The Tower is Falling

The scandal surrounding the Lu family erupted with far greater ferocity than anyone had anticipated.

When the shockwaves of the "divorce" bombshell collided with the aftershocks of the "core team's mass exodus," the resulting devastation multiplied exponentially.

The Lu Corporation, once a towering commercial juggernaut, had gone from "teetering on the brink" to visibly "sinking at an alarming rate" in just a matter of days.

The stock market had hit its third consecutive limit-down session.

A flood of sell orders pinned the share price to its humiliating low, wiping out tens of billions in market value overnight. Investors who had once clamored for a piece of the action now avoided it like the plague, as if even a glance would bring them bad luck.

Yet, more terrifying than the stock crash was the complete breakdown of control within the corporation, from top to bottom.

Lu Mingshi was utterly incapable of steering this runaway ship.

Like an inept captain caught in a storm, he issued contradictory orders in a panic.

One moment, he was in the boardroom, roaring about punishing whistleblowers and threatening anyone who dared undermine morale.

The next, he was on the phone in his office, groveling to the bank's credit officer, begging them not to recall their loans.

His authority, in the face of absolute crisis, was as fragile as a sheet of paper.

The newly recruited executives he had lured with promises of "double the pay" now either paid lip service to his directives or were already discreetly seeking new opportunities elsewhere.

Meanwhile, the uncles and cousins of the Lu family had shed all pretense of familial warmth.

Factions led by Third Uncle Lu Mingde and Fourth Uncle Lu Minggong openly challenged Lu Mingshi in board meetings.

No longer content with mere complaints and accusations, they rallied other directors to demand an investigation into the funding sources behind Lu Mingshi's acquisition of "Sheng Tian Real Estate," questioning the legality of his decision to funnel massive sums into a high-risk purchase during the corporation's crisis.

Their intentions were glaringly obvious—kick a man when he's down!

Oust Lu Mingshi from the chairman's seat, then scramble for their share of power amid the ruins.

The flames of internal strife spread rapidly from the boardroom to every corner of the company.

Departments pointed fingers at one another, while critical investment projects stalled due to leadership disputes.

Key partners who had once worked closely with the Lu Corporation sent letters—some tactful, others blunt—announcing they would suspend further collaboration until internal stability was restored.

When the wall starts to crumble, everyone gives it a push; when the drum is broken, a thousand fists rain down.

The Lu Corporation had become a war-torn citadel, teetering on the edge of collapse.

...

The Western Hills ancestral estate.

The once-serene and imposing Lu family mansion was now shrouded in an air of tension and unease.

Lu Chengsi hadn't slept properly in two days.

Seated in the cavernous study, he listened as the steward relayed one horrifying piece of bad news after another about the corporation. His aged face was etched with exhaustion and profound disappointment.

He knew he could wait no longer.

If that fool Lu Mingshi was allowed to wreak more havoc, decades of the Lu family's legacy would be squandered within a fortnight!

"Summon everyone in the family—including all shareholder-directors," Lu Chengsi's voice was hoarse but resolute as he rose slowly, leaning on his cane.

"Tonight, we convene an emergency board meeting at the estate! I will preside!"

He was coming out of retirement.

He believed that with the authority he had spent a lifetime building, he could rally these greedy, short-sighted fools back into line and stabilize the situation.

But reality delivered the harshest slap in the face.

That evening, the estate's meeting hall was packed—everyone had arrived.

Yet the atmosphere was no longer one of deference and obedience, with him at its absolute center.

Every face bore expressions of agitation, scheming, and naked greed.

"Father, you’ve finally stepped in!" The moment Lu Mingshi saw him, he latched on like a drowning man clutching at straws, launching into a litany of grievances.

"Look at Third Brother and Fourth Brother—they’re staging a mutiny! At a time like this, instead of uniting against external threats, they’re sabotaging me at every turn!"

"Second Brother, don’t twist the facts!" Lu Mingde shot back without hesitation.

"Whose fault is it that the corporation is in this state? Did you even consult the board before funneling company funds into that Sheng Tian Real Estate money pit? We’re protecting the interests of all shareholders!"

"Exactly! When Chenyuan was in charge, did we ever face such chaos? If you’re incompetent, step aside!" Lu Minggong added bluntly.

"You—you—" Lu Mingshi’s face flushed crimson with rage.

"Enough!"

Lu Chengsi slammed his cane against the floor with a heavy thud.

His stern gaze swept over his sons as he barked,

"Look at yourselves! The house is crumbling, and instead of shoring it up, you’re tearing each other down! You’ve disgraced the Lu name!"

In the past, a single rebuke from him would have silenced the room.

But tonight, its effect was diminished.

After a brief pause, Lu Mingde spoke again, his tone still respectful but his words openly defiant:

"Father, we respect you as our elder. But right now, the corporation is fighting for survival. Anger alone won’t solve anything. We need concrete solutions!"

"That’s right!" another director chimed in.

"Old Master, we need to know—can the stock price be salvaged? What about the bank loans? Who will take responsibility for the stalled projects? We can’t just keep floundering like this!"

Each pointed question struck Lu Chengsi like an arrow.

To his shock, he realized his authority had been quietly eroded.

His words no longer carried the weight of an imperial decree.

In this moment of desperation, where everyone was scrambling for self-preservation, he—the long-retired "grand patriarch"—was seen as powerless to address the crisis.

As he watched his sons bicker like petty children and the once-reverent directors now eyeing him with skepticism...

A wave of helplessness, unlike anything he’d ever known, washed over him.

With painful clarity, he saw his mistake—a colossal one.

He had always believed the Lu family’s stability rested on his prestige.

Now he understood: that prestige had been built on the foundation of Lu Chenyuan’s steady leadership.

The moment he had tacitly allowed the grandson who held up the family’s legacy to walk away, he—the so-called founder—had been reduced to a powerless old man, watching helplessly as everything collapsed.

The meeting ended in bitter discord.