novelraw Chapter 134 The Position of Patriarch
Chapter 134 The Position of Patriarch
Allison was about to bring Wen Shumu some freshly brewed black tea when he was halfway up the stairs and vaguely heard his wife talking to someone on the phone.
He was startled. Could it be the marshal?!
Allison quickened his pace, and as he drew closer, the conversation became clearer.
The butler slowly stopped, a hint of disappointment appearing in his eyes.
The male voice carried a sense of age and weariness; it was clear he wasn't a marshal.
The middle-aged man on the projection looked serious: "Young Master, Qiu Tong has recently been working on Wen Boxian's attempt to seize the title of Duke."
Wen Shumu's face remained calm and expressionless: "Uncle Xuan, it's been over a decade since we last met. Is this all you wanted to talk to me about? I've already posted on Weibo that I don't want anything to do with the Wen family anymore, and I don't care about their movements."
Xuanbo's full name is Wen Bingxuan. He is a member of a collateral branch of the Wen family and was also his grandfather's secretary in the past.
It was Wen Bingxuan who brought Wen Shumu back from the desolate planet. After that, they never had any contact again, and Wen Shumu never even saw him at the Wen family castle.
Wen Bingxuan gave a bitter smile: "After I sent you back, young master, I was expelled from Anjiangxing by Wen Bin and had no way to go back to see you."
"Why?" Wen Shumu frowned. "You're someone who works by Grandpa's side. Doesn't he usually respect you a lot?"
Wen Bingxuan raised his eyes, his gaze sharp: "That's the reason why he 'invited' me and many other members of the collateral branches away, leaving only his own confidants."
Wen Shumu's breath hitched, and he suddenly felt a chill run through his body, daring not to think any further.
"I know you hate Wen Bin, but so do I," Wen Bingxuan recalled, his eyes slightly red. "The old Marquis... he was literally angered to death by Wen Bin."
Wen Shumu's voice trembled: "What do you mean?"
Wen Bingxuan told Wen Shumu the whole truth about the kidnapping case.
"Many of us were sent out by the old Marquis to find you back then, so we didn't know anything about An Jiangxing's situation. It was only after Wen Bin was arrested and we investigated privately following the General Administration's investigation that we finally learned the truth about what happened back then."
Two streams of tears flowed down Wen Bingxuan's face: "Before this, I always thought the Marquis had died of illness, but I never expected Wen Bin to use the young master's whereabouts to threaten the Marquis and do such a heinous thing!"
Wen Shumu took two steps back and slumped weakly onto the sofa, his eyes reddening with extreme anger.
His heart seemed shrouded in darkness, as if bound by ropes, unable to beat vividly.
"Therefore, even if you harbor resentment, please be sure to pay attention to the Wen family's movements." Wen Bingxuan's tone was firm and his words earnest. "Wen Bin has fallen; now is the perfect opportunity. The Wen family's vast fortune must not fall into the hands of Qiu Tong and her ilk!"
"If you are willing, our collateral branch will do everything in our power to help you ascend to the position of family head."
Wen Shumu never imagined that the title of "patriarch" would be associated with him in any way, nor did he ever harbor any ambition. He only wished to live a peaceful life and spend his life with Ling Suyu.
If he hadn't known about his grandfather's affair, he would have completely severed ties with the Wen family. Who inherited the Wen family, and its subsequent rise and fall, would have been none of his concern.
But now, the burning anger of hatred relentlessly forces him to make a choice with only one option.
"I understand." Wen Shumu looked up at him directly. "Is there anything you need me to do?"
Wen Bingxuan said, "You don't need to do anything for now."
Wen Shumu raised his eyebrows slightly, a hint of doubt in his eyes.
"Leave everything to us." Wen Bingxuan leaned forward, a ruthless glint in his eyes. "No nobleman would allow a disgraceful illegitimate son to inherit the title."
Wen Shumu said knowingly, "You want to start with Wen Boshuang's background."
"You are the most legitimate heir of the Wen family, without exception," Wen Bingxuan said.
……
In the stairwell, Allison's mouth was slightly open, and his pupils trembled.
He seemed to have overheard some startling news.
Allison took small, tiptoeing steps back the way he came, only daring to catch his breath when he reached the first floor.
He put down the tea tray he had been holding for a while and rubbed his sore hands.
Good heavens! The marshal is going to fight the Beast King, and his wife is suddenly going to become the head of the Wen family!
So, will they all have to move to Anjiangxing after that?
Or is it that Emperor Star An Jiang Star is running around in both directions?
Alternatively, one can spend weekdays in Dixing and weekends in Anjiangxing.
The optimistic housekeeper sat on the sofa and began to seriously contemplate the future.
*
Wen Shumu had nightmares all night long. One moment it was the cruel scene of space war, and the next it was the warm memory of his grandfather holding him and building blocks. But these memories didn't last long, and they shattered into pieces like broken glass.
When he woke up, he was covered in a cold sweat.
I haven't had a nightmare in a long time.
Wen Shumu turned to his side and reached out to touch the cold bed beside him.
When he had the nightmare last time, Ling Suyu held him and comforted him for a long time.
This time, he was all alone.
He had been alone for so many years and had long been used to loneliness, but Ling Suyu gave him so much warmth that he couldn't help but cherish the time they spent together.
A series of urgent knocks suddenly sounded at the door. Allison called out through the door, "Madam, are you awake?"
Wen Shumu put on a coat and got out of bed, saying, "You're awake. Come in."
Allison pushed open the door and entered, his usually composed face pale, all of yesterday's optimism gone: "His Majesty just sent someone over with two matters."
"First, Wen Bin is dead."
Wen Shumu covered his mouth, his face filled with shock: "Wasn't he in the detention center? How could he be dead...?"
"Wen Bin committed suicide by banging his head against a wall at 4:26 a.m.
Wen Shumu frowned: "A selfish and self-centered person like him, who values his life above all else, is unlikely to do such a thing."
Allison was also unclear about the specific reasons, and he didn't have the extra energy to dwell on Wen Bin.
"Madam, please calm down and listen to my second point."
Wen Shumu looked up at the serious-looking butler and suddenly felt an inexplicable urge to cover his ears.
"The Beastmaster has been swallowed by the black hole."
Wen Shumu's eyes widened. He had thought it was bad news, but this was actually good news!
A hint of excitement flickered across his face, and a smile unconsciously bloomed on his lips: "Then... is my brother coming back?"
Allison didn't laugh, but just stared at him intently, as if he wanted to say something but couldn't.
That strange look made Wen Shumu gradually stop smiling, and he asked nervously, "Allison, is there anything else?"
Allison lowered his eyes and said, "Reports from the front lines indicate that the Marshal led the Beast King alone to the star system where the black hole is located. After the Beast King was devoured, Rift Ice also lost its communication signal."
Wen Shumu's expression went blank, and his heart seemed to stop beating at that moment.
He heard the steward say in a slurred voice, "The Marshal's whereabouts are currently unknown."
*
Five hours earlier, inside Melville.
"No, that's too risky!" Mongi objected strongly for the first time.
"I think so too." "I strongly object!" "Brother, there must be another way!"
The voices of the officers rang out continuously, interspersed with the familiar voices of Hemaier and Yan Zezheng.
The black-haired marshal raised his hand, signaling everyone in the command room to be quiet.
He glanced around, his gaze sweeping over Monti's splinted arm, Felix's bandaged forehead, and Hemeyer's limping right leg...
Not everyone present was there. Jin Xiao and Haijie were covered in injuries and were lying unconscious in the energy pod.
If the officers were injured like this, the soldiers below them were even worse off.
With the Beast King's blessing, the ferocity of the beast horde was incomparable to what it used to be.
With the death toll continuing to rise, there is now clearly no way out.
"As you all have seen, given the current situation, continuing like this will only result in extremely heavy and meaningless casualties." Ling Suyu sat calmly in the commander's chair. "The alien beasts are mutated products born from the universe, and we should use the power of the universe to eliminate them."