CHAPTER 1733: CHAPTER 1785: THE ZHAO CLAN OF SOUTHERN SKY’S SCHEME

It is not about assets, not about talent, not about the number of family members, and certainly not about Li Yifei having many women of high quality, including the backing of Su Family’s Su Mengxin. None of these matter; if the Zhao Family wants women, what type would be unavailable? Celebrities? Socialites? Political figures? Or even princesses? Even if they don’t look the part, they could have plastic surgery to become so.

Zhao Tiannan isn’t thinking about these things. As the saying goes, see the essence through the phenomenon; Zhao Tiannan is contemplating the model of the Li family. The rise of the Li family certainly has many accidental factors, but also inevitable ones, particularly regarding the Li family’s model—not like those long-established sprawling and decadent families that have been entrenched for decades. The Li family’s model is very innovative and leans more towards the state’s will.

The thin stack of documents in Zhao Tiannan’s hands all pertains to the Li family, covering both big and small matters, but all are very representative. For example, several things Li Yifei has done recently can be said to have reached the higher echelons, deeply satisfying those in power. As a soldier achieving this, it is truly not easy. Even Zhao Tiannan had to commend him after reading these documents—what a promising young man.

The Li family’s model could be called a new type of family—it doesn’t overly offend the nation, doesn’t compete with the state for profits, nor with the people, which is what the country hopes to see. Of course, Zhao Tiannan understands what the state’s moves over these past few years represent; it dislikes those massive families dominating a territory, but there’s no effective way to deal with them, only influencing them gradually through policy.

The Zhao Family is keenly aware of this, but as the largest family in the Southern Sky Province, how could it change? Even if Zhao Tiannan is the most outstanding clan chief of this generation, with great authority, he cannot alter this already entrenched model.

It is a proven fact that families not adhering to the state’s will must eventually perish. Those families that couldn’t correctly interpret the state’s intentions have largely become history in the decades since the country’s founding. Acknowledging this, the seventy-year-old Zhao Tiannan feels powerless. Despite being healthy, without illness or disaster, and having sharp thinking, he cannot find a good way to bring about change.

The Li family, a family that expanded rapidly to prominence in the province after only a few years, aligns with the nation’s hopes and caters to national interests. Of course, the country truly wishes for no families to exist, but that’s currently unattainable, thus the ’obedient’ Li family becomes pleasing to the state, and naturally ’favored’ because of Li Yifei and others knowing how to behave.

"The bigger the tail, the harder it is to move; difficult to change!" Zhao Tiannan sighed as he was alone in the room. Every day at this time, he had his solitary time for contemplation. This was almost a daily unchanging habit; thinking about things in a quiet environment was Zhao Tiannan’s practice. Similarly, as the second-generation clan chief of the Zhao family, this elder bearing the Southern Sky in his name never viewed issues impulsively like a child.

Once Zhao Tiannan understood the Li family, grasped the nation’s will, and saw the various rising and falling roles behind the Li family, he pondered for a while and came up with a plan.

Compared to the Zhao family, the Li family is still too weak; Zhao Tiannan wouldn’t even need to appear. The Zhao family could send someone from the younger generation to eradicate the Li family. Of course, this was Zhao Tiannan’s thought, but he was more interested in the Li family’s model, so he didn’t plan to take immediate drastic measures to destroy the Li family.

Picking up the phone, Zhao Tiannan dialed the number of Second Master Zhao’s father, who was also Zhao Tiannan’s second son. Once connected, Zhao Tiannan issued a few instructions; his second son listened and quickly nodded in agreement, not daring to disagree.

After issuing orders targeting the Li family, Zhao Tiannan put the matter aside for the time being; he couldn’t afford to expend too much effort on this issue. Would adults find it difficult to deal with children? Perhaps some would, but certainly not everyone.

Far away, thousands of miles from Zhao Tiannan’s decision, the people of the Li family were unaware. However, before Li Yifei departed, he already stated clearly that they should be wary of Zhao’s retaliation and could not take it lightly. The rationale is simple: the Zhao family is too big and powerful. The Zhao Family might sneeze or snore, but if the Li Family doesn’t pay attention, a sneeze from the Zhao Family could be enough for the Li Family to catch a cold, possibly even serious like avian flu.

At present, the people of the Li family are more focused on the impending competition involving Li Yifei. Before leaving, Li Yifei promised there would be no risk of life; if he couldn’t win, at worst, he would concede. Absolutely, there would be no life-or-death struggle, not because Li Yifei feared death but because his responsibilities had changed, and he couldn’t afford to be reckless.

A waiting Second Master Zhao in the provincial capital soon received his father’s call. After hearing a few sentences and seeing his face change dramatically, he objected a bit in confusion. After hearing his father’s explanation, he turned anger into joy and quickly said, "Alright, I know what to do. Dad, inform Grandpa to await my good news!"

It’s unknown what Second Master Zhao’s father said on the other side; Second Master Zhao impatiently responded, "I know, I will be discreet. Rest assured, it’s just a small family; no matter how skilled they are, what can they do without money these days?"

Ending the call, Second Master Zhao summoned Zhao Wu, issued commands to him, and Zhao Wu accepted and left. Second Master Zhao paced around his room, rubbing his hands together, a wicked smile appearing on his face as he muttered, "Trying to hit me? Hmph, Li Yifei, if I don’t play you to death, then this name is just wasted!"

On Fog Island, countless people waited as a cry came from afar, and suddenly, a figure crashed down, seemingly descending from the heavens. Only a few people saw clearly that because this person was too fast, they jumped high from a distant point, surpassing human limits many times over, landing heavily as if a massive force hit the ground.

The people around who were far away felt the ground shaking, and those closer even felt a gust of wind hitting them, painfully biting their faces.

The island fell silent at once, people’s attention was instantly focused, everyone guessing who the newcomer was—Golden Eagle or Satan.

Mig raised his eyelids, looking at the figure still hidden in dust and mist, a faint smirk appearing at the corner of his mouth as he said, "This time you arrived first."

Gan Ma, sitting in postured suspension for a long time, still kept his eyes closed, his lips moving slightly, not speaking, but murmuring an obscure scripture. However, it was clear that he too knew who had arrived.

The smile on the face of Orbach, the main character in red, slowly disappeared, a glint shining from his deep eyes. Looking at the figure in the field, Orbach marked a cross on his chest, uncertain if he was praying or lamenting.

Omba, the Chilean Wolf, cast a chilling look as the air around her cooled, so much so that those already at some distance had to step further away.