In this world, "Fu Zhi" is used to determine the closeness of blood relatives, and mourning clothes are divided into five categories: Zhuang Si, Qi Si, Da Gong, Xiao Gong, and Zhuan Ma.

  When a ruler's father, husband or son dies, his ministers, children and concubines should wear mourning clothes for three years, this is called the closest relatives in deep mourning.

  "Zi cui qin" refers to paternal relatives, "Da gong qin" refers to grandfather's line of relatives, "Xiao gong qin" refers to great-grandfather's line of relatives, and "Jie ma qin" refers to great-great-grandfather's line of relatives. Maternal relatives are also included in the category of "Jie ma qin".

  What is commonly referred to as "Benjia" refers to the relatives within the five degrees of kinship, once the relationship exceeds the five degrees, such as Lin Lian, Lin Mengde, and Lin Jingzhong in relation to the Lin family, they are considered collateral descendants.

  Although the Lin family in Dongyang Prefecture is a hereditary aristocratic clan, only relatives within five degrees of kinship can truly benefit. People like Lin Xuan, Lin Jingzhong and Lin Mengde were born into poor families, but they managed to stand out because of their own abilities.

  Of course, there are also differences in the distinction between relatives within the five degrees of mourning, and the consanguineous relationship with the great-grandfather's generation is indeed more distant.

  For a long time, the main affairs of the Lin family were all held by relatives within one generation of Lin Tingxuan's ancestors. Specifically, among the elders, they were Lin Tingxuan's uncles and fathers' brothers, among the peers, they were Lin Tingxuan's brothers and cousins, and among the younger generations, they were Lin Tingxuan's sons and nephews.

  Among the people who fled to Jiangning with Lin Xian, those close to Lin Tingxuan include two paternal uncles, one elder brother, five sons, one younger son, one grandson, one nephew, three daughters and two sons-in-law.

  Everyone gathered in the grass hall to discuss Lin Tingxun's funeral, but in fact they were discussing the future of the Lin family. Due to the rules of mourning attire, apart from Lin Tingxun's two uncles, one brother, five wives and his nephew Lin Xuhong, Lin Tingxun's three daughters and two sons-in-law were all excluded from the discussion.

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  Lin Tie walked into the front hall of the thatched cottage, his eyes quietly scanning the crowd. Suddenly, as if remembering something, he asked: "Is it really so? Why wasn't Young Mistress and Young Master Sun invited to discuss the funeral arrangements for the head of the household?"

  The second son, Lin Xuzong, had a bad relationship with his wife. Lin Xuzong lived in Wangxiang Tower on the south bank of Shanglin Creek with his concubine for many years, while his wife and their five-year-old youngest son lived in the main house. Wangxiang Tower was burned down by Zhao Neng and Zhu She's horse thieves, but his wife and child escaped and were brought to Jiangning together with Lin Xuzong.

  What Lin Jie said was that Mrs. Xiao and Young Master Sun were the widow and orphan left behind by Second Master Lin Xuzong.

  Three clan elders were two of Lin Tingxuan's uncles and one was his cousin. They all looked stunned after hearing Lin Xie's words.

  It is said that the two young masters left behind a widow and an orphan, one a woman of noble birth and the other a child of five years old. After discussing the funeral arrangements, just inform them once.

  At this time, Ming Li said to mourn, in fact, it was decided Lin's future path.

  The meaning of the words is clear, the three elders and Lin Tingxun are "big meritorious relatives", but when the Lin family passed down to Lin Xuexi's generation, their relationship with the Lin family became distant as "small meritorious relatives".

  According to the family rules, from Lin Xuxi's generation onwards, those who have decision-making power over major family matters are only Lin Xuxi himself as the designated heir, Lin Tingli (of the uncle generation), Lin Tingli's son (cousin), Lin Xuwen (older brother) and the sons of Lin Xuwen and Lin Xuzong.

  Discussing the future of the Lin family, the second son Lin Xuzong's orphaned mother has a say in the matter. However, now all three elders of the Lin family are being pushed aside, and even Lin Tingxun's nephew Lin XuHong is also being pushed aside.

  In fact, except for the three madams being the main wife and the sixth madam, Shan Shi, being the mother of the young master, the other few madams, apart from relying on the Lin family for their living expenses, also had no decision-making power in major events of the Lin family.

  After Lin Tingxuan's death, the will he left behind made everyone confused.

  Three elderly men and Lin Xuhong were worried that Lin Lian would take advantage of the situation to grasp all the power in the Lin family, and then seize the vast family property. They had been restless for half a day, but it wasn't until Lin Lian spoke up that they suddenly realized: regardless of whether Lin Lian fought for the right to lead the clan or seized the family property, it actually had little to do with the three elderly men and Lin Xuhong anymore.

  Lin's simple sentence was like a heavy punch that left all four of them stunned and speechless for half a day.

  "Right, I'm really busy, I'll go find someone right away..." Lin Mengde patted his forehead and turned around to personally invite the widows and orphans who had stayed behind with Lin Xuzong.

  Lin Xuzong's wife, Madam Ma, was a slender-faced young woman with a few white moles on her face, barely considered to be of average appearance. She had changed into a white mourning dress and walked in holding the hand of their young son, Lin Zhao-yi. First, she paid respects to Lin Xuzong's body: "We orphaned mother and child thank Lord Lin for his care..." Then she paid respects to Third Lady and several other ladies, finally paying respects to three elderly clansmen.

  The third lady was the mother of Lin Xuzong, but she had a long-term discord with her daughter-in-law, Ma Shi. At this time, seeing her come in to pay respects, she wanted to pull her grandson Lin Zhao Yi into her arms, but seeing Ma Shi's face, she thought better of it.

  Ma Shi was a woman with a strong personality. In the grass hall, she was discussing the funeral of Lin Tingxun, but she was excluded from the discussion. She had grievances against the three clan elders and her mother-in-law, but as a mere woman, without any backing in Jiangning, she couldn't argue with them. At this moment, Lin Mengde rushed over to say that Lin Xie invited her and her orphaned son to participate in the decision-making together, and she was naturally very grateful to Lin Xie.

  Lin Xuzong was humiliated by Lin Lian, but he ultimately died at the hands of Zhao Neng. The relationship between Madam Ma and Lin Xuzong had been bad for a long time, and her relationship with Lin Xuzong's mother, San Furen, had also been very poor. She naturally didn't have any resentment towards Lin Lian.

  Madam Ma also understood that if she wanted to intervene in the Lin family's affairs as a woman, she had to keep her youngest son Zhao Yi under her control and not let her mother-in-law, Third Madam, take him away.

  Ma was isolated and helpless at the Lin's, her own family was also in decline and unable to provide her with support. Lin Xie let Lin Mengde personally invite her over, as if she saw a large tree floating in front of her when drowning, and instinctively wanted to hold on tightly.

  Gu Yingxu couldn't help but laugh in her heart, wondering what Lin Xie and Lin Meng had discussed for half a day outside. They simply invited Madam Ma and her son out, and then severely reprimanded the crowd present.

  Three elderly men and Lin Xuhong were as pale as frost-bitten eggplants, while the faces of several other madams were different.

  "The master's last words, Meng Shu told me," Lin Xuan said, seeing that all the people who should be there had arrived. "The master treated me like a parent, I committed a great mistake, and the master's dying wish was to let me return to the clan, how can I repay the master's kindness?" Lin Xuan's tone was sincere and tearful, as if he was regretting his past mistakes. "In order to properly mourn the master, I naturally want to follow the master's last words and return to the clan, without needing your persuasion, ladies and elders. The incident at Shanglinli, you all know that I, Lin Xuan, have always thought of the Lin family, and can slightly make up for my past mistakes. However, there is one thing I don't know how to tell the master in the underworld, so I want to ask for your advice, ladies and elders. Although Jiyun Society was founded by me when I started my own business in Jiangning, Jiyun Society is not just mine alone, Jingzhong is also a member of the Lin family... things are easy to say, but Jiyun Society has shares from the Gu and Zuo families, as well as General Zhang's silver stocks, so it's really difficult for me to let Jiyun Society return to the Lin family..."

  Lin Xuan said this, and everyone present was shocked. Even Gu Yinxiu was also very surprised, after all, she had been on the side of Cao Tang all along, and didn't know what result Lin Xuan and Lin Meng had come up with after going out to discuss for half a day.

  In that year, Lin Xie passed the imperial examination as a xiucai. To win over Lin Xie, Lin Tingxun adopted him as his son, making him a true member of the Lin clan through a distant uncle who had died without an heir, thus bringing him within the five degrees of mourning.

  Lin Zhan has been in Jiangning all along, and the Lin family never brought up the idea of expelling Lin Zhan from the clan. There was no question of him returning or not returning to begin with.

  The Lin family passed down to Lin Xuexi's generation, and the relationship between Lin Fu and Lin Xuexi was even more distant, only comparable to a cousin, farther than the three clan elders' relationship with Lin Xuexi.

  According to the current dress code, Lin Xie was unable to participate in major decisions of the Lin family. However, after Ji Yun She returned to the Lin family, Lin Xie could gain decision-making power over actual affairs of the Lin family by holding a certain proportion of silver shares in various industries of the Lin family.

  Ji Yun She's return or not is actually the key to whether Lin Xie can control the power of the Lin family.

  Lin Tingxun's last words asked everyone to persuade Lin Xie to agree to return the Ji Yun Society to the Lin family. Everyone was worried that Lin Xie would take the opportunity to fight for the clan power, and no one had thought that Lin Xie would refuse to return the Ji Yun Society to the Lin family. At this time, they were all stunned and didn't know what to say, did they really have to persuade him, beg him to agree to return the Ji Yun Society to the Lin family?

  "It was just what Uncle Lin said in his last words..." Lin Xu Hong, Lin Ting Xun's nephew, hesitated and said.

  "Don't try to persuade me anymore, I don't want to go against the family head's last wishes either. It's just that this matter is really difficult to handle, I'll go and apologize to the family head...” Lin said resolutely, “The family head's funeral arrangements still need to be discussed with the ladies and the clan elders together. It's best to send someone to Dongyang and Yanjing to report the death tonight. Whether it's people, money or land, just tell me or Jingzhong, I'll take care of everything accordingly."

  Lin expressed his attitude, removing the greatest doubt that had been weighing on everyone's mind. From now on, everything will follow a clear order and there is nothing difficult to decide. There is no need for everyone to gather in the grass hall to discuss.

  The body was to be temporarily placed in the Leaked Ze Garden Charity House at the river mouth, and then transported back to Shiliang for burial after the situation had stabilized; that night, people were sent into the city to invite Wu Zuo and a funeral home to perform anti-corrosion treatment on Lin Tingxun's body. For fear of changes along the way, two groups of people were dispatched to Yanjing Daguizi and Dongyang Er Laoye to send mourning messages; in the letter, Lin Tingxun's death, last words, and the number of goods hastily brought to Jiangning this time were all written down one by one. The three clan elders, five madams, and other people who had decision-making power over major events in the Lin family all signed their names in the letter.

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  After Gu Yingruo arrived at the river mouth, she lived in the same courtyard as the Fourth and Fifth Madams. At this time, they had to go to the Youze Garden Charity House to keep vigil for Lin Tingxuan, and there were many people coming and going at the river mouth and in the surrounding houses, making it impossible for Lin Xie to have a private conversation with Yingruo.

  Lin Guan finished his other tasks and went to the mortuary at night to pay respects to Lin Tingxun, bringing Liu Yu'er and Xiao Man with him.

  Several ladies, including Mrs. Ma and the young masters and grandsons, were resting in the side room. Lin Xie let Liu Yue'er and Xiao Man go find Yingxiu to tell her his plan, so that she could temporarily calm down.

  In the main house where the coffin was placed, Lin Xie sat on a stack of yellow paper, burning several stacks of paper money for Lin Tingxun. Looking at the nanmu giant coffin, even after death, the most honorable enjoyment is just a cold corpse. He thought that Lin Tingxun's life was quite eventful and he had enjoyed all the wealth and glory. His talent and temperament were actually far superior to his younger brother Lin Tingli. Until he lay in bed unable to speak or move, the Lin family was finally out of his control. If he were born in a chaotic era, he might have been a powerful warlord.

  "Mr. Lin is here..."

  Lin Tie turned his head and took a look, Lin Tingxun's paternal nephew Lin Xu Hong walked in, he made way for him to sit down, saying: "Seventh brother can call me Lin Tie, if according to our generation order, I am the 17th, Seventh brother can also call me Old Seventeenth, we are brothers of the same clan, no need to be formal." He then handed over two stacks of paper money to him, to burn together for Lin Tingxun in the underworld.

  Lin Xuhong is only twenty-eight years old, and among the many brothers in his family, he ranks seventh. In recent years, he has been the general manager of Lin's warehouse. Although his ability, vision, and experience are not as good as those of Lin Mengde, his late father was a close brother of Lin Tingxun and Lin Tingli, so his actual status in the Lin family is much higher than that of Lin Mengde. After Lin Tingxun fell ill, he became one of the main managers of the Lin family.

  Now that Lin Tingxuan is dead, the Lin family has been passed down to Lin Xuexi's generation. According to the rules, all of the main people in charge of the Lin family before will be replaced.

  "Hey, Old Seventeen," Lin Xuhong chuckled to himself, feeling that this one shout had brought the two of them much closer together. In the past, although Lin Xie was included in the family register after passing the imperial examination, he was not looked up to by his brothers in the clan, who intentionally left him out when addressing each other as brothers. Lin Xuhong sat down beside Lin Xie and burned incense for Lin Tingxun, saying, "It's not that I'm speaking out of turn, but among all the young men in the Lin family, I've always thought highly of you, and it's turned out just as I expected... with a big plate like River Mouth, others can't handle it..."

  "What's the point of all this fuss...?" Lin Xuan said, he had no contact with Lin Xu Hong, so it was impossible to talk about any relationship, but he retreated and forced Lin Xu Hong and their three clan elders into a corner where they were about to lose power. He wanted Lin Xu Hong and the three clan elders to think clearly that suppressing him would not be beneficial to them either. So when Lin Xu Hong came to make amends, Lin Xuan naturally wouldn't refuse him.

  "Lao Shi Qi, what do you think Er Lao Ye and Da Gong Zi will do after receiving the mourning notice?" Lin Xuhong asked.

  "Second Master is stuck in Dongyang and will probably send Fourth or Sixth Master to pay their respects, but as for Eldest Master's side, it's unclear." Lin Xian said vaguely.

  Lin Zhan took a big step back, and the power struggle in the Lin family would not shift to him and others like Lin Tingli and Lin Xuwen.

  According to the rules of the imperial court, as the designated heir, young master Lin Xuexi is still too young to participate in decision-making for the Lin family. Apart from Lin Tingli and Lin Xuwen, there are also Lin Tingxun's wife, Third Madame, and Lin Xuexi's mother, Sixth Madame Shan, as well as Second Master Lin Zhaoyi's mother, Madame Ma. Obviously, these three women cannot truly take charge of affairs in person. Even if Lin Tingli and Lin Xuwen cannot come personally, they will appoint a representative to participate in the matter. The previous main decision-makers of the Lin family, including three clan elders, Lin Xuexun, Lin Zonghai, and Seventh Madame Gu Yanshou, are all being marginalized.

  Lin Xuhong came to find Lin Jiewen at this time, of course, did not want to be marginalized.

  "By the way, Uncle Meng just told three clan elders and me that he wants to hand over the affairs of Jiangning to us. He said that all the young masters of our family are in Jiangning, and it's not suitable for him to continue holding everything in his own hands," Lin Xuhong said, "But even if the second master and the big young master send someone over, they won't be able to arrive immediately, and there is no one here who can make a decision. Can't just let things go on in chaos?"

  "Master Er will send someone to cross the river and report back, and there will be a response within three days," Lin Fu said. "Let Master Er make the decision first, and then when the young master comes over or sends someone over, we can discuss it together. You are staying at the river mouth, although the conditions are harsh, you don't have to worry about anything else."

  Lin Xian can confirm that Lin Tingli is unable to leave Jiangning, and this arrangement only requires two points: one is that Lin Tingli will leave Lin Zonghai in Dongyang, and it's okay to send one of his two sons over; the second is that Lin Xuwen will temporarily stay in Yanjing.

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  PS: Brothers, get into the habit of casting red votes!