Chapter 1090.1: They Should Live - Part 1

“There has always been a saying among those in the jianghu that this official thinks makes a great deal of sense.”

Chen Chao smiled and said each word clearly, “Take another person's money, and eliminate their troubles for them.”

The principle was very simple. The common people paid taxes every year, filling the national treasury, supporting the officials, and sustaining the army. Then these people should naturally keep the common people firmly in their hearts.

There was no principle in this world more reasonable and proper than this.

Xie Qing's throat moved. He still wanted to say something, but Chen Chao turned his head and asked, “What did the founding emperor of this dynasty say?”

Xie Qing's expression was complicated, but he still answered, “Our dynasty does not share the realm with the great clans and powerful families, but shares the realm with the common people.”

Chen Chao nodded in satisfaction. “You still remember this saying. Very good.”

Xie Qing paused, but still said something completely honest. “Though that is what the saying says, there are not many people in this world who actually think that way.”

“It is enough that this official thinks this way.”

Having said this, Chen Chao spoke meaningfully. “As for what comes after this official... there is still a long way to go.”

He looked at Xie Qing and smiled. Speaking of age, he was indeed still young. If nothing unexpected happened, if there were no other circumstances, and if he himself was willing to spend a few more years working in the imperial court, then the world would remain unchanged for many years.

It was just that no one could say what would happen after that.

......

......

The heavy rain gradually weakened, and finally the rain completely stopped, leaving clear skies behind.

The last raindrops that were unwilling to leave could only slide helplessly down the blue tiles and fall onto the green stone slabs of the ground.

Chen Chao stood up, and Xie Qing followed suit.

Footsteps were already sounding.

Outside the small courtyard, many Xie Clan members had already been waiting since before the heavy rain began. By the time the rain stopped, quite a few of them had long since been soaked through.

They had remained here all this time for the sake of one result.

Today, the Xie Clan was destined to undergo changes because that young martial man had entered the Xie Clan. But they did not know how things would ultimately turn out, so they could not help but care.

“The family head's order...”

An old man with graying hair came to the courtyard entrance. He glanced at everyone, then unfolded the sheet of paper in his hand and cleared his throat.

Everyone knew this old man. They knew that he was the Seventh Old Master who was in charge of the Disciplinary Hall.

Although the White Deer's Xie Clan was a family of scholars and, on the surface, still regarded principles as the foundation for conducting itself, they were nevertheless deeply respectful of the Disciplinary Hall, because the Disciplinary Hall represented the ancestral clan laws.

Thus, after Seventh Old Master appeared, everyone shut their mouths, and no one spoke.

"After a thorough investigation, it has been confirmed that Xie Ting of the main branch harmed his own biological brother." “According to the ancestral clan laws, he should have been punished severely without mercy. His father, Xie Zhongxing, knew of this matter, yet not only did he fail to stop it, he instead covered up for Xie Ting and, taking advantage of Xie Nandu's journey north, attempted to harm her." “This father and son pair were guilty of heinous crimes and have now been executed. However, those who participated in this matter include the following...”

A string of names was read aloud from Seventh Old Master's mouth. And every time a name was spoken, another indescribable feeling arose in the hearts of these Xie Clan members.

Among those names, some were in charge of various affairs, great and small, within the Xie Clan, while others had long since stopped managing anything.

In short, the scope was so broad that it exceeded everyone's expectations.

After finishing reading the names, Seventh Old Master looked at the Xie Clan members. “All confessions and evidence will be made public by the Disciplinary Hall. Anyone with doubts may go to the Disciplinary Hall to examine them.”

“Additionally, these people harmed their own clansmen and kin. Effective immediately, their names are to be struck from the clan genealogy.”

After saying this, Seventh Old Master turned and left.

Following him away was a group of Xie Clan youths who were unwilling to believe that something like this could actually have happened.

But almost everyone knew that the outcome had already been decided.

If the White Deer's Xie Clan had merely been trying to appease Chen Chao, the Lord Warden Commander, they would have found a few people to offer up. They would never have implicated so many people as they had now.

Looking at it this way, the truth was almost certainly as revealed.

Quite a few Xie Clan youths looked into the small courtyard, toward the young Lord Warden Commander who was not very old and had remained standing beneath the eaves the entire time.

Their feelings were complicated. Originally, they had thought Chen Chao was slapping them in the face. But only now did they realize that he had merely delivered a light slap. What had truly left their faces swollen was their own doing.

Suddenly, the young Xie Clan member who had spoken earlier walked into the courtyard. He looked at Chen Chao beneath the eaves, bowed solemnly, and asked, “Lord Warden Commander, may I go to the Northern Frontier to fight the demon race?”

Chen Chao glanced at him and shook his head. “Scholars should simply focus on their studies. Do something in the field you excel at. As for risking your life, leave that sort of business to us modest martial artists.”

......

......

Before leaving the Xie Clan, Chen Chao and the Xie Family Head did, in the end, manage to sit down and discuss matters calmly and rationally.

After two cups of hot tea were brought in, the servants withdrew, leaving only the two of them there.

Xie Zhongli looked at the young Lord Warden Commander sitting before him. His feelings were complicated, but among those complicated emotions, there was no resentment.

“Three thousand years of cultivation, yet still lost within the maze. Seeking the Dao, searching for answers - only a single word from you was needed to dispel my confusion.”

Xie Zhongli sighed with emotion. “Over these years, the Xie Clan's family traditions have gradually taken a different path. I could never quite understand why. Only after Lord Warden Commander made this trip did everything finally become clear.”

Chen Chao smiled. “What, Family Head Xie, have you suddenly awakened and realized that you are a scholar after all?”

Xie Zhongli shook his head.

“We are all old men who have lived for so many years. Some ways of thinking cannot be changed in an instant. But in the end, one can still recognize what is good for the Xie Clan.”

Xie Zhongli mocked himself as he said, “If Nandu were willing, I could actually hand the position of family head over to her immediately. With the Xie Clan in her hands, I imagine it would finally return to the right path.”

In recent years, Xie Zhongli himself had not put much effort into managing the clan. To be honest, he had long grown tired of being its family head.

Chen Chao said, “The Divine Capital Xie Family, the White Deer's Xie Clan, the academy, the Northern Frontier... all these places want Nandu to take charge. She is only one person. How could she possibly manage them all?”

Xie Zhongli smiled. He naturally knew that Xie Nandu could not possibly become the family head of the White Deer's Xie Clan. Otherwise, he would not have pretended not to know what Xie Ting had done, despite knowing it perfectly well.

“From the perspective of a family head, this official can understand your actions. But although this official can understand them, I cannot accept it.”

Chen Chao said calmly, “Since the White Deer's Xie Clan has always been a sacred place in the hearts of scholars throughout the world, do not let your reputation become a burden, but neither should you betray the reputation you have earned.”

Xie Zhongli nodded, wanting to speak but stopping himself.

There was actually another question weighing on his mind, but at this moment, it did not seem appropriate to ask.

Chen Chao said nothing. He simply reached out and took out an object.

It was none other than the seal of the Divine Capital Xie Family. With that object, Chen Chao could mobilize everything belonging to the Divine Capital Xie Family.

Xie Zhongli looked at the seal before him. His brows furrowed, then relaxed, and only after that did he sigh with emotion. “So the Old Ancestor saw things far more clearly than I did.”

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