Chapter 817
The Poisonous Plot is Exposed and the Victim is Killed
Qiu Qinyun gently put down the purple clay teacup in her hand, the bottom of the cup making a slight crisp sound as it touched the stone table.
She met Qin Luo's gaze, and a stunning yet calculating smile bloomed on her face, which had become even more charming with the passage of time.
"Mr. Qin is a smart man, why speak so detachedly?"
Qiu Qinyun leaned forward slightly, the meticulous knotted buttons on the collar of her cheongsam creating a subtle contrast with her slightly aggressive posture.
"Anbang is not an ordinary company; it controls half of the underworld in Fujian and is a treasure trove that countless people covet. Its controller needs not only legitimacy but also power and... public support."
It's true you hold the largest share, but if this title of 'Crown Prince' becomes a joke, which of your brothers, accustomed to bloodshed and violence, and those old men who have followed the old man for decades, will truly acknowledge you as their master? At that point, forget about a stable share of profits; you'll likely face endless troubles the moment you step outside the gates of Mindu Yipin."
She paused, observing Qin Luo's expression, and continued.
"I am here to see Mr. Qin today not to make an enemy, but quite the opposite, to seek cooperation."
"cooperate?"
Qin Luo raised an eyebrow slightly, seemingly showing some interest.
"Yes, cooperation."
Qiu Qinyun spoke with certainty, her beautiful eyes sparkling.
“I can help you solidify your status as the ‘crown prince.’ I’ll silence those old fogies like Park Chang-beom, and everyone in the group who has doubts, and make them genuinely acknowledge that you are the only master of Anbang.”
"What are the conditions?"
Qin Luo asked directly.
Qiu Qinyun parted her red lips slightly and uttered a few clear words.
"I want the position of general manager of Anbang Group."
Upon hearing this, Qin Luo revealed a half-smile on his face.
“General Manager? If I remember correctly, An Ruoxi is currently the Executive Vice President, effectively acting as General Manager. And you, Qiu Qinyun, are also the Vice General Manager, in charge of finance and some business operations. Although I own 75% of the shares, legally speaking, appointing a General Manager is indeed just a matter of a word.”
He leaned back slightly, his gaze becoming somewhat playful.
"But the whole of Fujian has probably heard about your scheme. You're using me to legitimately seize the real power of the general manager and completely suppress An Ruoxi. And then what? Step by step, you'll firmly grasp the group in your own hands. Your ultimate goal is to turn Anbang into your personal fiefdom, Qiu Qinyun, isn't that right?"
Despite Qin Luo so bluntly exposing her true intentions, Qiu Qinyun showed no embarrassment whatsoever; instead, she nodded calmly.
"Mr. Qin sees things clearly. Indeed, my ultimate goal is to defeat An Ruoxi and completely control Anbang Group."
She changed the subject, her tone becoming more sincere.
"But I can assure you that as long as I take the position of general manager, the group's annual profit dividends will be delivered to you in full and on time, and there will only be more, not less."
You don't need to worry about the company's trivial matters; you can be a carefree, hands-off manager, enjoying the prestige and wealth of being a "crown prince." We both get what we need; isn't this the most worry-free and advantageous choice for you?
"Each gets what they need..."
Qin Luo repeated it in a low voice, then suddenly looked up, his gaze sharp as a knife.
"Then why shouldn't I choose An Ruoxi? She seems quite sincere about cooperating, at least she's more attentive to appearances than you. Supporting her to the position of general manager can also help me stabilize the situation, and I can still live a carefree life. What difference does it make to me whether I choose you or her?"
Qiu Qinyun seemed to have anticipated his question, and a knowing smile, a mixture of confidence and secretive understanding, appeared on her face.
"The difference is that, Mr. Qin, I know a secret that An Ruoxi absolutely does not know, or rather, even if she has some guesses, she would never dare to be sure."
She lowered her voice, speaking slowly and deliberately, making sure each word reached Qin Luo's ears clearly.
"I am 100% certain that you are definitely not Old Master An's illegitimate son!"
Inside and outside the pavilion, only the sounds of wind and water could be heard. Qiu Qinyun's gaze was fixed on Qin Luo, not missing a single subtle change in his face.
"An Ruoxi's respect for you and Daofeng's loyalty to you are all based on the premise that 'you are the old man's bloodline.' Once this premise collapses, will their attitude change? Human hearts are unpredictable."
But I'm different. I knew the truth from the beginning, so our cooperation is more solidly based—I know what you need, and you know what I can give you. Our relationship is purely an exchange of interests, untainted by emotions or loyalty that could easily be corrupted by the revelation of the truth. This is the most stable alliance.”
Qin Luo remained silent for a moment, his fingers unconsciously stroking the warm, smooth surface of the purple clay cup.
"Are you so sure? What makes you so confident?"
Qiu Qinyun took a soft breath, as if she had made up her mind to reveal this secret that had been buried in her heart for many years.
"Because... An Shouye, he simply cannot have children."
Her voice was lowered, carrying a certainty as if she were witnessing history.
"About thirty-five years ago, when the old man was around thirty years old, he suffered severe injuries to his lower body during a violent conflict, which rendered him completely disabled. Since then, he has lost the ability to impregnate women."
This secret, like a thunderclap, exploded silently in the quiet bamboo pavilion. Qiu Qinyun continued.
Very few people knew about this incident, and most of the brothers who were present at the time are no longer alive. The old man was proud and arrogant, and regarded such a disability as a great disgrace, strictly ordering that the news be kept secret. Later, as his business grew bigger and bigger, and he had many women around him, it was all just to cover up and maintain his dignity and authority as a man.
All the rumors circulating over the years about his romantic escapades and difficulty conceiving have simply been smoke and mirrors.
She stared directly at Qin Luo, her gaze intense.
“I am his bedmate, and no one knows the truth about his numerous mistresses over the years better than me. Mr. Qin, you are only in your early twenties, while the old man has been infertile for more than thirty years. Physiologically speaking, you absolutely, absolutely cannot be his son.”
After saying this, Qiu Qinyun seemed to have unloaded a heavy burden, or as if she had revealed her most crucial trump card. She relaxed slightly, picked up her teacup again, and waited for Qin Luo's reaction.
She believed that any rational person, upon hearing this undeniable physiological fact, would understand that cooperating with her was the wisest choice.
Qin Luo's expression remained largely unchanged, though a hint of understanding seemed to flash deep within his eyes. So that's how it is. Grandpa An's gift of such a huge amount of shares to him, an "outsider," wasn't due to blood ties after all, but for another reason, likely related to his parents. This solved most of his doubts.
He picked up the cup of rock tea in front of him, which had long since gone cold, and drank it all in one gulp. The slightly astringent tea slid down his throat, bringing a bittersweet aftertaste. Putting down the teacup, Qin Luo stood up, picked up the purple clay teapot on the stone table, and walked to Qiu Qinyun's side.
Qiu Qinyun was slightly taken aback as he refilled her empty teacup with steaming hot tea.
This seemingly ordinary action felt particularly abrupt after she revealed such a bombshell secret, even carrying an indescribable sense of oppression.
"Mrs. Yun's analysis was very thorough, and she revealed her cards quite decisively."
As Qin Luo slowly poured water, he spoke calmly, his voice not loud, yet carrying a peculiar penetrating power.
"However, I have another question. Since my status as the 'crown prince' is so fragile and I need to rely on others to 'solidify' it, why don't I just appoint An Ruoxi as general manager? Let her help me stabilize the situation, defeat you, and completely control Anbang."
"Will she, like you are now, use my 'fake identity' to negotiate with me then?"
Qiu Qinyun held the freshly filled teacup, feeling the scalding heat at her fingertips, but her heart sank slightly.
She forced herself to remain calm, meeting Qin Luo's condescending gaze, and emphasized.
“Mr. Qin, An Ruoxi can’t do it! She doesn’t have any leverage over me, nor does she have my determination and ability to help you deal with those elders and internal opposition.”
More importantly, unlike me, she doesn't know your weaknesses or how to silence everyone. Only I can truly let you rest easy as the "prince." Cooperation is the only win-win option for both of us.
Qin Luo put down the teapot, sat back in his seat, looked at Qiu Qinyun, and suddenly shook his head gently.
"I refuse."
Those three simple words instantly cracked the composure on Qiu Qinyun's face.
Her beautiful eyes widened, as if she couldn't believe that Qin Luo would give such an answer after listening to all her analysis and his trump cards.
"Mr. Qin!"
Qiu Qinyun's voice rose a few decibels, carrying a hint of urgency and a subtle threat.
"You need to understand that doubts about your identity are already brewing within the group. Park Chang-beom and his group are just the beginning! If I just give it a little push and make the 'fake crown prince' label a consensus, what do you think will happen? Blade might still protect you because of the old man's will, but what about the people below?"
With Anbang's businesses scattered throughout Fujian, and tens of thousands of employees and brothers, who would listen to a 'master' of unknown origin and dubious identity? In the end, your shareholding agreement will likely become nothing but a stack of worthless paper in the face of reality! You will lose all control over Anbang, and perhaps... even lose your foothold in Fujian!
Her tone quickened, becoming increasingly sharp and menacing. When soft tactics failed, she resorted to brute force.
Faced with Qiu Qinyun's almost blatant threat, Qin Luo not only did not get angry, but instead a very faint, almost mocking smile appeared on his lips.
"Waste paper? A foothold?"
He repeated it in a low voice, as if he had heard some funny joke.
Just then, Qiu Qinyun suddenly felt something strange. Starting from her calves, a strange numbness spread without warning. It wasn't the soreness or numbness from sitting for a long time, but a deeper, more profound feeling of weakness originating from deep within the muscles, which quickly rose upwards.
She was startled and instinctively tried to move her leg, only to find that the numbness had spread to her thigh and showed no sign of stopping.
She thought it was because she had been sitting for too long and her blood circulation was poor, so she hurriedly tried to stand up and move around while holding onto the stone table.
However, as soon as she braced herself on the table and tried to exert force, the numbness suddenly intensified, and her legs became completely unresponsive, as limp as overcooked noodles, unable to support her body weight at all.
"what!"
With a short, low cry, Qiu Qinyun's body swayed, and she was about to fall to the side.
An arm reached out just in time, firmly embracing her waist and supporting her. It was Qin Luo.
Qiu Qinyun leaned half her body on Qin Luo's arm, her hands touching her plump and soft waist and hip curves. Because of panic and helplessness, her body trembled slightly. She was holding a warm and soft body in her arms, the touch feeling like hugging a soft and warm large pillow.
The position was extremely intimate; their bodies were pressed tightly together, and Qiu Qinyun could even smell the faint, cool scent emanating from Qin Luo, quite different from her usual perfume. The age difference and the awkwardness of their different identities made her blush instantly, but what occupied her mind at this moment was an indescribable fear.
What's going on? What's wrong with her body? This sudden, all-encompassing numbness and weakness... could it be a sudden illness? Or... she dared not think too deeply about that more terrifying possibility.
"Madam Yun, be careful."
Qin Luo's voice rang in her ears, calm and expressionless, revealing no emotion whatsoever.
Qiu Qinyun managed to stand up with his help, but her legs were still sore and numb, making it almost impossible for her to stand on her own.
She leaned against Qin Luo, looking up in shock, only to meet his deep, calm eyes.
There was no concern, no desire, only a frozen lake.
"My...my leg..."
Qiu Qinyun's voice trembled without her even realizing it. She tried to raise her arm, but found that even her arm was becoming heavy and sluggish.
"Why all of a sudden..."
Qin Luo helped her sit back down on the stone bench. His actions seemed considerate, but they carried an undeniable sense of control.
"A new formula of anesthetic seems to be working quite well."
Qin Luo looked down at her, his tone as calm as if he were discussing the weather.
"It is colorless and odorless, and takes effect relatively slowly, but once it takes effect, it can start by paralyzing the peripheral nerves and gradually spread to the whole body. Except for consciousness and senses, you cannot control any of your muscles for a short period of time."
Qiu Qinyun's pupils suddenly contracted! Anesthesia?! It was Qin Luo! When did he do it? She had been very careful the whole time; the tea was only made after he arrived, and she had even drunk some... Wait! When he refilled her tea just now!
She suddenly remembered Qin Luo's abrupt action of getting up to pour her tea, the scalding hot tea... Could the problem be with the teapot? Or his hand that poured the tea? A chill instantly shot up her spine, sweeping through her entire body, even more bone-chilling than the numbness she was feeling at that moment!
"You...you drugged me?!"
Qiu Qinyun's voice became shrill with shock, anger, and fear. She tried to reach out and grab something, tried to stand up, but her arms felt as heavy as lead, her fingers could only tremble weakly. Forget resisting, even maintaining her sitting position became difficult, and her body involuntarily slid down slightly. (End of Chapter)