Lin Jiang suddenly started coughing violently, Lin Qingyu hastily supported him and shouted at the two still fighting, "Enough!"

  Just kicked in the leg, the eighth uncle who was about to counterattack was frightened by this voice, and his hand went awry. The eleventh uncle dodged a punch, pushed him away with a cold hum, straightened up and adjusted his collar: "I don't bother with you, Second Brother, how are you?"

  Eighth Uncle was so angry that he fell back, pointing at him and unable to speak. He had just suffered a lot of grievances earlier, after all, who didn't have the same vision as whom?

  Lin Jiang had calmed down and covered his chest, saying: "Eighth Uncle, you also know my physical condition. I'm afraid I won't be able to return to Suzhou, so the selection of the clan leader must be settled as soon as possible."

  "Just based on our few people, we can decide on the head of the clan? I'm afraid that when we go back, we will be beaten by the clansmen."

  The always silent Liu Shu heard this and couldn't help but get angry, "What do you mean by this? Why should Wu Wulang be stabbed in the back by his own clansmen? Even if he's not good, he has never done anything to harm the interests of his clansmen, so why should he be stabbed in the back?"

  "Hey, Sixth Brother, you know that's not what I meant." Eighth Uncle stamped his foot and said, "Among the relatives in Yangzhou, it's just us few, how can we represent the thousands of relatives at home?"

  Sixth Uncle pursed his lips and didn't speak, in family matters except for those personally decided by Lin Jiang, the rest were all decided by these three clan elders, even when returning to Suzhou it was mostly listening to their opinions, how could they not represent?

  After all, he was still unwilling for Wu Lang to be the head of the clan.

  "Rest assured, Eighth Uncle," Lin Jiang said with a glance at Lin Qingwan, "choosing Wu Lang as the clan leader, I dare not say that everyone in the clan agrees, but most of the house heads are in agreement."

  Lin Qingwan got up and went out to bring in a box, opened it to see that it was full of letters.

  She pushed forward and Lin Jiang said: "Since Hao Yu knew he was seriously ill and his life was not long, every day he thought about the livelihood of the people and family matters."

  "My Lin family, from the time of my great-great-grandfather following Taizu's uprising, suddenly became a prominent clan in Jiangnan. By the time of my grandfather, they had become the leader of Jiangnan, not only producing talented individuals in the direct line, but also having literary and martial heroes among the collateral branches. Unfortunately, during the Gengwu year, more than half of the outstanding people in our clan perished in internal strife."

  Everyone in the house fell silent, and the disaster of Gengwu was a pain that the Lin family could not erase. Even if the collateral branch was valued by the main branch because of this and was supported, the collateral branch did not feel particularly happy about it either.

  After all, a family's prosperity relies on its talents. No matter how selfish they are, it is impossible for them to have good intentions towards the disaster of Gengwu due to the interests of one house.

  "My father, Geng Jie, couldn't bear to have sand in his eyes, so he was always mindful of the past. That's why even when he retired, he didn't want to return to Suzhou. But what he was most worried about before he passed away was still the family," Lin Jiang sighed: "My father's will, I dare not disobey, so I'm thinking of arranging all the family affairs properly before I leave, so that I won't be ashamed to face my ancestors in the afterlife."

  Three seniors were silent, Lin Zhi did not return to the old house in Suzhou until his death, but died of illness in Yangzhou and was escorted back to his hometown after his death.

  Everyone knows what he is concerned about.

  At that time, the main branch was surrounded, except for a few tribesmen, all other branches chose to close their doors due to fear. As a result, after Lin Zhi became the head of the clan, there was a long period of time when he had no contact with the Suzhou Lin family and only sent an administrator to handle clan affairs.

  The Lin family's affairs were handled by a servant, but the Suzhou Lin family did not dare to express their opposition.

  Everyone chose to remain silent, because they all knew that if they had opposed him at the time, Lin Zhi might have taken the direct branch and left the Lin family. Without the direct branch, would the Suzhou Lin family still be the Suzhou Lin family?

  This is also one of the important reasons why Lin Jiang, the "first generation" in the novel, preferred to entrust his property to the Shang family before his death rather than to his own family.

  Affected by his father, Lin Jiang didn't quite trust his clansmen.

  But after seeing the "First World", he divided his family property in two, just to try and see if his family could protect Yuhin after getting so much money. However, the inference result given by the Celestial Mirror was not very good.

  He cannot deny that there are still people in the clan who have good intentions towards Lin Bi, but overall, the Lin family not only failed to protect Lin Bi, but also pushed him behind his back, causing him to wither away early and live a life worse than the "first world".

  So now Lin Jiang's trust in his family members is actually zero, but this does not prevent him from sincerely expressing his concerns about the family.

  Lin Jiang's words, even if they were lies, were more convincing than other people's truths. Firstly, he had a good reputation in the clan, unlike his father Lin Zhi. After taking over as the head of the clan, Lin Jiang treated his family members with kindness.

  Take care of the poor and widowed in the clan, support clan education, increase sacrificial fields, and set aside a sum of money each year for talented people in the clan to go out and study, travel, and do business.

  Secondly, he is in a high position and has great power, so his knowledge and thoughts naturally surpass those of his clansmen. Therefore, even the eldest sixth uncle will quiet down when he speaks and wait for him to finish before expressing his opinions.

  This is his character.

  Lin Jiang's character is renowned not only within his family but also in the great Chu, Liao and Southern Han beyond the Great Liang.

  Others may say ten sentences but can't compare with his one sentence. This isn't just his own accumulation, it's from his great-grandfather's generation.

  Lin's image of loyalty, loving his people and keeping his promises is slowly being carved out in this world.

  Similarly, even if Lin Ba was dissatisfied with Lin Jiang's decision to sell off the family property and donate it, he still didn't suspect his sincerity towards the family, let alone Lin Liu and Lin Shiyi.

  So at this time, the three old men all quieted down and listened to him speak.

  Lin Jiang sighed: "The Lin family is the leader of the five major families, but this time I went, the family directly fell to the bottom."

  Three clan elders were stunned, and only then did they remember the most important thing: Ah, the Lin family was originally the leader of Jiangnan, but now that Lin Jiang is ill, after he passes away, he will donate all those industries of the main branch, what qualifications does the Lin family have to sit in the first place?

  "But at least there's a silver lining, we don't have to worry about the other four families making a move on us for the top spot," Lin Jiang said: "In the next few years, what the Lin family needs to do is defend Suzhou, support the family school, and quickly produce children who can enter officialdom. Otherwise, in just seven or eight years, or at most ten years, the prestige left behind by the Lin family will weaken, and not only the four major families, but also other wealthy families will probably swarm in, wanting to take a share of our spoils."

  Lin Liu became anxious, "What to do now, there are no Lin family descendants serving as officials in the imperial court, I'm afraid, I'm afraid..."

  Lin Jiang slightly raised his hand and smiled reassuringly at him: "Sixth Uncle, rest assured. My grandfather Yu Wei is still around, and I also have some connections with the Emperor, so I can protect the Lin family for a few more years. Moreover,"

  He looked at Lin Qingwan and smiled: "There is still Sister Yuannv, she is the adopted daughter of the Empress Dowager, and was personally conferred as a princess by Your Majesty, so she can make a memorial to the throne."

  The three old men's eyes lit up, yes, others have sons and younger brothers serving as officials in the imperial court, but the Lin family also has a princess who can submit a memorial to the emperor, besides the princess, there is also a county lady!

  "So the most important thing is that in these five years after I leave, Lin's family must be stable, and the head of the household cannot be impatient," Lin Jiang said slowly: "And looking at all the children of the clan, among my brothers of the same age, only Wu Lang is the most steady and has the best character, so after careful consideration, I chose him."

  "Naturally, the selection of a new head of the clan concerns the entire clan, and even if I had the right to decide privately, I wouldn't do so. So over the past two months, I've written to ask for the opinions of the heads of each branch and those studying abroad, and these are their responses. Except for six people who expressed doubts, all 52 others have indicated their approval. Eighth Uncle can take a look."

  Lin Bayi's expression changed, and he didn't reach out to take the letters. Lin Shiyi said: "What are you hesitating about? Just decide on Wu Lang directly."

  He turned his head to Lin Ba and said seriously, "Eighth brother, this is about the future of the Lin family. You can't be muddled because of personal reasons and harm the entire clan. Ask yourself, who else in the clan is more suitable for the position of patriarch besides Fifth Brother?"

  Lin Jiang looked at Lin Ba with tears in his eyes: "Eighth Uncle, now that the clan is surrounded by external enemies, the most important thing is to unite as one."

  Lin Liu, who had been avoiding suspicion all along, couldn't help but say: "Lao Ba, even if you say I have ulterior motives, this time I support my son."

  Lin Ba gnashed his teeth, looked at Lin Jiang, then at Lin Run, and finally stamped his foot, saying: "You all have your own ideas, what's the point of asking me?"

  Lin Jiang fell back onto his pillow and gratefully said: "Thank you, Eighth Uncle, for your understanding."

  Lin Run immediately lifted his robe and knelt down, solemnly saying: "Second brother, please be at ease, and also please ask Father and Eighth Uncle, Eleventh Uncle to be at ease. Wu Lang will definitely not disappoint the family's expectations."

  Lin Jiang's eyes were deep and unfathomable, with a hint of tears, his mouth slightly upturned.

  Apart from Lin Qingwan, everyone else thought he was just looking at Lin Run with a mixture of emotions and nostalgia.

  Eighth Uncle walked out of the house with a gloomy face. Since arriving in Yangzhou, everything had gone against his wishes. None of the things he wanted to do had been accomplished, while all the things he didn't want to do had succeeded one by one.

  He didn't want to stay in Yangzhou anymore, otherwise who knows what else he would agree to if he stayed any longer?

  Lin Liu hastily chased out from inside, he was clever at this moment, knowing that he couldn't let Lao Ba return first, otherwise when they returned later, who knows what gossip would spread in the clan?

  Lin Liu pulled him along and said: "Second Brother is seriously ill, can we just leave Wen Jie's sister and niece like this? The weak are weak, the young are young, how can we be at peace?"

  "Isn't there also Gorō? Oh, right, Saburō is here too. Let the brothers stay behind then."

  "Sixth Uncle puffed out his cheeks and said, 'Some things are better left for us older folks to handle.'"

  Sixth Uncle was polite, but Eleventh Uncle directly showed a sarcastic expression and said: "Let Sanlang help Erlang, you're really thinking of it, he won't get angry with Erlang, that's already good. Moreover, he can't even get out of bed now, right? Anyway, they've all stayed for so long, what's the harm in staying a little longer? Now the heat is at its peak, I don't want to travel at this time."

  "Uncle Eight heard this and said with a sigh: 'I didn't let you go on the road, I'll go myself!'"

  "That's even more impossible, who knows how you'll wag your tongue when you get back?" Eleventh Uncle slanted his eyes at him, disdainfully saying: "You're like a gossipy old woman, I don't believe you. If you go first, by the time I get home, it might have already spread to the whole clan and become a rumor."

  "You, you," Ba Shu's hands were shaking with anger. "Lin Eleven, don't be too arrogant. When have I ever spoken ill of you?"

  Eleventh Uncle jumped up and said: "When did you not say? When the Ninth House wanted to sell that piece of land on Lushan, wasn't it you who secretly told me to force the Ninth House to sell the land to me?"

  "Fart, I didn't say that." Eighth Uncle said with a straight face: "Besides, you know whether you've been forced or not."

  "Sixth Brother, you see, I told you it wasn't what he said. The land at the foot of Jiufang Mountain was so poor, did I need to force them? They begged me to buy it from them..."

  Inside the house, Lin Qingyan fed Lin Jiang a sip of water and heard the commotion outside, then looked at Lin Run beside her: "They're fighting again, aren't you going to go take a look?"

  Lin Run's forehead twitched slightly as he nodded at Lin Jiang and backed away.