Zhu Huating's reputation was ruined, and he couldn't care about the comments of the people behind him in front of outsiders, because those were outsiders.

But once he went to the clan assembly, he was all the clansmen who talked about him.

"Daddy, I'd better go by myself. In case the daughter behaves badly and is laughed at, she will be ridiculed by others, and her father will be ridiculed. It's better for the father to wait for news at home, and the daughter will be more comfortable to deal with it when the time comes. ”

"What are you afraid of. My Fu Ya'er is used to being laughed at for the sake of our family, and she is used to being laughed at for her father, so what else is there to scruple about? ”

Zhu Huating patted his daughter's head.

He knew that Zhu Youning participated in the clan conference for that competition, although his baby daughter has been reading and learning since she was a child, she is young and has not gone to the Zhu family's home school to learn business.

The competition at the clan conference is to select the best in the family to select and rank, Zhu Youning went, eighty percent is also invincible, he thinks that it is good to take Zhu Youning to meet the world, but there are so many people, among them there are many strangers, he is not around, where can he rest assured? What if someone does something bad?

He now only has his daughter to rely on for his life.

Zhu Youning understood that Zhu Huating was not worried that she would face the Zhu family by herself, so after thinking about it, she had to nod and say, "It's okay for Daddy to go with me, so as not to get lost." ”

Listening to her seriously say that she would get lost, Zhu Huating was amused and laughed, and the depression in his heart dissipated a little.

There was nothing to say all night, and the next day, Zhu Huating still went out to find something to do, but for two consecutive days, Zhu Youning didn't hear him mention what his new job was, so he didn't ask much.

On October 30, the weather was overcast, as if a heavy rain was coming. Zhu Youning and Zhu Huating got up early to eat, and rushed to a courtyard southeast of the Zhu family's mansion.

After a hundred years, the Zhu family has a big business, and it can be regarded as a first-class family in Fuyang, which is an acre of three-point land, not to mention wealth, just the courtyard where the Zhu family ancestral hall is located, can accommodate five or six hundred people.

It is said that when this ancestral hall was built, people who were proficient in the art of Kanyu were specially invited to see it, and this piece of land was specially selected. In the past, this area was all private houses, and the Zhu family had a lot of money, so they bought all those private houses and razed them to the ground, so that they have such a spacious courtyard today.

The doors of the ancestral hall were all open, and when Zhu Youning and Zhu Huating easily squeezed to the front, they saw Old Lady Zhu with a few children and grandchildren, kowtowing incense in the ancestral hall, and they seemed to be talking, but what they said was not true.

Zhu Huating ignored the gaze of others, looked at the familiar scene in the ancestral hall, and couldn't help but feel depressed, and took Zhu Youning's hand tightly.

Zhu Youning raised her head worriedly, but she was short, and she could only see Zhu Huating's stubble chin, and then look at those who were sneaking or blatantly looking at the people on the left and right, Zhu Youning's lips were pursed into a line.

Mrs. Zhu took her children and grandchildren to worship their ancestors, walked out of the ancestral hall and stood under the corridor.

Zhu Youning looked at those people, and most of them she could call out. Just standing beside Mrs. Zhu, a forty-year-old man dressed in royal blue cocoon silk looked very bright.

Looking at the descendants of the Zhu family and the nearby villagers and neighbors gathered in the courtyard, the crowd was even more lively than rushing to the market, and the old lady Zhu was full of pride, and his voice trembled a little when he spoke loudly.

"Today is the annual clan meeting of the Zhu family, thank you for your support, and thank you for the presence of Lord Lu, the prefect of Hangzhou." As he spoke, he bowed his hand to the person beside him.

Governor Lu also returned the salute with a smile.

Zhu Youning was very surprised, he didn't expect that the Zhu family's clan meeting, the prefect of Hangzhou specially rushed over? Originally, she only thought that the Zhu family was just an ordinary family, but in this way, it seemed that she was thinking too simply.

After greeting Master Zhu and Master Lu, she began to talk about the family motto of the Zhu family, which is nothing more than encouraging the clansmen to study diligently, harmonize with the family, and contribute to the family.

Although Mrs. Zhu's speech today was much kinder than when she saw Zhu Youning alone that day, the main purpose remained the same.

“…… The Zhu family attaches the most importance to the cultivation of children and grandchildren, so that the ancestors will pass down the rules of holding a clan conference, and you all know that the Zhu family has been adhering to this tradition for a hundred years, and will select the younger generations for an open and fair competition every year. ”

Old Lady Zhu smiled gently, "Of course, the competition is only a basis for rankings, and it can't prove everything." The people who came to participate in the competition today are all the children and grandchildren of my Zhu family, and they are all contributing to the family. No matter what the result of the competition is, everyone is also for the prosperity of the family. We are all members of the Zhu family, so we shouldn't separate you and me. ”

Speaking of excitement, Old Lady Zhu's voice trembled a little again, and he looked back at the five teenagers beside him, all of whom were the best selected in this year's family study.

"I also hope that you don't forget the family motto when you compete, no matter who wins or loses, you must not be jealous and resentful, you must remember, family and everything is prosperous!"

"Yes, old lady!" The five teenagers saluted in unison.

"Good!" Old lady Zhu said loudly, "Relatives and friends, if the big guys have no doubts, our competition will start this year." ”

Based on Mrs. Zhu's experience, it was time for the onlookers to applaud.

But before the applause rang out, a young child's voice shouted: "Grandfather, I have questions!" ”

The people who had just clapped their hands stopped moving, craned their necks to look at the source of the sound in front of them, and there were whispers of whispers from ear to ear.

Old lady Zhu looked at Zhu Youning, and when she saw that there was a poor Zhu Huating standing beside her, her brows furrowed.

But in front of the public, there was still Governor Lu's mansion by his side, and Old Lady Zhu couldn't say much, so he could only frown and say: "Nine girls, if you have any questions, wait until today's clan meeting is over." ”

Zhu Youning squeezed Zhu Huating's hand, then took a deep breath, stepped forward a few steps out of the crowd, and said in a loud voice: "Didn't my grandfather just say that the competitions in the clan conference are all open and fair?" ”

Old Lady Zhu frowned and nodded, "This is the Zhu family's training, so it's naturally so." ”

"Since it is open and fair, and my grandfather just asked everyone if they have any questions, why did my granddaughter have questions, and my grandfather didn't let my granddaughter say it?"

The little girl's voice was soft and glutinous, with a bit of innocence and coquettishness, and the people who listened to it were so soft that their hearts were in the heart, and then they listened to her meaning between the lines, this little girl was actually reasoning with her grandfather?

The scene of the grandfather's response immediately made everyone laugh.

Zhu Huating's ears were red, and he looked at Zhu Youning with some concern, but he didn't step forward to stop him.

Although Old Lady Zhu was impatient, she couldn't slap her face, so she just said, "That's it, what questions do you have?" Go ahead. ”

"Yes." Zhu Youning's spirit was shocked, and he immediately said, "Since it is an open and fair competition, it is natural that granddaughters can also participate!" ”