Chapter 824 — A Visit from the Xiao Family

The two Xiao brothers climbed into their own car as well, leading the way ahead, and together with the business vehicle they drove toward the Kang family villa.

"Dad, the Xiao family has arrived. Shall we go out and receive them?" Kang Guifeng had taken the call announcing that the Xiao brothers intended to pay a visit to the Kang villa, and now he came to his father's study to ask.

"Oh? They've come? Hmph, seems they can scarcely wait any longer!" Divine Physician Kang curled one corner of his mouth and spoke with a touch of scorn. "I hear there's nothing left of the Xiao family now but an empty shell?"

"That's right. From what my investigations show, the Xiao family has sold off every asset they held in Yanjing and is preparing to stake everything on an investment in Songshan City." Kang Guifeng nodded.

"Why Songshan City and not Donghai City?" Divine Physician Kang asked.

"I'd guess that with the little money their family has left, they simply wouldn't measure up in Donghai, a provincial capital. There are too many wealthy people here—the Xiao family wouldn't stand out at all." Kang Guifeng's guess was close to the mark; that was indeed the Xiao family's thinking.

Moreover, Donghai City had the Kang family, that towering colossus, and the hidden Zhao family as well, leaving no room for the Xiao family to shine. By choosing Songshan City, they could trade on the lingering prestige of the Xiao name to lord it over a small place like that.

Divine Physician Kang nodded. "Go and receive them, then—but don't make it too grand. After all, with the Kang family's present strength, the best we can do is cling to the Xiao family's coattails! The Xiao family has fallen on hard times of late—but haven't we in the Kang family done just the same?"

"Indeed. Our Kang family has suffered grievous losses recently too—Dr. Guan and that fatso Lai did us no end of harm!" Kang Guifeng said. "Now it all depends on whether Zhaoming can get his hands on the Guan family's formula!"

"Mm, speaking of which—how has Zhaoming been lately?" Divine Physician Kang asked.

"Zhao Qibing was carrying out a demolition and injured him by accident, though I hear Kang Jingming wants to handle it himself and make them pay some compensation," Kang Guifeng said. "As for how things are progressing with Guan Xin, there doesn't seem to have been any progress at all."

"That boy—doesn't he always boast of being a ladies' man? How is it that after all this time he still hasn't succeeded?" Divine Physician Kang was somewhat impatient, then asked again, "By the way, his injury isn't serious, is it?"

"That I'm not clear on either, but Kang Jingming hasn't said anything himself, so I'd guess it's nothing much?" Kang Guifeng shook his head.

Before long, the Xiao brothers arrived at the Kang residence with Uncle Pi. Divine Physician Kang had originally not intended to show himself, but when he heard that Uncle Pi had come too, he hurried out from his inner chambers in alarm; seeing Uncle Pi and the Xiao brothers in the reception hall, he at once apologized: "My apologies, Elder Pi, Xiao Ji, Xiao Ben—I'm old, and I sleep a great deal. I'm afraid I dozed off without meaning to!"

"No harm, no harm!" Xiao Ben waved his hand with an air of complete indifference, and rising together with Xiao Ji, he said, "We two juniors—how could we put Divine Physician Kang to the trouble of receiving us? We are quite overwhelmed!"

Yet inwardly Xiao Ben sneered: You old fox—had you not heard that Uncle Pi was coming too, you would likely have gone on hiding and never shown your face, wouldn't you?

And in fact, that was exactly so. Divine Physician Kang knew well how formidable Uncle Pi was and could not possibly decline to show him this courtesy! Who knew but that the Kang family might have need of Uncle Pi's help in the future? Once matters reached the level of the great families, many of their conflicts and disputes could no longer be settled by ordinary means.

The martial families of the jianghu naturally had their own jianghu ways of settling things. People at the level of Li Cihua and Gu Pengzhan already handled a great many matters outside the normal channels—to say nothing of conflicts between the great families themselves!

Thus the way the great families resolved their disputes was often quite simple: whoever's fist was harder held the upper hand. Uncle Pi, as a top-tier external-school expert of the Mystic rank, was naturally not to be taken lightly.

"Well said, well said!" Divine Physician Kang, all smiles, greeted Uncle Pi again. "Elder Pi's presence brings great luster to the humble Kang household!"

"Divine Physician Kang's name is thunder in the ears as well." Uncle Pi glanced at Divine Physician Kang but did not even rise from his chair—he merely looked at him and spoke in an indifferent tone, his expression suggesting not the least bit of thunderstruck awe.

Divine Physician Kang was somewhat embarrassed, yet he dared not say anything; he gave a laugh, sat back down in his own seat, and fell to exchanging pleasantries with the Xiao brothers. "Xiao Ji, what brings you to Donghai City this time? Is there anything the Kang family can help you with?"

"Heh heh, as a matter of fact, Divine Physician Kang, you know as well as we do that since our father passed away, the Xiao family's business in Yanjing has become a hopeless mess. In his final days our father did a few muddled things and threw the family enterprises into complete disarray!" Xiao Ben made no attempt to conceal it—such matters were surely known to the Kang family as well. "Holding to the notion of breaking before building, we sold off everything in Yanjing and intend to go to Songshan City and rebuild the Xiao family's foundation from the ground up!"

"That is quite right! A new place, a new environment—and closer to our Kang family." Divine Physician Kang nodded, sneering inwardly. Were it not for Uncle Pi's presence, what would be left of your Xiao family at all?

"Mm, and secondly, I wished to ask about the betrothal between our Xinyan and Zhaolong..." Xiao Ben laid out the purpose of his visit.

He was eager for a local ally. Though the Xiao family had the prestige of an established clan and Elder Pi to hold the fort, surely he could not send Elder Pi to handle every last matter? In this way, a marriage alliance with the Kang family would make many of the local people give him face.

"I don't think there's any hurry about this, is there? Xinyan is only in her third year of high school. Isn't it a bit early to be discussing marriage?" Doctor Kang said. "Of course, I personally am very willing to bring about this match, but Xinyan is too young. She hasn't even reached the legal age for marriage, has she?"

"Haha, Doctor Kang, you jest. In the eyes of clans like ours, these regulations hardly count for much. But even without marrying, they can still get engaged, no? At the very least, let's settle the relationship first?" Xiao Ji chimed in with a laugh.

"Mm, that's true enough!" Doctor Kang nodded. "Very well. I'll go speak with Zhaolong about this matter and put the engagement on the agenda first."

As for the engagement, Doctor Kang was indifferent. After all, an engagement was not a marriage; it could be broken off at any time. So long as the Kang family found a more formidable patron or acquired greater strength of its own, they could cast the Xiao family aside.

Xiao Ji and Xiao Ben had also sensed the shift in Doctor Kang's attitude, and they understood in their hearts that were it not for Elder Pi's presence, this marriage would likely be in trouble.

Taking their leave of Doctor Kang, Xiao Ji and Xiao Ben exited the Kang family villa somewhat dejected. Truly, a tiger fallen to the flatlands is bullied by dogs! Yet news of the Xiao family's decline could not be kept sealed forever; sooner or later Doctor Kang would learn of it.