Chapter 681: The Qiantang River Tide is Rising!
Zhang Yunhai secretly clicked his tongue, not knowing how to smooth things over with his knack for socializing and witty banter.
At this moment, Zhang Yunhai looked at Shen Anyu with a newfound, almost spiritual, level of admiration. 'This Master Shen is truly extraordinary,' he thought, his mind reeling. 'He actually confessed his feelings to another woman right in front of… well, in front of another woman.'
And that woman was Ling Qingcheng! The Ice Queen of Jiangnan, a woman whose mere gaze could freeze a man's blood. To openly flaunt a mistress before her was not just brave; it was suicidal.
'Tsk-tsk, he's not just ordinarily formidable!' Zhang Yunhai felt a strange mix of terror and awe.
The most baffling part? Ling Qingcheng didn't even flare up. There was no explosion of icy qi, no thunderous slap across Shen Anyu's face, not even a single raised word. Her fury was a contained, silent storm, a evident pressure that warped the very air around her. Her beautiful face was a mask of glacial indifference, but her eyes were like shards of black ice, promising a slow and painful demise.
Zhang Yunhai found himself genuinely starting to admire Shen Anyu on a primal level. He was simply amazing!
His previous admiration was purely professional, born from respect for Master Shen's terrifyingly accurate calculations and his legendary skill as an Artificer True Person. But this? This was a man's pure, unadulterated admiration for another man. It was the kind of reverence a foot soldier might feel watching a general calmly ride into the heart of an enemy army.
Even though Zhang Yunhai had been a faithful husband his entire life, never once straying, he couldn't help but be amazed and deeply impressed by such a masterful method of keeping one flag standing while others fluttered in the wind. It was a level of social and emotional gymnastics he couldn't even begin to comprehend.
Suddenly, it all clicked. Zhang Yunhai finally understood why Ling Qingcheng's expression had been so utterly abysmal earlier. Master Shen had openly brought another woman, a younger, sweeter-looking girl who was clinging to his arm like a vine. Of course she wouldn't look good. It was a miracle she hadn't started a war right there in the Hilton's opulent lobby.
Zhang Yunhai, a man who could navigate the most treacherous business negotiations, felt it was completely inappropriate to say anything. Although Ling Qingcheng was the daughter of a close family friend, he knew better than to interfere in matters of the heart, especially when one of the parties involved was a figure as unfathomable as Shen Anyu. Furthermore, Shen Anyu had saved his life and the life of his precious daughter, Zhang Yaqian. His debt of gratitude was immeasurable.
An upright official finds it hard to settle a family dispute, and the tangled threads of love and jealousy are always a Gordian knot. A shrewd business magnate like Zhang Yunhai, who had built an empire on calculated risks, naturally wanted no part in this emotional minefield. Getting involved would only earn him the resentment of both parties, a lose-lose situation of the highest order.
Besides, he thought with a private sigh of relief, 'Master Shen isn't with my precious daughter, Zhang Yaqian.'
So why should he care?
He would just turn a blind eye, play the gracious host, and pretend he didn't notice the arctic blizzard descending upon one side of his esteemed guest.
Seeing that the atmosphere was solidifying into an awkward, freezing silence, Zhang Yunhai quickly stepped forward to play the part of the mediator. He forced a brilliant smile, his voice warm and inviting.
"The banquet is about to begin, so let's not just stand at the entrance. Please, let's go in."
Shen Anyu nodded with a calm, almost lazy smile, his grip firm on both women. He held the sweetly smiling He Yiyi on one arm and the frosty-faced Ling Qingcheng on the other as they walked through the grand double doors and into the Hilton Hotel's main ballroom.
This entire, unbelievable scene was already out of Ren Zhacheng's sight; otherwise, this particular Child of Destiny would surely have had a complete mental breakdown on the spot, his entire worldview shattering into a million pieces.
'I wonder how Ren Zhacheng will react when he sees the diary tomorrow?' A playful, predatory smile flashed in Shen Anyu's eyes, a flicker of amusement that went unnoticed by everyone.
...
At this moment, inside the Hilton Hotel's ballroom, the air hummed with power and influence. Influential figures gathered in clusters, a sea of countless celebrities and industry titans. These were the top-tier personages from every sector of Hangzhou, the movers and shakers who controlled the city's economic lifeblood.
They were impeccably dressed in tailored suits and elegant gowns, holding crystal flutes of red wine and champagne. Polished smiles were everywhere as they conversed, their voices a low, confident murmur. Glasses clinked, deals were hinted at, and gossip was exchanged with practiced subtlety.
Such banquets were never just for eating, drinking, and entertainment. They were battlegrounds of influence, prime real estate for discussing business, forging alliances, and exchanging the kind of information that could make or break fortunes.
"The Chenguang Group collapsed with a bang, and Old Zhao jumped from a building. It really caught everyone completely off guard. That damned company still owes me over two hundred million in goods, and now I'm afraid I won't be able to get a single yuan back," a pot-bellied middle-aged man said, his voice laced with helplessness as he swirled the bordeaux in his glass.
Several other business magnates standing nearby also wore expressions of deep regret and frustration. The news had sent shockwaves through their circle.
The biggest, most explosive news in Hangzhou recently was the sudden bankruptcy of the Chenguang Group and the subsequent suicide of Zhao Chenguang, a man who had been one of Hangzhou's top ten richest men. Even these seasoned magnates, accustomed to the brutal rise and fall of corporate empires, were shocked by the speed and finality of it all.
It was truly unbelievable that the massive, sprawling Chenguang Group, a behemoth in the local market, could simply implode and vanish overnight.
"Old Zhao was running things so well, a true powerhouse. Then, out of nowhere, news breaks that he was embezzling public funds for some high-risk investment, leading to a broken capital chain. It feels… orchestrated. There must be a mastermind behind it. I wonder if it's a local power flexing its muscles or an external force making a move?" a short, stout middle-aged man suddenly asked, his sharp eyes darting around the room.
The surrounding business magnates all shook their heads, their faces grim. The uncertainty was unsettling.
One person among them hesitated for a moment, his mouth opening as if to speak before he clamped it shut again.
"Old He, if you know something, just say it. What kind of friendship do we have? You think we'd ever spread it around?" The short, stout middle-aged man, ever perceptive, keenly sensed the hesitation and quickly leaned in, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper.
The person referred to as Old He was also a well-known wealthy individual in Hangzhou. While not counted among the top ten richest, he commanded a net worth in the tens of billions and was more than qualified to participate in the prestigious banquet hosted by the Yanxia Yu Clan's Crown Prince.
Crucially, he operated in the logistics industry, a web that touched every corner of the city. His information was always impeccably well-informed.
"That's right, Old He. For an event this big, if you have any inside news, please share it with us," several other magnates also chimed in, their gazes now fixed intently on Manager He.
Manager He gave a wry, hesitant smile. He knew that being coy now would risk being excluded from this influential little circle. With a soft sigh, he could only nod.
But he didn't immediately speak. Instead, his eyes quickly and discreetly scanned a dark corner of the grand ballroom. Seeing his target, he leaned in closer to the group, his voice barely a breath of sound.
"Zhao Chenguang's only son, Zhao Tao, was beaten to death by the Yunhu Association at the Jiangnan Bar. The Chenguang Group's matter… it's very likely related to the Yunhu Association."
The Yunhu Association?
The name fell like a stone in the quiet circle. Several of the magnates were visibly startled. Following Manager He's subtle gaze, they looked toward a burly, imposing figure sitting alone in a shadowed corner—Zhou Yunhu, the infamous boss of the Yunhu Association, the undisputed emperor of Hangzhou's entire underground world.
They didn't waste time asking how Zhou Yunhu had the ability to bankrupt a corporation the size of Chenguang Group. Ordinary people might be ignorant, but how could these wealthy magnates not know the truth? Everyone in their circle was aware that the Yunhu Association was merely the worldly face of the colossal, untouchable Tianshi Sect that stood behind it.
It was said that Zhou Yunhu himself was an outer disciple of the Tianshi Sect, a connection that gave him unimaginable power and impunity.
"So it was the Tianshi…" one of the magnates began, a flash of sudden, horrified understanding in his eyes. He then quickly shut his mouth, his face paling slightly.
He wasn't too afraid of Zhou Yunhu himself, but the Tianshi Sect held a transcendent status. They were a top-tier force on par with the very people hosting this banquet, the Yanxia Yu Clan. They were an existence that absolutely could not be offended.
'Damn it all to hell! The blame for the collapse of Chenguang Group has been pinned on me, and I can't even explain the truth!'
Zhou Yunhu, the boss of the Yunhu Association, sat brooding in his corner, his expression as dark and stormy as a thundercloud. As an Artificer True Person, his hearing was far beyond that of a normal human. He could naturally hear every whispered word of the discussion between Manager He and the other magnates, even from seven or eight meters away.
He felt a surge of bitter, suffocating injustice. But what could he do? Zhao Tao, Zhao Chenguang's only son, had indeed been beaten to death by his subordinates. It was a fact, an anchor of blame he couldn't escape, and there was nowhere to appeal this verdict being tried in the court of public opinion.
As an underground boss who couldn't operate in the open, he was an outcast here. The other influential figures wanted nothing to do with him, and honestly, Zhou Yunhu was happy to be left alone.
If it weren't for the fact that the invitation came directly from the Yanxia Yu Clan—a summons he absolutely could not refuse—he wouldn't have even bothered attending such a damned, pretentious banquet.
The most pressing concern crushing Zhou Yunhu right now, however, was something far more terrifying: the Young Sect Leader of the Tianshi Sect, Zhang Zhiyun, had disappeared. Again.
'If the Young Sect Leader were here, why would I have to worry about some damn Yu Guanying, the Yu Clan's Crown Prince?' Zhou Yunhu's massive fists clenched under the table. 'The Young Sect Leader is the most outstanding successor the Tianshi Sect has produced in a thousand years, a Half-Step Celestial Master at such a young age! With him holding the line, there would be no fear of an external force like the Yanxia Yu Clan trying to make a move on our territory. But unfortunately… the Young Sect Leader is uncontactable. I don't know where he went. Could something have happened to him again?'
Recalling the purpose of the Yanxia Yu Clan's banquet tonight, Zhou Yunhu was filled with a deep, chilling worry.
The visitors did not come with good intentions!
Originally, just dealing with the Dragon King Society was putting immense pressure on him. But now, another external force had arrived, and it was a titan like the Yanxia Yu Clan. They were aiming to form some kind of "Hero Assembly," a thinly veiled power grab with the potential to swallow both the underworld and the legitimate businesses of Hangzhou in one fell swoop.
Although Zhou Yunhu was known as the Underground Emperor of Hangzhou, a king in his own right, he knew he couldn't possibly compare to the ancient and monstrously powerful Yanxia Yu Clan. Not unless the Young Sect Leader of the Tianshi Sect, Zhang Zhiyun, personally stepped forward to confront them. But Zhang Zhiyun had, at the worst possible moment, gone missing.
It wasn't just Zhou Yunhu who was worried. Across the ballroom, the influential figures from various industries who understood the stakes also felt a heavy weight pressing down on their hearts.
The banquet hosted by Yu Guanying, the Yanxia Yu Clan's Crown Prince, was likely a trap. A feast for a tiger.
The Qiantang tide rises, and the wind fills the tower!
[Akarin's Note: "The Qiantang tide rises, and the wind fills the tower!" (钱塘潮起,风满楼!) is a powerful line signaling impending doom. It's a localized variation of the famous Chinese proverb, "The wind fills the tower before the mountain rain comes" (山雨欲来风满楼), which means that great events are heralded by preceding signs. The Qiantang River is famous for its massive, powerful tidal bore, so linking it to this proverb implies a cataclysmic, unstoppable event is about to sweep through Hangzhou.]
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