Chapter 110: Chapter 21: Conspiracy
"This is your brilliant plan?"
Ma Liang slapped the table in front of Shi Tianming, forcing Shi Tianming to look at him.
Shi Tianming looked up at Ma Liang and shook his head, "This plan wasn’t my idea. This approach is too crude, and the success rate of making Li Xinyue quit being a Hunter is less than 30%. If it were up to me, I wouldn’t use such a scheme, as it would only alert Li Xinyue."
After hearing Shi Tianming’s explanation, Ma Liang blinked in confusion, "Then... could it be the president’s doing?"
"I doubt it." Shi Tianming shook his head again, "To have someone review Li Xinyue’s qualifications as a Hunter doesn’t seem like something Daoist Li would do. It feels more like he handed the task to someone else, but that person failed to accomplish the mission given."
Ma Liang was dumbfounded, "Such a task can be entrusted to others?"
Shi Tianming adjusted his glasses, "After all, Daoist Li is the president of the guild and has many people at his disposal. Unfortunately, this time he trusted the wrong person. Of course, it might also be intentional on Daoist Li’s part."
"What do you mean?" Ma Liang asked in confusion.
Were they just alarming the enemy? How could it possibly be intentional?
Intentionally letting Li Xinyue know someone is targeting her?
Isn’t that a joke?
"Currently, Li Xinyue has hardly any flaws to speak of. If you want her to quit being a Hunter without harming her life, you need to use some underhanded tactics. Only when she’s flustered will she show weaknesses."
At this, Shi Tianming removed his glasses, took out a cleaning cloth, carefully wiped the lenses, and smiled.
"I think I know what they’re planning to do..."
......
Li Xinyue pondered for a long time and finally decided to contact her family.
Soon, her grandfather connected to the communication.
[My dear, what do you need from Grandpa?]
A half-bodied image of an elderly man with white hair and a dim gaze appeared in front of Li Xinyue. Li Xinyue pursed her lips and gently said, "Grandpa, there’s something I’d like to ask you."
[Hehe, what is it that has brought my dear granddaughter to send me a message?] The old man, Li Shen Yi, chuckled.
Li Shen Yi was born in the military, and after retirement, he founded Bao Han Company. Over the following decades, he developed and expanded the company, which at its peak occupied a 13% market share in the food industry.
Even though it has declined now, it’s still a formidable force in the food industry.
In the business world of Celestial Sea City, Li Shen Yi is undoubtedly a legend.
However, it seems Li Shen Yi has exhausted the legacy of his ancestors; all three of his children died in their prime, leaving only his descendant, Li Xinyue.
Li Xinyue was silent for a moment. After taking a deep breath, she asked, "Is there someone in the family opposed to me becoming a Hunter and wanting me to marry into the Tianyi Wang Family? They... wouldn’t be secretly thwarting me, would they?"
[Oh? It seems my dear granddaughter has encountered some situations... Is someone secretly trying to trip you up?] Li Shen Yi’s face still bore a smile.
Li Xinyue then explained her situation to Li Shen Yi.
After listening, Li Shen Yi’s smile faded, and he fell into contemplation.
[...I see.]
After a long while, Li Shen Yi sighed and then smiled again.
Li Shen Yi looked at Li Xinyue and comforted her, [My dear, you don’t need to worry about this matter. Let Grandpa handle it.]
Is it really family members causing trouble?
With tightly pursed lips, Li Xinyue secretly clenched her fists.
With wealth and power, family ties are nonexistent. Li Xinyue is the only direct descendant of Li Shen Yi. If she could make a name for herself in the Hunter profession, she could inherit Bao Han Company and become the Patriarch of the Li Family.
Li Shen Yi has some relatives, who are the main members of the Celestial Sea Li Family. They have their eyes on the seat under Li Shen Yi, wanting to sit there themselves.
Li Xinyue is their obstacle. If she marries off, she would lose the qualification to inherit the Li Family.
Despite now being the 71st year of the Abyss Calendar, the year 2156 CE, family forces remain the most feudal-minded organizations.
A married daughter is like spilled water—once she marries, her allegiance turns to her husband’s family, preventing her from inheriting the Li Family.
That’s precisely why, when the Tianyi Wang Family proposed marriage initially, many family members urged Li Xinyue to marry into such a good match quickly.
The Tianyi Wang Family is powerful. Their son cannot marry into the Li Family; only Li Xinyue can marry into theirs.
However, Li Xinyue is unwilling to marry someone she has never met and has no emotional foundation with.
Her grandfather also agreed to this marriage proposal, but fortunately, he was willing to give Li Xinyue other options.
[You grew up enjoying the family’s privileges, so you also need to give back to the family. An alliance with the Tianyi Wang Family is a good way to give back. However, if you are unwilling, you can work to grow enough to repay the family.]
That was Li Shen Yi’s exact words. At that time, Li Xinyue didn’t think much and directly chose to become a Hunter.
If Li Xinyue can’t shine in the Hunter profession, she would have to marry the second young master of the Tianyi Wang Family according to the family’s wishes.
Li Xinyue is unwilling to marry that so-called second young master, so she distanced herself from Celestial Sea City and the Celestial Sea Li Family’s influence and came to Crimson No.2 to become a Hunter.
Someone is trying to thwart Li Xinyue, wanting her to fail in becoming a Hunter and obediently marry the second young master of the Tianyi Wang Family. Of course, Li Xinyue would not compromise on this.
After hanging up the communication, Li Xinyue closed her eyes, leaned back against the chair, and felt somewhat weary inside.
She didn’t expect that her family members would go to such lengths to frame her just for the position of Patriarch.
Even if she marries the Wang Family’s second young master, she would still hold shares in Bao Han Company, and the company’s heir would have to work according to her wishes.
She really couldn’t understand what those people were thinking when they would do something so foolish!
......
"So this is all... a smokescreen?"
After listening to Shi Tianming’s explanation, Ma Liang was utterly astonished.
He never imagined someone could be so cunning.
Going to such lengths just to deceive Li Xinyue into believing it was her family behind this.
Currently, the Wang Family’s ambition to annex Bao Han Company remains deeply hidden, known to only a few, so Li Xinyue wouldn’t suspect the Wang Family.
For both families, marriage is a sign of intent to cooperate. The Celestial Sea Li Family might think the Wang Family wants to collaborate with them but wouldn’t have guessed the Wang Family’s ambition is much larger, intending to directly annex Bao Han Company.
Shi Tianming nodded, "I think that’s exactly what they’re trying to do. After all, for someone of Daoist Li’s caliber to deal with Li Xinyue requires immense resources, which ordinary people can’t muster. The range of suspects is quite small, and by using simple elimination, it becomes clear who is trying to frame her."
Ma Liang gasped.
Then he posed another question, "But what if Li Xinyue didn’t seek her grandfather’s help?"
Shi Tianming replied, "What is Li Xinyue now? She’s just an ordinary Hunter; can she withstand targeting from the highest levels of the guild?"
Hearing this, although he didn’t get a definitive answer, Ma Liang suddenly understood.
This was all a scheme!
"Whether it’s Daoist Li’s handiwork or that of his subordinates, it indicates that Daoist Li is not a simple man."
Shi Tianming felt somewhat moved and said, "Earlier, I almost misjudged. I didn’t expect so many conspiracies to be hidden behind this matter... whether it’s Yan Luo’s response, Li Xinyue’s reaction, or those two inspectors’ reactions, they’re all accounted for."
Ma Liang involuntarily gasped again, feeling his scalp tingle.
Before Shi Tianming pointed it out, he hadn’t realized the entire situation was under someone’s calculations. It was only now that he understood he wasn’t suited for thinking, as there are people far more adept at scheming than him.
If he were to confront such a person, Ma Liang felt he might surrender immediately.
After all, surrendering only means losing half, while resisting to the end means losing everything!