Chapter 1867: Chapter 1864: Failure
"Everyone, stay calm. What you have heard are just rumors; you must trust the decision of the Elders Council!" Outside, Cheng Shang was shouting to soothe the agitated crowd.
A middle-aged man among them waved a large hand, "Cheng Shang, everyone knows about this matter. Just tell us, did the Elders Council really allow an outsider to become the Family Head of the Cheng family?"
Cheng Shang replied awkwardly, "Thatâs true, but..."
"No âbutsâ!" the middle-aged man shouted angrily. "Thatâs the main problem. How can an outsider be the Family Head of the Cheng family? And how can an outsider possibly dedicate themselves fully to rescuing the Family Head?"
"Thatâs right, Cheng He is right. We want an explanation. We want to rescue the Old Family Head!" another man beside the middle-aged man shouted.
Cheng Shang hurriedly said, "Actually, itâs not like that. There are some misunderstandings here. In fact, Ling Feng is still Xueerâs fiancĂ©."
"What a joke. When did Miss Xueer have a fiancé?" Cheng He sneered, "Is this some kind of joke on us?"
A hint of amusement flashed in Cheng Shangâs eyes. It seemed his plan was indeed working.
At this moment, several figures emerged from the conference hall, led by the Great Elder, who wore a face full of anger.
"What are you doing, rebelling?" the Great Elderâs deep voice came through, carrying a hint of anger.
The noisy scene instantly quieted down. The Great Elder still held significant authority within the Cheng family.
A hint of disappointment flashed in Cheng Shangâs eyes. He hadnât expected just a few words from the Great Elder to suppress the entire scene, while everything he had said so far went largely unheard by the crowd.
"Look at you all. What time is it now? Why are you causing trouble here?" The Great Elder glanced around, and everyone who met his gaze couldnât help but lower their heads.
"I know why youâre here. Iâm here now. If you have anything to say, say it directly!" the Great Elder said coldly. "If I find out someone is scheming in the shadows, donât blame me for being rude!"
Everyone exchanged looks. Although their hearts were filled with countless doubts, facing the Great Elder, they still fell silent under his oppressive authority.
Cheng He took a deep breath and stepped forward, "Great Elder, I am responsible for..."
"I know you. Youâre Cheng He, a very capable mid-level leader, loyal, meticulous, and unafraid of authority!" The Great Elder interrupted before Cheng He could finish, revealing Cheng Heâs identity.
Cheng He was momentarily stunned. He hadnât expected the Great Elder to know his name, which made him feel somewhat moved, but he didnât overthink it and continued, "Great Elder, we came here to ask for an explanation. Why is an outsider appointed as our Family Head?"
"First of all, Ling Feng is not an outsider, but our familyâs future son-in-law!" the Great Elder stated solemnly. "More importantly, Ling Feng is the brother of the benefactor who saved our Cheng family years ago!"
At this, nearly all the Cheng family members were shocked!
Back then, Panguâs grace to the Cheng family was immense. He practically single-handedly rescued the Cheng family from a desperate situation. In the hearts of all Cheng family members, Pangu held a very special place, akin to a figure of worship!
When the Great Elder disclosed that Ling Feng was Panguâs brother, everyone was dumbfounded!
In those days, Pangu appeared out of nowhere and saved the ancestors of the Cheng family. Now, Panguâs brother reappearsâcould he be here to save the Cheng family again? Is this destinyâs guidance, the cycle of fate?
Cheng Shangâs heart sank. He was acutely aware that if Ling Fengâs identity was true, there would be no obstacles left for him to become Family Head.
"More importantly, Ling Feng has already put forth a suggestion on how to rescue the Old Family Head!" the Great Elder said matter-of-factly. "After the Elders Councilâs thorough review, this recommendation could likely succeed in rescuing the Old Family Head!"
The crowd wore expressions of astonishment, and nearly all the Cheng family members started discussing animatedly.
"Oh heavens, could this really be destinyâs guidance?"
"Thank our benefactor. Ling Feng must have been sent by the heavens to save our Cheng family!"
"Indeed, no wonder the Elders Council allowed Ling Feng to be Family Head; it turns out to be like this. We were reckless about this!"
"The Great Elder naturally has his considerations. Who said Ling Feng didnât want to rescue the Family Head? Thatâs sheer nonsense!"
...
In an instant, the public opinion shifted entirely. Originally, everyone wanted to overthrow Ling Fengâs position as Family Head, but now they believed that him leading the Cheng family through this crisis was divine guidance!
"How could this be, how is this possible!" Cheng Shangâs mind felt as if a herd of alpacas was rushing through.
"Cheng Shang!" At that moment, the Great Elderâs voice came over.
Cheng Shangâs heart sank. He quickly replied, "Great Elder, I am here!"
"Iâve heard someone is stirring up trouble in secret. I want you to investigate this immediately. No matter who it is, anyone daring to disrupt our family at this time should face severe punishment!" The Great Elder looked at Cheng Shang and said in a serious tone, "How many days will it take you to catch this traitor?"
Cheng Shangâs lips twitched. The Great Elder didnât even ask if he could catch the traitor, but directly asked how many days it would take. Did this mean the Great Elder already suspected him?
Cheng Shang felt immensely uneasy. He looked up and met the Great Elderâs calm eyes, devoid of emotion. He quickly said, "Within three days, I will definitely catch the traitor!"
"Two days. During special times, special measures are necessary. Two days later, I want to see results, understand?" the Great Elder stated.
Cheng Shang forced a bitter smile, "No problem, I guarantee the task will be completed."
"Now, disperse. Get back to your duties! If you have time to think about useless things, youâd better fulfill your responsibilities," the Great Elder said casually.
A crisis of trust dissipated the moment the Great Elder revealed Ling Fengâs identity, marking the complete failure of Cheng Shangâs initial plan.
What worried Cheng Shang even more was whether the Great Elder assigned him to conduct the investigation because he trusted him or because he suspected he was the mastermind behind the scheme.
With such anxiety, Cheng Shang returned to his room. Soon, his group of associates sneaked into his room.
"Boss, what should we do? We didnât expect Ling Feng to be..."
"Yeah, itâs an unavoidable mistake. Maybe we should just drop the matter?"
"Right, if we keep digging into this, what if we get found out?"
...
"Are you all idiots?" Cheng Shangâs face darkened. "At a time like this, you dare come to my place. Arenât you afraid the Elders Council might find out? Youâre a bunch of incompetent teammates!"