Chapter 325: A Huge Donation, Shaking Everyone

Chapter 325: A Huge Donation, Shaking Everyone

On the 16th of the fourth lunar month, a Saturday.

More than a thousand members of the Naye DENG clan and about seventy relatives from various branches gathered at the Naye village threshing ground to hold a grand groundbreaking ceremony for the Naye DENG Clan Temple.

The auspicious time had arrived, and the ceremonial cannon fire began. All clan members and relatives started the ancestral worship, bowing and praying for the prosperity and abundant blessings of the Naye DENG clan.

After completing the necessary rituals, DENG Shirong, the head of the Naye DENG clan, delivered an important speech: "Dear clan members and relatives, everyone, today is the great day for the groundbreaking ceremony of our Naye DENG Clan Temple. On behalf of the Naye DENG Clan Temple Council, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to all the relatives who have come to participate in this ceremony!

Behind every temple lies the emotions of generations of people.

These emotions, accumulated over time, have evolved into a culture, a profound and extensive Chinese culture.

We are all descendants of Gong Wen. The old temple, now severely dilapidated due to years of neglect, must be rebuilt. The temple is the bond of the clan's bloodline and a symbol of the clan's prosperity. A thriving clan enjoys continuous sacrifices and incense offerings, while a declining clan sees its temple fall into ruin and its incense offerings cease.

This reconstruction of the temple aims to build a temple that will stand for a hundred years without decay, a temple that will be the best in the country.

The budget for rebuilding the temple is 1.18 million yuan. Today's groundbreaking ceremony is just the first step in a long journey. I hope all clan members and relatives will actively donate to build this temple, a sacred place for educating future generations, honoring ancestors, respecting the wise, and strengthening clan ties."

As soon as he finished speaking, the venue erupted into thunderous applause.

Following this, other members of the Clan Temple Council, such as DENG Shian and DENG YunGui, also delivered speeches, as did representatives from various branches.

After completing these procedures, it was time for the most exciting part—the donations.

"Dear clan members and relatives, let me set the ball rolling for you all!"

DENG YunGui stood up first, smiling, and said, "I, DENG YunGui of Naye, will donate 6,888 yuan for the personal merit stone and an additional 10,000 yuan for the family merit stone."

He had carefully considered this amount. The personal donation of 6,888 yuan should place him at the front of the personal merit stone, while the family donation of 10,000 yuan would secure a top-tier stone, with a good position.

A total donation of 16,888 yuan was indeed a significant amount. To put it bluntly, even in the future, such a donation would rank among the top, and in the current era, it could build a decent temple.

For DENG YunGui, this was also a substantial sum. The total annual profit from his partnership in the pottery factory with Gong Jiu did not even reach this amount. If he relied solely on the pottery factory's income, it would take at least two and a half years to save up this amount.

Fortunately, DENG YunGui also had considerable shares in the passenger transport company, totaling 18 shares. This year, he received a dividend of 10,800 yuan, and combined with the pottery factory's annual income, he could easily afford this donation.

After all, it was just one year's income. As one of the first villagers to venture into business, DENG YunGui's foresight was not lacking. With the clan's current development pace, it was unlikely that any household would lack money in the future.

However, the opportunity to have one's name inscribed on the merit stone and wall was a once-in-a-lifetime chance. Even if one had a million yuan in the future, such an opportunity would not come again.

Therefore, he must seize this opportunity and ensure his name is inscribed on the merit stone and wall for future generations to admire.

Without a doubt, DENG YunGui's donation amount immediately caused a stir at the scene.

"Wow, Uncle YunGui is really going all out!"

"Uncle YunGui is amazing, donating 16,888 yuan at once, enough to buy more than three houses in the Naye DENG community."

"I wish I could donate like Uncle YunGui, but I'm a bit short on cash right now and can't manage it."

"Ha, saying that, didn't the clan head say the temple will take at least two to three years to build? You can sign up for a donation now and pay when you have more money!"

"Sigh, I wish I could, but when we pooled funds to build a neighborhood in the county, I spent all my savings on a house for my son, taking on a huge debt. Now that the house is allocated, I don't have money for renovations. It will take at least another year or two to recover, so I can't afford such a large donation."

"Indeed, that is a bit difficult. Just donate a small amount to show your support!"

"The family merit wall is still important, but a basic level will do!"

"..."

As the Naye DENG clan members discussed, the relatives from various branches were also shocked by DENG YunGui's generosity.

Since they arrived at the ancestral land, DENG YunGui had been one of the primary hosts. These relatives naturally knew about DENG YunGui's situation, aware that he partnered with Uncle (Gong) Shirong in a pottery factory, which was doing reasonably well.

However, the pottery factory's business could not compare to a brick factory. The pottery factory was a specialized industry, heavily reliant on skilled masters, making it difficult to scale up. In contrast, the brick factory had lower technical requirements, higher demand, and once scaled up, could generate substantial profits.

DENG Changfa and DENG Changbao, who operated brick factories, had more to say about this.

Therefore, these relatives deduced that DENG YunGui's financial condition was indeed good, but he was still slightly behind them.

As a result, with a single donation of 16,888 yuan, DENG YunGui truly made everyone look at him with new eyes.

Many clan members felt the pressure.

Following DENG YunGui's lead, DENG Yunqiang also stood up and said, "I, Naye DENG Yunqiang, will donate 3,888 yuan personally and an additional 10,000 yuan for the family merit stone."

DENG Yunqiang's family conditions naturally couldn't compare to DENG YunGui's, but their income was still substantial. The lychee and watermelon sales brought in a steady few thousand yuan each year, and with his shares in the passenger transport company, he could earn over ten thousand yuan annually.

Donating 13,888 yuan was equivalent to more than a year's income, but it would bring at least a century's worth of glory. He couldn't miss out on such an opportunity.

Following this, other members of the Naye DENG clan also stepped up.

"I, Macun DENG Yunfei, will donate 1,888 yuan personally and 10,000 yuan for the family merit stone."

"I, Daozhang DENG Changming, will donate 888 yuan personally and 5,000 yuan for the family merit stone."

"I, Yangdip DENG Yunshou, will donate 688 yuan personally and 6,888 yuan for the family merit stone."

"..."

One after another, clan members made significant donations, causing the eyes of the other clan members to widen in amazement.

At this moment, the clan members from various branches began to understand why the head of the Naye DENG clan dared to propose a temple budget of 1.18 million yuan.

After a few minutes of observation, one of the clan members finally couldn't hold back.

"I, Hepu Shankou clan member DENG Changqiang, will donate 3,888 yuan personally and 10,000 yuan for the family merit stone."

The clan member responsible for recording the donations was taken aback. This clan member was indeed formidable, donating 13,888 yuan right away. It seemed the clan head wasn't wrong; among the many branches, there were quite a few big bosses.

DENG Changqiang's donation sparked the enthusiasm of the other clan members, and they began to donate generously.

"I, Hepu Gongguan clan member DENG YunGuo, will donate 2,888 yuan personally and 10,000 yuan for the family merit stone."

"I, Beiliu Licao clan member DENG Changxing, will donate 1,888 yuan personally and 6,888 yuan for the family merit stone."

"I, Bobai Xintian DENG Changfa, will donate 6,888 yuan personally and 13,888 yuan for the family merit stone."

As the donations began to surge, the donation from the Xintian DENG clan head immediately drew the attention of everyone present. His personal and family donations combined exceeded 20,000 yuan, making him the largest donor so far.

DENG Changfa had carefully considered this amount.

As the head of the Xintian DENG clan, he needed to uphold the honor of his branch. Additionally, this would bring significant personal benefits. By contributing so much to the temple, he would ensure that if he ever needed help in the future, the Naye DENG clan members would not hesitate to assist him.

The Naye DENG clan had over 3,000 members and was developing very rapidly, forming a strong network of connections.

Though he might not need to seek help from the Naye DENG clan in the future, he liked to have a backup plan. Establishing good relations now was like buying insurance, ensuring peace and security. If something unexpected happened, he would have a place to turn for help, providing a safety net.

Seeing the clan head take action, DENG Changli also stepped up, saying, "I, Xintian DENG Changli, will donate 5,888 yuan personally and 13,888 yuan for the family merit stone."

Although his economic conditions were even better than the clan head's, he didn't need to outdo him. Matching the family merit stone donation and donating 1,000 yuan less personally seemed very appropriate.

This statement again sparked discussions among the Naye DENG clan members and other clan members from various places. The Xintian DENG clan was now looked upon with newfound respect, as the two of them had made such large donations, demonstrating significant economic strength.

DENG Changbao and DENG Changxiong, who had been observing from the Naye DENG clan, exchanged glances and then acted in unison.

"I, Bangba DENG Changxiong, will donate 8,888 yuan personally and 20,000 yuan for the family merit stone."

"I, Jimaoling DENG Changbao, will donate 10,000 yuan personally and 23,888 yuan for the family merit stone."

With DENG Changbao and DENG Changxiong, widely recognized as the second-wealthiest after the clan head, stepping in, the donation amounts once again stirred the crowd.

"Amazing, truly amazing!"

"Brothers Changbao and Changxiong, you guys are great!"

"Donating tens of thousands at once, their financial power is truly terrifying."

"..."

Clan members from various places also expressed their admiration, confirming the impressive economic strength of the Naye DENG clan.

Following this, the donation amounts from both the Naye DENG clan members and those from various branches began to decrease, mostly ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand yuan, with only occasional donations exceeding ten thousand yuan.

Just as everyone's excitement started to wane, DENG Changsheng from Shahe, whom DENG Shirong had favored, suddenly threw a bomb into the water.

"I, Shahe DENG Changsheng, will donate 13,888 yuan personally and 28,888 yuan for the family merit stone."

As soon as these words were spoken, the entire venue erupted in astonishment. Neither the Naye DENG clan members nor the clan members from various places had expected that this quiet clan member from Shahe would have such substantial financial power.

This is over 40,000 yuan!

Among the clan members present, there were actually several who could come up with this much cash, but they wouldn't throw all their cash into a competition for ranking.

Seeing DENG Changsheng donate over 40,000 yuan, DENG Shirong couldn't help but smile. He didn't value the money itself, but as a branch that had moved away for hundreds of years, the willingness to support the reconstruction of the ancestral temple with a substantial donation indicated a strong sense of clan identity.

Such a clan member could be a valuable partner for future collaborations.

DENG Shirong gave the clan members and relatives enough time to discuss. When the discussions gradually died down, he knew it was his turn to step in.

As the head of the Naye DENG clan, he was like the leader of the ancestral land. If this leader was strong, the branches from various regions would actively strengthen their ties with the ancestral land. If the leader was weak, the connections between the branches and the ancestral land would gradually diminish.

So, it was time to give these clan members a little shock!

"I, DENG Shirong of Naye, will donate 188,888 yuan personally and an additional 188,888 yuan for the family merit stone."

As the head of the Naye DENG clan, DENG Shirong's every move was closely watched. When he stood up, everyone's eyes were on him, all speculating how much he would donate.

The Naye DENG clan members had long known about the head's generosity and were certain that his donation would be the highest, but they didn't know the exact amount. They guessed it wouldn't be less than 80,000 yuan.

The clan members from various regions had also heard about the head's economic strength and, given that he had initiated the 1.18 million yuan project to rebuild the temple, they guessed his donation would be the highest.

However, no one expected DENG Shirong to announce such staggering amounts for both his personal and family merit stone donations: 188,888 yuan each, totaling over 370,000 yuan. It was truly terrifying!

The entire venue was filled with gasps of astonishment, everyone being stunned by DENG Shirong's generosity!

"My goodness, I am truly impressed. The clan head is the clan head, his courage is truly extraordinary."

"Uncle Shirong is really amazing, no one can match this kind of momentum!"

"I previously guessed that Uncle Shirong's donation would be between 80,000 to 100,000 yuan, but it turns out my expectations were too low!"

"..."

The clan members from various regions were equally amazed.

"Clan head Shirong's financial power is truly terrifying!"

"No wonder Clan head Shirong can lead the entire clan to prosperity; his courage is really unmatched by ordinary people."

"Good heavens, the total investment is 1.18 million yuan, and Clan head Shirong alone contributed a third of it. No wonder he dared to propose building such a temple, I am really impressed!"

"..."

In the crowd, DENG Changsheng looked at Clan head Shirong with admiration. His tile factory business was doing well, and he had over 100,000 yuan in cash, plus the continuous income from the tile factory, which gave him the confidence to donate over 40,000 yuan to gain a good reputation.

However, compared to Clan head Shirong, his proud savings were truly insignificant. Donating over 370,000 yuan to build the temple proved that Clan head Shirong's cash on hand, even if not a million, was likely close to it.

In this era, a millionaire was like a billionaire in the future. Who wouldn't want to be friends with such a wealthy person?

At this moment, DENG Changsheng was very glad he had donated over 40,000 yuan. Although this amount was insignificant to Clan head Shirong, among all the clan members, he stood out the most and had caught Clan head Shirong's attention.

He should find more opportunities to interact with Clan head Shirong in the future.

With DENG Shirong's donation, the donation event reached its climax. Both clan members and relatives made significant donations.

After half an hour, the donations finally came to an end. DENG Shirong walked to the clan member responsible for recording the total donations and asked, "What is the total donation amount?"

The clan member replied with great excitement, "Uncle Shirong, the total donation amount is 1,283,656 yuan, far exceeding the budget for rebuilding the temple!"

DENG Shirong smiled. The total donation amount reaching this figure didn't surprise him. He alone had donated over 370,000 yuan, and the other clan members from various regions had also contributed significantly, totaling around 280,000 yuan. Together, this already exceeded half of the total budget.

The remaining hundreds of clan members contributing over 600,000 yuan wasn't at all surprising.

Having received the total donation amount, DENG Shirong announced loudly, "Dear clan members and relatives from various regions, thank you for your generous donations. The budget for rebuilding the temple is 1.18 million yuan. With the strong support of all clan members and relatives, the total donation has far exceeded the budget, reaching 1,283,656 yuan."

As soon as these words were spoken, the entire venue erupted in excitement again!

"My goodness, this is incredible!!!"

"Amazing, the budget was 1.18 million yuan, and a single donation event has far exceeded the budget. This is simply unbelievable."

"Indeed, others building a temple with a budget of just over 10,000 yuan would need multiple donation events to gather enough funds. For us to exceed the budget with such a large amount in just one donation event is truly a miracle."

"That's because our Clan Head contributed a great deal. Without his donation of over 370,000 yuan, the total donation would still fall short of the budget, let alone exceed it. That would be impossible."

"Indeed, the Clan Head contributed a great deal, and the relatives from various regions also did their part!"

"..."

As the clan members expressed their amazement, the relatives from various regions also witnessed a miracle, their astonishment echoing the clan members. This trip to the ancestral land had broadened their horizons and made them realize the unity and strong economic power of the ancestral land's relatives.

Upon returning, they would have to share this experience with their own clan members and strengthen their connections with the ancestral land's relatives.

Once the discussion began to quiet down, DENG Shirong continued with a broad smile: "The success of today's temple donation is the result of the unity and joint efforts of all descendants of Gong Wen.

"Starting today, the construction of the temple will begin. We will use the best building materials and the best construction techniques to build this temple.

"Meanwhile, the clan members and relatives whose names will be inscribed on the family merit stone, please provide your and your family's detailed information to the Temple Construction Council. This is necessary for the stone carvers to prepare the inscriptions in advance. Once again, I thank all clan members and relatives for your strong support.

"Now, I declare that today's groundbreaking ceremony and donation event for the Naye DENG Clan Temple has been successfully concluded. I wish our Naye DENG descendants to flourish, produce many talents, and stand tall among all ethnic groups forever!"

The venue erupted in thunderous applause once again.

Today's groundbreaking ceremony and donation event for the Naye DENG Clan Temple had a far-reaching impact, inevitably causing a huge stir among the relatives from various branches.

Once the temple is completed, it will only be a matter of time before it attracts the attention of the relatives in Guangdong.

After all, the Naye DENG clan originally migrated from Lianjiang, Guangdong, and if traced further back, from Fujian. If traced even further, it would lead to the revered ancestral land of all DENG clans in Nanyang.

In a few years, the relatives in Guangdong will begin large-scale ancestral worship, and they will send representatives to notify the Naye DENG branch.

At that time, the Naye DENG Clan Temple will naturally catch the eye of the Guangdong ancestral land's relatives and undoubtedly cause a significant impact.

Even a hundred years from now, when the descendants of the Naye DENG clan recall this day, they will hold these ancestors in high regard.

The clan members and relatives present today are destined to be remembered through the ages along with the temple.

...

In the fifth lunar month, the cuckoo birds called, the doves sang, and the cicadas chirped. This time of year was the happiest for the children in Bobai's rural areas. Not only could they catch cicadas and play, but the lychees, peaches, rambutans, watermelons, and various wild fruits also began to ripen. The hot weather also made swimming in the river a rare pleasure.

In short, every day in May was filled with activities for the rural children, and they played to their hearts' content.

As the lychees and watermelons ripened, the faces of the Naye villagers were filled with smiles. The Naye DENG clan was among the first to follow the Clan Head in planting lychees, and now every household was reaping the harvest.

Of course, in the early years of lychee cultivation, the yields were small, not yet reaching the peak production period, so the main harvest still came from watermelons.

Watermelons were planted by the entire clan and were one of the main sources of income for the Naye DENG clan.

While the clan members were busy selling lychees and watermelons, DENG Shirong took a long-distance bus to Lingshan County. He found a secluded place to take out the motorcycle from the system space and then headed to the XinGuang Farm in Luchu Town.

A few years ago, when DENG Shirong planned to plant Guiwei lychees, he had come to XinGuang Farm to get the saplings. This time, he was not here for saplings but to purchase a batch of Guiwei lychees to sell in Shanghai.

There was no choice; he needed money for various things. Besides the longan, pineapples, and jackfruits business, he planned to venture into the lychee business to earn more money, so he wouldn't be constrained when he needed funds.

When he arrived at XinGuang Farm, it was already around three in the afternoon.

DENG Shirong's decision to purchase lychees from XinGuang Farm was a last-minute one. If he had planned it earlier, he would have come a month or two before.

In this era, motorcycles were a symbol of status. After arriving at XinGuang Farm, within five minutes, DENG Shirong met with the farm leadership.

After exchanging greetings, the farm leader asked, "Comrade DENG, what brings you here?"

DENG Shirong wasted no time and got straight to the point: "Leader, I want to purchase a batch of Guiwei lychees from your farm. Is that possible?"

The farm leader looked at DENG Shirong with surprise and said, "Comrade DENG, there's no problem with you purchasing Guiwei lychees, but you've come a bit late. Our farm's Guiwei lychees have already been pre-ordered, and they are about to be harvested in the next couple of days."

DENG Shirong was not surprised by this. Given the scale of the farm, the quantity of lychees planted was enormous, and they would have secured purchase agreements long before the harvest. It was unlikely they would wait until the last minute to find buyers.

However, the terms of these agreements could be flexible. If the farm had not specified the quantity in the agreements and only set the purchase price, he could offer a slightly higher price and still manage to purchase a batch of lychees.

Therefore, DENG Shirong calmly said, "Leader, I can offer a slightly higher purchase price. Can you spare a few hundred tons for me?"

The farm leader's heart stirred slightly at this and he asked hesitantly, "Comrade DENG, how high of a purchase price can you offer?"

DENG Shirong had a clear idea in his mind and said, "I can offer 70 cents per pound."

This price was not arbitrary. The current purchase price set by the Supply and Marketing Cooperatives was only 55 cents per pound, which had only been raised to this level last year. Before that, it was only 50 cents per pound.

Other entities, whether state-owned enterprises, collective enterprises, or individuals, even if they offered a higher price than the Supply and Marketing Cooperatives, it would not be much higher, at most 60 to 65 cents per pound, and it was impossible for it to exceed 65 cents per pound.

Therefore, offering 70 cents per pound was definitely considered a high price.

The farm leader's eyes lit up when he heard this and asked, "Comrade DENG, you really can offer 70 cents per pound?"

DENG Shirong nodded, "Of course, giving me a few hundred tons should be no problem, right?"

The farm leader immediately agreed, "No problem. If you need more, I can give you more."

As DENG Shirong had guessed, the farm indeed sold to others at only 60 cents per pound. Selling at 70 cents per pound would mean a 10-cent difference per pound. For 300 tons, that would amount to an additional 60,000 yuan.

Though 60,000 yuan was not a huge sum for their large-scale farm, it was like finding money on the ground, and no leader would be indifferent to such a windfall.

DENG Shirong smiled, "Sure, how many tons can you spare, and I'll take them all."

The farm leader held up his hand and said, "Comrade DENG, I can give you 500 tons."

DENG Shirong nodded, "Alright, no problem."

With the system space, he didn't have to worry about the lychees spoiling if they weren't sold immediately. The only concern was a slight delay in cash flow, but he was not afraid of any quantity.

After settling the price, they discussed some minor details.

Ten days later, DENG Shirong returned to Bobai with 500 tons of Guiwei lychees. He didn't rush to sell them in Shanghai but planned to wait a month or two to take advantage of the time difference and sell at a higher price.

Of course, there was another reason: his third son was about to take the college entrance exam.

Compared to business, his third son's college entrance exam was a much bigger deal.

...

In the afternoon.

At Suifeng Restaurant.

During dinner, DENG Shirong looked at his third son and asked, "Xiao Song, you're taking the college entrance exam tomorrow. Are you confident?"

DENG YunSong swallowed his food and said confidently, "Dad, of course I'm confident. Just wait for my good news!"

"Though the college entrance exam is important, don't put too much pressure on yourself. Unlike the ancient imperial exams, where failing meant waiting three years to retake, modern exams can be retaken the next year if you don't perform well this time," DENG Shirong said, recalling how many students in the future struggled under the immense pressure of the exam. He felt it was necessary to give his son a heads-up to avoid the same fate: "Also, the college entrance exam is indeed very important for ordinary families, often seen as their only path to success. But for you, it's different. You've seen how our family is developing. College is not your only path, so relax and do your best, okay?"

DENG YunSong understood that his father was saying this to ease his pressure. However, pressure was something that affected those who weren't top students. As a consistent top student in his grade for three years, he had no such concerns. He smiled, "Dad, don't worry. It's just an exam. What pressure?"

DENG YunTai joined in, laughing, "Top students are different. I had average grades when I took the exam, and I was always on edge. I knew how to solve some problems, but my mind was so scrambled that I couldn't remember how to do them, and I lost a lot of points."

ZHANG Xiuping joked, "I doubt you could have made it to college even with a few more points added."

DENG YunZhen laughed heartily, "Sister-in-law, you're right. With my brother's awful grades, even adding a hundred points probably wouldn't get him into college."

DENG YunTai said helplessly, "YunZhen, don't dig up old stories. Give your big brother some face, will you?"

"Ha ha ha ha!"

Everyone couldn't help but laugh, and the atmosphere instantly became much lighter.

DENG Shirong gave his final reminder, "Xiao Song, there's no need to say more. Just take care of your diet. Avoid spicy foods to prevent any stomach issues that could affect your exam. That would be a real shame!"

"Okay, I got it!"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end