Tianya Pavilion.
“Young Master Feng.”
As Li Feng stepped into the private room, Liu Shichao, who had been waiting for some time, stood up and greeted him respectfully.
“Young Master Liu, what is the matter that you wished to see me about?” After Hu Yuanyuan left for the company, Li Feng had been preparing to visit the training base when he unexpectedly received a call from Liu Shichao. Thus, he hurried over to Tianya Pavilion to meet him.
“Young Master Feng, you must save me.” Liu Shichao dropped to his knees before Li Feng with a thud and wept bitterly.
“What are you doing?” Li Feng’s expression darkened.
“Young Master Feng, I beg you, save me.” Liu Shichao was a mess of snot and tears, looking utterly pitiable.
Li Feng snorted coldly and sat on the sofa. “Speak. What exactly is the problem? Do not wail in front of me like this, or I shall kick you out.”
Liu Shichao then stopped his crying and said, “Young Master Feng, you promised me that you would make me the head of the Liu family. You cannot go back on your word.”
Li Feng looked at Liu Shichao coldly. “Are you questioning me?”
“No, no, Young Master Feng. I have no choice. My father intends to name my younger brother as the family heir. If my brother is made the heir, then I truly have no hope left. So Young Master Feng, you must help me. If you do not, I really do not know what to do.” Liu Shichao said.
“Your brother?”
“Yes, it is Liu Shijie.” Liu Shichao nodded and said, “My father plans to announce Liu Shijie as the Liu family heir at the Business Alliance Gathering. If he makes the announcement at the gathering, then I, Liu Shichao, truly will have no chance.”
The Business Alliance Gathering?
Li Feng was momentarily stunned before he recalled that he had heard about the Business Alliance Gathering from Hu Yuanyuan last time. He had not expected to hear about it again from Liu Shichao. This gathering was being hosted by the Liu Group this time, and the Liu Group was likely the Liu family to which Liu Shichao belonged.
From what Hu Yuanyuan had said, this Business Alliance Gathering was for allocating resources in Tian Hai City’s business world. The Liu family was merely a small clan. What capability did they have to allocate resources in Tian Hai City’s business sector?
At the time, Li Feng had felt that this Business Alliance Gathering was no simple affair, but he had not had the chance to ask Hu Yuanyuan. Now, with Liu Shichao here, he could pose the question directly.
“Young Master Feng, you do not know about this Business Alliance Gathering?” Liu Shichao looked at Li Feng in some surprise.
“If I knew, why would I ask you?” Li Feng glared at him and said.
“Young Master Feng, the Business Alliance Gathering has a long history. To date, it has been held for fifty years and has always been organised in rotation by the four great families of Tian Hai City.” Liu Shichao said.
“The four great families of Tian Hai City. Apart from your Liu family, who are the others?” Li Feng asked in confusion. He truly did not know about Tian Hai City’s four great families.
“Young Master Feng, the four great families of Tian Hai City, besides our Liu family, are the Zhang family, the Zhao family, and the Qu family. Each of us has a history of several decades.” Liu Shichao said proudly. Only after speaking did he realise that boasting about his family before Li Feng was like brandishing a saber before Guan Gong. With Li Feng’s status, how could their four great families compare?
“Can your four great families allocate resources in Tian Hai City’s business world?” Li Feng asked incredulously. Even the Li family could not make such a grand claim. Allocating business resources was no small matter. On what basis did Tian Hai City’s four great families speak with such authority?
“It has always been so.” Liu Shichao nodded and said.
“In Tian Hai City, including your Liu Group, the strongest companies do not seem to be local to Tian Hai City. How could those people allow you to allocate business resources? Are they not dissatisfied?” Li Feng asked curiously.
Because of Feng Yuan Group, Li Feng had some impression of Tian Hai City’s companies. For instance, the Liu Group’s Liu Shi Group was only mid-tier in Tian Hai City’s business circle. Presumably, the companies held by the other three great families were similar. So why could these four great families allocate resources in Tian Hai City’s business world? Why were the other companies in Tian Hai City, including those branches of the top clans, willing to let these four great families of Tian Hai City allocate the city’s business resources? How could Tian Hai City’s four great families possess such capability?
“I do not know about that, but I have long heard that over these many years, there have been those dissatisfied with the four great families of Tian Hai City allocating the city’s business resources. However, those people all vanished or left within less than a month.” Liu Shichao replied.
“Vanished or left?” Li Feng was stunned, his expression turning grave. Could it be the work of Tian Hai City’s four great families? But that did not seem right either. Did Tian Hai City’s four great families have such capability? One must know that in the lists of China’s top clans and first-rate families, the names of Tian Hai City’s four great families did not appear at all.
“Yes. The heads of first-rate enterprises from outside Tian Hai City left, while the heads of other families simply vanished. Such incidents have happened repeatedly in Tian Hai City. Some were dissatisfied, some resisted, but in the end, all fell silent. From then on, the companies in Tian Hai City tacitly accepted the matter.” Liu Shichao nodded and said. This was the pride of Tian Hai City’s four great families. The reason Tian Hai City’s four great families had not been swallowed or eliminated in Tian Hai City for so many years was precisely because of this.
Li Feng was stunned. What immense power was required for this? Was this the power possessed by Tian Hai City’s four great families? Clearly not. Let alone Tian Hai City’s four great families, even the Li family, one of China’s eight great top clans, might not possess such strength.
Li Feng knew there must be some hidden reason behind this matter, but as it was his first time hearing of it, he could not speculate on the exact cause.
“This year’s Business Alliance Gathering falls to our Liu family, so my father plans to announce Liu Shijie as the Liu family heir at the gathering. Young Master Feng, you must help me. If Liu Shijie becomes the Liu family heir, then I am truly finished. With that boy’s temperament, he certainly will not let me off.” Liu Shichao had no idea what Li Feng was thinking and merely pleaded with him.
“Rest assured. I certainly will not let Liu Shijie become the Liu family heir. Your matter, Liu Shichao, is my matter. I shall handle this affair.” Li Feng said gravely.
Li Feng was very curious about the Business Alliance Gathering and wanted to know what purpose lay behind this one. What force stood behind Tian Hai City’s four great families? In his view, helping Liu Shichao was his opportunity. As long as Liu Shichao became the Liu family heir, he would have a chance to contact these hidden secrets.
Not only that, he could control the Liu family through Liu Shichao. Once he controlled the Liu family, one of Tian Hai City’s four great families, his position in Tian Hai City would be even more secure.
“Thank you, Young Master Feng.” Liu Shichao did not know what Li Feng was thinking, but for him, becoming the Liu family heir was the most important thing. Seeing Li Feng agree, he hurriedly expressed his thanks.
“Do not thank me. As long as you serve me loyally, you will not lack rewards.” Li Feng glanced at Liu Shichao and said flatly, “In this period, no one from Emperor Pavilion has come looking for you?”
“They have. Brother Peng sought me out once.” Liu Shichao said.
“Oh? I did not expect they had contacted you. Was it for some matter?” Li Feng was taken aback. In this period, Liu Shichao had not reported any news from Emperor Pavilion, so he had thought Emperor Pavilion had abandoned Liu Shichao or grown suspicious of him. He had not expected they had still sought him out.
“It was nothing much. They asked me for an invitation to the Business Alliance Gathering.” Liu Shichao glanced at Li Feng and said, “They approached me three days ago. Since what they wanted was an invitation to the Business Alliance Gathering, I did not report it to you, Young Master Feng.”
“An invitation to the Business Alliance Gathering. How could you have one?” Li Feng asked in surprise. He knew Hu Yuanyuan had been overjoyed for half a day upon obtaining an invitation to the Business Alliance Gathering.
“The Liu family is the organiser of this Business Alliance Gathering. We can issue as many as we like.” Liu Shichao said nonchalantly.
“Is it not said that only the top one hundred enterprises in Tian Hai City may obtain invitations?” Li Feng asked.
“That is because the top one hundred enterprises in Tian Hai City are those participating in the allocation of the city’s business resources. The others are merely distinguished guests of the Business Alliance Gathering. The nature is different.” Liu Shichao explained.
So that was how it was!
Li Feng suddenly understood. No wonder Liu Shichao could produce an invitation to the Business Alliance Gathering. The nature was different.
However, Li Feng’s curiosity about this Business Alliance Gathering grew ever stronger. Even Emperor Pavilion was interested in it, so the gathering was certainly no simple affair.
