Chapter 691: Deliberately Making Trouble

"In the past, there were no clocks, so people worked at sunrise and rested at sunset; that rule is still applicable."

"But nowadays people like to sleep late, and sleeping late means they have to wake up late to ensure enough sleep... sweeping the courtyards and cleaning, adapting to dirt courtyards, but now it's all marble tiles being watered down, isn't that silly?"

Ji Yingjie felt that she was the silly one, no, she was going to go crazy.

Is nitpicking meaningful?

The family rules state the general intent, which is to make the clansmen diligent and clean; who said it must be done according to a fixed method of cleaning?

She seriously suspected that Shi Youxuan was looking for trouble.

Her suspicion was correct; that was exactly the case.

Shi Youxuan went on and on, criticizing the "family rules" as being completely worthless.

Isn't it easy to find bones in an egg?

As long as one wants to find fault, one can find problems even in something perfect!

Not to mention how could the "family rules" possibly be perfect? Every rule and regulation is something that restricts people; finding faults here is simply too easy.

Ji Yingjie interrupted her several times, telling her to stop talking.

One must have reverence for the ancestors; if she doesn't do it, the future Clan Leaders will easily follow suit and overturn the rules she set.

Shi Youxuan never intended to be the Clan Leader, so she didn't care at all.

The more she was told not to speak, the more energetic she became.

Later on, seeing that her aunt's expression was about to collapse, Shi Youxuan finally shut her mouth.

Although she stopped talking, she still looked like she hadn't had enough.

Ji Yingjie's face turned green: "You go out, I want to be quiet by myself."

Shi Youxuan: "Aunt, are you not feeling well? Should I have the doctor come over to take a look?"

"No need, I'm just tired, I'm not unwell."

"Alright, then I will come to see you later."

Shi Youxuan went out, and after Ji Yingjie calmed down, she thought that perhaps she was too impatient; how could one become fat in one bite?

The family rules were only memorized but not yet understood; it shouldn't be a big deal for her niece to argue back.

If she lets her recite them a few more times, she should be able to understand them.

Another two hours passed.

Shi Youxuan came to knock on the door again: "Knock, knock, knock."

"Come in."

Shi Youxuan entered: "Aunt, do you feel better?" She brought in a bowl of ginseng soup, which was still steaming.

She placed the soup bowl on the table, brought over a cushion, adjusted it to a suitable angle, and helped her aunt sit up and lean back.

Then she picked up the soup bowl again and fed her aunt by hand, spoonful by spoonful, until all the ginseng soup was finished.

Shi Youxuan carefully tucked the quilt for her aunt and sat by the bed to massage her legs; seeing her niece looking so submissive and obedient, Ji Yingjie found it very pleasing to the eye.

She thought the "family rules" had taken effect.

"Xuanxuan, the family rules..."

Shi Youxuan took out a scroll of paper and handed it to Ji Yingjie: "Aunt, the family rules are here."

"Hmm? You memorized them?" Ji Yingjie was quite happy.

Shi Youxuan: "No, this is the second generation of family rules I have rewritten according to the wishes of the ancestors throughout the ages; please take a look."

Ji Yingjie:...

She had a premonition that it wouldn't be anything good, but she still took it and opened it—she almost fainted from anger after just one look!

Family Rules.

Page one.

Set an alarm in the morning; early to bed and early to rise makes for a healthy body.

Declutter the room; clean and tidy attracts the God of Wealth.

Exercise your body to protect yourself.

Work hard and strive to make money.

Don't talk to me about ideals; I know everyone's ideal is not to go to work...

Ji Yingjie couldn't keep reading after half a page; she sank her face in displeasure: "Shi Youxuan, who allowed you to change the family rules at will?"

"Is what you've changed still family rules? It's more like a nursery rhyme."

After Shi Youxuan changed them, they still sounded catchy on the surface, and if one were to delve into the meaning, one couldn't say they were wrong either.

It's just that they had absolutely no deterrent power.

Shi Youxuan argued with strong justification: "Didn't you say the family rules were set by the Clan Leaders of the past? Anyway, I am the next Clan Leader you appointed, I'm just exercising some of the Clan Leader's rights in advance."

"If you don't want me to make any changes, wouldn't it be the same to have anyone else be the Clan Leader? Why must you insist on holding onto me?"

"By the way, you can tear it up if you want; I have a backup anyway. After I take office, I will immediately change the family rules to the new ones, and the people will surely support me."

Ji Yingjie felt that she was thinking too highly of herself.

Without rules, there is no standard.

Family rules that only have encouragement and kindness, but no punishment or deterrent effect, are useless.

Perhaps it will win the support of the people at first, but as long as wrongdoings go unpunished, these family rules are just for show.

Ji Yingjie tried to persuade her earnestly for a long time, but it was of no use.

Shi Youxuan was determined to "reform," and for the Ji Family to have a new look and a new atmosphere.

Later, Ji Yingjie realized—she was doing it on purpose.

She was deliberately using the family rules to anger her, wanting to make her give up the idea of letting her be the next Clan Leader and let them go home as soon as possible.

Deliberately causing trouble, just wanting to leave.

It's not that easy.

If one plan fails, hatch another!

Ji Yingjie started to take the sob story route.

"Xuanxuan, the position of Clan Leader actually belongs to your mother; you should already understand this matter. I have been in this position for over twenty years, and every day I have been suffering. I feel like I have stolen your mother's life."

"If she hadn't left the Ji Family back then, she wouldn't have passed away at such a young age..." As she spoke, she wiped away her tears.

Shi Youxuan was caught off guard by this move.

She was typically someone who yielded to soft tactics but not hard ones; seeing her aunt wipe away tears, the follow-up moves she had prepared instantly became ineffective and couldn't be used at all.

Moreover, Ji Yingjie rarely softened her stance; suddenly lowering her pride had an even greater impact.

In the end, Shi Youxuan compromised.

She agreed to have a trial period to try exercising the powers of the Clan Leader.

After a period of adjustment, if she was indeed suitable to be the Clan Leader, then she would stay.

If she was not suitable, her aunt could not force her to stay and would have to let them go back.

Ji Yingjie readily agreed.

This round of PK could be considered a draw between the two, with no winner or loser.

Shi Youxuan memorized the family rules, and Ji Yingjie also kept her word, allowing the three of them to video call home.

Sheng Family.

The parents-in-law, Shi Ran, Sheng Zichen, and Qi Heng gathered together.

Sheng Jiang wiped away tears in excitement: "Thank heavens, we've finally made contact. It's good that you are all fine; as long as you are safe and sound, that's enough. You must take good care of yourselves, you really must..." Actually, he had many things he wanted to say, but once he truly saw them, he only repeated one sentence.

Because they couldn't be reached for these past few days, the hearts of the entire family had been hanging in suspense.

Sheng Jiang still had to comfort his wife and soothe the children.

He had been holding on firmly, not daring to show his worry no matter how anxious he felt inside.

After all, the family consisted only of women and children, and he was the only man; he could not appear too fragile.

Now, the heart that had been hanging in suspense finally settled back into his chest.

Although his son and daughter-in-law had not yet returned, it was good enough to be able to make contact.

Sheng Hanyu: "Please rest assured, we are very safe. The matters here have also been dealt with. Since it was so hard to come out once, we want to travel around a bit more outside; don't worry about us..."

In order not to let his family worry, he lied.

He described being under house arrest as being enamored with the beautiful scenery here, with the sole purpose of keeping his family from worrying.

Seeing that they were fine, the family readily agreed, telling them to have a good time and not to worry about things at home.

Jian Family.

Wan'er pointed the camera at the three children to let Jian Yining see them.

She told him that the children were all very well, changing every day, and were very healthy.

She was also doing well, only she missed him very much...

Jian Yining did not meet with his mother.

When his mother saw him, she would be full of tears, looking as if she had suffered some great grievance; she could make a sesame-sized matter sound as big as a watermelon, yet she could not see the truly important matters.

The husband and wife had endless things to say during their video call.

As the two were speaking sweetly, suddenly—"Bang!"

Lady Jian pushed the door open and walked right in.

"Jin Wan'er, what kind of intentions do you have? Who let you put salt in the dinner?" Wan'er was in her postpartum recovery period, and all her meals had to be vetted by her mother-in-law.