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After spending a leisurely week in Ghana, Lu Ding Tian did not reach out to me, but Lu Fei's former subordinates had already tracked me down, pleading for my return to compete with Lu Xian for the leadership of Qing Gang. However, I still refused.
I was not worried that they would abandon their struggle against Lu Xian and seek other paths, because I knew they had no other options. Their only path was for me to become the leader of Qing Gang.
"Yan Shao Ye! You can't be so willful anymore. The old man only said a couple of words to you; if you go back now, he definitely won't say anything more. Trust me." Ke Chang Hai, one of Lu Fei's former subordinates, urged me anxiously. I had been observing the conflict with Lu Xian and the ongoing struggle within Qing Gang, which was still at a boiling point.
Moreover, the Southern and Northern Hongmen had yet to make a move. They might have acted covertly, but it was so well-hidden that I couldn't find any trace of it. Therefore, it was not yet the best time for me to return to Qing Gang. Liu Sen was still on the run; although it was difficult, I knew that with the police's secret assistance, he would eventually return to Jinshan Jiao.
If they couldn't find Liu Sen, there would be no way for them to clear Lu Xian's name. Without that, Lu Xian's defeat would be inevitable, and my decision to return or not would not matter much. Given this situation, why not wait until everything settled down and I could see the attitudes of the Southern and Northern Hongmen and Lu Ding Tian before making my move?
"Go ahead."
I dismissed Ke Chang Hai with just three words after he traveled across borders to find me. I didn't express whether I wanted to go back or if I would go back, nor did I mention when I might return. I wanted them to guess; this would keep their enthusiasm for me alive.
However, just the day after sending Ke Chang Hai away, another group found me. My secretary informed me that someone claimed to be Xiang Nanyuan and insisted on seeing me.
"Yan Shao," my secretary said, "this person says that if you say you’re unavailable, he will give his name and you will definitely meet him."
My secretary was a young and beautiful girl with a delicate appearance.
"Xiang Nanyuan?"
I couldn't help but laugh upon hearing that name. The Hongmen people were getting restless again, but Xiang Nanyuan's arrogance remained unchanged from before.
"Bring him to see me."
I instructed my secretary, who soon returned with Xiang Nanyuan by the pool where I usually sunbathed.
"Yan Shao Ye! It's been a while; you still look so spirited!" Xiang Nanyuan greeted me with a smile, his attitude noticeably warmer than before.
In the past, I had been just a pawn in his eyes—moving forward step by step without looking back—fulfilling my obligations before being cast aside. But things were different now; he had abandoned his plans with Lu Xian and Lu Ding Tian. Ultimately, Qing Gang would fall into my hands. I was no longer that pawn; I had taken over Lu Xian's former position.
"Young Master Xiang, it's good to see you well."
I casually replied, fully aware of Xiang Nanyuan's nature. He thrived on flattery, but in reality, such sycophancy held no value. Whether Xiang Nanyuan regarded you as an enemy, a friend, or merely disposable depended solely on whether you posed a threat to him.
It seemed that Xiang Nanyuan sensed my disdain. He chuckled and asked how I had been faring in Ghana lately, his concern feigned as if I were an old friend. Yet, I knew well that he harbored deep resentment towards me. He was aware that the incident involving Han Chuan was orchestrated by me and that I had disrupted their plans. However, for the sake of a more significant agenda, he had to pretend to engage with me as if we were friends.
If you wanted to chat, I would oblige; if you wanted to discuss trivial matters, I would follow suit. After all, it wasn't my urgency to address serious issues. But after a while, Xiang Nanyuan couldn't help but steer the conversation back to business.
"Yan Shao Ye, aren't you curious about why I'm here this time?" he asked with a smile. I shook my head and replied, "Not really."
Xiang Nanyuan was momentarily taken aback, his face displaying clear embarrassment. I admitted that my casual banter might have been a bit disrespectful, but I couldn't help it; I enjoyed this kind of exchange.
"Ha! Yan Shao Ye really knows how to joke. You haven't forgotten our previous agreement, have you? I'm here to support you in becoming the Qing Gang Leader. Once you're in that position, we can help each other out. With Nan Hongmen backing you up, you'll be able to walk through Huaxia with confidence," Xiang Nanyuan said with a grin. Yet his words were essentially meaningless.
Could one truly stride through Huaxia with just Nan Hongmen's support? If Nan Hongmen were the only faction in Huaxia, it wouldn't be an issue. However, there was also North Hongmen, which was closely aligned with Nan Hongmen yet often at odds with them. What kind of confidence could one have in such a situation? If possible, staying out of the conflict between Southern and Northern Hongmen would be the safest route.
I may not have much going on in my life, but one thing I've always excelled at is remembering things. It would be one thing not to bring up past matters with Young Master Xiang; however, if those matters were mentioned, I certainly wouldn't dare collaborate with him again.
As I spoke, I looked at Xiang Nanyuan; we both understood each other well enough. I referred to the time when Xiang Nanyuan had conspired with Lu Ding Tian and Lu Xian to frame me.
Upon hearing me mention that incident, Xiang Nanyuan froze momentarily and let out a dry laugh without denying it. The facts were clear; denying it would serve no purpose.
"This can't all be blamed on me; your father proposed it himself. Are you not aware of his attitude towards Lu Xian? He merely wanted to use you to help Lu Xian establish ties with us at Nan Hongmen," Xiang Nanyuan said with a smile. I didn't doubt his words; I knew well what kind of person Lu Ding Tian was and how he treated both me and Lu Xian. However, one thing puzzled me.
Two months ago, North Hongmen claimed that Lu Ding Tian had only three months left to live. It felt as though Lu Ding Tian was aware of this himself; his recent actions seemed almost like preparations for his own funeral.
Firstly, his goal appeared to be positioning Lu Xian as the successor who could negotiate with Nan Hongmen because Lu Xian had previously maintained close ties with North Hongmen and might struggle to gain Nan Hongmen's trust. Thus, Lu Ding Tian wanted me out of the picture—only by eliminating me could Lu Xian's identity become irreplaceable, effectively forcing Nan Hongmen into cooperation with him.
Moreover, if they wanted me dead, they needed it to be valuable; hence they had Han Chuan claim that I was affiliated with North Hongmen and acted against Lu Fei under their influence. This way, Qing Gang's attack on North Hongmen would seem justified.
But upon reflection—if Lu Ding Tian were truly unaware of his impending demise, there would be no need for such elaborate arrangements. After all, he was still the leader of Qing Gang and could easily choose to collaborate with Nan Hongmen step by step to elevate Lu Xian without going through such convoluted schemes.
At this moment, I began to doubt that Lu Ding Tian's impending death was orchestrated by North Hongmen. It seemed more likely that there was something wrong with him all along, and I suspected that both North Hongmen and Nan Hongmen were aware of it.
I asked Xiang Nanyuan about it.
Upon hearing my question, Xiang Nanyuan smiled and said, "You’re quite clever. Not many people know this news. Your father doesn’t have much time left; according to the doctors, he has at most a little over a month to live."
Really? I was taken aback. But looking at Lu Ding Tian, he appeared quite healthy; there was no sign that his time was running out.
"Your father is suffering from late-stage liver cancer. He relies on some rare treatments that you can't easily find on the market to maintain his health. The Lu Family has just taken the lead in Qing Gang; they haven't solidified their position yet, so this news must remain confidential. Your father originally intended to groom Lu Fei as his successor, but now that Lu Fei is dead, things are quite chaotic."
Xiang Nanyuan sighed with a smile, clearly troubled by the situation. If things had gone according to Lu Ding Tian's plan, Nan Hongmen would have emerged victorious. However, everything was unfolding in a completely unexpected manner.
"Lu Yan," he continued, "even if you hadn’t asked me, I would have told you. I know you don’t appear as carefree as you seem; you also want the leadership of Qing Gang. But time is running out. Although the doctors estimate that Lu Ding Tian can last a little over a month, given the current state of the Lu Family, it’s uncertain how long he will actually hold on. You want to hide away for a while and wait for the right moment to return, but Ghana is quite far away. If anything happens, you might miss your chance."
Xiang Nanyuan smiled at me, and I understood his point completely.
What if Lu Ding Tian were to die suddenly without a clear decision on how to handle Lu Xian's succession? What would happen to Qing Gang then? It would undoubtedly be thrown into chaos. The support for me and for Lu Xian was evenly split; if I didn’t act quickly, Lu Xian would seize the opportunity.
I chuckled lightly and decided not to pursue this topic any further. Xiang Nanyuan was perceptive enough to realize that after our conversation, I had already made up my mind to return home.
Later, Xiang Nanyuan advised me that if anyone from North Hongmen came looking for me, I should keep my distance. He said everyone knew about my grievances with North Hongmen; at this moment, they would prefer to see Qing Gang in disarray rather than allow me to gain power.
I understood his warning well. Back when I was still Xiang Dong, North Hongmen had framed me and nearly caused my death; it also led to Lu Ying becoming a madman. After I became Lu Yan, I had always opposed North Hongmen alongside Lu Fei. They even sent Kang Qin to act beside me before later threatening me.
Indeed, my enmity with North Hongmen ran deep. However, setting aside the past grievances from my time as Xiang Dong, it seemed that my current identity as Lu Yan hadn't reached an irreconcilable point with North Hongmen yet.
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