“Father, your son believes that having only you, Father, from our Lu family or even the entire Lu clan recorded in history books and remembered for eternity, becoming a chancellor who exists solely for the sovereign—such fame is not as valuable as abandoning this reputation and instead paving good futures for all the sons of our clan. When our Lu clan has deep roots and flourishing branches in this court, that will be when our Lu clan’s glory is bound to the fate of the entire Great Zhou dynasty—when Great Zhou doesn’t fall, the Lu family’s glory will not perish!”

Lu Jinxian was the legitimate eldest son of the Lu family. From childhood, he knew he bore the heavy responsibility of the Lu clan and had always taken the rise and fall of the Lu clan as his duty.

It would be best if Lu Jinxian could sit in Chancellor Lu’s position, but if he couldn’t, Lu Jinxian wouldn’t be envious. What he wanted wasn’t for one person to hold a high position—what he wanted was for a family’s glory and fortune to continue endlessly.

Looking at his son, who had finally spoken his true feelings today, Chancellor Lu’s expression remained inscrutable, nor did he feel disappointed in his son. For his son, as the future helmsman of the Lu clan, to think this way was understandable, but… his perspective was ultimately too narrow.

“Do you think that I… am disregarding my descendants for my reputation, for His Majesty’s unwavering trust in me?” Chancellor Lu sighed. “Just as you said… sitting in my current position, I should indeed do more things that benefit my descendants!”

“But my child…” Chancellor Lu bent down to help his son up, his bright eyes looking at him. “People must always maintain a sense of reverence. His Majesty shoulders the responsibility for all people under heaven, so he maintains reverence for life. We of the Lu family serve as His Majesty’s right arm, so we must maintain reverence for imperial power and sovereign authority. As you said, His Majesty trusts our Lu family, but this cannot become the foundation for our Lu family to recklessly expand our power. Under imperial power and sovereign authority… a family’s glory and destruction is just a single word from His Majesty! Using children’s marriages to build the Lu family’s network of relationships will make His Majesty wary!”

Lu Jinxian pressed his lips together, understanding that his father was right, but he still felt unwilling. At least regarding Lu Yuanpeng’s marriage, he wanted to fight for it: “But this time, perhaps Yuanpeng and Prince Gaoyi have mutual feelings—it’s not our Lu family’s premeditation. Why does Father obstruct this? What kind of person is Prince Gaoyi—absolutely someone who won’t suffer injustice. If Prince Gaoyi agrees, could His Majesty think our Lu family premeditated currying favor with the powerful?”

Lu Jinxian still felt displeased in his heart.

“It’s not that Yuanpeng and Prince Gaoyi cannot be together, but that they must not!” Chancellor Lu’s eyes were deep. “How many people in the Lu clan want to rely on our Chancellor’s mansion to seek positions and good marriages? It’s precisely because whether it’s you brothers or our family’s grandsons… I have never interfered, never used my official position to seek advancement for you. Even the most disappointing Little Six earned his glory through his blade and spear on the battlefield. Even though… the Lu family secretly protected him, on the surface… outsiders at least see that the Lu family is clean and honest, which is why those clan members haven’t forced their way to our door! If Yuanpeng marries Prince Gaoyi, the clan will immediately send their sons and daughters here, using Yuanpeng’s marriage as leverage to force our Lu mansion to find them good matches!”

“The current Lu clan—how is it different from His Majesty’s Shouyang clan back then? Rotten to the core…” Chancellor Lu felt deeply pained saying these words.

Lu Jinxian couldn’t refute his father’s words.

“When our foundation is already rotting flesh and corrupted roots, if we still want to extend the Lu clan’s roots in court, both good and bad will climb up the Lu family tree together. When the Lu family’s foundation isn’t stable… if someone makes a mistake, under imperial power and sovereign authority, forget the Lu clan—even our Lu family would have no chance of recovery!”

Lu Jinxian broke out in cold sweat at Chancellor Lu’s words. Thinking carefully, his father’s words were indeed true. His lips trembled as he lowered his eyes to contemplate his father’s words.

“Since this is the case, we must find ways to cleanly remove the rotten flesh and corrupted roots, then plan to take root in court—and we can’t be too obvious about it…” Chancellor Lu was teaching his son.

Lu Jinxian stepped back and bowed deeply to Chancellor Lu: “Please teach me, Father!”

“All Lu family descendants will marry below their station, choosing sons-in-law or in-law families who may seem unremarkable now but will certainly have bright futures! This will let His Majesty see that our Lu family, top to bottom, doesn’t like competing for power! Then… after I retire from the Chancellor position, I’ll return to our ancestral home to establish an academy, having all clan descendants come to study at the academy. The imperial examinations will be our means of selecting talent for the Lu clan! With the precedent of our Lu family descendants not relying on the Chancellor’s mansion, no one in the clan can come before me to make demands. At that time, whoever has the ability… will receive the Lu clan’s full support. Then… in court, this generation has you from the Lu family, the next generation has Yuanqing, and there’s also Yuanpeng in the Bai Family Army!” Chancellor Lu’s vision was far-reaching. “At that time, truly capable and talented sons of the Lu family will be continuously cultivated in our academy and continuously sent to court. Moreover… the academy will have me, already retired from office, presiding over it. The academy gates will be wide open, broadly inviting students to enroll. Those students who achieve academic success and enter government service will naturally reciprocate the Lu family’s kindness.”

“And most importantly!” Chancellor Lu’s withered hand emerged from his wide sleeves, pointing upward. “We must let His Majesty see that whether it’s me… or our entire Chancellor’s mansion, what we’re thinking about isn’t seizing power in court. Only then… when we establish the academy in the future, with me overseeing it, whether Lu clan sons emerge or academy students emerge! His Majesty won’t think… our Lu family is cultivating our faction, but rather that we’re cultivating talents for the court! With His Majesty’s favor, the Lu clan’s future path will be much more secure!”

“By that time, not only will there be an endless stream of Lu clan members in court, but also students continuously sent to court from our Lu academy. Though we’re using righteous means for private purposes, we’re both prospering the family and serving the court loyally. In this way… would His Majesty be wary of the Lu family? This… is the true path of endless vitality!” Chancellor Lu looked at his son, asking word by word, “Now tell me, what does our Lu family want… is to build some deep-rooted network at this time?”

Human nature is inherently selfish—if one doesn’t look out for oneself, heaven and earth will destroy them. But Chancellor Lu’s planning for the Lu clan wasn’t for seizing power, but rather… to ensure the Lu clan’s glory continued, to ensure the Lu clan would always occupy a place in this court.

Their Lu clan, no matter when, would always maintain reverence for their sovereign. The Lu family wouldn’t become power-hungry ministers, but they must preserve the family’s glory for future generations.