Chapter 307 — Gu Pengzhan's Predicament

To demand a hundred million upfront was outright extortion! When had the Liu family ever suffered such a loss? Even if he was a divine physician, a few million would have been the absolute limit. To dare ask for a hundred million—hmph, well then, if you dare to demand it, you had better be able to keep it!

Of course, if Liu Tianyi knew how shortsighted and selfish his wife was being, he would probably explode with rage. A hundred million was no small sum, but what a bargain it was to gain the friendship of a divine physician in return!

Would she never grow old and fall ill herself? Would she never come begging to Wei Zhao then? What a brainless, spendthrift shrew.

Clearly, however, Liu Tianyi had no idea of this, so that when Wu Chengtian went to make trouble for Wei Zhao, it was already too late for him to stop it.

Gu Pengzhan was in a foul mood today. Jin Gubang had actually proposed convening a board meeting to hold an election for a new chairman!

Thinking of the connection between Jin Gubang and Xie Guangbo the day before, a chill ran through Gu Pengzhan's heart! For the first time, he felt this kind of helplessness. He could no longer control the whole situation!

Right up until the board meeting was convened the day before, Gu Pengzhan had still been full of confidence, certain he could purge the company of its vermin, whittle away Jin Gubang's power bit by bit, and finally drive him out of the company.

But now things had gone beyond his expectations! The company's second and third largest shareholders had actually joined forces. The shares in their hands already surpassed his own, and united against him at the board meeting, he would be unable to respond.

When had the company come to this?

The company his father had founded was, in his own hands, about to be handed over to someone else?

Gu Pengzhan had never told his father about company matters. Since his father was retired and enjoying a peaceful old age, he did not want company affairs to disturb him.

Besides, in Gu Pengzhan's view, company matters were nothing serious. As long as he held firmly to the shares in his hand, even if a shareholder or two were a little greedy and a little selfish, Gu Pengzhan believed he was still capable of dealing with it.

But the coalition of shareholders was an accident Gu Pengzhan had never anticipated.

He was at his wit's end. Jin Gubang was determined to go through with the chairman's re-election and had already joined forces with Xie Guangbo to contact the other board members, so there was no possibility of reconciliation at all. Perhaps in a few days, he would no longer be the company's chairman.

In his helplessness, Gu Pengzhan had no choice but to dial his father's number. Though he was reluctant to disturb him, matters had reached such a critical pass that Gu Pengzhan had to explain the company's situation to the old man Chu.

Old Man Chu listened quietly to Gu Pengzhan's words without interrupting, and after he had finished, was silent for a moment.

"Dad, what do you think..." Gu Pengzhan felt utterly exhausted. With a third of the directors won over by Jin Gubang, a board meeting could be proposed, and even as chairman he could not stop that fact! And since Jin Gubang wanted to convene this board meeting, he must be confident of replacing him as chairman!

"Actually, I saw the problems in the company's board long ago." Old Man Chu's voice was calm. "Pengzhan, you are too kind and too soft-hearted. That may count as a virtue, but you must understand that business is like war—mercy to the enemy is cruelty to yourself. People are all driven by greed and self-interest, so it is only natural that directors would band together to seize power."

"Then you mean..." Gu Pengzhan was taken aback. From his father's tone, it seemed he did not intend to involve himself in the matter.

"Go find Wei Zhao," Old Man Chu said with a faint sigh. "In this situation, perhaps only he can help you..."

"Him?" Gu Pengzhan was startled. "Dad, when you say to bring him in, you don't mean for him and Yaoyao..."

"Heh, he may have a way. Who knows." Old Man Chu did not say it plainly, only smiled meaningfully.

"Dad, I understand." Gu Pengzhan hung up. He did not know why his father wanted him to seek out Wei Zhao, because he truly could not work it out—in a situation like this, what could Wei Zhao possibly do?

Wei Zhao was not a shareholder of the company, held no shares in it, and had no say at all in a board meeting. But since the old man had named him and told him to go, Gu Pengzhan could only hold on to the hope of giving it a try.

Gu Pengzhan truly had never imagined that he, a business titan who commanded the winds and clouds, would be schemed against by the son of his father's old friend. Had he really been too merciful before? Perhaps his father was right—if, when the first signs had appeared, he had cut through the knot with a sharp blade without hesitation, then today's troubles might never have arisen!

True, certain shareholders would grumble that he had shown no regard for his elders' feelings, but that was still far better than being reduced to such a helpless dead end as today!

After a moment's hesitation, Gu Pengzhan spoke to Li Fu, who was driving. "Take us to Yaoyao's villa."

"Very good, Mr. Gu." Qing Bo sighed. "Mr. Gu, you shouldn't be too anxious either. Since Old Master Chu says Wei Zhao has a way, then he should indeed have a way."

"Let us hope so," Gu Pengzhan said with a nod.

Wei Zhao parked the car in front of Gu Mengyao's villa, only to see a Bentley turn in right behind him; a closer look showed it was Qing Bo's car.

Wei Zhao got out and did not go into the villa. He waited until Qing Bo's car had parked, and then saw Gu Pengzhan climb out of it. "Xiaoyi?"

Gu Pengzhan had not expected Wei Zhao to have only just returned as well. He glanced at the van Wei Zhao had been driving, somewhat surprised. "Your car?"

"Oh, I helped Qiu Lingshan catch a wanted criminal. That Black Panther fellow." Wei Zhao did not hide it. "The car was Black Panther's. I only got the plates registered through Qiu Lingshan this afternoon."

Gu Pengzhan nodded. He had not expected Wei Zhao to have quietly built up his own connections here in Songshan City. That he could keep this car from Qiu Lingshan's hands clearly showed the two shared no ordinary relationship.

"Xiaoyi, Uncle Chu has something he wants to discuss with you!" Gu Pengzhan did not dwell on the matter of the car, but clapped Wei Zhao on the shoulder and said.

"Oh? All right. Shall we talk inside?" Wei Zhao locked the van's door.

Gu Pengzhan hesitated a moment, then said, "Why don't we get in my car instead?"

Wei Zhao was briefly taken aback, then understood at once. He nodded. "All right."

Wei Zhao guessed that Gu Pengzhan had something he did not want Gu Mengyao to overhear, and so had chosen to speak with him inside the car.