All the heavens begin with the love in the courtyard.

When an old man saw that the crowd had almost arrived, he cleared his throat and shouted down to the crowd.

"I've called you all here today because you all know what happened. Yesterday, those cunning soldiers robbed all fifteen carts of grain from our plateau, leaving not a single receipt. This is our plateau's tax grain for a whole year! What do you all think we should do about this?"

The old man's speech caused the villagers, who had been holding back their resentment, to shout in unison toward the stage.

"This was started by Lu Zilin. He's the one who made us pay the grain. We need to talk to him about this!"

"Yes, find Lu Zilin, find Lu Zilin! I remember Jiaxuan said not to hand over the grain yet. It's Lu Zilin who likes to show off. This matter should be blamed on Lu Zilin!"

Bai Jiaxuan stood there silently. Lu Zilin, who was kneeling on the ground, tried to get up to argue, but his father, Lu Taiheng, glared at him and shut him up.

After everyone had vented their anger, the old men exchanged a feigned glance, and one of them stood up and said something.

“Lu Zilin was wrong in this matter, but we can’t put all the blame on him. Jiaxuan said we couldn’t deliver the grain, so why didn’t you listen to him and instead listened to Lu Zilin? Now that something has gone wrong, it’s not right for you to blame everything on Lu Zilin!”

As soon as the old man spoke, the crowd fell silent. Bai Jiaxuan had previously told them to postpone the grain delivery, but the farmers' habitual thinking was to deliver the grain as soon as possible and get it over with. After all, in the eyes of these farmers, there was no good outcome in resisting the government.

Seeing that the atmosphere had calmed down, Lu Zilin's father, Lu Taiheng, coughed lightly, stood up, bowed to the audience, and then spoke in a sincere tone.

“Originally, the delivery of grain should have been presided over by the clan chief, but now that Clan Chief Bingde is bedridden, my son Lin has taken it upon himself to make the decision. This is indeed his fault. I want to make a statement here: our Lu family is willing to compensate everyone. Our Lu family still has some savings from these years. Even if we give away all our wealth, we are willing to make up for this mistake!”

Lu Taiheng's words were well-chosen, immediately quelling the anger in everyone's hearts and even earning Lu Zilin a bit of sympathy.

That's right. The matter of delivering grain should have been handled by Bai Bingde every year. This year, he is bedridden, so it should have been handled by Bai Jiaxuan. Bai Jiaxuan is clever. He told everyone not to deliver grain yet, but he didn't deliver it himself, nor did he stop everyone from doing so. He has no good intentions!

Lu Taiheng successfully shifted the blame, leaving Bai Jiaxuan speechless. What a cunning old fox!

Another old man standing nearby also stood up, leaning on his cane, and said to Bai Jiaxuan.

“Jiaxuan, your father can’t take charge right now, so you have to fill in. This has already happened, so you have to think of a way to resolve it.”

Bai Jiaxuan felt utterly contemptuous of these old guys. He had wasted so much time trying to talk them out, but now that something had happened, they were only thinking of him.

However, Bai Jiaxuan knew exactly what these old guys were thinking.

Previously, Bai Jiaxuan had taken the lead in cutting off his queue and proposed not to pay grain, leaving a very deep impression on these old guys.

With Lu Zilin causing trouble everywhere at the time, these old guys were also thinking about whether the position of clan leader would go to Bai Jiaxuan or Lu Zilin if Bai Bingde died.

After all, Bai Jiaxuan's previous marriage to six wives, all of which resulted in their sudden deaths, had left these old folks with a very bad impression of the young man. Now, with his queue being cut off and his refusal to pay grain taxes, several of the old folks were considering switching allegiances.

But the slap in the face came so quickly that Bai Jiaxuan's prediction about Zishui County was indeed correct. The Qing Dynasty was truly doomed. Not only were people cutting off their queues everywhere, but a group of cunning soldiers had also arrived. Who knew where these people came from? They didn't even issue receipts for the grain they collected; it was clearly robbery.

Lu Zilin is clearly a brainless idiot. If he becomes the clan leader in the future, things will probably get very difficult for Bailu Plain.

So now these old guys are thinking they should give the position of clan leader to Bai Jiaxuan and let him figure out a way.

Bai Jiaxuan was also quite speechless. However, if he really stayed in Bailuyuan for decades and had the position of clan leader, it would be easier to get things done. He was thinking about reforming Bailuyuan. If he were the clan leader, it would be easier to get things done!

Thinking of this, Bai Jiaxuan stopped delaying, stepped forward, cleared his throat, and spoke.

"Alright, since you uncles trust me, I'll also give my opinion!"

Upon hearing Bai Jiaxuan speak, everyone fell silent, waiting for him to continue.

Bai Jiaxuan then spoke seriously.

"The Qing Dynasty is about to fall, and a change of dynasty is imminent. Throughout China's thousands of years of history, every change of dynasty has inevitably involved warfare. When war breaks out, it is the ordinary people who suffer the most. Paying grain is the least of our worries. In times of war, families are often torn apart and people die. I think this loss of grain is just the beginning. The hard times are yet to come. Everyone must stay calm!"

Chapter Six

Bai Jiaxuan's words startled everyone. Even Lu Zilin, who had just been making a ruckus, opened his mouth wide and knelt on the ground, motionless, after hearing Bai Jiaxuan's words!

Several old men were even trembling slightly as they held their pipes. Although Bai Jiaxuan's words were serious, when they thought about what the Manchus had done after entering the pass and the history of dynastic changes, they realized that it was indeed possible.

Seeing that his words had startled everyone, Bai Jiaxuan smiled and then spoke seriously.

"Don't be nervous, everyone. The situation is still unstable, and our place is remote. We won't be the ones to suffer any disaster anytime soon!"

These words eased the atmosphere somewhat, and Bai Jiaxuan continued speaking.

“This grain loss is not a big deal. Let’s just consider it as paying our grain tax this year. Once the situation stabilizes and the county is settled, whoever is in charge will continue to pay our grain tax, as long as they don’t make things difficult for us.”

These words made everyone nod in agreement, and their panic subsided somewhat. The old men felt that it made sense, so they stood up, expressed their opinions, and the matter was considered closed.

The matter of demanding compensation from Lu Zilin's family was dropped, just as Bai Jiaxuan said, everyone simply treated it as this year's grain delivery.

Although everyone was still a little uneasy, several months passed without anyone coming to urge them to pay their grain, which put their minds at ease.

After this incident, Lu Zilin acted like a submissive person for several months and didn't cause any more trouble.

The main reason was that when Lu Zilin returned home that time, he discussed it with his father, Lu Taiheng, and they felt that the current clan chief was not suitable. If things really went as Bai Jiaxuan said, once a war broke out, the clan chief would have a lot of trouble. When all the villagers came to find the clan chief, it would be better to give the job to Bai Jiaxuan.

Lu Zilin's thinking was not without reason. Starting in July, people fleeing from other places kept passing through the area around Bailuyuan.

When everyone asked, they learned that it was a Qing Dynasty governor named Fang Sheng who led 200,000 Qing troops to capture more than a dozen cities and was now less than a hundred miles away from Chang'an.

As they marched in, they seized grain and looted everywhere, causing countless families to be destroyed and people to die. With a major war about to break out, many people in the county towns began to seek refuge.

The news has spread everywhere, and Lu Zilin's desire to become the clan leader has naturally faded.

Bai Jiaxuan had been following this news, and it reminded him of his brother-in-law, Mr. Zhu. In the original story, Mr. Zhu took Bai Jiaxuan to the Qing army camp, where his brother-in-law talked to Fang Sheng for a whole night, and Fang Sheng eventually withdrew his troops.

So Bai Jiaxuan was wondering if his brother-in-law would ask him to accompany him to the Qing army camp again, but after waiting for quite some time, he still hadn't heard a word from his brother-in-law.

In the original novel, Mr. Zhu, Bai Jiaxuan's brother-in-law, is a saint-like figure who knows everything from astronomy to geography and can even predict life and death.

Mr. Zhu was exceptionally intelligent from a young age. He passed the county-level imperial examination at the age of sixteen and the provincial-level imperial examination at the age of twenty-two. However, his studies were interrupted after his father passed away. The governor of Shanxi at the time valued his talent and wanted to entrust him with important responsibilities, but Mr. Zhu chose to avoid it, saying frankly, "Houses are just a signboard, land is a burden, and accumulating money is a death trap."

So Mr. Zhu built a small academy on a piece of land on the east side of Bailu Plain, named it Bailu Academy, and settled there there.

Bai Jiaxuan was also puzzled. Seeing that this was somewhat different from the original story, he thought to himself, so he took a bag of wheat to Bailu Academy under the pretext of visiting his sister and asked his brother-in-law.

As soon as Bai Jiaxuan arrived, he saw his brother-in-law practicing calligraphy in the yard, the aroma wafting from the kitchen, and several bowls and three sets of chopsticks already set on the table in the hall.

Bai Jiaxuan had just entered the house carrying wheat when he saw this scene. He thought his brother-in-law's family had guests. Just as he was thinking that he had come at the wrong time, his eldest sister, who had just come out of the kitchen, called out to him.

"Jiaxuan, why are you only arriving now? Your brother-in-law asked me to prepare the meal early this morning, saying you would be coming today!"

Bai Jiaxuan was taken aback and quickly moved the bag to the kitchen, calling out to Mr. Zhu in the yard.

"Brother-in-law, how did you know I was coming?"

Mr. Zhu remained calm as he finished the last stroke, then put away his brush and said something.

“A few days ago, I saw you deliberately passing by without going in. It’s been three days now, and I figured you must be getting impatient and should be coming soon!”

Bai Jiaxuan smiled a little embarrassedly. It was true. He had come here the day before yesterday, but when he got to the door, he felt a little embarrassed to come empty-handed, so he went back.

But just based on this, he was able to calculate that I would come today and even prepared food in advance, which is clearly beyond the average person.

Bai Jiaxuan was no ordinary person either. Although he was curious, he didn't ask too many questions. After all, in the original story, his brother-in-law was almost a saint. After thinking about it, he calmed down.

Bai Jiaxuan then started a conversation, wanting to ask his brother-in-law what he had been up to lately.

Then we heard Mr. Zhu wash his hands, and then he pointed to the table in the hall and said.

"Let's sit down and have a few drinks!"

Bai Jiaxuan agreed, and the two sat down. Mr. Zhu spoke first.

"This feast today is a farewell for me. I'm leaving the academy for five years. Please take good care of your eldest sister from now on!"

Bai Jiaxuan quickly agreed, and was about to ask when Mr. Zhu continued.

"Fang Sheng agreed to withdraw his troops. In exchange, I have to teach at his academy for five years. That's how it's settled. Jiaxuan, you got a great haircut. With this haircut, I feel like you're a completely different person. But the fact that you're here today tells me that you're still Bai Jiaxuan. Come on, let's have a drink!"

As they were talking, Mr. Zhu and Bai Jiaxuan clinked glasses!

Bai Jiaxuan held the wine, feeling a chill run through his body. Was his brother-in-law too amazing?

He really is as divine as in the original work; his words just now answered two of his own questions.

The first reason is that he didn't take Bai Jiaxuan to the Qing army camp to talk, but went to find Fang Sheng alone, because Bai Jiaxuan had cut his hair.

After all, if Fang Sheng saw a young man with such a strange hairstyle walk by, he might get angry and chop Bai Jiaxuan's head off first.

Secondly, Mr. Zhu could see that Bai Jiaxuan was different from before, and might even be a different person. However, the fact that Bai Jiaxuan came to see him today showed that Bai Jiaxuan still recognized the family ties. That's why Mr. Zhu asked Bai Jiaxuan to help take care of his elder sister.

The two drank and chatted about recent events in Bailuyuan and some important matters of the Qing Dynasty. Bai Jiaxuan rarely spoke, and Mr. Zhu did most of the talking. Bai Jiaxuan nodded frequently, gaining a new understanding of his brother-in-law. He was indeed a true master.

Although this expert might not be as strong as him, his intelligence far surpassed his own. Bai Jiaxuan didn't want to make a fool of himself, so he continued to play the role of a peasant.

He'd seen plenty of people with higher IQs than himself, and he was used to it. He finished his meal in peace, promised to send some food to his older sister every month, and thanked him once more before seeing Bai Jiaxuan off.

After Bai Jiaxuan left, Bai Jiaxuan's older sister tidied up the table while saying something with a happy smile.

"I never expected my silly brother to be so clever this time. All the grain supplies in Bailu Plain were robbed, but our family was spared. It's a pity my silly brother has such a hard life!"

Mr. Zhu watched Bai Jiaxuan's retreating figure as he descended the mountain before turning back with his hands behind his back and speaking leisurely.

"Your younger brother isn't stupid; this is a real dragon! Good, with this real dragon coiled around Bailu Plain, I can rest easy!"

His older sister scolded him.

"What are you talking about? What dragon? Why are you spouting nonsense? When are you leaving?"

Mr. Zhu sighed and said.

"I'll be leaving tomorrow morning. If anything happens at home in the future, just come to Jiaxuan. With him here, I have no worries!"

His older sister, seeing her husband praise her brother like this for the first time, immediately replied with a beaming smile.

"Okay!"

Chapter VII

Bai Jiaxuan's father, Bai Bingde, eventually died on the same day that Xiangcao gave birth.

Or perhaps it was because he was hoping for his grandson to be born that Bai Bingde held on for so long; otherwise, given his physical condition, he would have given up long ago.

Bai Bingde even named his grandson Bai Xiaowen in advance.

The moment the baby was born, its wailing reached Bai Bingde's ears on the hospital bed. Bai Bingde's eyes widened, revealing his few remaining yellow teeth. He laughed heartily, opened his arms, and muttered something under his breath.

"Come here...come here, let Grandpa hold my sweet grandson..."

His voice was low and trembling, but unfortunately, he didn't get to see his grandson bring him over. After saying those words, the old man kicked his legs and died.

Bai Bingde's funeral was the most grand one in Bailuyuan in recent years. During his years as clan leader, he did not achieve much, but he was conscientious and hardworking and was deeply loved by the people.

More than 500 people attended his funeral, and the procession went to the Bai family ancestral cemetery in the west.

Bai Jiaxuan wanted to squeeze out a few tears, but he couldn't. The old man had endured a whole year of suffering, and he had wiped his body and collected his urine for him. He had been a filial son for more than a year, and he had truly done right by him.