The Underground Emperor: Starting with Running Away with His Sister-in-Law

For decades, we've walked hand in hand, forging ahead together, weathering storms and reaching where we are today step by step. We can truly be considered soulmates...

now...

I, Cho Tae-seop, wield immense power, controlling nearly half the strength of the National Assembly.

Kim Geon-young also developed the Cheonjeon Group into one of South Korea's top chaebol groups.

This is such an difficult thing to do...

However...

At this critical juncture, when true unification was just one step away.

He actually backed down, saying that a businessman is a businessman and doesn't want to have anything to do with politics anymore...

It's absolutely ridiculous!

There was a pause.

Zhao Taixie probably felt his mouth was a little dry from speaking, so he picked up the teacup in front of him and took a sip to moisten his throat.

Then she continued, "The older a person is, the more they tend to overthink, and the more thoughts they have, the faster they die. Since Chairman Jin Jianying is so ill, it seems that it's almost time for him to retire..."

So, now the question is...

At this point, Zhao Taixie's voice suddenly rose slightly: "Chief Han, in your opinion, if Chairman Kim Geon-young chooses to retire, who will he choose as his successor?"

Done.

Zhao Taixie fell silent and waited quietly for an answer.

"Tianxia Group's main businesses are twofold: electronics and automobiles..."

This kind of exchange has been done countless times. The questions may be different, but the process is always the same.

Han Zhixian's thinking was very clear, and she analyzed in a soft voice: "Currently, although the eldest son, Jin Yongjun, is nominally only employed as the executive director of Tianxia Electronics, a subsidiary of Tianxia Group, he is actually the de facto person in charge of Tianxia Electronics..."

The second son, Kim Seung-jun, currently serves as the managing director of Cheonha Motors, seemingly on equal footing with the eldest son, Kim Yong-jun. However, in reality, the head of Cheonha Motors remains President Park Tae-hwan...

Therefore, I believe that the successor of the Tianxia Group will most likely fall to the eldest son, Kim Yong-jun...

Her words were reasonable, well-founded, and neither humble nor arrogant.

He looked every bit the strategist.

This...

That was her true relationship with Jo Tae-seop.

Han Ji-hyun has never been just a pretty face.

She is an excellent intelligence gatherer and one of Jo Tae-seop's closest confidantes.

He is a true left-hand man!

......

Chapter 336 On Successors

After listening to what she said.

Zhao Taixie nodded noncommittally, but didn't rush to comment. Instead, he added, "There's one more. Why didn't you mention him?"

"Councilor, you're referring to Chairman Kim Geon-young's eldest daughter, Kim Hee-ah, right...?"

Han Zhixian remained calm and continued her analysis: "So far, our eldest daughter, Jin Xiya, has been studying abroad and it's uncertain whether she will return to the country. She also has no experience holding any position within the Tianxia Group..."

In my opinion, even if she chooses to return to China after graduation and directly joins the Tianxia Group, it will only be the beginning, and she won't have any advantage over the other two heirs...

and..."

Han Zhixian paused at this point.

After a moment's hesitation, he continued, "While there are precedents in South Korea of ​​women inheriting family businesses, the probability is extremely rare, and most of them involve small chaebol families with only one daughter..."

The Tianxia Group is at the top of the pyramid of South Korean chaebols, and its members are not from single-child families, so...

I believe the chances of my eldest daughter, Kim Hee-ah, being named as her successor are close to zero!

The words fell.

Zhao Taixie didn't speak, but lowered his eyes, as if he was deep in thought.

Han Zhixian didn't say anything more, but just sat upright and waited quietly.

The aroma of tea filled the tea room.

The atmosphere is peaceful.

Time passed by minute by minute.

finally...

Zhao Taixie raised his head, looked at Han Zhixian, and said gently, "Chief Han, your analysis makes a lot of sense, but you seem to have overlooked a few points..."

Over the years, although Kim Yong-jun, as the eldest son, was nominally the head of Tianxia Electronics and seemed to wield great power, every major decision regarding Tianxia Electronics had to be personally approved by Chairman Kim Geon-young...

That should be in the information you've collected, right?

Hear the words.

Han Zhixian pondered for a moment and nodded slightly.

really...

Long ago, under Zhao Taixie's instructions, Han Zhixian had begun to comprehensively collect materials on the Tianxia Group.

Everything, big or small, was recorded.

Even the launch event for the new Tianxia Auto model that Ding Xin attended more than a year ago was included in that so-called document.

And this is the point that Cho Tae-seop just mentioned.

This is indeed reflected in the documents, but in Han Zhixian's view, it's perfectly normal for major decisions to be approved by the chairman...

"This message seems fine on its own, but..."

Zhao Taixie seemed to see through Han Zhixian's thoughts, and as if giving a hint, he smiled and said, "If we look at it in conjunction with another piece of information, it's a different story..."

Think about it, doesn't Chairman Kim Geon-young generally not get involved in most of the decisions made by Tianxia Auto?

"Councilor, you mean...?"

Han Zhixian frowned her beautiful eyebrows and instantly understood something.

She has been by Jo Tae-seop's side since she was a child.

in a sense.

She could be considered half an adopted daughter of Jo Tae-seop, and with her naturally intelligent mind...

so...

She understood the meaning behind Zhao Taixie's words perfectly.

For example, right now...

Combining the two points that Zhao Taixie specifically highlighted, she gleaned two key insights...

trust!

Why does Kim Geon-young still insist on getting involved in every little detail of Tianxia Electronics, even though he handed it over to his eldest son, Kim Yong-jun?

Is it about taking on the responsibilities of the president?

Or is it because you care about the upbringing of your eldest son, Kim Yong-jun?

Perhaps this is one of the factors.

But more than anything, it stemmed from distrust and doubts about the eldest son, Kim Yong-jun's, business acumen!

Meanwhile, Tianxia Auto completely ignored the situation...

Is it trust in the second son, Kim Seung-jun?

of course not!

Kim Geon-young trusted Park Tae-hwan, the actual person in charge of Cheoncheok Motors!

"Figured out?"

Seeing Han Ji-hyun's somewhat relieved expression, Zhao Tai-seop knew she understood his meaning and said with a smile, "Actually, it's not surprising you didn't expect this; even I didn't anticipate it to be like this..."

In other words, if I didn't know more than you, I wouldn't have noticed this problem either...

What truly made me realize this situation was Kim Hee-ah, the eldest daughter whom you, Chief Han, considered to have the lowest probability of inheriting the throne!

Working backward from the result to the cause is definitely simpler than analyzing step by step from the beginning to reach a conclusion...

Having said that.

Han Ji-hyun has realized that Jo Tae-seop believes the most likely successor to the Tianxia Group is his eldest daughter, Kim Hee-ah.

only...

How can this be?