Protect Our Chief

...

At the moment when Wu Jinghao was feeling anxious due to the traffic jam.

Within the Changning Ferry.

A figure soared into the sky, sweeping through as if like a startling swan.

Covering a distance of five or six miles, he took only a mere sixty or seventy breaths to fly over, then landed gracefully in front of Wu Jinghao’s "palace chariot," and said brightly, "Junior Prince Jinghao and the Southern Desert clan arrive, Shoucheng apologizes for not welcoming you from afar, please pardon me."

The person was a handsome and elegant young man, whose every move inadvertently exuded the warmth and cultural depth of a noble family descendant.

"It’s the Ninth Grandmaster of the Wang Family ’Shou’ generation." Some within the surrounding carts here for gifts and congratulations, who had a bit of insight, all exclaimed in surprise and praise.

The seventh generation of Wang Family’s males with the name "Shou" and females with the name "Luo" are the most legendary generation.

Although this generation does not have many members, even excluding Clan Leader Wang Shouzhe of the Wang Family, the other peers each have their own excellence and brilliance. This generation has truly become the backbone of the Wang Family.

And the youngest among the "Shou" generation is the one before them, Old Jiu Wang Shoucheng.

Wang Shoucheng was born just as the Wang Family was rapidly developing. As the youngest son of the six Ancestors of Dinghai, the youngest in the "Shou" generation, he naturally received care and affection from his elders and brothers and sisters, enjoying great treatment from childhood to adulthood.

Even Wang Shouzhe, for this younger brother who is even younger than his own son, showed considerable care and importance, being very attentive to his studies and cultivation.

Under the "protection" of his fourth brother, Wang Shoucheng grew robustly, and now barely over a hundred years old, he has already reached the third layer of Celestial Human Realm cultivation, becoming a pillar of the Wang Family.

With Wang Shoucheng personally coming to receive them, Wu Jinghao and Wang Shihai dared not be neglectful.

The two quickly disembarked from the palace chariot.

Especially Wang Shihai, who stepped forward briskly with cupped hands and said, "How do I, Shihai, deserve such trouble for Grandpa the Ninth to come and receive?"

"Jinghao greets the Ninth Grandmaster." Wu Jinghao hurriedly saluted as well.

Although both of them were twenty years older than Wang Shoucheng, they could not deny his high seniority. Moreover, the "Shou" generation is currently considered the main force of the Wang Family, holding a significant position within the clan.

From the convoy, members of the Huangfu Family, Mo Family, and other families, including stewards and elders, also all got off and greeted Wang Shoucheng.

Having the Ninth Grandmaster personally come to receive them certainly gives the Southern Desert a lot of face for those bringing gifts.

After some brief and polite exchanges.

With Wang Shoucheng and some subsequently arriving Wang Family stewards managing things, the Southern Desert convoy was sent in batches onto ferries. Upon reaching the Wang Family’s Dingpu Port, the gift lists would be exchanged, accounts managed, and items stored in the warehouse.

Though this work may seem tedious, it is necessary.

Relations between Noble Families require attention to social tact and reciprocation.

The Changning Wang Family cannot be like the Pixiu, only taking and not giving, for taking people’s gifts at least demands clarity in one’s mind, and when others host events at their own homes, likewise, responses are required. Or if one day they come seeking assistance, this relationship needs consideration.

Connections between families are built bit by bit in this way.

One must not, just because the Wang Family has become strong, elevate themselves above others, and regard others with disdain due to the betrothal of two Little Princesses to the direct-descendant great-grandson. This would be too much of an upstart attitude, and if this becomes the family’s style, the Noble Family may not endure for long.

However, due to limited resources, conditions, and manpower, reception and sending-off must be uniformly planned, not randomly arranged, preferably slightly high-end.

Just like Wang Shoucheng, as Old Jiu of the "Shou" generation with a third-layer cultivation in the Heaven-Human Realm, it’s slightly high-end to receive the convoy bearing gifts from the Southern Desert. But since the age gap isn’t significant, after some familiarity, they can fairly easily find common topics, and communicate relatively well.

But if he were to receive Prince Southern Desert’s couple, or Ancestor Dingxin of the Southern Desert Wang Family, it would lack the proper status and qualifications.

In such reception etiquette, misunderstanding the rules would only upset the guests.

When esteemed guests arrive, naturally Shouzhe should personally greet them and smooth their arrival, followed by Shouyong or Shou Lian, or perhaps Shouye for a long-term company.

Additionally, when esteemed guests such as those from Duke Dingguo’s Mansion, the Third-Grade Gongye Family, or the Third-Grade Chen Family arrive, if the patriarch or Divine Skill Ancestor personally comes, inevitably Wang Shouzhe or Ancestor Longyan must personally accompany them, with excellent juniors of the family dispatched to attend upon orders.

Otherwise, if it becomes publicly known, it would appear that the Wang Family doesn’t understand the etiquette and neglects guests.

This classification of guests into tiers is by no means being snobbish.

Every family has an internal pyramid structure of status differences; you cannot have an Eighth-Ninth Grade guest to be hosted by Shouzhe, and likewise a Sixth-Seventh Grade guest all to be hosted by Shouzhe... If truly like this, even chopping Wang Shouzhe into hundreds of pieces wouldn’t be enough.

Therefore, aside from Wang Shoucheng receiving the Southern Desert’s Junior Prince with the convoy, all other guests bringing gifts were handled by various Wang Family members, young and old, everything orderly and without chaos.

This major wedding of Wang Anye is also an extremely significant matter for the Wang Family. The marriage of the direct-descendant great-grandson represents the continuation of the family heir’s bloodline, not to mention this time it’s marrying two Royal Family Little Princesses.

If Wang Shouzhe shows a lack of serious attitude, it would be giving face to the Royal Family. Emperor Longchang would likely be the first to lose temper.