Extra Story - Tales of the Capital - The Partition

"The matter was handled cleanly."

No emotion could be discerned in Old Wang's voice.

"Just doing my duty."

Lu Chengsi's reply was equally succinct.

"Li Hongji was a smart man, and a man who knew which way the wind blew."

Old Wang said slowly,

"He closed the coffin lid himself. We can't let anyone pry it open again."

Lu Chengsi was silent.

He understood the weight of those words.

With his own life, Li Hongji had sealed away secrets that could have left many people restless.

It was a transaction.

Also a kind of silent surrender.

"The mountain cannot be without its tiger."

"Even if it's a sick tiger, with its fangs pulled, legs broken, and spine shattered."

Old Wang's voice continued, carrying an undeniable tone,

"Some monkeys have been jumping too high lately. Not good."

Lu Chengsi's heart sank.

He knew who the "monkeys" referred to.

"I understand."

"Stand down."

Old Wang's voice sounded like a final verdict,

"The purge ends here. Leave the rest as a gesture of respect for Li Hongji."

"And to leave a memento for Jingzhou."

The call was disconnected.

Lu Chengsi held the receiver, not putting it down for a long time.

He had won.

The Lu family had secured its future position as the dominant power.

But he had ultimately failed to uproot that poisonous weed completely.

This was not his will.

But it was the art of balance, at a higher level.

Lu Chengsi let out a long sigh.

That trace of bleak sorrow, the sadness of the fox for the death of the hare, grew more pronounced.

Finally, he ruthlessly extinguished it.

The next day.

The same old teahouse.

Lu Chengsi and Mo Jingsheng sat facing each other.

The fragrance of tea wafted in the air.

"A call came from above."

Lu Chengsi got straight to the point.

Mo Jingsheng's hand, holding the teacup, paused slightly, then steadied again.

He raised his eyes to look at Lu Chengsi.

"What did they say?"

"Told us to stand down."

Lu Chengsi's voice was somewhat hoarse,

"To leave a root for the Li family."

Hearing this, Mo Jingsheng's face showed not surprise, but instead a trace of a knowing smile.

"Expected."

He put down his teacup,

"Utter annihilation has never been their style. What they want is balance."

"Yes, balance."

A hint of self-mocking helplessness tinged Lu Chengsi's tone.

"Just as well."

Mo Jingsheng looked at the light rain outside the window, his gaze profound,

"A wolf kept in a pen is much easier to deal with than a venomous snake hiding in the shadows, waiting for revenge."

Lu Chengsi looked at his old rival, now his most solid ally.

The two men exchanged a smile.

They raised their teacups and lightly clinked them together.

The clear sound echoed in the quiet tearoom.

One week later.

The same teahouse in the old city district.

The core members of the alliance gathered once more.

Lu Chengsi, Mo Jingsheng, Qin Mu, the Head of the Zhou Family...

This time, the atmosphere was no longer heavy.

Each face bore the ease of a victor.

The tearoom was filled with the aroma of premium cigars.

"Brother Chengsi, the credit for this victory belongs first to you."

Qin Mu raised his cup with a smile, using tea in place of wine,

"From now on, the business world of Jingzhou will look to your Lu family."

"You flatter me, Brother Qin," Lu Chengsi waved his hand dismissively,

"This is the result of our collective efforts. Without all of you, I, Lu Chengsi alone, could not have stirred up such a storm."

Lu Chengsi's diplomatic words were flawless.

But everyone understood perfectly well that from now on, the power structure of Jingzhou had been completely rewritten.

The Lu family was the undisputed new king.

"The industries left by the Li family are a large pie."

The Head of the Zhou Family got to the main point,

"How should it be divided? Brother Chengsi, you decide."

All eyes focused on Lu Chengsi.

This was the most crucial step after victory.

Dividing the spoils.

Divide it well, and everyone is happy.

Divide it poorly, and the alliance would instantly fall apart.

Lu Chengsi smiled and looked towards Mo Jingsheng, who had remained silent beside him.

"What's your view, Brother Jingsheng?"

Mo Jingsheng set down his teacup and spoke slowly.

"The pie is large, but not every piece is... clean."

His gaze swept over each person present.

"The Li family's domestic tangible assets, like real estate, logistics, factories, are all quality assets. Clear accounts, profitable upon takeover."

"However, their overseas companies, especially that Cordia iron ore mine, are now a mess."

"Entangled in lawsuits, unclear debts, and involved with local forces in South America. A very troublesome situation to handle."

"One misstep could drag us down with them."

The heads of the families present nodded in deep agreement.

They wanted profits, not trouble.

"So, my suggestion is..."

Mo Jingsheng paused, then stated his proposal.

"These quality domestic assets, led by the Lu family, will be divided among our families according to our contributions."

"As for the overseas mess, leave it to our Mo family to handle."

"Our Mo family still has some connections and experience overseas. Dealing with these matters might be more convenient for us. Consider it our final contribution to the alliance."

"Even if we end up losing money, only the Mo family bears the loss. It won't drag everyone down."

"As for the domestic portion, if any disputes arise, our Mo family is willing to make appropriate concessions."

"After all, although the overseas part is a mess, it does hold some advantage in sheer scale."

His words were reasonable, well-grounded, and even somewhat noble.

Qin Mu and the others immediately cast grateful looks at Mo Jingsheng.

"Brother Jingsheng shows great integrity!"

"The Mo family is truly magnanimous!"

Lu Chengsi looked at Mo Jingsheng, a flicker of deeper meaning in his eyes.

He knew Mo Jingsheng was no fool.

This old fox, seemingly making a bad bargain, was actually playing a much larger game.

The overseas mess was indeed troublesome.

But there, hidden within, was also the vast underground network and connections the Li family had built over decades.

It was an intangible asset impossible to measure with money.

Was Mo Jingsheng aiming to take possession of this entire intangible asset under the guise of cleaning up the mess, to expand his overseas foothold?

However, Lu Chengsi did not voice this thought.

For him, the most important thing now was to stabilize the domestic situation and firmly grasp the tangible industries left by the Li family.

This was the visible, tangible foundation for his kingly rule.

"Alright."

Lu Chengsi made the final decision,

"Since Brother Jingsheng is willing to take on this responsibility, we won't stand on ceremony."

He looked at Mo Zhenbang, who had been sitting quietly behind Mo Jingsheng.

"Zhenbang, this matter will require your hard work."

Mo Zhenbang stood up and gave a slight bow.

"Uncle Lu, rest assured. Your nephew will spare no effort."

His face still wore that same impassive expression.

As if he were not taking on a multi-billion-dollar commercial salvage operation,

but a simple piece of homework.