Protect Our Chief-Chapter 619 - 58: I Am Your Grandpa_3

"Old Mo, oh Old Mo~" Qiaan Xuehan changed his address, taking the opportunity to tease, "You, you really need to open your eyes wide. Our Patriarch Shouzhe, so deep and majestic, with extraordinary demeanor, is just not to your taste?"

Then, disregarding Patriarch Mo’s surprise, he respectfully invited Ancestor Longyan to the chief seat, and also pulled Wang Shouzhe to sit at the secondary guest seat.

With a rearrangement, everyone took their places around the large round table.

However, he diligently adhered to Wang Shouzhe’s principle of not wanting to be too high-profile, only reintroducing that this was the Patriarch of the Longzuo Changning Wang Family, along with the family’s Ancestor Longyan.

In his words, he subtly hinted at how the Wang Family differed from ordinary Seventh-Grade Noble Families.

Upon hearing it was the Longzuo Changning Wang Family, Wang Shihai couldn’t help but twitch his brow, "Brother, just now I heard Patriarch Qiaan call you... Patriarch Shouzhe? Is your name Wang Shouzhe? Which character for ’Shou’? Which character for ’Zhe’?"

Wang Shouzhe certainly knew what was on his mind, yet at this point, there was nothing worth hiding. He hadn’t planned to go seek kinship with the Southern Desert Wang Family when he came here.

However, as chance would have it, he wouldn’t deliberately conceal it either. Immediately, Wang Shouzhe smiled and said, "The ’Shou’ of staying true to oneself, the ’Zhe’ of knowing others wisely."

"Boom!"

Wang Shihai felt as if struck by celestial thunder, leaving him somewhat dazed, his face alternating between green and white, pondering something unknowable.

A nearby companion exclaimed in surprise, "Thirty-ninth young master... that gentleman’s name seems similar to your grandfather’s, except the character for ’Zhe’ is a bit different."

"Shut up!" Wang Shihai blushed furiously, glaring back, "No one considers you mute if you don’t speak." Then, he eyed Wang Shouzhe with some hostility, "Brother, are you deliberately here to mock this young master?"

"Ah~ I wish it were a coincidence." Wang Shouzhe smiled and said, "But, alas, the ancestral generation order handed down is not something anyone dares to change randomly? Our Longzuo Changning Wang Family is a branch of the Longzuo Wang Family, while the Longzuo Wang Family is a branch of the Daqian Wang Family... According to your generation order with the ’Shi’ character, you can, by traditional order in our family, address me as Fourth Grandpa."

"Fourth Grandpa? I- damn..." Wang Shihai’s face turned beet red, both enraged and irritated, just about to curse, yet seemingly remembering something, he hurriedly swallowed back his profanity.

Noble families have their rules; the more ancient the family, the stricter the rules. A lineage with thousands of years of inheritance will certainly have various branches, and determining seniority naturally follows the generation order.

The relationship between Changning Wang Family and Southern Desert Wang Family is called same clan, different family, although not the same family, they are from the same clan. Everyone can trace lineage back to the Daqian Wang Family, a relationship called clan kinship. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

Descendants from noble families have documented traces through generations, making disorder impossible.

For families like the Changning Wang Family and the Southern Desert Wang Family, if they usually don’t interact, that’s fine. But if they meet and discuss generation order, then seniority must adhere to the generation ranks.

Even if someone pretends to be clan kin, no matter how impoverished they may be, one must respectfully adhere to the generation order in address.

Even if Wang Shihai were reckless, he dared not mess with things like this, as word of this might reach the ears of his family’s elders and result in punishment according to family rules.

"Haha, Young Friend Shihai, I can vouch for Patriarch Shouzhe’s identity." Qiaan Xuehan, as if predicted, said with a cheerful smile, "The Longzuo Wang Family and the Changning Wang Family are not unknown names in our Longzhou County—how could such a matter be casually impersonated?"

"I’ll send someone to check if there’s a Longzuo Wang Family." Despite Wang Shihai’s inner belief being almost certain, he still dispatched one of the household generals outside to the main house for confirmation.

The atmosphere afterward became somewhat tense, but Wang Shouzhe and Qiaan Xuehan enjoyed the meal merrily.

In less than half an hour.

A man with a square face and imposing demeanor entered with a group, and upon entry, bowed to salute, announcing in a clear voice, "As clan kin from Longzuo visits our Southern Desert, Southern Desert Wang Family’s Patriarch Zonghao comes late to welcome, my apologies."

"Father..." Wang Shihai’s face suddenly became awkward.

Generally speaking, within noble families, visiting clan lands for business usually involves paying respects along the way, with appropriate hospitality extended.

It’s understandable if unaware, but knowing and failing to greet portrays the Southern Desert Wang Family as superficial and disdainful of kinship, a reputation spreading would invite mockery.

Wang Shouzhe also rose according to etiquette and returned the salutations properly, laughing heartily, "Patriarch Zonghao, no need to blame yourself, Shouzhe originally wished not to trouble kin in this visit, thus hid my itinerary, cannot fault Patriarch Zonghao."

Wang Shihai hurriedly stood, blushing, to salute, "Fourth Grandpa, Shihai was impolite."

...