“Later, don’t go shooting your mouth off. You better stay in this corner and keep quiet.” Michael came over on purpose to remind him.
Since he couldn’t hide his relationship with Levi, he had no choice but to acknowledge him.
That was all Michael could do to prevent him from humiliating other Joneses.
The courtyard within their ancestral home was large enough to accommodate a thousand people.
Hence, representatives from Jones families based all over the world were gathered there.
There was a chair in the ancestral hall was reserved for the head of the family.
On it sat an old man with white hair. He was as thin as a stick and looked as if he could fall anytime the wind blew.
However, his eyes glistened with energy, and he was in high spirits. He exuded an intimidating aura.
He was Joey Jones. At 123 years old, he was the eldest member of the family in Erudia.
He was the most senior member of the Jones diasporic families and had authority over all the individual Jones families.
There were four other chairs on each side of his seat where Michael, Westley, and others sat.
They were the heads of the eight most powerful Jones families.
They placed the rest of the thousand participants according to their seniority.
Levi was among them. But no one could see him as he was placed in a secluded corner.
Sitting in the chair and holding his staff, Joey exclaimed, “Hmm, what an amazing sight! All our descendants are strong and capable. Within Erudia, there are few who are stronger than the Jones family itself.
“Michael and Westley have done especially well. Within, ten years they have elevated their families from quasi-royal clans to royal families. There are eight other prominent families who were elevated to quasi-royal clan status. I am impressed!”
“Thank you for your compliments, Father. We wish you a long and prosperous life. Also, we wish the Jones diasporic families everlasting glory!” Michael and Westley both stood up to congratulate everyone.
The crowd repeated in unison, “We wish you a long and prosperous life. Also, we wish the Jones diasporic families everlasting glory!”
Joey replied with a smile, “Next, why don’t you tell us one by one what you have achieved in the last ten years.”
Michael and Westley’s achievements were a league above everyone else. Joey couldn’t stop praising them.
However, Westley explained with resignation, “Joey, the Chillshire Jones family has some regrets. We have reached the pinnacle of the business world, but there is no one in our family who has done well in government or the army. My son, Franklin, has not shown he is exceptional as he is just an ordinary government leader. While my grandson Aiden is only a colonel in the army which is nothing to shout about. As for my brother, Xaver Jones, he is just a second-tier leader in Chillshire but will be promoted to a first-tier leader next year.”
Hiss!
Everyone gasped in awe at how powerful the Jones family of the Chillshire branch was.
It was very impressive of them to have influential members in business, government, and the army.
Despite his humble tone, Westley was trying to outdo Michael.
He understood that in the south, both his family and Michael’s were evenly matched.
In terms of the government and army, his family definitely did better than the Jones family of South Hampton.
