Chapter 83 - To lead by example.

President Xing Fu turned to look around, his eyes straying from the Japanese ambassadors to Tang Huizhong. "Is this true?"

"Yes, it's true." Sakai Natsuhiko's voice earned the president's attention, purposely ignoring his cousin's glare. "Bai Jihai is my cousin and his real name is Sakai Yukiharu."

"But he is a person of dual citizenship. His mother is a Chinese." Tang Huizhong explained, his eyes meeting Wen Qiqiang's sly grin.

"Oh, I see." President Xing Fu felt a little bit uncomfortable in the tense atmosphere between them and the Japanese. "But don't you think it is a little bit inappropriate to have him as your successor?"

"I chose him as my successor because...." Huizhong took in a deep breath in order to continue. " .....he is my son-in-law."

President Xing Fu smiled, his eyes creasing with delight. "Little Lan'er is now married? Why didn't you inform me?" He started frowning as he thought about it but he pulled himself together when he remembered that this was a formal meeting. "Good for her. In that case, that means it is not a problem for him to inherit the position."

"But, Mr President-" Wen Qiqiang interjected.

"We can discuss this later, Mr Wen. We should not forget the reason we are here is to welcome this distinguished guests into our country so ladies and gentleman, please another round of applause." President Xing Fu was pleased to see that the Japanese envoys' tense expressions had now subsided.

He invited them to another room for a formal party to wine and dine, leaving the remaining six families alone with each other. They stood with each other, each head casting hateful glances at Wen Tianxiang. Wen Tianxiang hid behind his father to protect himself when he saw that Lai Weilong had entered the room in his military uniform.

Wen Qiqiang hit his cane in a calm manner when he saw Lai Weilong approaching them. "What is the matter? Is there a reason why you are standing here?"

Lai Weilong stood eye to eye with Wen Qiqiang in a dominant aura, not backing down as he said. "Wei Tianxiang, I do not care about your family connections or power you would use you to protect yourself but mark my words, I will make you pay for what you did."

He left abruptly leaving Wen Tianxiang terrified behind his father, not seeing the look of disgust his son, Wen Honglin gave him. Everyone was quirt for a while, looking at the three men of the Wen family until Wen Qiqiang hit his cane angrily and bellowed. "What? What are you people looking at?"

The remaining heads rolled their eyes in disdain but still obeyed his command, leaving the room with their successors and Wen Qiqiang with his brimming rage.

"These disrespectful brats!" Wen Qiqiang raged when he saw the door was closes firmly. "They wouldn't have dared misbehave this way if I was in my prime age! Now, an orphan dares to disrespect my own son!"

"Grandfather, please calm down." Wen Honglin rushed to coax his grandfather when he saw him cough all of a sudden.

"I will never forget this insult!" Wen Qiqiang wiped his lips with a handkerchief and said. "Lai Weilong must die!"

The remaining heads stood outside the closed door along with their successors listening to their discussion. Cai Shangjun seemed to remember that this action was inappropriate so he turned to the successors behind them, saying. "Alright, that's enough! You people should not be eavesdropping on your elders, what kind of manners did we teach you? All of you, follow me!"

Tang Huizhong and the rest of the heads of the six families suddenly felt uncomfortable with his words filled with shamelessness but the successors still followed him anyway. Su Liangzi spoke up when they walked away from the door, gauging the others' reactions. "We should take necessary precautions against them. We can't let them make the first move."

Shen Guiying sneered at her sworn elder brother. "By what? Poisoning them the way your people did to Brother Mo's son?"

Su Liangzi was taken aback when he heard her accusation. "W-What are you taking about?"

Shen Guiying rolled her eyes. "Oh please, don't act so innocent. Your tricks are getting old, senior brother. I find it weird that his son was poisoned all of a sudden with a royal poison that has no cure?"

Tang Huizhong rebuked her when he saw that Su Liangzi became paler when he heard the news. Because of his weak health, the others made a silent agreement not to inform him of upsetting matters unless it was very important. In return, Su Liangzi never asked them of anything, only concerning with matters of his career. "Shut up! How dare you talk to your senior brother like that? Do you think that you can take me as a statue?"

Shen Guiying kept quiet and reigned in her resentment when she heard him talk. All these years, she had aged gracefully and sustained her empire and built her own family, becoming one of the most powerful females in the country. Yet, it was only Tang Huizhong who would dare scold her like she was a little girl in public.

It made her blood boil yet she was forced to lower head to apology. She felt a little satisfied to see that Mo Xuanqing stood up with a neutral attitude in the whole situation. "I am so sorry, I was just looking out for-"

"-I don't want to hear it, Guiying. Your insolence is becoming irritating and I won't watch you sow discord among us." He growled, watching her face turn indignant when he called out her devious plans in a straightforward manner. He hated beating around the bush when it came to setting someone straight. "If you feel that you can no longer submit to your seniors and respect your position as the youngest, you can feel free to leave. Go and join the Wen family. We will take them all down, do you understand me?"

Shen Guiying felt the sheer humiliation from watching the successor turn their heads away swiftly as if they didn't hear anything from far away. But she endured it, knowing that she must always lead by example at all times. "Yes, Senior Brother. I understand."