The lunch was quickly prepared. Although the Zhuge family was currently facing internal and external troubles, under the instructions of Old Master Zhuge, a sumptuous lunch was still arranged to entertain Xiao Yunlong and his party. This demonstrated the magnanimity of Old Master Zhuge.
"Wushuang, it's rare for you to return. I should have hosted a banquet at the Suzhou Grand Hotel to welcome you. But given the current special circumstances, consider this meal a welcome. It also serves to welcome your friends. Let's all raise our glasses!"
Zhuge Yaliang sat at the head of the table, raising his glass and laughing heartily. Although his body had grown thin and no longer possessed the vigor of his youth, the demeanor of a patriarch from a prominent family was still evident.
Zhuge Wushuang quickly raised his wine glass and said, "Uncle, we are all family. There's no need to be so formal."
"Well said, we are family. Since that's the case, everyone, please don't be shy. Taste our Suzhou delicacies!"
Old Master Zhuge waved his hand at Xiao Yunlong. After all, having navigated the business world for so many years, he had a keen eye. He had already noticed that this short-haired young man named Xiao was clearly the leader among these people.
Moreover, the extraordinary aura that Xiao Yunlong exuded from time to time, even a faint air of authority, made Old Master Zhuge secretly marvel.
At the dinner table, Zhuge Yaliang naturally toasted Xiao Yunlong with several more drinks.
However, compared to the warmth of Old Master Zhuge, Zhuge Yazhi, Zhuge Heng, and Sun Limin were much colder. They all wore sullen faces, as if Zhuge Wushuang owed them hundreds of millions and hadn't repaid them.
Old Master Zhuge glanced helplessly at his son and didn't bother to say anything more. He then turned to Zhuge Wushuang and asked, "By the way, Wushuang, where have you mainly been all these years you were away from home?"
"The Northern Territory. After I left, I coincidentally went to the Northern Territory. I've been there all these years," Zhuge Wushuang replied.
"The Northern Territory? What were you doing there?" the Old Master asked.
Just as Zhuge Wushuang was about to speak, he glanced at Xiao Yunlong subconsciously, then shook his head and chuckled, "Actually, I wasn't doing much. I was in the Northern Territory Army camp all these years, and I didn't achieve anything notable."
The perceptive Old Master Zhuge cast a meaningful glance at Xiao Yunlong. He knew that his distant nephew wasn't telling the truth, but it didn't matter.
Old Master Zhuge smiled and said heartily, "It's fine. No matter what you do, as long as you're happy, that's the most important thing. After living for more than half my life, I've understood one principle: as long as one doesn't steal, rob, or break the law, anything goes. The key is to live freely and happily!"
Seeing that the conversation was dragging on, Zhuge Yazhi, who had been keeping a straight face, couldn't hold back any longer. He shouted, "Brother, can we talk about business? You know the predicament our Zhuge family is facing. If things go wrong, we could end up ruined. Shouldn't we be thinking about how to respond?"
Zhuge Yaliang put down his wine glass and retorted, "Then tell me, how should we respond?"
Zhuge Yazhi, who was over fifty, with graying hair and a potbelly, rolled his eyes and said irritably, "I'm asking you, and you're asking me back. Brother, you are the head of the family. If I knew how to respond, wouldn't you have to hand over the position of family head to me?"
Even at this critical juncture, Zhuge Yazhi hadn't forgotten his ambition for the position of family head.
Zhuge Yaliang couldn't be bothered with his less capable brother. Instead, he suddenly turned to Xiao Yunlong and asked, "Mr. Xiao, as the saying goes, those involved are often blind. I am very confused right now, so I would like to ask you, how can our Zhuge family break through its current predicament?"
Xiao Yunlong was somewhat surprised but maintained his composure, smiling faintly, "How to break through? It's very simple. As the saying goes, brute force conquers all. Just break through with a single punch."
"Mr. Xiao is absolutely right, but with our Zhuge family's strength, we simply cannot break through with a single punch!" Zhuge Yaliang said with a helpless wry smile.
"Your Zhuge family cannot, but now Zhuge Wushuang has returned. More importantly, I have arrived. Old Master Zhuge, rest assured, even without Wushuang, just for this meal you've prepared today, I won't stand idly by."
As Xiao Yunlong spoke, he tilted his head back and finished the wine in his glass, then said word by word, "A mere Murong Chamber of Commerce dares to bully and seize property by force. If they dare to cause trouble again, then kill!"
These words sounded perfectly normal to Zhuge Wushuang and Jun Bufan, as they knew Xiao Yunlong's identity.
However, to Zhuge Yazhi and the others, they were exceptionally jarring and amusing!
Zhuge Heng could no longer contain himself. He slammed the table with a bang and roared, "You brat named Xiao, you haven't even fully grown, yet you dare to speak so boastfully! Do you know who the Murong Chamber of Commerce is? You want to kill people from the Murong family? You truly don't know the immensity of heaven and earth!"
Sun Limin also rolled her eyes and sneered, "It doesn't matter if this ignorant brat dies, but the key is that he can't drag us down! We originally had room for negotiation with the Murong Chamber of Commerce. At worst, we would have ceded the river port and the storage yard to them. Now, with this brat causing trouble, it might lead to bloodshed!"
Zhuge Heng became more agitated and angry as he spoke. He stood up and shouted, "I believe the people sent by the Murong family are already on their way. Old Master, tell me, what should we do when they arrive later?"
"What else can we do? Whoever caused the trouble should bear the consequences. When the Murong family comes to settle the score later, we can only hand these few people over!"
Sun Limin finished speaking and pointed her right index finger directly at Xiao Yunlong.
"How dare you, what are you, to be so disrespectful to my young master? Believe it or not, I'll twist off your dog-like paw!"
Tu Fu, who had a fiery temper, slammed his fist on the table and jumped up, causing wine to spill from the cups and soup from the dishes.
Sun Limin was so startled that she immediately retracted her hand and didn't dare to utter another word.
Zhuge Heng also didn't dare to face the fierce and imposing Tu Fu. He could only turn to Zhuge Wushuang and roar, "Zhuge Wushuang, what kind of trash friends have you made? I'm telling you, if you dare to be so presumptuous again, get out right now, including you! Our Zhuge family doesn't welcome you!"
Zhuge Wushuang did not get angry. He said calmly, "Brother Daheng, we are all family. Can't we talk things through properly? I must remind you, my friend named Tu has a bad temper, and he has actually killed people!"
Upon hearing this, Zhuge Heng was suddenly startled, especially with Tu Fu's hulking, iron-like physique standing there, his eyes filled with intense killing intent.
Seeing this, Zhuge Wushuang felt it wasn't good to scare him further. He smiled slightly and said, "Brother Daheng, don't worry. Mr. Xiao just said it's fine, and the matter is on my shoulders!"
Zhuge Heng gritted his teeth and said, "You said it yourself. If you can't handle it, you'll have to apologize to the Murong family yourselves. Whether you have to break a leg or an arm will be your own business then, but you can't implicate us."
"Alright, alright, I guarantee we won't implicate you!" Zhuge Wushuang nodded.
"Empty words are not enough. You must swear a solemn oath in front of Old Master..."
This time, before Zhuge Heng could finish, Tu Fu opposite him directly picked up a wine bottle and hurled it at him, cursing, "Damn it, are you ever going to stop!"
Fortunately, Zhuge Heng had some agility and dodged in time, otherwise, his head would have likely been split open by now.
"You three useless things, hurry up and leave!" Old Master Zhuge at the head of the table was utterly speechless. He waved his hand with a stern face.
Zhuge Heng, perhaps fearing that the fierce Tu Fu would make another move, could only leave the table in anger and humiliation, unable to speak.
However, at that moment, a gatekeeper suddenly rushed in and shouted, "Bad news, Patriarch! Many people have arrived outside. The Murong Chamber of Commerce has come to settle the score!"