This upheaval ultimately ended with Xu Shi's victory.
After something like this happened, the meeting obviously could not continue... Once the people from the Inspection Bureau left, Lin Wenhua found an excuse and hurriedly slipped away.
He had thought he could restrain Xu Shi a little by coming today, but instead, one of his own arms had been cut off.
Damn it!
Seeing this, the others also took their leave one after another. Their attitude toward Xu Shi, as well as their judgment of the situation, had changed even further.
Soon, only Xu Shi and Su Lin remained in the conference room.
Ning Wei did not seem to be in a hurry to leave either, still standing there ramrod straight.
"Thank you very much, Secretary Ning."
Xu Shi rose to his feet and politely greeted him.
"I was merely carrying out Chairman Wen's orders."
Ning Wei remained expressionless. "There is no need for Chairman Xu to thank me. Rather, we should thank you for your righteous act of putting family before justice."
"What family is Jiang Fengshan to me?"
Xu Shi laughed. "Then let's call it mutual benefit... Please convey my thanks to Old Master Wen. I will certainly visit him another day to express my gratitude in person."
"I will convey it for you."
Ning Wei nodded. "But please also be prepared for Chairman Wen to refuse you. As for the reason... I believe your father has told you?"
"...I should thank him regardless."
Xu Shi paused, then brushed the subject aside. "I won't keep Secretary Ning any longer, then. Shall I have Su Lin see you out?"
"There is no need to trouble Director Su. I will take my leave first."
Ning Wei shook his head, bowed slightly, and strode out.
To be honest, although this was his first time meeting Xu Shi in person, he genuinely admired him.
This was completely different from what the previous investigation had shown. In his eyes, Xu Shi was clearly a highly capable and deeply calculating man.
Not to mention that he had dared to borrow outside forces to eliminate dissidents—honestly, such tactics were rare within the conglomerates. Most of the time, they preferred to handle matters behind closed doors and did not want this kind of scandal leaking out in the slightest, afraid someone might seize leverage over them.
Unfortunately... Thinking of the friction between the two conglomerates, he let out a regretful sigh.
Watching Ning Wei leave, Xu Shi felt a little regretful as well.
It was obvious that Old Master Wen Shengkui, the man in charge of Feather Pen, did not seem to think highly of him.
But this disfavor was not personal hostility like Xie Qingyan's from Prism. Strictly speaking, the two had never even met.
That did not mean they had no connection, however—in fact, they were even related by blood.
Because Xu Shi's mother was Wen Shengkui's only daughter.
In other words, Old Master Wen was his maternal grandfather.
But this was not a friendly marriage alliance like Serpent Coil and Prism. On the contrary, it was precisely because his mother had opposed the arranged marriage and stubbornly insisted on marrying his father that a rift had formed between the two families.
At the worst of it, Old Master Wen had personally declared that he would sever ties with his daughter. As for his relationship with Xu Shi's father, there was even less need to mention it.
Under such circumstances, Xu Shi would naturally be hated by association... His poor conduct and reputation as a playboy were only secondary issues.
So when he had first taken this step, Xu Shi had actually been a little worried. If Feather Pen had not stepped in today, things would never have gone so smoothly.
It was not as though he had no other preparations, but every other method would have been far more troublesome.
Fortunately, they had come in the end, and he had successfully resolved everything.
That was good enough. As for the relationship between grandfather and grandson... They could take it slowly. How could something like this be accomplished overnight?
Su Lin, standing beside him, clearly knew something about the matter as well, and seeing the young master frown made her uncomfortable.
But there was something else she cared about even more.
"Jiang Fengshan has been dealt with, but now, no matter what, related news will leak out."
She shared Ning Wei's concern. "When that happens, the group's public image..."
"What does that matter?"
Xu Shi did not care. "My reputation was not that good to begin with... But this works out. Contact the people from Imaginary Number and arrange some exclusive interviews for me."
Since Ning Wei had called him righteous for putting family before justice, he might as well use that to silence the gossip.
He had to give people something they wanted to see. It would also be a good opportunity to improve his image a little.
But he was in no rush over those matters. The most urgent thing was to squeeze out the last remaining—and most useful—bit of value from that old thing, Jiang Fengshan.
District 14, public prison.
Jiang Fengshan sat slumped on his bed with a defeated expression, completely stripped of his former confidence and ambition.
With Feather Pen's special attention, it had taken less than three days from prosecution to trial to imprisonment.
He had lost. Thoroughly lost.
He could not even blame Lin Wenhua for failing to save him. That bastard simply could not save him... He could not change Jiang Fengshan's forty-year sentence. The only thing he could do was arrange a relatively comfortable single cell for him.
If anyone was to blame, it was Jiang Fengshan himself for being too careless and leaving behind such a fatal weakness.
Still, this was not a bad sign—Lin Wenhua had not abandoned him.
And as long as he stayed alive, there might still be a chance for a comeback.
If he really could rise again... Xu Shi! And that little bitch! He would not spare a single one of them!
Just then, the sound of a baton striking the bars came from outside. "Prisoner No. 4396, someone is here to see you."
The door opened, and the visitors were Xu Shi and Jiang Chengcheng.
Speak of Cao Cao, and Cao Cao arrives.
"...Why are you two here?"
The moment Jiang Fengshan saw them, his anger flared. At a time like this, there was no need to pretend anymore.
"Who else did you think it would be? Lin Wenhua?"
Xu Shi sneered. "He would not dare come see you anytime soon. But I, on the other hand, am willing to come show some concern for a former pillar of the group."
"Stop putting on an act."
Jiang Fengshan gritted his teeth furiously. "I really did not realize you had hidden yourself so deeply, Xu Shi. I misjudged you."
"And you! Jiang Chengcheng! I really raised a fine daughter, didn't I? You actually dared to bite back at me?"
He truly had not expected that after spending a lifetime hunting hawks, he would be pecked in the eye by one.
Her academic attainments far surpassed his own, making him feel the same crushing sense of defeat Luo Zhikang had felt.
"Get out! I don't want to see either of you!"
He roared uncontrollably, like a beast raging in helpless fury.
Faced with all this, Xu Shi merely raised the gun in his hand indifferently and pulled the trigger at Jiang Fengshan's thigh.
"...Aaaahhhhh!!!! Xu Shi, you civilized-language! You civilized-language!"
Jiang Fengshan howled in pain, lost his balance, and dropped to his knees, clutching his thigh as he cursed.
"You will not even call me Chairman Xu. That truly hurts my feelings."
Xu Shi walked up to him, bent down, grabbed his hair, and forced him to meet his gaze. "Honestly, I had considered giving you a chance, but you did not take it."
"When you stood me up, you probably never imagined you would end up like this, did you?"
"Do not expect Lin Wenhua to come save you again. The one thing you should be grateful for is that he will definitely die even more miserably than you."
"So be good and spit out your gold, old thing."
With that, Xu Shi straightened up and handed the pistol to Jiang Chengcheng.
"Do you like the surprise I prepared for you, Miss Jiang?"
"Pick up the gun and kill him."
Before you continue