Protect Our Patriarch

...

However, since Wang Ningxi had already made that decision, he was naturally prepared for it.

After a brief moment of awkwardness, Wang Ningxi stood up and cupped his hands, saying, "In response to Ancestor's question, it's just that I feel unworthy of Miss Shangguan and fear delaying her life."

"Did Miss Shangguan reject you?" Wang Shouzhe asked, glancing sideways.

"Not at all..." Wang Ningxi replied, "I even received a letter from Miss Shangguan before the New Year, encouraging me not to give up and to focus on getting better. But..."

"But nothing." Wang Shouzhe said, "Family alliances are not as simple as you imagine. It concerns a series of future collaborations and mutual support between the Wang Clan and the Shangguan Clan. Since Lingbo is already engaged to you, she is considered a daughter-in-law of our Wang Clan."

"Even if you are temporarily unable to cultivate, or even if you were truly disabled, the marriage must proceed."

"Isn't that unfair to Miss Shangguan?" Wang Ningxi said helplessly, "After all, if my problem can't be solved, I might only live another sixty or seventy years at most."

The Wang Clan today is not the same as it was in the beginning. Even the children from the direct line are prodigies, aiming for the Celestial Realm in the future.

"There is no absolute fairness in this world." Wang Shouzhe said, "Our Wang Clan is thriving, with great potential for the future. Even if you were disabled or dead, the Shangguan Clan would still marry Lingbo into our family as promised. At most, your Ancestor would find her another male member to marry. Let me think... our family's children..."

Wang Ningxi's face turned red with embarrassment, "Ancestor, I'm not dead yet."

"True, but since you want to break off the engagement, Ancestor must respect your decision." Wang Shouzhe pondered, "How about switching to An Rui's Ningze? He's already eleven, it's time for him to get engaged."

"Ancestor, Miss Shangguan is already fourteen." Wang Ningxi's face suddenly looked uncomfortable.

"Isn't she three years older than Ze'er?" Wang Shouzhe's eyes lit up, "A woman three years older is like holding a gold brick. Being older, she knows how to care for others. Ze'er is truly blessed; they will surely be a loving couple."

"...Ancestor, I know I was wrong." Wang Ningxi turned green at the thought of the scene.

"Since you know you're wrong, Anxin, you can come out now." Wang Shouzhe said.

"Yes, Great-grandfather." As he spoke, Wang Anxin, with a face as dark as iron, walked out of the study, glaring at Wang Ningxi as if he wanted to kill him, "You little brat, how dare you!?"

At this moment, Wang Anxin still looked like a handsome young man, but his mature demeanor was far beyond that of the still immature Wang Ningxi.

"Fa-Father..." Wang Ningxi was so frightened that his face turned pale, and his legs trembled.

The children of the Wang Clan are like this; they are generally not afraid of the Ancestor, as the Ancestor is many generations apart and wouldn't hit them right away.

But fathers are different. The fathers of the Wang Clan have a fine tradition of spanking their children.

No matter if they are prodigies, great prodigies, or peerless prodigies, who hasn't been spanked? Even Wang Liyao and Wang Anye were spanked when they were young.

"Anxin, children will make mistakes, just criticism and education will do..." Wang Shouzhe said.

"Great-grandfather, I understand." With a grim face, Wang Anxin took a step forward, grabbed Wang Ningxi, and skillfully placed him over his knee, then started spanking him fiercely, "You little brat, you have some nerve, daring to break off an engagement behind the family's back! Who gave you the authority, who gave you the courage?"

"Smack smack smack!"

"Ouch, ouch, Dad, I was wrong, Ancestor, save me, I'm going to be beaten to death."

"Good if you die, don't make me worry anymore. I'll just pretend I never had you, and have a few more with your mother!"

"Anxin, that's enough, children should be criticized mainly." Wang Shouzhe said, sipping tea and fanning the flames, "But Ningxi did go too far this time, breaking off an engagement without discussing it with the family."

"Great-grandfather, you're right, this little brat is truly arrogant." Wang Anxin understood the hint, continuing to spank Wang Ningxi while roaring, "I'll teach you to have no respect for father or mother, no respect for ancestors or clan, I'll spank you to death, you little brat."

For a while, the scolding, spanking, and the heart-wrenching cries echoed continuously. Some little ones who were sent back to the study to do homework peeked out from the windows, their little faces turning pale with fright.

This spanking lasted for the time it takes to burn a stick of incense.

If not for his poor health, it might have continued.

Then, Wang Shouzhe treated Wang Ningxi and let him rest on a stone bench, while he chatted with Wang Anxin.

"Great-grandfather, there's a small problem with the second phase of the encirclement project at the Great Swamp." Wang Anxin said, "An eighth-rank Yuan Shui Azure Dragon led a group of flood dragons to cause trouble. Although they were driven away by our clan's guardian ancestor, I'm afraid they won't give up easily."

"This was expected. Although the Yuan Shui Azure Dragon clan mainly resides in the Southern Desolate Swamp, they have always regarded the Great Swamp as an extension of the dragon territory." Wang Shouzhe said calmly, "Since they have come to us, let's proceed according to the established plan. Let Long'er negotiate with them first; diplomacy before force is a fine virtue of our human race."

"Yes, Great-grandfather." Wang Anxin accepted the order, paused, and glanced at the still groaning Wang Ningxi, "Great-grandfather, is there really no solution to Ningxi's problem?"

"I have written to Holy Master Jiang for advice on this matter. Holy Master Jiang has recently replied, indicating that there are records of similar symptoms in the ancient texts of the Holy Land." Wang Shouzhe said, "Coincidentally, I have some other matters to attend to in the Holy Land, so I'll take Ningxi to visit the Holy Master."

"Thank you, Great-grandfather." Wang Anxin said joyfully, "Thank you for your concern for Ningxi."

"Ancestor, there are records of my symptoms in the ancient texts? Does that mean there's hope for me?" Wang Ningxi jumped up from the stone bench, ignoring the burning pain in his backside.

In terms of seniority, Wang Shouzhe is Wang Ningxi's great-great-grandfather. However, in the customs of the Great Qian, the formal title is great-grandfather, and above that, it's directly called Ancestor.

"Not necessarily." Wang Shouzhe said, "After all, Xian'er and I couldn't cure you together; maybe yours is an incurable disease."

Wang Ningxi's face turned black, "Great-grandfather, could you be a little more considerate of a patient's fragile heart when you speak? Don't be so blunt... After all, I'm your great-great-grandson."

"If you're still angry, should I give him another beating?" Wang Anxin pondered.

"Forget it." Wang Shouzhe waved his hand, "What I mean is, Anxin, while you're young, you should have more children. Don't be like your Seventh Brother, married for so many years, and Yi Luo and Xue Ning have only each had one. You young people are too playful."

"Great-grandfather, it's hard to conceive with high cultivation..." Wang Anxin said, blushing and helpless, "The odds are too low."

"If the odds are low, then work harder." Wang Shouzhe said sternly, "Have more children, even if one turns out like Ningxi, you'll have others to rely on, won't you? If he breaks off the engagement, we can pass the fiancée down the line, can't we?"

Wang Ningxi looked as if he had lost all hope, still there, "Ancestor, could you be a little more considerate of a patient's feelings?"

"Great-grandfather, Anxin understands." Wang Anxin knew that Great-grandfather was still angry, so he grabbed Wang Ningxi again and gave him another round of spanking. After all, with Great-grandfather around, he couldn't be beaten to death!

Indeed, Great-grandfather had suffered from the lack of family members since childhood. In his life, he valued the marriage and reproduction of the clan's male members the most. Anyone who dared to defy him in this regard or feigned compliance would not have a good outcome. Wang Ningxi had hit the nail on the head.

After this round of spanking, Wang Ningxi lay almost limp on the stone bench, panting heavily.

"Ningxi." Wang Shouzhe said calmly, "Your invention and creation drawings need to be realized as soon as possible. Once you succeed, I'll take you to the Holy Land to visit Holy Master Jiang."

"Ah... Ancestor, you..." Wang Ningxi cried out again, tears flowing from his dry eyes. If he had known, he wouldn't have told Ancestor about the drawings.

Seeing his great-great-grandson's heart-wrenching excitement, Wang Shouzhe showed a satisfied smile. After this round of earnest criticism and education, Ningxi would surely change his habit of self-pity.

As an Ancestor, he naturally hoped to see the children grow up healthy and strong.

...

Time flew by in a few days.

After a round of "treatment," Wang Ningxi, dragging his still "unhealed backside," arrived at Xinping Town again under the protection of Wang Shouwei.

Xinping Town, along the river, is mostly hard ground mountains, with plains, small hills, and numerous rivers and lakes on the inside. Although many farmlands have been developed, the area of farmland and farms is much less than that of Xin'an Town.

However, due to the convenience of being near the river and abundant water resources, after digging a large port, it is most suitable for building some industrial production bases.

Not far from Xinping Port.

Near the river and mountains, there is a large area of industrial workshops.

The sign on the workshop reads, "Wang's Refining Headquarters People's Livelihood Metal Utensils General Factory."

The name People's Livelihood Metal Utensils General Factory sounds nice, but it actually specializes in making pots, bowls, basins, sickles, hoes, and other livelihood utensils.

Originally, this general factory was inside the Wang's Refining Headquarters next to the Wang Clan's main residence. Later, after the development of Xinping Town, it moved here in the wave of industrial chain transfer.

With his identity token, Wang Ningxi entered the factory area after passing the inspection and headed straight for the general manager's office.

In the elegantly decorated general manager's office, a beautiful woman in her thirties, dressed smartly and energetically, was talking with the chief manager of a local Tianfu Commandery merchant firm.

"Manager Jiang, a fine iron pot produced by our Wang Clan weighs ten pounds just in materials." She said confidently and assertively, "The cost of fine iron raw materials alone exceeds one Top Gold. This order of two hundred thousand iron pots for thirty thousand Top Gold is already considering Holy Master Jiang's face."

That merchant firm is a Tianfu Jiang Clan industry, but it is actually far removed from Holy Master Jiang. However, they always use Holy Master Jiang's name when doing business.

Others can't refute it, after all, Holy Master Jiang is indeed from the Tianfu Jiang Clan.

The chubby Manager Jiang forced a smile, "General Manager Wang, I investigated before coming. Your Wang Clan has long mastered the technology of mass-producing refined coal and refined iron. Nowadays, the entire Yan Clan of Longzuo, in their own territory, mines coal, produces refined coal, and refines iron. The cost of a pound of refined iron has been reduced to two to three large copper coins."

"The material and transportation cost of an iron pot adds up to at most thirty or forty large copper coins. Yet you charge me one Top Gold and fifty large copper coins! Isn't that too much? Are you looking down on our Jiang Clan, looking down on Holy Master Jiang?"

"Turn right and do what you need to do." Wang Yinglei sneered, waving her hand, "If you can really get Holy Master Jiang to come to my factory, I'll give you this batch of pots for free."

Today's Wang Yinglei is no longer the young girl who just graduated from the Clan School. At nearly ninety years old, she has reached the fifth level of the Lingtai Realm, having seen all kinds of situations.

Manager Jiang's face turned a bit dark. How could he have the ability to invite Holy Master Jiang? Not to mention him, even the current Jiang Clan Ancestor finds it difficult to meet Holy Master Jiang.

It's just that he's used to taking advantage of Holy Master Jiang's name, but the Wang Clan is too strong now and doesn't care about this at all.

He really wanted to say something harsh but didn't dare. The Wang Clan is not just any random clan. He had to smile, smooth things over, sign the order, and pay the deposit in full.

After all, this business could make a good profit. Local blacksmiths sell a pot for three to four Top Gold, and many poor tenant farmers and commoners treat a pot as a family heirloom.

After completing the deal, Wang Yinglei politely saw Manager Jiang off, not even interested in inviting him for a meal.

"Fifteenth Aunt." Wang Ningxi, who had witnessed everything silently, sincerely praised, "You were so domineering in the negotiation, completely having the upper hand."

"Oh, isn't this Ningxi? A rare guest, come, tea or coffee." Wang Yinglei teased with a smile, "I heard you broke off an engagement privately and got spanked badly by your father. Is your backside healed so soon?"

Long Wuji and Wang Shihai's ocean fleet discovered some special hot drink seeds on an indigenous island. After experimenting with planting them, Family Head Wang Shouzhe named it "coffee."

With Wang Shouzhe's promotion, it quickly became popular within the Wang Clan and gradually spread to other clans and even the wealthy merchant class.

Wang Ningxi's face turned dark. Good news doesn't travel far, but bad news spreads a thousand miles. Now, everyone in the Wang Clan probably knows about his broken engagement and spanking.

Can't anyone care for his fragile and sensitive patient heart? He rolled his eyes hard, "Coffee is expensive lately, I'll have coffee."

"By the way, I also heard a rumor." Wang Yinglei said, pouring him a cup of her hand-ground coffee, "I heard that Miss Shangguan cried for three days at home after receiving the breakup letter. This quickly spread throughout Guilong City, and many young ladies are calling you a treacherous scumbag, saying they want to form a group to beat you up in Changning Garrison."

"My dear nephew Ningxi, congratulations, you've become famous in Guilong City. Many young ladies are secretly poking at your paper effigy."

"Oh, and a guy named Shangguan Yunhong is already on the way with Miss Shangguan."

Wang Ningxi froze!

My life is off to a rough start.

It's too hard...

I just broke off an engagement, is it really necessary...

...