Chapter 191 The Flaw in the Long Family
Jiang Zihou’s eyes brightened instantly. He knew well that Xiao Bing wasn’t the type who would shoot an arrow without a target. “What do you have in mind?” he asked impatiently.
Xiao Bing stood up, walked up to Jiang Zihou, and whispered something in his ear.
Just at this time, Zhuge Jiangnan’s car was slowly driving up to Long Yan’s villa. Long Yan himself and his men came out to greet him. Although Long Yan felt extremely upset and he didn’t particularly like this old man, he had to show some respect to the brain of the family. Everyone knew that Lord Long always took his advice seriously. Offending Zhuge Jiangnan meant offending Lord Long.
Long Yan was burning with anger inside, but he managed a smile, showing as much hospitality as he could muster.
“My dear Old Mr. Zhuge, if you want to pay me a visit, just come anytime. No need to send Poisonous Fox ahead of time to notify me.”
Jiang Wu supported the old man as he walked up to Long Yan. “That’s a necessary courtesy. After all, you are the second master of the Long family, and I’m just a servant whose sole use is to offer my counsel,” said the old man while walking into the living room with his cane.
Lord Long smiled while cursing inwardly. “Your modesty is truly impressive. Everyone knows how highly-positioned you are in the Long family. Without you, the family could not have become what it is today.”
The old man walked into the hall and found everyone’s arms bound in black cloth. Zhuge Jiangnan sighed and said, “Second Master, I’m sorry about your loss.”
As conniving as he was, Long Yan could not help clenching his fist tightly and gnashing, “I shall seek vengeance for my son sooner or later!”
“Long Yan, can I speak to you in private?” asked Zhuge Jiangnan abruptly.
“Of course. Please come to my study.”
Long Yan was infuriated when he met with Lord Long earlier, but after being sorted out by his brother, he seemed to be exercising restraint. He had always been a shrewd person. The reason he was being so impetuous before was because of his son’s death. And now his shrewdness had returned.
To show the old man his respect, Long Yan did not sit on his usual chair. Instead, he sat right next to Zhuge Jiangnan. A maid came in and served them tea, then retreated. Jiang Wu was still standing respectfully beside the old man.
Long Yan sighed, “You know what happened to my son. And to be honest, I can’t let it go that easily, but I don’t mean to blame my brother. No matter what, he’s still my brother. I know he always puts the family above everything else. But I just can’t understand why he’s so eager for that Xiao Bing to be at his service.”
“It’s really unexpected, but it is within reason.”
“Why?” Long Yan asked.
“Bringing up Xiao Bing is unnecessary. And let’s not talk about the conflict between Xiao Bing and your son. I have looked into Xiao Bing’s background. He is not a man who is willing to take orders from others. We should spend our time on Jiang Zihou rather than wasting it on this Xiao Bing. This Jiang Zihou is no ordinary man.”
Long Yan sighed and then said with excitement, “Mr. Zhuge, you think so too? Then why do you still feel it is within understanding?”
“Because of human nature,” said Zhuge Jiangnan calmly, “Your brother united the two provinces within a few years. This made his confidence skyrocket. He feels invincible at the moment because he thinks he has the power to do the impossible, the power that can crush everything. But this kind of confidence will also cause a person to easily reveal the flaws within himself.”
“Your brother, for instance, wants to cow Xiao Bing into serving him by showing his overwhelming might. It’s not that he wanted to win Xiao Bing’s support, but more like his arrogance got the better of him. He thinks that anyone with some talent should bow to him. But this time he failed.”
“Then why didn’t he killed Xiao Bing, since the latter disappointed him?”
“It’s exactly because he failed that he let Xiao Bing live.” Zhuge Jiangnan’s ocean-deep eyes made it impossible for others to know what he was thinking. The more mysterious something was, the scarier it would be.
Noticing the bewilderment on Long Yan’s face, Zhuge Jiangnan began explaining, “I just said that your brother’s confidence has reached a pinnacle. So do you think such a proud man will kill Xiao Bing? Even if Xiao Bing didn’t make any move, he would still not kill Xiao Bing. Because his goal is to make Xiao Bing kneel. He will lose if he kills Xiao Bing. That is something your brother will never accept.”
Finally Long Yan understood. He managed a wry smile and said, “You are truly a wise man. Looks like killing Xiao Bing is truly impossible for me.”
Zhuge Jiangnan sighed, “This Xiao Bing is no ordinary man. I also think that we should not let him live. However, your brother won’t take any advice from others now. And I can assure you that it will only get harder after Xiao Bing swears his fealty to your brother.”
“Why?”
“The reason is simple.” A smile touched Zhuge Jiangnan’s lips. “He has spent great effort to make this man come into his service. If you kill Xiao Bing that easily, then who else will dare to work for the Long Family? And what will the people think of Lord Long? If you were your brother, would you want to be humiliated by anyone?”
Long Yan’s face turned ugly. He knew that even he would never have accepted it, let alone the proud Lord Long.
Long Yan stood and began pacing his study while Zhuge Jiangnan picked up his tea cup and took sips of it leisurely.
Long Yan suddenly stopped, then fixed eyes on the old man. He spoke gravely, “Mr. Zhuge, there must be a reason behind your telling me all of this today. You have an idea, right? Can you tell me? I must avenge my son’s death! I won’t rest till Xiao Bing and Jiang Zihou are dead!”
Zhuge Jiangnan grinned, “To kill Jiang Zihou is no easy job. But it’s not difficult for your brother, since the Long Family is such a powerful family. Your brother’s reign over the underground in the north is inevitable. As for this Xiao Bing, if you don’t kill him now, you will never get the chance again.”
“I know you’re worrying if your brother will blame his death on you. But will Lord Long turn against his brother for someone who is already dead?” Zhuge Jiangnan grinned, “Besides, the reason why you brother doesn’t want to kill Xiao Bing is because of pride. That doesn’t mean that he has no intention of killing him.”
Long Yan’s eyes brightened instantly, “That’s true. But… But that Xiao Bing is at Transforming Strength. None of my men is able to kill him.”
Zhuge Jiangnan asked emotionlessly, “You intend to ask your men to kill Xiao Bing? Then what’s the use of your title, the Second Master of the Long Family?”
Hearing this, Long Yan was at a loss for words. “You know the family only takes orders from my brother, especially those elite experts. I can’t tell them what to do.”
“Sometimes you don’t need to exert your own strength to solve a problem. Sometimes we can do harm to someone through the hands of another,” said Zhuge Jiangnan with indifference, “There is a man who owes your father a big favor. He has been living like a recluse since your father’s death. Even Lord Long can’t tell him what to do.”
Long Yan gasped, “You’re saying the…”
“Yes. He neither belongs to you nor your brother. However, to those masters of martial arts, returning others’ favors means a lot to them. I also know that the reason he still lives around here is that he’s waiting for a chance to return your father’s favor. If you appealed to him to kill Xiao Bing, do you think he will give up this chance to repay your father?”
Long Yan’s eyes lit up. Zhuge Jiangnan then continued, “He will be free from that yoke once the favor has been repaid. He’ll be free to go where his heart takes him.”
“So he definitely won’t miss this chance!” Long Yan bobbed his head. Then he cupped his hands before his chest while saying gratefully, “Thanks for your counsel. I shall pay a visit to this man you mentioned.”
Zhuge Jiangnan stood up with the help of his cane and said slowly, “That man has nothing to do with you or me. No matter what he does, it is of his own volition. Nothing to do with you or me. Today, I’m only here to offer you condolences on your brother’s behalf. Whether Xiao Bing is dead or not is not my concern.”
Long Yan grinned, “Of course. And I have nothing to do with it either.”
The two then exchanged a knowing smile. As sly as he was, Long Yan had an odd feeling. He felt like a child before this wobbly old man who seemed to know everything on his mind. He felt as though all his schemes amused the old man.
Long Yan was very much on his guard. But as long as he could avenge his son, he did not care. He even intended to develop a closer relationship with this Zhuge Jiangnan. He wondered what would happen to the Long family if Zhuge Jiangnan was on his side.
As Zhuge Jiangnan had expected, after Lord Long tried to make Xiao Bing come to his service, Long Yan’s dissatisfaction towards his brother grew and kept growing. And it looks like no one can put out that fire.
On the way back, Jiang Zihou recalled what Xiao Bing told him about the Long family’s flaw. This flaw is the name of a person.
Long Yan!
