Chapter 79: Squeezing into the Ancestral Hall
Li Xuedong rushed without stopping, busy until the ninth day of the new year, before finally having half a day of free time.
As soon as breakfast was finished, Li Shikuan sent his grandson Azhuang to call Li Xuedong to the ancestral hall for a meeting.
Li Xiaonan looked at Li Jinzhu, and Li Yuzhu also looked at Li Jinzhu.
Li Jinzhu pursed her lips tightly, looked at Li Yuzhu, then at Li Xiaonan, lowered her eyes, and after a moment, stood up with a whoosh.
“I’ll go with Eldest Sister,” Li Xiaonan rushed forward, staying close behind Eldest Sister.
Li Yin Zhu and Li Xuedong looked at the three of them, bewildered.
“I’ll go with you to listen,” Li Jinzhu said to Li Xuedong.
“Okay!” Li Xuedong answered instinctively.
Li Jinzhu followed behind Li Xuedong, and Li Xiaonan followed closely behind Li Jinzhu, heading towards the ancestral hall.
“Did something happen?” Li Yin Zhu asked, leaning close to Second Sister, her heart filled with worry.
“Nothing happened. Xuedong is the clan leader, and Eldest Sister is afraid he’ll be used as a pawn,” Li Yuzhu replied in a low voice.
Li Yin Zhu was stunned for a moment, then slowly let out a sound of understanding.
Since Second Sister said so, something must have happened. What exactly happened?
Well, I’ll ask A Nan when she gets back.
Li Shikuan and several clan elders had already arrived. Seeing Li Jinzhu and Li Xiaonan enter one after another behind Li Xuedong, they were all taken aback.
“Regarding the Xiucai Scholar’s betrothal gift exchange, it indeed requires his Eldest Sister to make the decision,” Li Shikuan reacted the fastest.
Of the several matters to be discussed today, the most important one is the Xiucai Scholar’s betrothal. It is indeed necessary to invite Eldest Sister to discuss it; he had overlooked this.
Li Xiaonan, with great perceptiveness, dragged over two small bamboo chairs.
Li Jinzhu sat a little further out, and Li Xiaonan sat behind and to the side of Li Jinzhu, listening with her chin in her hands.
Several clan elders glanced at Li Xiaonan, then at her again, and then again.
As the head of the Xiucai Scholar’s household, it was appropriate for Li Jinzhu to come and listen to the matter of the Xiucai Scholar’s betrothal. What was this little girl doing tagging along?
Li Xiaonan, with her chin in her hands, ignored the clan elders’ continuous glances of displeasure.
Li Shikuan looked straight ahead, as if he neither saw Li Xiaonan nor the clan elders’ displeasure.
Li Wenliang, participating in the clan elders’ discussions in a supporting role, brought over a small tea table, placed it between Li Jinzhu and Li Xiaonan, and poured two cups of tea.
Li Shikuan watched Li Wenliang pour the tea, then looked at Li Xuedong and said with a smile, “Shall we first discuss the betrothal with the Gao Family?”
“Alright,” Li Xuedong nodded.
His heart was in turmoil.
He felt that Eldest Sister coming along was somewhat unusual. On the way, he had asked her, and she had only responded with a hum.
“You tell us,” Li Shikuan gestured to his eldest son, Li Wenliang.
Li Xuedong’s betrothal to the Gao Family was entirely handled by Li Wenliang.
Li Wenliang first spoke of the compatibility of their horoscopes, which was very auspicious. Then he mentioned that County Magistrate Huang was the matchmaker. Following that, he discussed the dowry of the Gao Family daughter and Li Jinzhu’s plan to buy a house, finishing in one breath. He then looked at the clan elders and said with a smile, “…What needs to be discussed now is the manpower for our Xiucai Scholar’s betrothal, and also the manpower for Yin Zhu’s wedding. Especially for Yin Zhu’s wedding, it coincides with the busy farming season, and a lot of people will be needed. Should the clan provide subsidies? How much per person, and how should it be subsidized?”
“Regarding the betrothal gifts for the Xiucai Scholar’s engagement and Yin Zhu’s dowry, can the Xiucai Scholar’s family handle it?” a clan elder asked Li Xuedong.
“The Xiucai Scholar’s family’s preserved egg shop business is excellent. The betrothal gifts for Yin Zhu and her dowry have already been agreed upon with the Hong Family. The Xiucai Scholar’s wedding is still some time away, so it’s best to discuss the betrothal gifts next year or the year after,” Li Wenliang replied vaguely but clearly to the clan elder’s question, bowing slightly.
“The clan has plenty of young men, and there are precedents for subsidies. We’ll just follow the rules,” another clan elder said with a smile.
“Then is this matter settled?” Li Shikuan looked from Li Xuedong to Li Jinzhu.
Li Xuedong looked at Li Jinzhu. Seeing Li Jinzhu nod, he nodded as well.
“Then this matter is settled,” Li Shikuan said, looking at Li Jinzhu again.
Li Jinzhu sat steadily, not moving at all. Li Xiaonan, with her chin in her hands, watched Li Shikuan with amusement.
Li Shikuan’s heart stirred slightly, and without pausing, he continued, “Next, let’s discuss the second matter: how to renovate our Li Family’s clan school and how to hire a teacher. Let’s discuss it.”
“Does your Eldest Sister have anything else?” a clan elder asked Li Xuedong impolitely.
Li Xuedong looked at Li Jinzhu.
“Xuedong is young and has focused solely on studying since childhood. Only after passing the Xiucai exam did he begin to learn how to interact with people. My second sister and I were afraid he might be inexperienced, so we came to listen, to prevent him from jeopardizing the clan’s important matters,” Li Jinzhu said clearly, her back straight.
Several clan elders frowned together and looked at Li Shikuan.
Li Shikuan’s smile was extremely amiable, “That makes sense. The Xiucai Scholar’s Eldest Sister is very thoughtful. Let’s continue our discussion.
“For our clan school, we can either renovate and rebuild it ourselves as a single family and surname, or we can jointly run it with neighboring large surnames. Let’s first discuss whether to run it independently or jointly.”
“We have many disciples in our clan, and we also have a Xiucai Scholar. It would be too disadvantageous to join another family!” one clan elder said with a frown.
“I agree. We should have a long-term vision. It’s better to renovate and rebuild it ourselves,” another clan elder expressed his agreement.
“I agree as well,” another clan elder immediately echoed.
The other clan elders either gave dry smiles, looked away, or lowered their heads, remaining silent.
“What do you all think?” Li Shikuan’s smile remained. “You few? Well, since you all agree, then…”
“Wait a moment. How many disciples do we have in the clan? How will the renovation be done? How much will it cost? How will the money be raised?” Li Jinzhu asked a series of questions with a slightly tight throat and a very fast speech.
All the clan elders frowned and glared at Li Jinzhu.
“Eldest Sister is right. I also want to ask, how many disciples do we have in the clan? How will the renovation be done?” Li Xuedong instinctively shielded himself in front of Eldest Sister.
“This!” one clan elder pointed at Li Xuedong with his finger and glared at Li Shikuan.
“The Xiucai Scholar’s question is very pertinent. Go and get that booklet,” Li Shikuan emphasized the words “Xiucai Scholar” and gestured for Li Wenliang to bring the roster.
Li Wenliang brought the clan roster, opened it, and directly reported the number of disciples in the clan who should be attending school in recent years.
“These people aren’t too many, are they? If we co-run it with another family, how much per person? If we build it ourselves, how much per person? We need to calculate. Our Li family is not a large surname and a prominent family; we have more poor families than rich ones, so we need to…”
“What is she trying to do?”
Li Jinzhu’s words were interrupted by a clan elder.
“This is the ancestral hall, how can a woman like her have a say!” another clan elder said indignantly.
“Xiucai Scholar, you must lead by example and uphold the rules. Look, look!” yet another clan elder said to Li Xuedong with great distress.
“First, Eldest Sister is speaking on behalf of her brother. Can’t her brother speak? Second, what has Eldest Sister said that is wrong?” Li Xiaonan stood up, hands on her hips, and asked.
“Look at this little girl!”
“How can this little girl be spoiled like this!”
…
Several clan elders glared at Li Xiaonan, their faces red and their throats hoarse with anger.
