The verb after NOT.

[Latoof]

I was reading a novel and I read this sentence:
He had not hoped to get more than four hundred seeds.
What I want to ask about is should not the verb hoped be in the present tense because it follows not?

[Casiopea]

I was reading a novel and I read this sentence:
He had not hoped to get more than four hundred seeds.
What I want to ask about is should not the verb hoped be in the present tense because it follows not?

"not" doesn't determine tense. The sentence is fine.

[Latoof]

I don't know why I beleive that NOT must be followed by infinitive. I think it is the time to stop this idea.

[Casiopea]

I don't know why I beleive that NOT must be followed by infinitive. I think it is the time to stop this idea.

Good idea.