Chapter 573: Useless!
The next morning, Gu Yin and Zhou Wansheng had just finished breakfast when Secretary Wang and the others arrived.
Besides Secretary Wang, County Head Zhang, and Minister Bai, there was also a stranger among the visitors.
The other party was wearing a police uniform, so they were obviously from the Public Security Bureau.
Upon seeing Zhou Wansheng emerge from the hotel, the other party greeted him with a smile: "Hello, Mr. Zhou, I am Jia Nian, the captain of the county public security bureau."
Zhou Wansheng shook hands and looked at the three police cars and three military vehicles parked outside.
He laughed and asked, "Did these come with us?"
Minister Bai nodded: "After we discussed it, we were worried that the public might not be able to accept it and might do something irrational, so we brought some people with us just in case."
Zhou Wansheng nodded. This was his original intention in coming here in such a high-profile manner. He didn't say anything more, got into the car, and everyone headed towards Baijia Village at the foot of Dabai Mountain.
The road wasn't far. Half an hour later, the car arrived at Baizhen, a town under An County. Without stopping, the group continued towards Baijia Village.
As Gu Yin walked along, she could see that besides crops, 80% of the land on both sides of the road was planted with medicinal herbs.
There's no one in the fields at this time.
When they arrived at Baijia Village, many people had already gathered at the village entrance.
Minister Bai must have informed them.
The car didn't stop at the village entrance, but continued driving in.
The convoy stopped one by one in front of a wooden house.
As soon as Gu Yin and the others got out of the car, the gate of the house was opened from the inside.
Gu Yin looked up at the plaque above the door, which read "Bai Family".
"Mengshan! What are you doing? You called back saying you had something to tell me, what is it?" There are police cars, military vehicles, and a whole row of dark cars—what are you doing?! Trying to catch a fugitive?!
Gu Yin recognized the visitor; he was Bai Shao's second grandfather, whom she had met at the pre-auction reception.
At this moment, Gu Yin was standing behind Zhou Wansheng, and he hadn't seen her yet.
Bai Mengshan, with a solemn face and expressionless, said, "Let's go inside first and wait for the villagers to arrive before we talk."
Bai Jingtian looked at everyone, nodded, opened all the doors, and let everyone in.
After entering the gate, there is a large open space filled with wooden frames or bamboo sieves, on which various kinds of medicinal herbs are drying.
Gu Yin looked at them and only recognized ginseng; she didn't recognize the others.
Before long, the villagers and clansmen arrived.
Because Bai Mengshan was the head of the armed forces department, the villagers respected him greatly.
Regarding Bai Shao renting out Mount Meng, the county unanimously agreed to let him be the guide.
Seeing that all the important people had arrived, and because there were so many police officers and soldiers present, the people who came over didn't dare to say anything and all found seats to sit down.
Bai Mengshan stepped forward, looked around at the people in front of him, and lingered on Bai Cuishan for a moment.
Bai Cuishan, son of Bai Jingtian, cousin of Bai Shao, and the current useless patriarch of the Bai family.
When Bai Cuishan saw Bai Mengshan staring at him, his heart skipped a beat, and he said nervously, "Meng, Mengshan, why are you looking at me like that? I haven't done anything wrong!"
Bai Mengshan and Bai Cuishan are of the same generation. Bai Mengshan is also from a collateral branch, belonging to the family of Bai Shao's third grandfather. If Bai Mengshan hadn't refused to become the clan leader, Bai Cuishan would have had virtually no chance.
Seeing Bai Cuishan like this, Bai Mengshan closed his eyes and regretted it. He should have come back when the clan was choosing a clan leader, otherwise they wouldn't have chosen such a useless person! This has led to the Great White Mountain being managed by outsiders for 30 years!
Bai Mengshan shifted his gaze away from him, afraid that if he looked any longer he would be unable to resist giving him a lesson in military boxing!
When Bai Jingtian saw Gu Yin ahead, his expression changed. He moved back a bit, wanting to go out, but when he saw four bodyguards in black guarding the door, he slowly moved back, trying to shrink into the crowd.
Looking at the bewildered crowd below, Bai Mengshan took a deep breath and asked, "How much do you all know about who owns Dabai Mountain?"
The previously calm expressions on the faces of the Bai family elders suddenly changed.
Bai Mengshan did not miss their gaze.
"Mengshan, what do you mean by this? Dabai Mountain has always belonged to the entire Bai clan, everyone knows that! Why are you asking this?"
"That's right! Hasn't Dabai Mountain always been ours?"
"What, are they taking it back?"
Otherwise, how could so many people with the same constitution come here?!
"The higher-ups want to take it back? When did this happen? How come we didn't know?"
"What will we do if they take it back?!"
"I remember there was an agreement that the scenic area belonged to the state, while everything else was ours. Wasn't it agreed that if the higher-ups changed their minds, we had the right to take back the scenic area as well?"
Bai Mengshan reached out and pressed down, and the people in front quieted down.
Bai Mengshan looked at the old man sitting in front and said in a deep voice, "Elders, tell me, to whom does the Great White Mountain belong?"
The clan leaders exchanged glances, then looked at the distinguished-looking individuals in front of them. The elder clan leader said in a deep voice, "The direct lineage. The Great White Mountain has always been a direct lineage."
Bai Mengshan nodded: "In other words, now that Dabai Mountain belongs to Bai Shao, right?"
The elders pursed their lips and nodded: "That's right."
The other villagers were even more confused. How did Dabai Mountain become Baishao's? Wasn't it always the clan's property? Wasn't it public property? Furthermore, if Dabai Mountain wasn't public, why had all the profits from it been deposited into a treasury for so many years?
Bai Mengshan raised his voice and said, "You all probably know why our Bai family lives in this place, and why Da Bai Mountain is called Da Bai Mountain. In ancient times, our Bai family ancestor was enfeoffed as a king of a different surname and was transferred here. This place became the Bai family's fiefdom, and this place, including Da Bai Mountain, was our ancestors' property! This continued until the founding of the nation. Because the Bai family provided great assistance to the country during the war years, the land deeds are still valid to this day. But what you may not know is that the holders of the Da Bai Mountain land deeds have always been the direct line. This property originally belonged to them, but the direct line is broad-minded and has always taken it upon themselves to restore the Bai family's glory. They believe that there is strength in numbers, and that as long as everyone is united, the family will eventually be restored; it's just a matter of time! Therefore, all the income that Da Bai Mountain has received from ancient times to the present has been put into the clan's treasury! The direct line has never used it for their own purposes!"
The people below suddenly realized, "Oh, so that's how it is!"
Bai Mengshan narrowed his eyes and looked at Bai Cuishan.
Bai Cuishan's eyes flashed, and he shrank his shoulders.
"And now, because of some useless things, Dabai Mountain has been transferred to someone else!"
Bai Jingtian was taken aback, and so was Bai Cuishan; both of them felt uneasy.
The clan elders were stunned and hurriedly asked questions.
"Mengshan, what do you mean by this?"
What do you mean by "Dabai Mountain has been transferred to someone else"?
Bai Mengshan sneered: "I don't need to say much about why you chose Bai Cuishan as the clan leader. Everyone knows. I really can't understand how you could trust someone who does nothing but eat, drink, gamble, and has no knowledge of medicinal herbs to be the clan leader!"
"Bai Mengshan! Watch your words!" Bai Cuishan couldn't stand being called a good-for-nothing.
“Mengshan, when we were choosing a clan leader, we asked you to come back, but you didn’t, saying you respected the clan’s decision. Now you’re saying this again. Do you have a problem with the clan leader?” Bai Jingtian frowned and said with dissatisfaction.
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