In Chen Zhongzhong's novel "White Deer Plain", Bai Xiaowen is a complex and contradictory character. He came from a famous family, was well educated, and was supposed to be an upright and kind person. However, a twist of fate has degenerated him into an insidious, cunning, and unscrupulous villain. All these changes actually originated from a sentence he said when he had an affair with Tian Xiao'e. This sentence seems to have opened Pandora's box and released the evil hidden in Bai Xiaowen's heart. Since then, he has embarked on a road of no return, losing his conscience and humanity in the pursuit of power. His actions not only caused the people around him to suffer, but also plunged himself into a moral abyss. What kind of words can change the trajectory of a person's life so radically? What kind of psychological changes are behind this sentence? How did it affect the rest of Bai Xiaowen's life?
Bai Xiaowen was born in Bailu Village, on the Guanzhong Plain in Shaanxi Province, a village with a long history and a predominantly Bai surname. The Bai family has a prominent position in the village and is recognized as a big family, and they have been cultivating and reading heirlooms for generations. Bai Xiaowen's father, Bai Jiaxuan, is a respected patriarch in the village and is deeply respected by the villagers.
The ancestral house of the Bai family is located in the center of the village and is a magnificent courtyard house. There are several ancient locust trees planted in the courtyard, and the branches are luxuriant, adding a bit of elegance to the courtyard. There is a well in the middle of the courtyard, which was carefully dug by the ancestors of the Bai family, and the water quality is sweet and inexhaustible all year round. This well not only provides daily water for the Bai family, but also serves as a link between neighbors.
As the son of the Bai family, Bai Xiaowen has attracted much attention since he was a child. His father, Bai Jiaxuan, had high hopes for him and trained him strictly according to the standards of the patriarch heir. Bai Jiaxuan is upright and upright, and he also hopes that his son can inherit this character. Therefore, Bai Xiaowen received a strict family education from an early age.
Every morning, Bai Xiaowen had to follow his father to the ancestral hall to worship his ancestors. Pak Ka Hin would tell his son about the family history and teach him how to behave in the world. This kind of subtle education has given Bai Xiaowen a deep understanding of family responsibilities since he was a child.
In terms of academics, Bai Xiaowen also excelled. He and his younger brother Bai Xiaowu studied in Bailu Academy together, and their academic performance was on par with that of the Lu brothers. Bailu Academy is a well-known private school in the local area, presided over by Mr. Zhu. Mr. Chu is knowledgeable, honest and strict with his students. In such an environment, Bai Xiaowen not only learned knowledge, but also cultivated a good character.
However, White Deer Academy was later closed for some reason. Unlike the Lu brothers who went to the new-style school in the city, Bai Jiaxuan chose to let his two sons go home to farm. He came to the gatehouse with Xiaowen and Xiaowu, pointed to the four big characters of "farming and reading heirlooms" above, and warned them to keep in mind the ancestral teachings, not only to cultivate and weave heirlooms, but also to study to help the world.
From then on, Bai Xiaowen began to learn farming with Changgong Lusan. Although he has changed from a scholar to a farmer, Bai Xiaowen has not slackened. He worked diligently, conscientiously studied all kinds of farm work, and soon mastered the skills of farming and harvesting. In the off-season, he still insisted on reading and maintained the accumulation of knowledge.
Bai Xiaowen's words and deeds are also different from those of ordinary rural youths. He was courteous, humble in his speech, dignified in his manners, and uninhibited. This temperament made him very respected in the village, and many people believed that he would definitely be able to inherit his father's position and become an excellent patriarch in the future.
In various activities in the village, Bai Xiaowen also often performs well. Whether it is spring plowing and autumn harvest, or red and white ceremonies, he can deal with it decently. Especially in some occasions where it is necessary to read and reason, such as sacrificial ceremonies or mediating disputes, Bai Xiaowen's performance impressed the villagers.
However, just when everyone thought that Bai Xiaowen would follow the rules and go on the right path, fate played a joke on him. On the occasion of his wedding, a small incident exposes the pent-up desires in his heart. Although this episode quickly subsided with his father's intervention, it laid the groundwork for future upheaval.
Bai Xiaowen's peaceful life was completely shattered by a woman named Tian Xiao'e. Tian Xiao'e is Lu Zilin's concubine and is famous for her beauty in Bailuyuan. She is dissolute by nature, restless and self-conscious, and often causes rumors in the village.
In order to achieve some ulterior purpose, Lu Zilin instigated Tian Xiao'e to seduce Bai Xiaowen. Tian Xiao'e happily accepted this task and began to appear frequently in Bai Xiaowen's sight. From time to time, she washed clothes by the well, deliberately exposing her white arms; Sometimes he works in the fields, and throws winks at Bai Xiaowen if he has nothing to do.
At first, Bai Xiaowen did not react much to Tian Xiao'e's actions. He always remembered his father's teachings and tried to maintain a dignified image. However, Tian Xiao'e's temptation became more and more obvious, and she began to "accidentally" bump Bai Xiaowen's body as he passed by, or say some ambiguous words in front of him.
Bai Xiaowen's concentration began to waver. He found it more and more difficult to ignore Tian Xiao'e's existence, and his eyes unconsciously followed her figure. This change did not escape the eyes of the villagers, and soon rumors about Bai Xiaowen and Tian Xiao'e began to spread quietly in the village.
Finally, on a dark and windy night, Bai Xiaowen couldn't resist the temptation and sneaked into Tian Xiao'e's cave. This night became a turning point in Bai Xiaowen's life. However, things did not go as Bai Xiaowen wanted. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get that done. This situation made Bai Xiaowen feel frustrated and ashamed.
Despite this, Bai Xiaowen still can't get rid of his infatuation with Tian Xiao'e. He began to drill into Xiao'e's cave every seventh day of the new year, but every time he returned in vain. This situation continued for a while, and Bai Xiaowen's mental state deteriorated day by day, his face was haggard, and his eyes were empty.
Bai Jiaxuan quickly noticed his son's abnormality. As an experienced elder, he guessed what was going on. In order to protect the family's reputation and save his son, Bai Jiaxuan decided to take action.
One day, Bai Jiaxuan and his clansmen suddenly broke into Tian Xiao'e's cave and caught Bai Xiaowen who was cheating on the spot. Bai Jiaxuan was furious, and ordered someone to tie up Bai Xiaowen and punish him with a thorn brush in public. This punishment not only brought physical pain to Bai Xiaowen, but also a great humiliation of his dignity.
After this punishment, Bai Xiaowen seems to have relented. However, the desire of the heart is not completely eliminated. After a period of silence, Bai Xiaowen came to Tian Xiao'e's cave again.
This time, things have changed unexpectedly. Bai Xiaowen actually succeeded in doing that. Tian Xiao'e was surprised by this, and she asked, "Why is it okay today?" "
Bai Xiaowen's answer became a turning point in his fate. He said self-deprecatingly: "In the past, it was like that, but now it's like this, it's like this, it's like a man!" "
This sentence seems to have opened Pandora's box and released the evil hidden in Bai Xiaowen's heart. From then on, he completely abandoned the moral shackles of the past and began to indulge his desires.
The relationship between Bai Xiaowen and Tian Xiao'e has become more frequent and bold. They are no longer limited to secret trysts at night, and even begin to meet in broad daylight. Bai Xiaowen's behavior caused strong dissatisfaction among the villagers, but he didn't care.
This indecent love not only affected Bai Xiaowen's reputation, but also began to affect his family life. His wife sensed the change in her husband, but was powerless to change anything. Bai Jiaxuan was deeply disappointed by his son's behavior, but his education and punishment seemed to have lost their effect.
With the passage of time, Bai Xiaowen's image in the village declined sharply. He was once regarded as the future patriarch, but now he has become the laughing stock of the villagers after dinner. However, Bai Xiaowen doesn't seem to care about any of this. He was immersed in his relationship with Tian Xiao'e, as if he had found a new meaning in life.
This experience not only changed Bai Xiaowen's moral concept, but also completely changed his way of life. He came to believe that true pleasure and success could only be achieved by throwing away moral constraints. This thought laid the groundwork for his future behavior in his political career.
Bai Xiaowen's unruly love affair with Tian Xiao'e became a key turning point in his personality transformation. The phrase "shameless like a man" was not only a momentary self-deprecation, but also became the motto of his life after that. This change in thinking made Bai Xiaowen begin to gradually break through the moral bottom line and embark on a completely different life path.
First of all, it is reflected in his attitude towards his family. Bai Xiaowen, who once adhered to filial piety, began to openly disobey the teachings of his father Bai Jiaxuan. He no longer participates in the family's rituals and cares about family affairs. He is even more indifferent to his wife, often not returning home at night, and does not even talk to his wife at home. This behavior not only made Bai Jiaxuan deeply disappointed, but also caused the Bai family's reputation in the village to plummet.
In terms of interacting with people, Bai Xiaowen has also undergone great changes. Gone is the polite image of the past, replaced by a cunning and tactful way of doing things. He began to learn to read words and looks, to see people and talk to people, and to talk nonsense. In the dispute in the village, he no longer insisted on justice, but chose to stand on the side that was best for him. Although this behavior makes some people feel disdainful, some people think that he has become "sleek" and knows how to "behave" better.
Bai Xiaowen's thirst for power is also getting stronger. He began to frequent the county and make friends with various powerful people. In order to curry favor with these people, he did not hesitate to spend a lot of money, and even did not hesitate to sell his conscience. Once, in order to curry favor with the county magistrate, he actually gave away his ancestral antiques. Although this behavior allowed him to gain some benefits in the officialdom, it also further lowered his image in the hearts of the villagers.
In this process, Bai Xiaowen's political skills were gradually revealed. He learned how to exploit conflicts between people to his advantage. For example, he skillfully took advantage of the contradiction between Lu Zilin and Bai Jiaxuan, and gained a lot of benefits between the two families. He also learned how to use rumors against his opponents, many times by spreading false news to his own ends.
These changes in Bai Xiaowen have made his relationship with his family more and more estranged. Bai Jiaxuan was completely disappointed in this eldest son, and even came up with the idea of passing on the position of patriarch to his second son, Bai Xiaowu. Bai Xiaowen's younger brother, Bai Xiaowu, also felt disgust for what his brother did, and the relationship between the two brothers deteriorated day by day.
However, Bai Xiaowen doesn't seem to care about any of this. He believes that only by abandoning the so-called moral shackles can we succeed in this troubled world. He often ridiculed those who adhered to the right path as "pedantic" and "ignorant of current affairs." In his view, morality is nothing but a tool used by the weak to restrain the strong, and the truly strong should transcend morality and do whatever they want.
This change in thinking made Bai Xiaowen more and more unscrupulous in handling affairs. Once, in order to obtain a fertile piece of farmland, he went so far as to forge a title deed and take his neighbor's land for himself. Although the incident was finally exposed, he had no intention of repenting, but felt that his skills were inferior to others, and he should be more cautious next time.
Bai Xiaowen's changes also affected his words and deeds. The image of the past's mild-mannered image is gone, replaced by a coarse and unbearable appearance. He began to frequent, mingling with some of the ruffians. After drinking, he often spoke wildly and said some rebellious things, which made the villagers avoid him.
Despite this, Baek's political ambitions are growing. He began to keep a close eye on political developments in the county and used every opportunity to build relationships with those in power. He even began to consider getting involved in local politics, hoping to get a half-official position. In order to achieve this goal, he did not hesitate to sell his conscience and even betray his own family.
These changes in Bai Xiaowen not only affected his personal fate, but also had a profound impact on the entire Bailuyuan. What he did became a microcosm of that turbulent era, reflecting the complexity and distortion of human nature in troubled times. And his subsequent actions reveal the corrosive effect of power on human nature, and how far a person can degenerate in pursuit of power.
Baek's political career began by chance. One spring, a new county magistrate came to the county. The county magistrate was young and ambitious in local affairs. With the contacts he had accumulated before, Bai Xiaowen managed to get acquainted with the county magistrate at a banquet.
At the banquet, Bai Xiaowen behaved politely and talked extraordinary. He introduced the customs of Bailuyuan to the county magistrate and put forward some insightful suggestions for local development. These suggestions aroused the interest of the county magistrate. The county magistrate found that the young man was not only familiar with the local situation, but also had a unique political vision.
Taking this opportunity, Baek Hyo-wen successfully entered the county government and took on a small and inconspicuous position. Despite his modest position, Baek sees it as an important springboard to politics. He began to dedicate himself to his work and try to show his talents.
At work, Baek Hyo-moon has shown amazing political talent. He is good at observing words and feelings, and can always accurately grasp the intentions of his superiors. When dealing with government affairs, he can not only strictly implement the instructions of his superiors, but also be flexible, which has won praise from colleagues and superiors.
Bai Xiaowen is also good at taking advantage of various opportunities for his own benefit. He often takes the initiative to take on some difficult tasks and skillfully defuses conflicts. For example, in a land dispute, he successfully mediated between two villages, both to maintain the authority of the government and to take care of the interests of the peasants. This approach has earned him praise from both superiors and subordinates.
As time passed, Baek's political status gradually rose. He gradually rose from an ordinary clerk to an important position in the county government. In the process, he has shown amazing political skill.
A typical example is his handling of grain expropriation. At that time, the higher authorities issued strict grain collection targets, which caused strong dissatisfaction among the peasants. Bai Xiaowen proposed an ingenious method: he suggested that the targets of the higher authorities should be fulfilled first, and then a part of the grain reserves in the county should be returned to the peasants. This method not only fulfilled the tasks of the superiors, but also appeased the peasants, which can be described as killing two birds with one stone.
Bai Xiaowen's approach gave him an advantageous position in the political struggle. He has won both the appreciation of his superiors and the support of the grassroots. This balance became a major feature of his later political career.
However, Baek's rise has not been without its challenges. In the political struggle, he also encountered many opponents. Among them, the strongest opponent is Li Deguang, another close confidant of the county magistrate. Li Deguang was born in a scholarly family, was knowledgeable, and had a lot of prestige in the county.
The struggle between Bai Xiaowen and Li Deguang became a major focus of the county's political arena at that time. The two disagreed on a number of issues and often argued at meetings. With his nimble political skills, Baek Hyo-moon was often able to gain the upper hand in arguments.
At one point, the two men again had a heated argument over whether to build a new road. Li Deguang believed that resources should be concentrated on developing agriculture and opposed road construction. Bai Xiaowen, on the other hand, advocated that road construction could promote commercial development and drive economic growth in the entire county. In the end, Baek's suggestion was supported by the county magistrate, which allowed him to win another game in the political battle.
As Bai Xiaowen's status rose, his style of acting became more and more tough. He began to use the power in his hands to suppress dissent and prop up his cronies. In a personnel adjustment, he succeeded in transferring several officials who were at odds with him from important posts and replacing them with his own henchmen. This approach drew some criticism, but it also further strengthened his power base.
The rise of Bai Xiaowen has also caused dissatisfaction among some veteran officials. These people think that Bai Xiaowen is young and vigorous and not stable enough. But Bai Xiaowen proved his ability with practical actions. In a flood relief work, he personally led a team to go deep into the disaster area and organize rescue work, which won the praise of the masses. This action not only increased his prestige, but also temporarily silenced those who opposed him.
As time passed, Bai Xiaowen's influence in the county grew. Not only did he control important government departments, but he also built up an extensive network of contacts among the people. Many began to see him as the successor to the county commissioner.
However, the expansion of power has also made Baek Hyo-moon increasingly arrogant. He began to ignore the opinions of his father and his family, and acted arbitrarily. This behavior not only affected his position in the family, but also laid a hidden danger for his future political career.
Still, Baek's rise in the political struggle has been a remarkable process. His experience shows how an ordinary rural youth can stand out in a complex political environment and become a powerful person. In this process, there is not only the display of wisdom and ability, but also the pursuit of power and moral degradation, which is a microcosm of that special era.
Bai Xiaowen's political career is like a grand firework, although it is brilliant and dazzling, it will inevitably dissipate quickly after all. His downfall began with a major policy blunder.
That year, the county suffered a major drought that had not been seen in a century. As deputy county magistrate in charge of agriculture, Bai Xiaowen advocated for a radical irrigation plan. He proposed a series of large-scale water conservancy projects to be built in a short period of time to solve the drought problem. This plan was supported by the county governor and was quickly put into practice.
However, due to the tight deadline and Bai Xiaowen's neglect of the quality of the project in order to see the results as soon as possible, these hastily built water conservancy facilities soon became problematic. Cracks appeared in many of the dikes, and some even collapsed shortly after use. Far from solving the drought problem, this has caused large areas of farmland to be flooded and farmers to suffer heavy losses.
This mistake dealt a fatal blow to Baek's political career. The peasants complained about him, and his superiors doubted his decision-making skills. Although Baek tried to pass the buck, claiming that his subordinates failed due to poor execution, this defense was not recognized.
Immediately afterwards, Bai Xiaowen was involved in another corruption case. Some people reported that he accepted bribes in the construction of water conservancy projects and enriched his own pockets. Although the evidence is not sufficient, this accusation has attracted the attention of the superiors. An investigative team was sent to the county to begin a thorough investigation of the matter.
In the course of the investigation, many of Baek's misdeeds were exposed. The investigation team found that he not only accepted bribes in water conservancy projects, but also used his power to seek benefits for relatives and friends for a long time. What's more, he was also found to have colluded with some unscrupulous businessmen and participated in a number of illegal transactions.
These discoveries completely destroyed Baek's carefully constructed political image. He is no longer the capable young cadre, but a corrupt element who is greedy and abuses his power. The higher-ups quickly made a decision to deal with it: remove Bai Xiaowen from all positions, dismiss him from public office, and transfer him to the judicial organs for processing.
The fall of Bai Xiaowen was like an earthquake, causing a huge shock throughout Bailuyuan. Those who had once attached themselves to him drew a line with him for fear of being implicated. His former political opponents gloated and fell into the trap. For a time, Bai Xiaowen became the target of everyone's shouting.
However, Bai Xiaowen's fall was not a personal tragedy, but brought ruin to the entire Bai family. As the eldest son of the Bai family, Bai Xiaowen has always been regarded as the hope of the family's future. His political career was supposed to bring glory and benefits to the Bai family, but because of his greed and short-sightedness, he pushed the family into the abyss instead.
Bai Jiaxuan was extremely disappointed and angry at what this eldest son had done. At the family meeting, Bai Jiaxuan announced in public that Bai Xiaowen would be expelled from the family and would never recognize his son. Although this decision made Bai Jiaxuan's heart cut like a knife, he believed that it was necessary to protect the family's reputation.
Bai Xiaowen's younger brother, Bai Xiaowu, was expected to inherit the family business, but he was implicated because of his brother's affairs. The people in the village began to be suspicious of the entire Bai family, thinking that none of the Bai family's children could be trusted. Although Bai Xiaowu has always been at odds with his brother, he still can't escape the influence of this kind of public opinion. The family affair he had already negotiated also fell through, and his fiancée's family was worried that marrying the Bai family would affect his reputation.
The Bai family's predicament is not only reflected in reputation, but also financially. Due to Bai Xiaowen's various misdeeds in office, many businesses related to the Bai family have been affected. Some businessmen, fearing that being associated with the Bai family would cause trouble, broke off their cooperation one after another. The Bai family's industry plummeted, and the former prominent family was soon reduced to ordinary farmers.
What made the Bai family even worse was that some enemies began to take the opportunity to take revenge. Those who had been bullied by Bai Xiaowen stood up one after another to tell their grievances. Some people even went to the Bai family's ancestral grave to make trouble, threatening to dig up the Bai family's ancestral grave. Although in the end, under the mediation of the villagers, it did not cause a catastrophe, but this behavior still brought great shame to the Bai family.
Bai Jiaxuan faced the decline of the family, and it seemed to be extremely vicissitudes. He began to reflect on his godson's mistakes, believing that it was his doting that made Bai Xiaowen what he is today. On a dark and windy night, Bai Jiaxuan came to the ancestral hall alone, kowtowed to the ancestral tablet, and took responsibility for the decline of the family.
In the end, Bai Xiaowen failed to escape the punishment of the law and was sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment. On the day he was imprisoned, the entire White Deer Plain was silent. When people saw this former man of the year being escorted away in handcuffs, they couldn't help but feel the impermanence of fate.
The fall of Bai Xiaowen and the decline of the Bai family have become a widely spread lesson in Bailuyuan. People often use the story of the Bai family to warn their younger generations, warning them not to make big mistakes by greedy for immediate interests. This once-prominent family eventually became the talk of the countryside, an allegory of power, lust and humanity.