Chapter 1764 - The Xiao Family Is in a Precarious Situation
Chapter 1764: The Xiao Family Is in a Precarious Situation
Chaos descended over the board of directors and shareholders after Xiao Chengyu’s death and Old Mr. Xiao’s hospitalization. Everyone was fighting for their own personal agendas and Xiao Zhiyuan was completely unable to subjugate them.
Within a few short days’ time, the Xiao Corporation’s share price fell by nearly 50%. The Xiao Family’s power also continued to decline.
Old Mr. Wen sighed softly as he slowly put down the newspapers. Noticing Wen Xinya’s approach, he asked her in a low voice, “How was Xiao Chengyu’s funeral?”
The fact that she had attended Xiao Chengyu’s funeral indicated she had no intention of interfering in the Xiao Family’s situation. And Old Mr. Wen did not object.
When the Wen Family was in trouble, Xiao Chengyu had quietly eyed them but didn’t take advantage of their dire straits. As a result, Old Mr. Wen naturally had no objections to Xinya’s decision.
In business, profits were always a priority, but one must also act honorably.
“It went quite smoothly. But it is always heartrending to see parents sending off their own child.”
Wen Xinya recalled the sight of the white-haired, haggard-looking Xiao Zhiyuan and the wan, gaunt-faced Lin Yuechan kneeling before the grave. She couldn’t help sighing.
Xiao Chengyu’s death was a major blow to both the Xiao Family and the Xiao Corporation.
Old Mr. Wen looked regretful. “Xiao Chengyu might be a descendant of the Xiao Family, but he had a righteous heart. He also possessed some of the quality traits from his mother’s side, the Lin Family. It is truly a pity.”
In Capital city’s upper society, there were not many descendants as talented as Xiao Chengyu.
When Xiao Zhiyuan had his scandal, Old Mr. Xiao went into deep seclusion and seldom made any public appearances. After Xiao Chengyu started making headway in the business world, Old Mr. Xiao finally regained some of his former smugness.
A pity that life was so unpredictable!
Wen Xinya nodded profoundly.
Old Mr. Wen continued, “I have been at loggerheads with that Old Mr. Xiao for decades. When we were young, we fought with our own wits and might. Now that we are old, we started pitting our descendants against each other. I never expected our battle to have such an end.”
Previously, when the Xiao Family had been closing in at their heels, the Wen Family had purposely avoided a direct confrontation so as to bid their time for a better opportunity to counterattack.
Now, the Wen Family had Xinya and Jinyu, and so the family would continue to thrive and prosper.
But the Xiao Family had fallen into such a pitiable state because of Xiao Chengyu’s death.
Life was truly unpredictable.
After so many years of wrangling, now that the Wen Family had surpassed the Xiao Family, Old Mr. Wen just felt that the whole affair was completely dreary and vulgar.
“The Xiao Family is in peril now with Xiao Chengyu’s death.”
Even if Old Mr. Xiao was able to step up to oversee the company, the internal strife would have already caused substantial damage to the Xiao Corporation. In addition, Chu Jingnan and Xia Ruya were crouching by the sidelines ready to pounce any moment.
Even if the Xiao Family could remain standing after the repeated blows, they would probably never recover their former glory.
Old Mr. Wen nodded with a sigh. “Driving Wen Haowen out of the family is nothing compared to the gravity of this matter!”
Although he had already given up on Wen Haowen, he still grieved over the breaking of their father-son ties. Now that the Xiao Family was faced with calamity after calamity, it felt like their own woes were insignificant.
Wen Haowen had been plagued by misfortunes, but at least he was still alive.
Xinya was able to take over the helm of the Wen Family. Jinyu was still young but represented the future hopes of the Wen Family.
Wen Xinya smirked at the mention of Wen Haowen.
Old Mr. Wen changed the subject. “Xinya, with the Xiao Corporation in turmoil, I reckon their board of directors and shareholders are already well-prepared to strike. I see that you have no plans to take advantage of the situation. Have you thought of how to explain your decision to the shareholders?”
Xinya was the Acting Chairman and would have some sway over the board of directors. But it would not be so easy to convince the shareholders. He was worried that the shareholders would probably not be agreeable to her decision.
On his end, he was prepared to step up if the situation required it. Nevertheless, he still wanted to ask about her plans first.
After so many years together, he understood his granddaughter rather well. She had good foresight, and every single one of her moves were well calculated. She was truly a gifted businesswoman.
Wen Xinya said mildly, “There’s no need to explain myself. I publicly attended Xiao Chengyu’s funeral, which clearly indicates the Wen Family’s attitude toward this matter. Even if the shareholders think otherwise, they will not dare to openly oppose me. This is the Wen Family, not the Xiao Family.”
The Xiao Family was constantly at the mercy of the shareholders as the family didn’t own enough shares to subdue the rest. As a result, the other shareholders all had their own personal agendas and were always in conflict.
On the other hand, the Wen Family held the majority of the Wen Corporation’s shares and so possessed an indomitable position. That was also the reason why the shareholders had tolerated Wen Haowen’s extreme incompetence as CEO for over a year.
Old Mr. Wen looked at his granddaughter somewhat curiously, before breaking out into a smile. “Your ‘do first, talk later’ behavior will make those shareholders hopping mad.”
He never expected that Xinya would be able to handle those shareholders so well after taking over control of the Wen Corporation.
Wen Xinya was nonchalant. “If that happens, I will have to trouble Grandpa to help me.”
Wen Haowen had managed the Wen Corporation for so long and always behaved timidly toward the board of directors and shareholders. As a result, the shareholders had become very brazen. Now that she had taken over control of the company, it was time to subdue them and show them who was boss.
When those shareholders were unable to rein her in, they would probably go whining to her Grandpa. As the Chairman, he would naturally have to soothe their egos.
Old Mr. Wen’s eyes brightened. “Good, good. You just concentrate on subjugating them. I will take of what happens after.”
Xinya intended to play the bad guy and suppress the shareholders so as to expand the Wen Family’s control over the board of directors and shareholders and advance their hold over the Wen Corporation. Meanwhile, he would be responsible for playing the good guy, to placate those shareholders. By playing both sides of the game, they would be able to successfully wrap those shareholders around their little fingers.
She was indeed his granddaughter.
If Wen Haowen knew how to use this tactic then, he would have no need to cower under them.
He could imagine those old, conservative shareholders having had their way for so long, only to end up being played by this young lady. Not only that, they would not even dare to admit they had been played but would have to grit their teeth and pretend nothing was wrong.
Wen Xinya beamed. “Thank you, Grandpa!”
Xia Ruya and Chu Jingnan were targeting the Xiao Corporation with the intention of harming the corporation. As the fight continued, it was inevitable that the Wen Family would suffer significant attacks.
There was no way those profit-driven shareholders would go through thick and thin with the Wen Corporation.
That was why they had to expand their control over the board of directors and shareholders, so as to lessen their threat toward the Wen Corporation.
Old Mr. Wen sighed softly. “The Xiao Family is caught in a thunderstorm and the Wen Family might not be able to remain upright for long. I can only hope that when the time comes, we can still safeguard the foundation of the Wen Family.”
As long as the Korean-Chinese Alliance existed, the Wen Family would never be safe.