Chapter 85 Do you want to bet?
Zhao Mansion
Ever since Zhao Wenkuan was impeached by Lü Desheng and demoted half a level, he had been disfavored by Emperor Kang Cheng. Therefore, when Emperor Kang Cheng brought his valued ministers on an incognito visit to the Hongsheng Restaurant, he was naturally not included. On the other hand, the Xie family, having lost their Supreme Court official, had become surprisingly more favorable to Emperor Kang Cheng, and he subsequently brought Xie Mingtang along.
It’s not that he couldn’t go by himself, but after thinking about it, he decided to give up, for fear of being accused of spying on the emperor.
He was filled with regret that he could not be there in person, so he waited quietly at home.
The news that Fan Quan was demoted to worthless by Lu Desheng and then rejected by the emperor and not employed, and even Zhang Yong's personal recommendation failed to change the emperor's mind, was immediately passed back to Zhao's house. Zhao Wenkuan immediately changed his clothes and planned to go to Xie's house.
At this time, the nanny beside Luo came to ask him to go to the courtyard of his fourth son Zhao Bin, saying that Zhao Bin was making a hysterical fuss after receiving the news from Hongsheng Restaurant, and asked him to go over and take a look.
Zhao Wenkuan was impatient. These days, his son made a fuss almost every day. He went from being nervous and concerned at the beginning to being impatient now.
I'm going out for a while. I'll go see him when I come back and ask my wife to persuade him more.
When Zhao Wenkuan arrived at the Xie family, he found that it was his son-in-law Xie Zhan who met him.
The two moved to the meeting room to talk.
After the servant served tea and left, Zhao Wenkuan silently looked at his son-in-law sitting opposite him.
Zhao Wenkuan could feel that the Xie family had been subtly undergoing a power transition recently.
Since their previous joint recommendation of Lü Desheng failed, causing the Xie family to lose the position of Dali Temple Minister, his future son-in-law has become more powerful and is now gradually taking over the power of the Xie family, while Xie Mingtang has quietly retreated to the background. In fact, this is also a good thing. After all, Xie Zhan is his son-in-law, and the relationship between the two is relatively close.
After Xie Zhan signaled him to explain his purpose, Zhao Wenkuan couldn't wait to speak, "Zhan, I know what happened to the Hongsheng Restaurant, but are we really powerless against the Lu family?" Zhao Wenkuan couldn't accept the fact that their two families had teamed up, only to be repeatedly slapped in the face by a fifth-rank official. Not to mention the sheer amount of resources the Zhao family had exchanged to get the Xie family to step in. This outcome was deeply disappointing.
"This result is expected. Uncle Zhao knows it."
"You have a good brain, think of another way. Ah Bin is your brother-in-law. He had one leg broken by Lu Songli and Qin Sheng, and was insulted by them in that way, but we can't do anything about them! I know this is my incompetence as a father, but this is also a slap in your face, isn't it?"
Xie Zhan rubbed his forehead. "First, we've already challenged the Lu and Qin families regarding Zhao Bin, and we lost." At least for now, they've lost. The Xie family even paid a Dali Temple official for this. As for the future, he didn't want to start a war lightly.
Zhao Wenkuan immediately responded, "After losing once, we must win back a big one!" Everything came back!
Xie Zhan coldly rejected his suggestion, "I have decided to call a truce with the Lu family and will no longer actively become enemies with the Qin and Lu families. The Lu family has also agreed."
He is mature and rational enough, and as his grandfather praised him, he is a natural politician.
Those in power must have a broad vision and not just focus on the losses of a single city or region. They must look at the overall situation. Once a battle situation has been lost, they should not dwell on it, especially not continue to pour resources into it. Otherwise, it will become a quagmire, an abyss that will completely drag the country into it.
As the head of the family, being able to stop losses in time, sacrifice the car to save the driver, and make choices are the decision-making abilities that every qualified head of the family should possess.
"What?" Zhao Wenkuan couldn't believe that Xie Zhan reached such a consensus with the Lu family so quickly.
"In addition, we need to face up to the fact that the enemy's strength is no weaker than ours."
Xie Zhan's words were cold and realistic at the same time, like a basin of cold water poured on Zhao Wenkuan's head, waking up his heated mind.
"It will be very dangerous if we continue to fight with them. Don't forget that when the snipe and the clam quarrel, the fisherman benefits." The lesson from the past is still there. In addition to the Lu family, the Zhao and Xie families have other political enemies.
Zhao Wenkuan didn't say anything. Intellectually, he could accept Xie Zhan's decision, but emotionally, it was very difficult for him to accept it.
"Uncle Zhao, don't forget, you still have other sons. Do you really want to exhaust the Zhao family's resources just for the useless Zhao Bin?"
Zhao Wenkuan was silent.
If you lose this time, you can compete again next time.
However, wasting resources like this for the sake of face is too irrational and too crazy. It is not easy for the family to develop to this point.
For a big family like theirs, face is important, but also unimportant. When choosing between strength and face, strength is always the most important thing.
It is unwise to blindly consume one's strength for the sake of so-called face. Face can be won back through strength. If you lose your strength, you will never be able to regain your face.
"When we fight with the Lu family and both sides suffer losses, it will also be the most dangerous time for both of our families. Are you sure you want to take the gamble?" After analyzing the pros and cons, Xie Zhan gave the choice to Zhao Wenkuan.
Zhao Wenkuan was silent for a long time in the conference room, and finally did not insist on causing trouble for the Lu family.
Before he left, Xie Zhan handed over his investigation of the Zhao Mansion's backyard to him.
After Zhao Wenkuan took it, he looked down and saw that his face turned red and white.
Xie Zhan finally said, "If the Zhao family had sent Zhao Bin to the manor or elsewhere for recuperation sooner, perhaps his condition would have been better than it is now." Zhao Bin was now essentially useless. The Zhao family could only support him and hope that he could do something for the family, but that was impossible, except for having children.
But his words might not come true. With Lu Songli's ruthlessness, even if Zhao Bin was sent to a distant place, she would send people to deal with him until he collapsed.
Getting involved with such a person would be extremely disadvantageous to both of their families.
Hearing this, Zhao Wenkuan paused and then left without looking back.
Xie Zhan knew that what he said was a bit of hindsight and meant to pour cold water on the Zhao family, but he was really dissatisfied with the way the Zhao family handled the matter.
Zhao Wenkuan returned to the Zhao family angrily. He ignored the servants' greetings and went straight to the main courtyard. He found Luo and started scolding her.
He slammed the table loudly and shouted angrily, "How do you manage this backyard? Look, look, anyone can reach out to our backyard. Are you a pig? Don't you notice it at all?"
When his future son-in-law handed him the results of the investigation, he saw the Zhao family's backyard which was like a sieve. His own son-in-law pointed out that anyone could interfere in his backyard. Zhao Wenkuan felt so ashamed that he wished there was a crack in the ground for him to crawl into!
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