“This, this isn’t necessary, right?” Tang Qiye hesitated slightly as he questioned.
From the moment Meng Qi slashed that powerful, domineering, and shocking first stroke upon his initiation, Tang Qiye had felt his own aura being suppressed. After the unmasking, summoning of clan members, and the rising emotions of the crowd, facing Meng Qi made him feel instinctively inferior, as if Meng Qi were the true head of the family, a figure of authority and control over the situation.
Before Tang Erye could speak, Meng Qi seized the moment and coldly and sternly said, “If there’s no punishment, and if one simply walks away without implicating family members, won’t that encourage everyone to disobey the head of the family and betray the clan’s interests? If you say yes, I’ll immediately leave and go to Yedu to kill several members of the Wang family!”
The members of the main branch of the family shouted loudly in agreement, “Yes, Second Young Master is right!”
“Second Young Master speaks with reason. How can one accept the family’s protection and resources, yet act recklessly, putting the family in danger?”
“If Tang Shu isn’t punished, and his relatives aren’t punished either, I suppose this family should just disband!”
There were only a limited number of influential positions within the family. After Tang Erye took control, even though he tried to win over the main branch, he still needed to place his own loyalists, inevitably causing many who had previously relied on the main branch to feel their interests were harmed or that they would be neglected in the future. At that time, they were full of complaints or unease but lacked a central figure to unite them. However, once they saw the eldest legitimate son, the second young master, return, they naturally became bolder and more aggressive, eager to reclaim what they had lost.
As long as their own interests weren’t harmed, they almost completely agreed with Meng Qi’s words.
In such a setting, once more than ten people began clamoring in agreement, it would stir up the atmosphere. And how many supporters of the eldest legitimate son were there in the main branch and other branches? More than ten, certainly!
The crowd’s voices rose in a wave. Tang Shu’s relatives turned pale, begging Tang Erye and Tang Qiye with pleading eyes.
Under the intense emotions of the crowd, Tang Erye understood that if he didn’t give a reasonable explanation, forcibly suppressing them with his power or resorting to open conflict and using force to quell the situation, as soon as Tang Jing shouted a rallying cry, he would immediately become an isolated “acting head of the family,” commanding only a small group of loyalists. The elders, guest advisors, and members of the main branch he had won over would definitely wait to see which way the wind blew!
After all, they were all family. In the struggle for power and profit, they wished each other dead, but when it came to large-scale mutual slaughter, who wouldn’t hesitate a little?
More importantly, Tang Jing’s swordsmanship was astonishing and unpredictable. That slash from earlier still weighed heavily on his mind, making him cautious and hesitant.
“What punishment do you intend to impose?” Tang Erye decided to first hear Meng Qi’s opinion. If it wasn’t serious, he would let him proceed.
Meng Qi scanned the crowd, signaling for quiet, and solemnly said, “For Tang Shu’s relatives, non-direct descendants will have their monthly stipends and medicinal supplies deducted for six months. Direct descendants will have their martial arts skills destroyed and be sent to the estate to do menial tasks.”
Hissing sounds of shock followed one after another. This punishment was too severe!
“Isn’t that too harsh?” Tang Erye said with a slight grimace.
Meng Qi’s expression was cold: “It must be harsh. This time, Fifth Uncle and Tang Shu acted recklessly, putting our Tang family in a life-or-death crisis. If we don’t punish them severely, how can we warn future generations?”
“Second Young Master speaks rightly!”
“Punish them severely!”
Tang Shu was an elder, not particularly kind in his usual demeanor, and had accumulated grievances over time. Now, all those grievances erupted, combined with the support of the main branch, creating a formidable uproar.
The power of the masses… Meng Qi secretly chuckled inwardly, glancing at them before turning his gaze to Tang Erye, Tang Side.
Tang Erye hesitated: “Shu Bo hasn’t returned home yet. Perhaps he has his own difficulties, or his intentions were for the benefit of the Tang family. Rushing to punish him without hearing his explanation might not be appropriate?”
After the continuous emotional outbursts and the previous domineering slash, he had unconsciously begun to consult with Meng Qi, even feeling as if Meng Qi was taking the lead.
“If he never returns, should we never punish him? When the Huanhua Sword Sect and the Zhou Jun Wang family make our clan their battlefield, should we let them wait for Tang Shu’s return?” Meng Qi coldly replied, no longer addressing Tang Shu as Uncle.
Without waiting for others to speak, Meng Qi slightly raised his head, making the decision with the demeanor of a family head: “Second Uncle, I’m not unreasonable. We can compromise. Announce the punishment now and execute it tomorrow. If Tang Shu has a reason, he can return before dawn, explain himself in the ancestral hall before our ancestors and all the clan members!”
After his height increased, he exuded a sense of majesty and firmness, complemented by his cold, stern expression and domineering aura. Tang Mingyue’s beautiful eyes sparkled as she couldn’t believe that her once useless older brother now commanded respect with every move, acting like a family head even without the title.
From both emotional and rational perspectives, public and private considerations, Meng Qi’s decision left no room for criticism. Tang Erye hesitated and said, “If it involves confidential matters, explaining in front of everyone might lead to leaks. How about only explaining to us?”
“So, no matter what Tang Shu says, you think it’s beneficial to the Tang family? After all, we won’t know!” Meng Qi pressed.
Tang Mingyue signaled to the close members of the main branch to speak up.
“Yes, who knows if you’re in cahoots? We only believe in Second Young Master. He is the legitimate son of the main branch and the future head of the family. We trust his words!” Anyone with a bit of sense could understand Tang Mingyue’s implication.
“Let him explain to Second Young Master. If Second Young Master says Tang Shu’s actions were understandable, we’ll accept it!”
“Enough!” Tang Erye shouted, “If Tang Shu returns, he must explain himself before me, my seventh younger brother, and Jing nephew.”
Seeing his goal achieved, Meng Qi inwardly chuckled and solemnly said, “I will wait for Tang Shu at Guanlan Hall.”
Guanlan Hall was where the Tang family’s legendary ancestor cultivated his sword techniques after establishing the family’s foundation. It was second only to the ancestral hall in importance, serving as the place where the family head handled affairs and practiced sword techniques in ordinary times.
Meng Qi had learned about the location of important buildings in the Tang family through information from the Huanhua Sword Sect.
As the matter settled, only at this point did Tang Erye and Tang Qiye secretly feel something was amiss. How had they just treated Tang Xiao Er as the family head? They had practically been submissive and pleading!
This was the power of momentum and the crowd… Meng Qi inwardly scorned them, feeling slightly pleased.
“There’s one more matter.” Just as Tang Erye and Tang Qiye were reflecting on their earlier attitude, Meng Qi spoke again.
“Second Uncle, you’ve only been acting as the family head for about half a month. Why have all the key positions been replaced by your loyalists? What wrong did the previous elders and managers commit that you oppressed them so harshly?” Meng Qi’s words were as swift and domineering as his sword techniques.
The Tang family’s ancestral hall erupted into a cacophony, with clan members attached to the main branch ecstatic and excited. Was the second young master so quick to defend them?
Truly the legitimate son of the main branch!
Tang Erye’s loyalists and vassals protested, their hearts uneasy; Tang Qiye’s loyalists and members of other branches watched the spectacle with amusement.
Tang Erye was both startled and angry: “Tang Xiao Er, what do you mean?”
Meng Qi stepped toward him, giving him the feeling of a growing figure, like a mountain pressing down, his momentum overwhelming.
“If there are faults, explain them before our ancestors and all the clan members, and let us be convinced!”
“If you can’t explain, then it’s you, Second Uncle, abusing your power, mixing public and private matters, acting recklessly, and lacking tolerance!”
“You’re only the acting head of the family, not the actual head. If you act like this, how can we coexist?”
With his questioning, the main branch’s forces became increasingly impassioned. The ancestral hall echoed with voices condemning Tang Erye, making Meng Qi seem to represent the entire family.
These accusations shook Tang Erye’s face pale, anger making his right hand tremble as he pointed at Meng Qi: “Tang Xiao Er, you… you want to seize power! Don’t forget, you haven’t undergone the bloodline identification yet!”
“Second Uncle, I am a man of integrity and patience.” Meng Qi folded his hands behind his back, gazing at the rafters. “I just feel you’re not capable of properly acting as the family head, so I hope Seventh Uncle will take over.”
“What?”
Shouts of surprise echoed in the ancestral hall. Not only Tang Erye was puzzled, but even Tang Qiye was bewildered. How had it come to involve him?
What exactly was Tang Xiao Er trying to do?
His methods were as unpredictable as his sword techniques!
Meng Qi turned to Tang Qiye, a faint smile on his face: “Seventh Uncle, I think you’ll be fairer than Second Uncle.”
The main branch forces immediately understood and began to support Meng Qi. With Tang Erye’s precedent, when Tang Qiye adjusted the power, he would definitely take care of their interests. If he refused, or acted like Tang Erye, there were still the Eighth Uncle, Thirteenth Uncle, and others—they weren’t irreplaceable. Meanwhile, Tang Qiye’s loyalists and members of other branches also sensed an opportunity, clamoring and expressing their support for Meng Qi’s proposal. Only Tang Erye’s loyalists looked ashen-faced.
Other elders, seeing that power had shifted to Tang Qiye instead of being seized by Meng Qi, felt it was acceptable and nodded slightly.
When circumstances are stronger than people, Tang Erye looked at Tang Qiye with a pale face: “Seventh Brother, I’ll leave this mess to you.”
Tang Qiye barely contained his joy: “My younger brother respectfully accepts the responsibility.”
Watching Tang Erye’s resentful expression and Tang Qiye’s joyous demeanor, Meng Qi confirmed a suspicion: previously, they weren’t unwilling to compete, but someone had compensated Tang Qiye with other benefits. Now, with the position of family head offered, how could he refuse?
Regardless of personal willingness, if he refused, his subordinates would be disheartened!
At the same time, Meng Qi became increasingly certain that they had confidence that this “legitimate eldest son” would not inherit the family headship.
Afterward, Tang Qiye completed the power adjustment in the ancestral hall, and except for Tang Erye’s faction, everyone was happy.
However, by doing so, Meng Qi, leveraging the momentum from two consecutive incidents, relying on the sheer dominance of replacing the acting family head with a single word, and backed by the support of the main branch and other factions, had effectively become—in the hearts of the Tang family—a de facto family head in all but name!
Meng Qi, carrying the Evil Tribulation, left the ancestral hall and made his way to Guanlan Hall, with Tang Mingyue following closely behind.
“Ninth Sister, prepare a white robe for me and invite Grandpa Ren,” Meng Qi suddenly said.
“Eh? Why a white robe?” Tang Mingyue was a bit puzzled.
Because it’s cool and stylish… Meng Qi’s face was serious as he said, “To create an imposing presence and clarify my mind and will.”
“Why create an imposing presence?” Tang Mingyue was confused.
Meng Qi looked up at the approaching crimson dusk: “Tonight, Tang Shu will definitely come to Guanlan Hall. I need to prepare in advance and suppress him with my momentum.”
“Oh.” Tang Mingyue suddenly understood.
Meng Qi’s right hand caressed the hilt, his voice flat and emotionless as he added, “Then kill him.”
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