novelraw Chapter 928: Scheming
Chapter 928: Scheming
“Dragon Vein?” Song Tianyou felt surprised.
He knew where Mr. Blind had learned his skills and had some knowledge about the path of the common people, so he believed deeply in the matters of feng shui and metaphysics.
Ordinary feng shui masters might just recite from books or have a superficial understanding, leading to inconsistent results. However, Mr. Blind was a truly capable person.
The structure of the village had been arranged by Mr. Blind, and there were natural mazes outside; outsiders would only get lost upon entering, which had been verified multiple times.
The dragon is the totem of that country. The preciousness of a vein named after the dragon is self-evident.
At this moment, Mr. Blind nodded and calmly said, “The dragon vein is actually the flow of mountains and rivers. There are nine forms of mountains, namely the Returning Dragon, Ocean-Going Dragon, Descending Dragon, Rising Dragon, Flying Dragon, Sleeping Dragon, Hidden Dragon, Soaring Dragon, and Leading Group of Dragons. These nine forms of mountains are exceptional, endowed with unique qualities, favored by heaven, and gather the fortunes of the land. Since ancient times, it has been said that those who possess the dragon vein will gain dominion over the world because of the blessings and fortunes contained within the dragon vein.”
“Then may I ask, sir, how does one find the dragon vein…” Song Tianyou hesitated.
Mr. Blind replied with composure, “Please rest assured, Lord Song. If I can locate the Soaring Dragon vein and this young master Qiu is nearby, then for the Song family, it will only bring benefits without harm. If Lord Song does not believe me, I can also make a vow here.”
“Absolutely not.” Song Tianyou hurriedly said, “You have favored me greatly and done much for the Song family; how could I not trust your words? Let’s do it this way: if there is anything you still need from me, please don’t hesitate… As for Luo Qiu, I will think of a way. After all, you have reminded me that I can only act according to his wishes and that everything cannot be forced.”
“Very well.” Mr. Blind nodded.……
While Lord Song and Mr. Blind were having a private conversation in the car, in another high-end vehicle, also equipped with bulletproof features, Song Ying and Song Haoran were discussing matters.
“Long-haired wild man?” Song Haoran was very interested in this—he was a person with a strong curiosity about the supernatural and had many experiences that ordinary people would not know about.
In the adventurous stories he often told, only he knew how many were true and how many were fabricated.
“It’s true! Uncle, don’t doubt me! I even fought with this wild man and almost got knocked out!” Song Ying said, still shaken.
“Really?” Song Haoran glanced at Luo Qiu.
Luo Qiu simply said, “What I saw was just a large shadow, somewhat resembling a bear, but whether it was a wild man, I cannot be sure; after all, the fog was too thick, and I couldn’t see clearly.”
“Are you doubting me?” Song Ying shouted angrily.
Luo Qiu smiled and said, “If it really is a long-haired wild man, then that would be the best, as such things can spark curiosity.”
You will drive me to death someday… Song Ying sighed and then sulked, choosing to look out the window at the passing scenery.
Unexpectedly, Song Haoran suddenly said, “Speaking of which, it was young Luo Qiu who saved our Song Ying…”
He casually cleared his throat and said solemnly, “Luo Qiu, I cannot repay the debt of gratitude for saving my niece. After all, I am her uncle. As the saying goes, the arrangement of parents and matchmakers, you saved Song Ying, so she can only repay you with her body. This girl, you can take her; I hand her over to you.”
Luo Qiu smiled calmly and shook his head slightly. Song Haoran anticipated this answer, so he just shrugged, “Alas, what a pity; I know Song Ying doesn’t have much femininity, but are you really not considering it?”
Luo Qiu smiled again and shook his head once more.
Finally, the young lady of the Song family, unable to bear it any longer, shouted angrily, “Song Haoran!! Go die!!! I don’t have an uncle like you!!”
Song Ying then violently kicked, causing Song Haoran to yelp, looking both aggrieved and distressed, “Girl, it’s clear that our Luo Qiu likes the elegant type; you really don’t stand a chance!”
“I! Will! Not! Let! This! Go!!”
Inside the luxurious vehicle, the young lady of the Song family mercilessly denounced her dashing older cousin, while the new young master of the Song family took on the role of the only audience member.
The driver… The driver was sweating profusely, unable to hear or see anything.
……
Bai Shuitang was diligently signing some documents, appearing to be in a good mood.
However, his good mood vanished in the next ten seconds upon receiving a message on his phone.
—Song Ying has been found; she is safe.
Bai Shuitang glanced at the message, his expression darkening, but he continued signing the documents at hand.
However, having just completed one signature, Bai Shuitang suddenly slammed down his pen and swept everything off the table without warning!
The items swept away included his cup.
The sound of the teacup breaking on the floor quickly alerted the secretary outside the office. The secretary hurried in and asked, “Chairman, what happened?”
Bai Shuitang looked up slightly, his face gloomy, and his gaze sharp, causing the secretary to instinctively take a small step back.
Suddenly, Bai Shuitang’s expression softened, and he smiled, “It’s nothing, just accidentally knocked over a cup. Can you clean it up for me? I’ll step out to the restroom.”
“Okay, okay, Chairman.” The secretary nodded.
Bai Shuitang stood up, adjusted his suit, and calmly walked out of the office.
After leaving the office, Bai Shuitang did not actually go to the restroom; instead, he turned toward the stairs and climbed alone to the rooftop of the Chinatown Chamber of Commerce building.
This was almost the tallest building in Chinatown, offering a panoramic view of the entire street. Bai Shuitang sat beside the water tower, lit a cigarette, and then picked up his phone to call Basil.
He said, “Basil, that guy must have lied to you… Song Ying isn’t dead; she returned safely.”
After a moment of silence, a low voice from Basil came through the phone, “The Song family members really have tough lives! What are you planning to do?”
Bai Shuitang frowned, “Originally, I intended to take advantage of the news of Song Ying’s death to cause a stir within the Song Dynasty. If the stocks of the Song Dynasty were to drop, with the funds you and I have prepared, we could buy in large quantities… But now it seems impossible; for some unknown reason, the Song family’s stocks have suddenly skyrocketed in the past few days, and their assets have significantly increased overnight!”
Basil coldly replied, “That’s why I’ve already told you, there’s no need for so many schemes. Just eliminate all the Song family members, and under the laws of this country, you would be the only one with inheritance rights!”
Bai Shuitang narrowed his eyes, “Do you think it’s easy to get close to Song Tianyou? How rigorous is the security at the Cold Residence? Moreover, Song Tianyou never allows outsiders to get close… He has very powerful protective forces around him. Basil, over the years, how many assassination attempts have you made against him? But have you succeeded?”
“Hmph.” On the other end of the phone came only a cold hum, “Since assassination doesn’t work, we should attack openly. He’s no longer in the ‘Iris Flower’ village; relying on just the defense of a mansion, I don’t believe I can’t blow him up!”
“Don’t act recklessly!” Bai Shuitang said in a low voice, “We have made so many preparations; we shouldn’t act impulsively at this last step… Let’s wait a few more days; I’ve received internal news that the Song family plans to return to China in a few days, then…”
“Bai Shuitang, you’re just a weak snake coiled up in a cave; since you’re afraid to fight, I have no interest in continuing our cooperation.”
Beep—!
The sound of the phone disconnecting.
Bai Shuitang silently crushed the cigarette in his hand, his expression grim as he sneered, “Basil, if you want to court death, don’t blame me…”
Bai Shuitang adjusted his clothes, took a deep breath, and made another call, “Prepare the car; I need to go to Cold Residence.”
---
Song Haoran was on a call from the village while Song Ying nervously stood beside him. Once Song Haoran hung up, Song Ying quickly asked, “How is it? Is there any news?”
Song Haoran furrowed his brows, remaining silent, his expression unexpectedly serious. He placed his hands on Song Ying's shoulders, “You need to mentally prepare yourself, okay?”
“What?…” Song Ying’s face paled, and her hands, which had been tightly gripping her collar, dropped. “No way... Absolutely not! You... you tell me!”
Song Haoran took a deep breath and said, “Gan Hong’s surgery was very successful! As long as she rests for a while, there shouldn't be any major issues.”
Song Ying's face instantly changed; she looked at her older cousin with a playful grin—then, the next moment, her foot met an unbearable pain.
“You scared me to death!” Song Ying suddenly burst into tears, wiping her eyes incessantly. “You scared me to death, uncle! Scared me to death…”
Song Haoran smiled slightly, placing a hand on Song Ying's head, and softly said, “I haven’t seen you cry in a long time.”
Song Ying shot him a glare before turning to leave.
At that moment, Lluvia walked in and saw Song Ying storming out, making her way toward Song Haoran. “Strategist, what happened to Miss Ying?”
Song Haoran stroked his chin and said, “Looks like the rebellious phase has arrived; she’s starting to go against her elders. Sigh, being an uncle is really hard.”
Despite this, there was still an unshakeable affection on Song Haoran's face.
Although Song Ying was his niece, they were not far apart in age, and everyone in Cold Residence knew that Song Haoran treated Song Ying more like a brother to a sister.
“By the way, speaking of which, Lluvia, could you give me a hand?” Song Haoran suddenly said, then placed his hand on Lluvia’s shoulder, his palm gliding toward her chest.
But Lluvia quickly caught his hand and twisted it slightly, saying indifferently, “Strategist, isn’t your hand reaching a bit too low?”
“Cut me some slack?” Song Haoran pleaded apologetically.
Lluvia sighed and eventually released his arm. She furrowed her brows and said, “Regarding the people we found at the scene who initially attacked Miss Ying, we've gotten some information from them.”
These people were captured after being chased by the guards who followed Song Ying. Most of them had fallen after being shot by Gan Hong, while some had been knocked unconscious by Song Ying's car.
Hearing this, Song Haoran suddenly became expressionless and calmly said, “Let’s hear it.”
“This group of guys was just planning to kidnap Miss Ying. Someone paid them to teach her a lesson... it should be true. So, the one behind the assassination should be someone else,” Lluvia quickly explained. “We found a man’s corpse on a nearby road, seemingly run over by a heavy vehicle and then dumped down a mountain... and near his body, we discovered a handgun, but it was out of bullets. I verified that this man was a hired gun.”
Song Haoran pondered, “Do you suspect this hired gun was the culprit behind the car explosion?”
“It should be him,” Lluvia nodded. “But strangely, we investigated the scene where he was hit and found that he seemed to have rolled down from a nearby lookout tower, as he was tangled with a lot of vines... Here are some photos from the scene.”
Lluvia quickly showed Song Haoran a series of photos.
“Why does he look so scared before he died?” Song Haoran frowned while examining one of the photos.
Lluvia replied, “Before his death, he must have seen someone. We found a bag in the lookout tower with some tools. Additionally, it was quite strange that there was a row of fired bullet casings lined up on the table in the lookout tower... perhaps it had some special meaning, like a signal or something.”
“So, does this mean the trail to this hired gun has gone cold?”
Lluvia nodded helplessly. “Although we found this hired gun's phone and some dialed numbers, when we tried to call them back, it was already a dead number, so we can’t trace it.”
Song Haoran repeatedly examined the series of photos, and at that moment, a servant walked in, “Young Master, the master said to come over; he needs to talk to you about something.”
---
When Song Haoran arrived at Song Tianyou’s reception room, he found a familiar face—Bai Shuitang, the president of the Chinatown Chamber of Commerce.
As Bai Shuitang was the brother of Song Haoran’s sister's husband, his relationship with the Song family was the closest.
Because of Song Haoran's brother-in-law's death, the Song family had provided Bai Shuitang with much support. Bai Shuitang often interacted with the Song family and made visits during holidays and festivals.
Of course, the person who interacted the most with Bai Shuitang now was Song Ying—ever since she took over the Song Dynasty's business.
“Big Young Master!” Seeing Song Haoran enter, Bai Shuitang quickly stood up.
Song Haoran casually waved his hand, “Sit down; we’re not outsiders, no need for formalities... What does father want to see me about?”
Song Tianyou's face was solemn as he said, “Shuitang brought some news; I suspect it’s related to little Ying being attacked.”
Bai Shuitang's expression turned to shock, and he suddenly stood up, knocking over the cup in front of him in his excitement. “What? Little Ying was attacked? When did this happen? How is she now?!”
Seeing Bai Shuitang's tense and excited expression, Song Tianyou had to wave his hand, “She’s fine; she just got a bit of a scare.”
“How could this happen… Could it be that those people have come back for revenge?” Bai Shuitang's face turned serious as he sat down, his brow furrowed deeply.
Song Haoran asked, “Those people?”
Bai Shuitang nodded, “That’s why I hurried to find the master… Here’s the thing: recently, several strangers have come to Chinatown. I had someone investigate, and it turns out these guys are descendants of that small country’s royal family. They’ve been hiding in Chinatown for a while, keeping a low profile, and it seems they want to do something.”
“Basil…” Song Haoran’s eyes narrowed. “This guy has attempted assassinations more than a dozen times and still hasn’t given up.”
“I’m just afraid these people will do something against the master, so after I got the news, I rushed over! I didn’t expect… I didn’t expect little Ying to have already been attacked!” Bai Shuitang clenched his fists, “Master! My older brother was killed by this group of people. Now that they dare to come back! I, Bai Shuitang, will never let them go!!”
“Calm down,” Song Tianyou waved his hand. “I can handle this. The information you brought tonight is very useful and has helped me a lot.”
Bai Shuitang shook his head, “I can’t forget the grudge from back then… My brother died young, all because of these bastards! So, if there’s any way I can help, I, Bai Shuitang, will never refuse!”
“Appreciate your loyalty,” Song Tianyou smiled. “Alright, it’s getting late; you don’t need to go back tonight. I’ll have someone prepare a guest room for you to rest.”
Bai Shuitang nodded, not insisting on staying, and after greeting Song Haoran, left the room.
After Bai Shuitang left, Song Tianyou slowly asked, “Haoran, what do you think?”
Song Haoran pondered, “Bai Shuitang’s arrival is quite coincidental.”
Song Tianyou nodded, “It is indeed very coincidental. But Bai Shuitang is a very shrewd person; if he has anything to do with this matter, he wouldn’t be foolish enough to come at this time... I find it hard to grasp his intentions.”
“Let’s put Bai Shuitang aside for now,” Song Haoran suddenly said. “If it really is Basil, I want to take action myself this time…”
A cold light flickered in his eyes.