Dan Fuhai was in much better spirits than before. He seemed completely at ease, still drinking tea, only this time he'd ditched the teacup for the teapot, blowing right into its spout. It was entirely lacking in decorum, yet somehow made him seem more approachable.
He said, "Old Six, I feel as if I've just shed a thousand-jin burden. In the whole Dan Family, you're the only one I can speak my mind to. I won't hide it from you: I went to see Old Ancestor with two plans in mind. First, I'd persuade him not to target Suijie. Second, I'd resign as head of the family. If Old Ancestor accepted the first, I wouldn't bring up the second. I never thought that after all these years of cultivation, Old Ancestor still couldn't escape the shackles of fame and fortune."
Dan Fubo frowned. "Third Brother, I just don't understand. How could one little Suijie leave you so restless and troubled? Since Old Ancestor has already made his move, isn't Suijie just a fish on the chopping block?"
Dan Fuhai took a sip straight from the teapot. "Old Six, Suijie has never been the real cause for concern. It's the tide of events. How could one little Suijie bring our family to heel with only three hundred worn-out soldiers? Not because he's so extraordinary, but because he saw the tide of events clearly and stirred it up, setting off a groundswell. With his insight and skill, and the tide behind him, if the Dan Family were willing to bow to the moment, show weakness, and yield, we might yet survive this calamity. But the whole family is too proud to do that, and has chosen to fight back hard. I have no hope for the Dan Family's future."
Dan Fubo gaped.