horse-drawn carriage with several carts of workers.
Geng Qiaoju hurried out and asked happily, "Xiaoqi, why are you here?"
Feng Qi smiled and said, "Didn't we promise to come? We brought a construction team to build a school for your village."
Geng Qiaoju took a look and saw that the car was loaded with various tools, wood and stones, and there was also a car full of new tables and chairs at the back.
Geng Qiaoju said happily: "Great! Then we will tear down the old classrooms and build a new school."
At this moment, the villagers who were watching the fun gathered around, and the clan leader slammed his walking stick on the ground and asked, "Have you discussed the construction of a new school with us?"
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