Lin Xiuyan's maternal family, although their status in Seoul, especially internationally, did not compare to the Seoul Lee family.
However, with the supermarket as their core business, the Lin family was also a top-ranked family among Seoul's top ten chaebols.
Especially—
Ever since Lin Xiuyan married Cui Linzhi, who two years ago took charge of Qingwa Construction, the Lin family, like gamblers who had bet on the right horse, immediately became spirited, fighting fiercely in all directions, not even flinching when clashing with the Seoul Lee family in certain areas.
The Lin family, currently flourishing in Seoul, had astutely realized when further developing their supermarket business that Seoul's entertainment industry might also become increasingly lucrative with the rapid development of the internet and information society.
Therefore, twenty years ago, they began setting aside special funds to invest in the film and entertainment industry.
The ironclad fact proved—
The Lin family's investment acumen was indeed sharp!
Over the past twenty years, the film and entertainment industry, which the Lin family had heavily invested in, had seen explosive growth with "Han Entertainment," yielding returns that even the Lee family envied.
The Eastern Land had become a major area for Han Entertainment to amass wealth.
Even Han Entertainment's "sissy" style had severely distorted the values of countless young girls in the Eastern Land.
Upon hearing that an "idol" had caught a cold, an Eastern Land fan publicly declared, "As long as my idol can recover soon, I am willing to exchange ten years of my mother's life for it!"
This effeminate trend—
Caused girls in the Eastern Land to greatly favor wearing earrings, applying eyeshadow, lipstick, speaking in a flirtatious tone, and boys who ate peaches with a delicate air; conversely, they disdained rugged men with masculine charisma.
Fortunately, the Eastern Land finally recognized the issue and launched a heavy crackdown on such distorted aesthetic values.
Not only did they restrict the remuneration of these effeminate stars and significantly reduce their exposure, but they also arrested numerous such figures, represented by individuals like a certain "Qian."
This was the only way to pull back the distorted aesthetic values of the new generation of youth in the Eastern Land from the brink of abyss.
The Eastern Land's crackdown not only stripped away the halo of these effeminate stars but also dealt a devastating blow to the capital behind them.
The Lin family, who had previously made money almost effortlessly, was certainly furious.
This was also the main reason why Lin Xiuyan, who harbored a strong sense of superiority towards the Eastern Land deep down, looked down upon and even harbored hostility towards people from the Eastern Land.
To cut off someone's wealth was akin to killing their parents!
What further angered Lin Xiuyan—
Was that not only had the Eastern Land rejected Seoul's effeminate stars, but in recent years, many Eastern Land celebrities had begun coming to Seoul to make money (perform)!
How could this be tolerated?
Coincidentally, after Lin Xiuyan was slapped by her husband, who cherished her like a treasure, for despising Su Ziyu.
She dared not retaliate against Su Ziyu, but she had to vent her anger, so she turned her attention to Tang Xiaoni, who was performing in Seoul.
However.
Lin Xiuyan was also well aware that Tang Xiaoni was a public figure; moreover, she was the young princess of the Si Jiu Tang family in the Eastern Land. Therefore, any measures taken against her would have to be subtle and not overtly aggressive.
She needed a stratagem!
Thus.
During the days Tang Xiaoni held her concert in Seoul, Lin Xiuyan, like a venomous snake, hid in the shadows, closely watching her.
Hoping to seize the perfect opportunity to ambush and harm Tang Xiaoni!
Her persistence paid off.
On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, Lin Xiuyan finally captured the optimal opportunity.
That was to exploit the current high popularity of Tang Xiaoni, who was invited by a film and television company to guest star in a crucial supporting role in the movie "Han River Evil," and orchestrate a highly sophisticated on-set accident!
Decades ago, Brandon Lee, the son of Bruce Lee, did not he die in an on-set accident?
Lin Xiuyan decided to stage a "play-within-a-play" and immediately summoned two trusted aides from her maternal family.
Although the film and television company that specially invited Tang Xiaoni was not a Lin family enterprise.
Given the Lin family's standing in Seoul's entertainment industry, it was not difficult to recommend newcomers from their company to play male supporting roles for free under the guise of cultivating new talent.
This male supporting role would be the one acting opposite Tang Xiaoni.
During the filming of a shipwreck scene on a yacht in "Han River Evil," the male supporting actor acting opposite Tang Xiaoni could then reasonably create an on-set accident, causing Tang Xiaoni, who lacked any safety precautions, to truly fall into the river!
Of course.
Lin Xiuyan also had to explain to her maternal family why she intended to harm Tang Xiaoni.
After all, Tang Xiaoni was not only a top-tier star in the Eastern Land but also had a massive fanbase in Seoul and was the young princess of the Si Jiu Tang family.
If the Lin family learned that Lin Xiuyan's motive for targeting Tang Xiaoni was merely to retaliate against Su Ziyu, they would absolutely not agree.
But if Lin Xiuyan told the Lin family that Tang Xiaoni, taking advantage of the airport isolation incident, had met Cui Linzhi, who had personally received her and offered a subtle apology, and was attempting to seduce Cui Linzhi?
That would equate to a threat to Lin Xiuyan's position in Cui Linzhi's heart, and it would also encroach upon the Lin family's interests!
Anyone who dared to touch the Lin family's interests would perish!!
As expected.
When the two members of the Lin family heard Lin Xiuyan's explanation for targeting Tang Xiaoni, they immediately took it seriously.
They promptly called their patriarch to report the matter.
And within minutes, they decided to follow Lin Xiuyan's assassination plan, ensuring Tang Xiaoni suffered a plausible fatal accident during the yacht sinking scene.
Having to keep herself out of it, Lin Xiuyan, who had not personally contacted the Lin family patriarch, received a positive confirmation. A celestial smile then appeared on her charming and proud face.
She then gracefully rose and floated away.
From now on, no matter what happened to Tang Xiaoni, it would have nothing to do with Lin Xiuyan.
Who could have imagined that the dignified First Lady of Seoul would plot to assassinate an actress she had never met?
Tang Xiaoni did not know.
Su Ziyu also did not know.
All she knew was that she had to leave Seoul tonight and lead her team back to Longxu.
Up to this point.
Su Ziyu had been in Seoul for a full week.
During this week, she had visited almost every corner of Seoul but had not found any clues about the Blue Phoenix.
Coincidentally.
Three days after Su Ziyu arrived in Seoul, Li Gongdie, who had been "reminding her daily," called again, urging her to return quickly to "preside" over Longxu and handle the troublesome official duties; if she didn't return soon, the "best father-in-law" of the era would literally be worked to death at his post!
Su Ziyu found Li Gongdie's phone calls both amusing and helpless, and even suspected him of being a cold-blooded creature.
Amusingly—
Longxu was vast and filled with talented individuals. Any one of the many concubines, when pulled at random, seemed capable of handling official duties. Why did she specifically have to return to work?
Helplessly—
Su Ziyu truly didn't know how to respond to Li Gongdie's urgent calls.
Suspecting Li Gongdie of being cold-blooded—
Su Ziyu was in Seoul running around to save his son, wasn't she?
In Li Gongdie's eyes, was Su Ziyu working for him more important than the life and death of his son?
In fact.
Both Su Ziyu and Mo Hongti could clearly discern from Li Gongdie's "cold-bloodedness" that Longxu had found a way to curb Li Qianfan's aging!
There was no longer a need to find the Blue Phoenix and have her plant a "concentric knot" on Su Ziyu.
This method was likely related to the "Gossip Empress."
As the saying goes.
As long as Li Qianfan's aging could be curbed, Su Ziyu would dare to do anything, endure any hardship, and bear any grievance.
"Alright, I will return to Longxu immediately."
After giving Li Gongdie a clear affirmative, Su Ziyu ended the call.
But just as they were packing their belongings and preparing for their return journey, Li Xiusi urgently knocked on the door.
"Young Madam."
Upon entering, Li Xiusi got straight to the point: "A brother leading a team to Busan has found a clue about the Blue Sea there."
"What?"
Su Ziyu was startled and quickly, along with Mo Hongti, put down the luggage they were packing.
Busan was the southernmost city in Seoul.
Su Ziyu and Mo Hongti, accompanied by Li Xiusi, had only returned to Seoul from the vicinity of Busan yesterday.
Yet they were still unwilling to give up, and had specifically left a team behind to search for any trace of the Blue Sea (On the second day of Su Ziyu's arrival in Seoul, a large number of personnel from Longxu had arrived in Seoul, placed at her disposal).
Who would have thought.
It was this team they had reluctantly left behind that, just as Su Ziyu was about to return to Longxu, finally found a clue about the Blue Sea.
Li Xiusi knew that this was not the time for pleasantries.
He kept his explanation brief—
"The person we finally found a clue about is named Jin Haiyu, a real estate developer in Busan."
"But according to people who knew him, Jin Haiyu immigrated from the Eastern Land years ago."
"The key is that someone knows Jin Haiyu brought over an elderly woman from the Eastern Land a few years ago."
"According to local descriptions, the appearance and physique of that elderly woman almost perfectly match the description of the Miao Jiang Gu King we inquired about in Miao Jiang!"
"However, about half a year ago, due to the continuous decline in the real estate market, Jin Haiyu, who had developed a resort in the outskirts of Busan, had his capital chain break."
"Unable to bear the pressure of debt collection and the lack of hope, he chose to end his life."
"After Jin Haiyu's death, his wife and children, to avoid debt, disappeared without a trace."
"But the elderly woman Jin Haiyu brought from the Eastern Land had nowhere to go and could only remain in that unfinished resort."
"When I received the phone report, that brother was leading his team, rushing to the resort."
Li Xiusi finished his brief report and fell silent.
"So the Blue Sea did indeed change his name after immigrating. So he is dead, and left the Blue Phoenix alone in the unfinished building in the suburbs. No wonder so many of us spent a full week without finding any trace of the Blue Phoenix."
Su Ziyu murmured, "I can be sure that Jin Haiyu is the Blue Sea!"
"Heaven favors the determined,"
Mo Hongti said with emotion, and began packing her luggage again: "Ziyu, let's drive to Busan immediately."
"Okay—"
Just as Su Ziyu nodded, her phone rang again.
The caller ID showed "Grandmother."
She quickly answered the phone: "Grandmother."
"Which hotel are you in now in Seoul?"
Yang Xiao's voice was gentle: "Your rather useless mother-in-law and I have just walked out of the Seoul airport."
Huh?
Empress Dowager Xiao and Mother-in-law are coming to Seoul together?
But why didn't Li Gongdie mention this on the phone?
Su Ziyu was stunned for a moment and quickly said, "Grandmother, please wait at the airport. I'll drive over to pick you up immediately."
Just as Su Ziyu had no time to think further and hurried out of the hotel with Mo Hongti, it was exactly noon.
At the same time in Busan—
In an unfinished resort far from the outskirts.
A young woman, almost running, arrived in front of a prefabricated board house.
This type of prefabricated house was used by the resort construction team for offices and rest when they started construction.
A woman in black stood with her hands behind her back in front of the prefabricated house, her back to the running woman, looking up at the sky, seemingly lost in thought.
"Mistress!"
The young woman stopped about three meters behind the woman in black.
She bowed her head and reported in a low voice: "Just as you predicted, Su Ziyu's people are rushing here."