Chapter 1034: The Second In Command
Translator: Exodus Tales Editor: Exodus Tales
The incident in Beijing had garnered the attention of the people in the whole country. It was all due to Tian Xiaomeng’s live broadcast that led all the bigshots to finally realize one thing—no matter how hard they tried to suppress it, this information was already spread wide and was impossible to suppress. Therefore, the major media also began to report it after gaining a high-level authorization.
And thus, public opinion was created! And the wind blew toward the expected “healthy and upward” direction. Despite the violent incidents, the intentional directions of the media led the public of the whole country to turn their anger on the murderers.
However, Tang Xiu didn’t bother to pay attention to these things at all. What concerned him at this time was Tian Xiaomeng’s live broadcast since he thought he must not be famous and to be in the limelight again, else it would be very inconvenient for him later.
At the Tang Family’s ancestral residence.
Tang Guosheng was sitting calmly in the courtyard, watching the scene play on the projector. A happy and satisfied smile vaguely appeared on his ruddy, aged face, while Qin Changyue, his spouse beside him, however, looked extremely nervous and worried.
Next to them also sat Tang Guoxing and Tang Guoshou, the two elders of the Tangs, while Tang Yunpeng, Tang Yunde, Tang Min, Tang Dong, Tang Yan, and Tang Yunqing were behind these elders. Even the juniors such as Tang Ning, Tang Ying, Tang Wei, Tang Tang, Tang Ji, and the rest, all had their attention focused on the screen with both nervousness and admiration visible on their faces. All their eyes were focused on a certain figure—Tang Xiu.
Finally, as the live broadcast stopped playing on the screen, Tang Guosheng burst into laughter and happily said, “That’s my Tang Guosheng’s good grandson, you see! He deserves to be my grandson! Rus.h.i.+ng forward at the critical moment and treating the wounded just relying on his own strength! I dare say that my grandson’s name will be known to all the people in the country by tomorrow—the young hero of the Tang House, my family!”
“That brat is a hero?!” said Tang Yunde smilingly. “You’re praising him too much, Dad.”
“Xiu’er is a hero, Yunde. He’s our Tang House’s hero and he’s a hero in the hearts of the people of this country.” Tang Guoxing shook his head and continued, “Even old geezers like us won’t dare to rush into a hail of bullets just to save strangers’ lives. This boy is our lucky star and the hope of our Tang House!”
“Haih, not you too, Second Uncle.” Tang Yunde helplessly sighed. “On the contrary to your opinion, I don’t think he’s doing it right this time. We all know Xiu’er’s power, and that he didn’t deal with those villains and saved people instead. I’d have dealt with the former if I were in his shoes.”
Tang Guosheng squinted his eyes as a ray of wisdom flashed across his eyes. He shook his head and said, “Xiu’er must have something else in mind, Yunde. He must have his reason for not taking the initiative to deal with these evil guys. Well, he’s come to the capital, so he’ll be here soon. We’ll know it soon once he comes.”
“Hahaha, Grandpa misses me, ehh?!”
Clear laughter came from outside the courtyard. Then, Tang Xiu, leading Tang 28’s group of five, came inside. Everyone in the courtyard instantly turned around and their eyes fell on them.
Tang Guosheng stood up from the wicker chair with a happy face. He smiled and said with a crisp voice, “You just did such a great deed, Xiu’er! Grandpa rarely admires people in this life, but you’re definitely on the list!”
“Haha, that’s overpraising, Grandpa,” said Tang Xiu with a chuckle. “If anything, I learned of your 80th birthday a few days ago, so I made a special trip to congratulate you and wish you good health and long life.”
“Nah, living a long life for hundreds of years is not something I dare imagine.” Tang Guosheng waved and smilingly said, “I’m already content if I can live a happy life until 100. Anyways, all the members of our family are here, Xiu’er. Care to tell us why you chose not to deal with those villains but saved and treated the seriously injured victims instead? Also, how can those evils be dealt with so inexplicably? Did you order some people to deal with them?”
Tang Xiu pointed to Tang 28’s group of five and lightly smiled. “Well, these are Tang 28 and his four companions, Grandpa. And they are the ones who neutralized those bad guys. I may be a bit powerful, but I didn’t wish to be recognized by outsiders. Hence, doing the saving was the best choice.”
Tang Guosheng understood instantly and stared at Tang 28’s group of five with a surprised face. “Xiu’er, they are…”
“They are all orphans I’ve adopted and trained to be excellent cultivators,” said Tang Xiu. “They are the best among the tens of thousands of children and are qualified to be by my side.”
It was really a shock for Tang Guosheng. He knew that his grandson, Tang Xiu, had secretly adopted homeless children a while back, but he didn’t expect that he would teach these children cultivation arts and turned them into cultivators. What shocked him the most, however, was that he knew that those murderers were by no means weak. Judging from their marksmans.h.i.+p skill, speed, and strength, they were definitely first-cla.s.s experts. But these children had only been cultivating for at most a year. How could they have such powerful strength?
Tang Xiu didn’t bother to explain the cultivation level of Tang 28’s group of five. He just greeted the other elders in the courtyard and smilingly said afterward, “I think the Fan Family will be hit by bad luck this time. The leader of those murderers is the second son of the Fan Family’s Head. With them making such a big mess, the Fan Family’s Head won’t be able to cover it up.”
As someone who understood politics, Tang Guosheng naturally understood his grandson’s words. He then nodded and sighed. “That’s true. The Fans will be in for big trouble and no one can save them this time. But that girl who did the live broadcast just is like pouring salt on their wounds this time!”
“Well, I don’t think that Xiaomeng girl was even aware of how much influence her live broadcast would create before she did it, though.” Tang Xiu smiled and said, “The Fan House can be said to be very unlucky for having such an offspring that courts calamity to the whole family.”
“Ehh? You know that little broadcaster?” asked Tang Guosheng in surprise.
“I know her and we’re kinda related way back, Grandpa.” Tang Xiu smiled and said, “I wouldn’t have become so famous if it weren’t for her. Back when I was at Star City Chinese Medical Hospital, she just took footage and publicized what I was doing in a live broadcast. Later on, it was due to her scoop on the condition of the Star City’s Welfare House that made me face the public. I never thought that it would be so coincidental that she actually came to the capital and happened to be at the incident site, though.”
“This incident will likely be blown up big time, Xiu’er.” Tang Guosheng nodded and smiled. “So, I want you to partake in dealing with something.”
“Ehh? On what matter?” Tang Xiu was confused.
Tang Min walked out of the crowd and forced a smile. “It is I, your aunt, who needs your help this time, Xiu’er. The Chus and Fans were going to cooperate in certain businesses. and the Chus will inevitably be affected once the Fans collapse. I’m the daughter of the Tangs, yet I’m married to the Chus. As the daughter-in-law of the Chu Family, I need you to help the Chu Family in this matter!”
Tang Xiu looked dull for a moment and forced a bitter smile. “Uh, then what can I do, Auntie?”
An astute light flashed in Tang Min’s eyes as she said, “The Fans’ businesses will be seized when they collapse. At that time, if you were to meet some people, their seized businesses will also fall into the hands of the Chu Family. The Chus will, of course, take over them on the surface, but half of the benefits will be obtained by our House.”
Tang Xiu raised a thumbs up to express his approval and admiration. “I’m really still far from you in creating such a script, Auntie. I originally thought it would be better for the other families to stay clear of any connections with the Fans, but I didn’t think there’s still a huge interest in it. Alright, just leave it to me and cousin Chu Yi, then! I think we can work it out.”
“Well, Auntie promises you that you won’t work for nothing, Xiu’er,” said Tang Min in satisfaction.
“If I can get benefits from this, then why not?” Tang Xiu grinningly said, “Besides, I heard that the Fans have a notorious reputation in the capital. Since they deserve this tribulation, then we might as well let them fall either way!”
At this moment, all the Tang Family members in the courtyard were perfectly aware of one thing. Although the current patriarch of the Tang House was Tang Guosheng and he was the one who had the say, the second person who had the right turned out to be not the other elders but Tang Xiu. It meant that his conduct and abilities would directly affect the future and destiny of all the Tang Family members.
As the next day came, Tang Xiu finally got precise and positive news that the patriarch of the Fan Family was now under control by the authorities of the state under the pretext that he had been indulging his son, who then caused such a huge b.l.o.o.d.y incident. As a result, all the Fan Family members were now under scrutiny by the state, and all their businesses had been ordered to suspend their operation for rectification.
The next story after the tree fell was the scene where the monkeys scattered about and everyone else joined the fray to kick the newly collapsed giant.
In just one day, the Fan Family had been reduced from the second-tier family of Beijing to the existence everyone avoided and scorned at. Nearly all the prominent families and people who had a friends.h.i.+p with them had begun to do everything they could to steer off of their relations.h.i.+p with them, while all the families and those who had enmity with them added fuel to the flames and begun to act in attempts to ruin the Fan Family completely.
However, none of these pieces of news had any significance to Tang Xiu. He neither cared about the fate of the Fans or what kind of miserable ending they would end up with. The one thing he had been concerned about to figure out at present was why would someone among criminals under the Fan Family have Cadaveric Qi.
Cadaveric energy could affect humans’ mental state that, in turn, would transform them into demon sp.a.w.ns who would kill people without batting an eye. That Second Young Master Fan was born in a prominent family, so he must know what kind of fate would befall upon them if he created such a b.l.o.o.d.y incident in the capital. However, he still did it, which meant that his consciousness had been affected by Cadaveric Qi.
****
At Northmoon Restaurant.
Tang Xiu had an appointment to meet the Special Abilities Bureau’s Chief, Duanmu Lin. As he saw his frowning and worried look, Tang Xiu secretly sighed inwardly and walked to the opposite side of him and took a seat. Then, he let out a smile and asked, “What kind of annoying thing is making you look so upset, Senior Duanmu? Is it because of yesterday’s incident?”
Duanmu Lin raised his head and suddenly forced a bitter smile upon seeing Tang Xiu. “What else? My hair is nearly turning white worrying about it.”
“Hahaha, no way!” Tang Xiu couldn’t help laughing and then said, “You’re the Head of the Special Abilities Bureau, so there’s no way you need to worry about this kind of trouble, no? Some people will naturally clean up the incidents caused by the Fan Family members, right?”
Duanmu Lin’s face turned solemn as he shook his head and sighed. “It would have been very easy to solve if the case was really just caused by average people. But things have changed since an unforeseen accident just cropped up!”