dkrc Chapter 86 Setting up the table to drive the dog out of its den
Chapter 86 Setting up the table to drive the dog out of its den
"Ah Jiang!"
Fan Huilin suddenly exclaimed in grief and indignation, "How can you be so heartless as to watch us die? We're family!"
"You're right!"
Chen Guanjiang nodded and said, "I am heartless, I am cold-blooded, I am willing to stand by and watch someone die."
"Saving a life is more meritorious than building a seven-story pagoda!"
Chen Genshuo put down his chopsticks and scolded, "How could you stand by and watch your family die? Are you even human?"
Chen Guanjiang, bewildered that his father, a self-proclaimed Taoist priest living in seclusion, was reciting Buddhist scriptures, nonchalantly replied, "I'm a dog. Isn't that what everyone in the family has called me since I was a cub?"
There are countless people who practice Buddhism or Taoism, but how many of them truly see through the illusions of the world? The vast majority simply bury their desires even deeper.
Seeing the readily available profits, they were like sharks that had seen blood, eagerly swimming in to feast. Unfortunately, Chen Guanjiang was not the delicious meal they were looking for.
These words completely severed all pretense of civility.
Faced with Chen Guanjiang's stubbornness, the group was not as helpless as they had been last time.
"As you all have seen, this child is a rebel against the Heavenly Spirits!"
Chen Genshuo addressed his relatives and friends, saying, "Let's invoke the ancestral laws and invite our third uncle to uphold justice!"
“…………”
Under Chen Guanjiang's bewildered gaze, the third uncle slowly rose. His uncles and relatives cleared away the dishes and placed them on the incense table. He then took out a book wrapped in red silk from a wooden box and solemnly opened it, saying:
"On February 3, 1973 (Gregorian calendar), in the year of Gui Chou, the Chen family, with deep roots and virtue, respectfully convenes a clan meeting before the ancestral tablets, in accordance with ancient rites and with impartiality."
"There are four sons of the Chen family who have no respect for their elders and are unfilial to their parents. Despite repeated admonitions and education from the clan, they have not repented. Their behavior has seriously damaged the family's reputation and harmed the very foundation of the clan."
"Chen Guanjiang, the fourth son of the Chen family, is hereby removed from the surname, given name and registered. His name is hereby removed from the official genealogy. Neither he nor his descendants may identify themselves as members of the Chen family of Yancheng."
"He shall never participate in any clan activities, including sacrifices, celebrations, or discussions, nor shall he enjoy any rights within the clan. After his death, he shall not be buried in the clan's ancestral cemetery."
"This decision is hereby reported to our ancestors, proclaimed to the entire clan, and announced to the surrounding villages. It is recorded in black and white in the clan's annals of affairs, to serve as a lasting lesson. May all our descendants take this as their guide..."
Representatives from each room, sign and affix their seals;
The ancestral hall seal was affixed and sealed.
“…………”
After a series of actions, it took Chen Guanjiang a long time to realize that he had been expelled from the family genealogy.
Looking at his parents' happy expressions as they waited for him to admit his mistake, he was at a loss for words and could only ask someone to bring a camera to take pictures as a memento.
Undoubtedly, the parents' thinking is still stuck in the early 20th century, or even the feudal agrarian era of the last century, simply believing that their children will be afraid of losing the protection of their parents and clan.
This has always been true; children must rely on their parents to survive, or more precisely, they must inherit their parents' land.
Once they lose their inheritance rights to the land, they become destitute vagrants who cannot survive without a skill.
That's why feudal society packaged parental control over children as—filial piety!
Children, fearing they will not inherit the land they depend on for survival from their parents, need to constantly compromise themselves out of filial piety.
Parents can also use the concept of filial piety, fabricated from their own resources, to manipulate and force their children to obey, or even to submit to their parents' wishes.
Even if their children become high-ranking officials, a label of "unfilial piety" can bring them down from the highest ranks of government to the lowest commoner.
The so-called "Twenty-Four Filial Exemplars" are all about exploitation. They do not treat children as human beings at all. They are just labeling children with "original sin" so that they can constantly atone for their sins.
"Burying one's son to serve one's mother" means burying one's own son and using the saved food for one's elderly mother.
"Filial piety moves Heaven" refers to a family that repeatedly tried to kill him, but he escaped and forgave them.
"Lying on ice to catch carp" refers to melting the ice with one's chest in the dead of winter to catch carp for one's mother to make fish soup.
In the end, the protagonist's filial piety moves Heaven, the emperor, or the enemy army, leading to a wealthy life, promotion, or even becoming emperor.
In reality, if one were to follow the "Twenty-Four Filial Exemplars," even nine lives wouldn't be enough to survive.
Unable to find the expression he wanted on Chen Guanjiang's face, Chen Genshuo stepped forward and said, "You idiot, what else do you have to say?"
"No!"
Chen Guanjiang shook his head and continued, "Since you've already kicked me out of the family register, we have no relationship anymore. You can't call me 'loser' anymore, and I won't be coming back. Let's go."
As industrialization and modernization accelerate, each person will gradually become an independent individual and increasingly so.
Let alone Chen Guanjiang not caring about the so-called family tree, even if he did care, it's not something they can control.
Earning tens of millions of Hong Kong dollars, they are considered a powerful force among Chinese-owned businesses, not to mention the impact their upcoming actions will have on the entire Hong Kong financial industry.
Based on this alone, it's not difficult to make a separate page for the genealogy. Besides, isn't it possible to build a clan ancestral hall simply by buying a piece of land?
"snort!"
Seeing that Chen Guanjiang was preparing to leave with his younger siblings, Chen Genshuo said angrily, "You are no longer a member of the Chen family. Leave Jiagang and Mangniu behind."
Chen Guanjiang slowly turned around and chuckled, "We agreed last time that HK$200,000 would be exchanged for custody of my younger siblings. Now that the money has been transferred, are you going to deny it?"
"It doesn't matter. I knew you'd go back on your word! Jiagang and Mangniu's nationality has been transferred to Switzerland. If you want custody back, we'll see you in court."
"This is outrageous! What a misfortune for our family!"
Du Huiying slapped her thighs and wailed, "What sins did I commit in my past life! Why must my own flesh and blood be taken away? Why is God doing this to me?"
Chen Genshuo then followed up, saying, "Who told you to change their nationality? How could you not even inform us about such a big thing? Change it back immediately."
Selling custody for HK$200,000 is a difficult thing to say, especially under the watchful eyes of relatives and friends. Knowing he was in the wrong, he deliberately spoke vaguely.
“…………”
Chen Guanjiang was too lazy to argue with them. Despite the obstruction of his family and relatives, eight bodyguards forcibly took his younger brother and sister-in-law away, completely disregarding the chaos that had ensued at home.
He walked downstairs, ignoring the pointing fingers and whispers of his neighbors.
Once on the bus, I saw my younger siblings crying.
Although Chen Guanjiang felt somewhat reluctant, he had no intention of changing his mind.
You can provide your family with a comfortable life, but you can never satisfy their extravagant desires, let alone expect to be a cash cow.
When they met on Christmas Eve last year, Chen Guanjiang noticed something was wrong with his mother, and the results of his investigation left him speechless.
Unexpectedly, his parents, without any formal training, used his status as a "financial prodigy" to illegally raise funds, yet Chen Guanjiang showed no intention of dissuading them.
The investigation revealed that the parents were quite wealthy, and any advice given now would only be seen as sarcastic. Giving them a heads-up before the tsunami hit was already more than enough; hopefully, they'll escape unscathed…