“You all want rules, traditions, and ceremonies, do you? I’m not dead yet. Years ago, someone told me that I was getting old, and with my seniority, I shouldn’t take in another young disciple. So I decided to only guide and not accept disciples. To this day, I have not gone back on that promise. But if there are still people insisting that disciples recognized by oral agreement don’t count, then I will accept disciples in place of my deceased master, making Jieli my junior apprentice. This is a matter of record and rule; from now on, he is half a generation lower than me, okay?”
Everyone was dumbfounded.
Old Master, you are… being unreasonable!! A “substitute junior apprentice” simply means to accept a disciple in place of the master.
For instance, if someone is young but has a high status and no older generations are alive, they must find a successor to take on disciples in place of the master. Similarly, if an inappropriate person wishes to become a disciple, it’s also more suitable to accept them in place of the master. This way, it resolves the issues of seniority and lineage.
Because the acceptance is not directly from the master, it is usually considered that “substitute junior apprentices” are half a generation lower than a formal successor.
Old Master Meng stating he wants to accept Qi Shejiang as a substitute junior apprentice is clearly a threat to everyone!
— What do you think? If you don’t let me acknowledge my master’s disciple, I’ll accept him as a disciple in place of my master; the paperwork will be handled correctly, and the traditions and rules will be arranged thoroughly.
Even if it’s half a generation lower, that’s still an elder!
If this becomes reality, then no one in the crosstalk circle will be able to hold Qi Shejiang’s status down, except for Old Master Meng.
Of course, this is just a cheeky threat…
But who would dare to confront Old Master Meng? He’s one of the few remaining elders from the “Meng” generation. Those who could rival him have long passed away.
To put it bluntly, if you insist on going against him, and he gets agitated and falls ill, can you bear the consequences?
