Chapter 969 808: Prince Fu, Patron

Xu Shu, Xu Shu, Xu Shu...

On the four yellow rolls, except for Xu Shu, it's still Xu Shu.

Xu Chuanyin picked up the four yellow rolls, blew them dry, and handed them one by one to the elders of the Huqiu Xu Family, courteously saying, "These days have been hard on you all. Today, it's my own inadequacy, please cast the vote to Xu Shu."

The four elders of the Huqiu Xu Family looked at each other: "Why is this? Even if it can't be for you, our Huqiu Xu Family should get a share."

Xu Chuanyin smiled bitterly: "Don't ask anymore, I have been wronged by a traitor..."

At this moment, Zhang Xia turned to look.

Xu Chuanyin quickly changed his words: "I have received favors and work for others, don't worry about it, our Huqiu Xu Family's business will continue as before."

On the other side, Xu Chongyi, seeing Xu Chuanyin's betrayal, was so angry that his beard trembled: "Xu Chuanyin, how did you promise the old man seven days ago?"

Xu Chuanyin turned back and glanced at him sideways: "I promised you? What about what you promised me, did you fulfill it?"

Xu Chongyi squeezed the armrests tightly and said in a low voice: "You said yourself, regardless of success or failure, all votes would go to Xu Chuanxi. Don't forget, you swore to the ancestral souls!"

Outside the hall, there was widespread murmuring and whispering, unexpected this twist was.

Xu Chuanyin turned to face Xu Chongyi, stood tall and straight, and asked with his hands behind his back: "Ancestral souls? Have the Xu Family ancestors ever protected our Huqiu Xu Family?"

Xu Chongyi frowned: "What nonsense are you talking?"

Xu Chuanyin ignored him further and turned to face the outside of Shi'en Hall, loudly addressing hundreds of clansmen: "These years, you all know if matters inside the clan are handled justly. According to clan rules, the clan must cover the clan school and tuition for humble families, illegitimate and collateral descendants, but our Huqiu Xu Family? Clansmen go to the clan school, instructors teach lessons that are useless publicly and open private tutoring for the Jinling Xu Family privately!"

Outside the hall there was buzzing of discussion, and Huqiu Xu Family's descendants shouted in agreement: "That's right, I remember when I was young going to the clan school, the Four Books were taught for eight years over and over, never taught the Five Classics, nor classic essays, afraid we'd attempt the Imperial Examination!"

Someone furiously accused: "The instructors in the clan school are all scoundrels, if you want to ask for knowledge, you can't inquire in class, but need to bring gifts to their homes to ask!"

Xu Chuanyin nodded and continued: "After the clan school, you enter the county school. The number of scholars from the county school every year is limited, and the Jinling Xu Family, relying on their officials, always excludes collateral branches. Xu Ye from our Huqiu Xu Family, knew the Analects by heart at six, read the Four Books at nine, mastered the Five Classics at fourteen, and topped provincial exams at seventeen. I thought we finally had a prodigy, so I gave out one thousand taels of silver to have him study under Mr. Li."

The clansmen fell silent outside.

Xu Chuanyin suddenly raised his voice: "And what was the outcome? The Jinling Xu Family secretly spread rumors saying he was impulsive, overly ambitious, disrespectful, arrogant, and unruly, whatever harsh words they could find were pinned on him, Mr. Li returned his tuition a month later, and since then, no one in Jinling is willing to accept him as a student."

A middle-aged scholar outside the hall had tears in his eyes, and the Huqiu Xu Family's descendants were agitated: "Damn it, heartless!"

"Scoundrels!"

Xu Chuanyin pointed to the sky, filled with sorrow and anger: "Was it us, the Huqiu Xu Family, who wished to go into business? It was out of desperation! Did the ancestors know of the disgraceful acts of the Jinling Xu Family? If they knew, they should have intervened long ago, a lightning bolt should have struck those bastards!"

Xu Chongyi was furious: "You're spouting nonsense, when have we ever tarnished Xu Ye's reputation? It was his own arrogance that drew others' attacks!"

Xu Chuanyin turned to him, sneered: "Don't think I don't know, the exam cheating scandal was orchestrated by the old Xu Chuanxi!"

There was uproar outside the hall, everyone knew Xu Chuanyin's career was ruined due to exam cheating, but never imagined the inside story.

Xu Chongyi laughed out of anger: "If you hadn't cheated, who could have caught you?"

Xu Chuanyin smacked his lips: "That's true, but Xu Chuanxi was too shameless."

Xiao Man whispered to Zhang Xia beside him: "Sister Axia, the Jinling Xu Family is really despicable, the Huqiu Xu Family seems a bit pitiful."

Zhang Xia said expressionless: "It's all an act, the Huqiu Xu Family has done many disgraceful things too. Xu Chuanyin is wasted in business, he should be on stage, surely he could become famous."

Xiao Man widened her eyes: "His acting is too convincing!"

At this moment, Xu Chuanyin waved his sleeves: "Enough nonsense, hurry with the vote, don't delay my business. And, Xu Chongyi, return my Green Bamboo Garden later, or I'll have the adviser impeach your sons for bribery."

Xu Chongyi's chest heaved violently, after a moment, he said solemnly: "Very well, let's vote first, don't let the clansmen see the family head's joke."

With that, he walked to the desk, picked up a pen, and wrote Xu Chuanxi's name.

Next, Xu Chongli also stepped up and wrote three words on the yellow roll: "Xu Chuanxi."

Xu Chong'en followed up writing Xu Chuanxi, thus Xu Chuanxi had three votes.

Xu Chuanyin looked up at Xu Mengshan, sneeringly said: "Meng Shan Gong, think carefully whom to write, don't let one misstep bring eternal regret, ruining your reputation."

Xu Mengshan took a deep breath, stood up, walked to the desk, picked up a pen, and wrote three words: "Xu Chuanxi."

Xu Chuanyin's expression changed: "Xu Mengshan, what are you doing? Don't you care about your face?"

Xu Mengshan hesitated to speak.

But Xu Chongyi suddenly said leisurely: "Xu Chuanyin, watch your mouth."

Xu Chuanyin sneered: "His act of forcibly taking the widow of a clansman while drunk, is that false? As a respected elder, doing such despicable acts, what right does he have to manage the clan's ritual artifacts and genealogy? What face does he have to preside over the family vote? Not drowning him already shows the ancestral temple's mercy!"

Xu Chongyi sat back in his chair, said meaningfully: "Xu Chuanyin, speaking in front of clansmen requires evidence. If you can't provide solid proof, I will convict you of insulting elders, violating hierarchy, and have you kneel in repentance for three days at the shrine, flogged thirty times, and suspended from ancestral meals for a year."

Xu Chuanyin shouted: "I have witnesses!"

He turned his head and loudly said to a young man from the Huqiu Xu Family: "Go invite the widow and orphan here!"

But the next moment, the young man outside the door glanced evasively: "Third Uncle, what widow or orphan, I've never heard of such a thing."

Xu Chuanyin froze on the spot: "Are you trying to undermine us?"

The young man became flustered: "Third Uncle, I truly don't know what you're talking about. Meng Shan Gong has always been highly respected, how could he do such a thing."

Xu Chuanyin suddenly looked at Xu Chongyi, squinting his eyes: "It seems you've been busy even while I was at Dinghai Port these days."

Xu Chongyi smiled as he lifted the tea cup, leisurely stirring the tea with the lid: "How can you rely on a profit-driven merchant to be trustworthy? As it is said, farmers support the world, scholars govern the world, craftsmen build the world, but merchants do not produce goods, contributing nothing to Society. The Huqiu Xu Family abandons poetry and books, forsakes their trade, and pursues petty gains, truly degrading themselves, diminishing their status!"

Xu Chuanyin retorted: "Without merchants transporting money and grain across the world, farmers' crops would rot in fields, craftsmen's products would stagnate in markets, common people would have no clothing or food, and the government no taxes or salaries. Merchants are not mere tradesmen, but are involved in the livelihood of all people!"

Xu Chongyi said leisurely: "No matter what you say, merchants are still of humble status."

Xu Chuanyin sneered as he sat on the chair: "Doesn't your Jinling Xu Family have any business? Your Songjiang Port is about to collapse and yet you're still drinking tea here."

Xu Chongyi's hand holding the tea cup shook: "What happened to my Songjiang Port?"

Xu Chuanyin laughed heartily: "Your Songjiang Port has been blocked by over fifty large ships of Wang Zhi's. Now no ship can enter or leave, watching your white silver disappear. Let's see if you can sleep tonight!"

Xu Chongyi put down the tea cup, turned his head towards Xu Chongde at the end: "Quickly draft the resolution, once this is concluded, I must rush to Songjiang Port."

"Yes," Xu Chongde stood up, walked to the desk, hesitating with the brush, moments later, writing the resolution on the yellow scroll.

Xu Chongyi stood up, brushed the folds on his clothes, bowed to the Xu Family Elders and branches outside the hall: "From now on, Xu Chuanxi will be the Clan Leader. The Jinling Xu Family will certainly handle matters fairly..."

Just then, Xu Chuanyin suddenly exclaimed.

Xu Chongyi impatiently said: "The resolution is set, don't stir up trouble."

But Xu Chuanyin ignored him, just picked up the yellow scroll written by Xu Chongde.

He looked at the yellow scroll, then at Xu Chongde, saying unbelievably: "How come you've written Xu Shu here, old chap?"

Xu Chongyi turned quickly to look at the yellow scroll, once clearly seeing the name, he turned his head fiercely towards Xu Chongde: "What is going on with you?"

Xu Chongde remained silent for a moment: "The order of generational hierarchy cannot be abolished."

Xu Chongyi flew into a rage, pointing at Xu Chongde's nose, he said: "The Changzhou County Magistrate title for your son was given by my Jinling Xu Family to you. If your son doesn't want the position, I can replace him! Now rewrite the resolution, there's still room to remedy things!"

As he spoke, Xu Chongyi reached to grab the yellow scroll.

But Xu Chuanyin stepped back two steps with the scroll, laughing: "Hey, hey, the scroll is to be burnt as offerings to our ancestral spirits. You say rewrite, how disrespectful is that? The resolution is set, don't stir up trouble."

Xu Chongyi felt dizzy, steadying himself on the chair, he sternly questioned Xu Chongde: "Have you sided with the Zhang Family?"

Xu Chongde shook his head: "I have not sided with the Zhang Family, but believe the order of the clan's generational hierarchy is of utmost importance. The main family heir is still here, how did it fall to the branch to become Clan Leader?"

Xu Chongyi did not believe him, he said resolutely: "Well, well, well, you've evidently found a new supporter, not sure if this supporter is strong enough to protect your incompetent son!"

Just then, a hearty laugh sounded outside Shi'en Hall: "Supporter? I wonder if I, the Prince, am enough as his supporter?"

Everyone turned to look, Xu Family members parted like a tide, revealing Prince Fu in red robe.

Prince Fu had sword-like brows, starry eyes, wearing an official position winged cap, dressed in a round-collared narrow-sleeved red robe, with gold-embroidered Panlong patterns on chest, shoulders, and a jade belt, stepping in black boots.

At a glance, the entire imposing Xu Family seemed mere backdrop, hundreds of individuals suddenly lost their color.

Behind Prince Fu followed Qi Zhaoyun, Qi Zhaoning, and then Zhou Kuang and others. In their midst was Li Si, who mischievously winked at Xiao Man and the little monk when they looked.

Prince Fu, smiling, stepped into Shi'en Hall, Xu Chongde hastily bowed: "Your Highness Prince Fu."

The next moment, inside and outside Shi'en Hall, everyone bowed: "Greetings, Your Highness Prince Fu."

Prince Fu ignored them, moving past everyone to bow before Mrs. Zhang: "Lady Jin An."

After speaking, he then bowed to Zhang Xia: "Sister-in-law, it's been a while."

Zhang Xia returned the bow: "Thank you, Your Highness, for remembering."

Prince Fu sighed: "Thanks to Marquis Wu Xiang's help, I could live till now. I originally wanted to guard his tomb in the Capital for three years, but His Majesty does not allow it, and now summer taxes are due, so I must rush to Suzhou to oversee the taxes... I truly feel ashamed."

Zhang Xia was silent for a moment: "Your Highness need not be so, protecting the throne is the duty of us subjects."

Prince Fu sighed, before turning to Xu Chongyi: "This old master, the Changzhou County Magistrate is a court official, the nomination must be passed through the Ministry of Personnel's Civil Selection Department, Ritual Supervision granted in the Imperial Court, approved by His Majesty, then you can take office holding the Ministry of Personnel's decree. Yet I hear from you that you can decide with one word?"

Xu Chongyi's body began to tremble.

Prince Fu chuckled: "Don't worry who Xu Chongde's supporter is, but let me ask you, who is your supporter? Is it His Majesty? His Majesty hasn't mentioned you to me."

Xu Chongyi hurriedly fell to the ground: "Replying to Your Highness, I was just talking nonsense earlier, please punish me."