A Good-for-Nothing

162. Libel (2)

Translator: Dragon Rider

In the residential compound of He family.

He Changchun was unaware of Qiao Peiyu’s doings for the moment, for he was too otherwise engaged to care.

Old Master Zhu seemed to mean every word he’d said to him on the phone. He Changchun’s proclamation of his disownment of He Zheng had ignited Old Master Zhu’s anger. Technically speaking, the Zhu family had a history longer than that of the He family. He Changchun knew very well the Zhu family was financially solid, but it’d never crossed his mind that the old man would go to such lengths.

Currently, the main source of income of the He family was not their geomantic service but their commercial businesses, which had been thriving over the past few years and added brilliance to the family name.

However, this morning, He Changchun was informed that someone had been making hostile purchase of shares in their company. He Changchun didn’t have much acquaintance with business and only knew that He Qin had been having a tough time tackling it.

And the purchaser of the shares was none other than Old Master Zhu’s eldest son.

It seemed that people of the Zhu family were determined to make the He family suffer, and they didn’t care whether or not they’d lose money.

He was fretting about this matter when the nursemaid told him that Li Zong came to visit him with somebody.

The sound of Li Zong’s name alone gave He Changchun headaches. Of course he didn’t want to see Li Zong, for he knew Li Zong was here to talk about He Zheng’s share of the family property.

However, Li Zong was not the kind of person he could refuse to meet as he pleased.

He Changchun was fully aware that he had no alternative but to steel himself to meet him, no matter how reluctant he was.

He rearranged his clothes to make himself more presentable before walking out.

The two of them briefly greeted each other, maintaining a pretence of friendliness.

However, the man standing beside Li Zong struck He Changchun as a trifle familiar. Li Zong said to the man, “Maybe you should give Mr. He a greeting?”

Intimidated by the air of authority about Li Zong, the man tentatively called, “Uncle.”

On hearing this form of address, He Changchun recalled that he was Qiao Peiyu’s nephew.

“Supt. Li… Ahem, Group Leader Li, may I ask what this is about?”

“I came here to talk to you about two matters. Let’s start with the relatively serious one.” Li Zong sat down and glanced at the man. “He libeled the Li family and the He family in a an article posted on a BBS of the Internal Website of SMB at the request of Mrs. He. As this man is kin to Mrs. He after all, I feel obliged to come and ask for your opinions before punishment is meted out on him.”

He Changchun was startled, perplexed as to what was going on, but he knew that Li Zong would never make any unfounded accusations. Heart sinking, he instructed the nursemaid, “Call Mrs. He down here.”

While waiting for Qiao Peiyu, He Changchun ran an eye over the post that had been delegated. His face turned green. He Zheng was the poster’s sole target. However, though he’d disowned He Zheng, He Zheng’s surname was still He!

A mere glance at the post was enough for He Changchun to know that this was Qiao Peiyu’s doing. He couldn’t help but inwardly curse this stupid woman.

Qiao Peiyu walked downstairs. At the sight of her nephew, she had an inkling that things had gone south, secretly uttered “Damn it” but quickly figured out a countermeasure.

She walked up to them and, casting aside all consideration of face, directly knelt down to the ground in the presence of Li Zong and the others, tears brimming in her eyes before she spoke. “Changchun, it was my doing. It was all my fault.”

He Changchun nearly fainted from anger, repeatedly glancing at Li Zong. If it weren’t for his fear of losing face further, he would have slapped her hard across the face. His insides burning with fury, barely able to keep sitting on the sofa, He Changchun clenched his teeth and managed to forebear from roaring. “Why did you do that? Are you out of your mind?!”

Determined to take advantage of He Changchun’s caring about his respectability, Qiao Peiyu instantly started sobbing, “Last night, seeing you coming home so angry, I was indignant, so I–”

“So you had your nephew libel He Zheng on the internal website.” Li Zong’s voice was bland.

Qiao Peiyu paused and then continued, “It w–wasn’t really libel. He was telling the truth.”

Surprisingly, Li Zong didn’t get angry. “Your definition of truth is pretty interesting.”

He Changchun closed his eyes and said to Li Zong, “You may deal with this matter in whatever way you like.”

“A staff member misused public resources for personal use, which negatively influenced the bureau, and naturally we’ll see to it that he receives the punishment he deserves, but given Mrs. He’s conduct, the Li family’s lawyer will officially sue her for defamation on our behalf.”

Nobody could have foreseen that Li Zong would make a decision like this.

But He Changchun knew that Li Zong was by no means joking.

Li Zong, who was a busy man, didn’t have time for their nonsense. “Now let’s talk about the second matter. Patriarch He, you’ve declared your disownment of He Zheng. Of course, I’ll make a proclamation as well.”

The Li family’s lawyer had even got all related papers ready. Li Zong opened them in front of He Changchun and the others. “All real estate and stocks listed here are in the name of Mrs. Zhu. If He Zheng wants them, they’ll be transferred to him; if he doesn’t, we’ll designate a fiduciary to handle it.”

It’d been many years since the last time He Changchun had bothered about family business. He took up the papers, cast an eye over the list and nearly blacked out with shock – apart from the real estate that had been taken away when He Zheng had married Li Zong, around thirty percent of the shares in the He family’s company were in Zhu Ning’s name!

“Al–All these?” He Changchun had trouble swallowing.

“If there’s anything you don’t quite understand, you may call your lawyer over and we can check these papers together.”

He Changchun felt as though his insides had turned to ice. What else could he do about it? Signing them was his only option.

The pen in He Changchun’s hand felt as if it weighed a ton. After putting his signature to the papers, He Changchun, quickly tossed the pen aside,  heedless of the fact that it might compromise his respectability, his forehead covered in cold sweat.

Li Zong enjoyed this scene but didn’t show anything on his face.

After putting away the papers, Li Zong told the lawyer to go first and begin the legal procedures.

He Changchun was ready to see them out, but unexpectedly, Li Zong had no intention to leave. Eyes resting on Qiao Peiyu who was still on her knees trying to get off with minor bodily suffering, Li Zong said, “Now that these two matters have been handled, let’s talk about an old score that He Zheng has been meaning to settle.”