With the sudden inspiration, Le Jing quickly finished writing the beginning, and then he was troubled by the following plot.
"The Rat's Eyes Look Down on People" is a story told from the perspective of a rat. Because the protagonist is a Dutch rat, it can come into contact with all kinds of people and can make sharp ridicule and criticism of the chaos in human society.
Although the protagonist is a Dutch rat, he is a "superior rat" from a hundred years later that has been influenced by civilization. Because of his cute appearance, he lives a pampered and wealthy life even if he travels back to the Republic of China. He wanders around and is passed around by different owners, thus coming into contact with all kinds of people in the Republic of China: businessmen, warlords, celebrities, noble ladies, prostitutes...
It cannot speak, so it just watches in silence, watching the long dark night that shrouded the country, and watching the people on this land who live worse than rats.
It has the right to be proud. Its pride comes from the bright country a hundred years later and from its respectable life as a pampered pet with no worries about food and clothing. It also has the right to be contemptuous because this country was so destitute a hundred years ago and because the people of this country a hundred years ago were so ignorant, cowardly, cruel, numb and ugly.
This is destined to be a very long story. The protagonist will see all kinds of people around different masters, and will see the tragedies of countless small people crushed by the tide of the times. It is these tragedies one after another that constitute the "Heavenly Kingdom" where everyone smokes and puffs.
What troubled Le Jing was the identity of the Dutch rat's first owner. He considered prostitutes, revolutionaries, foreign businessmen, traitors... Each owner had a story worth writing about.
He thought about it for a few days, and finally he was inspired by his and the servant's family's experience of seeking medical treatment. So he decided to make the first owner of the pet mouse a doctor, a man with superb medical skills and a desire to save the world, but who could not save this terminally ill country.
Just as the literary giant who gave up medicine to pursue literature said in later generations, studying medicine cannot save the Chinese people.
Now that the main thread of the article had been determined, Le Jing's ideas flowed freely, and he wrote as if inspired by God, writing paragraphs without almost any thought. Immersed in the world of novels also made him forget his illness for a short while. When he heard a knock on the door, Le Jing had already written nearly two thousand words.
"Come in."
The door was carefully pushed open, revealing the timid and flattering face of an old man. His name was Zhou Da. After Le Jing took him in, he made him a doorman, and his wife stayed behind to do some menial chores such as cooking and washing clothes.
Le Jing was not a slave owner who liked to enslave people. After years of modern life, he could not let them work for free, so even though Le Jing did not have much spare money, he still offered them two yuan a month. Perhaps it was because Le Jing was confident in his ability after all - he believed that his articles could make money. This was a kind of arrogance of the strong, and Le Jing understood this, but he did not think there was anything wrong with it.
There is a saying in Spider-Man that Le Jing agrees with: the greater the power, the greater the responsibility.
He asked, "What is it?"
Zhou Da looked at the book and paper covered with words spread out on the master's table with awe, and lowered his waist even more, "Master, your letter."
Letter? Someone sent him a letter?
Le Jing took the envelope Zhou Da handed over and opened it before he understood what was going on. This letter was sent by Zhao Xiaosong, the editor-in-chief of "Fengtian Miscellaneous News", and Li Tingfang forwarded it to him for the manuscript fee. It turned out that the "Fengtian Secret Room Murder Case" he serialized in "Fengtian Miscellaneous News" that day received a good response, so newspapers in several surrounding cities chose to reprint it, and they also sent the reprint fee to the "Fengtian Miscellaneous News" newspaper. Editor-in-chief Zhao sent the money to Li Tingfang.
It was also from the letter sent by Zhao Xiaosong that Le Jing learned that not long after he left, Editor-in-Chief Zhao went to visit Li Tingfang. There was no doubt that he came back empty-handed. At that time, Li Tingfang did not know where Le Jing was staying in Peiping.
This was natural, as Le Jing only informed Li Tingfang by telegram after he had settled down in Beijing. So Chief Editor Zhao eagerly asked about his whereabouts in the letter and repeatedly invited him to reprint the series in Fengtian Miscellaneous News.
Regarding this point, Le Jing was afraid that he could only refuse Editor Zhao, as he was already in Beiping, so it was naturally impossible for him to reprint the series in Fengtian. What comforted him was that Li Tingfang concealed his identity very well, and Editor Zhao obviously didn't know his identity yet.
He also wanted to use the pen name Night Watchman to write some "unruly" articles, so he didn't plan to reveal his identity for the time being. This letter also reminded him that he'd better write a letter to Li Tingfang, asking him not to reveal his identity.
The royalties sent by Editor-in-Chief Zhao undoubtedly solved Le Jing's urgent need. Because many newspapers reprinted the article, the remittance slips added up to 60 yuan, enough for their three months' rent. Writing in the Republic of China was indeed very profitable. Le Jing couldn't help but sigh at the ethics of newspapers in the Republic of China. You know, in modern times, plagiarists often scold the original authors.
Since he was no longer short of money, Le Jing didn't have to rush to write, he could rest well. Meanwhile, another matter had to be put on the agenda.
"Go to school?" Li Shuran looked at her elder brother in surprise, not understanding why he suddenly brought this up.
Le Jing nodded and said, "Yes, I recently received some royalties, which is enough to send you to elementary school."
Li Shuran is only 13 years old this year, so it is only natural for her to go to school. It doesn't cost much anyway, and Le Jing doesn't expect her to learn much, but at least she can learn to read and write, and not be a blind person.
During the Republic of China, the school system was Renzi and Guichou, which consisted of three years of primary school, four years of high school, four years of middle school, and three or four years of university. At Li Shuran's age, it was a bit late to go to primary school, but it was not too late. Nowadays, it was not uncommon for 17 or 18-year-olds to still be in primary school.
There was also compulsory education in the Republic of China. The law stipulated that citizens had to receive primary education, so the government financed a lot of subsidies for primary education. Generally speaking, there was no charge for primary school, and the tuition for high school was very low. However, the tuition of several dollars per school year was still a considerable burden for many families.
Unlike the elementary school students who are somewhat mocked on the Internet in later generations, the elementary school students in the Republic of China, especially the senior elementary school students, were already considered educated people, and for ordinary people, they had academic qualifications that could be boasted of. A leader of the New Culture Movement in later generations said that a child who had studied in elementary school for six years and put on a long gown would no longer help his brother with carpentry or help his father with farming, because he was a member of a special class.
Although Le Jing has taken time to teach Li Shuran how to read these days, his energy is limited after all, and everyone has their own expertise. This kind of thing really requires a professional teacher.
Li Shuran was obviously moved by what she heard, but still a little hesitant: "I...can I do it? I don't know how to do anything."
Le Jing smiled: "It's because you don't know anything that I have to send you to school."
Li Shuran was still a little hesitant: "But I'm so old..."
Le Jing deliberately asked in a surprised and puzzled tone: "You are considered old at this age, but what about those 17 or 18-year-olds who are still in elementary school? It's just right for you to commemorate elementary school this year."
Hearing that there were still people in elementary school at the age of 17 or 18, Li Shuran immediately felt relieved. Facing her brother's elegant smile, she lowered her head in embarrassment, her cheeks flushed with shyness and excitement. Through her brother's teachings these days, she no longer felt that a woman's virtue was not to be talented. She also liked to study and longed to be able to read, write and write like her brother. Now that she could study in a special school, it was like a dream for her. For the 101st time, she thanked her brother in her heart for taking her away from the Li family, and sincerely prayed to God for her brother's safety.
…
Before sending Li Shuran to school, Le Jing still needed to ask people about the school. There were so many schools in Peking, and they had to learn from the locals as they had just arrived. As for the person to learn from, their landlord was the most suitable person.
Their landlord is called Qian Duofu, whose old surname is Yehenala. He has some kind of relationship with the previous empress dowager. Later, the Qing Dynasty was gone and the empress dowager was also infamous. In order to keep safe, they changed their names to show that they wanted to cut off all ties with the past. Because their children and grandchildren are not ambitious, they now live by pawning their ancestral property.
I learned about these happy scenes from the gossips of my neighbors. The gossiping skills of the aunties in Chaoyang District are not to be underestimated.
Qian Duofu was indeed a wonderful man, about thirty years old, short and fat, smiling, and looking very warm and friendly. After hearing Le Jing's purpose, he asked, "What is your price range?"
"About ten yuan."
Qian Duofu nodded, "This money is enough to go to a private school. There is a Beijing Women's College nearby, which has an elementary school department. The school spirit is upright and strict. It is a famous private school. You can send your sister there."
Le Jing said, "I want to send my sister to a co-educational school." As a modern man, he does not have any concept of strict separation between boys and girls. He still thinks that co-educational schools are more suitable for the healthy growth of teenagers.
Qian Duofu looked at him in surprise, but didn't say much. "Such an open-minded middle school meets your requirements. It is a public school and also has an elementary school department. The principal, Mr. Zhou Dezhang, is also a well-known educator with remarkable teaching results. The primary school tuition is free and the high school tuition is only five yuan."
Le Jing's eyes lit up, he knew Zhou Dezhang, a patriot who enjoyed a good reputation in later generations. He was a man of integrity throughout his life and lived his life with a clear conscience. A school with such a person as the principal would do well.
Later, Le Jing also took Li Shuran to Kaiming Middle School for a field trip, and the results of the visit were very satisfactory. The school building was spacious and bright, the equipment was complete, the teachers were honest and elegant, the students were well-educated, and the school spirit was very positive. It was worthy of being Mr. Zhou Dezhang's school.
So three days later, Li Shuran wore a school uniform, carried a school bag, and officially became a glorious elementary school student.
Le Jing also officially threw the manuscript of the first story of "Rat Eyes Look Down on People" into the mailbox, and he wrote "Literature Newspaper" as the recipient address.
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