"Young Master Xu, how is it?"
At the Hanjiang Grand Hotel, Yuan Liangping looked at Xu Shengqing with anticipation.
Xu Shengqing shook his head helplessly and said, "Still can't reach her. I have to go back to the capital!"
Yuan Liangping's heart sank.
He had been counting on Xu Shengqing to bring out the eldest daughter of the Chen family, but it turned out she was unreachable.
According to Xu Shengqing, his cousin was a veritable little devil who did whatever she pleased and was doted on by Old Master Chen, so no one could control her.
Although Xu Shengqing was her elder cousin, he didn't have much influence over the eldest daughter of the Chen family.
Yuan Liangping silently picked up his wine and drank it in one gulp, his mind racing.
He considered the possibility of Xu Shengqing leaving and never returning, and finally said, "I'll take you to the airport tomorrow!"
Xu Shengqing smiled and said, "Liangping, don't worry. I'll settle the five hundred million auction payment before I leave!"
Yuan Liangping was stunned and asked, "Didn't we agree that I would pay?"
Xu Shengqing saying this made him even more uneasy, feeling that Xu Shengqing might be distancing himself from him.
After Chen Fan's disturbance last night, his current situation was precarious.
Regarding his earlier claims at the auction about forming a group company and consortium with families like the Lin and Dai families, those prominent families had not mentioned it again afterward.
This meant he had lost the trust of the local celebrities in Hangjiang.
The prestige of Xu Shengqing, a young master from the capital, had also greatly diminished in the eyes of Hangjiang's local elites.
His plan, his ambition, had been ruined simply because of the name Mr. Long and the staggering auction price of one billion yuan!
It was ridiculous!
Yet, it was an undeniable fact.
His only remaining ally was Xu Shengqing.
If Xu Shengqing cut ties with him, Yuan Liangping, though still a young master from Jiangbei, would be powerless in Hangjiang and would only be a passerby.
"Five hundred million, I can still afford it."
Xu Shengqing raised his wine glass, took a sip, and said, "Besides, even though this five hundred million is a loss, it wasn't spent in vain. As long as the 'Canglan Tu' can make the Old Master happy, this loss is bearable!"
Yuan Liangping nodded thoughtfully.
"What I can't accept is failing like this!"
"That mysterious Mr. Long, without even showing his face, has rendered me worthless? I can't accept that even more!"
Xu Shengqing was still smiling, but his eyes were dark, and his smile was somewhat eerie.
"If we can't even manage in a mere Hangjiang, then you and I might as well be content with being young masters, enjoying a life of debauchery!"
Hearing this, Yuan Liangping's eyes lit up, and he felt a surge of emotion.
His words struck a chord with him.
If he abandoned his ambitions and lived as a carefree young master, it wouldn't be a problem; the wealth of the Yuan family was more than enough for him to squander for a lifetime.
But that wasn't what he wanted!
The reason for his close relationship with Xu Shengqing stemmed from this shared sense of misfortune.
"My cousin is only one aspect!" Xu Shengqing said sinisterly. "We need to make another preparation!"
"What preparation?"
Yuan Liangping asked with anticipation.
"Isn't that Mr. Long very mysterious, always hiding his face?"
"Mm?"
Xu Shengqing said menacingly, "Then let's make it so that whenever he wants to show his face, it becomes useless!"
"What do you mean?" Yuan Liangping frowned.
Xu Shengqing lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and said word by word, "Kill that Chen Fan!"
Yuan Liangping was shocked and blurted out, "Then Mr. Long will surely be enraged. Can we withstand his wrath?"
Xu Shengqing snorted and said, "When he's enraged, have the Old Master speak. I don't believe he would dare defy my Old Master's face!"
Yuan Liangping's eyes lit up.
With the backing of Old Master Chen, why would they fear Mr. Long?
But Old Master Chen was a man of such status; how could he possibly intervene in such matters?
Based on his understanding of Xu Shengqing, the Old Master didn't value him this much.
"Su Yingxia!"
Xu Shengqing narrowed his eyes, looking out the window, and slowly said, "The key to all this still lies with Su Yingxia!"
"How so?"
Yuan Liangping, not understanding the implications, couldn't help but ask.
"My maternal grandfather, who usually stays out of everything, made an exception because of Su Yingxia!" Xu Shengqing looked in the direction of the capital, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.
"What is his status, yet he sent me to resolve the troubles of a small Su family a thousand miles away? What does that imply?"
Yuan Liangping's heart skipped a beat, as if he had grasped something, and his gaze gradually brightened.
Xu Shengqing answered his own question, "It means Su Yingxia is special in his heart!"
"Indeed, this is a viable breakthrough."
Yuan Liangping understood immediately, but then he thought of another possibility: "The Su family's troubles have already been resolved. Old Master Chen won't intervene again, will he?"
"Who says it's resolved?"
Xu Shengqing was not at all hesitant to scheme against his own maternal grandfather.
"I haven't contacted the Old Master since I came to Hangjiang, and he wouldn't care about the outcome of such a small matter! Someone of his high status, with just a word, would have the problem neatly resolved."
Yuan Liangping nodded, now understanding Xu Shengqing's intention, and said, "Have Su Yingxia ask Old Master Chen for help again."
"If it's a new problem, someone of Old Master Chen's status wouldn't bother. But if the original problem escalates, and he's already involved, he'll continue to intervene, right?"
"Exactly!" Xu Shengqing nodded.
After all, he was a member of the Chen family, and Xu Shengqing understood the ways of such aristocratic families very clearly.
"Simply put, kill Chen Fan, implicate the Su family and that Jiang family, preferably making it appear that they were responsible."
"Then, when Mr. Long is enraged, have Su Yingxia seek help from Old Master Chen! No matter how powerful Mr. Long is, he can't afford to disregard Old Master Chen's face. You and I can then use Old Master Chen's influence to clean up the mess!"
As Xu Shengqing spoke, he turned his gaze towards the direction of Xiangshan Tanfu, his eyes flashing with cold light and a rising killing intent.
Yuan Liangping was overjoyed and said excitedly, "At that time, Mr. Long will have no face to remain in Hangjiang, and Hangjiang will still be our domain!"
Xu Shengqing patted Yuan Liangping's shoulder and smiled, "It depends on whether you dare to do it. I can't help you with this matter!"
"Besides arranging everything flawlessly, you also need Su Yingxia's cooperation."
"As for me, although I'll lose some face, the impact should not be significant since the opponent is Mr. Long!"
Yuan Liangping's expression shifted as he considered the risks and rewards.
After a moment, he nodded and said, "I've wanted to kill that Chen Fan for a long time. I just didn't expect him to be Mr. Long's man, and in a way, a representative!"
"If this person isn't eliminated, Mr. Long's shadow will always loom over Hangjiang!"
"I will make proper arrangements!"
Xu Shengqing looked pleased and said, "I'll return to the capital tomorrow morning. When I return to Hangjiang, I hope Chen Fan will no longer exist!"
"Good!"
Yuan Liangping nodded, raised his glass, and said, "Then I'll await your good news, Young Master Xu!"
After finishing his drink, Yuan Liangping returned to his suite.
"Liangping!" Yuan Fangfei leaned over and said, "What are your plans?"
"Don't worry!"
Yuan Liangping smiled and said, "This time, I'll get revenge for my sister and send that Chen Fan on his way. All problems will be solved!"
Yuan Fangfei's expression brightened, and she hugged Yuan Liangping, saying, "You never disappoint me!"
Yuan Liangping narrowed his eyes and said, "I've heard that Chen Fan is quite good at fighting, and his identity is a bit special. We need to find professionals to handle this. Moreover, I need someone to take the blame!"
He already had a suitable candidate in mind for who would take the blame.