Xia Xun instinctively thought that this meeting might have a lot to do with him. Old Man Yang was still evil and wanted to deal with him again. But... you couldn't control me by using national laws last time, so what's the use of these family rules?
Peng Ziqi and Manager Xiao came up to him and looked at him worriedly. Xia Xun smiled lightly and said, "Since my surname is Yang, I should go there. It doesn't matter. You can wait at home."
Xia Xun patted his clothes and said to Yang Yu and Yang Wenwu: "You two, please lead the way."
Yang Yu snorted coldly and led Yang Wenwu forward.
Xia Xun really doesn't care too much. Is the clan very powerful? The clan system must be subordinated to the national law after all. I, Xia Xun, am not a soft persimmon who can be manipulated by others. Do they still have the ability to arrest me and put me in a pig cage? Thinking about it, the biggest punishment is just to be expelled from the family. I don't want to be in your Yang family. If we break up, what else can I do?
After all, Xia Xun is a modern person. Although he knows that in ancient times, the family's binding force on individuals was very strong, after all, he cannot have personal experience and feelings about the ancient patriarchal system.
The Yang Family Ancestral Hall was built in the center of Moling Town, closest to the home of Yang Rong, the old patriarch of the family. The ancestral hall is a place for worshiping ancestors and gods and performing sacrificial activities, and is regarded as a symbol of the clan. However, in the past, the Seven Temples of the Emperor, the princes There are five temples, three temples for officials, and one temple for scholars. Common people can only worship their ancestors in their bedrooms. That is to say, ordinary people can only worship their ancestors in their own homes, and officials and above can build ancestral temples.
But in the Yuan Dynasty, restrictions in this area were gradually loosened, so as long as a large family had financial strength, they could have an ancestral hall. The rule that common people had no temples was broken. The Yang family ancestral hall was built during the Yuan Dynasty, and it was not very big. , but it is very old, and the green roof tiles are covered with a layer of dark green moss. The entire courtyard is full of traces left by the years.
Inside the gate of the ancestral hall, all the Yang clan members gathered in the courtyard, including rich and poor, old and young, whispering to each other. Yang Yu and Yang Wenwu seemed to be two little ghosts clearing the way. As soon as they entered the courtyard, they stole The whispers stopped immediately, and everyone looked at Xia Xun behind them.
Xia Xun walked into the courtyard calmly and calmly. Although the people standing here seemed scattered, they actually had their own rules. They were all arranged according to their branch lineage and seniority. Xia Xun didn’t know any of them, and he didn’t know anyone. Knowing their generation, he put his hands behind his back and looked around leisurely after entering the ancestral hall.
"cough!"
Yang Rong coughed and, supported by his eldest son and grandson, walked out majestically from the ancestral hall and stood still on the steps. He originally wanted to see Xia Xun's reaction, but when he peeked through the crack in the door, Xia Xun didn't care. I was actually looking around in the ancestral temple, touching here and there, and almost broke into the ancestral hall to observe. I couldn't hold it back, so I had to show up immediately.
As soon as they saw the old patriarch coming out, everyone turned to him and stood respectfully. Someone from behind brought up a chair and asked the old patriarch to sit down. Xia Xun didn't want to be really domineering and give people the impression that he didn't know etiquette. After taking a look, he squeezed between the two skinny old men and stood upright.
When Yang Rong's son Yang Dingsheng saw this, he glared at him and shouted: "Yang Xu, why are you so unruly! The two clansmen are your uncles, where can you stand?"
Xia Xun quickly stood up again, with a slight smile on his face, and bowed his head calmly: "I'm sorry, Yang Xu left home when he was young, and he doesn't know any of his relatives or elders. He doesn't know his concubine, his house, or his seniority, but we really can't tell the difference.
Please tell me who is the eldest and who is the youngest in this courtyard. Where should Yang Xu stand? By the way, I don’t know who you are, why are you standing behind our clan leader?"
Yang Dingsheng was so angry that his face turned blue, and he said in a deep voice: "Me? I am the eldest son of the eldest son of the Yang clan, and I am your uncle! Go and stand over there!"
Xia Xun didn't feel dissatisfied. He was from Ding's generation and was indeed his father's eldest cousin. There was no need to argue about this matter. Xia Xun obediently stood down at the designated position and turned to look down at him.
Standing there was a big man with a sinewy face, who looked to be around forty years old. Xia Xun cupped his hands and smiled, asking: "Your Excellency, are you older than me? I am not standing in the wrong position again, am I?"
The big man was very well-behaved in the ancestral temple. When he saw him saluting, he hurriedly returned the salute and said: "I can't do it, I can't do it. In terms of seniority, you are my uncle."
"oh?"
Xia Xun was a little surprised. He looked at the long row of people behind the big man and asked, "Are the people behind you smaller than me?"
"Yes, they are all your nephews. Some call you uncle, and some call you uncle."
Xia Xun smiled happily and said, "It seems like my seniority is not too low."
These words made some clan members laugh, but the old clan leader did not dare to laugh out loud in front of him.
Yang Rong saw that the solemn atmosphere was made immodest by his jokes, and he couldn't bear it. He immediately interrupted him loudly and said in a loud voice: "Silence, silence! Today, we have called everyone here to discuss our clan's affairs.
Several major events.”
Seeing that everyone had calmed down, he nodded to his grandson Yang Chong and said, "Chong'er, tell me."
"yes!"
Yang Chong bowed, then took three steps forward, stepped down two steps, stood still, and said loudly: "I invite you all to come today because I want to announce two major events that affect my entire clan. The first one
, is to build the ancestral temple. The ancestral temple is the place to respect the ancestors. Everyone has seen that the ancestral temple of our Yang family has been in disrepair for a long time and is dilapidated. As a descendant, how can we bear to see the place where the incense of our ancestors is like? So,
, the clan leader discussed with several clan elders and decided to rebuild the ancestral temple.
According to the wealth and poverty of each house, the clan leader discussed with the elders and drew up a donation list. The clan members of each house listened carefully and prepared early when they went back. Three days later, the money will be sent to me.
My father and three clan elders jointly signed the receipt for the purpose of repairing the temple. Yang Lao should pay five guan as a righteousness, and Yang Yi should pay five guan as a righteousness..."
Xia Xun listened quietly. When he read about him, he heard that the donation was two hundred yuan. He couldn't help but move and suppressed his voice. Yang Chong paused for a while when he read, and saw that he didn't respond, so he continued to read.
Go down and wait until he finished reading, Xia Xun shouted: "Wait a minute, I have something to say."
Yang Rong glanced at him and said slowly: "Yang Xu, what do you have to say?"
Xia Xun said proudly: "I don't understand why the Yang clan has its own branches and houses, and the top one only needs to pay..."
Yang Dingsheng shouted coldly: "There are no rules. When the patriarch asks a question, do you know how to bow and salute before answering? What sage book have you read?"
The veins on Xia Xun's forehead tensed up, but then he relaxed, grinned, took a step forward, bowed his hands and said: "Old patriarch, this junior is a little confused. Why is it that each house has its own branch, and the maximum payment is only twenty guan, and
The junior needs to pay two hundred strings, which is ten times less?"
"This is it!"
Yang Rong stroked his goatee, and Pi Liyangqiu smiled and said: "Of course it is calculated based on the affordability of each house. Each house in the Yang family is engaged in farming. Although there are some people in the family who are well off, compared to you
, after all, it’s far behind. Seeing you come back and start a large-scale construction project, who in the entire Moling town can match the scale of your courtyard? In family matters, those who can do more work will naturally do the hard work.”
Xia Xun retorted, "I heard from my father that when my father abandoned farming and started doing business, he was criticized and opposed by the patriarch. Now, does the patriarch admit that my family is strong?"
Yang Rong's face turned red, he slapped his chair and shouted: "Abandoning farming and doing business means committing suicide! No matter how rich you are, you will still end up in a lowly profession. This will never change."
Xia Xun was about to retort, but then he thought, he would eventually abandon the Yang family and establish his own clan. In any case, this ancestral hall is the ancestral hall of the Yang family. Even if the Yang family is sorry for Yang Dingkun and his son, he and his son must have
I still agree with the idea of building the main temple. Think of it as something I did for them before I found a chance to leave the Yang family. Anyway, the benefits are for the dead, and these heartless pigs and dogs cannot get involved.
Arrived.
Thinking of this, Xia Xun gritted his teeth and returned to the arrangement.
Yang Chong smiled proudly and continued: "The second thing is about the righteous fields in my Yang family. My Yang family has spread its branches and leaves, and its descendants are gradually prospering. Some people are rich, and naturally some are poor, and the righteous fields
Nowadays, it is still only three acres of land where the clan was gathered. Over the past hundred years, times have changed. These three acres of thin land are no longer enough to support the four seasons of sacrifices, the clan's education, and the relief of the poor. Therefore, the clan leader discussed with the clan elders and decided to expand the charity field.
, we will build three clan fields for sacrifice, righteousness, and learning, and we need a total of 30 acres of righteousness fields."
After hearing this, the clan members in the hall suddenly became commotion. They must know that farmland is their lifeblood. If they give out an acre of it, they will be heartbroken. Since ancient times, in a big family, the formation of clan farmland has mainly been due to high-ranking officials.
It consists of clansmen with huge wealth and vast hectares of fertile land donated by clansmen, or clansmen who made mistakes and were punished for having their property confiscated. It is not impossible for the descendants of the temple to discuss the business trip, but it would be a big deal for one family to give up a piece of land.
, now the clan leader wants to establish thirty acres of righteous land all at once, who can afford it?"
Yang Chong raised his hands and said loudly: "Don't be impatient for a moment, don't be impatient for a moment, and listen to me. This clan's land does not need to be shared by the whole clan, old and young. It is only donated by the rich in the clan. Although my grandfather's family is not rich,
Generally speaking, as the leader of a clan, I should take the lead in setting an example. My grandfather decided that my family would donate five acres of family land."
The tribesmen all looked at Yang Rong with admiration. Yang Rong twisted his beard and smiled, nodding lightly, feeling contented.
Xia Xun secretly sneered at the side: the income from the clan field is mainly used to worship the ancestral temple with four-season incense candles and fruits, to provide relief to poor clansmen, and to support students from ordinary clansmen. Simply put, it is the family's charity fund.
, and the person in charge of this fund is the head of the clan. He has the final say on how it operates. What is the difference between donating the five acres and not donating?
"The other twenty-five acres..."
Yang Chong looked at Xia Xun and smiled slightly: "Providing sacrifices to the temple, caring for the old and young, and establishing a family school are all merits and virtues. You have been away from your hometown for many years and have not made any contribution to the family. Now that you are back, your family is well off.
, this righteous land, after discussion among the elders of the clan, will be yours for no reason."
Xia Xun was furious and shouted angrily: "This is the most ridiculous thing in the world!"
Yang Chong's face changed and he shouted: "What, you object? What is the clan? The clan is respected. What is the clan? The ancestor is the ancestor and the great-great-grandson is the descendant. The family is blessed. When the families gather together, they become kin and love each other for life.
, mourning each other after death, there is a way to gather together, so it is called a clan. The ritual says: The clan members will have something to do, and everyone in the clan will serve. Therefore, if they are present or not, they will look harmonious. Shouldn't you do something for your relatives? "
Xia Xun laughed loudly: "My relatives? Where are my relatives? I only saw a group of wolves who hate the rich and are jealous of their abilities. They want to tear me to pieces, chew me up, and swallow me!"
After saying that, Xia Xun cupped his hands and said: "Suddenly, I remembered that Mr. Yang also wanted to accompany my wife to visit Qixia Mountain. I'm busy. You can discuss and handle these trivial matters that have nothing to do with me. I, Mr. Yang, leave ten times a day.
For many years, no one has remembered my life and death. Now that I’m back, I haven’t seen a single friendly and kind member of the clan, so I won’t get involved with these things. Farewell!”
"You are brave!"
Yang Rong stood up in anger and said angrily: "How dare you disrespect your elders in the ancestral temple, so rude! Get him!"
Yang Rong gathered his power and gave an order, and the young men of the tribe immediately gathered around him.
Yang Rong's move is not excessive, because the law in the feudal era acquiesced to the clan's ability to exercise primary judicial power and the right to execute general punishments other than the death penalty on descendants who the clan members believed to have violated the law. In fact, even if it is the execution of the death penalty, such as immersing in a pig cage, if
It has already happened, and they usually admit the fact. In general, civil and criminal cases related to family marriages, land plots, fights and other civil and criminal cases of clan members, as well as the behavior of descendants of clan members that violate national laws and family rules, if the family handles it properly, the government will treat it as the same as the government
Corresponding processing has been done.
Because the era at the core of Confucian culture believed that the family was a microcosm of the country, using clans to deal with disputes had more enlightening and deterrent effects.
The threats and punishments of the law hall and the admonitions of the government offices are more effective in turning big things into trivial matters and trivial matters into nothingness."
Xia Xun didn't notice this. He was a policeman. Although he knew the law, he was not as familiar with it as a judge. Even if he was a judge, he might not have such a clear understanding of ancient laws. He saw the tribesmen surrounding him and wanted to take people away.
, Xia Xun glared and shouted sternly: "Who dares!"
The forty-year-old man who was standing next to him just now trembled when he drank, and he subconsciously moved away, revealing several younger Yang clan members behind him.
Should he follow the clan leader's orders, or avoid this bold guy who dares to taunt the clan leader and shake the roof of the ancestral temple.
Xia Xun put his hands behind his back, opened his eyes wide, and said with thunderous tongue: "Go away! Are you disrespectful? I am your uncle!"
Those boys were so frightened that they even forgot to move. Xia Xun walked out from them proudly. From the beginning to the end, no one dared to make a move against him.
Yang Rong had never seen anyone dare to be so rude to him in the ancestral temple. He was so angry that he sat back in the chair and just gasped. A sinister smile escaped from the corner of Yang Chong's mouth. This move had already happened before him.
It was as expected.
He is a smart man. His mentor just gave him a little guidance and told him how to use his son's spear and attack his son's shield. He drew inferences from one example and came up with many practical and effective ways to rectify others in the countryside: "Yang Xu, your mother is being raped.
Forced to death, your father was forced to go away from home, and your fate will be even worse than theirs. This is just the beginning. If I can’t deal with it and ruin your reputation and your family, you are not worthy to be the young patriarch of the Yang family.