"Then I beg you, old sir, to dismiss me first," said Li Yurou, huffily placing a large plate of fruit before him. "Eat up."
"Hahaha..."
The elders present burst into hearty laughter. Li Yusheng joined them with a couple of chuckles, casting a helpless glance at his flustered sister.
Xie Wei, Chairman of Zhengda Group and the current patriarch of the Xie family. Simply stating this might not fully convey his status and influence.
During the Republic of China era, the nation was plagued by continuous natural disasters and human turmoil. The Xie family, facing desperation, had no choice but to seek fortune abroad. They settled in Siam and ventured into the seed business. With their exceptional business acumen and intelligence, their enterprise flourished like a raging fire. To this day, Zhengda Group boasts over four hundred companies, employing no less than two hundred thousand people and directly impacting the livelihoods of millions. The wealth accumulated by their entire family exceeds a hundred billion US dollars, making them truly rich enough to rival a nation.
Accompanying Xie Wei with his convivial banter was a portly elder named Shi Yongchang, the host of today's gathering. Those who could engage in conversation with Xie Wei were by no means ordinary individuals.
"Alright, alright, don't bully the child," said a lean, dignified elder seated in the center, raising his hand.
"Patriarch Zheng is right."
"I was just joking with the little girl."
"Yurou is so charming."
Zheng Xingchao, the third wealthiest man in Siam. In terms of financial strength, he couldn't compare to the others present. However, he possessed a formidable lineage: his ancestor was Zheng Xin, the King of Siam! Zheng Xin established the Thonburi Kingdom, successfully unified Siam, and was recognized by the Qing Dynasty, becoming the first overseas king to be enfeoffed by China and a heroic figure in Siamese history. Yet, his end was a lamentable tragedy. His close confidant, Rama Kri, the ancestor of the current Siamese royal family, usurped the throne and burned Zheng Xin alive. Before his death, Zheng Xin, in his extreme anger, cursed, "The dynasty that seizes my throne shall not last beyond nine generations!"
At that time, the Qing Dynasty was considered the celestial empire by Siam. Fearing reprisal from the imperial court, Rama Kri refrained from persecuting Zheng Xin's relatives, allowing the Zheng family descendants to flourish to this day.
"Yusheng, can you agree to my request?" Zheng Xingchao's face was solemn, his fists clenched, the veins on the back of his hands bulging, indicative of his heavy heart.
"Uncle Zheng." Li Yusheng felt an immense weight pressing down on him, suffocating him. In his usual practice of geomancy, divining dragon veins and acupoints, he had never felt such tension. Zheng Xingchao's request was for him to divine the national fortune of Siam! More precisely, the fortune of the current Siamese royal family! Zheng Xin had cursed the Rama Dynasty to fall within nine generations. Although the current Siamese king was referred to as the tenth, his father had inherited the throne through abdication after his elder brother's unexpected death. Thus, strictly speaking, the current reign was the ninth generation.
With the presence of so many influential families, Li Yusheng understood their intentions. His words could determine the succession of the Siamese dynasty and impact the fate of countless people. Even if Lin Xingnan were alive, he would be hesitant and uncertain in such a situation.
"Speak!" Zheng Xingchao urged, his tone clearly anxious. The Zheng family had endured for over two hundred years since their ancestor's throne was usurped. Now, the current Siamese king was incompetent and widely resented, making the Zheng family see the reality of their ancestor's curse and planning to secretly hasten the dynasty's change. Li Yusheng's forehead beaded with cold sweat; he wished he could say nothing.
"Yusheng, this is not the style of a successor of Lin Xingnan," Zheng Xingchao said, his expression darkening with displeasure.
The previously cheerful atmosphere instantly fell silent. Not a single family patriarch uttered a word; they all held their breath, awaiting Li Yusheng's response. The Zheng family had bestowed favors upon them, and now it was time to repay their kindness. Regardless of what the Zheng family intended, they would offer their full support. Furthermore, as Lü Buwei said: "To govern a nation is to reap endless benefits!" Ordinary businesses no longer held much appeal for them given their scale of wealth. Who wouldn't want the power to manipulate the destinies of others during a dynastic transition?
Suddenly! A mobile phone ringtone echoed through the air. Zheng Xingchao was instantly enraged, but his anger subsided slightly when he saw Li Yurou fumbling to retrieve her phone.
"Lin Fan?" Upon seeing the name on the screen, Li Yurou's eyes sparkled as if she had found a treasure.
"Brother, Lin Fan is calling!" Li Yurou's voice was cheerful, her smile radiant.
"Lin Fan?" Zheng Xingchao repeated the name, unable to comprehend why Li Yurou was so happy. They were discussing matters of state, of great import concerning millions of lives! Thinking this, Zheng Xingchao became even more displeased, feeling his importance disregarded.
"Uncle Zheng, I'll take this call," Li Yurou winked and rose to answer the phone.
"Uncle Zheng, this Lin Fan is no ordinary person," Li Yusheng said with a smile, pouring Zheng Xingchao a cup of hot tea.
"What's so extraordinary about him?" Although Zheng Xingchao's tone was calm, those familiar with him could tell he was on the verge of losing his temper.
"This person possesses peculiar eyes, capable of observing earth veins and feng shui, and can predict fortunes and misfortunes. He is a foremost marvel of this era." Li Yusheng displayed an expression of admiration, thinking: Finally, a way to offload this hot potato.
Zheng Xingchao's expression changed: "Is this true?"
"Absolutely true!" Li Yusheng nodded vigorously, recounting the incident at West Lake. In his narration, he extolled Lin Fan to the skies, while portraying himself as barely holding on, enduring immense hardship, and only managing a draw by sheer luck. After finishing, he himself found it incredible. His sister and he had yearned to defeat Lin Fan, and now they had praised him to the heavens.
"Hiss~ Truly, the world is vast and full of wonders!"
"Ancient texts record such exceptional individuals existing in every dynasty."
"The two chairmen of the Northern Feng Shui Association vying to take him as a disciple, it seems to be true."
Everyone marveled and became curious about Lin Fan.
"Where is Lin Fan?" Zheng Xingchao's face was grave, his tone extremely urgent. Without a doubt, what he needed most at this moment was someone like Lin Fan, possessing such extraordinary skills, to help him realize the grand ambition of the Zheng family.
It's quite interesting. Out of Siam's nine million Chinese, eight million are from Cantonese-speaking regions. They share a common trait: superstition, especially profound superstition. The reason Zheng Xingchao sought out Li Yusheng was to prove the efficacy of his ancestor's curse and initiate a rebellion akin to Liu Bang slaying the white snake.