Chapter 30: Where Are the Good People in This World?

The food at the Bai family's house was not just a step above the Chen family's; it was in a different league entirely.

There was stewed pork belly with cabbage, deep-fried small river shrimp, braised carp, fried meatballs, and a plate of seasonal vegetables.

Then came the side dishes for the wine: roasted chicken, pork knuckle, and a plate of fried peanuts.

The drink was the town's most famous Lianhuabai; it was said to cost twenty wen per bowl, which was quite expensive.

Compared to them, the Chen family's rice mixed with pork lard was simply beneath notice.

But even if it was beneath notice, the Chen family couldn't afford to eat like this often.

Mrs. Bai handed Chen Jie a large steamed bun. The Bai family ate buns made of a blend of two grains (white flour and millet flour), but looking at the snowy whiteness of this bun, it seemed a great deal of white flour had been used.

One had to know that white flour cost three times as much as millet flour.

Therefore, families who could afford white flour were wealthy; both white flour and rice were refined grains that not everyone could afford.

Chen Jie took the bun, and Wu Zhong placed a meatball in his bowl, saying, "Try it. It's your aunt's specialty."

Chen Jie expressed his thanks, while Wu Hong tore off a chicken leg and gave it to Chen Jie, saying, "Jiu Si, eat. Don't be shy. You need to nourish that small frame of yours."

Chen Jie nodded in agreement.

As they ate, Mrs. Bai felt the atmosphere was too heavy and spoke up, "Husband, have you heard about what happened in Taotao Village?"

Wu Zhong paused mid-meal, his expression darkening. "I know. It was the sin committed by the Yu family; the man committed suicide by jumping into a well."

Hearing this, Wu Hong frowned. "What happened?"

Mrs. Bai said, "Don't pry."

Wu Hong replied, "That won't do, Mother. I am a constable. There's been a loss of life; how can I ignore it?"

Seeing this, Wu Zhong said, "Son, don't get involved in this. Too many people are entangled in it. Listen to your mother."

"Dad, you know me. If things aren't made clear, I'll investigate on my own."

Wu Zhong glared at Mrs. Bai, as if to say, *Look at the trouble you've stirred up.* Mrs. Bai said aggrievedly, "I was just trying to liven up the atmosphere."

Dr. Bai spoke up, "It's fine to talk about it. They aren't children anymore; there are some things he ought to know."

Seeing that the old man had spoken, Wu Zhong glanced at Chen Jie and Wu Hong, then slowly recounted the events.

The matter was that the Wang boy from Taotao Village had developed a gambling addiction. He had lost everything at the Yu family's gambling den and had even taken high-interest loans from Yu Sanliu—a debt trap—and eventually couldn't pay it back.

Yu Sanliu then proposed "morning lessons," and in the end, the young wife could not endure the humiliation and jumped into a well to commit suicide.

*Slap!*

Upon hearing this, Wu Hong slammed the table and stood up in a rage, his eyes blazing with fury.

"Lawless monsters!" Wu Hong roared indignantly.

Wu Zhong said nothing; he only looked at Chen Jie. He knew his son's temperament well.

However, Chen Jie's reaction surprised him slightly. A flash of anger crossed Chen Jie's face, only to be immediately replaced by a calm expression. Yet, beneath that calm lay a towering rage. He thought of the intelligence suggesting that Yu Sanliu had set his sights on Su Yunjin.

That woman, Cui'er, had been driven to jump into a well. What about Su Yunjin?

If he hadn't traveled through time in time, would Su Yunjin's fate be the same as Cui'er's?

To be humiliated, and then to jump into a well to end her life!

And even more terrifyingly, Yu Sanliu would not give up on Su Yunjin. With his methods, he would surely force her to submit. When that time came...

No, he absolutely could not let Yunjin end up as miserably as Cui'er. He absolutely could not.

Chen Jie hid his hands under the table, clenching them tightly.

"Sit down."

Seeing Wu Hong's furious expression, Wu Zhong spoke. Wu Hong retorted, "Dad, have they become this lawless?"

Wu Zhong looked at him and said, "Lawless? What law could possibly govern them?"

Wu Hong's expression froze.

"First, gambling dens are a business recognized by the imperial court; they aren't breaking the law. Second, high-interest loans fall under private lending, which the government doesn't interfere with. Third, using a wife to settle a debt—if the victim agreed to it, it doesn't violate any statutes. Fourth, that woman jumped into the well herself; it was a suicide. What does that have to do with the Yu father and son?" Wu Zhong said.

"But a life was lost!" Wu Hong argued.

"So what? Don't forget, their backers are the Canal Gang. Even the County Magistrate at your yamen is unwilling to get involved. Why are you meddling? Stay quiet for a few days and then return to the county. You don't need to involve yourself in town matters."

"Damn it! The gangs... they should all be wiped out!" Wu Hong said indignantly.

Wu Zhong frowned. "Don't talk nonsense. Your father is in the Fishing Gang. Are you saying I should be wiped out too?"

Wu Hong looked at Wu Zhong and said, "Dad, you're different. You don't do evil!"

"Heh, your father blocking the Mianshui River to prevent fishing—does that make me a good man?"

"Oh, son, there are no good people these days. Our gang might not be good, but is your government any better?"

"That..." Wu Hong wanted to say something.

Dr. Bai glared at him and said, "Let your father finish."

Wu Hong lowered his head.

Wu Zhong continued, "Since your grandfather has spoken, I'll make it crystal clear. Your master taught you skills, but I am teaching you the truth. In this day and age, there are no good people, only interests. You've been working in the government for a year or two; haven't you seen how it works? The elders take taxes, the advisors take kickbacks, the bailiffs take from the victims, and they squeeze both the defendant and the plaintiff."

"How many big deals in the county involve shares for your Magistrate? Which day does a patrolling constable not extort some money from a merchant? As for the various tax collectors, which one doesn't invent new categories to overcharge and line their own pockets? Are they good people?"

"Son, I'm telling you, what your government does is no different from what our gangs do. Both exist to squeeze the common people for those above. People say Mianshui County has two major gangs, but I think there are three. The largest one is your yamen. In this world, where can you find a good person?"

Wu Zhong spoke with heavy earnestness. Wu Hong was clearly shaken. In truth, he knew some of this, but he had never thought about it deeply. He had never considered that the constable colleagues who greeted him with smiles might become demons in the eyes of merchants and commoners once they hit the streets.

Good people? Where could they be found?

Wu Zhong poured himself another drink. Chen Jie remained silent, but he understood that Wu Zhong was right. There were no good people; this was a chaotic era, a society that devoured its own.

Weakness was a sin; there was no distinction between good and evil.

The law is maintained by the strong; it can become a shield for the weak, but when the strong use it as a tool, it becomes a nightmare for the weak.

Seeing that his grandson was having difficulty accepting this, Dr. Bai acted as a mediator. "That's enough, Hong'er. What your father says isn't necessarily the absolute truth, but it is helpful. As for living one's life, first, protect your family; second, live with a clear conscience. That is enough. As for anything else, do not force it, do not force it..."

After Dr. Bai finished speaking, he took a large gulp of Lianhuabai. At his age, he understood many things clearly.

The meal ended in such an atmosphere.

Chen Jie took his leave in a hurry. Before he left, Mrs. Bai packed him four steamed buns, a bag of peanuts, and half a portion of pork knuckle.