Chapter 1000: I Have Not Yet Decayed

“You need to rekindle the glory your families once had. From my perspective, apart from a handful of families here, the rest have already strayed from the path your ancestors carved with their blood and sweat. The achievements of your predecessors are not meant for you to bask in; rather, you should build upon them and go even further!” Chen Xi slightly raised his voice.

“To all present, ask yourselves this: If one day you fall, and you meet those ancestors who expanded China's territory, who laid the foundation of its civilization—what will you tell them? What have you done for the world?" Chen Xi continued, his tone stern.

At this point, some of the younger family heads began to feel ashamed. It’s worth mentioning the education noble families provide to their heirs: those groomed as future family heads often grow up studying the glory of their ancestors and the works of notable sages.

These teachings are designed to highlight the grandeur of their forebears, the noble deeds that can stir a young heart. Many of these individuals, when they were still young, once harbored dreams of surpassing their ancestors' accomplishments.

Just think of the youthful ambitions of someone like Cao Cao. History books always depict ancestors as grand, towering figures. The natural tendency is to revere such figures and obscure any flaws, much like Sima Qian's unflinching accounts, which are rare exceptions in history.

Not to mention the way families glorify their own ancestors—painting them as larger than life. For young minds shaped by this grand image, dreaming of following in those footsteps is only natural.

Even those present—Yuan Shu, Xun Shuang, Chen Shang, Chen Guang—had gone through similar experiences. They too once fantasized about surpassing their ancestors. But as life wore on, reality defeated most of them, save for a few who still clung to their ideals.

It’s worth remembering that even Cao Cao once dreamed of striving for the glory of restoring the Han Dynasty, hoping to become the General Who Conquers the West for the empire. This highlights how deeply noble family education can impact young minds.

Though such ideals often erode with time and the harshness of reality, we can’t deny that this upbringing once ignited the passion of many noble heirs.

“Ciming Gong, do you still dream of surpassing your ancestor, Xunzi?” Chen Xi asked in a bewitching tone, his words seemingly outrageous.

“…,” Xun Shuang gave a bitter smile. Didn’t he want to? Of course, he did. Who wouldn’t? To live without leaving a mark—what’s the point of living? Just to wait for death?

Do people think that the Xun family started with Xunzi, or that the Confucian line began with Confucius? Ridiculous. There were over thirty generations before them. Some ancestors established their family names, some laid the foundations of civilization, and others expanded their territory.

But why do people start counting from Confucius or Xunzi? It’s because they were stronger, strong enough to overshadow all who came before them, strong enough for their legacies to last through the ages.

With the creation of the Kong surname from the Zi lineage, Confucius forever set his family apart, creating a prestigious and singular name. From that moment on, though it shared roots with older names, it became its own tree rather than just a branch of a larger one.

“So tell me, what have you done for the world? I ask you, what have you done?” Chen Xi addressed the assembled family heads. “Look into your hearts and tell me!”

“When you face your ancestors, how will you answer them? Will you tell them that you caused chaos by monopolizing land and exploiting the people, leading to turmoil, displacing the populace, and inviting foreign invasion? Will you say you handed over everything your ancestors left behind?” Chen Xi slammed his hand down on the table, his voice filled with fury.

“Don’t pretend you’re oblivious. Anyone who has risen to become a family head, especially those in the front row, has either the courage, the vision, or the decisiveness to understand this. Tell me, are you truly unaware?” Chen Xi’s gaze swept over them, not sparing even the elders of the Chen family. Did they truly not know?

“Ciming Gong, Elder Zhang, Elder Chen, Head of the Wang family, all of you have long resided in the north. Now, tell me, are you aware?” Chen Xi directly called out several by name when no one answered.

“Heh, those barbarians? When have we ever truly lost to them in battle?” Yuan Shu sneered.

“Then tell me, if Doctor Hua hadn’t controlled the plague in time, and the epidemic had spread from Xuzhou to Yuzhou, Yanzhou, and Qingzhou, what would have happened?” Chen Xi stared at Yuan Shu.

“…” Yuan Shu remained silent, never having considered the question.

“If you don’t have an answer, I’ll tell you. Three cases of typhoid fever alone would be enough to vacate 70% of the seats here,” Chen Xi said coldly. “Frankly, I despise all of you. You are so lowly that it embarrasses me to associate with you!”

“If I weren’t from a noble family myself, I wouldn’t give you any leeway. I would sweep you into the dustbin of history, letting you be eliminated as you decay!” Chen Xi said icily, looking at the crowd. “I’m being polite by asking for your help, but do you really think I need you?”

“Are you angry? Your anger proves that what I’ve said isn’t wrong, doesn’t it? You want to act, but you’re afraid!” As Chen Xi spoke, Yuan Shu abruptly flipped the table in front of him and hurled it at Chen Xi.

Thud! With a dull sound, the table shattered into powder, which was then blown outside by a burst of inner energy.

Chen Xi fell silent, glancing at Yuan Shu. He hadn’t expected Yuan Shu to actually act. Scanning Yuan Shu up and down, Chen Xi saw that Yuan Shu showed no fear, while Ji Ling stood ready to protect him.

Though it happened in an instant, the atmosphere immediately grew tense. The tension between the Yuan family and the local powers had already been high, and now things were escalating.

“Gonglu, you’re still as impulsive as ever,” Xun Shuang coughed twice, breaking the silence. Only the elders of the top families had the courage to speak at this moment.

“He insulted me. Should I not act? Does he think he can humiliate the Yuan family?” Yuan Shu said coldly and solemnly.

Chen Xi rubbed the bridge of his nose, then kicked the table in front of him toward Yuan Shu. Ji Ling, just like Han Qiong earlier, quickly intercepted it.

“Tell me, am I wrong? Has the Yuan family not decayed? Look at your governance, then look at Qingzhou and Taishan!” Chen Xi taunted.

Yuan Shu fell silent before slowly saying, “I have not yet fallen, so everything remains undecided. As long as I live, the Yuan family will not decay!”

“Not decayed yet?” Chen Xi sneered. “Look with your own eyes at your own governance. Don’t tell me you don’t know what our ancestors once accomplished!”

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