The villainous second male lead at the beginning? No! He's the white moonlight!

"A reclusive family? What the hell?"

"It's the kind of family that doesn't live in the public eye but is very rich and powerful."

"Richer and more powerful than your Luo family?"

Luo Qingxuan couldn't help but laugh.

"Seriously, you don't actually think that reclusive families are necessarily richer and more powerful than us well-known families, do you?"

"If you say that, then could it be...?"

"So, these so-called reclusive families are nothing more than losers in the struggle. Because they are losers, they have no choice but to go into seclusion. Although a reclusive family may have various channels for development, how can it compare to families like ours that can develop openly and honestly?"

"This Qin family is probably a near-second-rate wealthy family, somewhere between third-rate and below second-rate. At most, they are about the same size as the two least powerful families in the North. Compared to first-rate wealthy families like your Ye family and our Luo family, they are not worth mentioning at all."

Ye Linyuan nodded, then asked curiously.

"If that's the case, where did he get the audacity to threaten me? It made me think that reclusive families were really powerful."

"He's probably mentally ill."

The thought of Ye Linyuan crippling Qin Lie's arms with a kick and a punch just now made Luo Qingxuan want to laugh.

Knowing full well that Ye Linyuan is incredibly powerful, yet still stubbornly insisting on it—what else could it be but a sign of mental instability!

On the other side, Lin Xuehuang stared intently at Ye Linyuan's departing figure until it completely disappeared before turning her head to look at Qin Lie.

"Qin Lie, let's annul the engagement."

After saying that, ignoring Qin Lie's even uglier expression, she addressed the bodyguards.

"You guys, carry him to our Lin family's private hospital. If they can treat him, then treat him; if they can't, then notify the Qin family to take him away."

"Yes, Miss."

..................................

At six o'clock in the afternoon, Shen Xing's car stopped at the entrance of the Lin family mansion. The Lin family's butler immediately came forward and bowed respectfully.

"Master Shen, the head of the family is waiting for you in the study."

"Um."

Shen Xing straightened his clothes and followed the butler inside.

The Lin family mansion was even larger than the Shen family mansion; the courtyard alone was a whole size bigger than the Shen family mansion, which made Shen Xing increasingly unhappy.

Damn it, the Lin family has been getting better and better over the years, while the Shen family has been stagnating and even declining!

It's all the fault of those traitors who established the Southern Shen family in the south; that's why the Shen family has declined so drastically!

No, this time we absolutely must get the Lin family on our side.

In the study, Lin Ba was sitting in a grand chair drinking tea. Although he was over sixty years old and his hair was gray, he was full of energy and his eyes were bright. When he saw Shen Xing come in, he stood up leisurely and extended his hand with a smile.

"Brother Shen, it's been a long time."

"Brother Lin, I'm sorry to bother you."

The two shook hands, sat down, and a servant immediately brought tea before leaving.

Lin Ba didn't speak, but instead picked up his teacup, blew on it, and slowly drank it.

Since it was the Shen family who came to find me, why should I speak first and appear weak?

"Brother Lin, I won't beat around the bush."

After drinking tea for a while, Shen Xing put down his teacup, his expression turned serious, and his tone became extremely low, as if what he was about to say was enough to bring about everyone's demise.

"You should know about the matter between the Ye family and the Luo family, right?"

Lin Ba was not intimidated by Shen Xing's tone and nodded casually.

"I know, isn't it because your Shen family coveted the Luo family, and then the Luo family retaliated, bringing in Ye Linyuan from the Ye family of Haicheng? After that, Ye Linyuan beat up your precious son Shen Xiao and also messed with your Shen family in the stock market, right?"

"That's right."

Shen Xing gritted his teeth, a murderous glint in his eyes.

"Brother Lin, the Ye family is trying to shit on the heads of the three major families in the capital!"

Wow, what a huge accusation! Is this an attempt to drag all three major families into this mess?

Lin Ba sneered inwardly, but asked the question calmly on his face.

"So? What do you plan to do?"

He wanted to see what Shen Xing could come up with.

"I want to unite and form a Northern Grand Alliance!"

After speaking, Shen Xing looked at Lin Ba, trying to discern some clues from his face.

Unfortunately, everyone here is a cunning old fox, how could Lin Ba possibly reveal his weakness so easily!

Seeing that Lin Ba remained silent, Shen Xing had no choice but to continue.

"I want to take our two families as the core, and unite with the seven major families of the North (Sun, Li, Zhou, Zhu, Liu, Wu, and Wei) and the four reclusive families (Qin, Zhao, Wang, and Wu) to deal with the traitor Luo family among the three major families of the capital and the alliance of the eight major families of the South led by the Ye family."

Lin Ba frowned, not answering immediately, but instead picked up his teacup and took another sip. After a while, he finally spoke.

"Brother Shen, your idea is excellent, but it will be very difficult to implement."

Why?

"The seven great families of the North are outwardly friendly but inwardly at odds. You want them to unite? Why should they listen to you?"

"Based on self-interest."

Shen Xing was prepared and directly said the words she had thought of beforehand.

"If the Ye and Luo families fall, we can divide their market share in the south among the seven families in the north."

"What about the four reclusive families? What gives them the right to intervene?"

Hearing Lin Ba say that, Shen Xing smiled.

He knew that Lin Ba was already tempted.

"Ye Linyuan crippled Qin Lie, the heir of the Qin family. The Qin family will definitely not swallow this insult. As for the Zhao, Wang, and Wu families, they will not refuse as long as they are given enough benefits."

Lin Ba was silent for a moment, then nodded.

"That sounds good, but have you considered this question?"

"What's the problem?"

"Who will be the leader of this alliance?"

Shen Xing paused for a moment, then smiled.

"Of course it's you, Brother Lin."

"I?"

Lin Ba shook his head.

"I don't have that ability, you should do it."

"No, no, no, Brother Lin is highly respected, you are the only one who can be the leader of the alliance."

"Brother Shen, don't refuse. You have more experience than I do."

The two of them kept refusing to speak for a long time, neither wanting to be the one to take the lead. In the end, Shen Xing couldn't hold back any longer and spoke up directly.

"Brother Lin, how about this, let's put the alliance matter aside for now, I have a more important suggestion."

"What suggestion?"

Lin Ba picked up his teacup and took a small sip, his heart filled with vigilance.

What kind of trouble is Shen Xing going to cause this time?

"That means we should arrange a marriage between our family's Xiao'er and your family's Xuehuang, thus forming an unbreakable alliance between our two families and securing our absolute dominance within the alliance!!!"