Volume 3: The Richest Man in the World Chapter 46: Finalization
As soon as Wu Chengjian appeared, he dominated the situation. With just two sentences, the atmosphere of the entire Shanggong Garden was in his hands.
After all, he was one of the biggest merchants in the Thirteen Hongs, and one of the few people who controlled the most wealth in the world. Even if he sat there crookedly with no serious expression on his face, others were still suffocated by him.
The feelings of the clansmen, shopkeepers, and shop assistants were also conveyed to Cai Qiaozhu, making her feel heavy for a moment. Although Wu Chengjian had been in charge for several years, he had always been respectful in front of her, so that she had never experienced Wu Chengjian's power. Now that she realized it, she couldn't help but be secretly surprised, thinking that even when the master and husband were in charge, the clansmen and shop assistants had never been so afraid.
However, Cai Qiaozhu's temperament was gentle but strong, which was the opposite of Ye Youyu's strong but gentle. If Wu Chengjian had continued to speak in a nice way as before, Cai Qiaozhu would not have been able to say many unpleasant things. Now that Wu Chengjian was under pressure, she would resist instead. She said coldly, "You are so arrogant. You drove my second brother away with just one sentence. Are you going to drive us mother and daughter away with another two sentences?"
Wu Chengjian smiled and said, "Sister-in-law, what are you talking about? You were the one who mentioned the words 'severing the ties of friendship' first."
These words were like a piercing of the windshield, setting off a powder keg and making Cai Qiaozhu tremble with anger.
The uncle and his sister-in-law grew up together, so naturally they had quarreled many times. Usually at the end of the quarrel, Cai Qiaozhu would get really angry and say harsh words, and Wu Chengjian would immediately bow his head - it has been like this for many years.
So Cai Qiaozhu's words "breaking off all ties" were not sincere, but she was just habitually forcing Wu Chengjian to bow to her. However, she never expected that this time was different from the past. Wu Chengjian actually took over the words. Now that he turned the words around, Cai Qiaozhu couldn't explain it. Who could she tell that she said that but didn't really mean it, and who could she prove to whom that the two of them had been getting along for many years? If she only listened to the surface of the words, Cai Qiaozhu would be the first to make a mistake, but only he and his uncle knew in their hearts: things were not actually like this!
But how can outsiders understand it?
This is what we call even a fair judge cannot judge family affairs!
"Okay, okay... Hello!" Cai Qiaozhu was covered all over and pointed at Wu Chengjian, unable to speak.
Seeing her like this, everyone in the room felt more pity for her, and they all thought, "What kind of person is Hao Guan? He is a man who can't even please the Supervisor of Guangdong Customs and the Governor-General of Guangdong and Guangxi. How can a mere woman like the eldest young lady be his opponent? The victory was decided with just one sentence."
Uncle Fifteen sighed and tried to smooth things over, "We are all family members, and we can't separate the skin from the flesh. You should all calm down and talk it out."
Wu Chengjian said with a smile: "What else is there to say? Since we have broken off our friendship, let's take advantage of today's gathering and have a good time., explain it clearly. "
Uncle Fifteen frowned.
Manager Liu also frowned and said, "Hao Guan, do you still want to split up the family?"
Wu Chengjian said with a smile, "Divide the family? How can that be possible! Have you forgotten what my father said before he died? Before Yihe Bank becomes the best in the world, the Wu family cannot be divided, and Yihe Bank cannot be disbanded! Weren't you all present when the old man said this?"
After hearing this, everyone was secretly surprised. They all thought that Wu Chengjian didn't mean to take the biggest share, but to take it all!
Cai Qiaozhu looked at her brother-in-law in disbelief. She had never dared to believe what her mother said, but now it seemed... that it was coming true?
Is it true that when a person grows up, he will become so powerful that even his own family members won't recognize him?
Before Wu Chengjian entered the room, everyone in the room was in mixed feelings.
After Wu Chengjian entered the room and expelled Wu Chenggou, everyone in the room was frightened by him, and most of them sided with him.
However, at this moment, while everyone was more afraid of Wu Chengjian, they also felt great sympathy for Cai Qiaozhu.
In fact, before this, everyone in Xiguan believed that if Wu Chengjian was really ruthless, he could completely eat up the eldest wife, and the only question was whether Haoguan could be ruthless. Now it seems that Haoguan is really ruthless!
For a moment, even Ou Jiafu, who had originally planned to "support Hao Guan even if it would be unfair to the young master", couldn't stand it anymore.
He stood up and shouted, "Hao Guan! You are doing this wrong!"
Wu Chengjian pointed at him and shouted, "Sit down! I can entrust you with the affairs of the bank, but why are you meddling in my family affairs! Sit down! Shut up!"
Ou Jiafu's face turned blue and red. He felt awkward standing, but couldn't sit down!
Shopkeeper Liu also stood up shakily, holding onto the armrest of the chair. He wouldn't have stood up so shakily, but he was really angry. After he stood up, he held onto the armrest with one hand and pointed at Wu Chengjian with the other, saying, "Is it possible that I can't say anything either?"
Wu Chengjian smiled and said, "Uncle Liu, go ahead and tell me, go ahead and tell me."
"Okay! As long as you let me speak!" said the shopkeeper Liu. "In the past few years, you have made outstanding contributions to Yihe Bank. Everyone has seen this. So when you come to run the bank, all the shopkeepers and clerks in the bank are convinced. However, you can't erase the contributions of the young master! The young master also laid the foundation and made great contributions to the development of Yihe Bank! Even your position as the head of the bank was originally given to you by the young master. Have you forgotten it?"
"I didn't deny it." Wu Chengjian said with a smile: "But, Uncle Liu, who do you think is the boss of Yihe Bank now, me or my brother?"
"Of course you are the boss."
"That's it." Wu Chengjian said, "The head of the family's words are more effective than the previous head of the family. Do you still need me to teach Uncle Liu about this kind of thing?"
Manager Liu was so angry that he bent over and slapped the armrest: "But that's your brother! Your biological brother! Your biological brother from the same father and mother!"
"If we must discuss this," Wu Chengjian said, "Uncle Liu, who is older, my father or my brother?"
"This... of course your father is older."
"Isn't it over?" Wu Chengjian said, "If you want to talk about effectiveness, listen to me . I am the current head of the family. If you want to talk about seniority, listen to my father. What did my father say? Before Yihe Bank became the best in the world, the family could not be divided, the property could not be divided, and the people's hearts could not be divided! Is Yihe Bank the best in the world now? No! So... it cannot be divided!"
"This, this..." Manager Liu was speechless.
The fifteenth uncle was a very straightforward person. He originally intended to remain neutral between Cai Qiaozhu and Wu Chengjian, but when he saw Wu Chengjian being so aggressive, he rebelled in his heart. His instinct to suppress the strong and support the weak was triggered, so he stood directly on Cai Qiaozhu's side and said loudly, "Okay! If you insist on saying so, then I propose that the eldest young mistress be the head of the family!"
Wu Chengjian laughed: "My sister-in-law? The men in my Wu family are still alive. How can she, a woman, be the head of this family?"
Just as the shopkeeper Liu and Ou Jiafu stood up for Cai Qiaozhu in the hope of gaining more benefits for Wu Chengjun's widow and son, the words of the fifteenth uncle were actually just words spoken in anger, but since Wu Chengjian asked, he had to find a reason even if he had no reason.
He thought for a moment and said, "The eldest young lady is the eldest daughter-in-law of the Wu family, and Guang'er is the eldest son and grandson of the Wu family! They are the eldest branch of the Wu family! Guang'er is not yet an adult, and the mother is responsible for the son before he reaches adulthood. This happens everywhere in the world, and it is no exception in our Wu family."
The fifteenth uncle looked back at the Wu family clan behind him and said, "Everyone, do you think this makes sense?"
After the last incident in which Wu Chenggou attempted to seize power, the clansmen who were able to enter the Wu mansion again were screened by Wu Guoying. Therefore, the clansmen who were invited this time were all somewhat fair-minded and not completely profit-seeking. Although they were afraid of Wu Chengjian's power, they still nodded, hoping to support Cai Qiaozhu.
No one thinks that Cai Qiaozhu can really replace Wu Chengjian as the boss, but she just adheres to the principle of "two steps forward and one step back" and hopes that Wu Chengjian will compromise.
The fifteenth uncle said to the shopkeeper Liu: "Old Liu, what do you think?"
Manager Liu stood firm at this time and said, "What Uncle Fifteen said makes sense! We really can't divide the family. As for the head of the family, Guang Shao and Hao Guan are both qualified to compete. Since Guang Shao is not yet an adult, it's okay for the eldest young lady to take over for a few years."
Wu Chengjian said with a smile: "My sister-in-law doesn't care about external affairs, so she is not worthy of being the head of Yihehang."
"The principles are the same for internal and external affairs. If the eldest young lady can manage the inner house, why can't she manage the Yihe Bank? If you don't understand, just learn it. Who can learn it right after birth?" Manager Liu patted the armrest and said, "My old bones can still hold on for a few more years. With the support of the managers and clerks of the Yihe Bank, I can hold on until the eldest young lady is familiar with the business and Young Master Guang grows up!"
He turned around and looked at the shop assistants and the shopkeeper, and shouted, "What do you think?"
Ou Jiafu shouted, "That's right! What Manager Liu said makes sense!"
Shopkeeper Yao Si did not speak, but a small number of the other shopkeepers and assistants responded. Those who did not respond were afraid of Wu Chengjian after all, and those who responded did not really want to support Cai Qiaozhu to become the boss, but wanted to support the orphan and widow, hoping that Haoguan would take into account the people in the bank and not do things too harshly - because in the past, when the assistants sometimes offended the boss, as long as they were reasonable and loyal, the Wu family father and son would only reward them and never punish them, so at this time, some shopkeepers and assistants of Yihe Bank dared to protect the weak, which could be regarded as the legacy of Wu Guoying and his son.
Wu Chengjian glanced at Cai Qiaozhu again and said with a smile, "What do you say, sister-in-law?"
Cai Qiaozhu was so angry at Wu Chengjian's continuous dominance that she said bitterly, "Since you said that the family and the business cannot be divided, then I will take over Guang'er's business for a few years. This doesn't violate the master's last wish, right?"
Wu Chengjian smiled: "Okay, okay! So you all think so."
As he was laughing, he stopped, said nothing, and just looked around at everyone.
Except for Cai Qiaozhu who was furious, Manager Liu and Uncle Fifteen who were willing to risk their lives, everyone else was frightened by Wu Chengjian's gaze, especially those who had just responded. None of them was not afraid.
Who doesn't know that Hao Guan is best at making a big comeback right before the pot is opened? Who knows what kind of killer move he is about to use?
Wu Chengjian looked at everyone and saw that no one responded, so he asked, "Does anyone else have any other opinions?"
No one dared to speak, and Shopkeeper Yao Si was also watching his heart. Some of the employees who had made up their minds to follow Wu Chengjian did not dare to speak in this atmosphere.
"Okay, sure!" Wu Chengjian finally spoke.
Everyone in the room seemed to be on edge, waiting for the upcoming killer move.
But then Wu Chengjian said, "Since everyone has agreed, from today on, I, Wu Chengjian, will sever all ties with Cai Qiaozhu and Wu Zhaoguang. The position of the head of the Wu family will be temporarily held by Cai Qiaozhu, the eldest daughter-in-law of the Wu family."
Everyone was stunned, thinking they had misheard, or perhaps they thought Wu Chengjian was speaking sarcastically.
Wu Chengjian stood up and said to Foshan Chen: "Brother Chen, you can be a witness."
Foshan Chen had expected this, and he was the only one who was not surprised. He stood up and nodded, "Okay."
Wu Chengjian said, "I will ask Chunrui to take the seal and letter to Lirongyuan later. If there is anything else in the bank, you can go to Lirongyuan to ask. Well, we have finished talking about today, let's go."
After Wu Chengjian and Foshan Chen left, the people in the room woke up as if from a dream and looked at each other. Everyone knew what had just happened, but no one could figure out what had happened.
Cai Qiaozhu, in particular, just stood there in a daze, unable to move.
