In Chen Fan’s last life, he had never visited the Su Family, however, Xiao Qiong had brought up her unpleasant childhood and her suffering at the hands of the Su Family many times when they were cultivating. The bullying from the Su Family didn’t go away until Xiao Qiong had grown up. Chen Fan remembered that and felt more vindictive toward the Su Family than Xiao Qiong was. The Su Family’s reactions to his appearance at the party last night also disappointed him.
Therefore, Chen Fan had decided to throw his respect out of the window and questioned Su Yangzhi directly
“How dare you!”
Su Yangzhi was taken aback by Chen Fan’s words, and then he pointed a finger at Chen Fan as his temper flared.
He was the second oldest brother of Su Yanghao and ever since the oldest brother of the family died, he became number one on the family’s seniority list. Although he was of average talent, no one ever talked back at him due to his old age, therefore, he found it hard to come to terms with Chen Fan’s reply.
“Shut up! You wouldn’t even be speaking to me if not because you are Xiao Qiong’s great uncle.”
Chen Fan snorted.
Su Yangzhi’s face turned dark as he was cut short by Chen Fan. He wanted to fling back at Chen Fan but words got stuck in his throat.
“That’s enough.” Su Zhengde pulled a taut face and looked to Su Susu. “Su Susu, is this the son in law you and Fang Mingde have chosen? Disrespectful and arrogant. What mades you think that he was worthy of being one of us?”
Su Susu panicked as she looked to Chen Fan, willing him to turn it down a notch.
The Su Family was the epitome of tradition, and obedience and discipline were the family’s motto, except for the family lord. The junior members were never allowed to protest against their senior counterparts. A defiant soul such as Chen Fan was the least welcome in the Su Family.
Chen Fan pretended that he didn’t notice Su Susu’s hints. He took a few steps forward and said with a grin.
“What a load of bullshit. Stop being so full of yourself. The Su Family claimed to have founded the Jiang Nan Province Royal Textile Factory and produced clothing for the emperor. That was just a nice way of calling yourself a tailor.”
“During the republic time, you have kowtowed to then financial magnate Song Ziwen and operated banks on behalf of foreign powers in China. If not because Su Yanghao had the wits to choose the right side, your Family would already have been toppled by the current regime.”
“Of all your family members, only Su Yanghao was competent and he was the only backbone of the family. The rest of you, such as Su Zhengde and Su Zhengxun, are useless and inept, mooching off your brother while fooling the world with your empty titles. After Su Yanghao passes away, the Su Family of Wu Zhou City would become a piece of meat on the chopping block, waiting to be carved by your rivals. Compared to the Gu Family and the Lu family who were traditional families that were still thriving, you guys are a joke.”
Chen Fan shook his head as he continued.
After he had learned the history Su Family based on the information provided to him by Tang Yuanqin and other tycoons of Jiang Bei, Chen Fan was hugely disappointed by Su Family’s real strength hiding behind its facade.
“Shut up!”
“Nonsense!”
“Guards, remove him at his instance!”
Chen Fan’s words angered nearly everyone in the main hall. Su Zhengde slammed the table and rose to his feet. His face was contorted in anger as he pointed a finger at Chen Fan. Even Su Yanghao gave Chen Fan a long and displeased glance.
However, he was shocked to find out that an outsider was able to pinpoint the family’s looming crisis.
Su Yanghao was the only reason behind the Su Family’s enormous reputation and wealth. Sooner or later, he would pass away and the Su Family would become rudderless and powerless, easy prey for their powerful rivals. Their rivals would carve up the Su Family as the Song and Qiao Family planned to do to the Chen family when Chen Zhenxin lost his power.
That naturally brought up the importance of the marriage alliance. He wanted to capitalize on the Ji Family’s rising power using the marriage alliance to sustain the life of the Su Family. However, he would never disclose his real intention to anyone, particularly when Chen Fan was around.
“Oh? Have I said anything wrong?”
Chen Fan linked his hands behind his back and cracked a smile. “You disagreed with my relationship with Xiao Qiong without even knowing who I am, what I do. Is that what a wise family would do? You touted your family’s three hundred years of tradition and honor, but fail to see you are rotting under the rock over the three hundred years. ”
This time, even Su Yanghao’s face showed slight anger.
Chen Fan’s mind was sharp, but his tongue was even sharper.
Yet, his words had hit the mark.
Worried, Fang Qiong tugged at Chen Fan’s arm, willing him to turn down a notch. Although she was prepared for the worst, so much as to sever any ties with the Su Family if needed, she realized that Chen Fan’s direct confrontation would only anger the Su Family and was pointless. As long as Su Yanghao was still live, the Su Family would always be a force to be reckoned with.
“Kid, I am not going to argue with you.”
Su Zhengde gathered himself and said with a smirk. “We are the least of your concern today, you will have to deal with someone else first.”
Even as he said that a stately man with a stoic face walked into the hall. Members of the second and the third generation Su Family stood up and bowed slightly to the middle-aged man.
“Boss Nin, welcome.”
The middle-aged man walked over to the elders in the room and bowed to them. Then he turned around and looked right into Chen Fan’s eyes.
“Are you the Master Chen of Jiang Bei?”
“You bet I am.” Chen Fan answered nonchalantly.
“My name is Nin Chendong, the owner of the Dong Chen group. I am the father of Nin Yuze whom you have injured.” Nin Chendong tried to remain calm, but the angry undercurrent surfaced here and there. “Master Chen, what did my son do to you? Why would you do such a thing to him? You have broken his limbs and bound him to the bed for the rest of his life!”
“He blocked my way twice and attempted the do the same thing that I did to him to me. I have shown mercy and only broke his arms and legs.” Chen Fan said readily.
“Shown mercy?”
Nin Chendong could no longer hold back his fury. He refuted hotly “Breaking his arms and legs is showing mercy? What did you plan to do to him? Kill him? Kill everyone in my family?”
Chen Fan was unfazed by the man’s sudden outburst of anger. He simply said: “Indeed.”
Everyone was shocked by Chen Fan’s daring answer.
It was evident that the Master Chen of Jiang Bei was an arrogant fool. He might feel gratified for uttering the threat, but little did he know that he was delivering a challenge to the mighty Nin Family, a challenge that the Nin Family couldn’t simply brush off.
Lo and behold, Nin Chendong lowered his voice and said: “Master Chen, the Nin Family is not Sheng family and don’t you take Wu Zhou for the backward Jiang Bei where you are from. Jiang Bei is underdeveloped and poor, but Wu Zhou and Zhong Hai were very different places and you better watch yourself here.”
“If you don’t bring this matter to closure, the Nin Family will fight you till the last of us.” Nin Chendong announced firmly.
“Humph!!”
Chen Fan snorted and didn’t even offer a reply.
Nin Chendong’s face was flushed red and he felt his heart was going to jump out of his chest. Everyone looked to Chen Fan and shook his head, lamenting Chen Fan’s arrogance. Nin Family was a reputable family in Zhong Hai and had all kinds of connections and benefactors. They were equal to the Song Family, Qiao Family and the Wei Family of North Bank.
“Very well. Master Chen, do you think that we are fighting alone? You might not take the Nin Family seriously, but what about them?” Nin Chendong gathered himself and asked.
A group of men walked into the room, the leader of the cohort was a decorous young man in his early thirties, wearing a pair of glasses.
As soon as the young man showed up, people recognized him right away.
“That’s Tang Jianfen, Young Lord Tang. Why is he here?”
The young man’s appearance had caught everyone by surprise.
“He is Tang Jianfen? One of the Four Young Lords of Zhong Hai? Is he related to the Nin Family as well?”
Tang Jianfen walked over to the elders in the room and bowed to them. Then he gave Chen Fan a long hard look.
“Long time no see, Master Chen.”
“When you refused me entering the Yun Wu Spirit Water, did you think you would see me again under such circumstances?”
Tang Jianfen had a run-in with Chen Fan earlier. He was courting Yun Qianqian and tried to get into the Yun Wu Spirit Water, but Chen Fan slapped him in the face and drove him away. Hearing the development at Wu Zhou, he seized the opportunity and joined Chen Fan’s opposition to gang upon him.
“Tang Jianfen knew Master Chen? They didn’t seem to get along either.”
“That boy is dead! Tang family controlled half of China’s pharmaceutical companies and was not any less powerful than the Nin Family.”
Someone exclaimed.
None of Chen Fan’s opponents were weaker than the Wei Family of the North Bank and each one of them was a force to be reckoned with on their own. However, Chen Fan had to face the combined might of all three of them. Even the richest man in Jiang Nan Province, Zhang Donghai would not placate all of them at once.
Chen Fan didn’t even acknowledge Tang Jianfen with a glace.
Tang Jianfen’s face soured and then he let out a cold snort before he stood behind Nin Chendong to show which side he was on. Su Susu was shocked after seeing what Chen Fan had to deal with.
Chen Fan might be able to handle the Nin Family, but what about the combined force of the Nins and the Tangs?
Suddenly, the butler announced another name.
“Lord Ji, Ji Luochen has arrived.”
The crowd sizzled after hearing the announcement. Some people rushed out to see the guest. They saw a young handsome man holding onto the arm of a white-haired senior as they make their way toward the main hall slowly. Behind the old man was a stately looking middle-aged man with a pair of heavy glasses.
Some had recognized the middle-aged man, and they were shocked.
“Why did he come here? Shouldn’t he be with Lou Jinhui?”
Boss Fu shook his head and lamented: “That’s their trump card. No one in Jiang Nan Province could defy Luo Jinhui. That boy is dead, I tell you.”
The crowd made a path for the old man and once as he arrived at the main hall, he locked his gaze onto Chen Fan right away.
“So you are the Master Chen of Jiang Bei?”