DASFAM_71
These words were like a torpedo launched into the sea, instantly blasting up monstrous waves.
Many guests had pieced together the connection, so frightened that their hair stood on end.
"What car accident? What premeditated murder?"
"My God, the third branch's car accident wasn't an accident? It was caused by the whole family?"
"Did I hear that right? Wasn't the suspect Wu Chengwang that the police just mentioned Wu Wei's illegitimate son?"
"He sent his own illegitimate son to stage a car accident and harm the entire third branch family? If this is true, Wu Wei is absolutely despicable!"
"The police have already shown up at the door, the odds are the evidence is solid!"
"You can know a person's face but not their heart! The first branch's family of three is too ruthless, they could even lay their hands on their own brothers and uncles!"
"......"
The crowd's murmuring grew louder and louder.
Even Shang Keshu and Shang Yun, as members of the family themselves, were so shaken by this that they were left speechless.
Shang Keshu had only known that Wu Wei had betrayed Shang Keyi and fathered an illegitimate son outside, the truth about the car accident was something she was only learning now.
She looked toward Shang Keyi, who was closest to her, in disbelief, "...Big Sister, is what the police said true?"
"No, it's not."
Shang Keyi snapped back to reality, shaking her head desperately.
She scrambled to her feet in a sorry state, still wearing her high heels, "How is that possible? What nonsense are you talking about! How could I possibly harm my own brother!"
Shang Yanxiao and Shang Queyan said nothing, yet the long-harbored hatred in both their eyes was identical.
Bai Xu stepped forward and spoke sharply on behalf of the two brothers, "Whether it's nonsense or not, why don't you ask your backstabbing husband and find out?!"
They say the dog that bites doesn't bark. Wu Wei had kept up this act for so many years, which only showed how ruthless he truly was behind the scenes.
"......"
Wu Wei was still lying on the ground playing dead, his mind not yet catching up with what was happening.
He had just been publicly exposed for having an illegitimate son, and now they were telling him that Wu Chengwang had been arrested by police overseas?
Why had there been no warning beforehand? What exactly had gone wrong in their plan?
"Wu Wei, you..."
Having shared a bed for over thirty years, how could Shang Keyi not see the guilt written all over Wu Wei's face?
Her carefully done eye makeup had been ruined by tears, and she stood frozen on the spot, shaking her head in a sorry and bewildered state.
Bai Xu showed no mercy to anyone from the first branch, turning his interrogating gaze onto Shang Qishun, "And you! Shang Qishun, did you know all along that Wu Wei had an illegitimate son outside?"
"And the car accident, were you the one pulling the strings behind the scenes?"
"......"
Shang Qishun actually knew about this? And let the illegitimate son run rampant outside?
That shouldn't be right. But if he had been kept in the dark, then why would the police take him away for questioning too?
No. The police only said to cooperate with the investigation, that doesn't mean he was an accomplice!
The crowd was too stunned to speak, their minds racing to process everything, countless thoughts pulling back and forth, yet unable to arrive at any clear answer.
Shang Keyi's knees gave way and she collapsed to the ground again, "No, it's impossible, my Qishun is not that kind of person!"
She pointed toward Wu Wei beside her with trembling fingers, all the love she once had for him reduced to ash in that moment, "It's you! You did all these shameful things behind our backs! Wu Wei! I truly misjudged you!"
Wu Wei still said nothing.
He knew that in a situation like this, the more you say, the more mistakes you make— it was better to stay silent under the cover of pain.
Faced with the same mountain of accusations, Shang Qishun showed not the slightest sign of panic.
He adjusted his glasses and replied with calm, measured words, "I did not do it. I had no knowledge of it. That is why I am willing to cooperate with the police investigation."
"Bai Xu, the third branch's performance tonight has been seamlessly orchestrated and quite clever. The first branch is no match for that, so there is no need for you to keep publicly smearing us."
By now, the first branch and the third branch had completely torn off all pretense, with no shred of civility left between them.
"As you said, what is real cannot be made false, and what is false..," Shang Qishun shot an unexpected glance at Wu Wei, "Cannot be made real."
"......"
Cold sweat had soaked through Wu Wei's back, his eyes darting around as he refused to respond.
Shang Yanxiao steadied his emotions and stepped forward, shielding Bai Xu from Shang Qishun's hostility, "Everyone present is a reasonable person, capable of distinguishing right from wrong."
"Does someone already covered in filth still need others to throw mud at them?"
The police, unfamiliar with all the grievances within the Shang family, spoke up, "Alright, come back with us for questioning. The truth will come out in due course."
The law will never wrong an innocent person, nor will it let a single guilty one slip through.
Only then did Wu Wei shakily push himself up from the ground.
The next second, Shang Queyan, who had been silent throughout, suddenly charged forward in front of everyone, grabbing Wu Wei by the collar and swinging his fist with gritted teeth.
"Queyan!"
"Hey, what are you doing?"
Shang Yanxiao and the police spoke out almost simultaneously, with the latter rushing forward to intervene, "Stop!"
At that critical moment, the fierce swing of the fist came to a halt just at the edge of Wu Wei's cheek, frightening him so badly that his face turned deathly pale.
Shang Queyan held onto that last shred of reason, his eyes rimmed red, "Wu Wei, you listen to me well– I will have my lawyers sue you into the ground, and drag that illegitimate son of yours down with you."
He cast a glance at Shang Qishun, "Every bit of suffering you and your father have inflicted on me, I will take back twofold in my own way!"
Shang Queyan knew full well that striking someone in front of the police was against the law. Knowing Shang Qishun's vindictive nature, if he truly lost control and threw that punch, he would only be handing the other side an opportunity to turn the tables.
Shang Queyan's heart was indeed filled with hatred, but he would not throw away his current advantage for the sake of a moment's satisfaction.
With that, he shoved Wu Wei aside.
Wu Wei staggered back two steps, his nerves still rattled, and was promptly restrained by the police.
"And you two—"
The lead officer looked toward Shang Qishun and Shang Keyi, gesturing in a strictly professional manner, "Let's go."
What was meant to be an anniversary banquet celebrating happiness had ended in utter chaos and ruin. The guests exchanged glances with one another, full of sighs.
After a scene like this, the first branch's reputation in the capital would likely be completely finished.
Shang Yun walked back to Fang Yuhua's side, "Yuhua, there are still so many guests here, help me and Fourth Sister see them out."
Fang Yuhua looked at her husband, her face full of displeasure, "I'm asking you, have you been playing the nice guy so long that you've actually changed?"
"You..."
"The mess the first branch left behind, why should our second branch be the ones to clean it up?"
Fang Yuhua glanced over at Shang Yanxiao and Shang Queyan not far away, and after a moment's thought, felt a lingering chill, "Now I completely understand what Le'er said."
If the third branch hadn't always been so eye-catching, completely overshadowing their second branch, it would have been their second branch inviting disaster instead!
The more Fang Yuhua thought about it, the more goosebumps she got, "Shang Yun, do you think Big Sister actually knew about all this?"
Shang Yun glanced at the guests who had yet to disperse and lowered his voice sharply, "Stop speculating!"
"No matter how fiercely we fight within the Shang family, that's only about winning and losing on company projects. When have you ever seen me go for the kill against my own nephews?"
He wouldn't, and he believed no one else in the family would either.
Fang Yuhua muttered, "I wonder who it was that had the caretaker bring boiling water to test whether Shang Yanxiao had woken up."
"......"
Shang Yun knew he was in the wrong on that matter and could only change his tune, "Look at how completely shattered Big Sister is, does she look like someone who knew?"
If you asked him, it was all Wu Wei's doing, that heartless and ungrateful wretch working his schemes behind everyone's backs!
Though Shang Keyi was a proud woman, she had given her whole heart to this marriage and this relationship.
Fang Yuhua thought it over, keeping certain thoughts to herself.
As the saying goes, like father, like son—
Wu Wei was no good, and the illegitimate son acting on his orders was no good either!
On top of that, Wu Wei still had a legitimate son. Who knows what Shang Qishun was really like behind closed doors?
...
The first branch of the family has been taken away, bringing this scene to a brief close.
Shang Yanxiao had no reason to stay any longer. Seeing that Shang Queyan's mood had calmed down slightly, he gestured to Bai Xu, "Let's go, we're heading back too."
Bai Xu nodded, "Alright."
The elevator doors closed, and they were alone.
Bai Xu recalled Shang Qishun's reaction before being taken away by the police, "Queyan, tell the lawyer to keep a close eye on the police's side of things. I have a feeling this isn't over yet."
Shang Yanxiao caught on, "You mean Shang Qishun?"
"I've always felt that he must have had a hand in the car accident behind the scenes, but if Wu Wei was the one in contact with Wu Chengwang throughout the whole process, and the person who paid to 'buy a life' was also Wu Chengwang..."
Bai Xu stopped there, but Shang Yanxiao and Shang Queyan already understood well enough.
"Whether or not Shang Qishun was involved, Wu Wei would know best. But having already lost a son in this, he's no fool. He naturally knows who he should be protecting right now."
If there was no direct evidence proving Shang Qishun's involvement, the other party would be released by the police in at most twenty-four hours.
"Of course, all of this is just my assumption."
"It's possible. Shang Qishun might truly not be that wicked. Just like Shang Keyi, he may have known nothing about the illegitimate child or the car accident. Or perhaps he knew, but turned a blind eye.
Until the case reaches its final verdict, they cannot afford to let their guard down.
The elevator doors opened with a sound.
Shang Yanxiao set aside his lingering thoughts for now, "Let's head back first. Either way, at least Wu Wei and Wu Chengwang won't be getting away this time."
Shang Queyan said in a low voice, "Yes, I'll have the lawyer keep a close watch."
Not a single person who deserved to be held accountable would be spared!
Bai Xu walked out of the elevator first, then another important matter came to mind, "We really do need to hurry. Wu Wei's family isn't the only one we're dealing with today."
...
The winter night always fell unusually fast. It was barely five o'clock, yet the lights inside and outside the main house had already been lit.
Faced with the sudden arrival of Shang Yanxiao and Bai Xu, the head butler was somewhat taken aback, "Third Young Master, Young Master Bai, at this hour, what brings you here?"
Bai Xu met the head butler's inquiry with a cheerful smile, "We're here to see the Old Master, and Queyan is always telling us how good the food at the main house is, so we thought we'd come and freeload a meal."
The head butler smiled back, "I just had the kitchen prepare dinner and was about to call the Old Madam down to eat."
Shang Yanxiao picked up, "I'll go upstairs to find Grandmother. Bai Xu, you wait in the small dining room first."
"Sure."
The two played off each other perfectly, and just like that, it was settled.
The head butler had no choice but to lead Bai Xu to the small dining room first, "Young Master Bai, the kitchen made a nourishing black chicken soup. Shall I get you some first? To warm yourself up."
"Sure."
Bai Xu accepted without hesitation and took his seat.
The head butler turned and instructed a servant to ladle a small bowl of black chicken soup and bring it to Bai Xu.
Bai Xu stirred the soup, as if making casual conversation in passing, "I heard from third branch's Butler Lin that you've been at the estate for quite some years?"
"Young Master Bai need not be so formal. Just call me Butler Sun."
The head butler stood by the dining table and replied casually, "Thanks to the Old Master's regard, come this March next year, I will have worked here for forty full years."
Bai Xu added, "Then Butler Sun should be retiring soon and enjoying a life of leisure."
The head butler smiled faintly, "I'm a man with no family to speak of. My only son and daughter-in-law are both overseas. What leisure is there for me to enjoy?"
"It was the Old Madam's kindness that took me and my son in back then, and it was the Old Master who spent money to nurture me. Over the years, he showed me much of the world and was willing to give me face in front of the estate's servants."
"As long as the Old Master and the Old Madam do not drive me away, even if they asked me to give my entire life to the Shang family, I would be willing."
"So Butler Sun holds such deep feelings for the Shang family, for the old couple?" A faint glimmer flickered through Bai Xu's eyes, and he suddenly dropped the soup spoon into the bowl with a clatter.
The sharp sound of the spoon hitting the bowl sent a numbing ring through the head butler's eardrums. He then heard Bai Xu press in a slow, unhurried tone, "Then why help outsiders harm the Old Master?"
"......"
The head butler froze for two seconds, a rare flash of anger crossing his face, "Young Master Bai, please watch your words! How could I possibly harm the Old Master?!"
Bai Xu raised his gaze slightly and answered a different question entirely, "I just came back from the first branch's banquet. Guess what happened there?"
The head butler, unable to read his manner, stiffened slightly, "What happened?"
Bai Xu pressed on, "Wu Wei was taken away by the police. Care to guess why?"
"......"
The corner of the head butler's mouth went rigid, and a dense, needle-like fear suddenly welled up in his heart. Before he could even ask, the sound of footsteps came from the entrance of the small dining room.
Shang Yanxiao walked in supporting the Old Madam, both of their gazes settling on the head butler at once.
The atmosphere fell into an inexplicable silence, carrying the unmistakable feeling of a storm closing in.
The head butler instinctively broke the suffocating stillness, "Old Madam, Third Young Master..."
"Butler Sun."
Shang Yanxiao cut him off without leaving the slightest shred of courtesy, "You can pack your things and leave right now."
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