"Guess what...the two of them are talking about in the room right now?"
"...I don't know." Chen Xiao smiled bitterly.
"Hmph." Phoenix bit Chen Xiao's shoulder, then hummed softly, "I bet they're talking, and maybe they're trying to form a temporary alliance."
"Huh?" Chen Xiao opened his mouth.
"What are you 'oh' about! Are you so proud of yourself because three girls like you at the same time?!" Phoenix couldn't help but bite the guy again: "Even if you're proud, you...you...you're not allowed to show it!"
She paused, then sighed: "You don't understand, but I do, because I am a woman, and only women truly understand women."
Actually… I'm very grateful to Zhang Xiaotao. It was because of her that you were saved.”
Chapter 274 [Home]
While Chen Xiao and the three girls were hiding in a small house on the back mountain, chaos and turmoil had already broken out in the Xiao family's old mansion at the foot of the mountain.
Outsiders came and made a scene at the ancestral hall, turning the clan meeting into a complete mess. They openly fought in the ancestral hall and knocked dozens of Xiao family experts to the ground on the spot. The Lingnan Xiao family has been established for almost a hundred years and has never encountered such a thing before!
Even in the martial arts world, when someone comes to challenge another school, they have to send an invitation beforehand, set a date, invite several martial arts masters as witnesses, and then meet at one of the Xiao family's martial arts schools. Everyone signs a document first, and then they compete. There are explanations for both the winner and the loser...
Unless it's a matter of life and death, no one would rashly and inexplicably go to someone's door to attack—but even if they did, they wouldn't choose a big day like when someone's family is holding an ancestral hall meeting or clan gathering.
This is not just breaking the rules of the martial arts world, but completely disregarding the traditional clan rules of southern China!
As the saying goes, every trade has its rules. Even if people in the underworld hate each other to the core, there are still some rules that cannot be broken casually. There's a saying that even the most ruthless people know not to dig up graves of those who have died without leaving a family, and not to kick down a widow's door...
The patriarch of the Xiao family remained relatively restrained, but many of the clan elders and heads of various branches were furious. Even with his immense authority, the patriarch couldn't suppress the public's anger at this moment. Moreover, such an action was tantamount to slapping the face of the century-old prestigious Lingnan Xiao family!
The entire Xiao Family Town was in an uproar. The news would spread throughout the martial arts world of southern China in less than three days. At that time... this would be an utter disgrace!!
All the able-bodied young men of the Xiao family were mobilized, searching the town for an entire afternoon. In the evening, groups of seven or eight young men from the Xiao family, carrying flashlights or lanterns, searched the area around the town. Some even expanded the search area to the mountains. However, no one expected these kids to actually go up the mountain—what era is this? The 21st century! Do you think this is a martial arts movie? After causing such a huge mess, shouldn't they get out of there quickly—by car, plane, or train—and escape?
In Xiaojia Town, every inn and caravan shop was questioned.
They also found out about some of the unfamiliar faces in the town.
In the old Xiao family mansion, from Old Master Xiao down, the clan elders and the heads of each branch, as well as some second-generation managers who had gradually entered the core circle of the Xiao family, all gathered together for a meeting, but they could not reach a consensus.
The conflict mainly centers on Chen Xiao.
What infuriated the elders most was that Chen Xiao had only just returned to the clan today. He was a wandering ghost, drifting outside, and the Xiao family was willing to take him in. The old master even showed him such great favor. What an immense kindness that was! Shouldn't that brat be grateful and prostrate himself to repay the Xiao family?
But this ingrate, he barely got into the Xiao family's genealogy, hadn't even settled in, and was already seduced by a young girl who came knocking on the door? And he even helped outsiders, fighting with several clan elders in the ancestral hall?
Before liberation, such a disgrace to the family would have been either hanged or beaten to death upon capture! Now it's a society governed by law; killing is no longer allowed, but if captured, at least his legs should be broken! He should be tied to a pillar and starved for a few days before being thrown out of Xiao Family Town! Moreover, he should be expelled from the clan and never allowed to return!!
This finally relieved everyone's anger!
Moreover... amidst the public outrage, many others harbor ulterior motives!
Although Old Master Xiao still holds considerable authority, he is getting old after all. Although he is still in good health, no matter how vigorous he is, how many more years can he live at this age?
Most importantly, the Xiao family's businesses, spread across Lingnan and several surrounding provinces, have developed into a comprehensive fitness and entertainment industry, along with some scattered herbal medicine shops, fitness equipment stores, and restaurants. Their total assets must be several hundred million yuan! Add to that the numerous properties the Xiao family owns in Lingnan; given the current booming real estate market in China, the value of these fixed assets is enough to make people fight tooth and nail! And then there's the land!
Xiao Family Town, the old Xiao Family residence, and the mountain behind it—all the land belongs to the Xiao family!
In short, the total assets of the Xiao family, all added up, would probably make most of the people on the Forbes rich list in China blush with shame!
When Old Master Xiao passes away and the old man kicks the bucket, who will take the helm of such a large family business?
Those clan elders themselves didn't have much ambition. They were all quite old, and some might not even outlive Old Master Xiao. But as people, they all had their own descendants, and who wouldn't want to fight for a bigger share for their descendants?
Right now, the biggest key issue is that girl, Xiao Qing! Her father is currently the deputy chief financial officer of the Xiao family, while the position of chief financial officer is nominally held by an elderly clan elder. In reality, Xiao Qing's father is the head of the entire Xiao family's finances. That's a lot of power! Among those who control the wealth of the Xiao family, he, as the head of finances, would easily rank in the top three.
Old Master Xiao doted on Xiao Qing to an extreme degree. Xiao Qing herself was also very promising. At a young age, her martial arts skills were so advanced that even among the second generation, few could rival her. Among her peers, no one could compete with her.
It's one thing to have a high talent for martial arts, and although the Xiao family is a martial arts family, in today's society, if Xiao Qing were just a martial arts fanatic, no one would really give her a second glance. But this girl is not only good at martial arts, but also intelligent, academically excellent, decisive yet meticulous, and resilient.
Among the younger generation of the family, she was already the undisputed number one. She was practically a female crown prince. And the old patriarch never hid this fact, openly and secretly expressing his intention to have Xiao Qing gradually take over the family business.
The old man seemed to have some considerations as well. As long as he didn't encounter any major illnesses or disasters, he could live for another ten or eight years without much problem.
If we wait ten years, Xiao Qing will be thirty years old, which means she'll be an adult. Ten years of nurturing will be enough to give her strong wings. Plus, her father is the Xiao family's financial manager, and she has a powerful old man backing her up... It's only a matter of time before she rises to the top.
Putting everything else aside, as long as the old master writes his will before he dies, transferring most of the Xiao family's assets to Xiao Qing's name, the law of the land is iron, and no one can touch her!
As for secretly plotting something... hehe, secretly transferring the family's wealth out, leaving this girl with an empty shell?
This idea wasn't unheard of, but... don't forget, Xiao Qing's father is the Xiao family's finance minister! With this meticulous fellow watching over things, no one can make a move!
With such a large family fortune, if anyone is still envious, then the only solution is to encourage their young sons to use their abilities to find a way to marry Xiao Qing!
Once you marry her, you'll be bringing the entire Xiao family's business as a dowry!
At this point, Chen Xiao should have died!
This outsider is actually Xiao Qing's betrothed since childhood?! Unbelievable! He's just a drifter, with absolutely no connection to the Xiao family. Humph, can he possibly accept such a huge blessing?!
Now look what's happened! He's committed such a heinous crime. No matter how much the old master wants to protect him, the family rules are ironclad. The old master can't openly tear up the family rules in front of everyone to show favoritism, can he?
Therefore, Chen Xiao must be dealt with severely, severely punished, and expelled from the Xiao family forever! He wants to marry Xiao Qing? No way!
However, as everyone gathered here, they all put pressure on the old man with their comments. Some who understood the situation had an extra layer of ulterior motives.
Xiao Qing ran off with Chen Xiao, supposedly because she was kidnapped... Hehe! I heard that Xiao Qing and Chen Xiao seem to have a very good relationship! Some rumors say she went to N City and spent quite a few days with Chen Xiao! Young men and women, sparks fly, maybe... she's already given herself to that guy! And if we think about it further, maybe she's already secretly pregnant!!
The best outcome would be... that girl Xiao Qing, in her desperate defense of Chen Xiao, also broke the family rules and brought down this female crown prince!