The sight was almost entirely made up of luxury items. Even the desk was crafted from premium rosewood. Ya Lili’s office made Li Chonglou realize the extravagance of Shangjing’s Sixteen Families.
If the Sixteen Families were like this, what about the Eight Great Families of Shangjing?
Li Chonglou shook his head. These wealthy individuals occupied a vast majority of Shangjing’s assets. Often, a single piece of their furniture cost more than what others could earn in a lifetime of hard work. But such was the way of the world.
Even if you were unwilling, you couldn't change anything. This was reality.
“Brother Li, what did you need me for?”
Ya Lili’s words drew Li Chonglou’s thoughts back to reality. He turned to see her walking over.
Ya Lili’s office was also ridiculously spacious. Her workstation was at least ten meters away from the tea table. Ma San was currently seated by the tea table. Thus, Li Chonglou waved at Ya Lili, saying:
“It’s nothing, you carry on. I have something to discuss with Ma San.”
Although he had spoken, Ya Lili still walked over, poured him a cup of hot tea, and then returned to her workstation.
“You’re looking for me?”
Ma San asked, puzzled. Li Chonglou nodded and, without further ado, directly inquired about the Hu family.
“So you want to ask about this. What do you want to know?”
“I want to know everything about the Hu family.”
Ma San pondered for a long time before recounting all he knew about the Hu family.
In addition to what Li Chonglou could find online, Ma San provided many supplementary details. In less than half an hour, Li Chonglou gained a clearer understanding of the Hu family.
The current patriarch of the Hu family was named Hu Yao, a frail and sickly old man in his sixties. Consequently, the Hu family was currently undergoing a transition of power, with severe internal strife and a complex situation.
Otherwise, Ma San wouldn't have been forcibly removed from a competition. The Hu family was currently in turmoil, on the eve of a storm.
According to Ma San's understanding, the Hu family was divided into three factions: the traditional faction led by the Second Master Hu Han, the radical faction led by the Third Master, and the neutral faction led by the Fourth Uncle.
The so-called traditional faction believed that the family patriarch should decide the next patriarch according to established rules. The Hu family's past rule was to designate the eldest son or eldest grandson as the primary heir. Hu Yao had no children, so this primary heir would naturally be Hu Han, whom the Second Master had recently recalled.
The radical faction, however, did not endorse this traditional method. They believed in adapting to the times and prioritizing ability as the criterion. Under this approach, the position of heir would fall to Hu Tian, the most renowned genius among the younger generation of the Hu family.
As for the neutral faction, the Fourth Uncle, neither method would allow the position to fall to him, an uncle who had long lost his father. Therefore, he chose to remain indifferent and neutral.
“In that case, the Hu family might truly be a good opportunity.”
After listening to Ma San’s explanation, Li Chonglou’s eyes lit up. The greater the internal conflict, the greater the opportunity for him as an outsider. The Hu family had already split into three factions vying for the patriarch position, which was naturally beneficial for him.
Ma San, seeing Li Chonglou’s expression, guessed his intentions. “Senior Li, are you planning to win over the Hu family?”
“Win over? You could say that. I want someone in the Hu family who can speak for me.”
Ma San’s expression instantly changed. He had thought Li Chonglou merely intended to cooperate with Hu Han, but based on his words, it seemed he wanted to absorb them.
Great figures indeed! I was thinking of the first floor, but he’s already on the tenth.
Ma San sighed in admiration. Meanwhile, Li Chonglou stood up.
“Then I’ll be going. Please keep things quiet regarding Hu Han. Don’t worry, I won’t harm him.”
Ma San nodded and said, “Alright, I trust you, Senior.”
He had developed some rapport with Hu Han, and naturally, he didn't wish to see him used as a pawn by others. He had initially planned to proactively suggest this to Li Chonglou himself. Now that Li Chonglou had brought it up first, it eased his mind.
Afterward, Li Chonglou left Ya Lili’s office directly. Ya Lili, already immersed in her work again, was unaware of this.
Li Chonglou, not wanting to disturb her, took a car to Panjiayuan after leaving Ya Lili’s company.
Zhou Tong had not yet returned. He wasn’t here for Zhou Tong this time, but for Xian Yan of Xingjie. This manager of Shangjing’s most famous antique street had an appraisal event scheduled with him. It had been delayed due to interference from Lin Qianqian’s senior martial brother, He Wei. Thus, Li Chonglou intended to visit her in person to reconfirm.
The company’s future would primarily focus on antiques, so Li Chonglou didn’t want to miss this opportunity.
However, upon arriving at Xingjie, he discovered that Xian Yan had been transferred and was no longer the manager of Xingjie.
“Could this be related to my affairs?”
Li Chonglou’s brow furrowed slightly. If that were the case, he would feel very guilty. After all, Xian Yan was just an ordinary person, and this position might have been crucial for her.
With this thought, Li Chonglou quickly took out his phone and called her.
“I’m sorry, the number you have dialed is no longer in service.”
No longer in service? Li Chonglou’s expression immediately changed. For people in their line of work, it was no exaggeration to say that their personal information could be lost, but their phone numbers couldn’t! When a number becomes invalid like this, it means something has almost certainly happened!
Therefore, Li Chonglou approached the current manager of Xingjie, a man in his forties.
“Didn’t I tell you she’s no longer working here?”
The man was becoming somewhat impatient. Perhaps due to Li Chonglou’s ordinary attire, the man’s impatient gaze carried a hint of contempt, as if he felt Li Chonglou was wasting his time.
Li Chonglou looked at the man deeply and revealed his gold card status.
“What? You have a gold card? Please wait a moment, Sir. Could you tell me your name, and I’ll confirm it for you!”
Upon hearing “gold card,” the man’s attitude did a complete 180-degree turn. After confirming Li Chonglou’s identity, he eagerly invited him into the reception room with a wide smile, but Li Chonglou refused.
“I just want to know where Xian Yan went.”
Li Chonglou gazed at the man indifferently. He had always disliked such opportunistic and two-faced individuals. If it weren’t to ascertain Xian Yan’s situation, he probably wouldn’t have uttered another word.
The man naturally understood, forcing a wry smile and no longer concealing information about Xian Yan.
“It should have been about a week ago. Manager Xian herself submitted her resignation. The headquarters spent a considerable amount of effort to retain her, which is why she stayed. However, she was transferred to a location closer to her residence.”