The matter of revising the Clan Records had been announced for a long time. Naturally, it wasn't something that could be done in a short period of time if they wanted to rearrange all the noble clans of the Jing Kingdom.
However, the revision this time was not to completely overturn the original rankings. Instead, it was to make some changes to the original foundation. The Grand Scholars from the Ministry of Rites and the Hongwen Library were overseeing the revision. Within half a month, they had almost completed it.
A person hurried in from outside and placed a booklet on the table. He said, "This is the first draft that I brought from the Ministry of Rites. Everyone, take a look at it as soon as possible. You must return it by today."
"I want to see how they will rank the Clan Records!" The old man surnamed Zhang snorted coldly and picked up the booklet.
If the Ping Yang Zhang Clan were to follow the rankings announced to the public, they would be demoted by two ranks. This would be a great humiliation to the entire clan. In the future, how would the name of the Ping Yang Zhang Clan be trusted by others?
However, when he picked up the booklet and flipped through it, his beard trembled, and he put it down again.
"I still have some matters to attend to today. I'll take my leave first."
Seeing the old man surnamed Zhang put down the booklet and immediately turned to leave, the crowd was not surprised at all.
The Ping Yang Zhang Clan had suffered a heavy loss this time. After seeing the results, they were already extremely angry and did not want to stay here any longer.
"Let me see."
Wei Fang and Gou Xu, who were the closest to the booklet, went over and flipped through two pages with sullen expressions. After seeing their clan's name, they looked at each other and were stunned.
The representative of the Yunzhou Wei Clan closed the booklet, pursed his lips, and coughed lightly. "I suddenly remembered that I have some matters to attend to at home. I'll take my leave first."
The man named Gou Xu, who represented the Tongzhou Gou Clan, chased after him. "Brother Wei, don't worry. I'll go with you."
Someone flipped through the booklet doubtfully and murmured, "What's wrong with these three people? Even if they're really ranked at the bottom, aren't there so many people who have suffered the same fate as them …"
Not long after the words left his mouth, he stopped abruptly.
The Ping Yang Zhang Clan, the Yunzhou Wei Clan, the Tongzhou Gou Clan …
The rankings of these three clans were not as low as they had expected. Instead, they were higher than the clans of most of the people present.
Not only that, but the rankings of several other clans had also exceeded their expectations.
"What's going on? The Zhang Clan, the Wei Clan, and the Gou Clan, could it be that they've already sided with …"
"That's impossible. Didn't you see what they looked like just now …"
"Then how do you explain this?"
No one could explain it, and no one could understand why these families, who were clearly in the same situation as them, were given preferential treatment in this matter. Why did they do so?
Although this ranking did not determine the rise and fall of the aristocratic families, the impact on them could not be ignored. If the new "Clan Records" was accepted by the world, would their families still be able to maintain the same respected status as before?
While many people were guessing in their hearts, they also looked at some of the people around them with a bit of scrutiny.
On the surface, he seemed to be on the same boat as them, but who knew what he had done behind their backs? Otherwise, why would there be such an unfair outcome?
Who knew how many of them were like Madam Zhang, Madam Wei, and Madam Gou, doing one thing on the surface and another behind their backs?
Someone frowned and said, "Perhaps the Imperial Court did this on purpose?"
"On purpose …" Someone sneered, "Why did they choose them?"
Looking at the expressions of the people around them, they found that it was completely different from when they entered the door.
As soon as the old man surnamed Zhang returned home, a man came out to greet him and asked anxiously, "Father, how did it go?"
The old man surnamed Zhang glanced at him and said, "What do you mean how?"
The man said anxiously, "The" Clan Records ", our Zhang family …"
The old man surnamed Zhang waved his hand and said, "Go and make arrangements for the big banquet in the mansion tonight. Ask them all to come back. No one is missing."
"Ah?" The man looked at him with a puzzled expression.
"Oh yes …" The old man surnamed Zhang thought of something and waved his hand and said, "The land that the academy uses in Ping Yang, donate it all …"
"Donate it?" The man was shocked and asked, "Father, haven't we discussed it with those people? We won't give in on this matter …"
"What do you know!" The old man surnamed Zhang glared at him and said, "I said I'll donate it. Don't ask anything else. Go and do your work …"
The old man surnamed Zhang strode away. The young man stood there in a daze for a long time before he turned around and left with a heavy heart.
At the same time, in another mansion in the capital.
Wei Fang, who had just returned, ordered the housekeeper, "Quick, send a letter to Yunzhou immediately. Tell them that the Wei family's ranking in the" Clan Records "has risen to the third level. Tell them not to make things difficult for the people who are building the academy in the capital and to help them more. Those who disobey will be punished according to the family rules!"
Not far away from the Wei family, the person in charge of the Gou family in the capital of Tongzhou was also ordering his subordinates.
"Don't rest on the way. Go to Tongzhou overnight and tell those rich merchants to donate as much as they can. If anyone disgraces the Gou family in Tongzhou, don't blame me for being impolite!"
Within a day, news of the same content had spread from the capital several times.
"The Zhang family, the Wei family … These people, what are they doing!" The head of the Cui family, Cui Qingze's face was gloomy. "This matter can only be done if everyone is united. If someone is lax, what others do will be seen by the world. In contrast, won't they be reviled by thousands of people?"
Cui Qinghe, the second-in-command of the Cui family, shook his head and said, "It's not just a matter of the Zhang family and the Wei family. This time, the revision of the clan records, His Majesty's attitude is completely unpredictable. At this time, the final ranking has not been decided, and the big families are suspicious of each other. Some people have even taken the initiative to express goodwill to the imperial court … This time, it's our negligence."
…
"This is the simplest trick to sow discord. I don't believe that they can't see through it. Will it work?" The Eldest Princess looked at Li Yi and asked with a frown.
"So what if they see through it? So what if they can't see through it …" Li Yi took out a small bamboo basket from the kitchen, took out a washed apple, and handed it to Yong Ning.
"Shouning, Xiao Huan, Duanwu, come and eat an apple."
Xiao Huan was playing with the two girls in the yard. Li Yi waved to them and gave each of them an apple.
The apple sent by the Wang family had thin skin and thick flesh. It was sweet and delicious. The taste was very good.
He took out the last apple from the basket and took a bite. Only then did he see the Eldest Princess raise her hand and hand it over. He asked in surprise, "Do you want it too?"
"No!" MIngzhu glared at him, slightly angry in her heart.
"You see, the principle is the same. Xiao Huan and the others can eat the apple, but you can't, so you're unhappy … Because what they can't eat, is not only the apple."
Li Yi looked at her, divided the apple into two, and handed her the unbitten half. He said, "So, the reason is not important, the process is not important, the result is important."
MIngzhu took a bite of the apple and thought about it.
Li Yi held the half of the apple in his hand and looked at it over and over again. He didn't find the bite mark. He raised his head and said embarrassedly, "Sorry, I gave it to the wrong person, can you …"
He found that the half of the apple in her hand already had a bite mark. He waved his hand and said with some disdain, "Forget it, forget it, I don't want it …"
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