CHAPTER 2088: CHAPTER 2086: CAN’T EVEN MANAGE YOUR OWN HOUSEHOLD, YET WANT TO MANAGE THE CLAN?

"Favor?" Bai Zepei widened his eyes. What kind of terminology is this?

Si Yihuan shrank back slightly and said with a chuckle, "My little sister taught me. She even mentioned the idea of ’flipping the card’."

Bai Ruozhu shot a glance at Si Yihuan, "Sister-in-law, that’s just too disloyal of you to sell me out at such a critical moment!"

Bai Zepei flicked Bai Ruozhu’s forehead with his finger, "A woman shouldn’t say things like that; it would make people think you’re frivolous."

"Old fuddy-duddy, there’s no outsiders here anyway." Bai Ruozhu rubbed her forehead and glared at her second brother, but inside she was smiling. It had been a long time since her brother flicked her forehead.

"Even so, you shouldn’t say such things. Speak properly in the future." Bai Zepei said with a stern face.

Bai Ruozhu sighed; the ancients really didn’t understand modern humor.

In the blink of an eye, it was the day for the Jiuli Clan to hold their meeting. Bai Ruozhu’s family followed the Third Elder to the meeting location and soon saw the Elders taking their seats on the stage, including the Third Elder.

Not long after, the great elder was guided in, and everyone present stood up to greet him, advising him to pay attention to his health.

The great elder raised his hand, "There’s no need for formalities. Today, I am stepping down."

He took his seat of honor and looked at the people below the stage, his gaze suddenly landing on Jiao Ling.

"Before we begin the meeting, I have something to say." He said, and the Elders beside him, including Elder Su, instantly guessed his intention and wanted to stop him out of sympathy. However, the great elder’s gaze kept them silent.

Bai Ruozhu watched everything from below the stage and noticed that the great elder was highly respected in the clan, yet his own offspring did not hold power within the clan.

Was it to avoid favoritism, or was there truly no personal interest?

"The biggest mistake of my life was, eighteen years ago, making a grave error regarding Wei Yu." He sighed.

Someone immediately said, "Great elder, no one could have expected Wei Yu’s betrayal of the clan. How can this mistake be blamed on you?"

The great elder raised his hand, stopping the person from speaking, and then solemnly said, "Wei Yu’s betrayal was my fault!"

The crowd beneath the stage looked at him in surprise. Could there be more to this story?

The great elder no longer concealed the truth, narrating the events from back then in full detail. After he finished, he felt a weight lift off his shoulders.

People from the Wei Family below had already started to cry; they were relatives of Wei Yu. Over the years, they had always felt they couldn’t hold their heads high, feeling like they had wronged the clan, especially the clan members who were killed by Gufeng at the time.

Who knew there would be such a hidden story?

An elder from the Chen Family was in tears, "Back then, Wei Yu’s mother was so pitiful. Wei Yu was a great talent, such a pity."

The great elder hung his head, "This matter has been buried in my heart for years. I’ve let down the Wei Family and Jiao Ling. Now that I am no longer the great elder, I will go to the confinement area to repay the debt I owe."

"Great elder!" Elder Su exclaimed, "Your health is already like this. How can you go to the confinement area? Besides, you did it back then for the sake of the clan’s safety; you were left with no choice. You’ve suffered for these years, repenting day and night. This debt should be considered repaid."

The great elder shook his head, "What’s done is done. I’ve always been afraid to admit it, fearing others’ disappointment. Now that I understand, a mistake is a mistake, and it deserves punishment. My mind is made up, and there’s no need to persuade me."

Everyone below spoke to persuade him, but the great elder’s expression remained unchanged, stubborn to a frightening degree.

Jiao Ling held Bai Ruozhu’s hand, crying, "Ruozhu, if Wei Yu is looking down from heaven, he should be happy, right? He never betrayed the clan; he shouldn’t be misunderstood by the clansmen."

Bai Ruozhu nodded vigorously, "He will know."

Fen Jiu felt immensely distressed seeing Jiao Ling’s tears, but how could he hold a grudge against someone who’s already dead?

"Alright, enough about my matters. Let’s continue discussing the selection of the clan leader." The great elder said, "Do any of the elders have opinions?"

"I recommend the Second Elder for this important role. According to the rules, after the great elder steps down, the Second Elder should take over." The Ninth Elder quickly spoke up.

The Third Elder snorted coldly, "The position of clan leader is for those with virtue. The Second Elder’s daughter-in-law used evil techniques on Xin Sheng, used Xin Sheng to poison the Bai Family, and when discovered, she attacked the great elder and stole the clan’s Barrier Jade Pendant. Can the Second Elder escape the responsibility of not managing his household strictly?"

"With such traitors from the Fo Family, it is inappropriate for the Second Elder to be the clan leader." The Fifth Elder also spoke up.

The Second Elder squinted his eyes, "Du Fei has already been divorced by Fo Wenxiu. We in the Fo Family don’t have such a person. She isn’t my daughter; how would I know when she became a traitor? In the end, the Fo Family are the victims, aren’t they?"

The faces of the Du Family members below turned pale. The Second Elder was shifting all the blame onto the Du Family.

"How can the Second Elder say that? Du Fei was always obedient before marriage and has been in the Fo Family for twenty years now. Who’s to say she wasn’t acting under your orders?" Du Fei’s uncle Du Lei said angrily.

The Second Elder cast a fierce gaze, and Du Lei retreated two steps, opened his mouth, but dared not speak further.

The Second Elder was powerful, and the Du Family was no match for the Fo Family.

"Just divorcing his wife to evade responsibility? It’s not that simple." The Third Elder said coldly, "I recommend the Eighth Elder as the clan leader. He has long managed the Disciplinary Hall with integrity, silently contributing to the clan, and is the best candidate for the clan leader."

Many people below nodded in agreement, as the Eighth Elder had a good reputation in the clan.

The Eighth Elder was Elder Su.

"What do those of you who have been into the trial center think?" The great elder looked toward Fen Jizhi.

Fen Jizhi stood up, saluted, and respectfully said, "I, too, think Elder Su is highly suitable."

Then a few others stood up, some middle-aged in their forties, others looking in their twenties or thirties, but it was clear that the number of people who had been into the trial center was limited, only one emerging every few years.

Bai Ruozhu thought for a moment, realizing that her time gap with Fen Jizhi was the shortest.

However, most of those who stood up supported the Second Elder, showing that the Second Elder indeed had his standing within the clan.

Finally, the great elder looked at Bai Ruozhu, who stood and said, "The position of the clan leader should be occupied by someone virtuous. I support Elder Su. As for the Second Elder’s granddaughter being arrogant, his daughter-in-law stealing the Barrier Jade Pendant and betraying the clan, if he can’t manage his family well, how can he manage the Jiuli Clan?"

Well said! Fen Jizhi almost applauded. If the Second Elder couldn’t control his own family, how could he manage the clan?

"Insolent!" The Second Elder shouted fiercely, "You stole my black meteoric iron and now crave Elder Su’s protection, daring to say anything!"

Bai Ruozhu, unafraid, looked at him and said, "The Second Elder keeps claiming I stole your black meteoric iron, yet no one has ever seen such a thing in your possession; no one saw anyone steal it either. If you want to accuse someone, there’s always a pretext. Bullying a younger person as an elder—isn’t it shameful?"