Liu Qingshan was not stupid. There were plenty more qualified and experienced people in the gang. If everyone fought for it, they would definitely end up divided, and their loss would be much greater than their gains. In order for that not to happen, he decided to give the position to his son to avoid any internal conflicts.
It was rather common for the son to succeed the father’s business in the underworld. The greatest advantage of doing so was that it would prevent competition between the various major groups within the gang. Therefore more often than not, even if the elders within the gang were unhappy about it, they wouldn’t explicitly oppose the idea.
Now, seeing that everyone was out against him, Liu Qingshan decided to just let them fight against each other so that he could reap the ultimate benefit.
The hall masters exchanged whispered words for quite a while, before the eldest among them, Uncle Zhang who spoke up. “Actually, while we are on the subject of the person who has the greatest authority and also the greatest competency apart from the president, I believe there is only one such person in our Green Dragon Society.”
As he spoke, Elder Zhang’s gaze turned towards the side of Liu Qingshan, landing on—Xu Ying!
“President’s wife, no, Hall Master Xu has abilities that rival those of a man. She is the most important figure who has established the foundations of our Green Dragon Society. I, Lao Zhang, will fully support the notion for Hall Master Xu to become the next president!”
All the blood drained from Liu Qingshan’s face upon hearing these words. He was so shocked his body froze in place!
Xu Ying looked very calm. She smiled at Lao Zhang. “Uncle Zhang you’re being too polite. I don’t have such abilities.”
Seeing Xu Ying’s reaction, Liu Qingshan’s eyes were filled with coldness.
Right after that, the woman in red, the man with boss-like hairstyle, and a few other major figures who were nearby all started to chime in.
“I’m similarly woman. Of course I support Sister Xu Ying as the president.”
“Hall Master Xu had given her all to Green Dragon Society since the beginning. And her health is in good condition. Naturally, she’s the best candidate!”
“I, Old Zhu, have always held Madam Xu in high regard. I have nothing against it!”
“If it’s Hall Master Xu, then she definitely is a better candidate. What’s more, Minghao is Hall Master Xu’s son. Even if it’s just until Minghao becomes fully capable, this is not a bad option.”
Everyone started singing praises to Xu Ying unanimously. They all believed that she was the best candidate to take over the president’s duties.
Xu Ying was just smiling faintly at first, but as things went on, she didn’t bother hiding it anymore. She hung a proud look of victory on her face as she glanced jokingly at Liu Qingshan who was beside her. Her voice was gentle and feminine but held an underlying hint of chilliness. “Qingshan, what should I do? Everyone here seems to want me to take over your position.”
Liu Qingshan inhaled deeply, his face revealed a complicated grim expression as he looked at this woman beside him. She seemed familiar yet strange at the same time.
“You are truly… my good wife, and Minghao’s good mother…” he said, while attempting to force a smile.
Xu Ying gazed at Liu Qingshan gently, saying, “Qingshan, you’ve said it all on the way here., You’re no longer young, and you’re tired of this life. Therefore, let me share your woes for you. Isn’t that good?”
“What if I say no?” Liu Qingshan’s brows were twitching, and the veins on his arms were bulging. He was trying his absolute best to control his fury.
He had never anticipated that the reason for his well laid out plans to fail in the end, would be the betrayal by the person whom he had loved and trusted the most!
Not to mention, it was such a plain and outright betrayal! She completely disregarded their relationship!
Xu Ying shook her head regrettably, sighing, “Qingshan, you know me. Ever since I built your empire beside you, I’ve always been a meticulous person. I plan everything ten steps ahead, so that you have nothing to worry about. I stand and fight in the front lines.”
As though he was sucked into his memories of the past, Liu Qingshan’s eyes were full of sorrow.
Yet, the temperature in Xu Ying’s gaze had suddenly plummeted. She let out an icy cold smile and said, “Since I’ve made my decision, there won’t be any flaws.”
With that, Xu Ying gave out a clap of her hands.
All at once, every single door surrounding the hall was flung open violently. A large troop of burly man in black uniform carrying submachine guns in their hands filled the entire hall!
Suddenly, the situation was extremely tense and nervous!
Liu Qingshan’s eyes popped wide open while he clenched his fists tightly. He didn’t expect Xu Ying to even arrange for such a mighty ambush!
It seemed like she was truly unshakable in her determination!
“Xu Ying! This isn’t within what we agreed on!”
Suddenly, that man known as Uncle Zhang yelled. “Didn’t you say that all we had to do was to support you as the president?! Why did you plant so many gunmen in an ambush?! What do you think you are doing, pointing guns at us?!”
Apparently, everyone present was promised something from Xu Ying. But she played them into her hands!
Xu Ying smiled mockingly. “Uncle Zhang, it doesn’t matter whom the gun is pointing at. Isn’t it more important that you’re still alive? I did promise to raise all of your shares if I become the president. But I never told you that I won’t plant gunmen in ambush.”
“You… you despicable slut! Isn’t it enough for us to change sides for you?!” Elder Zhang was clearly outraged, feeling like he had been terribly betrayed.
Xu Ying shot a cold glance at him, then casually snapped her fingers—
Bang bang bang bang!!!
At the snap of her fingers, the submachine gun that was closest to Elder Zhang was fired!
Elder Zhang who was still berating her angrily, standing, instantly took a shot through his head. Blood splattered everywhere. He died on the spot!
Everyone’s expressions changed at once. They stared at the old hall master who had died before their eyes in disbelief!
“Uncle Zhang!!!”
Liu Qingshan roared furiously, his eyes red with sadness—that was after all, the elder who had nurtured him and fought by his side to establish his business. Even if they had conflicts, deep in Liu Qingshan’s heart, he he still cared deeply for each and everyone of them!
Xu Ying snorted coldly. “Couldn’t he just relax a little at his old age? Look at that, the quality of guns nowadays are so bad that accidental shots are becoming more and more common.”
Liu Qingshan flung his head around, pointing straight at Xu Ying and berated, “You poisonous shrew! How could you do such a thing?!”
Xu Ying replied him with a fearless glare, saying coldly, “Qingshan, aren’t you the one who knows best what kind of woman I am? Back then, every time when I succeeded in my ambush plans, creating a large scale bloodshed, you would always praise me for being capable. Why then are you scolding me now? As expected, you don’t really see me as your woman deep down in your heart after all.”
“You… I…” Liu Qingshan was at the verge of collapsing. He said exhaustingly, “Xu Ying, don’t do this. Order these people to retreat. I’ll pretend like all this had never happened”
Xu Ying laughed uncontrollably, as if she had just heard the funniest joke in the world. She laughed for quite awhile, before she finally held back her tears of laughter. “Liu Qingshan, seems like you have indeed aged. Do you really believe that I would care whether you’ve truly loved me?”
Liu Qingshan’s eyes were engulfed by immense desperation. He could tell that Xu Ying truly did not care about it at all.
“What you’re doing… What’s the reason for it?” Liu Qingshan asked weakly. “I’m only bent on making Minghao succeed my position. Isn’t he your child as much as he is mine? Is that not enough?! Are you intent on ruining our relationship as husband and wife?!”
Xu Ying scanned the entire hall loftily. After Uncle Zhang’s death, everyone was completely silent. No one dared to make a noise.
Xu Ying smiled smugly before answering, “Minghao is no doubt my son. But he doesn’t need a toothless tiger as his father.”
“What?” Liu Qingshan couldn’t fathom.
Xu Ying looked at Liu Qingshan with pity in her eyes, saying, “Liu Qingshan, you’re no longer the same person as before. When I first met you in the bar, you were so valiant, so unyielding, so brutal, so decisive. No matter what you did, you would only think about power and wealth. Trivial stuff like relationship was none of your concern.”
“Retire? Spend the remaining of your lifetime in peace?! Haha! I, Xu Ying, have toiled by your side for almost twenty years, and even gave birth to a son for you! Do you think that was all for the sake of accompanying a foolish old man into retirement?!”
Liu Qingshan’s entire body gave way. His eyes were wide open and his jaws almost dropped to the ground. If not for the chair, he would have already slumped to the floor.
“The person that I liked was only that hero Liu Qingshan who used to stop at nothing to achieve his goals. Not this coward now who is single-minded in his attempt to make his son the president so that he can retire. Are you contented now that you have ruled Beijing? Since you don’t have what it takes to rule all of China, nor what it takes to expand our power beyond the nation, I’ll gladly do it on your behalf.” Xu Ying’s eyes shone brightly with fervor. She was too excited with her plans that she had forgotten to hold back her laughter.
Liu Qingshan raised his head up strenuously. He released a sarcastic laughter as he shook his head and said, “Rule the whole of China? To think that you are so stupid to believe that. Xu Ying, you, a lone woman, do you really think you have such capabilities…?”
“You’re wrong. There is still me.”
Suddenly, Gao Yue who had not spouted a single word all along stood up from the back and said.
Liu Qingshan turned his head around once again in disbelief. He just stared blankly at Gao Yue, who now seemed like a completely different person as before. “You… Even you have betrayed me.”
“Why not?” Gao Yue smiled maliciously as he reached out one hand to hug Xu Ying’s ample waist in his arm.
Xu Ying was not bothered by this action in the slightest. Instead, she leaned on Gao Yue’s chest meekly, looking completely comfortable in it.
Liu Qingshan came to a sudden realization. He lost control of his emotions and started laughing hysterically…
“Haha… Haha… Excellent! Excellent!! What a pair!! Now I know that the two persons that I trusted the most treated me so well!” Liu Qingshan was laughing and crying at the same time as he said, “No wonder the minute Gao Yue entered prison, you were so anxious on making me drag him out. Turns out you were already colluding behind my back.”
Gao Yue had one hand stroking Xu Ying’s waist while the other swinging his finger around, “Tsk tsk, Liu Qingshan. You don’t have what it takes any more. What Xu Ying needs is a man who can continuously expand the territory of Green Dragon Society together with her. Not a sick cat that has lost all its teeth and claws.”
Many of the other elders were also shocked by the fact that Xu Ying had joined forces with Liu Qingshan’s right-hand man Gao Yue. But to them, the only thing that mattered was to stay alive right now. Furthermore, if Xu Ying takes over, the dividend that they gained from Green Dragon Society would only increase. So they didn’t care about who would become president.
Liu Qingshan was after all seasoned. Despite suffering from such a fatal setback, he quickly sort out his thoughts. He said solemnly, “Xu Ying, since you’ve already come to this step, I have nothing left to say… I’ve lost.
But, I hope that you won’t do anything to Yang Chen, as well as Mingyu and her mother.”
Yang Chen who had been watching from the side was also shocked at how things had unfolded. He had never expected the second mother-in-law that he had just met to suddenly become a ‘poisonous shrew’. Life is indeed unpredictable.
But seeing that Liu Qingshan still thought of him as well as Mingyu and her mother in such circumstances, Yang Chen felt relieved. At least despite everything that has happened, he is still a responsible man.
“Rest assured. I already had it all planned.” Xu Ying smiled smugly and said, “After I send you to your death, I’ll say that you have been murdered. Then, I will take good care of Minghao. As for that mother and daughter duo, I’ll just have someone monitor them. It’s not like they are able to do anything about it anyway. Whereas your precious son-in-law Yang Chen… Hehe…”
Xu Ying stared at Yang Chen with an odd expression, saying, “Actually I have so much to thank you for, Liu Qingshan. You’ve presented me with the best present I could ever receive. As long as Yang Chen is within my hands, it will be much easier to handle Red Thorns Society in Zhonghai…”
“You! How could you!?”
Liu Qingshan pointed his finger at Xu Ying, yet there was nothing he could do to strike back. He could only gaze at Yang Chen painfully. “Yang Chen, I have let you down.”
“Hmph, why don’t you say that you’ve let me down?” Gao Yue smiled coldly right then. “The two of you, one refused to save me from danger, and another sent me into prison. I, Gao Yue, am no gentleman. I take revenge on everyone who has let me down. Liu Qingshan, I’ll be sure to send your son-in-law straight to hell!”
