AWB Chapter 2059 Before identifying the enemy, cut off their path!
Chapter 2059 Before identifying the enemy, cut off their path!
The shocking "What?" didn't come from the old men in the room, but from Lin Jianzhou, who was talking to Li Fuqiang and his peers!
He never expected that, in addition to the Jiang, Yu, and Song families, there would also be people from the five lower-ranking families and the top five middle-ranking families from the ten families of Yanjing who came to congratulate the Li family. He was shocked and speechless for a moment.
However, the brief silence in the room was not a chaotic, lifeless silence, but a calm, contemplative silence.
The women had already been taken out by Zhu Qiuju, leaving only men inside.
The smiles on the faces of the old men slowly faded, replaced by a deep seriousness, but without much panic.
For people of their caliber, the shock is more of a ripple of internal weighing than an outward display of disarray.
Jiang Huaiyuan spoke first, stroking his silver beard and narrowing his eyes, "The Liu family, the Hou family, the Yan family... along with the Qian family and the Zong family, now all five families are here! Heh, quite a show of force! It seems they've decided to use today's wedding banquet to make a fuss!"
Grandpa Yu picked up his teacup, gently blew on the floating leaves, and spoke in a calm tone, yet each word carried immense weight: "If the lower five families all gather, what about the middle five? Besides those of us who have already stated our position, what about the remaining families... and the one at the very top..."
He didn't say it outright, but the meaning was self-evident.
Among the ten families of Yanjing, the lower five families could be considered powerful figures in their own right, but those who truly stirred up the winds and clouds and even represented certain wills were often the more secretive and higher-level middle five families, as well as the enigmatic and aloof Shangguan family.
The fact that the five holidays are now being mobilized collectively is likely just a prelude, or rather, a pawn laid out in the open.
Song Qiankun leaned back in his chair, his eyes deep. "It seems our previous guess was right! The Mu family's old case involves far more than just one or two families! These families, who either got a share of the pie back then or are afraid of being implicated in the past, have now sensed the danger. They are trying to band together for warmth and to put pressure on each other, hoping to completely extinguish any potential sparks at the Li family's doorstep!"
Li Dequan tightened his grip on his cane, the veins on the back of his hand bulging slightly, but his face maintained the composure and responsibility befitting a family head. He looked at his grandson: "Xiang Nan, you just said they'd arrive gradually? Did you give any specific details? Are they coming one family at a time, preparing a strategy to probe the situation, or..."
“According to the information we’ve received,” Li Xiangnan said in a deep voice, “their original plan was to arrive in sequence, with the Zong family first, followed by the Qian family, and then the Liu, Hou, and Yan families one by one according to the timeline! After the five families arrived, they would conduct some reconnaissance, and when the time was right, they would launch a joint attack, targeting the backyard, attempting to forcibly pay a visit to Grandma, or rather… confirm certain things, such as the location of the account books!”
"Hmph! So you really want to force your way in!" Qin Zongheng sneered, a sharp glint in his eyes, typical of a soldier: "You really think my in-laws are pushovers!"
"Moreover," Li Xiangnan recalled another detail, adding a piece of information that made people's hearts sink, "During the contact, Qian Houjin revealed that they seemed to have prepared a particularly generous gift, which he described as quite bizarre!"
"Strange?" Old Master Yu's brow twitched, and he put down his teacup. "How can a wedding gift be considered strange at a wedding banquet? What were Qian Houjin's exact words?"
Li Xiangnan then truthfully recounted the incoherent yet information-rich statement that Sun Jie had brought back: "...'I will never tell you that what they sent is very strange'... Qian Houjin was extremely frightened at the time and spoke incoherently, but he personally said the word 'strange' and repeatedly emphasized it, yet he refused to reveal what it was!"
“A strange object…” Jiang Huaiyuan pondered for a moment, a thoughtful look flashing in his eyes. “The Qian family is a low-class family, known for their scheming and opportunism. Perhaps they haven’t truly grasped the core of the matter. This strange assessment may stem from their limited knowledge, or perhaps the object’s meaning is beyond their comprehension! But in any case, at this time and place, to send out an object that can be called strange, their intentions must be peculiar, and it is definitely not an ordinary gift of blessing!”
Qin Zongheng nodded slowly: "Old Jiang is right! Perhaps it's not that the object itself is so terrifying, but rather that its symbolic meaning is extremely special and sensitive, perhaps even some unbearable past events or a vicious curse... They want to use this thing to disturb people's minds and create a trigger for trouble!"
Li Dequan's expression grew even more serious as he looked at his grandson, "Xiang Nan, what do you think of this matter? How will you deal with this gift?"
Li Xiangnan had already given it considerable thought and immediately replied, "Grandpa, gentlemen, I believe that regardless of the specifics of this item, its strange label and the timing of its delivery indicate that it is by no means a benevolent being!"
"So if the Liu family sends gifts, especially that special congratulatory gift, I will not give them the opportunity to display it in public. I will seal it up and lock it in the backyard storeroom under the pretext of registering valuable items in the warehouse! I will only say that I will write a note and check it carefully! I will not allow them to have any chance to disrupt the wedding banquet or upset Grandma or anyone else!"
"Good!" Old Master Yu nodded approvingly. "To cut off the enemy's path before identifying it is a prudent move. Seal it directly into storage, and no matter what tricks they try, they won't be able to use it! Xiang Nan, this matter has been handled properly!"
Jiang Huaiyuan also cautioned, "But you need to remind the person receiving it to be extremely careful and not fall into a trap! What if that strange thing isn't just a figment of imagination, but there's something fishy about the actual object..."
He didn't finish his sentence, but everyone understood that some underhanded tactics are impossible to guard against.
Li Xiangnan said, "Grandpa Jiang, don't worry. Zi Mo and Zhang Jingyang have already made arrangements. Any unknown items will not be allowed to enter the warehouse or approach important areas without a thorough inspection!"
The old men exchanged glances and nodded slightly.
Li Xiangnan's arrangements were both bold and thorough, demonstrating his ability to handle complex situations.
“In that case,” Li Dequan nodded and concluded, “Let’s handle things outside as you and Cijiu discussed! The fact that we old folks are sitting here is the biggest reassurance! If they only dare to cause trouble at the lower five levels, they won’t be able to stir up any big waves! If there are really people at the middle five levels or even higher who don’t know their place… Hmph, we old bones aren’t at the point where we can’t pick up a pen or speak!”
These words, spoken in a plain tone, possess an undeniable confidence and authority.
With these pillars of strength in place, Li Xiangnan felt even more at ease!
However, just as the atmosphere inside the house eased slightly, and Li Xiangnan was preparing to take his leave to continue making arrangements in the front yard...
From the direction of the front yard, Cui Xingjian's voice, already hoarse but suddenly rising in pitch due to extreme shock, even cracking sharply, rang out like a thunderclap from a clear sky, tearing through all barriers without warning and crashing into everyone's ears.
"Yanjing—the Liu family, the Hou family, and the Yan family have arrived—"