In a moment of impulse, I forcibly kissed my brother's best friend.

Just as the hour of You (5-7 PM) arrived, an old servant came to report.

"Young Master, your father and the clan elders request that you come to Qing'an Hall."

Cui Yutang gave a calm "hmm," straightened his appearance, and was led by the old servant to Qing'an Hall.

The hall was solemn at this moment. Cui Jingyuan, the grandfather, dressed in a silver brocade robe, sat at the top with a dignified expression.

Eight clan elders sat in two rows on each side, all highly respected members of the clan. The candlelight cast their shadows on the wall, making them look like a row of silent judges.

"Yutang, pay your respects to your grandfather and the elders of the clan." Cui Yutang bowed respectfully, his posture upright and neither humble nor arrogant.

The lobby fell silent for a moment.

The elderly man sitting at the head of the table on the left spoke first, his voice aged yet steady: "Yu'er, we have come here today to celebrate your passing the imperial examination with top honors. This is a great honor for the Cui family. You have studied diligently for ten years, remaining steadfast in your determination and cultivating yourself, which has enabled you to achieve this. The entire family is proud of you."

He paused, then changed the subject: "Secondly, we need to discuss your marriage. You are the eldest son of the clan, chosen by the entire family. You will one day inherit the ancestral hall and manage the Cui clan. Your marriage is related to the rise and fall of the family. I hope you will carefully consider this matter and not take it lightly."

The elderly man in the silver robe, seated above, continued, "Your uncle is right. Yu'er, I heard you're planning to marry a woman from a humble family? What is her status? How could she be worthy of the eldest son of the Cui clan of Qinghe?"

Cui Yutang raised his head, his gaze calmly meeting his grandfather's eyes: "Grandfather and the elders of the clan, what kind of woman do you think the eldest son of the Qinghe Cui clan should marry?"

The hunched old man stroked his long, white beard, pondered for a moment, and solemnly said, "The first choice is naturally a woman from one of the 'Five Surnames and Seven Noble Families' of the same social standing, who possesses both talent and virtue."

The old man in the silver robe eagerly added, "Or other slightly less prestigious families of equal standing, such as Princess Chaoyang of the Rong'an Prince's Mansion, who is dignified and elegant with a respectable background; and Shangguan Wanning, the daughter of the Minister of Revenue, who is also exceptionally talented. Both of them are quite good."

After listening quietly, Cui Yutang stepped forward and solemnly said, "Grandfather, elders and uncles, I have been protected by the family since childhood and have enjoyed the resources and glory brought by the family. I am deeply grateful and dare not neglect the important matters of the clan. Therefore, I have come up with a solution that satisfies both sides."

He paused, then said, word by word, "I voluntarily relinquish my status as the eldest son of the clan. You may elect a new eldest son who meets your expectations."

The lobby fell silent instantly, as if the air itself had stopped for a moment.

The elders exchanged glances, and the hunched old man's hand, resting on his beard, trembled slightly.

"Yu'er, what are you saying!" The old man in silver robes slammed his hand on the table, making the teacups clang. "How can you so easily disown your status as the head of the clan!"

"Grandfather, esteemed elders," Cui Yutang did not back down. His gaze swept over everyone present, and his voice remained steady. "Our Qinghe Cui clan has stood for nearly five hundred years, experiencing several wars and dynastic changes. We should understand better than anyone the principle that prosperity must eventually decline."

"Now, powerful clans monopolize most of the nation's resources, which has long been a major concern for His Majesty. And you still want to form marriage alliances with the 'Five Clans and Seven Noble Families,' as well as powerful or high-ranking families like the Rong'an Prince's Mansion and the Minister of Revenue—are you afraid our Qinghe Cui Clan won't fall fast enough?"

He stepped forward: "The late emperor revised the 'Clan Records,' establishing the standard of 'determining social standing by current official ranks.' His Majesty now values ​​the imperial examination system and promotes those from humble backgrounds. Isn't this enough to alert you?"

"Even so, this is no reason for you to choose a girl from a humble family as your daughter-in-law." The old man in the silver robe said with a gloomy face.

"She is not from a humble family." Cui Yutang's voice finally warmed up a bit. "She is intelligent and decisive, well-versed in the eight arts, an excellent woman, and the one my grandson loves."

"Then after you marry your legal wife, you can take her as a concubine."

These words were like a needle piercing Cui Yutang's heart. He looked at the old man sitting above him, feeling both angry and disappointed.

"Grandfather, I call you Grandfather because I respect you. Please respect me as well, and never insult the ones I love." His voice was deep, yet carried an undeniable power. "Unlike you, my father and I cannot marry as many women as we please. Ask yourself honestly, have you ever loved these women? Have you ever respected my grandmother?"

"You—unfilial descendant! How dare you talk back to your grandfather!" The silver-haired old man suddenly stood up, his hand trembling as he pointed at him.

The other elders remained silent, none daring to utter a sound.

Just then, a calm voice came from the doorway.

"Father, elders, you all seem to be in quite a mood. What are you doing while I'm away?"

Prime Minister Cui Zhinu walked in slowly, still wearing his court robes, clearly having come directly from his residence.

His gaze swept over everyone in the hall, finally settling on Cui Yutang.

"Yu'er is willing to listen to your nonsense and analyze the pros and cons with you, simply because he cares about you, respects you, and cares about the rise and fall of this great family. Don't be ungrateful."

He paused, then said, word by word, "Otherwise, I'll go out and build my own mansion, and whoever wants to be the head of the Cui clan of Qinghe can take that position."

"How can this be!" The hunched old man stood up anxiously. "Yu'er is the eldest son chosen by our entire clan, and no one can dispute his selection. I will not agree to anyone else taking the position!"

"Yes, we disagree too!" Other clan elders echoed.

The old man in the silver robe stood at the head of the table, his face ashen, but he ultimately did not speak again.

"Then let's settle on this arrangement," Cui Zhinuan said calmly. "I will make the decision regarding Yu'er's marriage with his grandmother. Elders, you have come from afar; you must be tired. Please go back and rest."

Women are not allowed to enter during clan meetings.

Grandmother Wang had been pacing anxiously outside for a long time. Upon seeing them come out, she immediately rushed forward, and Cui Yutang quickly stepped forward to support her.

"Yu'er, did they make things difficult for you?"

"Grandmother, it's alright, it's all taken care of." He held her hand and patted it gently to comfort her.

Wang glanced at his face, then at Cui Zhinuan, who was talking to the clan elders not far away. Seeing that he looked normal, she felt a little relieved.

"Father, let me help Grandmother back first."

"Go."

Early the next morning, Xie Yige dragged Bichun into her boudoir and rummaged through all the drawers and cabinets.

Zhi Xia was leaning against the cabinet with her arms crossed, lost in thought.

Due to her aesthetic preferences, she has already been granted permission by Xie Yige not to participate in this decision-making process.

"With so many clothes, how come I can't find one I like?" Xie Yige threw one dress after another onto the bed, becoming more and more frustrated with each selection. "This one is too conservative, this one is too revealing, this one's color is a bit too plain..."

Annoying.

The "normal" dresses at Chaoyi Villa look quite nice; I might as well pick up a couple while I'm there today.

"Miss." Bichun took out a sky-blue floral dress that reached her chest from the bottom of the trunk, her eyes lighting up.

"Let's choose this one. Young Master Cui also likes to wear this color. We'll look like a perfect match."