Chapter 1647: Burning Bridges and Going All In
Within the courtyard house, Duanmu Zhe really hasn’t returned for a long time.
Along the way, seeing those servants greeting him with respect, his emotions were extremely complicated.
Because he didn’t know how many days he could still enjoy this glory of being the first heir.
If the matter in Jiangdong isn’t handled properly, not to mention Ying Zheng losing patience with him, even his grandfather—Duanmu Family head Duanmu Mian, would no longer focus on cultivating him!
He might even be pushed to the family’s margins.
"Zhe’er, why have you suddenly returned to the family?"
Suddenly, several elegantly dressed youths walked up, looking at Duanmu Zhe with confusion and asked.
They were all Duanmu Zhe’s cousins, but in the Duanmu Family, they were not as favored as him; each could only mingle within the family, while Duanmu Zhe had already clung to Ying Zheng’s influence.
"Is grandpa in the council hall?" Duanmu Zhe said impatiently.
"Yes, Zhe’er, are you looking for grandpa about something? We’ll accompany you!"
These cousins were also eager to suck up to Duanmu Zhe, because in their view, Duanmu Zhe would be the family head in the future, while they would only be part of the family leadership, revolving around him.
"No need, I’ll go myself!"
Duanmu Zhe couldn’t let such disgraceful matters become known to others, and quickly rushed into the council hall.
Inside the council hall, Duanmu Mian was in discussions with several clansmen when he suddenly saw his beloved grandson come in, quite surprised.
"Zhe’er, why have you suddenly returned?"
"Grandpa, I beg you to save me and save the Duanmu Family... Grandson is unfilial, encountered an issue I can’t resolve, about to cause trouble..."
As soon as Duanmu Zhe saw his grandfather, he immediately dropped to his knees, wailing.
"What’s the matter?"
Duanmu Mian immediately stood up, waved his hand, signaling those clansmen to leave.
Seeing the clansmen leave, Duanmu Zhe then tearfully recounted the entire incident to his grandfather.
Starting from Lin Zekai’s phone call saying he encountered an outsider in Jiangdong, to all the current events, he explained everything in detail!
When Duanmu Mian heard that his grandson had, without his own consultation, sent out troops from the Six Major Families to Jiangdong to capture Jiang Feng and was wiped out, he too felt exceedingly shocked and enraged!
He was so angry he couldn’t sit still, pacing back and forth in the council hall with his hands behind his back, angrily saying: "Zhe’er, what should I say to you! You were always the one who made me the least worried, brought me the most honor, but now how could you act so rashly and carelessly! Ever since you became Ying Zheng’s brother, you’ve been arrogant!"
"Grandpa, you’re right, I’ve indeed become arrogant! Had I initially taken that Jiang scoundrel seriously and consulted with you, rather than blindly dispatching those useless people, perhaps it wouldn’t have led to such losses..."
Duanmu Zhe tearfully regretted as he spoke.
"This isn’t the main problem. The problem is the one named Jiang!"
Duanmu Mian turned his face, coldly looking at his grandson, and said: "Are you certain he is the remnant who was expelled from the Jiang Family back then?"
"This... I’m really not sure!"
Duanmu Zhe was sweating profusely and said: "Initially, Lin Zekai told me he may be the Jiang Feng from back then, and not long ago Lu Hao also reported saying he might be the same person, I’ve always held a skeptical attitude! The reason I’m inclined to believe is because he knows our affairs so well; my doubts stem from..."
"Stem from what?" Duanmu Mian coldly asked.
"Because the Eldest personally told me! He had already figured out the exile location of Jiang Feng back then, so he sent someone to assassinate him directly, so how could he still be alive?"
Duanmu Zhe wiped his cold sweat and said: "I trust no one, but I dare not distrust the Eldest; all these years, nothing the Eldest has done has ever failed, unless that Jiang could resurrect, return from the dead..."
"Nonsense about returning from the dead, have you been reading too many horror novels?!"
Duanmu Mian coldly stated: "What I’m considering is not just the issue with Jiang Feng, but... could this be related to the Capital City Jiang Family!"
Upon hearing "Capital City Jiang Family," even though Duanmu Mian had a distinguished position in the Capital City, his eyes showed deep apprehension!
Because that Capital City Jiang Family was indeed terrifying, one of the few top families able to challenge the Ying Family.
Back in the day, had the Jiang Family not been embroiled in internal conflicts and various issues, they wouldn’t have let the later Ying Family rise to dominance, achieving singular supremacy!
Even now, were it not for the Jiang Family’s discord, it would still pose a considerable threat to the Ying Family!
For years, the Duanmu Family has placed its bets on the Ying Family, only hoping for shared prosperity.
If at this crucial moment an unforeseen complication arises, allowing that remnant in Jiangdong to reconnect with the Jiang Family and thereby resolve their internal strife, uniting them, it would be serious trouble!
Once the Jiang Family resurges successfully, they could truly dethrone the Ying Family!
"Currently, the Jiang Family shouldn’t be aware of this series of events in Jiangdong, right?" Duanmu Mian asked solemnly.
Duanmu Zhe paused for a moment; reminded by his grandfather, he finally realized something and immediately shook his head: "No! They’re definitely not aware, the Jiang Family itself is fragmented, they wouldn’t have the attention to focus on provincial affairs..."
"That’s good!"
Only then did Duanmu Mian breathe a sigh of relief: "Since that’s the case, you coming to me now isn’t too late. We still have a chance to make amends—ensure to eliminate him before the Jiang Family realizes there’s someone—regardless of whether he’s Jiang Feng from back then!"
"Yes! Grandpa, I’ll follow your lead, everything will be arranged by you!"
Duanmu Zhe wiped his cold sweat, thought inwardly how his grandfather was farsighted, with a long-term vision, and thoughtful consideration.
"To eliminate that extremely unsettling danger, the Duanmu Family has no choice but to act decisively this time, nearly twenty years, finally having to intervene personally again..."
Duanmu Mian strode to the council hall entrance, his gaze grim, seemingly having made a fierce resolution, ready to burn his bridges as well!