Adopted Husband.

Summary

"Ah! He is indeed well-prepared this time, aiming to reveal his true intentions." As the sky darkened, the distant lights of Jiang Ning Cheng flickered like stars. In a cozy teahouse, several figures casually bumped into each other, brewed tea, and began discussing ordinary topics. The grand gathering of the first day of September had just passed, and while talking about current affairs seemed unremarkable, considering the true identities of those present, every topic they discussed carried profound implications. Meng Zhu Tao, known as "The Measuring Stick of Heaven," Gao Hui Yun, dubbed "The Martial Overlord," and Chen Jue Fang, referred to as "The Cold Crow," were joined by a formidable companion, Xu Long Biao, the "Tuo He Wanderer." Together, these four represented nearly half of the high-ranking officials under the command of the "Wheel King" in Jiang Ning Cheng. After dinner, they simply sought a moment of rest in the teahouse. Breaking the casual atmosphere was Meng Zhu Tao, a tall figure still wrapped in bandages. As he poured tea for his companions, he asked, "What do you all think?" "I think revealing one's true intentions isn't necessarily a bad thing," Chen Jue Fang replied, shaking his head with a smile as he lifted his teacup. "What Old He has thrown out there isn't entirely baseless. Don't we all know the issues within the Fairness Party? With five Great Kings giving orders from different directions, that’s never sustainable. If we want to resolve this, I believe the time is approaching. Look at the questions he raised today; without answers, the intentions aren't fully revealed, and the knife hasn't even come out yet." "Old He must have had answers prepared long ago," Gao Hui Yun, equally robust, chuckled. "He just wants to gauge everyone's opinions before choosing the right moment to reveal them... What do you think, Mr. Xu?" Xu Long Biao, in his fifties with graying hair and a long beard, smiled as he joined the conversation. "The questions posed by the Fairness King boil down to one crucial point: who has the final say? If we delve deeper, it’s all about how to play the game moving forward... Haven't we all anticipated these matters? Since he raised the questions, it’s clear he intends to resolve them. The Hero Conference in Jiang Ning lasts a month, and we’ve been discussing strategies privately for a month. If there’s disagreement, we can settle it with a fight. It’s simple enough for everyone to understand." "Old Xu is spot on, hitting the nail on the head," Xu Long Biao said, raising his cup to clink with the others in agreement. "However..." After a moment, Chen Jue Fang picked at his ear with his pinky. "Since the questions come from Old He, it implies he wants to consolidate power... This can't be right." "He has taken on the title of Fairness King, so such behavior isn't surprising." "While the title isn't shocking, the Fairness Party is made up of five factions, each operating independently. No one has truly relied on Fairness King for sustenance. He has already claimed the nominal advantage; if he seeks to dominate in practice, I doubt everyone will be willing." "Didn't we see that at the meeting? To be frank, as Old Chen just mentioned, the Fairness Party has grown to this point, and it’s time to consider who has the final say and how decisions are made. Old He’s questions aren’t without merit. However, he shouldn’t have posed them alone; at the very least, the five factions should have discussed them together before going public... Now he wants to take the spotlight, leaving the others to muddle through. To put it bluntly, without a proper contest of strength, he wants to dominate. Who would be willing to accept that?" As they sipped their tea, the conversation flowed gently. Xu Long Biao furrowed his brow. "The Fairness King’s approach this time is indeed a bit strange. Such a significant matter should have been discussed privately among the five Great Kings before being brought to the conference. Why is it handled so poorly this time? In the past, the Fairness King was always seen as someone who valued the bigger picture; during the first gathering, he received endless praise..." "A few days ago, the five did meet, but it seems the discussion wasn’t very pleasant..." "That was a year ago. Back then, everyone was struggling, so of course, they showed respect to the talented. Now that the Fairness Party has become prosperous, Old He compares himself to Mr. Ning from the Southwest, adopting a scholar's demeanor, which is just how it is..." Chen Jue Fang and Gao Hui Yun exchanged a few laughs, while Meng Zhu Tao, fiddling with his tea, chuckled lightly. "How could they reach an agreement? The question of who has the final say is significant, and beneath that, there’s the question of how to act, which is no small matter. After we conquered the territory, the Fairness Party divided the land, and our methods vary. Gao Tian Wang prefers to fight; he deals with local landlords with minimal bloodshed, as long as they’re willing to help and join in. The Fairness King is strict with rules, and some say that compared to the other factions, he doesn’t enjoy dealing with landlords." He paused for a moment. "Then there’s Ping Wang, Zhou Shang, and others, each with their own methods... Not to mention Zhou Yan Luo, who kills the wealthy cleanly and then goes back to finish the job. Who can tolerate that? It’s madness... Yet, this madman can’t stand others’ advice. He believes that without a firm attitude, nothing can be accomplished. I’ve heard that various pamphlets from the Southwest have been circulating, and Zhou Shang has been keeping an eye on them. He’s far more formidable than Mr. Ning from the Southwest, who often calls Ning Yi hypocritical, claiming he can’t achieve anything. The only person capable of great deeds in today’s world is Zhou Shang..." As Meng Zhu Tao spoke, he shook his head and smiled. "You see, the question of who has the final say isn’t unsolvable. Ultimately, it’s just about sending representatives from each faction to discuss it. But the question of how to do it, how to resolve it, is where Zhou Shang won’t agree. Let’s say, in the future, will we follow He Wen’s methods or stick to our own? We certainly can’t become as mad as Zhou Shang, but would you all be willing to follow He Wen’s approach?" Gao Hui Yun chuckled and shook his head. "Now we have something to talk about." "How we talk is a big question," Xu Long Biao took a sip of tea. "We should speak openly; you all must have received invitations, right?" The other three exchanged glances. Gao Hui Yun didn’t care and laughed, "Not to mention those irrelevant people, Gao Chang and Lin Jiao Jiu were the first to invite me to dinner. I’ve already reported it. Mr. Xu said it’s fine to eat; after all, he invited quite a few people." "He Wen is strict with rules, while Lin Jiao Jiu leads troops without fussing over details. I’ve heard he has quite a few grievances about the Fairness King’s rules... Old Gao is also a commander; do you think there’s a chance in this matter?" Meng Zhu Tao asked. "Hard to say," Gao Hui Yun shook his head with a smile. "It’s still early; let’s probe first. What about you, Old Meng?" Meng Zhu Tao spread his hands and counted on his fingers. "He Wen, Gao Chang, Fu Ping Bo, Shi Bao Feng, Jin Yong Sheng, Chen Yan Da... I’m quite curious why Zhou Shang wants to talk to me as well; Wei Wei Wen even sent me an invitation..." "Looks like Old Meng is quite popular," the others laughed. "A person of great significance." "It’s still early. This time, the public meeting is just a front; the real connections will be made behind the scenes. Before Old He reveals his true intentions, no one can escape," Meng Zhu Tao smiled lightly. "But you all should be careful not to lose control." "I’m loyal to Mr. Xu," Chen Jue Fang declared. Xu Long Biao laughed. "Mr. Xu is my kin." "Let’s wait and see," Gao Hui Yun said. "Just kidding," Meng Zhu Tao replied, "Just kidding." Afterward, the group enjoyed a few more cups of tea. Gao Hui Yun shifted the topic. "Old Meng, how are things with your junior brother and sister going?" "Why do you ask that?" Meng Zhu Tao raised an eyebrow. "The case of the Golden Tower hasn’t been closed yet; someone’s been keeping an eye on you... There’s talk that you’re covering for the murderer, especially since Gu An He has died. The only ones clearly involved are your junior brother and sister, and since you’re in charge of the Grudge and Hate Society, there have been rumors lately targeting you..." "Who is it? Is it that monkey?" Meng Zhu Tao asked with a half-smile. "Not quite," Gao Hui Yun waved his hand. "Though the Monkey King is an up-and-comer with some ambition, he knows his limits. He was wrong to use your situation to make a fuss, but after Mr. Xu compensated for his losses, he wouldn’t drag it out indefinitely... Didn’t he come to apologize to you later?" Chen Jue Fang chimed in, "This incident is still because Old Meng was too obvious. To put it plainly, the upcoming Jiang Ning Conference is merely about selecting a method to determine who has the final say. The five factions are all entangled; He Wen cannot dominate everything. Most likely, a new entity will be established at the top to negotiate, and only those who can enter this circle will be the true power holders. Old Meng, you hold a high position; leaving a handle for others to use against you isn’t surprising." Xu Long Biao chuckled. "In the end, it’s still the Monkey King’s fault. If he hadn’t stirred things up, no one would have dared to follow suit." On the night of the Golden Tower incident, Li Yan Feng, feeling humiliated, exploded at Meng Zhu Tao, and Xu Zhao Nan stepped in to calm things down. However, the reasons for Li Yan Feng’s outburst have now become a new issue.

Full content