Chapter 1153 - 953: The Advanced Strategy (Part 2)

This should not be because Wu Jinliang has a good relationship with Shi Chun, and therefore has to be invited together.

The marriage ceremony of a family like the Gong family is not something just anyone can attend. Those who can attend are either wealthy or noble, and being invited is considered a great honor.

I don't know if it is related to the grudge between Duan Xiangmei and Wu Jinliang from years ago.

Or perhaps it gives Gong Shaoci an excuse to come meet him.

In any case, the presence of the Gong family's higher-ups indeed cannot be compared to Gong Shaoci's. This invitation has the intention of showing goodwill.

However, the matter has been brought to an open confrontation. If things are not handled well, he might not end up taking the invitation to attend the banquet.

Feng Chi, observing, tried asking, "Sir, what's happening?"

Shi Chun waved the invitation in his hand, indicating not to ask more. He is currently eager to confirm another matter.

Upon returning to Dingnan Prefecture City, he secretly summoned Young Master Nan, who was hiding at his official residence, and arranged to meet him at Yuling Mountain.

In the depths of the mountain, upon meeting, Young Master Nan asked, "What's the matter?"

Shi Chun eyed him up and down before saying, "I was just approached by Gong Yuanhao, and we had a chat."

Young Master Nan was taken aback, "Gong Yuanhao? He came to see you personally? For the collateral borrowing matter?"

Shi Chun: "Apart from this, what else could it be."

Young Master Nan suddenly felt uneasy, "How do we handle it?"

Shi Chun: "Handling the matter is not a concern, the strategy is well in place."

Hearing him speak with such confidence, Young Master Nan breathed a sigh of relief, "That's good, that's good. So, what did he say?"

Shi Chun: "Naturally, he wants me to return what I took, but the amount he wants me to return doesn't seem right. He says the people on your side collateralized two trillion yuan."

Young Master Nan was stunned upon hearing this, "Where did two trillion come from? If there were two trillion, we would have one point four trillion in hand, and we wouldn't have to go to extra lengths to deal with the Thunder Sound Sect."

Seeing that he truly seemed unaware, Shi Chun became curious, "Logically, given his status, he wouldn't lie to me coming all this way. I can't even repay the actual loan, and adding several hundred billion to it makes no sense."

"Indeed…" Young Master Nan stroked his chin, murmuring as he paced, barely taking several steps before suddenly stopping, revealing a somewhat helpless expression, "I know now, the Gong family audited the accounts."

Shi Chun was puzzled, "What's the relationship between the Gong family auditing accounts and the additional several hundred billion?"

Young Master Nan bitterly laughed and said, "Brother Chun, of the people managing the Nanshan Royal Court's industries, how many do you think have clean slates? If they were clean, how could we have borrowed money from them? When the collateral borrowing incident happened, the Gong family definitely audited the accounts upon discovery, and unlike previous audits, this time they would audit comprehensively to understand the scale. Those below knew their deficit money couldn't be hidden anymore and wouldn't be able to deceive this time, so most likely they took the chance and bundled it all together."

Shi Chun was astonished, "So much? A deficit of several hundred billion?"

Young Master Nan waved dismissively, "Several hundred billion is nothing. That's just the part controlled by the Gong family; truly auditing the entire Nanshan Royal Court's industries would absolutely reach the trillion level. Alas, it's unrelated to us, just clear the loan amount you need; you can't be blamed for an amount you didn't write on a loan note, their mess they will handle themselves. Actually, this isn't bad for us; the messier it is, the less daring the Gong family is to lift the lid."

Upon hearing this, Shi Chun felt a sense of clarity, realizing this indeed made sense, and couldn't help but click his tongue, "Regarding such a tricky matter, Brother Nan is indeed the most knowledgeable."

He had previously suspected Young Master Nan and the partners in those commercial firms had come up with some scheme, but after all this, it turned out the Gong family's own people were causing trouble for the Gong family.

Young Master Nan grinned slyly, resembling Wu Jinliang somewhat.

After figuring out this matter, Shi Chun, considering the Gong family had already laid things bare concerning this affair, felt no need to keep things hidden, directly contacting Wu Jinliang and Tong Mingshan to meet.

No other matter, just money distribution!

Gradually allocate the over trillion fetched from the Gong family to Dingxi and Dingbei Prefectures to fill in the gaps, pay out what needs to be distributed, directly disbursing the construction fees as required.

Since things were laid bare with the Gong family, they already know the money is in hand, Shi Chun simply couldn't give the Gong family an opportunity to make a comeback, so spend it first!

This extravagant move left Tong Mingshan utterly shocked, not knowing where the Master possibly sourced such an enormous amount of money.

Tong Mingshan was truly impressed, deeply understanding why someone could be the Master.

Not just him, but as the ensuing momentum unfolded, it indeed caused a significant shock for all sides, especially for other competitors within the Heavenly Domain, it was akin to a mountain-crushing force bearing down.

But these are later matters.

At the Right Minister's Mansion in Nanshan Royal Capital, Gong Yuanhao hastily returned to his father's study, where his father and the chief steward Liu Guang were already informed and had arrived in advance.

After his son paid his respects, Gong Youxiang asked, "How did it go?"

Gong Yuanhao replied, "Shi Chun admitted it, the collateral borrowing matter indeed was his doing. The reason for doing so was simple; he said it was our Gong family that first cut off his revenue in Yanfu Continent, he now has to fill in the gaps for Dingxi and Dingbei Prefectures, saying he'd lose his life if he can't manage, claiming he's been driven to a dead-end, and demanding compensation from those who cut off his revenue."

Liu Guang secretly glanced at the main seat, Gong Youxiang snorted coldly, "What audacity! What else did he say?"

Gong Yuanhao: "I demanded he return what he took, he refused, and even resorted to threats claiming that Shaoci's trusted subordinate Lei Ying is in his hands, and from what I gather, Lei Ying has confessed all he shouldn't."

Regarding this, Gong Youxiang and Liu Guang weren't surprised; if one could indeed seize the Gong family's third son, abducting a mere Lei Ying from the third wife's side is a lesser matter.

"Anything else?" Gong Youxiang inquired again.

Gong Yuanhao: "As I pushed all matters to Lei Ying, Shi Chun brought out another person as a leverage, called some master of something Green Manor, saying that person is in his hands, asserting as long as the Gong family cancels the collateral debt, he will return the person to us, not clearly revealing the intentions. Considering I was unsure of the situation, it wasn't suitable to ask more and expose myself, hence returning to discuss with you and Uncle Liu Guang."

Saying this, he discreetly observed their reactions throughout.

The eyes of Gong Youxiang and the steward mutually glanced down, confirming the affair; it indeed was as anticipated, the third son was surely captured by Shi Chun.

Now, they came to understand why the third son's house's Lei Ying was silently whisked away; with the Illusion Demon King Bai Sheng taking action, infiltrating the third son's house to seize Lei Ying was undoubtedly a simple task.

After contemplating a bit more, Gong Youxiang slowly commented, "Elder son, this matter, going forward, you shall no longer intervene, leave it to your Uncle Liu Guang to personally handle."

Liu Guang bowed slightly, signifying acceptance of the task.

Gong Yuanhao, wanting to speak yet holding back, eventually didn't ask more, also bowing and accepting, "Understood."

Then, Liu Guang abruptly inquired, "The two invitations the elder master personally sent, were they directly received by Shi Chun?"

Startled by the chief steward's sudden focus on the invitations at this juncture, Gong Yuanhao paused before replying, "He was very cautious; during the meeting with us, separated by a protection array, the invitations couldn't be handed directly to him, they were delivered to his subordinate Feng Chi to pass on. Whether he will attend the banquet is not certain."

Liu Guang bowed again, "Understood, elder master has worked hard."

At this point, Gong Youxiang gestured to his son to withdraw.

Gong Yuanhao promptly took his leave, and upon arriving at the door of the study, took a deep breath as he already sensed his father was concealing something from him.

With no others around, Gong Youxiang, seated behind the desk, slowly leaned against the chair back, transmitting, "Best option: exhaust all means to locate both the third son and Elder Qiu's whereabouts, rescuing the witnesses will naturally solve the issue. Worst option: Compromise!"

The steward Liu Guang bowed slightly, "Understood, first pursue the best option."