Chapter 331 - Embarked on a Journey
Chapter 331 Embarked on a Journey
Where there was a return, there was a departure.
When Dongcheng Wudi, who had stayed up all night, pushed open the door of his study and walked into the living room, breakfast was already on the table in the dining room.
Bai Qingqian put a bowl of thin porridge on the table. Glancing at Dongcheng Wudi coming over, she wore a soft smile and said gently, “Eat first.”
“All right.”
Dongcheng Wudi took the porridge and took a sip. He frowned slightly, his eyes full of gravity.
Wang Tianzong and Gu Xingyun appeared in Lin’an.
Li Honghe was attacked and seriously injured.
But he did not die.
In one night, the intelligence, which was not top-secret, had spread to every corner of Zhongzhou State.
The Patriarch of the Wang family of Beihai and the current God of War of Zhongzhou State attacked the former God of War of Zhongzhou State.
Crucially, the person who was attacked survived.
Everyone knew what that meant.
Dongcheng Wudi almost immediately received a message from Lin’an.
When he received the news, his first instinct was to start for Lin’an at once. But while the helicopter was being prepared, he returned to his study and convened a meeting of core members of the Dongcheng Clan.
Or rather, it was a network meeting of the core members of the Giant Group of Zhongzhou State.
Dongcheng Wudi was one of the top nine tycoons in Zhongzhou State today. As the military’s de facto top leader, he was ahead of the old man from the Zou family in both real power and ranking. So when he officially became a tycoon two years ago, the top leadership of the Giant Group had already shifted to the Dongcheng Clan. He was now the spirit of the flag in the group.
He was totally qualified to convene the network meeting of the core members of the Giant Group.
The meeting lasted most of the night.
There was gravity and gloom in Dongcheng Wudi’s eyes as he sat at the table.
“Is the result not ideal?”
Bai Qingqian glanced at Dongcheng Wudi and asked softly, “What did they say?”
Bai Qingqian was the top leader of Guandong Province and was undoubtedly a core member of the Giant Group. However, in the few days when she stayed in the Dongcheng Clan, she really seemed willing to become a good wife and mother. She took good care of Dongcheng Wudi and Dongcheng Hanguang, turned a blind eye to everything in the outside world, and didn’t even attend last night’s meeting.
The corner of Dongcheng Wudi’s mouth twitched. He said slowly, “Some people think we should not offend the Wang family of Beihai. Instead, we should use this opportunity to do Wang Tianzong a favor. In this way, we can get more bargaining chips when we trade the Border Control Corps with him.”
There was a flash of anger in Bai Qingqian’s eyes.
“For what reasons?” she asked.
…
“Reasons…”
There was a sneer on Dongcheng Wudi’s lips. “They thought that Tianlan’s situation was too dangerous to justify the full investment of the Giant Group. And the fact that he is Rushi’s fiancé didn’t seem to count for much in their eyes. The old bastard from the Liu family directly took advantage of his seniority in the meeting and advised me to think seriously about the engagement between Rushi and Tianlan. Furthermore, he even suggested a specific candidate. Who did he think he was? Did he really think he was still in office?”
“Who did he suggest?”
Bai Qingqian’s voice was calm without the slightest hint of anger.
Dongcheng Wudi hesitated, glanced at his wife, and whispered, “Wang Jingxin.”
Bai Qingqian’s pupils suddenly contracted.
Wang Jingxin, one of the most prominent and famous young members of the Wang family of Beihai in recent years, was even more famous than Wang Shengxiao in earlier years.
Wang Jingxin was not an unusual talent for Martial Arts but a political figure whom the whole Wang family of Beihai placed great hopes on. He was the best, whether of courage, vision, or wisdom. He was now regarded by many as the man who might end up at the top of power in Zhongzhou State in 20 years.
Wang Jingxin was the oldest of the Wang family of Beihai’s younger generation. He was neither from the lineal branch represented by Wang Tianzong nor from the branch of Wang Qinglei, which was becoming more and more powerful now. Instead, he came from another collateral branch, whose power was low-profile.
He was 32 years old, serving as one of the governors of Jiangzhe Province and the top leader of Lin’an, the provincial capital of Jiangzhe Province.
With such status, Wang Jingxin successfully drew all the attention on him.
Zou Yuanshan from the Giant Group, Dongcheng Qiuchi, Wang Jingxin from the Southeast Group…
In every era, there were always several powerful figures who emerged in politics at a young age. As juniors, they had reached positions of equal status with those of the seniors, attracting attention and being regarded as the future leaders of Zhongzhou State. Wang Jingxin, however, was the most prominent one in their eyes.
Although he was ten years older than Dongcheng Rushi, if Dongcheng Rushi really married him, she definitely wouldn’t feel humiliated.
Bai Qingqian was not angry. Instead, she seriously thought it for a while and then said indifferently, “In this way, the Wang family of Beihai has started to act.”
She paused and then continued, “It is likely that Wang Tianzong had given some instructions after the operation failed last night.”
Dongcheng Wudi nodded, acknowledging what his wife had said.
The power of the Giant Group was enormous. On the surface, it was even no weaker than the two behemoths—the Prince Group and the Southeast Group. But these groups of powerful families were extremely loose inside. The same voice was rarely heard except in the face of significant issues concerning the survival or extinction of the groups.
The Liu family was the backbone of the Giant Group, but it had close cooperation with the Wang family of Beihai and had close ties with some crucial figures in the latter. The Liu family had neither mentioned Wang Jingxin at the meeting on a whim nor meant to make fun of him.
The fact that the Liu family mentioned Wang Jingxin indicated that the Wang family of Beihai really had this demand now. They were merely testing the attitude of the Dongcheng Clan with more subtle actions.
“What about your attitude?” Bai Qingqian asked.
…
To some extent, the advice from the Liu family was part of the power of the Giant Group.
The Dongcheng Clan, the Bai family, and the Zou family had reached an agreement on how to deal with the Li family. But there was also a need to placate the elite below the three powerful families. The Dongcheng Clan’s rejection of the Liu family’s offer was far from casing the latter to separate from the group, and it was necessary to try to appease the latter.
This was a required course for a leader.
“I rejected it.”
Dongcheng Wudi shook his head.
Bai Qingqian said nothing but looked at him quietly.
The rejection was an attitude.
But Bai Qingqian was not satisfied with that.
Dongcheng Wudi smiled helplessly and said earnestly, “What’s your opinion?”
He knew Bai Qingqian well.
Bai Qingqian had a reputation for being powerful and aggressive among high officials, and when it came to Li Tianlan, her performance was even more intense.
“Let Yuanshan suppress Wang Jingxin. That’s my attitude,” Bai Qingqian replied.
…
“Yuanshan…”
Dongcheng Wudi hesitated. He placed great hopes on Zou Yuanshan, his eldest son-in-law. And if the matter operated successfully, it meant much more than merely suppressing Wang Jingxin.
“Let’s see what Yuanshan thinks,” Dongcheng Wudi said.
…
Bai Qingqian nodded. “Yuanshan has an advantage of seniority over Wang Jingxin, and he won’t turn our request down.”
“It’s not about seniority.”
Dongcheng Wudi wore a wry smile.
“Whatever the problem is, if he wants to do it, it’s fine,” Bai Qingqian said tersely.
…
Dongcheng Wudi fell silent.
…
The word “want” represented a lot of things. It could be interpreted as ambition or friendship.
The focus of all this was neither the engagement between Wang Jingxin and Dongcheng Rushi nor the inner core meeting of the Giant Group.
Li Honghe was attacked but survived.
That was the real focus.
If Li Honghe died, nothing would be mentioned. Even the Dongcheng Clan would only save Li Tianlan at that time and wouldn’t do anything extra.
But Li Honghe did not die!
So this matter became an opportunity for the Li family to rise again.
Li Honghe’s status was truly too special and lofty, for he was the former God of War of Zhongzhou State. He was undoubtedly one of the most significant founding members and meritorious statesmen in recent decades in Zhongzhou State.
No matter how abject the Li family was, Li Honghe was still a founding member.
The Wang family of Beihai and Kunlun City attacked him jointly. No matter what the reality was, at least on the surface, they were challenging the system that the Six of Zhongzhou State had followed, and that was a blatant breach of the rules.
So they had to pay the price.
The price could be high or small.
If someone was willing to stand up for the Li family, the latter could definitely get a lot of bargaining chips from this matter.
The Academics may make a move, but they had been prudent in handling matters, so they were rarely the first to stand out.
And from the Academics’ standpoint, it was in their best interest to keep Li Tianlan alive and see Li Honghe die.
Therefore, it was the Dongcheng Clan that was most likely to stand out for the Li family.
So, soon after the failure of the attack and as soon as the Dongcheng Clan held the core meeting, the Wang family of Beihai had begun to test the attitude of Dongcheng Wudi through the Liu family.
Bai Qingqian suggested that Zou Yuanshan should suppress Wang Jingxin.
If everything went well, Wang Jingxin would surely go one step further this year or next and become the governor of Jiangzhe Province.
Bai Qingqian made it clear that she wanted Zou Yuanshan to scramble for that position.
It wasn’t a difficult thing to do. That was the price that the Wang family of Beihai must pay.
But once Zou Yuanshan went to Jiangzhe, his identity would be very different.
Zhongzhou State must compensate Li Honghe, who survived the attack.
Once Zou Yuanshan went there, he was, to some extent, no longer the future leader-in-waiting of the Giant Group but the founder of the Li family’s future political power. This identity didn’t seem to change much in the short term, but in the long run, it was undoubtedly subtle.
If Li Tianlan could grow up in the future, Zou Yuanshan would surely become the founding member and leader of the new group, having a status even higher than what he had now in the Giant Group.
But that was based on the premise that the Li family and Li Tianlan could grow up.
There were risks, but the rewards were also enormous. Both Zou Yuanshan and Wang Jingxin had their strengths and weaknesses, but 20 years later, the former’s odds of success would against him. The two may be equally capable, but at the most critical moment, Zou Yuanshan would be struggling to get the strongest support in the Giant Group. But if he went into the Li family, it may be a different scene.
As a result, Zou Yuanshan would not refuse to go to Jiangzhe, as long as Dongcheng Wudi agreed on that.
…
“What are you hesitating about?” Bai Qingqian looked at Dongcheng Wudi and asked.
…
It was a rare opportunity, especially for Li Tianlan.
He was the Young Governor of Sigh City, who had a certain foundation in the Dark World. At present, he was backed up by the Flourishing Age Fund. The future of the young members of the East Emperor Palace was promising and bright. Taking this opportunity, they could get the most important political power.
If all were to go well, the Li family would rise in Zhongzhou State again.
And though they were still weak, they were beginning to take shape and had everything they needed. These were Li Tianlan’s strength!
Bai Qingqian smiled and whispered, “Is it you haven’t decided whether to stand up for the Li family?”
Dongcheng Wudi’s eyelids twitched.
Bai Qingqian’s voice was still soft, but the content gradually became sharp. “For the Li family, the game is just beginning. But for the Dongcheng Clan, the overall arrangement of many years has already come to an end. Back then, you wanted to change and break the bottleneck of the Dongcheng Clan, which is why all of this happened today. How brave was the Dongcheng Clan at that time? Why have you become so cowardly at a time when you need to spare no efforts to protect your overall arrangement? Wudi, you are the God of Massacre of Zhongzhou State. Have you grown in rank but become less daring?”
Bai Qingqian turned her head and looked out the window, saying flatly, “I liked you better when you were young, high-spirited, and unscrupulous. At the very least, you were able and courageous enough to protect what was most important to you. At that time, we were very young. For me, you could fight violently with Gu Xingyun. For the sake of your family, you smashed Wang Tianzong’s car and didn’t give in to him after being beaten heavily. You dared to hit Li Kuangtu on the head with a wine bottle… I loved you the best at that time.”
Dongcheng Wudi was in a trance and seemed to recall the foppish and gay life of his youth. He fought fiercely with Gu Xingyun, shouted abuse at Wang Tianzong, and disdained Li Kuangtu. Though he often had little to gain, he got Bai Qingqian.
“I gotta go.”
Bai Qingqian said softly, “Cangyue has seriously injured Gu Xingyun. Changes will soon take place in the northeast. I must go back and stabilize the situation in Guandong. I know you’re under a lot of pressure right now, so I’m not trying to influence you. But when Tianlan needs strength, I will not give up my perseverance.”
Dongcheng Wudi remained silent.
Bai Qingqian had made it clear that he knew what she meant by persistence.
At a time when Li Tianlan needed support most and at a critical moment in the Li family’s rise, Bai Qingqian would cling to her insistence even if the whole world remained silent.
Even if she risked everything, she would give all her strength without reservation.
Some love did not need reason.
Bai Qingqian took a document out of her bag and handed it to Dongcheng Wudi.
Dongcheng Wudi took the document and glanced at it. His face suddenly changed.
It was a divorce agreement.
And Bai Qingqian had signed it.
As soon as Dongcheng Wudi wrote his name on it, his relationship with Bai Qingqian as a couple for so many years would end.
“What does it mean?”
Dongcheng Wudi’s brow furrowed. “I didn’t say I wouldn’t help Tianlan. He’s gonna be fine. I…”
“He’s gonna be fine?”
Bai Qingqian chuckled. “I want more than that.”
The corners of Dongcheng Wudi’s eyes kept twitching. Of course, he knew what Bai Qingqian wanted.
The three backbone-like families of the Giant Group had already reached a consensus. They would undoubtedly support the Li family, but no one said how much support they would offer. Nonetheless, it was a matter of great importance. The extent to which they supported the Li family was directly related to the extent to which the Li family could profit from the issue.
Without question, Bai Qingqian wanted the full support of the Dongcheng Clan.
That was the most challenging thing for Dongcheng Wudi.
“Qingqian, don’t force me…”
Dongcheng Wudi’s voice was as slow as an old man’s. In his shoes, he was naturally willing to give full support to Li Tianlan, but supporting Li Tianlan and supporting the Li family were two different things. This was an opportunity for Li Tianlan. However, if he supported Li Tianlan fully, he would face considerable resistance. Naturally, he had to weigh up the pros and cons.
“To be a human being, one should always shoulder the responsibility that one should shoulder.”
Bai Qingqian added indifferently, “You’re more than a soldier.”
She said slowly, looking at the divorce agreement in Dongcheng Wudi’s hand, “I’m not threatening you with that. It’s my decision after careful consideration. Wudi, sign it. After you sign it, what do you want to do is none of my business, and vice versa. Why should we torture each other? I don’t want to see my husband, the only man I’ve ever loved in this life, gradually become the man I despise the most. It’s in everyone’s best interest to sign it.”
“None of my business!”
There was a spark of anger in Dongcheng Wudi’s eyes. “What do you want to do? Qingqian, do you know what happens when you do something?”
“I wish I were dead!”
Bai Qingqian’s voice was stiff and numb. “All these years, I’ve always had a feeling that living is no better than dying. I’m tired long ago. Do you know how I got through it? I hate you as much as I love you!”
Dongcheng Wudi’s body gave a violent jolt.
At this moment, Bai Qingqian was so sorrowful, resembling a heart that was always bleeding directly in front of his eyes.
He thought of Bai Qingqian’s tenderness these days and her indifference years before.
What kind of struggle was that?
The divorce settlement turned into ashes in Dongcheng Wudi’s hand.
The look in his eyes became determined.
“I’m leaving for Lin’an.”
He said slowly, stressing each syllable, “Yuanshan will go to Jiangzhe. Believe me once, and I will try my best to go for it.”
Bai Qingqian nodded after a moment’s silence. “How can you not risk a little when the time has come for you to reap the rewards of your great scheme? If you don’t do anything, why should Tianlan accept what he shouldn’t? And how can he keep his engagement to Rushi?”
Dongcheng Wudi looked helpless.
Bai Qingqian seemed satisfied with his attitude, but not moved.
She still hated him.
It was a knot that could not be untied.
“I’m leaving.”
Bai Qingqian went to the door, and, as she drew near the door, she paused and continued, “I will be back on Mid-Autumn Festival.”
The sound of the helicopter whistled through the window.
Bai Qingqian was about to depart.
Dongcheng Wudi was about to leave as well.
Bai Qingqian got into the car.
Dongcheng Wudi got into the helicopter.
One of them headed for the South, while the other went to the North.
They did all this for Li Tianlan instead of the Li family.
…
After today, the Li family, which had been silent in Zhongzhou State for many years, would officially start a journey again under Li Tianlan’s leadership and go to the distance and the height where they once stood.
There were billows and storms ahead.
But every beginning had an end.