Chapter 381
Others could be forgiven. However, his son, grandson, and even his younger brother had committed too many crimes over the years. If they were to be punished according to the family law, they would probably be beaten to death!
Seeing the Clan Leader still hesitating, Bai Qingyan turned her head and added more fuel to the fire: “Xiao Si, prepare the military sticks and long whips!”
The Clan Leader, spurred on by Bai Qingyan’s words, steeled his heart after closing his eyes.
“Such miscreants do not deserve to be members of the Bai Clan. It might be better to remove them from the clan and hand them over to Lord Zhou. What does the Commandery Princess think?” the Clan Leader tentatively asked.
As long as they did not follow the family law and were left alive, he could find a way to protect his son and grandson after Bai Qingyan left. If there were other means, he would also try to save his brother’s family.
“Father!” Bai Qiyun knelt before the Clan Leader. “Father, I am your son, the future Clan Leader! You cannot remove me from the clan!”
“Elder Brother! Have you gone mad?” Fifth Master widened his eyes in shock. “I am your own brother!”
“Clan Leader, you can’t! You can’t remove us from the clan!”
Half of the relatives knelt and wailed, but the Clan Leader remained unmoved: “When you committed your misdeeds, did you not think of today?”
Bai Qingping stood there coldly watching the relatives beg for mercy. He glanced up at his father, Bai Qihe, who barely shook his head.
This outcome for the clan, his father had warned about long ago. However, every time his father mentioned it, his grandfather would punish him. Eventually, his father stopped talking about it and secluded himself in his square courtyard, engrossed in those ancient bamboo slips and rare books.
Separated by the six large doors of the Bai Clan’s ancestral hall, the interior echoed with the endless cries of the relatives, while outside, the people of Shuoyang were visibly thrilled.
The Clan Leader looked at his son, whose face was filled with shock and pleading. Hardening his heart, he shook off his son’s hand clinging to his clothing and said righteously: “I am the Clan Leader of the Bai Clan. While I did not know about these matters, now that I do, I cannot tolerate you continuing to wield the Bai family’s influence to harm the people! It tarnishes the hundred-year reputation of the Bai family!”
The relatives felt a chill as the Clan Leader was even willing to abandon his son.
“Stop begging! The Clan Leader now only has eyes to please the Princess of Zhen. He won’t care about our lives and deaths. He doesn’t even hesitate to remove his son and own brother from the clan. How could he care for us?!”
Someone among the kneeling, crying relatives said this.
Those about to be removed from the clan, filled with sorrow and rage, finally found an outlet. Fifth Master, especially, was filled with venom towards his brother. They were siblings of the same mother, yet his brother did not care about his life and wanted to remove him from the clan.
Fifth Master stood up with the help of his son, his eyes red with anger, and shouted at the Clan Leader: “Back then, we just followed Qiyun’s example! You did not say we were wrong, but instead you condoned us. Now you want to remove us from the clan! You are a great Clan Leader! A wonderful brother!”
The Clan Leader’s eyes darkened as he glared at his ignorant brother. The root of all this trouble was because Fifth Master occupied the ancestral home. Otherwise, there wouldn’t have been so many issues in the clan!
Given the severity of his actions, if handled according to family law and clan rules, he probably wouldn’t have survived.
As the Clan Leader, he couldn’t say this aloud. But these fools should think carefully: if dealt with according to the family laws, would they still have their lives? How dare they resent him!
“Since the Clan Leader has made a decision, let’s proceed quickly!”
Bai Qiyun crawled forward, still begging, but then heard Bai Qingyan say: “Let someone stop them. Those removed from the clan can have Quan Yu’s men assist Lord Zhou in taking them to prison to await his judgment.”
Quan Yu promptly agreed.
Lord Zhou also hurriedly said: “Commandery Princess, rest assured. I will handle this matter impartially.”
The Clan Leader took up the pen. Amid his son’s hysterical cries, he struck these names from the clan registry. With each name removed, the Crown Prince’s guards and government officials escorted the person away. For those not in the ancestral hall, they were taken from their homes.
Soon, the grand courtyard of the ancestral hall, once filled with clan members, became relatively empty.
Only four elders remained standing straight with their offspring, seemingly unstressed by guilty minds, feeling relieved and thankful they did not indulge their children to oppress the people.
Bai Qingping cast his gaze over the few relatives left in the courtyard. His eyes brimmed with admiration as he looked at Bai Qingyan.
Only with such thunderous methods, removing the parasites from the clan while intimidating the rest, could the clan be thoroughly cleansed…
In fact, as the Princess of Zhen, Bai Qingyan didn’t have to go to such lengths. Direct expulsion from the clan would have been the most clean and efficient way.
Yet, Bai Qingyan did not do this. Bai Qingping felt deep gratitude from his heart that Bai Qingyan did not abandon the clan.
The Clan Leader’s trembling hand put down the pen. Struggling to suppress his anger, he asked Bai Qingyan, “Is this to your satisfaction, Commandery Princess?”
Bai Qingyan did not answer but instead asked the Bai family guard beside her: “Has Mr. Gu arrived?”
Not only the Clan Leader, but even the remaining elders felt a bit shaky and nervous. Was there more to come?
“Commandery Princess, Mr. Gu has been waiting outside for a while,” reported the Bai family guard.
“Let Mr. Gu in,” Bai Qingyan said calmly, lifting her teacup.
Soon, the elderly Mr. Gu entered, one hand holding a walking stick, the other embracing bamboo slip ledgers. Following him was the steward responsible for the clan’s accounts, trembling uncontrollably.
Seeing the steward Bai Yong alongside Mr. Gu, the Clan Leader felt a chilling sense of impending doom.
“First Miss, Fourth Miss…” Mr. Gu greeted Bai Qingyan and Bai Jinzhi. He then said, “This old servant and Bai Yong, the accounts steward, have reviewed all the silver sent back to Dadu from the Bai family over the years. We cross-checked the rewards, clan fields, and shop acquisitions, reconciling all income and expenditures.”
The Clan Leader, already exhausted, staggered back a step due to his mounting panic.
“Grandfather!” Bai Qingping reached out to support the Clan Leader, nearly falling with him.
The Clan Leader gripped his grandson’s hand tightly, aware that Bai Qingyan was targeting him.
“These ledgers in my hand,” Mr. Gu continued, “detail the silver that has vanished, the rewards sent from Dadu that have disappeared, and discrepancies in the clan fields and shops reported by the Bai family. Moreover, the income and expenses of these charity fields and shops are all incorrect! Each year, the Clan Leader feigned poverty to the King of Zhen, claiming many families in the clan were struggling. Feeling sympathy, the King would order me to allocate silver to the clan! This silver has also never appeared in the clan’s accounts!”