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Yunchu’s Vengeance - Chapter 213

Chapter 213 - Appointing a New Clan Leader


Physical evidence of the Pillar of State General colluding with the King of Nanyue was fully present.

All military power held by the Yun family was reclaimed.

The Yun family's eldest direct son, Yun Ze, was stripped of his official post.

Members of the Yun family's collateral branches serving within the Six Ministries were all dismissed from their posts and subjected to investigation.

The Yun family of the First-Rank General's Estate thus became meat on a chopping block.

Yun Ze spoke up, "His Majesty ultimate still remembers the Yun family's past merits, saying that before Father's whereabouts are found, he will temporarily refrain from punishing the Yun family."

"In the entire Yun family, is our Run'er the only one who still retains his official post?" Third Aunt Yun spoke up. "This is all thanks to the protection of Run'er's father-in-law, or else our Yun family would have suffered a complete annihilation."

A clan elder of the Yun family let out a sigh: "The Yun family has stood firm for a century and weathered so many storms, yet this is the lowest ebb in our history. If Silin were still alive, the Yun family would surely be able to overturn this case. But if... then dead men tell no tales."

"Hasn't the General of the Flying Cavalry led thirty thousand elite troops to the Southern Border?" another clan elder said. "As long as Father is found, everything will be easy to resolve."

Yun Run shook his head: "The General of the Flying Cavalry and our Yun family are both military commanders, yet the Yun family has always been one notch superior. Now that trouble has befallen the Yun family, the General of the Flying Cavalry is likely glad to see it happen. Do you elders truly believe the General of the Flying Cavalry would wish for Eldest Uncle to return safe and sound?"

When asked this question, everyone present fell silent.

Third Aunt Yun raised her head and said, "Why haven't I seen the Old General today? Where is the Old General?"

Lady Lin had a face full of worry: "After news of the court affairs traveled back, the Old General fell ill from anger. Just now, he drank his medicine and went to sleep."

"How could the Old General fall ill as well!" A clan elder's expression changed completely. "With so many of us here, we need a backbone and leader. What are we to do now?"

"The Old General was already advanced in years to begin with. Even if he hadn't fallen ill, we shouldn't trouble his elderly self with these matters anymore," the eldest clan elder spoke up. " The older generation is old, and there is no need to mention the generation of Yun Ze's father. The pressing matter at hand is to select someone from the younger generation to shoulder the heavy burden of the Yun family and lead us out of our current predicament."

These words met with unanimous agreement from all the clan elders present.

That the Yun family could stand firm in the capital for a hundred years was due first to its illustrious military achievements, and second to the fact that everyone from top to bottom was united as one.

So long as everyone stayed united, they could overcome any difficulty.

Third Aunt Yun's eyes suddenly lit up, and she spoke up, "The person to shoulder the heavy burden must be someone capable. Among Yun Ze's generation, who is the most capable?"

Several women nearby were completely speechless. Everyone else had been stripped of their posts, leaving only Yun Run still in office; she couldn't have made her intentions more obvious.

However, Yun Run's excellence was indeed clear for all to see. Passing the imperial examination as a scholar at a young age and climbing step-by-step to the position of a fifth-rank official was considered quite outstanding.

Yet Yun Ze was the eldest direct son of the Yun family.

The clan elders looked at the two most outstanding juniors: "Yun Ze, Yun Run, how do you two view this?"

Without waiting for Yun Ze to speak.

Yun Run spoke up first, "Currently, I serve as a fifth-rank Bureau Director in the Ministry of Rites. Attending court daily allows me to interact with many officials and gather the latest news. Yun Ze, you have just been dismissed, making many things rather inconvenient... Based on this, why not let me temporarily assume the position of clan leader for now?"

The corners of Yun Chu's lips curved upward slightly.

The Yun family's affairs had not even cleared up yet, and this cousin brother was already impatient to jump out and take control of the Yun family.

Because he knew very well that the Emperor would not truly punish the Yun family to the end. No matter what happened next, the Yun family would remain roughly as it was.

Yet a starved camel was still bigger than a horse. A Yun family that hadn't suffered asset confiscation was, no matter what, far stronger than an ordinary fourth- or fifth-rank family. The position of family patriarch was still quite alluring.

Yun Ze stepped forward.

Everyone's gaze fell upon him.

He was a modest, refined gentleman, gentle to the elderly, kind to children, and courteous to outsiders, enjoying a good reputation both within and outside the family.

Yun Run knew that a person with Yun Ze's personality would surely not compete with him.

However—

"With Yun Ze, the eldest direct son of the Yun family's main line right here, what reason is there for an outsider to serve as clan leader?" The moment Yun Ze spoke these words, Yun Run's face betrayed utter astonishment.

He had never seen a Yun Ze who showed such sharp edge and brilliance.

He had assumed that after he volunteered himself, Yun Ze would directly agree. After all, Yun Ze was the type to yield in everything.

Yun Chu smiled.

In her past life, her eldest brother had indeed directly yielded the position of clan leader.

Having lived a second life, things were naturally different now.

Yun Run was stunned for a moment before instantly snapping back: "Yun Ze, please do not act on impulse. Right now, you are equivalent to a commoner. What can you possibly do for the Yun family?"

"I can arrange a meeting with the second-rank Minister of War, I can meet His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, and I can share tea with the Prince of Pingxi," Yun Ze's smile remained modest and gentle. "I wonder if Cousin Brother Run can do the same?"

Yun Run's face froze completely.

They say when hitting someone, don't slap their face, and when exposing someone, don't highlight their flaws. Yun Ze was plunging a knife straight into his heart.

Although he was a member of the Yun family and a fifth-rank official, he truly lacked the qualifications to talk and laugh with those powerful nobles. He could not get close to those people, nor did those people deign to speak with him.

However, Yun Ze had been in this social circle since childhood. Even though he was down on his luck now and reduced to a commoner, there would always be people in that circle who remembered past friendships and were willing to give Yun Ze that face.

He paused for a long while before saying, "It seems I made it out to be too simple."

Third Aunt Yun had a face full of unwillingness. She had calculated that Yun Ze wouldn't compete, which was why she proposed having her own son become clan leader.

Who could have known that Yun Ze seemed to have taken the wrong medicine, acting so aggressive and overbearing?

She laughed dryly and said, "We're all one family, so it's the same no matter who becomes clan leader... It's just that, well, our Yun family's army tally is still with Chu'er. Shouldn't it be returned into the hands of the Yun family?"

"The Yun Family Army is currently taken over by the Prince of Pingxi. That His Highness gave the tally to Chu'er was out of consideration for past ties between both sides," Yun Ze said in a cold voice. "If the Yun family takes the tally back, it would strongly imply an intent to command the Yun Family Army. That would be showing zero regard for the Prince of Pingxi's goodwill. Do you all believe the Yun family can afford to offend the Prince of Pingxi right now?"

Third Aunt Yun went quiet.

She didn't know what was best to say either, so she simply shut her mouth.

At this moment, another man in the crowd stepped forward.

Yun Chu recognized him—he was the eldest son of her grandfather's fourth brother, her father's cousin Yun Siyuan. She would address him as Uncle Yuan.

"I don't understand those affairs at court, but I know that the Yun family currently needs to use silver to pull strings and pave the way," Yun Siyuan looked at Yun Chu. "At a time when the Yun family needs silver, Chu'er, you take silver to build some shelter instead. As a member of the Yun family, I do not approve of such behavior."

Third Aunt Yun immediately followed suit, "Yes, yes, yes! Doing that is definitely not good!"

"Chu'er is spending her own silver, so how is it not good?" Liu Qianqian spoke up for a rare change. "It is her own money, and where she wishes to spend it is her business alone. It is not anyone's place to disapprove."

Yun Siyuan was stunned.

Previously when trouble struck the Xie family, a vast amount of money was needed to bribe and smooth things over. He had expected that Yun Chu's money should have been drained dry by the Xie family, never imagining she would still have some left over.

Now, it only made him look meddlesome.

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