CHAPTER 401 AN OUTBURST OF THE INTERNAL CONFLICT

Chen Hao was also perplexed by the scene. It was all fine just now, so what happened that caused a

change? It seemed like there was a conflict.

So, he looked in that direction in bewilderment.

In his sight, there was a middle-aged woman kneeling on the floor in the crowd.

On the other side, Old Master Fang’s countenance was rather gloomy, while the appendage families of

the Fang Family were all burning with indignation.

“That’s her! She was once the personal maid of Fang Mengxin, the crook of the Fang Family! Quick,

tell us where Fang Mengxin is. If you do, we will let you off!”

“In that year, Chen Family and Fang Family had a great fight just because of Fang Mengxin. However,

those who suffered the most loss were us, the appendages of the family. I even lost my dear son who

had just turned into an adult. It’s all because of Fang Mengxin. Old Master Fang, if you are hiding Fang

Mengxin, please hand her over to us!”

“Yes! Hand her to us and give us an explanation!”

Many people gathered around Old Master Fang and shouted at him.

On the other side, Situ Hong sneered coldly.

Just a moment ago, there was a minor conflict.

It all happened when Fang Butong reprimanded Situ Hong in front of everyone for making unilateral

decisions.

All these years, Situ Hong had been positioning himself as the head of these few families.

Furthermore, when he requested Fang Butong for some properties and for his son’s marriage in the

morning, Fang Butong had embarrassed him.

Long-standing grudges had already existed.

As the saying went, ‘try peaceful means before resorting to force’. Since the peaceful means were

ineffective, Situ Hong decided to risk it all today.

Therefore, he told everyone that the Fang Family had found the maid of Fang Mengxin some years

ago.

Before this, Situ Hong had ordered people to monitor the Fang Family’s movement.

Besides, there were plenty of Situ Hong’s snitches in the Fang Family. Naturally, Situ Hong was

informed of this matter.

What was more, he still had an ace card that he was going to hand over personally to Fang Butong.

So, let the internal conflict begin today!

Meanwhile, Fang Butong was staring at the crowd, simmering with rage.

They had been fighting secretly with each other for years.

Although the Fang Family was still large, it was just a tall building without its framework. It might appear

tall and sturdy, but it was actually in imminent danger.

Fang Butong was, of course, well aware of Situ Hong and his son’s wild ambition.

However, Fang Butong thought that even though he was old now, he still had the ability to control the

pair of father and son in his remaining years.

Yet, it was totally out of his expectation that this pair of father and son would launch attacks in public on

his birthday banquet.

This pair of father and son was trying to intensify the conflict that was accumulated throughout the

years, which had been suppressed all this while.

If it was not to mollify these few appendage families, Fang Butong would never have had the heart to

sever ties with his own daughter!

“Today is my grandfather’s 80th birthday. Did you come to celebrate it with my grandfather or to

denounce him?” Fang Jiannan suddenly interrupted in a cold voice.

“Jiannan, we’re most honored to celebrate your grandfather’s birthday, but our families lost numerous

loved ones that year. Your grandfather once promised to offer us an explanation and compensation. It

has been over two decades now, yet we still haven’t met Fang Mengxin, the culprit. Plus, the so-called

explanation is just giving us some mere properties. Now, your grandfather is hiding Fang Mengxin’s

maid in the Fang Family. If Mr. Situ didn’t bring it to light, we would still be kept in the dark!”

“We have been the appendages of the Fang Family for many generations. How will your actions be

accepted by us, Old Master?” A middle-aged man reproached indignantly.

“Exactly. I think it’s useless to discuss this matter any further. Let’s seize this maid and interrogate her

with torture. I’m sure she will spill the whereabouts of Fang Mengxin!”

“Someone, pull her up!”

The bodyguards of a few appendage families immediately tried to pull Xia while she struggled.

“That’s impudence! Do you think I don’t know that you are actually aiming for my aunt’s assets by

pretending to find out her whereabouts?” Fang Jiannan shouted coldly.

At once, the people from the appendage families went silent.

“Jiannan, it’s not quite appropriate to put it that way, but since you’ve said it, us, the Situ Family, must

play an exemplary role. Indeed, we’ve only gotten a small fragment of Fang Mengxin’s assets in the

beginning, but the price we paid was way heavier than this. Therefore, it’s only reasonable to share the

assets equally among all of us!” Situ Hong replied.

In the past, Fang Mengxin and her eldest brother, the first son of the Fang Family, controlled almost

half of the Fang Family’s power.

Obviously, Fang Mengxin’s power was stronger than Fang Jiannan’s father.

If the power was shared equally among these few appendage families, they would be on the same

level with the Fang Family, or even worse.

It seemed like this was the actual objective of the pair of father and son.

“Keep dreaming!” Fang Jiannan rebutted furiously.

“Jiannan, step aside. I don’t need you in this matter!” At this moment, Fang Butong, who was watching

with a grim face, finally spoke.

Fang Jiannan did not dare to oppose her grandfather’s words, so she stepped to the side.

Meanwhile, Fang Butong went personally to negotiate with Situ Hong.

“Jiannan! Come here!” Suddenly, Fang Yi shouted for her.

Fang Jiannan frowned and walked to her.

When she approached Fang Yi, she saw Chen Hao who was grabbed by her.

Fang Jiannan was rather shocked. “Why are you here?”

“Let’s put him aside first. Quick, tell me what happened. Are these few families striking a rebel?” Fang

Yi grabbed Fang Jiannan’s hand and asked.

Fang Jiannan nodded. “Grandfather told me before, asking me to beware of the Situ Family after his

birthday banquet because the Situ Family has been conspiring to do something for all these years…”

She then glanced at Chen Hao before continuing, “But we didn’t expect that he would stir up trouble

during grandfather’s birthday banquet. No wonder he made some requests to grandfather in such an

imposing manner this morning!”

“What requests did he make?” Fang Yi inquired.

“Oh, I know. He must have proposed a marriage to you!”

Fang Jiannan nodded.

“Hmph, he’s trying to punch above one’s weight. I know, grandfather must have rejected him! Oh, and Content © .

how did grandfather reject him that caused him to act out of desperation?” After a contemptuous snort,

Fang Yi asked again.

“Actually… I have a marriage contract with someone ever since I was young!” Fang Jiannan’s beautiful

face blushed as she answered in a soft voice.

“What? With who? Why haven’t I heard about this before?”

“Forget it. Let’s not talk about this!”

Fang Jiannan shook her head.

After that, she set her eyes on the scene.

“Old Master, I’ve shown mercy in every way. Actually, if you give us the compensation we deserve, we

will still follow the Fang Family devotedly in the future. I don’t think there’s a need for me to spell it all

out,” Situ Hong said in a cold voice.

Fang Butong furrowed his eyebrows.

He finally understood why Situ Hong acted out of character that day and told him that he found his

daughter, Fang Mengxin. He thought Situ Hong had changed his mind.

Unexpectedly, it was just his astute conspiracy.

Fang Butong had been mighty for all his life, but was at last thrown in confusion due to the love for his

own daughter.

Nevertheless, veterans were always wiser than newcomers. The sensitive Fang Butong had still

implemented extra protective measures.

“Hong, I don’t know what you are talking about. Indeed, I’ve found Xia in order to ask her the

whereabouts of Mengxin. Unfortunately, Xia doesn’t know anything. I sympathize with her

homelessness, so I took her in. I think we’ve sorted it all out just now. What else do you want to say?”

Fang Butong replied calmly.

“Old Master, I’m truly impressed by you. However, my subordinates halted a car right when it came out

from the villa by chance this morning. And by chance again, we met a girl in the car. Tsk Tsk. That girl

was extraordinarily beautiful. Master Li and Master Wang, you might not know, but the girl is extremely

beautiful. To what extent? To the extent that she looks exactly like Fang Mengxin! If you don’t believe

me, I’ll let my subordinates bring her here!” Situ Hong answered with a smile.

“Y-You kidnapped Ziyue?” At last, Fang Butong could not remain his composure anymore and asked in

tremors.

“Is her name Ziyue? She kept her silence no matter what I asked her. I think it’s best for all of us to ask

her. Someone, bring the girl here!” Situ Hong commanded.