Chapter 403

After his gaze swept twice around the people in the ancestral hall, Jia Jing finally spoke slowly:

"Since I was ennobled as a duke and became clan chief, I have never met the clansmen."

"First, official duties keep me busy; I really have no time."

"Second, everyone has their own work; if there is no important matter, I also do not want to convene a clan meeting, mobilize the masses, and let so many people suffer."

"However, some matters cannot be dealt with without holding a clan meeting!"

"Recently, the clan's atmosphere has been poor; the rules set by our ancestors are, in the eyes of some, almost become waste paper."

"For the long-term prosperity of the clan, for the reputation of my Jia clan, I have no choice but to gather you all here!"

"Therefore, the purpose of this clan meeting is to eliminate the bad and promote the good, punish the past and guard against the future… to rectify the clan's customs!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the faces of a few people present changed instantly!

However, the left and right guards stood in formation, glaring tigerishly, so for a moment no one dared to speak out of turn!

Jia Jing continued with a calm expression:

"The first matter concerns the disposition of Jia Zhen and Jia Rong of the Ning Guo Fu branch."

Jia Jing paused, his gaze falling on Lady Yu standing before the crowd.

Lady Yu was summoned by him precisely to serve as a witness to the formal expulsion of Jia Zhen and Jia Rong.

Moreover, there is something that must be said:

Last time at Rong Qing Tang, although Jia Jing had made a decision respecting the wishes of Lady Yu and Qin Keqing, allowing them either to remarry or to observe widowhood.

But who would have thought that, upon hearing the news, neither of them chose to return home and remarry; instead, they unanimously chose to observe widowhood.

Now the two live in a secluded small courtyard on the west side of Dong Fu, Xi Lu, going out and returning each day, relying on each other.

At this moment in the courtyard,

Upon hearing Jia Jing mention Jia Zhen and Jia Rong, Lady Yu's pretty face turned deathly pale; she silently lowered her head, the hand clutching her handkerchief trembling slightly.

Jia Jing's voice sank a few degrees:

"Everyone knows about Jia Zhen: as the heir of Ning Guo Fu and the elder of the Jia clan, he does not think of glorifying his ancestors, harmonizing the clan, or striving for improvement."

"Instead, he is corrupt and lawless, breaking state laws, drawing the court's attention, and provoking the emperor's wrath. Had it not been for my timely intervention, he would already have lost his head, and even brought disaster upon the clan, ruining the Jia family beyond redemption."

"But even if he managed to escape death, he has squandered the title earned by our ancestors' blood‑soaked struggle, and his actions have greatly tarnished the reputation of the entire Jia clan."

"Such a person, disloyal, unfilial, and unjust, is truly failing both his ancestors and his country."

"Today, before the whole clan, I invoke Article Twelve of the clan code: whoever violates state law, dishonors the family gate, or ruins family customs shall be expelled and never reinstated; I hereby expel Jia Zhen and Jia Rong."

"Jia Zhen and Jia Rong, father and son, are no longer members of the Jia clan from this day forward."

"I hope you will take them as a warning: state law comes first, clan rules second; no one should think that relying on the clan's influence lets them do as they please."

"Bring the clan genealogy!"

Xuan Wu, hearing this, hurriedly took a black‑lacquered wooden box from the guard beside him, its lid carved with the four characters 'Jia Clan Genealogy' in vigorous strokes.

He opened the box, took out a thick volume of xuan paper, and presented it with both hands to Jia Jing.

Jia Jing received the genealogy, turned to the already‑marked page for Ning Guo Fu, and saw the paper yellowed, the ink faded, with the names of Jia Zhen and Jia Rong written there.

A guard stepped forward and handed Jia Jing a brush tipped with ink.

Having taken the brush from the guard, Jia Jing thought for a moment, then wrote a line beside the names of Jia Zhen and Jia Rong:

"On the thirtieth day of the sixth month of the tenth year of Jing Sheng, Jia Zhen and Jia Rong, having violated state law and clan rules and dishonored the family gate, are expelled effective immediately, removed from the clan, to correct customs and purify the household."

Having finished writing, Jia Jing set down the brush, took the clan chief's seal, dipped it in cinnabar paste, and pressed it heavily over the ink.

The vermilion imprint fell on the paper, at once bright red like blood.

This scene, seen by the Jia clan members present, made their faces turn somewhat fearful!

In the past ten years, this is the first time a clan member has been expelled, let alone a former clan chief.

Having set this precedent, life in the clan from now on will surely be difficult!

Jia Daixiu sighed softly; Jia Zhen and Jia Rong have been exiled by the court and expelled from the clan—from now on they are finished!

The Ning Guo Fu line has lost its title, and there is no one left in the officialdom; this is truly a complete decline!

Jia Zheng glanced meaningfully at Jia Baoyu kneeling in the ancestral hall, pondering something, and pressed his lips without speaking.

After Jia Jing finished stamping the seal, he handed the genealogy back to Xuan Wu for safekeeping, then turned his gaze to Lady Yu and spoke in a low voice:

"Elder sister‑in‑law, although Jia Zhen and Jia Rong have been struck from the genealogy, their dependents are blameless."

"You and Lady Qin, live your lives henceforth; whether you observe widowhood is up to you, and if any important matter arises, you may come to me."

Upon hearing this, Lady Yu lifted her head; her face was now wet with tears like pear blossoms, her lips trembling for a while before she managed to say:

"Thank you, Your Grace the Duke, for your understanding……"

Jia Jing nodded and said:

"You may go now! The officials of Shuntian Prefecture are already waiting in the front hall; go with the guards to register this matter!"

In principle, expelling a clan member does not require an official certificate, but to completely sever ties, the clan often proactively goes to the authorities to 'register and file'.

Such registration is equivalent to an 'official notarization,' amounting to a declaration to the authorities that this person has no relation to the clan.

In the future, if the expelled person commits an offense, the clan can rely on this registration to claim exemption of liability, thereby cutting off the possibility of collective punishment under the law.

In other words, expulsion from the genealogy accomplishes an 'identity split' within the clan, while official registration accomplishes a 'liability split' in legal terms.

Used together, these two measures finally cleanse Jia Zhen and Jia Rong completely from the Jia family.

Lady Yu gently nodded, then was led away by the guards!

With the matter of Jia Zhen and Jia Rong settled, Jia Jing looked around, his expression turning stern, and continued to speak:

"The affair of Jia Zhen and Jia Rong is settled; next is the second matter!"

"Last year at the ancestral sacrifice, I saw that some clan members were living in difficult circumstances, and I thought of giving back to the clan and fostering harmony among kin."

"Thus I provided free training for some of the clan's young and able, and placed them as stewards in manors and shops, aiming to make the clan prosperous, to let all clan members live better and better, and to give them a proper path of advancement."

Back then I had already said: do not engage in deceitful tricks, do not rely on my influence to commit illegal and disorderly acts outside, bullying others with power! Otherwise, if I find out, don't blame me for not showing mercy!

During this period, most of the clan members have done well, cherishing the opportunity, being conscientious and diligent in their work.

But some clan members have turned a deaf ear, violating my orders and ruining our clan's customs.

Come here, take Jia Qiang, Jia Rui, Jia Qin, Jia Jun, Jia Ping...

Jia Jing recited a dozen or so names in one breath, each name like a stone dropped into water, sending ripples through the crowd.

Those whose names were called turned pale, some began to tremble in the legs, some looked dejected, and instinctively stepped back a pace,

But by then the personal guards had already surrounded the ancestral hall, leaving no way to retreat!

"And also Jia Baoyu from the ancestral hall, bring them all before me, each to receive thirty heavy blows first!"

"Whoever dares to shout wildly, flee and resist, or disturb the ancestral hall's grounds, will have thirty more strokes added!"

"Let me have at them, beat them however, life or death doesn't matter!"