Chapter 1296 - 925: Family

"Today’s gathering truly seems set up specifically to deal with me!" Zhang Chen strolled casually within the ancestral hall, his eyes sweeping across the entire space. His gaze encompassed everyone present, falling upon Zhang Shenqi standing beneath the central memorial tablet and the elders seated to the sides. All eyes turned to Zhang Chen, staring him down with scrutiny, disdain, or hostility.

Zhang Chen walked to the front of the ancestral hall, standing before Zhang Shenqi: "Where should I stand?"

A disciple’s standing position in the clan, especially within the ancestral hall, follows strict rules.

The foremost positions are reserved for direct descendants, followed by collateral descendants, and then by esteemed elders of the clan.

Although the Zhang Family follows a patriarchal system, decisions are not solely made by the patriarch; the views of the elders cannot be ignored.

Zhang Shenqi turned his head slightly to glance at Zhang Chen, a smile hanging on his face, though to Zhang Chen, it seemed utterly insincere: "Stand here. Today’s family meeting was indeed convened for you; you are the main character today."

"For me? Since when did I have such influence?" Zhang Chen feigned confusion.

Zhang Shenqi responded with a silent smile, while an elder to the side stepped forward: "You are Zhang Chen? The eldest son of Zhang Shicheng?"

Zhang Chen turned his gaze upon hearing this, seeing an elder over eighty years old, with white hair and youthful features, impeccably dressed yet permeated by a sense of decay, indicating his nearing end.

"That’s me. May I ask who you are?" Zhang Chen inquired.

"This is your Second Uncle-Grandfather!" Zhang Shenqi quickly introduced.

Second Uncle-Grandfather, meaning he is the brother of Zhang Chen’s paternal grandfather, who was the eldest son, while this elder before him is the second-born.

As for Zhang Chen’s grandfather’s whereabouts?

Zhang Chen hadn’t heard the specifics, but it’s highly likely he’s passed on. Otherwise, Zhang Shenqi wouldn’t be standing here as the patriarch; the old man would still be in charge.

This elder was a close senior relative, so regardless of Zhang Chen’s personal feelings, he should show respect: "Greetings, Second Uncle-Grandfather."

Truth be told, Zhang Chen was not fond of his Second Uncle-Grandfather, given that he didn’t show up last time Zhang Chen was formally recognized by the family, indicating his stance. Naturally, Zhang Chen felt equally repelled towards him.

"Good lad, stand up, no need to pay respects." Second Uncle-Grandfather nodded at Zhang Chen, his demeanor very kindly, his voice gentle.

Zhang Chen stood up in accordance, listening to his Second Uncle-Grandfather say: "I and your grandfather are full brothers born of the same mother; we are direct siblings."

Zhang Chen’s face remained expressionless, quietly observing the elder. Seeing Zhang Chen’s impassive face, Second Uncle-Grandfather thought to himself: "A difficult one to deal with indeed."

"Today, I’ve called you over because there’s something we wish to inquire about." The elder said.

Zhang Chen nodded: "Please do ask."

Zhang Chen wanted to exercise control over the Zhang Family; for these ancient figures, it’s necessary to maintain respect.

Control over a family doesn’t come simply because one is strong; managing family affairs is complex, involving many aspects, and it’s certainly not something Zhang Chen could navigate alone.

"Now that you’ve chosen to recognize your ancestry, you are part of the Zhang Family. The family’s interests are your interests, the family’s future your future. Do you agree?" The elder asked.

What else could Zhang Chen say?

He could only nod in agreement.

"I hear you’ve allied with the Zhong Family through marriage?" The elder asked.

"That’s indeed true." Zhang Chen replied unhurriedly, his composure evoking a flicker of interest in the eyes of the elders present.

The Second Uncle was also carefully observing Zhang Chen, seeing Zhang Chen’s demeanor. In his heart, he thought, "He truly is the one who caused Prince Pingbian to stumble. This kind of demeanor is unmatched by Zhang Shenqi; among the old and young generations of the Zhang Family, he should be considered the first."

"Since ancient times, parental command and matchmaker’s words have dictated marriages. Your marriage to the Zhong Family was decided without family discussion, which is not compliant with etiquette." The Second Uncle stared at Zhang Chen, and before Zhang Chen could voice his rebuttal, he continued:

"You are after all the eldest son of the Zhang Family, with the right to inherit the family leadership in the future. Your future alliance should be with a family of equal eternal standing with the Zhang Family. The Zhong Family, with merely tens of thousands of years of inheritance, does not match up to you! Marrying into the Zhong Family would disgrace the stature of the Zhang Family and bring ridicule from the world. I have already discussed with the Lei family of the Eight Great Clans, and they have agreed to marry their third miss to you. You should annul your marriage to the Zhong Family."

What he said was reasonable, and Zhang Chen could not refute him from a point of etiquette. He couldn’t clearly articulate a defiance of family virtues, unless he wanted to lose control of the Zhang Family and cut off his qualifications to inherit its leadership.

However, failing to refute on etiquette does not mean Zhang Chen should accept things as they are and be manipulated by the family.

The most crucial point was that he must not follow the opponent’s thought process at this moment; he needed to disrupt their thinking, using chaotic strikes to defeat the master.

"Your words make sense, but I regret to inform you that I do not agree with them. What of eternal families? What of millennial families? The Zhang Family’s Life and Death Record has been lost, yet you are all wasting time on my marriage instead of retrieving it. Are you still putting the Zhang Family in your eyes? The Life and Death Record lies lost in your hands; you are the traitors of the Zhang Family, letting its legacy end with you. Instead of taking up arms against the Gong Family to recover the Life and Death Record, here you waste effort over the marriage of a junior member. Though I am a junior of the Zhang Family, I must say: you are all unfilial descendants!" Zhang Chen’s voice was full of mockery, with insinuations:

"The Book of Life and Death is a treasure of the Zhang Family’s heritage, kept at our ancestral grounds, yet it was stolen. You ungrateful descendants have shamed our ancestors. If it were lost while under my care, by now I’d be too embarrassed to stand here, and would have ended my life with a sword to avoid disgrace to our ancestors."

At this point, Zhang Chen turned to the Second Uncle: "What do you think?"

Though Zhang Chen’s tone was inquisitive, Second Uncle felt as though Zhang Chen was angrily rebuking him directly. His face flushed, and his aged body shook like a bellows, as if a breath could be his last at any moment.

Not only Second Uncle, but all the clan elders present turned red-eyed, with some even trembling from anger.

Disgrace!

Being rebuked by a junior as unfilial descendants was indeed a great humiliation!

Yet, none could object, as recovering the Life and Death Record, the foundation of the Zhang Family’s legacy, lost in their generation, represented a disgrace to everyone. If it were not retrieved, everyone of this generation would be traitors to the Zhang Family, having no face to meet the ancestors.

In comparison to retrieving the Book of Life and Death, Zhang Chen’s marriage, which he might never have the chance to become the family head, paled in importance.

Zhang Chen was just shy of pointing directly at everyone’s noses and scolding, "You are a bunch of good-for-nothings who only engage in family infighting."

Zhang Chen’s sharp tongue was experienced by Second Uncle for the first time, and the elder Zhang Family members faced his formidable words, feeling their terror.

Accompanied by Zhang Chen’s rebuke, the scene fell into silence, and no one could speak.

Witnessing the atmosphere turn grim, Zhang Shenqi clenched his fists tightly in his sleeves, his heart burning with anger. He was aware that the missing Life and Death Record implicated him, and his guilt was greatest; Zhang Chen was openly slapping him in the face!

Seeing the scene shift towards trouble, realizing that Zhang Chen antagonized further it could become problematic, Zhang Shenqi felt compelled to stand up and counter Zhang Chen’s words. The Third Prince had tasked him, and he couldn’t abandon it midway.

Just as Zhang Shenqi was about to speak, Zhang Chen took the initiative: "Honorable elders, since we’re all gathered here today, I have a proposal that requires your listening! The crime of losing the Life and Death Record committed by Zhang Shenqi is grave. I suggest stripping him of his position as Clan Leader, and return it to my branch. When that time comes, I shall become the Clan Leader of the Zhang Family, making the matter of marriage paramount and deserving consultation with the entire clan. Furthermore, if the family head position is entrusted to me, I will dedicate my full effort to retrieve the Book of Life and Death, not wasting precious time in any manner. I am not like a certain waste who has shown no reaction to its loss for days but still divides attention to meddle in trivial affairs."

Zhang Chen saw no need for courtesy towards Zhang Shenqi now, starting his direct criticism.

"If the elders wish to deliberate on my marriage, it delights me greatly. However, you must promise to entrust the position of Family Head to me, naming me the sole successor of the next Zhang Family leader. Otherwise, my marriage is as insignificant as a feather to the clan, not worth mentioning! On the contrary, your lack of effort to recover the Life and Death Record while wasting time on this minor issue is truly confounding!" Zhang Chen turned to the Second Uncle:

"Uncle, say something. Am I the sole heir of the Zhang Family in the future? Is the Zhang Family to be handed over to me? Today you’ve gathered everyone, ignoring even the matter of the Life and Death Record. Does this mean it’s already been decided to pass the Zhang Family to me, making me the only successor, hence my marriage surpassing the Life and Death Record in importance?" Zhang Chen, now revealing his true intentions, directly confronted the situation.

Upon hearing Zhang Chen’s words, the Second Uncle was perplexed, Zhang Shenqi was perplexed, as were all the Zhang Family elders, caught off guard by Zhang Chen leveraging the Life and Death Record issue to reverse the political maneuvering.

Now, everyone was stuck in a dilemma!

To say Zhang Chen was not the future sole heir, would validate his words that everyone was useless? Did they abandon the major issue of the Life and Death Record and instead pursue an ordinary clan member’s marriage?