mtlumby2d Chapter 2051 Taking the Risk and Getting There First
Chapter 2051 Taking the Risk and Getting There First
Time seemed to be paused by Zong Wangshan's question, "Third brother, why did you arrive early?"
All the whispers, the feigned coughs, and even the faint sound of the wind blowing through the eaves in the front yard vanished in that instant!
Countless gazes, like spotlights, were fixed on the two groups of people who had suddenly met.
Especially Qian Houjin, whose face was ashen and who was trembling slightly, and Zong Wangshan, whose thick eyebrows were furrowed and whose tiger-like eyes flashed with astonishment and displeasure.
At that moment, Qian Houjin felt a buzzing in his ears and his mind went blank.
Zong Wangshan's words were tantamount to publicly revealing his most secret scheme!
They arrived ahead of schedule?
What do you mean?
Could it be that the ten families had agreed to visit the Li family together today, and Qian Houjin, in order to steal credit and monopolize any potential benefits, actually acted ahead of schedule?
Finished!
It's all over!
Not only might the plan be exposed, but even more terrifying is that he has openly betrayed the fragile and secretive "tacit understanding" among the ten families, firmly attaching the labels of profiteering and selfishness to himself!
That brute Zong Wangshan, damn it! How could he just shout that out so openly?
This is trying to make me look unrighteous and immoral!
Overwhelmed by immense fear and regret, he gaped, but could only gasp for breath, unable to utter a single word.
Qian Shenquan, who was standing next to him, was so frightened that he clung tightly to his father's arm, afraid that he would collapse on the spot.
In stark contrast to the Qian family father and son's utterly disoriented state, Li Xiangnan and Song Cijiu reacted with near-instantaneous sharpness.
Li Xiangnan was facing Zong Wangshan, towards the west wing. The instant Zong Wangshan uttered that unexpected remark, his brow twitched almost imperceptibly, and a flash of realization and shrewdness suddenly crossed his eyes.
"We've arrived ahead of schedule!"
These four words, like lightning, shattered some of the doubts in his mind!
The ten families of Yanjing are indeed not a monolithic entity!
Qian Houjin, a smiling tiger known for his scheming and speculation, probably sensed something about "keeping it to himself," or wanted to "invest" in me in advance to make a name for himself.
No wonder this old fellow came so early, and even brought such a valuable gift as a gold-inlaid jade ruyi; he just wanted to get closer to me, and then…
Then, they would take the lead in finding the possible "ledger" or confirming the whereabouts of Grandma Mu Huanying. They would then use this as leverage to either exchange benefits with Li Xiangnan or to curry favor with the Shi family and even the Shangguan family behind them, leaving the other families far behind!
This perfectly aligns with the Qian family's profit-driven and opportunistic business nature!
The idea of ten parties advancing and retreating together is utter nonsense when faced with sufficiently large interests!
Qian Houjin is trying to snatch chestnuts from the fire and get ahead of the game!
Zong Wangshan's reaction revealed that the ten families may indeed have had a general "plan" or "order"!
At the very least, the main family, with its tough-minded "vanguard," is likely to be placed in a more crucial, or rather, more "deterrent," position.
Qian Houjin's unauthorized actions disrupted the plan, which is why Zong Wangshan was so surprised and even angry!
An excellent breakthrough point was unexpectedly exposed!
Li Xiangnan sneered inwardly, but his face remained calm and expressionless. He simply turned his body slightly to the side, as if he was also surprised by this "chance encounter," and his gaze lingered between Zong Wangshan and Qian Houjin.
At the same time, he secretly admired Song Cijiu, the second uncle of the Song family.
Unexpectedly, he and his second uncle had some kind of tacit understanding, and managed to run into these two people!
He silently gave his second uncle a grateful look.
At the same time, a glint of light flashed in Song Cijiu's eyes, and after nodding slightly to Li Xiangnan, the faint smile on his lips seemed to deepen a little.
He and Li Xiangnan exchanged several knowing glances in an instant.
Zong Wangshan is a domineering and tyrannical man with a tough style. He is indeed the most suitable person to play the role of an "unfriendly guest" who comes to the door, disrupts the situation, and attracts fire.
With this guy rampaging ahead, the other families might be able to act more calmly.
Unexpectedly, Qian Houjin, that even more cunning and greedy fellow, acted out of the ordinary, rushing to show goodwill and test the waters first. As a result, he ran headlong into Song Cijiu's palm, and now he has been exposed by Zong Wangshan. It's truly a case of overreaching and trapping himself in a dead end!
However, Zong Wangshan was a seasoned veteran, and although his momentary loss of composure and the words he blurted out were earth-shattering, his eldest son, Zong Chengjia, reacted very quickly.
The very next second after Zong Wangshan finished speaking, before the last syllable of "Here they come" had even completely faded into the air, Zong Chengjia had already taken half a step forward, a seemingly warm but slightly stiff smile plastered on his face, skillfully taking over his father's words.
"Dad, look at you, your memory is failing you again! Uncle Qian mentioned to you a few days ago that Dr. Li is a skilled and kind doctor, and he has long wanted to visit and make friends with him, but he has never had the opportunity! Today is the full moon celebration for Dr. Li's daughter, which is the perfect time. Uncle Qian must be eager to learn more from Dr. Li!"
His words quickly twisted the question of "arriving ahead of time," which was full of planned and conspiratorial implications, into Qian Houjin's personal "admiration" for Li Xiangnan and "eagerness to visit." Although it was far-fetched, it was still a barely acceptable way to cover up the accidental discovery and try to bring it back to the level of coincidental personal behavior.
After being reminded by his son, Zong Wangshan immediately realized his slip of the tongue.
The astonishment and anger on his face quickly subsided. He gave Qian Houjin, whose face was pale and who was pleading, a deep look in his eyes, and then glanced at Song Cijiu and Li Xiangnan, whose expressions were inscrutable. He let out an ambiguous "hmm" in his throat, which was considered as acknowledging his son's statement.
But the look in his eyes when he looked at Qian Houjin was clearly displeased and scrutinizing, a cold warning that he would settle accounts with him later.
He no longer mentioned the previous matter, but instead adopted a slightly stiff enthusiasm, saying in a loud voice, "So that's what happened! Qian Laosan, isn't that a bit too much of a favor? You wanted to visit Doctor Li, why didn't you have someone invite my old ancestor along? It makes it seem like we're too distant!"
As he spoke, he strode forward, seemingly to pat Qian Houjin on the shoulder, but in reality, he exuded an imposing aura!
At this moment, Qian Houjin had already cursed Song Cijiu to the core. If it weren't for this plague god forcing him out, how could he have ended up in such a state?
Now, faced with Zong Wangshan's clearly angry greeting, he could only force himself to put on a brave face, squeeze out a fawning smile that looked worse than crying, bow his head even lower, and speak in a trembling voice.
"Brother Zong... you're too kind. I just... it was a spur-of-the-moment decision. I didn't think about it much... I was also afraid of disturbing your business... Hey, what a coincidence, you're here too..."
He was incoherent, his eyes darting around, and the cold sweat on his forehead was particularly noticeable in the winter sun.
He dared not look at Song Cijiu, much less at Li Xiangnan, and only hoped that this damned small talk would end soon!
Li Xiangnan took all of this into account and already had a brilliant plan in mind.
He stepped forward, a polite smile on his face, and interjected at just the right moment: "It's quite a coincidence that Third Master Qian and Patriarch Zong are so familiar with each other!"
He paused slightly, and as Qian Houjin's eyes widened further, he chuckled:
"It's a great honor for Xiao Li and my daughter that you two could grace us with your presence today! It's windy in the courtyard, so how about... we invite Patriarch Zong to rest in the west wing for a while? Master Qian was just having tea inside, so you two can catch up!"
His words seemed warm and considerate of the guests, but in reality, they were "malicious"!
They deliberately forced the two families, who had just had a falling out, back into a confined space, and made them share a room together in full view of everyone.
This is tantamount to adding fuel to the fire in an already fractured alliance, forcing them to either publicly break off relations or explain themselves behind closed doors.
Either way, it will inevitably escalate the conflict and intensify internal strife!
Brilliant! Brilliant!
Wang Defa, Song Ziming, Yang Weidong, and the others immediately became eager. Even Song Cijiu couldn't help but raise his eyebrows and look at the Zong family and the Qian family with great interest.
Everyone began to feel a sense of anticipation...