Chapter 363: The Glorious Clan Virtue Stele, Stunning��  On the sixth day of the twelfth month. (Par

Chapter 363: The Glorious Clan Virtue Stele, Stunning��  On the sixth day of the twelfth month. (Part 2)

"

The group laughed along with him.

After chatting for a while, Deng Changsheng asked, "Elder Ninth, when we came in, we noticed that the roadbed in the village is more than ten times wider than the last time we visited. What's the purpose of such a large roadbed?"

Deng Shirong smiled and shared his vision for the future: "We plan to turn this road into a scenic spot. We made it so wide not just for traffic but also to serve as a temporary parking area.

With the country's rapid development, more and more people are becoming wealthy. I estimate that in ten to twenty years, cars will no longer be rare.

Our village will become more beautiful in the future and may attract tourists from other places. When there are many people and cars, if the road isn't wide enough, it will often cause traffic jams, which would affect everyone's lives.

Deng Changsheng was left speechless for a moment before he finally said, "Elder Ninth, you are truly amazing. You are already thinking about things that are ten to twenty years in the future. With a clan head like you, the Ye Deng Clan can't help but flourish and prosper!"

"That's true. Uncle Ninth's foresight is beyond what ordinary people can match."

Deng Yun Guo gave a personal account, "When I first partnered with Uncle Ninth to contract the kiln, the annual fee was 100 yuan. I suggested a 20-year contract, but Uncle Ninth said a 10-year contract would be enough because the times were changing so quickly. He predicted that something would soon replace the kiln products, making the business harder to sustain, and a longer contract wouldn't be worthwhile.

To be honest, I didn't fully believe him at the time.

But, as it turned out, Uncle Ninth was right. Now, there are many alternatives to kiln products on the market, and our kiln business is indeed becoming more difficult. I estimate that in another year or two, we'll start losing money."

The other clan members from different branches were all deeply impressed.

At this moment, Deng Shirong, the clan head, was seen as the embodiment of wisdom in their eyes.

To be able to lead the entire clan to prosperity and wealth, and to have such accomplished children, who wouldn't admire such a clan head?

...

By four o'clock in the afternoon, the last batch of clan members arrived, and all the branches were represented.

According to the count, the number of clan members who came from the branches reached over 1,800, setting a historical record for the gathering of clan members at the ancestral land.

The arrival of so many clan brothers made the Ye Deng Clan members feel extremely proud.

Especially after these clan brothers saw the magnificent and beautifully crafted clan temple, and the astounding family virtue stele of the Ye Deng Clan head, they were filled with envy, wishing they could also be part of the ancestral land's clan.

This unhidden envy made the Ye Deng Clan members secretly pleased, and they felt a great sense of pride and honor to be part of the Ye Deng Clan.

At 4:30 PM, 250 tables were set up at the entrance of the new clan temple.

Today, they didn't slaughter chickens or ducks, focusing mainly on pork with various side dishes. Overall, the feast was very abundant.

Besides eating, many clan members also joined the married aunts and elder sisters and the clan members from various branches for a few drinks. The clan members and married aunts and elder sisters could drink as much as they wanted, but the clan members from other branches were more restrained, as they would be staying overnight and didn't want to cause trouble by drinking too much.

Tomorrow, they could drink as much as they wanted, and even if they got drunk, the clan brothers would take them home, without troubling the ancestral land's clan members.

Because they drank more moderately, the meal didn't last long, starting at 4:30 PM and ending by 5:00 PM.

Then, the temple council members arranged for the clan members to be dispersed to stay at various households.

The night passed without incident.

Early the next morning, while it was still dark, the Ye Deng Clan members got up and started their preparations.

Today, no household would cook, and everyone would have breakfast at the clan temple.

Of course, breakfast was just simple congee with pickled vegetables, meant to fill their stomachs, as the main feast would be at noon.

The temple dedication ceremony would include the traditional steps: the Dragon Welcoming Ceremony, the Incense Offering Ceremony, and the Ancestral Worship Ceremony.

The team responsible for the dragon and lion dances had been hired from a well-known group in Longtan Town, which was not far away. They arrived early in the morning rather than the day before.

The dedication ceremony for the Bo Bai Hakka people included three steps: Welcoming the Dragon, Offering Incense, and Ancestral Worship.

First was the Dragon Welcoming Ceremony.

At 9:00 AM, everyone gathered at the entrance of the clan temple. Deng Shirong, the clan head, gave a brief speech, and then the clan members, along with the married aunts and elder sisters and clan members from various branches, set off in a grand procession to the back mountain to welcome the dragon.

Upon reaching the designated location, the main priest conducted the Dragon Welcoming Ceremony.

After the ceremony, the clan members and clan members from various branches welcomed the "dragon" back to the clan temple.

Upon the dragon's return, lion and dragon dance performances were held at the entrance of the temple.

At 11:00 AM, everyone gathered at the temple to begin the Incense Offering Ceremony.

The Incense Offering Ceremony was solemn and sacred, reflecting the Ye Deng Clan members' and the married aunts and elder sisters' reverence for their ancestors, as well as their spirit of remembering their roots and upholding their ancestral teachings.

After the Incense Offering Ceremony, the Ancestral Worship Ceremony began, with the reading of the sacrificial text.

To have their names included in the sacrificial text, clan members had to donate 20 yuan each, but no one would skimp on this.

The entire dedication ceremony lasted until nearly 1:00 PM, with fireworks and firecrackers being set off intermittently. With over 5,000 people participating, the scene was truly lively and grand.

All of this was recorded by the photographers hired by the temple council.

After the dedication ceremony, the next enjoyable part was the feast.

As the drinks were poured and the dishes were served, Deng Yun Guo from Hepu Gongguan asked, "Uncle Ninth, will the food company you established process pork in the future?"

Deng Shirong replied, "We will likely do that."

Deng Yun Guo smiled and said, "Uncle Ninth, if your food company starts processing pork and needs to purchase live pigs, please consider my business. I have a pig farm with over a thousand pigs!"

Deng Shirong nodded and smiled, "Of course, I will make sure to pass the message along. When our food company starts processing pork, we will contact you."

“Thank you, Uncle Ninth, I’ll toast to you.”

“You’re welcome. We are all clan brothers, and if we can help, we naturally will.”

Seeing this, the other clan members at the table began to have ideas and sought out cooperation opportunities with Deng Shirong, the head of the Naye Deng Clan. They were all outstanding members of their respective branches, running different businesses. Some of their businesses had little to no overlap, but others had potential for collaboration.

For example, those who ran paper box factories, oil mills, and flour mills had a natural foundation for cooperation with the Naye Deng Clan’s food company.

Deng Shirong said, “Clan members, we are all clan brothers, and we will naturally help where we can. However, the food company already has partners. If you want to replace these partners, your products must at least have a price advantage. You understand, right?”

Deng Changzhen, who ran an oil mill, smiled and said, “Of course, cooperation must be beneficial to both parties for it to last. If we ask you, Uncle Ninth, to give up cheaper products for more expensive ones, that wouldn’t be right, would it, clan members?”

“That’s right. If the same product is more expensive than others, such cooperation wouldn’t make much sense.”

“Uncle Ninth, we understand some business matters. Under equal conditions, it’s already great to support our clan members.”

“If the price isn’t lower, I wouldn’t even mention cooperation to you, Uncle Ninth.”

“...”

Hearing that the clan members understood his point, Deng Shirong smiled and said, “Alright, I’ll have someone contact you later. Let’s work together and make money.”

“Thank you, Uncle Ninth.”

“Uncle Ninth, I’ll toast to you.”

“Uncle Ninth, if you need anything from us in the future, just give us a call. Whether it’s climbing a mountain of knives or diving into a sea of boiling oil, we won’t hesitate.”

“Uncle Ninth...”

The clan members were all excited. They had thoroughly investigated the Naye Deng Clan’s food company and knew how powerful it was. Once they established a relationship with the food company, they would have a super big customer, and they wouldn’t have to worry about sales. This was a surefire way to success.

The meal continued until three in the afternoon.

Before leaving, all the clan members came to say goodbye to Deng Shirong, the clan head.

“Uncle Ninth, we’re leaving first.”

“Uncle Ninth, when you come to our Shan Kou, please contact me.”

“Uncle Ninth, our Shahe branch welcomes your visit.”

“Uncle Ninth...”

When Deng Changfa came to say goodbye, he also asked, “Uncle Ninth, our Naye Deng Clan hasn’t held an ancestral worship ceremony for many years. Do you have any plans to hold one soon?”

Deng Shirong smiled and said, “You ask at the right time. If everything goes well, we will resume the ancestral worship next year. We will send someone to notify all the clan members in advance.”

Deng Changfa happily said, “Then I will definitely come next Qingming. I will bow more to the ancestors, praying that the Deng clan remains close and prospers.”

Deng Shirong smiled and said, “Yes, the ancestors will protect us.”

They chatted a bit more, and then Deng Changfa led over 200 clan members back to Xin Tian.

The other clan members from various places also said their goodbyes and left.

After the clan members from different places left, many aunts and elder sisters also returned. Some of the aunts, who rarely visited their natal homes, decided to stay for a few more days.

The follow-up work was naturally handled by the clan members, so Deng Shirong, the clan head, didn’t have to worry about it.

After returning to their respective branches, the clan members boasted to those who hadn’t attended the temple dedication ceremony. The temple was already beautifully constructed, and with the clan members’ embellishments, it was described as not just an ordinary temple but a palace fit for immortals.

The family virtue stele of Deng Shirong, the head of the Naye Deng Clan, was also a topic of boasting. The clan members who hadn’t attended the temple dedication ceremony were left speechless and regretted not signing up for this rare and grand ceremony.

...

Deng Shirong and the others didn’t stay in their hometown for long. On the afternoon of the temple dedication ceremony, they drove to Bobai.

Just a few minutes after arriving at Shuifeng Restaurant, they coincidentally received a call from Deng Yunheng.

Father and son exchanged greetings, and then Deng Shirong smiled and said, “Yunheng, a few days ago, I met a very nice girl on the train. She is from Wuhan, Hubei, and her name is Gu Caiwei. She is 22 years old and just graduated from university. She is an embroidery expert.

She has a gentle personality, and her appearance and figure are no less than your eldest sister’s. Due to her good family background and long-term practice of embroidery, she has cultivated a refined and noble demeanor, like those ancient ladies of high society.

In short, she is a very excellent girl.

I have already obtained her address and told her and her mother about you. Now, the idea is for you to start a pen pal relationship. If you get along well, that’s great, and if not, it’s still a good friendship.”

This sudden barrage of information left Deng Yunheng stunned.

When he came to his senses, Deng Yunheng said with a mix of amusement and frustration, “Dad, I’m not that old, and you don’t need to be so eager to find me a wife.”

Deng Shirong replied, “I’m not eager to find you a wife. It’s just that I happened to meet her and thought she would be a good match for you. Your elder brother, elder sister, and Aizhu and Xiaohua have all seen her and agreed that she’s a good match.”

"That girl's photo has already been taken by Aizhu, and she will send it to you. When you receive the letter, take a look and see if she meets your requirements."

Deng Yunheng actually had a lot of trust in his father's judgment, especially given the example of his eldest sister-in-law. Since his father said that this girl, Gu Caiwei, was not only as attractive as his eldest sister-in-law but also had an even better temperament, it proved that she was indeed an excellent match.

Therefore, Deng Yunheng did not resist and replied, "Alright, I'll take a look when I receive it."

"Get your pen and paper ready, I'll tell you the girl's mailing address, and you write it down."

"Okay, I have the pen and paper, go ahead, Dad!"

After giving his second son Gu Caiwei's mailing address, Deng Shirong said, "When you write to her, be proactive. If there are any updates, contact me immediately. Try your best to win her over; she will definitely be a good wife for you."

Deng Yunheng responded seriously, "I understand, Dad. I'll do my best, but relationships are based on mutual feelings. I can be interested, but she has to be interested too."

Deng Shirong said, "It's clear that the girl has a good impression of you, and her mother and uncle also have a high opinion of you. The foundation for a relationship is there. Whether you can get along well depends on whether you share the same 'three views.'"

Deng Yunheng asked, "Dad, what are 'three views'?"

At that time, the concept of "three views" was not yet common, so it was normal for him not to know.

Deng Shirong explained, "The 'three views' refer to one's worldview, life view, and values. If you share the same 'three views,' you will get along comfortably. If they differ, even if there are no immediate issues, problems will arise over time."

Deng Yunheng sighed, "Dad, you really know a lot. I graduated from Peking University, yet I know less than you about many things."

Deng Shirong said, "What's so strange about that? I've lived 28 years longer than you, so I've seen and heard more things. This is the result of time and experience, not necessarily related to your level of education. When you get older, you will naturally know more than I do."

Deng Shirong then asked, "How is your work going? Smoothly?"

Deng Yunheng replied, "Everything is going smoothly. This year, I have been actively promoting the establishment of shrimp farming bases for the fishermen, and it has been very successful. The first batch of fishermen who joined have made money, and the scale of shrimp farming is continuously expanding, greatly boosting the local economy.

At a recent meeting in the city, the higher-ups praised me. If everything goes well, I might get a promotion next year."

Deng Shirong said, "I can't help you with your work, but remember, no matter how much you achieve, stay humble and avoid arrogance. Always take steady steps and build a solid foundation. This is the way to achieve long-term success."

Deng Yunheng said, "I understand, Dad. I will keep it in mind."

Deng Shirong said, "The temple dedication ceremony was held today. I didn't notify you earlier because I didn't want to disturb your work. Over 1,800 clan members from various branches came, and most of the married aunts and elder sisters also returned. The ceremony was very lively and grand."

Deng Yunheng said, "So many clan members from various branches came. It seems that under your leadership, the influence of our Ye Deng Clan is growing. The instant noodle factory is also doing well, right? I can already see the noodles produced by our factory in Fuqing County."

Deng Shirong said, "Yes, everything is going smoothly. The factory in Tianjin is almost complete and will start production early next year. Then, our factory will be producing over 3 million packets of noodles daily. If we can sell all of them, we will make a huge profit."

Deng Yunheng sighed, "Dad, your business acumen is truly remarkable."

Deng Shirong said, "I don't have any special business acumen. The reform and opening-up policies have brought prosperity to the entire country. Anyone standing at the forefront of this development can succeed, not because of my abilities."

Deng Yunheng laughed, "Dad, you don't need to be so modest. I agree that the era plays a role, but there are so many people doing business now. Everyone is standing at the same forefront, so why can't they succeed, but you can lead the clan to success?"

Deng Shirong smiled and said, "Our Ye Deng Clan has indeed taken off, but the most important thing now is to land safely. That's what true success looks like. If the wind suddenly stops and we crash, then all the height we gained would be meaningless."

Deng Yunheng exclaimed, "Dad, that's a profound statement!"

Deng Shirong said, "Alright, let's not talk about this anymore. Focus on the girl, Gu Caiwei, and try your best to win her over. Got it?"

Seeing how serious his father was, Deng Yunheng realized that his father really thought highly of this girl. He responded solemnly, "Dad, I understand. I will do my best."

They chatted a bit more before hanging up the phone.

...

PS: During this May Day holiday, the number of new subscribers has been increasing day by day. With such strong support from everyone, I can't let you down. This chapter is a 10,000-word burst, showing my sincerity. Thank you all for your support and votes.

Damn, a 10,000-word burst is not something a person should do. I was writing until 4 AM last night and got up early this morning to continue. I'm really exhausted!!!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end