Chapter 1377 — The Wu Family's Reaction
The Blossom Guardian · Page 1 of 2
"Jiaoqi, I was the one who said it—don't blame him." Wu Gonggao asked weakly from his sickbed, "Tell me, then. What exactly has happened?"
"Father, your heart..." Wu Jiaoqi feared it might be news bad for the Wu family, and moved at once to stop him.
"It's nothing—I'm not about to die yet. Chentian, that boy, is too impulsive; as his grandfather, I have to shoulder this for him." He waved a hand and went on.
Wu Jiaoqi sighed. His father, for all these years, had clung to the seat of family head in that overbearing way of his without ever passing it to him, and he had nursed his share of resentment over it. But ever since his son Wu Chengtian had shown a talent for martial cultivation, Wu Gonggao had grown ever more attentive to the boy—doting on him, even—and at family meetings had more than once proposed that Wu Chengtian be made the next head of the Wu family!
Only then had Wu Jiaoqi's mind come into balance. In his own generation he was not the only child: there was an elder sister and a younger brother. The sister was one thing—already married, she could compete with him for nothing. But the real crux of it was his younger brother and his young nephew. Those two were the true threat to him, Wu Jiaoqi.
But now all was well. Wu Chengtian had been designated the next heir, so Wu Jiaoqi need not worry himself sick over the pair. He had even come round to seeing it another way: even if he never took the seat himself, so long as his father's health held, it was entirely possible the old man would live to hand the position straight to Wu Chengtian. What was there left to fight for?
When the day came and Wu Chengtian sat in the chair, he, the outgoing head, would wield just as much power.
At that moment, however, Wu Jiaoqi's younger brother Wu Jiaolong spoke up. His face was fierce, his voice harsh, his eyes brimming: "Father, you must spare your body! You are the pillar of the Wu family. If your health gives way, then our family is finished. There is no need to take the blame for a junior's mistake!"
"That's right, Grandfather. Brother Chentian may have caused trouble, but the Wu family still has me!" The speaker was Wu Chendi, Wu Chengtian's younger brother. He had always been a dutiful, well-behaved boy with a deep and calculating mind, and he could not fathom why Grandfather had never thought well of him, but favored that fool of an elder brother instead!
Every good thing went to Wu Chengtian, while he, Wu Chendi, could only remain in obscurity. What sort of justice was that? When it came to cultivation, he was no worse—one year younger, he had broken through to the early Yellow Rank a step behind, and the two of them were now evenly matched in strength. Why did Grandfather still refuse to look at him in a better light?
Wu Gonggao glanced coolly at Wu Jiaolong and Wu Chendi and said evenly, "Then, by your reckoning, the plan is to abandon Wu Chengtian and put every scrap of the family's resources into training you, Wu Chendi?"
"Grandfather, that is not what your grandson meant..." Wu Chendi felt stifled with grievance. Of course it is exactly what I meant—but why did you have to say it outright? Even if it were, I could hardly admit so much in front of all these people!
"If that is not what you meant, then say no more about it." Wu Gonggao cut him short and turned to the disciple of the family's intelligence group. "Speak. What exactly has happened?"
"Reporting to the family head: Jin Wudi is dead." Finding the Wu family tearing itself apart, the disciple grew cautious.
"Dead? What did you say? Jin Wudi dead? How did he die?" Wu Gonggao's gaze hardened. He sat bolt upright in bed, the old sharpness flooding back into his eyes as he fixed the disciple with a piercing stare.
"Beaten to death by Er Goudan—that is, the leader Young Master Tian has just taken in. One punch, killed outright." the disciple said.