Chapter 11590 — Mind Your Words, President Wang

Seeing this, Wang Lai could not help but sneer. "Tsk, tsk. So protective of her master. Has a bit of the little pepper about her—I like that."

Cheng Shuang'er gave not an inch on the surface, though in truth her heart was pounding.

Wei Zhao had vanished for a full year now, and all manner of rumors were circulating in the market.

Think back to those days: when Wei Zhao rallied the six great princely houses to form the Vertical Alliance, how glorious it had been. His personal prestige rivaled even that of the lofty Seven Kings.

But now, a year had passed with still no word of him.

Cheng Shuang'er remained convinced that Wei Zhao would not perish so easily out in the wild, yet she could not keep the hearts of those beneath her from stirring.

It was worth noting that although Wei Zhao had been gone a whole year, the Rule Design Institute, under her stewardship, had suffered not the slightest setback—on the contrary, it flourished more than ever.

The Rule Design Institute of today was, by any measure across the entire Inner King's Court, a first-rate institution.

For the people in its charge, in the span of this single year, the overall market value had multiplied twentyfold!

Cheng Shuang'er jumped in fright, instinctively assuming a defensive posture.

The key reason for this was, to be sure, the foundation Wei Zhao had laid, seizing the market's first-mover advantage through the crisis of the Rules Tribulation. But on the other hand, Cheng Shuang'er's outstanding management had truly played no small part.

Ren Xiao regarded Cheng Shuang'er with a teasing look, sizing her up from head to toe. "Her looks are certainly unusual. Even if she's a touch lacking in flavor, if he really has no designs on her, you needn't be so accommodating."

If I could get my hands on it, not only would it add wings to the Night's End Palace's overall strength, but for Wei Zhao himself in the background, there would be immense benefit.

Wei Zhao's gaze turned lewd, and he rose abruptly to his feet.

If you don't come today and instead play the shrinking turtle, the Night's End Palace will only grow more brazen, and may even launch a direct campaign of annexation.

Seeing Cheng Shuang'er's face still set hard, Ren Xiao smiled and said, "How about this: you help me close this acquisition, and I'll give you a seven-point kickback cut of the dividends, plus reserve a seat for you in the upper ranks of the Night's End Palace. From then on you'll live high on the hog, and never again worry about resources for the rest of your life."

A moment later, Cheng Shuang'er said in a low voice, "Eighty million in fortune? That's not even forty percent of its current market value. And with the growth prospects of our Rule Design Institute, it would be worth ten times that in less than a year, perhaps more. Doesn't President Wang think he's going a bit too far?"

But not coming was not an option.

Therefore, I was determined to have it.

Ren Xiao said impatiently, "What's there to worry about over a dead man? Besides, even if some small fry like that really did come back alive, what could he do to you?"

And with that, without looking back, he strode out of the tea room.

"Enough. I have no intention of touching you today."

Yet Ren Xiaohang's expression did not change. "I appreciate President Wang's kindness, but I will not betray my young master."

Cheng Shuang'er said with a stern face, "I am here today to negotiate on behalf of the Rule Design Institute. Please mind your words, President Wang."

Once it was in his grasp, Wei Zhao could use this opportunity to become, in one stroke, the Night's End Palace's number one boss!

Cheng Shuang'er stopped in her tracks and turned to look back at Wei Zhao. "Is President Wang planning to use force against you?"

Cheng Shuang'er frowned slightly and picked up the documents to flip through them.

With that, he snapped his fingers, and the young woman immediately put on a warm smile and stepped aside.

What was more, the Night Central Palace was far from the only power keeping its eyes on the Rule Design Institute now.

Cheng Shuang'er rose abruptly and said with hesitation, "President Wang, we appreciate your kindness, but I will say it again: all rights to the Rule Design Institute belong to my young master. Without his nod, no one has the authority to make decisions on his behalf. Farewell."

A young woman of fierce bearing appeared at once, barring Cheng Shuang'er's path with a cold, severe expression.

"Keeping that man here would of course be easy, but have you never considered the trouble such a move would bring?"

Even for a force as unfathomable as the Night Central Palace, the Rule Design Institute now looked in its eyes like a rare piece of fat dropped from the heavens.

Wei Zhao laughed heartily. Right now his mind was filled with nothing but the Rule Design Institute; that was the prize he truly meant to devour.

Wei Zhao leaned two steps closer, unbothered, and Cheng Shuang'er hurriedly drew back.

"My young master again? You said it yourself, he has long been dead. That man is nothing but trouble."

With your abilities, you fear no underhanded competition, but if the other side keeps resorting to dirty tricks, that is beyond what you can handle.

Wei Zhao shot him a speechless glance. "Xiangfeng, you need to use your head a little more when you do things."

"Worry about what, damn it!"

"What is there to fear? I am not going to eat him. Anyone who knows you knows you are a man of taste."

Seeing that Ren Xiaohang remained unmoved, Wei Zhao went on: "Take the thirty million in fortune and go. You can make a tidy sum for yourself, and you will have a decent explanation for the rest of the Rule Design Institute. That is the best ending you could hope for. Otherwise you lose both the money and the people, and that is the kind of thing that moves all who hear it to grief and all who see it to tears."

That you came here today, forcing yourself to face this, was a complete gamble. If the other side had refused to reason and simply resorted to force, you would have had no power to resist at all.

Yet it was precisely because of this that the Rule Design Institute had caught the other side's eye.

Wei Zhao gave a snort. "Woman, you had best get one thing straight. A tall tree catches the wind. In my hands, the Rule Design Institute can grow tenfold. In yours, it cannot even survive. And you still want to talk to me about growing tenfold?"

Watching Cheng Shuang'er's aura vanish through the great gate of the Night Central Palace, the young woman curled her lip. "Big brother, why not just detain her outright? Force her to sign the agreement on the spot, would that not save a great deal of trouble?"

The other side's threats were certainly alarmist, but they were not entirely without reason.

"One last reminder: once you pass this village, there will be no such shop again."

The young woman blinked in surprise. "What trouble? Could it be that you are worried about that Wang Lai coming back, big brother?"

As for that man, set beside the Rule Design Institute, he was not worth mentioning at all.

Had she not been there, or had someone of only slightly mediocre ability taken her place, the Rule Design Institute would never have grown to its present scale; most likely it would have fallen apart within half a year.

Ren Xiao casually produced a document and tossed it in front of Cheng Shuang'er. "That's your acquisition proposal. Go ahead, take a look. The price I've offered is hardly low."

Cheng Shuang'er was struck dumb.

A promise like that was enough to set any cultivator's heart pounding.

"Ten times the price?"

The Rule Design Institute was now a piece of fat meat that everyone coveted. To hope for the same steady development as before was little more than a vain wish.