Swords emerge from the human world

Chapter 73: Another Opportunity Offered, But the Elders Oppose

Chen Shounian bathed, changed his clothes, and tidied himself up before heading to the council hall located in the heart of the ancestral land.

Each branch of the direct lineage has its own development, but in terms of formal status and identity, they are unified and all belong to the clan.

Therefore, positions such as clan head and clan elder were established; and various halls were set up, including the Clan Hall, Miscellaneous Affairs Hall, and Law Enforcement Hall. Whenever there were public or important matters, everyone would gather together to discuss and make decisions.

As the head of the sixth branch of the family, Chen Shounian was naturally one of the clan elders.

The clan head was Chen Shouqi, the head of the eldest branch of the family.

Their generation belongs to the "Shou" generation; the next generation belongs to the "He" generation; and the generation after that belongs to the "Xue" generation...

The ranking of seniority and seniority is quite particular, and it is all part of the clan rules.

The council hall occupies a considerable area, with blue bricks and red tiles, and is located on a nearby hillside, which is the core of the clan:
Chen Clan Ancestral Hall!
Two ancient locust trees, each over a thousand years old, stand on either side, their branches and leaves flourishing like two giant umbrellas, protecting the ancestral hall perfectly.

The branches of the tree are adorned with red and yellow prayer scrolls, representing ancestral blessings, creating a solemn and dignified atmosphere.

Chen Shounian walked over, bowed respectfully towards the ancestral hall from a distance, and then stepped into the hall.

After a while, all the clan elders, led by clan head Chen Shouqi, arrived, took their seats, and began to discuss matters.

This time, Chen Shounian represented the clan in visiting and investigating in the countryside. After returning, it was equivalent to reporting on his duties.

He had prepared his speech in advance, and his voice was booming:
"Three years have passed, and the situation of the collateral branches has become increasingly dire. They can hardly make a living, let alone rise above others..."

The elders listened calmly.

These things were all anticipated and were within reason.

Collateral families that migrated from their ancestral homeland were mostly impoverished. Unable to stay in the prefectural city, they had no choice but to settle for less and move to the provincial capital, county seat, or even the countryside.

Once you leave, there's virtually no chance of coming back.

Because the environment has changed, people have changed too. Lacking the support of external resources, individuals struggle and toil for survival, making it difficult to build a career.

It's like falling into a deep well. Even if you want to climb out, your hands and feet are constantly hindering you. The more you struggle, the further you fall until you reach the bottom of the well and can no longer get out.

It was fate, predetermined long ago.

As for these clansmen with the same surname, the direct descendants of the family will not have much sympathy or pity, especially those outside the five degrees of kinship. At most, when they meet, they will simply say, "We were one family five hundred years ago."

With so many people sharing the same surname and clan, how can we possibly take care of everyone?
After Chen Shounian finished speaking, he said in a deep voice, "I still suggest that the clan hall allocate a special fund to help those impoverished families."

Sitting on the right, Chen Shouquan, the fourth house owner, asked, "Sixth brother, have you counted how many similar households there are?"

Chen Shounian replied, "There are approximately ten thousand households under the jurisdiction of the entire prefecture."

Upon hearing this number, Chen Shouquan shook his head: "Such a huge number, even if each family receives only one tael of silver per year, would still be astonishing."

On the other side, Chen Shouzhi, the head of the second branch of the family, added: "What does one tael of silver per household per year mean to them? It's just a drop in the ocean and doesn't change anything at all. Moreover, you have to understand that once this money is given, it has to be given every year thereafter. Otherwise, it will only make them resentful and say that the clan is stingy."

The third branch of the family, Chen Shoubin, calmly took a sip of tea: "This door must not be opened. As the saying goes, 'Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.' We mustn't help them and end up dragging the entire clan down with us. History shows that even dynasties and royal families have their down-on-their-luck and unworthy descendants. How can we possibly save everyone? People can only save themselves." Chen Shounian had anticipated everyone's opposition and sighed: "Then could we provide more support to the children on the roster? At this rate, the number of people on this roster is decreasing. They are young and intelligent and should have a brighter future, but their family circumstances have delayed their studies, causing them to waste their years and become just ordinary people."

Chen Shoubin said, "As I said before, people can only save themselves. The roster is itself a kind of assessment, which is quite reasonable and complete. Those who fail and are kept out are doing so for their own reasons and have no one to blame but themselves."

The clan chief, Chen Shouqi, who was seated at the head of the table, spoke up: "Sixth brother, everyone is aware of the situation below. It has long since become too powerful to be controlled, and the current clan cannot resolve it satisfactorily. It is good to have a benevolent heart, but one cannot act impulsively. Now, is there anything else you wish to say?"

Chen Shounian's eyes flashed, and he stood up: "During this visit to Maoxian County, I discovered a promising talent named Chen Jin..."

He immediately recounted Chen Jin's family background, his journey to becoming a scholar, and the events that led to him being targeted by Magistrate Zhao.

After listening, the old clan chief Chen Shouqi stroked his beard: "Then Magistrate Zhao must be Zhao Wulang, who is known as one of the 'one tiger and two wolves' in the Zhao family."

"Indeed, it is this young man. He is ruthless, has a fierce and ambitious nature. As a new official, he took action against the local wealthy Wang family and brought all the local gentry and local tyrants under his control, leaving them no room for complaint."

"Hmm, you did a good job standing up for Chen Jin, lest that Zhao look down on us and think that our Chen family is weak and easily bullied. So, has Chen Jin already come to the prefectural city to take the exam?"

Chen Shounian replied, "That's right. He just arrived and has already completed the registration and other matters at the examination hall. I have arranged for him to stay in Jiuyi Lane."

Chen Shouqi laughed and said, "How you entertain guests in your own home is a private matter and you don't need to tell us."

Chen Shounian stepped forward: "I think Chen Jin has talent and is worth cultivating, so I want him to enter the library to read classics, history, philosophy, literature, notes and other books in preparation for the provincial examination."

Upon hearing this, the entire room erupted in uproar.

Chen Shoubin shouted, "Sixth Brother, are you crazy? Letting an outsider into the library violates clan rules and is absolutely unacceptable."

Chen Shouquan chimed in, "Third Brother is right. For thousands of years, the library has never been open to the public. At most, one or two handwritten copies can be borrowed. And one must be qualified to do so. This Chen Jin is far from qualified."

Chen Shouzhi chuckled and said, "I know this Chen Jin. He passed the county-level examination at the age of sixteen and was once hailed as a 'child prodigy.' He was even registered on the roster, but he failed the examination repeatedly. Even at over thirty, he was still an old student and was thus removed from the list. A person like that, at his age, has no connection to being a 'promising talent,' so where does his natural talent come from?"

Chen Shoubin said with a hint of sarcasm, "Actually, a sixteen-year-old scholar can only be considered outstanding in the countryside. Everyone knows what a 'prodigy' is. In comparison, Xuejie, a twelve-year-old scholar, is the real prodigy."

The Chen Xuejie he mentioned is the grandson of the clan chief Chen Shouqi, and the most outstanding young man in the contemporary Chen clan.

He passed the county-level imperial examination at the age of twelve, and became a provincial-level imperial examination candidate at the age of twenty, ranking first in the provincial-level examination. He was incredibly famous for a time.

Next spring, he will go to the capital to take the imperial examination.

In fact, the middle generation of the Chen family's sixth branch is lacking, with only two members achieving the rank of third-class Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations), making them significantly inferior to other prominent families.

The new generation is getting worse and worse; only three people passed the imperial examination, and their future is worrying.

Under these circumstances, Chen Xuejie stands out from the crowd, shouldering the hopes and responsibilities of the clan.

Everyone objected, but Chen Shounian did not back down and said loudly, "In the name of the clan elders, I recommend Chen Jin and want to hold an ancestral worship ceremony for him to seek the protection of our ancestors."

Upon hearing this, the entire room fell silent, and everyone looked over in shock, as if they were looking at a fool.

(End of this chapter)