Chapter 151: Impulse is the Devil

Chapter 151: Impulsiveness is the Devil

When Xu Yun finished speaking, he received no reaction whatsoever from the Tang family members. Everyone stared at him as if looking at a monster, a wave of resentment instantly rising against this man who had just arrived at the Tang estate and spoken as though the place already belonged to him.

Guoguo was extremely unhappy with this, as she was the only one in the entire room clapping and applauding. She popped up to her feet. "What do you all mean by this? How can you be so impolite? My daddy is going to be in charge of you all from now on. What kind of attitude is this?"

As the word "daddy" slipped out, not only the other Tang family members, but even Tang Zhengtian was stunned. This man brought a kid with him?

Tang Wanxin and Tang Qun could not help but feel a secret surge of glee. This was originally something Tang Wanxin had intended to find an opportunity to reveal, but he had never expected this little brat to spill the beans herself. Now, he wanted to see how Tang Jiu was going to handle this.

Xu Yun truly regretted bringing this little troublemaker along to Jibei; she was more than capable of stirring up chaos.

"Hahahaha, Xu Yun, what a fine name!" Tang Sanquo burst into laughter, turning to Tang Zhengtian. "Old brother, this good niece of mine is really something. Bringing back a man was one thing, but she even brings along some bastard child. Is this her way of making the Tang family change its surname? Hmph, if that's the case, I certainly won't agree! Since you can condone an outsider openly seizing the Tang family's property, I'll make my stance clear as well. I don't covet much; let the areas Shaofeng and Tangyi have always managed belong to us, and the rest of you can give whatever is left to whoever you please!"

Tang Yifei sneered. "Third Uncle, you really can't let go of splitting up the family, can you? Who said the Tang family is going to be handed over to an outsider? I'm afraid it's not this outsider's turn to speak here just yet. Ninth Sister, shouldn't you give a proper explanation now? The reason I failed to bring you back from Hedong City was precisely because of this man. What kind of character this man has is plain for everyone to see. If you've thought it through, go ahead and repeat what you just said."

"I can say it a hundred times and it would still be the same: he is the man I, Tang Jiu, choose for my future!" Tang Jiu declared sternly.

"Ninth Sister, do you think it's appropriate to find a man who already has a child?!" Tang Long, who had always maintained a gentle and modest demeanor within the Tang family, suddenly shouted loudly. "The Tang family has its pride and dignity! I will not allow anyone to smear the Tang family's reputation!"

Tang Zhenfeng also darkened his face and said, "Xiao Jiu, on the basis of this alone, I will never agree to you bringing this man into the Tang family! Absolutely not!"

Tang Wanhe and Tang Huazhong, two uncles of the older generation, followed Tang Zhenfeng's lead and made their stances clear. "None of us have any other opinion on this. If a daughter of the Tang family takes up with a wild man who brings along a bastard child, once word of this gets out, will the Tang family still have any footing left in Jibei?!"

Everyone was filled with righteous indignation as they expressed their respective views. Tang Yifei sneered inwardly; there was no need for him to say much at all, as others would naturally vote down the man Tang Jiu had brought. However, he knew very well that the man Tang Jiu brought was no ordinary person, which was why he had instructed Ghost-Faced Asura to be fully prepared.

Both generations of the Tang family present had expressed their viewpoints, and the next step seemed to be to directly expel Xu Yun from the Tang estate.

Xu Yun gave a light cough. "Respected uncles, perhaps Tang Jiu didn't make herself clear earlier. Guoguo is my goddaughter and Tang Jiu's sworn sister. Heh, which of you doesn't have a few goddaughters? It's not excessive for me to have one, is it?"

This remark was a direct slap to the faces of Tang Zhenfeng and Tang Sanquo. Leaving goddaughters aside, they even kept foster granddaughters outside.

"That's right, Guoguo is my sworn little sister, and from now on, she is a member of the Tang family," Tang Jiu snorted. "Whoever dares to call her a bastard child or anything of the sort is insulting me, Tang Jiu, by extension. Everyone here knows my temper, so don't blame me for turning hostile and refusing to recognize old bonds when the time comes."

Tang Zhengtian smiled faintly and spoke up, "Alright, Jiu'er, sit down. Your uncles and brothers are saying all this for your own good. Back then, I said that if you could bring back someone truly capable of helping the Tang family, I would be able to hand the Tang family over to you with peace of mind. Now that you've brought the person back, I am very gratified."

Tang Zhengtian's words still carried considerable weight; when he spoke, no one else uttered a sound, and everyone listened quietly.

"Xiao Jiu has indeed brought someone back, but shouldn't we put him through some tests at least?" Tang Zhenfeng frowned and said, "The Tang family is no small mom-and-pop shop; it's not something just anyone can take over simply because they claim they can."

Tang Jiu smiled at Tang Zhenfeng and said, "Second Uncle, I know that in your eyes no one can surpass Second Brother, but I must say that Xu Yun is the exact person I am looking for. He can help me share all my burdens, and I trust him."

Tang Yifei was grinding his teeth in hatred, yet it was inconvenient for him to say anything more.

"Ninth Sister, I don't see it that way," Tang Long chimed in again. "Second Brother's capability is obvious to everyone, but we haven't seen any capability whatsoever from this man. The Tang family's business is coveted by countless people looking to seize it; it's not so easily managed."

"That is precisely why I trust Xu Yun," Tang Jiu replied firmly.

Tang Yifei could finally restrain himself no longer and blurted out, "Uncle Tang, Ninth Sister's intention is to hand the Tang family over to an outsider on a silver platter. I absolutely cannot agree to this matter."

Tang Zhengtian's previously smiling expression also sank. "Yifei, I am not dead yet. I am the one who makes the decisions in the Tang family, not you. As long as I sit in this seat for one more day, it is not your place to speak. Jiu'er has brought back someone she believes she can trust in accordance with my wishes, and therefore I have the right to entrust the Tang family to her."

With these words, Tang Zhengtian instantly crushed Tang Yifei's little ambitions in the cradle. Tang Zhenfeng only needed to glance at Tang Zhengtian's expression to know that this time he was utterly determined to push Tang Jiu into his position. For decades, he had never dared to defy Tang Zhengtian's orders, so this time he chose to back down as well; any thoughts of usurping power would simply have to wait until Tang Zhengtian was on his deathbed.

However, Tang Yifei could not wait that long. Failing to read the warning look in his father Tang Zhenfeng's eyes, he stood up with an angry roar, "Uncle Tang! It seems to me that you want to ruin the Tang family with your own hands! Have you lost your mind from illness?"

Throughout the entire Tang family, high and low, probably no one had ever dared to speak to Tang Zhengtian in such a manner.

Tang Yifei's rebellious and unfilial behavior thoroughly shocked everyone present. Tang Wanxin whispered to Tang Qun, "Second Brother has really gone all out this time. We'll probably have to pick the right side to protect our future lives."

Tang Zhengtian's gaze was like lightning as he stared fixedly at Tang Yifei. Although he had long known of Tang Yifei's wolfish ambitions, he had never imagined that the young man would dare to openly challenge him. Tang Zhengtian had thought long ago that if he were to die, the only one who would dare to contest the Tang family with Tang Jiu—and the only one with the capability to do so—would be Tang Yifei. Now it seemed he had been wrong, because Tang Yifei simply could not wait until he died.

"As expected of my Tang Zhengtian's nephew, hehe, and truly the son of your father Tang Zhenfeng," Tang Zhengtian said flatly. "Such nerve, such ambition!"

Seeing that the situation was turning ugly, Tang Zhenfeng hastily intervened, "Brother, the child doesn't know any better. Don't hold it against him; I'll settle accounts with him properly when we get back!" With that, Tang Zhenfeng glared fiercely at Tang Yifei. "You uncultured wretch!"

Tang Long also hurriedly pulled at Tang Yifei's sleeve, reprimanding him, "Second Brother, what has gotten into you? Aren't you afraid of being expelled from the Tang family by Uncle Tang for saying such things?!"

Tang Yifei knew he had spoken out of turn, but things had reached this point, and he could only grit his teeth and push through. If he failed to secure the succession of the Tang family today, Tang Zhengtian might revoke the power currently in his hands as early as tomorrow! By then, it would be far too late! Even if he were to literally anger Tang Zhengtian to death today, he absolutely could not allow Tang Jiu to comfortably inherit the Tang family.

"Go ahead and expel me from the Tang family if you have the ability!" Tang Yifei hardened his heart; since he had chosen this path, he would walk it to the very end. "How much of the Tang family's investments came through my hands? Expel me from the Tang family? Hmph, I'd like to see who else has the ability to pull that money back!"

A subtle, hard-to-detect smile appeared on Tang Long's face. He had known all along that Tang Yifei would eventually lose his patience. What he had just said was precisely meant to remind Tang Zhengtian that such rebellious behavior demanded expulsion from the family clan!

"Second Brother, do you really think the Tang family wouldn't spin without you?" Tang Long's expression changed, completely shedding the subservient demeanor he usually reserved for Tang Yifei. "With those messy accounts of yours, leave aside Uncle Tang and Ninth Sister, even I could clear them up with ease. Apologize to Uncle Tang right now!"

Seeing Tang Long flip his face faster than turning the pages of a book, Tang Yifei sneered internally. He finally saw Tang Long's true colors clearly now. Tang Long had always willingly remained beneath him, probably waiting precisely for a day like this.

Indeed, Tang Long had been waiting for this very day. Although he was technically the eldest grandson of the fourth generation of the Tang family, he had lost his father at an early age and thus never received what was rightfully his. Instead, Tang Yifei—who was a year younger than him—had been treated like the eldest son and heir, holding vastly more voting power and influence on every matter simply because his father, Tang Zhenfeng, was still alive!

Ever since Tang Long realized that he, the nominal eldest son, had been sidelined and stripped of real power, he had begun plotting. He plotted for the day when Tang Yifei would be driven out of the Tang family. Once Tang Yifei was cast out, he would finally have a chance to contend for everything. Therefore, for all these years, Tang Long had secretly egged Tang Yifei on to usurp power, all for the sake of exposing him at this exact moment and plunging him into eternal damnation!

Tang Zhenfeng had naturally seen through Tang Long's intentions and cursed him inwardly as a bastard, but things had progressed to this stage, and only he could protect his son now. "Yifei! Kneel down! Kneel and apologize to Uncle Tang right now! Have you forgotten every single rule of the Tang family ancestors?!"

"Dad, there's no turning back for me now! If I admit my mistake today, even if I manage to stay in the Tang family tomorrow, I will end up with nothing!" Tang Yifei hardened his resolve, ignoring even his father's commands.

Tang Sanquo sneered coldly. "Tang Zhenfeng, this is the fine son you've raised, openly attempting a coup? You certainly have quite the ambition! Hmph, I'll make my stance clear today as well: if he dares to pull any more reckless stunts, don't blame this uncle of his for showing no mercy! Shaofeng! Tangyi! If your Second Brother dares to commit any more treasonous acts today, take him down for me at once!"

"Understood!" Tang Shaofeng and Tangyi chorused. They had long been itching for an excuse to beat Tang Yifei up, and today the heavens themselves were handing them the opportunity.

Tang Qun and Tang Wanxin did not have their father backing them up on this, so they wisely stayed out of the fray. The drama unfolding before them was so wonderfully spectacular that even they had not anticipated it. Tang Yifei had been far too impulsive today, isolating himself into a solitary corner. Originally, they should have all united against that outsider, but instead, Tang Yifei had turned himself into everyone's target.

Xu Yun gave a wide yawn. Originally, he had thought this Tang Yifei possessed some genuine skill, but it turned out he was merely a rash hothead. Unless he had a trump card up his sleeve, he was bound to be driven out of the Tang family today by these vultures eager to kick a man while he was down.