Has Yang Cheng truly recovered from his illness? Then, is it even necessary to continue this leadership transition meeting?
Chapter 230 A Battle of Words
After a moment of silence, Yang Wei was the first to stand up, his excitement evident: "Good, good, good! As long as our third brother can be saved, no matter how hard we work, it's all worth it. Friends, don't you agree?"
Since the eldest son of the Yang family had made such a statement, how could the others not give him face? They all nodded and said, "Mr. Yang is right. As long as Chairman Yang can recover his health, it will be most beneficial to the stock price and business of the Yang Group. Our rights as shareholders will also be guaranteed. This is truly good news..."
However, some of them harbored ulterior motives. Yang Ling had already considered the position of chairman of the board of directors of Yang Group to be his for the taking, believing that Yang Cheng was doomed. To prevent the shareholders and directors from not supporting him, he had done a lot of work to win them over, promising many directors benefits after they took office. Those who accepted bribes saw Yang Cheng on his deathbed and naturally believed Yang Ling's words without a doubt. However, the turn of events was beyond everyone's expectations. In the blink of an eye, those promised benefits vanished because of Yuqi's words, which made many people resentful.
Since Yang Wei had spoken, Yang Ling naturally had nothing more to say. Under the watchful eyes of everyone, he couldn't turn around and ask the arrogant Japanese ronin for advice, so he had no choice but to steel himself and raise his head with a smile on his face: "Now that Third Brother has recovered, I think there's no need for our leadership reshuffle election. Until Third Brother returns to take charge of the work, I will temporarily assume the responsibility of being in charge of the Yang Group. Once Third Brother returns, I will immediately hand over all the work to the Chairman."
The crowd remained silent, neither opposing nor supporting. As for who would become the chairman of the board, that was a matter for the Yang family. Judging from Yang Ling's eloquent and enthusiastic words, who knew what he was really thinking? No one was a fool; they all knew that in such wealthy families, brotherhood and fraternal bonds were utterly worthless, easily shattered in the face of enormous profits. Who cared who became chairman? As long as their own interests weren't threatened, they would simply remain on the sidelines.
A ruddy-faced, overweight man sitting diagonally opposite Yang Ling suddenly stood up and said slowly, "We saw Mr. Yang Cheng was very ill yesterday. How come he's recovered today? Is there some kind of miraculous medical technology or medicine in this world that can restore someone's health overnight? That's too amazing. If I hadn't seen Mr. Yang's condition with my own eyes, I would hardly believe it's true."
Everyone was stunned and looked at the ruddy-faced fat man. Yang Ling was overjoyed. He recognized the fat man; he was a director he had bribed, surnamed Dong, but he had forgotten his given name. Unexpectedly, the fat man stood up to help him out of his predicament at this most critical moment, and his words were powerful and to the point. He was indeed a remarkable person.
Matsumoto Tomoki sat in his chair with his head down, and no one noticed his silent mutterings or the fleeting look of confusion in Dong Pangzi's eyes.
Yang Wei looked at Fatty Dong with suspicion and slowly asked, "Mr. Dong, do you mean the news of my third brother's recovery is false? But even Dean Li from Baiyun Hospital just called to say that my third brother's condition has recovered."
Fatty Dong smiled slightly: "Mr. Yang, I never said that the news of Chairman Yang's recovery was false, nor did I doubt the director of Baiyun Hospital. I was just making a deduction based on facts and common sense. After all, we all witnessed Chairman Yang's illness firsthand. If it were said that his condition was under control after careful treatment, that might be believable. But to say that he suddenly recovered, don't you all find that strange? If anyone here had a terminal illness and suddenly recovered, I think everyone would also want to know why, right?"
His words were reasonable and insightful, and the crowd nodded in agreement. The doubts that had just been dispelled returned to their minds. Although the fat man wasn't good-looking, his words were always to the point. Yang Ling was particularly pleasantly surprised. He could have said those words himself, but in the rush, he hadn't thought of them. This Fatty Dong, despite his unassuming appearance, was truly a talented individual.
Yang Wei pondered for a moment: "So, what does Mr. Dong mean?"
Fatty Dong smiled again: "No, no, I'm just a small director. How could I dare to embarrass myself in front of the esteemed people of Yang's Group? I just think it's not easy for all the leaders and shareholders to gather here. If the reshuffle meeting is canceled just because of the words of two people, it will be difficult to get everyone together again next time. I just don't want to waste everyone's precious time."
He suddenly turned to Yuqi, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes: "Miss Yuqi, if you can provide real evidence that Chairman Yang Cheng has truly recovered, then we can indeed head back home. But if you are just exaggerating and there is no such thing, then can you afford to waste the time of so many shareholders, directors, and other friends?"
"If you don't believe me, you can go to Baiyun Hospital and see for yourselves!" Yuqi said anxiously. "Don't you even believe what Dean Li said?"
"Ahem, Yuqi," Yang Ling cleared his throat and said, "Everyone's time is very precious. This meeting was only scheduled for one hour. After the meeting, they will have to rush to catch their flights back. Many shareholders have already booked round-trip tickets. If they go to see Third Brother to confirm, I'm afraid there won't be enough time."
As soon as he said that, someone in the crowd immediately chimed in: "That's right, we rushed here to vote and sign the petition for the leadership transition. We thought it would only take ten minutes, but it's been almost half an hour and we still haven't gotten the car. It's really wasting our time. If the flight keys are delayed, we'll lose a lot of business and orders. Who can take responsibility for this? Will the group foot the bill?"
Many people immediately started shouting in a chaotic uproar: "That's right, that's right! We strongly demand an immediate election for the chairman of the Yang Group. We can't afford to waste so much time. Young lady, if you can provide evidence of your father's recovery, we can disband immediately." Most of these people were directors who had been bribed by Yang Ling. Only a small number of them were unaware of the truth, but they were indeed in a hurry and couldn't help but get anxious.
Now, even Yang Wei began to have doubts. He looked at Yuqi intently and said, "Yuqi, what's really going on with your father? The way you're talking makes me uneasy!"
Seeing the situation take a sharp turn for the worse, Yuqi finally lost her composure and was about to urgently explain herself when Lingyun gently patted her shoulder and said with a smile, "Yuqi, let me show everyone the evidence."
Yuqi gazed at him tenderly, her heart immediately calming down. Although she didn't know what kind of evidence Ling Yun had, for some reason, seeing his calm demeanor made her feel incredibly at ease. She simply nodded silently and stood beside Ling Yun without saying a word.
Yang Ling squinted at Ling Yun, instinctively sensing that this seemingly student-like boy was no ordinary person. He was only a year or two older than his son, yet his profound composure and calm demeanor were something even he himself might not possess. Just who was this guy? Could he have broken Yuqi's mental control? This thought suddenly popped into Yang Ling's mind, but he immediately shook his head. If that were the case, the world would be in complete chaos. Such extraordinary abilities should only be possessed by a handful of people like Matsumoto.
He decided to strike first, lightly slapping the table and saying in a cold voice, "Sir, may I ask who you are?"
Ling Yun looked at Yang Ling quietly and said, "My name is Ling Yun. I am Miss Yuqi's classmate in college and also her boyfriend. May I ask what advice you have for me, Fourth Uncle?"
Yuqi looked at Lingyun with a mixture of surprise and delight. Although she had planned ahead, Lingyun's public announcement that they were a couple still made the girl blush with joy. Her beautiful eyes were filled with the deep affection of a girl who loved someone to the core, which was obvious even to a fool. Although everyone was surprised, thinking that Miss Yuqi was supposed to be on a blind date arranged by her family, they thought it was normal. Yuqi was an eighteen-year-old girl, and it was normal for her to fall in love and have a boyfriend in college. Although this guy seemed very ordinary and didn't seem to match the status of a beauty like Yuqi, everyone has their own preferences. Judging from the guy's humble yet confident attitude, there seemed to be something unusual about him.
"Don't you know the rules? Who's your fourth uncle?!" Yang Ling didn't care about a greenhorn like Ling Yun. He thought to himself, "So this is the kid Yuqi praised so highly? He's really quite ordinary." He said coldly, "This is a formal meeting held by the Yang Group. Didn't your elders teach you to use official titles in formal occasions? Or are you just a clueless fool who doesn't know anything and just spouts nonsense here?" He deliberately wanted to give Ling Yun a hard time, so his tone carried a lecturing tone.
Yuqi's eyebrows furrowed, and she was about to explode. For some reason, seeing Ling Yun being provoked seemed to be more unbearable to her than being attacked herself.
Ling Yun remained unperturbed, and smiled slightly, saying, "I'm sorry, President Yang, I shouldn't have called you Fourth Uncle, because you are truly an incompetent fool, unworthy of being a senior. Or rather, your elders failed to educate you properly. Just now, I clearly heard you call Yuqi's father Third Brother, and you didn't use the official title of Chairman at the formal meeting held by Yang's Group. Instead, you turned around and lectured others. You really have a knack for slapping yourself in the face. I, Ling Yun, have truly broadened my horizons; this is the first time I've seen such a high-level incompetent fool as you."
His words were extremely sarcastic and biting, seizing on Yang Ling's momentary lapse in judgment. He was relentless in his attack, utterly humiliating Yang Ling. Upon hearing him call Yang Ling a fool, many couldn't help but chuckle. However, out of consideration for Yang Ling, they had to suppress their laughter, their expressions becoming incredibly strange.
Yuqi gently covered her mouth and chuckled, secretly glancing at Ling Yun and thinking: This guy, usually so honest and unassuming, can be quite sharp-tongued when it really matters. I never would have guessed. She couldn't help but feel a little smug.
Yang Ling's face flushed red and then paled with rage. He had been momentarily careless, allowing Ling Yun to seize on his weakness and ridicule him. Seeing the strange expressions on the faces of the people around him, he was furious. Although he wasn't the highest-ranking member of the Yang family, he was still a president-level figure, always the one bossing people around and showing off his power. He had never been so openly rebuked by a junior he looked down upon. Unable to contain himself any longer, he stood up and shouted, "Who are you talking to? Ling Yun, how dare you, an outsider, point fingers and criticize me? Excuse me, this is a meeting of the Yang Group. No one unrelated to this is allowed in. Please leave!" With that, he pointed his arm toward the door.
Fatty Dong had already sat down and said sarcastically, "When did the Yang family's rules change? Not only can female relatives enter the house and interfere in family affairs, but they even bring their boyfriends, who have no official status, back to interfere as well. It seems that the Yang family is no longer the same as before. Now it's modern society, and we should adapt to local customs!" He then let out a long sigh.
Upon hearing this, Yang Wei and Yang Jun couldn't sit still. As heirs to the Yang family's ancestral business, they naturally valued ancestral rules and traditions immensely. Yuqi's arrival was already somewhat inappropriate, and now she had brought Ling Yun in, who was even trying to steal the spotlight from Yang Ling, and even publicly mocking him. Although Yang Ling had provoked them first, he had the right to say such things in terms of seniority and experience. Ling Yun's rebuttal was too sharp, which made Yang Wei and Yang Jun, who were also clan brothers, uneasy.
The two brothers exchanged a glance, and Yang Wei spoke first: "Ling Yun, even if you are Yuqi's boyfriend, you are still an outsider until you register your marriage. This is a meeting of the Yang Group, and you are not an official member, so you shouldn't attend. Besides, our Yang family has also made arrangements for Yuqi's blind date. Although her own opinion is important, you cannot be considered her boyfriend without the consent of our elders. We don't want to make things difficult for you, so you should leave now."
Ling Yun smiled faintly: "Mr. Yang Wei, I'm sorry, but it seems that none of you here have the final say in the Yang family's affairs. It seems that only Mr. Yang Cheng is the chairman of the board of directors of the Yang Group. Moreover, even Mr. Yang Cheng has no right to interfere with his daughter's free social interactions. The Yang family's long-standing rule that female relatives cannot be involved in the family's business and affairs must be changed today, whether they like it or not!"
When he got to the last sentence, Ling Yun's words suddenly became fierce, like a majestic king of beasts looking down at the trembling masses at his feet, full of indomitable and heroic spirit.
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Chapter 231 Intrigue and Schemes
These words immediately stunned everyone, including Yang Wei, Yang Jun, and Yang Ling. It seemed this young man wasn't brought by Yuqi to meet the elders, but rather to cause trouble. Most of the people present immediately showed indignation. This kid was too arrogant! Did he even know where they were, yet he dared to spout such nonsense? He truly didn't respect anyone.
Matsumoto Tomoki abruptly turned his gaze to Ling Yun, who happened to be looking at him as well. Their eyes clashed instantly, sparking an invisible flame. However, Matsumoto Tomoki immediately turned his head away again. From beginning to end, he hadn't uttered a single word, but instead spread his mental energy field throughout the conference room, ready to launch a mental control attack and deliver a thunderous strike at any moment.
This unassuming young man was interesting, but Matsumoto couldn't tell whether he was a superhuman or an ordinary person. This implied two possibilities: one, he might be an ordinary person, in which case there was no need to worry about him; two, Ling Yun's strength far surpassed his, which was why Matsumoto couldn't tell. However, this seemed unlikely, and Matsumoto immediately dismissed the idea. He needed to continue observing.
Yang Wei was taken aback for a moment, then calmed down: "Ling Yun, what do you mean by that?"
Yang Ling was practically grinding his teeth with hatred for Ling Yun at this point: "Brother, why waste words with him? This kid's here to wreak havoc. Quick, someone call security and kick this guy out. He's such a nuisance, such a spoilsport!"
"President Yang, don't be angry..." Ling Yun slowly pulled out a piece of white paper covered with writing from his pocket. Several lines of clear black font were printed on the paper, followed by a flamboyant signature and a bright red handprint.
He gently placed the white paper on the conference table: "Please don't rush, President Yang Ling. Everyone, please take a look at this. This is a power of attorney personally signed by Chairman Yang Cheng. When Yuqi and I were in the hospital watching over him as he woke up, Chairman Yang had already authorized Ms. Yuqi to fully represent him during his illness and to oversee all of the Yang Group's businesses in mainland China. You can all take a look at the contents of this power of attorney."
"At the same time..." He glanced at Yang Ling, who seemed to have been struck by lightning, "Chairman Yang also appointed President Yang Ling as Ms. Yuqi's work assistant during her tenure, to support Ms. Yuqi in completing all her work, without fail."
He gently pushed the blank sheet of paper towards Yang Wei and the others: "This power of attorney has been notarized by the Hong Kong Notary Public and complies with legal procedures. As the chairman of the board of directors of the Yang Group, I have legally completed the entrustment of work to others. So now, the highest person in charge of the Yang Group should be Ms. Yuqi. Until Mr. Yang Cheng recovers and returns, please take a look and see if you have any questions."
The conference room was silent except for the rustling sound of people stroking the white paper as they looked at the authorization letter. Everyone was stunned by the bombshell dropped by Ling Yun, their brains almost short-circuiting. They passed the white paper in their hands in disbelief, staring wide-eyed and carefully flipping through it. Some of the older people hurriedly put on their reading glasses and looked at the authorization letter word by word.