The Senior Sister blinked her eyes and said earnestly, "After I came to Hong Kong, I never intended to be anyone's wife. Nor did I want to confront my master. Although I defeated Zhu Guang, I knew very well that Master and Zhu Guang were not on the same level. All along, I knew the Second Madam possessed powerful PUA techniques, so I planned to learn from her. With Master's recommendation, I became her schemer. I thought my resume was acceptable. But I never expected the Second Madam to arrange for me to be Gao Zihui's wife."
"Gao Zihui didn't object?"
"He obeyed the Second Madam's every word. And because I was the Second Madam's schemer, we didn't have any actual marital relations."
"You had a fake marriage?"
"I thought it didn't matter. If he said it was fake, then it was fake."
I was somewhat confused and frowned, thinking. As if sensing my thoughts, the Senior Sister smiled and said, "Since that's the case, why did the Second Madam still help Gao Zihui kill her own husband? Tang Nan, you want to know this, right?"
"Yes!"
"The best way to control the 8% of scattered shares is to buy them over. These 8% scattered shares mainly come from Gao's Financial Holdings Company, an investment company that, as shareholders, unites the elites from various industries in Hong Kong. They trusted Gao Xiaoqing and were willing to help Gao Xiaoqing seize the Gao family inheritance. But Gao Xiaoqing is dead, and things are different now. I heard that the shareholders of the holdings company have no trust in Gao Xiaozhi. Gao Xiaozhi's foolishness in Hong Kong's circle of tycoons is widely known. Therefore, these shareholders will definitely transfer their shares before the Gao family stock plummets. Once these shares enter the market, unforeseen events will occur."
"Couldn't Gao Xiaozhi just buy those shares back?"
"Yes, theoretically. Gao Xiaoqing operated businesses overseas and had a lot of private assets. But Gao Xiaozhi doesn't. If Gao Xiaozhi wants to buy these shares, he would have to rely on the strength of the First Madam's maternal family."
"Is the First Madam's family very wealthy?"
"If the First Madam mobilizes all her maternal family's strength, buying 8% of the shares is achievable."
"What's the problem with that?"
"The First Madam has always wished for her son to become a dragon and has extremely high expectations for her son. Therefore, the shares purchased by the First Madam's maternal family will all be under Gao Zihui's name. That would change the situation."
I thought carefully. That would indeed change the situation. Eldest son Gao Xiaozhi's shares: 19%, Second Madam: 14%, Gao Zihui: 19%, Gao Ziyan: 11%, Gao Ziming: 30%, Lao Tie: 7%.
According to the current situation, the Second Madam, by using her status as a wife and heir, can inherit Gao Xiaoqing's 14% of the estate, plus the daughter's 11%, and Gao Zihui's 19%.
Thus, the consolidated assets of the Second Madam's faction would be 44%, including the inheritance from her daughter and Gao Shaohui. Therefore, the final situation would undergo a complete transformation: the Second Madam with 44%, Lao Tie and Gao Ziming holding 37% of the shares, and Gao Xiaozhi still holding 19%. In the end, the Second Madam would achieve perfect revenge through her entire life, making Gao Xiaozhi and his wife watch as their son was controlled by the Second Madam, handing over the Gao family fortune they had coveted for a lifetime to the Second Madam.
I sighed, "No one in the Gao family is ordinary. The Second Madam is indeed a rare talent."
"Theoretically, the Second Madam would achieve ultimate victory, but in reality, it won't be like that."
"Why?"
"Gao Xiaozhi has always appeared mediocre and foolish for many years. In the eyes of outsiders, he is merely lucky to have been born into a good family; he can't do anything else well. Not just outsiders, even Gao Xiaozhi's wife and children see him that way."
"How is Gao Xiaozhi planning to retaliate?"
"Gao Xiaozhi has already asked for my opinion. My advice to my father-in-law is to feign repairs on one road while secretly advancing along another. Publicly, negotiate with the First Madam's maternal family to fund the purchase of 8% of the Gao family's equity. Secretly, fan the flames and let the scattered shares of the Financial Holdings Company be sold to Master."
"The Gao family's 8% ah, what kind of wealthy family wouldn't spare all their efforts to buy it? Does Old Ghost have that economic capability?"
"He does."
I was shocked. If Gao Xiaozhi's plan succeeded, the stock situation would change again: Gao Xiaozhi 19%, Gao Zihui 11%, Gao Ziyan 11%, Gao Ziming 30%, Second Madam 14%, Old Ghost 15%. In this case, the Second Madam would have at most 36%, Gao Xiaozhi 19%, and Gao Ziming 30%, with Old Ghost holding 15%. Then, the Second Madam would not be guaranteed victory.
"I have another question?"
"Will Old Ghost buy it?"
The Senior Sister smiled, clasped her hands, and rested her chin on them, looking at me. "That depends on your skills."
I replied seriously, "I'm sorry, I have to fulfill my role. Among the grandchildren, you chose Gao Zihui. Old Ghost supports Gao Ziming. Therefore, the person I will help is the second son's family, Gao Ziyan."
Hearing this, the Senior Sister was stunned. "You're going to help that silly girl?"
"That's right."
"Then I wish you good luck. With events pushed to this point, I believe Master will surely understand the current situation. Although he is unwilling, he will eventually have to consider Gao Ziming's future. Because Gao Ziming is Master's weakness. He raised Gao Ziming, and their relationship is like father and son."
...
The more it is like this, the more I cannot let Old Ghost take the risk. Gao Xiaozhi trusts the Senior Sister, which means one thing: the Senior Sister has long betrayed the Second Madam. I must now follow Old Gao's arrangement and become Gao Ziyan's pawn.
However, looking at Gao Ziyan, she probably won't accept me. It's fine, I don't care.
I am not good at dealing with people who possess the aristocratic mindset of the Gao family. But I am confident in dealing with Gao Ziyan, who has an ordinary mindset.
...
I arrived at the Gao residence. Only Gao Ziyan was keeping vigil. The Second Madam had disappeared somewhere.
Gao Ziyan looked at me with swollen eyes, her expression displeased. "Why are you here again?"
"Do you want to know how your father died?"
"Of course, I want to know."
"I'll help you!"
"No need. The police will tell me the truth."
I smiled. I don't believe people from a prominent family would trust the police. That's right, the police will know the truth, but the Gao family, with its immense wealth and power, has many ways and many more professional individuals to hide the truth from the police.
"Since you think so, then I'll pretend I didn't say anything. My condolences!"
After speaking, I bowed to the coffin and turned to leave. I hadn't walked far when I heard Gao Ziyan call out, "Stop."
I didn't stop. She chased after me.
"Tang Nan, why are you helping me?"
"I don't want to help you. Your grandfather forced me."
"My grandfather?"
"Yes!"
Gao Ziyan, who had always been immature, seemed to transform after hearing this. She bowed to me. "I'm sorry, Mr. Tang Nan. Please help me. I didn't believe you before because I dared not believe you. In the entire Gao family, the only one I can trust is my grandfather."
"It's alright. Since you've agreed, we need to communicate."
"There are often people coming to pay respects outside. Let's talk inside."
Gao Ziyan, dressed in black, and I entered the room. We shared information and discussed the current situation. At this point, I learned a condition that was beneficial to me. Gao Xiaoqing had a will, but this will did not include the 14% of shares belonging to the Gao family. It only pertained to the private enterprises Gao Xiaoqing had established overseas over the years. I must say, Gao Xiaoqing used the Gao family's vast foundation to acquire a large amount of personal wealth. His private assets were sufficient to purchase approximately 10% of the Gao family's shares.
"Teacher Ziyan, now is our chance. I hope that when the shareholders of Gao's Financial Holdings Company come to pay their respects to your late father, you will discuss with them the purchase of as many scattered shares as possible from them."
"Okay, but my uncle has already started his move. I can't buy them all, can I?"
Gao Ziyan clearly didn't understand and asked me doubtfully. Seeing her confused look, I felt like I was being forced into it. However, this girl possessed a rare purity for a member of a prominent family. She believed me without reservation once she decided to trust me.
"Try your best. If you can secure 5%, that would be good."
"What can these 5% do? I only have 11%. With an additional 5%, that's only 16%. In this struggle for power, it's insignificant."
"Have you forgotten what I told you?"
In our shared information, I had told Gao Ziyan about her mother using a cat to kill her father.
Upon hearing this, Gao Ziyan's face contorted with extreme pain. Her mother killing her father was like the sky falling for a daughter. She chose to believe me, but with a glimmer of hope, she said, "It might not be the truth. The police found components of a compound in the ointment."
"Firstly, they didn't investigate the cat. Secondly, the compound in the ointment was discovered by one of the police officers. Mr. Gao Xiaoqing's bodyguards can prove your mother did not come into contact with this ointment. But can anyone prove that this ointment truly belonged to your father? I heard the murderer discarded the ointment and it was later found by the police."
Gao Ziyan was not stupid. She looked at me with tear-filled eyes. "That police officer was bribed."
"Yes!"
"As long as it is proven that my mother is the murderer, she will be disqualified from inheriting my father's estate. The 14% of Gao family shares belonging to my father will return to me."
"That's right."
"What can 30% of the shares do?"
"It will make you invincible."