Chapter 80: Going with the Flow
The ancestral hall meeting ended unhappily.
Li Shikuan walked home with a calm expression, his hands behind his back.
Li Wenliang, with a smile plastered on his face, nodded incessantly, listening to the clan elders vent their anger. He watched them tidy up the tables and chairs before hurrying home.
Li Shikuan sat in the main hall, having already lit a small clay stove to boil water, and was preparing to make tea with tea leaves and a teapot.
Seeing his son enter, Li Shikuan pointed to the opposite side of the tea table, gesturing for his son to sit.
“Did something happen at the Xiucai Scholar’s home?” Li Wenliang sat down and took the tea leaves and teapot from Li Shikuan.
“It’s not necessarily something, but there’s definitely a plan,” Li Shikuan said in a calm tone.
Li Wenliang looked at his father.
“The Xiucai Scholar is growing up day by day. If, after growing up, he still knows nothing, or is indifferent to clan affairs, either of those is not a good thing,” Li Shikuan said slowly, word by word.
“Mm,” Li Wenliang nodded.
The Xiucai Scholar was the pillar of their Li family. If the Xiucai Scholar couldn’t hold it up, the Li family couldn’t. If the Xiucai Scholar held it up, then clan affairs would be decided by the Xiucai Scholar, and his word would be law.
“But Jin Zhu spoke today,” Li Wenliang said, seeing his father fall silent.
“Mm, and A Nan too,” Li Shikuan pointed to the boiling water, signaling his son to make tea.
“The Xiucai Scholar and his sisters must be viewed together, not separately,” Li Shikuan said after watching his son finish making the tea. “Yin Zhu is married into the Hong family, but you can’t just look at Yin Zhu within the Hong family. You have to place the Hong family next to their sisters. Look, the Xiucai Scholar and his siblings are like this teapot. If there’s a marriage alliance, add a cup next to it. Do you understand?”
Li Wenliang furrowed his brows tightly, and after a while, he hummed in acknowledgment.
He understood what his father was saying, but he didn’t understand why they had to look at it that way.
After a moment of silence, Li Wenliang looked at Li Shikuan and asked softly, “Father, do you really believe those words?”
“Which words? Oh, that the Li family prospers through its women? Mm, Father truly believes it. Isn’t this a sign now? The Xiucai Scholar’s lineage has taken in live-in sons-in-law twice already, no, three times!
“The Xiucai Scholar’s lineage was first recorded in the family genealogy when a Great Aunt of the Li family returned home with her son. In this generation, look, among these five siblings, there is a Xiucai Scholar, and Jin Zhu, Jin Zhu’s courage.”
Li Shikuan paused, looking at his son meaningfully. “Every time, Jin Zhu accompanied the Xiucai Scholar to the examinations, and he passed smoothly. This kind of courage and composure is rare even among men. Yin Zhu is married into the Hong family and is the eldest grandson of the eldest branch; she has great fortune. And A Nan.”
Speaking of A Nan, Li Shikuan paused.
“Is the Young Lord truly here for Investigation of Things? A Nan…” Li Wenliang leaned closer to his father, his voice very low.
“Don’t mention that,” Li Shikuan said softly, then raised his voice slightly. “Let’s not talk about that. It’s not a bad thing for the Xiucai Scholar to step forward and handle clan matters.
“Regarding the clan school, Ah Zhi’s father and a few others insist on building a new one, each with their own little agenda.
“Ah Zhi’s family’s pile of timber has been there for over ten years, costing money and effort every year to dry and oil. If a new clan school is built, not only will it be sold off, but it will also earn a lot.
“Wen Ru’s father is doing it for Wen Ru. Wen Ru has been studying for over thirty years but hasn’t achieved anything. He’s become someone who can’t carry anything on his shoulders or lift anything with his hands. If a clan school is established, the Xiucai Scholar lives in Pingjiang City, so he’ll only be in charge nominally. It’s quite suitable for this clan school to be in Wen Ru’s hands.”
The more Li Shikuan spoke, the more bitter his smile became.
“It’s not just this matter; it’s the same with other things. Everyone has lived in this small town for generations, growing up together. Now, with their necks buried in the earth, you owe me, I owe you, human affections piled upon human affections, grievances upon grievances, piled up to an unknown extent. It’s as difficult as reaching the heavens to have impartial public discussions now.”
Li Shikuan sighed deeply.
Li Wenliang sighed along with him.
Not to mention distant matters, just to bring down the Feng Sheng Two Branches and change the clan leader and elders to take charge of clan affairs, his father had made many promises.
“Now,” Li Shikuan leaned forward, lowering his voice, “the Xiucai Scholar stepping forward to speak is perfect!
“The Xiucai Scholar’s ancestors took in sons-in-law twice, and for generations, they haven’t been close to the clan. Without closeness, there are no human affections or grievances, and they can act impartially.”
Li Shikuan leaned back in his chair, picked up his cup, and took a sip of tea with a smile.
“I’m just afraid the Xiucai Scholar won’t be able to control it,” Li Wenliang said worriedly.
Li Shikuan snorted coldly. “If we don’t mention A Nan, then even the Xiucai Scholar, including us, what right do we have to contend with the Xiucai Scholar?
“This lantern shed the clan built this year, with banners and lion dances, drinking at the same table as families like the Hong and Gao families, what is that based on? It’s all because of the Xiucai Scholar!”
Li Shikuan took a sip of tea and sighed.
“Your Eldest Uncle’s silver, he doesn’t even dare to wear a silk garment.
“Father too,” Li Wenliang added softly.
“Without even a decent scholar, who dares to flaunt their wealth? Even families like the Hong family, after catching a glimpse of that noble person, gave up their eldest grandson of the eldest branch. Alas.”
Li Shikuan’s sigh was filled with emotion.
Wealth and nobility, wealth is easy, but nobility is too difficult!
“You go find Wen Ru and mention the Gao Family School’s intention to hire a tutor for elementary studies. Then go to your Eldest Uncle’s house and tell him that the Hong family is inviting A Nan and the others to admire narcissus the day after tomorrow. Have Ai Ye tell A Nan to see if she can bring her two granddaughters along.”
“Okay,” Li Wenliang was about to stand up.
“No rush, finish your tea, and I’ll go with you. I also need to visit a few families. We need to point out what needs to be pointed out. Our Li family has just gained momentum; we can’t have any bad things happen.”
Li Shikuan finished the tea in his cup, stood up, and walked out with Li Wenliang.
………………………………
Li Yuzhu was washing clothes in the courtyard, occasionally looking up towards the courtyard gate.
Seeing Li Jinzhu, Li Yuzhu stood up with a gasp and ran to meet her.
“Are you alright?” Li Yuzhu examined the three of them.
“A Nan was fierce!” Li Xuedong said, a hint of excitement in his nervousness.
Li Yuzhu pushed Li Xiaonan around in a circle, seeing that her clothes were neat and her hair was not disheveled. She breathed a sigh of relief, realizing it was just shouting, not fighting.
“Who did you argue with?” Li Yin Zhu asked, peeking her head over.
“They wouldn’t argue with me,” Li Xiaonan sighed regretfully.
“They’re all clan elders. If they argued with a little girl like you, what would that make them?” Li Jinzhu laughed before she could finish speaking.
From the moment they left her courtyard gate for this ancestral hall visit, her heart had been in her throat. The worst-case scenario was that she and A Nan wouldn’t even be allowed past the second gate of the ancestral hall.
She never expected to get in, hear everything from beginning to end, and even speak!
“Eldest Sister is amazing!” Li Xiaonan gave Li Jinzhu a thumbs-up.
“Eldest Sister, did something happen? Are we going to start managing clan affairs?” Li Xuedong asked, holding his breath.
“You are the clan leader, so of course, you have to manage them!” Li Xiaonan patted Li Xuedong’s arm.
“Ah? When we became clan leader, didn’t you say…”
“That was then, this is now,” Li Yuzhu interrupted Li Xuedong.
“If we don’t manage clan affairs, what happens if something goes wrong in the clan? Scholars need to cultivate themselves and manage their families. You are the clan leader, and it will all fall on you. What will you do?” Li Xiaonan said with a serious expression.
“A Nan is right, it’s precisely because of this,” Li Jinzhu chimed in.
Li Xuedong nodded repeatedly.
