Cao Qiang remained silent for a while.

Although he is still irritable and easily agitated, he is better than before.

"Wouldn't Cao Changyu surrender to Tao Feng, or at least make contact with Cao He beforehand?"

Cao Wang shook his head directly: "Cao Changyu wants to surrender to Tao Feng, but Tao Feng definitely won't accept it."

Tao Feng had long wanted to eliminate the Cao family.

Not only did Cao Changyu surrender to Tao Feng, but Tao Feng didn't want him either; we can only use Tao Feng as a tool.

Cao Qiang's desire to cooperate directly with Tao Feng vanished instantly.

Cao Wang continued his analysis: "Even if Cao He wanted to unite with Cao Changyu, this wouldn't be the time."

He'll definitely wait until we're locked in a fierce battle, even to the point of mutual destruction, before he'll offer any assistance to Cao Changyu.

"even-"

Seeing that Cao Qiang had taken it to heart, Cao Wang had the idea to say more.

"In fact, Cao He might wait until we are both exhausted before coming to reap the rewards and wipe you and Cao Changyu out."

Cao Qiang's heart skipped a beat.

He's straightforward and impulsive, but not stupid.

She was raised according to the norms of aristocratic families from a young age.

"Then tell me, what should we do next?"

Seeing that Cao Qiang had actually listened and consulted him, Cao Wang felt much more relieved.

As long as the young master is someone who can listen to advice, the Cao family can still be saved.

“Your half-brother Chang Geng has always been intelligent and resourceful. This assassination attempt on the head of the family was not his idea, but rather Cao He’s own initiative.”

Cao Qiang snorted. His half-brothers were all eyeing his position as the young master, thinking he was unaware of it.

Cao Wang sighed inwardly. This was the problem with the young master. He never tried to win over his half-brothers, treating them as if they didn't exist.

However, Cao Qiang had one redeeming quality: he never bullied his half-brothers. He simply treated them like subordinates, not like brothers.

Indeed, this is the rule in aristocratic families: children born out of wedlock can only help the legitimate son and serve as his pawns. No matter how talented they are, they can only serve the legitimate son.

Cao Wang advised, "Although Chang Geng and Cao He are now on the same side, they are not very harmonious. The main issue is the assassination of the family head. Chang Geng and Cao He even had a big argument about it."

After that, they basically went their separate ways.

Cao Changgeng wanted to make a name for himself and was quite capable, but he never had the intention to kill his father.

He became close to Cao He only to obtain resources from Cao He so that he could escape the fate of working for Cao Qiang.

He was an illegitimate son, but he refused to be appointed, not wanting to work himself to death and end up as Cao Qiang's subordinate.

Cao Changgeng managed half of the Cao family's businesses, and he did so very successfully.

He is a rare talent.

No matter how talented he is, his status is only about the same as that of a butler.

The businesses he ran ultimately belonged to Cao Qiang.

Cao Qiang was still dissatisfied: "But he still betrayed his father and did not break with Cao He to avenge his father. He is unfilial."

Personal prejudices cannot be changed in a short time, especially since such prejudices are rooted in the education of aristocratic families.

Cao Qiang's attitude towards his illegitimate sons made it difficult for him to bow down to them or cooperate with them.

Cao Wang understood this principle well, so he could only try to change Cao Qiang's mind gradually.

“Young Master, the situation is beyond our control. We have too many enemies now. It is impossible for us to defeat them all one by one. We can only unite with those who do not have much hostility towards us.”

A strong sense of humiliation welled up in Cao Qiang's heart. To bow down and beg for peace with his illegitimate son was even more unacceptable than being killed.

But he also knew that Cao Wang was right.

Today's battle showed him that Cao Changyu was also capable.

Moreover, Cao Changyu was ruthless enough.

Cao Qiang had no intention of killing his half-brothers, but Cao Changyu did.

"Cao Wang, do you have any specific measures in mind?"

In the end, Cao Qiang, with a gloomy face, agreed to Cao Wang's idea.

Cao Wang was pleased, as the young master had indeed changed somewhat.

“I only dared to act after the young master agreed. Some of our people are with Chang Geng. I estimate that he knows some of them are our people, but he hasn’t made any moves.”

Unlike Cao He, who has already investigated and eliminated many of our people.

Cao Qiang nodded: "Okay, go and make the arrangements. He..."

"If Cao Changgeng is willing to cooperate, I will treat him as a brother from now on!"

Cao Wang saw that although Cao Qiang was unwilling, the fact that he could say such things proved that Cao Qiang had grown.

“Okay.” Cao Wang readily agreed.

Once the young master agrees, he can send his men to carry out the plan.

Cao Changgeng did not have the Cao family's private army. He knew a principle: if a son of a concubine actively contacted the Cao family's private army, he would be killed sooner or later either by the head of the family or by the young master.

Cao Changyu was walking on a knife's edge; without this turmoil, he would not have been able to go very far.

However, Cao Changgeng had his own private army, which he secretly kept in a very secluded place, numbering more than two thousand.

While managing the Cao family's businesses, he had his own ulterior motives.

He wanted to break away from the Cao family, have his own sphere of influence, and his own businesses.

Therefore, while managing the Cao family's businesses, he also managed his own. Now, his own businesses are enough to support more than two thousand private soldiers.

He was more than ten years older than Cao Qiang and was the true eldest son born out of wedlock. Because of his outstanding abilities, Cao Ying entrusted him with important responsibilities.

He started his business in his teens and has been doing it for twenty years. Relying on his abilities and intelligence, he has built his own empire.

What he least wanted was the current turmoil. If it weren't for this turmoil, his departure from the Cao family would have been just around the corner.

Cao Changgeng knew that his father Cao Ying and brother Cao Qiang were watching him, but he pretended not to know and made proper arrangements for them.

These people can only know what they want them to know; they can't find out anything about what they don't want them to know.

Even Cao He only knew that Cao Changgeng had several hundred men, and that they were all guards and managers bribed by Cao Changgeng.

Cao He wanted to cooperate with Cao Changgeng because he valued Cao Changgeng's personal abilities and financial resources.

What Cao He didn't expect was that Cao Changgeng would part ways with him because he sent someone to assassinate Cao Ying.

At this point, Cao He could not do anything to Cao Changgeng, since although Cao Changgeng had parted ways with him, he would still provide him with some money and food.

When Cao Changgeng heard his subordinates reply that Cao Qiang had already taken control of more than half of his father Cao Ying's troops and influence, he nodded and said, "Lin Bin, if I'm not mistaken, Cao Qiang's men should be contacting me by now."

Lin Bin said very respectfully, "Master, Cao Wang has persuaded Cao Qiang to cooperate with you. You were right."

Cao Changgeng fixed his sharp gaze on Lin Bin: "Lin Bin, you've been here for three months now, haven't you?"

Lin Bin sensed something from Cao Changgeng's gaze and said without hesitation, "It seems you already know my identity."