Liu Shichao, I want the list of participants for the business alliance meeting. Can you get it? Li Feng looked at Liu Shichao and said gravely.
Hu Yuanyuan was preparing to have him attend this business alliance meeting. Originally, he had been somewhat unwilling, but now he was growing increasingly interested in the business alliance meeting. Even if Hu Yuanyuan did not let him attend, he would go anyway.
However, before attending the business alliance meeting, he needed to clarify who the participants were.
Fortunately, this time the Liu family was hosting the business alliance meeting. With Liu Shichao there, obtaining a list of the business alliance meeting should pose no problem.
Yes. Liu Shichao did not refuse. In front of Li Feng, he had no right to refuse. Even if he could not get the list, he would find a way to obtain it. However, he knew that getting the list would not be easy, after all, the list was in his father’s hands.
Li Feng stood up, patted Liu Shichao’s shoulder, and said, Do your best. Whether you get the list or not, your status as the Liu family heir is inescapable.
Young Master Feng, rest assured. I guarantee to complete the task. Upon hearing Li Feng’s words, Liu Shichao shuddered, his eyes revealing excitement.
Li Feng smiled, said nothing, and left the private room.
After leaving the private room, Li Feng immediately called Zhong Shuhui, asking her to investigate intelligence on the business alliance meeting.
At the same time, at Qin Feng’s residence, Qin Feng was entertaining Liu Shijie.
Since Su Xin and Sun Xipeng’s deaths, Qin Feng had sought out Liu Shijie. However, Liu Shijie was the heir meticulously groomed by the Liu family, unlike Su Xin who was arrogant, or Sun Xipeng who lacked background. Moreover, this Liu Shijie was no spoiled scion. In interacting with Liu Shijie, Qin Feng felt immense pressure.
At this moment, gazing at Liu Shijie, Qin Feng felt a sense of powerlessness. What he wanted was not a partner, but someone to do his bidding. Yet Liu Shijie treated him as a collaborator.
To awe Liu Shijie, Qin Feng leveraged his family’s influence to pressure Liu Shijie’s father, Liu family head Liu Dongjian, compelling Liu Dongjian to announce Liu Shijie as the Liu heir at the business alliance meeting. Yet Qin Feng never imagined that upon receiving this news, Liu Shijie merely came to thank him. This outcome fell far short of his expectations.
But facing Liu Shijie, he had no choice but to wear a smile.
Young Master Qin, I owe this to you. If not for you, my becoming the family heir would have waited at least a year. Liu Shijie was a youth in his twenties, resembling Liu Shichao in appearance, save for the occasional glint in his eyes, signifying he was no simple character.
Hahaha, Young Master Liu, think nothing of it. For me, it was a trifling effort. In the future in Tianhai City, I may yet need Young Master Liu’s assistance. Though his aims were unmet, Qin Feng betrayed nothing, smiling warmly as he addressed Liu Shijie.
Young Master Qin is too polite. In Tianhai City, so long as it is within my power, I, Liu Shijie, shall oblige without fail. Liu Shijie smiled, regarding Qin Feng with a meaningful gaze.
After a few hypocritical pleasantries, Qin Feng saw Liu Shijie off.
Returning to the guest room, Qin Feng furiously slammed his fist on the table and said coldly, This Liu Shijie is so ungrateful. I should never have helped him in the first place.
From arriving in Tianhai City till now, whether Su Xin or Sun Xipeng, both had been toys in his palm. Yet he never imagined feeling so impotent before Liu Shijie. This left Qin Feng profoundly frustrated.
If not for maintaining a facade of good breeding and image before Liu Shijie, he would have loved to punch him in the face just now, then harshly question him: I helped you become the Liu heir like this, and you think a mere thank you suffices?
Young Master, why so angry? Where has the wise and astute Young Master of old gone? Elder Xu beside him said faintly.
Elder Xu, you know my aim. I want Liu Shijie as my man, not a partner. Who is this Liu Shijie? The future Liu heir? Never mind that he becomes the heir only in a few days; even if he does, what qualifies him to collaborate with me? Qin Feng said, highly irritated.
Young Master, you are too attached. In this old man’s view, this is actually not bad at all. Elder Xu looked at Qin Feng and said.
Elder Xu, what do you mean? Qin Feng looked puzzled. In his view, this choice was undoubtedly wrong. He had thought to easily control Liu Shijie, yet unexpected that Liu Shijie was not only shrewd but also exceedingly cunning.
Young Master, finding a few to do your bidding is simple enough. Tianhai City abounds with them. Without Liu Shijie, there is Xu Shijie. But finding one who can collaborate with you is rare, and this Liu Shijie is one such. I think collaborating with Liu Shijie is fine. Elder Xu said.
Qin Feng was stunned. If another had said this, he would dismiss it scornfully, but since it was Elder Xu, he had to ponder its meaning seriously, for Elder Xu was not merely a bodyguard dispatched by the family but also his advisor, resourceful and wise.
Young Master, are you aware that Tianhai City hosts an annual business alliance meeting? Elder Xu began.
I’ve heard of it. Qin Feng nodded. Liu Dongjian had agreed to announce Liu Shijie as the Liu heir at the business alliance meeting.
This year’s business alliance meeting falls to the Liu family to host. This Liu Dongjian is the overseer this time. Young Master, do you know what this signifies? Elder Xu said gravely.
Qin Feng looked at Elder Xu in confusion.
This means that if Young Master collaborates with Liu Shijie, you may secure a foothold in Tianhai City. Elder Xu glanced at Qin Feng and said, Tianhai City is China’s economic hub. Aside from Yanjing, Tianhai City is the most vital city in all China. Young Master, do you know why, given its importance, the headquarters of the eight great top families are not in Tianhai City?
Qin Feng was taken aback and shook his head. He had truly never pondered this. Now that Elder Xu mentioned it, he saw it as an issue. The eight great top families could not be so short-sighted as to overlook Tianhai City’s importance. So why not place their headquarters there? Even the Jinling Zhu family, closest to Tianhai City, seemed to have little presence there, nor had they incorporated Tianhai City into their sphere of influence.
Could Tianhai City harbour a power surpassing the eight great top families?
Qin Feng shook his head. As a direct descendant of the Qin family, one of the eight great top families, he did not believe any force in China surpassed them.
Young Master, because Tianhai City holds a secret. Elder Xu said.
What secret? Qin Feng asked hastily.
This old man wishes to know as well. But not just this old man; even the people of the eight great top families wish to know. Yet to this day, no one has learned what this secret is. Elder Xu shook his head.
How is that possible? Qin Feng’s face changed dramatically, looking at Elder Xu in disbelief. A secret even the eight great top families wish to know. Could Tianhai City truly conceal some unknown secret?
There is no impossibility, Young Master. This world is not as simple as you imagine. What you know now is but the tip of a vast iceberg. Though the eight great top families are mighty, in this world, there are many things they do not know.
Elder Xu glanced at Qin Feng and said gravely, Just like this Tianhai City business alliance meeting. It is no ordinary business gathering but an allocation of Tianhai City’s business resources. This is something even the eight great top families cannot achieve. Why is it handled by Tianhai City’s four great families, and yet no company in Tianhai City opposes it?
Elder Xu, you mean… Qin Feng looked at Elder Xu in shock and doubt.
Rumour holds that Tianhai City’s secret is tied to its four great families. Yet to this day, let alone outsiders, even members of Tianhai City’s four great families know not what connection they bear to this hidden secret in Tianhai City. Elder Xu said gravely.
Elder Xu means to use Liu Shijie to probe this secret? Qin Feng realised and blurted out.
No, no, no. Elder Xu shook his head. Never mind Liu Shijie; even Liu Dongjian could not probe this secret.
Then what does Elder Xu mean? Qin Feng looked at him in confusion.
Young Master, your purpose in coming to Tianhai City this time is to obtain that item. You wished to subjugate Liu Shijie to leverage him and the Liu family’s power in contending for it. But relying on others is inferior to relying on oneself. This old man feels Young Master should cultivate your own influence in Tianhai City, just as Li Feng has built his own force there. Liu Shijie’s connections and status would be your finest aid. With Liu Shijie’s support, you can establish a foothold in Tianhai City. Then, not only can it provide substantial help in vying for that item, but perhaps even uncover Tianhai City’s secret. Elder Xu said.
How does this differ from subjugating Liu Shijie? Qin Feng was confused. By Elder Xu’s logic, if aiming to build his own force in Tianhai City, making Liu Shijie his subordinate would surely ease the task. Perhaps he could even use Liu Shijie to control the Liu family. The Liu family was one of Tianhai City’s four great families; controlling the Liu family would mean commanding a quarter of Tianhai City’s power.
Elder Xu enunciated each word, Because the heads and heirs of Tianhai City’s four great families absolutely cannot be controlled. Even members of the eight great top families are no exception. Whoever attempts to control them courts their own death.
