Chapter 178 - The Imperial Crown

The press stood outside the gates of The Imperial Crown Hotel as they tried to get the latest scoop. A famous celebrity had accused the place for assault and had even provided the records of his presence and to prove that he was in the place, eating peacefully when the attack occurred. Coupled with the medical reports he had furnished, and his own pristine reputation, The Imperial Crown Hotel had incurred the wrath of many fans of Hua Ying. This new scoop, however had put a dent on the hotel's reputation while Hua Ying's flagging reputation had shot up again as people commiserated with the man that was once the nation's favorite.

Inside the hotel, two men sat staring at the headlines, with their eyes narrowed, looking at the headlines that this fiasco had created. While one man sat staring coldly, another was trying to connect with some of their investors to help them get out of the mess. But all he received was rejection. Lu Qianjin looked at his desperate brother and snorted sardonically," You know that our plan has been discovered. That is the only reason, Hua Ying would turn against us."

Lu Chang looked up from his phone towards his elder brother and rolled his eyes. "Our plan? Yeah right! Of course, she has discovered us. I told you to wait! Revenge is a dish best served cold. But did you listen? No! You wanted to do everything your way! And then your stupid plan failed and you did not even have any back up! Have you once thought about how our grandmother was easily conquered? It is because she under estimated that village girl! And you did the same thing! If I had known that you were going to do this in my absence, I would never have left you in charge! If you even wanted to do something like this, the least you could have done was do it somewhere away from our territory! Qianjin ! We are no longer a part of the strong Lu family! We were never the heirs but at least we were acknowledged by the high society! But now we can only take refuge in this hotel which I have started without Grandmother's help and knowledge! And with one useless move, you have finished everything that I have worked so hard for! Mum and Dad have fled with Yeona while you have been hiding here! Our only source of earning is this hotel and now you have put this also on their radar! Are you trying to finish off what Grandmother started?"

After being talked down by his younger brother, Qianjin banged at the table in anger! " Revenge! Wait! Do not try to fool me Chang! You are a coward and scared of taking revenge! You need courage for that which you do not have! You never had the courage to tell grandmother that you wanted to become an heir too so you secretly opened this small hotel to gain your own personal foothold! Do you think that just because this place is doing well, you can restore the past glory and live a leisurely life! With grandmother gone, you want us to to live the rest of our lives in hiding! And do you think that I am unaware of the little love affair you have! You want us all out of the way so that you can live happily with your wife and baby! The ones you have kept hidden all these years because of your fear of grandmother! You must have been the happiest when Grandmother committed suicide! So, why don't you stop with all this big talk and go become that villager's lapdog! She will definitely throw you some crumbs! And since your wife is also a village bumpkin, she might even keep her as a maid!"

Lu Chang narrowed his eyes at Qianjin as he realized that the secret he had kept so guardedly for the past few years had been discovered by his brother. But he had known that one day it would be discovered and he realized that now he need not fear his grandmother's interference. If his brother had mentioned this in the past, he would have been worried that Qianjin would blackmail him. But with their grandmother who saw them as tools for business deals gone, he had nothing to fear from Qianjin who was only like a dog barking! "It is better to live with your head down, humbly if you do not have the means to fight! What is wrong with trying to protect my family and living well! I don't see the need to be greedy if we can live honestly on what we earn! If only grandmother had not resorted to underhand deals, would she have been humiliated? And revenge for what! For justice! You are wrong that I would be happy about Grandmother's death I am just as saddened. But I am also clear that she got her just dues! And revenge! You take revenge for someone who has been wronged but Xie Eun was the one who was being wronged! Do you think I am unaware of the games that all of you played against her?"

Just as Lu Chang was about to move out of the room, Qianjin's voice stopped him cold," Lu Chang! Do you think that you can escape responsibility with all these righteous lectures? Remember the foundation to this hotel was also laid with black money that you used to receive as pocket money from out grandmother! So I have every right to use the means here to avenge her! And what about our beautiful sister! She will soon have to be sent to that despicable Gu family who now think that they are equal to her! Let me warn you Chang, if my sister is forced into someone's bed because of your cowardice, then your wife will find herself in someone else's bed! And with a coward for a husband, she might just fall for the man who spreads her legs!! Heck, she will do that soon enough anyway!"

Just as Qianjin finished speaking, Chang had already walked forward and punched him in the face, causing his nose and mouth to bleed profusely! Grabbing him by the collar, the usually mellow Chang, pushed his own brother against the wall and growled, "You must pay more attention to what I tell you! the only person we must fight with is someone we have the capability to defeat! You have been grandmother's puppet all your life so you know nothing! But let me tell you, I may not be able to attack the mighty Wolf and Xie Eun but I can certainly handle a pesky family member like you! You forget we share the same blood. The money that you have been throwing at these people belongs to me! And I can use it to turn them against you too!"

As Lu Chang said this, he had slowly pressed Qianjin's neck, causing him to lose his breath as he struggled to breathe and his face slowly turned blue.

Just as he was about to lose consciousness, Lu Chang left him and walked out of the door. But even then the taunting voice of Lu Qianjin echoed in the corridor as he laughed madly, "We may share the same blood but we are different my brother! We are different because if you were in my place, I would not have hesitated to kill you! So you can only bark like a dog and not kill!"

Lu Chang banged shut the door of his car and punched the wheel angrily to his car. How dare he threaten his family. Taking out his cell phone, he first called his wife. When she did not answer the phone, he wondered if she was putting the baby to sleep and decided to call the accountant, "Cut off all requests for money from my brother! He is not to be given a single pound until and unless I give you a written permission!"

After making sure the accountant understood everything, Lu Chang once again called his wife. Once again the phone was not answered! This time, with dread in his heart, he started to drive towards his family home while he made repeated calls at home. Finally, he called the neighbors who then told him that they did not know what happened inside but there were a few police cars outside his home! Swearing and praying for the safety of his wife and child, Lu Chang broke all speed limits as Qianjin's words echoed in his ears. If he had known that he had kept this kind of a snake with him, he would have forced Qianjin away when the rest of their family had fled! he cursed his brother as tear of fear and regret flowed out of his eyes. Finally, he reached the gates of his small family home and shuddered at the sight of the ambulance and police car standing there ominuously.