CHAPTER 179: CHAPTER 179: GOOD BIRD OR BAD BIRD

179 Is It a Good Bird or a Bad Bird?

Zhao Zhitong felt that Qiao Muchen’s words made a lot of sense, so she nodded in agreement. "I think you’re right too. I will find evidence of the County Magistrate’s corruption and embezzlement of the people’s money!"

At this moment, Wei Shulan spoke up. "I don’t think it’s the County Magistrate. He’s a good official."

Zhao Zhitong looked back at her and asked why she said that.

Then Wei Shulan recounted what she had heard on the street when she visited her cousin’s house.

"When I went to my cousin’s house with my grandmother during the last holiday, I heard many villagers discussing that when the County Magistrate first took office, he built a road leading to the county town, which made it much easier for many remote villages to enter the city.

They also said that after spring starts, the County Magistrate plans to dig water channels, and once they’re completed, many barren fields will become fertile farmland. They only praise the County Magistrate as a good official."

Zhao Zhitong’s frown deepened, and she began to doubt. "Could it be that our County Magistrate is indeed a good official?"

Incidentally, Scholar Meng, who was now entering the school, happened to hear the four children discussing court officials. His brow furrowed. These little ones are certainly daring, he thought, and quickly called the four of them out.

Scholar Meng led the four little ones under a big tree in the courtyard and asked them directly.

Then the four young ones chirped and recounted their previous discussion to the Teacher.

After Scholar Meng understood the general situation, he stroked his beard and began to think seriously.

Zhao Zhitong asked, "Teacher, is our County Magistrate a good person or a bad person?"

Qiao Muchen and the others also looked at Scholar Meng, waiting for him to clear their doubts.

"Hmm." Scholar Meng nodded thoughtfully, and then said earnestly, "Young girl, judging a person as good or bad is not so one-sided and simple. It’s a very complex matter. You saw the tax collectors taking money from the people indiscriminately and thought the County Magistrate was a bad person. Wei Shulan heard the villagers discussing the County Magistrate when she visited her cousin’s village, and she thought he was a good person. Both of these views are too one-sided and inaccurate."

The four little ones looked at each other, puzzled expressions in their eyes.

Seeing the children’s confused faces, Scholar Meng stroked his beard. How should I explain this to them? he wondered. Suddenly, an idea struck him.

So he asked, "Do you remember the woodpecker that your Mr. Meng caught before?"

The four little ones looked at each other and then nodded their heads. Two months ago, Meng Fusheng found a young woodpecker that couldn’t fly yet in a forest on the mountain.

It attracted many students to take a look. Zhao Zhitong and the others were also curious and watched it every day. In the end, the young bird died from injuries and the loss of its mother. The children were heartbroken for a long time.

Seeing the children nod, Scholar Meng asked, "So, do you think the woodpecker is good or bad?"

Then Zhao Zhitong quickly raised her hand and happily replied, "Teacher, I know, I know, it’s good!"

Scholar Meng gave a faint smile and asked, "Well, now I ask you, why do you think the woodpecker is good?"

Zhao Zhitong happily replied, "Because the woodpecker is known as the physician of the forest. It can help sick trees catch pests. It’s a beneficial bird, so it’s good."

Scholar Meng nodded with satisfaction and looked at the other three children. "What do you think?"

Qiao Muchen thought for a moment and spoke up, "Teacher, I think it’s not necessarily good. I once saw in a book that a woodpecker might mistakenly think that there are bugs inside a healthy tree, so it keeps pecking and eventually makes a huge hole in the tree, leading to the tree’s death."

Scholar Meng stroked his beard and nodded, then looked at the silent Wei Shulan and Zhao Yue, asking, "What do you think?"

Wei Shulan glanced at Zhao Zhitong and answered, "Teacher, I agree with Tongtong’s opinion. Woodpeckers are good birds."

Zhao Yue first looked at Zhao Zhitong, then at himself, and finally said, "Teacher, I don’t know. It seems like it can be good or bad."

Scholar Meng laughed heartily and finally said, "You are all judging from a human perspective. What about from the perspective of insects?"

At this, all four children looked surprised. Can we even consider it from the perspective of insects? Aren’t insects pests?

Scholar Meng, as if knowing the children’s thoughts, smiled and said, "Your judgment of insects’ goodness or badness also comes from our own perspective because insects eat the crops in our fields, resulting in lower food production, and we have less to eat. But think about it. If there were no insects in the world, many birds would have no food, right?"

The children nodded again.

Then the Teacher continued, "So, children, when looking at problems, don’t just look at them from one angle. People are the same. If you only look at one side of things, you will only get one-sided answers. You must start from the essence of things. Just like the woodpecker, it’s beneficial for trees. But when it makes a mistake, it can also be a tree killer.

The reason is actually quite simple: the woodpecker is just trying to fill its stomach. People are the same. When something is beneficial to you, you think it is good, but when its views are contrary to yours or it causes you harm, you think it is bad.

For example, the snow that’s falling right now is good from the farmer’s perspective. The saying goes, ’A timely snow promises a good harvest.’ The snow blankets the fields, reducing pests for next year, so it’s great. But for those who are traveling, the snow means a difficult journey. A quarter of an hour’s journey could now take three-quarters of an hour, which is undoubtedly terrible for them."

The eyes of the young children widened as they listened.

Zhao Zhitong stared at the Teacher, her eyes shining with admiration. He seems so incredibly wise and grand! she thought.

At this moment, the Teacher said, "So, today I’ll teach you an important principle: people are complex and multifaceted. To judge whether someone is good or bad, you must analyze them from multiple perspectives and understand their true nature."

Zhao Zhitong thought for a moment, nodded, and happily said, "I understand, Teacher!"

It’s just like her step-grandmother, Zhao Zhitong thought. She often bullied our family, so in my heart, she was a bad grandmother. But in the eyes of Zhao Cai, Zhao Yun, and Zhao Ji, Mrs. Wang treated them very well. She couldn’t bear to hit or scold them and always saved the best food for them. Naturally, to them, Mrs. Wang was a good grandmother. So, there’s no such thing as a purely bad person; even the worst people have a good side. And someone who is good to you now might become an enemy in the future if your beliefs diverge.

When Zhao Zhitong reached this level of understanding, Grandpa Bai in the space suddenly laughed with relief. This young girl is truly worthy of being the host I selected! So young, yet she already possesses such profound awareness. However, a trace of worry also touched him. If she can grasp so many principles at such a young age, the challenges awaiting her in the future will likely be even greater.