Fan Residence, Garden.
Fan Wentao was watering his beloved flowers. The old man didn't smoke or drink; his only hobby was growing flowers to cultivate his character.
He was in a good mood at the moment because he knew Xiao Changshan had gone to attack the Su family.
If nothing unexpected happened, the Su family would be on the brink of collapse today!
Soon, news arrived from the front.
"Speak," Fan Wentao said without even looking at his subordinate, still watering the flowers.
To his surprise, the subordinate looked very distressed. Before reporting, he couldn't help but say, "Elder Fan, what I'm about to tell you might not be what you expect. Please, don't get angry after you hear it. Your health is paramount."
Hm?
Fan Wentao looked at his subordinate curiously.
Normally, his subordinate wouldn't say such things. Since he did, it meant there was a problem.
Was there a change of plans on the front?
Fan Wentao lifted the watering can and looked at his subordinate seriously, "Speak."
Only then did the subordinate recount the events in detail.
He explained how Xiao Changshan led his troops to attack the Su family, how he was persuaded by the Green Lotus Fairy, and how he then retreated in disgrace, omitting not a single detail.
After listening, Fan Wentao was dumbfounded.
His initial emotion wasn't anger, but... confusion! He couldn't understand Xiao Changshan's actions at all. Why?
Yes.
He had heard that Xiao Changshan usually believed in fate and seemed to respect the Green Lotus Fairy.
But one had to know priorities.
What was the current situation?
Fan Wentao had personally ordered Xiao Changshan to attack the Su family, yet Xiao Changshan disobeyed, performing some act of "cutting hair as a substitute for the head." Did he think he was Cao Cao?
This looked like a way to shirk responsibility.
The crux of the matter was: why shirk responsibility? There was no reason!
Logically, Xiao Changshan and Xie Zhong were at odds. Xie Zhong had just been humiliated by the Su family, so Xiao Changshan should have attacked the Su family fiercely to prove he was stronger than Xie Zhong.
Instead, Xiao Changshan brought even more shame upon himself than Xie Zhong!
Fan Wentao frowned slightly, sensing that things were not simple. An unseen hand was manipulating everything from behind the scenes.
But what kind of hand could be more powerful than Fan Wentao's?
That such a powerful hand existed, yet Fan Wentao couldn't discern its identity, made the situation even more problematic.
Fan Wentao asked, "Who was present at the scene? Were there any officials from Wudu? Any unfamiliar faces? Or was there some super important figure who mediated?"
The subordinate shook his head repeatedly. There was no one.
There were no important figures, no officials, only familiar faces.
This made it even stranger.
Even an old fox like Fan Wentao couldn't figure out what was wrong. Could Xiao Changshan truly have believed the Green Lotus Fairy's nonsense and changed his mind at the last minute?
Although unreliable, it was the only explanation.
"Hmm..." After pondering for a moment, Fan Wentao had to take this seriously. The two great Emperors from the north and south had both fallen. The Su family, which they thought could be easily dealt with, remained unharmed. Wasn't this making the Fan family a laughingstock to the outside world?
Fan Wentao took out a token. "Go and inform Emperor Dongfang—Zhang Ying. Have him gather some men and take down the Su family as quickly as possible. Show no mercy; you can slaughter them as you please!"
After two consecutive setbacks, Fan Wentao dared not act slowly anymore, fearing another failure.
You couldn't fail a third time after failing twice.
The subordinate took the token. "Yes, sir. I will go and inform Emperor Dongfang immediately to eliminate the Su family with all our might!"
"Good, go."
The subordinate turned and left quickly.
Fan Wentao looked up at the hazy sky, deep in thought. Was it the Su family's good luck, or were they aided by an expert behind the scenes? After Zhang Ying made his move, everything would become clear. If it was luck, then their luck would eventually run out. But if they had an expert's help, it would be troublesome.
...
Origin Project, Company Building, Conference Room.
Su Wanran and the others took their seats, still somewhat bewildered by the bizarre and extraordinary events that had just transpired.
They had all thought they were going to die, so who could have imagined Xiao Changshan would change his mind at the last moment?
Truly, heaven was protecting the Su family!
However...
Su Ru said with a cold expression, "We cannot be careless. Although Xiao Changshan has left, the three great Emperors are still stationed in Wudu. Any one of them can finish us off instantly!"
Hearing this, everyone's faces grew grim again. The brief joy they had felt was quickly extinguished.
Yes.
There were still three great Emperors.
If this was not handled properly, the Su family would still face annihilation.
Just then, the secretary walked in and said, "Director Su, someone from the Wu family is here. Wu Lingxuan requests an audience."
Wu Lingxuan?
Su Wanran asked, "Isn't she Wu Hao's older sister?"
Su Ru nodded. "Yes, Wu Lingxuan was exceptionally talented and intelligent from a young age, a strong contender for the future family head. Most importantly, Wu Lingxuan is known for her excellent character, generosity, and kindness. In Wudu, Wu Lingxuan is like a living Bodhisattva!"
Jiang Mengxin said, "She's coming now, perhaps to avenge her brother? Lu Ming beat up Wu Hao, and we didn't help him, not even calling an ambulance, leaving Wu Hao in excruciating pain. Now, Wu Lingxuan is definitely here to settle the score with us regarding Wu Hao."
Su Wanran was extremely vexed.
Facing the Fan family was already a headache, and now they had to deal with the Wu family's demands.
Truly... misfortunes never come singly!
"Let her in," Su Wanran said to the secretary.
Turning back, she said to everyone, "This is the most critical moment for the Su family. We absolutely cannot afford to make more enemies. We should endure what we can. When Wu Lingxuan arrives, we will speak nicely, offer some compensation, and temporarily appease the Wu family."
Everyone understood these principles.
Su Wanran stating them explicitly was meant for Lu Ming alone.
While others could control their impulses, only Lu Ming, who resorted to violence impulsively, had a temper that could easily ruin things!
Jiang Mengxin nudged Lu Ming. "These words are for you. Don't act rashly."
Lu Ming shrugged and said nothing.
Soon, the secretary led Wu Lingxuan in. The moment everyone saw Wu Lingxuan, they were captivated.
It wasn't that Wu Lingxuan was exceptionally beautiful or had a great figure, as in terms of beauty and physique, she couldn't compare to Jiang Mengxin or Su Wanran.
However, Wu Lingxuan possessed a unique aura.
Noble and elegant.
As the saying goes, "A mind full of knowledge shines through one's demeanor," and "one's face reflects one's heart." Wu Lingxuan was the perfect example.
From her appearance, one could tell she was a talented woman with profound knowledge; moreover, her eyes exuded unparalleled nobility. She was beautiful, graceful, yet not seductive.
She was truly like a living Bodhisattva!
Her purity made one dare not harbor any impure thoughts.