Building a long-lasting family lineage starting with genealogy

Chapter 30 Establishing the Clan and Building the Ancestral Hall

Dongxi Village, Qingjiang County.

Countless carriages and horses flowed into this ordinary village like a stream.

More than twenty guards, dressed in standard black and red uniforms, were directing traffic to prevent congestion.

"The head of the Wang family from Qingping County, along with his wife and son, have arrived!"

"The head of the He family from Qingping County has arrived with his son and daughter!"

"The eldest son of the Cao family from Qingping County has arrived!"

"The Yan family patriarch has arrived with his wife and children!"

"The eldest son of the Shen family has arrived!"

"Magistrate Wu of Qingping County has arrived with his wife!"

"Lord Yang, the magistrate of Qingping County, has arrived with his wife and children!"

"Lord Fang, the County Lieutenant of Qingping County, has arrived!"

Those who shouted the name of Qingping County were either from prominent families or officials; the rest were wealthy merchants or people of considerable prestige in the county.

The Chen Ergou family and the Chen Daming family were also invited.

Seeing the wealthy merchants and prominent families coming and going, Chen Daming was filled with emotion and murmured, "Er Gou, it is still our father who has a discerning eye. If it weren't for his care for Xu Chuan since childhood, I'm afraid my Chen family would not be able to stand here today."

"Brother, that's you. I have a very good relationship with Brother Chuan. It's normal that I didn't invite you, but I certainly wouldn't have missed me."

Chen Ergou was smug and self-satisfied.

Xu Yan looked around, a burning jealousy simmering in her heart.

"We are all members of the Xu clan, from the same lineage. Why is the Xu Chuan line so prominent, while our line is gradually declining?"

The woman beside Chen Daming suddenly tugged at his sleeve and whispered, "Husband, do you think the Xu family will blame us for asking them for our cultivation tips for the Jade Pear several years ago?"

She was Chen Daming's wife, née Lü.

"It should be fine, otherwise they wouldn't have invited us."

"Moreover, we have not benefited at all. The Qingyu pears have been planted for several years but have not borne fruit. On the contrary, they have almost dragged down our family business."

After they finished speaking, the two fell silent.

The group walked on.

Suddenly, a guard blocked their path. "Gentlemen, this road has been sealed off by the Xu family today. Only those with invitations may pass."

Chen Ergou stepped forward with a smile, took out an invitation from his pocket, and then turned to Chen Daming and said, "Brother, take out your family's invitation too, they want to see it."

The Xu family guards glanced at the invitation, nodded, and then returned it to them, gesturing for them to proceed. "The invitation is correct. Please walk straight this way; the Xu family residence is where the crowds gather."

“I know this road well.”

As they approached the Xu family mansion, the crowd grew like a tide, eventually reaching the gate.

There was a wide-open space with a neatly paved ground made entirely of bluestone slabs.

"Second nephew."

Chen Ergou suddenly saw Xu Mingyuan chatting with some wealthy merchants and immediately waved and called out.

This shout drew the attention of many people.

"Judging from the situation, they are calling for the Second Young Master Xu. Could he also be from the Xu family?"

Some people had doubts and wondered if they should go and say hello.

Xu Mingyuan is now close to being a second-rate martial artist, with sharp hearing and eyesight, so he naturally heard the familiar shout.

Looking back, he immediately smiled and walked over.

"Uncle Ergou, Uncle Daming, Da Niu, Fangfang, you've arrived."

"Where's my brother Chuan?"

Xu Mingyuan said with a wry smile, "Second Uncle Gou, there are too many people here today, and it is an important day for the establishment of our Xu family clan. The occasion is solemn and dignified. You should take it seriously and not speak too frivolously or casually."

"I understand, Second Young Master Xu. May I ask where the Xu family head is?"

"Father is in the inner room talking with several heads of prominent families, as well as Magistrate Wu, Assistant Magistrate Yang, and County Lieutenant Fang. The clan founding ceremony will begin at noon. If you know anyone, you can chat with them first, or you can go to the house to see Grandpa Chen."

"This grand ceremony was presided over by him."

"My dad?!"

Chen Daming and Chen Ergou both exclaimed in surprise, exchanged a glance, and found it unbelievable.

"Then let's go see my father first," they both said.

After all, there weren't many people they knew present.

Noon.

Outside the Xu family's gate.

The altar for offering sacrifices to Heaven and Earth has been neatly set up, with sacrificial animals (ox, pig, and sheep), ever-burning candles, and other pastries on it.

There were seven prayer cushions placed behind them.

Two rows.

There are two at the very front, and five side by side behind them.

Xu Chuan's family, along with the county magistrate, county assistant, county lieutenant, and some heads of prominent families, walked out from the gate.

Chen Bo stood beside the incense table.

With graying hair and a weathered face, he was already in his sixties.

He was considered very old among the people of Dongxi Village.

As he was also the closest elder in the Xu family, Xu Chuan invited him to preside over the event this time.

“Descendants of the Xu family, please step forward.”

"Burn the incense!"

Seven servants stepped forward to light the incense sticks in Xu Chuan and the others' hands, and then withdrew.

Chen Bo glanced at it, his expression solemn and dignified. He read aloud from the silk cloth in his hand: "Now, the Xu family offers this sacrifice to Heaven and Earth: In the year of Yi Si, in the season of Rui Bin. Heaven and Earth are in harmony, the two principles manifest their signs, clouds move and rain falls, and all things take shape. May the gods, with their boundless and radiant light, bestow blessings upon our people and grant us boundless grace. We respectfully follow the old customs and humbly offer this sacrifice."

After he finished reading, he threw the silk cloth into a bronze cauldron and burned it.

"kneel!"

"One bow! Two bows! Three bows!"

"Kneel down again!"

After kneeling and bowing three times, Xu Chuan led the group in lighting incense.

Then we arrived at the Xu Clan Ancestral Hall.

Before opening the ancestral hall, a prayer must also be recited to comfort the ancestors and to commemorate their achievements.

"The Xu family has established a clan ancestral hall to honor their ancestors' virtues and establish the order of generations. A propitious site has been chosen at Qingjiang, backed by green mountains and facing flowing water, with a continuous dragon vein and a magnificent atmosphere. The ancestral hall has three courtyards: a ceremonial gate at the front, a main hall in the middle, and ancestral tablets at the rear, with side rooms on the left and right to store genealogical records."

"The completion of this ancestral hall is not merely a place for the gods to reside, but also a foundation for fostering kinship and harmony among the clan, and for educating future generations. Those descendants who enter this gate should remember the difficulty of starting a business and the challenge of maintaining it, and should be cautious in their conduct and frugal in their spending, so as to bring glory to the family."

After reciting the prayer and burning the silk cloth, Uncle Chen shouted, "Open the ancestral hall and welcome the ancestral tablets!"

One by one, the servants, with solemn expressions, carried the memorial tablets and entered the Xu Clan Ancestral Hall, where they placed them properly.

Xu Chuan is the third generation, starting from his grandfather's generation, while Xu Mingwei and the others are the fourth generation.

However, in the eyes of others, Xu Chuan was the one who truly opened the business for the Xu family.

Going back to him, the Xu family had been ordinary people struggling to make ends meet for generations, and Xu Chuan's father was even just a farmhand for the Xu family.

"I have heard that the Xu family has five sons, each with extraordinary talent, but the head of the Xu family is not well-known."

"I've also heard that the Xu family rose to prominence in just over a decade, and the head of the Xu family was a young man who was a long-term laborer for the Xu family in Dongxi Village."

"The Xu family has produced many talented individuals across two generations, no wonder they are so prosperous!"

Everyone looked on with envy as they watched the Xu family members kneeling and worshipping before the ancestral tablets of the Xu family.

The five sons of the Xu family were all outstanding.

It is famous not only in Qingjiang County, but also in several surrounding counties.

The eldest son, Xu Mingwei, was already considered a first-rate martial artist three years ago. Before he even reached adulthood, he was already at the peak of the Acquired Realm and was recognized as a grandmaster.

The second son, Xu Mingyuan, made friends from all directions and amassed wealth from all corners of the world.

The Xu family's current prosperity is entirely due to him.

He was truly a business genius, increasing the Xu family's wealth dozens or even hundreds of times in just a few years.

Xu Mingxuan, the third son, studied at the Tianlong Martial Arts School and also reached the level of a third-rate martial artist, enjoying a reputation as a genius martial artist in Qingjiang County.

The fourth daughter, Xu Mingshu, is exceptionally talented. Rumor has it that she can communicate with beasts and ride a rare white tiger. She is also renowned and is sought after by many noble families.

Xu Mingxian, the fifth son, may not seem remarkable to outsiders, but many people believe that he is the most talented person in the Xu family.

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(End of this chapter)