In Jiangjia Village, some clansmen and a few villagers with different surnames gathered at the clan chief's house.
They wanted the clan leader to take them to Jiang Shuyun's steward to ask why, given how good it was to learn a craft, they didn't think of the clan members.
"I'm not going. If you're so capable, go yourselves and see if they'll even bother with you."
"If this gets out of hand, let's see if they report you to the authorities and have you arrested."
Third Grandfather sat steadily in his chair, watching them jump around.
"Clan leader, aren't you going to take care of her? Jiang Shuyun has become successful, but she doesn't care about the clan members anymore. Isn't that forgetting your ancestors?"
The person who led the disturbance was Jiang Huai, who was of the same generation as Jiang's father. Most of those who came with him today were his relatives and in-laws within three degrees of kinship.
"Jiang Huai, don't you feel ashamed to say that?"
Who has forgotten their ancestors?
Jiang Shuyun?
Third Grandfather looked serious and asked three questions in a row.
"Clan leader, has Jiang Shuyun not forgotten her ancestors?"
Jiang Huai stood at the front of the group. He was in his forties but looked a bit older than his age.
"How could Jiang Shuyun have forgotten his ancestors? Did he fail to build the Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) memorial archway at the village entrance, or did he fail to buy ancestral land for the clan, or did he have a profitable business but not think of the clan and the village?"
At this moment, a lot of people had gathered in the courtyard of my third grandfather's house.
Some were there to curry favor with Jiang Huai, some were there to watch the spectacle, and others were there to speak up for Jiang Shuyun and her husband.
"Yes, Jiang Shuyun bought the sacrificial land and also led everyone to grow watermelons to make money."
But what good is that little bit of sacrificial land?
He bought such large estates in the county town and the prefectural town, why doesn't he help his clansmen more?
Now that a free school has been opened, why not bring the children from the clan there to learn a trade?
Jiang Huai's family has three or four sons and about ten grandsons. With such a large family, the demand for food is also high. Raising this large family truly requires a considerable amount of money!
"Jiang Huai, you don't need to bring up your clansmen."
In our entire Jiang clan, and in Ziwen's branch of the family, only my elder brother's branch and I are within the fifth degree of kinship.
You all count on your fingers, what kind of relationship do you have with Ziwen and his family?
"Shuyun, out of a sense of kinship with his fellow villagers, has brought so much benefit to the entire Jiangjia Village since passing the imperial examination. Don't you all know that?"
Third Grandfather is no longer sad. People are never satisfied. He can no longer let Shuyun help the clansmen. They are all never satisfied.
"Clan Chief Jiang is right. Shuyun and you are all beyond the fifth degree of kinship, yet you still use your clansmanship as an excuse. How shameless!"
Are you starving or freezing? Instead of trying to earn money, you want to rely on Shuyun for help.
What are you all thinking? Does Jiang Shuyun owe you anything?
The village chief also came over. He was Jiang Shuyun's maternal uncle, and his elder brother was the first scholar to pass the imperial examination in Jiangjia Village.
“Our Jiangjia Village has more than a thousand people, why are only a few of you making a fuss? Why don’t others think that Jiang Shuyun has forgotten her ancestors?”
Everyone else is an idiot, only you few have quick minds?
I think you're the ones who're greedy. You practically want Jiang Shuyun to give you all the family's money so you can feel they haven't forgotten their ancestors?
Wang Zhongwu has a loud voice; he speaks as if he's fighting.
He and Wang Zhongwen were the first people from Jiangjia Village to pass the imperial examinations, and they are now serving as officials in other places.
He was not used to life in another place, so he brought his family back to Jiangjia Village.
Later, when Lin Lizheng stepped down, he was elected as the village head of the Jiangjia Village area.
"Village head, we didn't say that."
"But what did you do? You gathered in the Jiang clan chief's courtyard and even wanted him to lead the way to ask Shuyun for benefits."
You're dreaming!
Given the situation of Jiang Shuyun's branch of the family, there are no close relatives left in the Jiang clan, so it is understandable that they establish a separate family genealogy.
They even want to ruin their reputation; they're truly heartless. Aren't you afraid of going to the county jail? You're just causing trouble.
Wang Zhongwu despised these ingrates the most; they didn't work hard to make a living and just wanted to rely on others, which was shameful.
“Wang Lizheng is right, you are a bunch of ingrates.”
"From now on, if anything happens, don't come to me. You think Jiang Shuyun has forgotten his ancestors, then go ahead and sue him. As for whether others think the same way you do, we'll have to wait for the magistrate's questioning!"
Third Grandpa found these people annoying; they were like a few rotten fish and shrimp cooked in a pot of stinky broth.
"Clan leader, we didn't think that way. We are grateful to Shuyun's family."
Not only did he help us make money, but because of the Jinshi (进士) archway, it was incredibly easy for my daughters and sons to find spouses.
"That's right. Now, everyone in the surrounding villages envies our Jiangjia Village. We have a Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) who even hires villagers to do our work."
"That's right, look at Jiang Shuhe and Wang Hu, they're both in charge."
"And then there's Jiang Mian, he's the manager."
...
The people around them were talking all at once, making Jiang Huai and his group feel ashamed.
"Alright, everyone, you can all leave now."
Jiang Huai, you can sue us or make a scene, but don't use the name of the Jiang clan. We don't recognize that.
From now on, don't come to the clan for anything I do. Our Jiang clan does not acknowledge ingrates like you.
Furthermore, the income and uses of the sacrificial fields will have absolutely nothing to do with you from now on.
"Chieftain..."
As soon as Third Grandfather finished speaking, Jiang Huai plopped down on the ground.
The reason he dared to make such a fuss was because he had many children and grandchildren, as well as many in-laws, and he thought that if there were any benefits, everyone would be happy.
However, once the clan chief said this, even if they weren't rented out, it was practically the same as leaving the clan.
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