It turned out that Yuan Shang had barged into their meeting room for this very reason.

"I..." Wong Liqing began, trying to explain in a panic.

But Yuan Shang gave him no chance, continuing to hurl insults. "I have no right to meddle in your family affairs, but I have every right to deal with remarks like these. If word of this gets out, how do you think outsiders will see us? Does being one of the Six Great Families make us superior to ordinary people? What's wrong with being a pig farmer? The meat you eat wasn't raised by farmers spoon-feeding it, you motherfucker? What, you think you're so high and mighty? Were you deprived of oxygen in your last life, so God decided to compensate you with a special air supply in this one?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Wong Liqing's face turned deathly pale. The label Yuan Shang had just slapped on him was far too severe. The Wang Family was part of the Martial Alliance, and Yuan Shang could easily claim that Wong Liqing's words were intended to sow division. If he decided to press the issue, there were a slew of other charges he could bring against him.

Wang Yu immediately stepped forward. "Vice Alliance Leader Yuan, Liqing only said those things in front of us. He wouldn't dare repeat them outside..."

"You don't think I could hear your voices all the way out in the corridor?" Yuan Shang roared. "What if some passing employee who believes in justice recorded a video? Do you have any idea what kind of news would break in Tianhai tomorrow? Do you understand how the Main Alliance would hold the Wang Family and the Tianhai Martial Alliance accountable?"

The board members present turned as white as sheets. A moment ago, they had been furious about Yuan Shang barging in unannounced. Only now did they realize the gravity of the situation. Wong Liqing had truly been overstimulated and lost his cool.

"Vice... Vice Alliance Leader Yuan, I apologize. It was my fault. It won't happen again," he stammered.

Now that he had calmed down, Wong Liqing also realized how wrong it was to say something that could incite conflict between the public and the corporation. But this realization only made him resent Xu Ke even more. If Xu Ke hadn't provoked him, would he have said something so stupid? Would he be getting berated by Yuan Shang in front of all these people?

"See that it doesn't happen again," Yuan Shang said coldly. "Sometime in the next few days, report to the Martial Alliance Enforcement Hall and study the rules and regulations. I'll arrange for someone to supervise you."

This was the Martial Alliance's unique form of penance, a warning to its members not to think that money and power gave them the right to do as they pleased.

At his words, Wong Liqing's face burned. The shame was so intense he wished the ground would swallow him whole. "Yes."

"Grow up," Yuan Shang said, shooting him a sideways glance. "The media is incredibly powerful these days. Besides, you should reflect on whether what you said was something a human being should even say."

This jab only intensified Wong Liqing's shame and anger. When he looked at Xu Ke, his eyes were filled with venomous hatred. The dispute was clearly between the two of them, so why was he the only one being humiliated while Xu Ke got off scot-free?

He couldn't accept it!

Yuan Shang turned to Wong Qifu. "I won't disturb your meeting any longer."

"Thank you for the reminder, Vice Alliance Leader Yuan," Wong Qifu nodded. She knew Yuan Shang was, in a way, helping the Wang Family. If he were a man of poor character, he could have easily recorded a video to use as blackmail, but he hadn't. This spoke volumes of his impartiality.

However, just as Yuan Shang was about to walk out, Wong Liqing couldn't hold it in anymore. "Vice Alliance Leader Yuan..."

"What is it?" Yuan Shang asked, turning his head.

The board members were stunned to see Wong Liqing speaking up again. What is Wong Liqing trying to do?

Wang Yu's expression changed drastically. Has my cousin been so humiliated he's lost his mind?

"I want a fair punishment," Wong Liqing said slowly.

"Fair? Are you questioning me?" A cold smile crept onto Yuan Shang's face.

Wong Liqing shook his head. "No, I just mean to say that there's someone else you haven't punished."

"Who?" Yuan Shang raised an eyebrow.

Beside them, Wong Qifu's expression turned frigid. The rest of the board members were flabbergasted; they had all guessed who Wong Liqing wanted Yuan Shang to punish.

"Him," Wong Liqing said, pointing directly at Xu Ke, who had been standing quietly to the side. "If he hadn't deliberately provoked me, I wouldn't have been blinded by anger and said those things. I admit my mistake, but since he started it, shouldn't he be punished as well?"

Seeing this, Xu Ke chuckled. Wong Liqing was truly shameless, willing to do anything to bring him down and protect his own interests. At first, Xu Ke had thought Wong Liqing was just targeting him out of a misguided fear that he would harm the Wang Family, and that he was ultimately loyal to Wong Qifu. But now, Xu Ke finally understood. It was because Xu Ke had provoked Wong Liqing's hostility from the very beginning.

Yuan Shang looked at Xu Ke and raised an eyebrow. "Him? What did he do wrong?"

"He's not at fault? Shouldn't both parties in a dispute be punished?" Wong Liqing pressed urgently.

Xu Ke laughed. "Wong Liqing, I have to admire your nerve, spouting such nonsense right in front of Vice Alliance Leader Yuan."

Yuan Shang sneered. "It seems you really haven't read the Martial Alliance's regulations. When has the Martial Alliance ever gotten involved in petty arguments? Do you think I'm punishing you for arguing? I'm adding three more days of reading the regulations to your punishment. From eight in the morning to nine at night. Don't come out until you understand them completely. If you don't like it, file an appeal."

At this, Wong Liqing's face went completely white. The full extent of his foolish, anger-fueled mistake crashed down on him.

Wang Yu's face was livid. Their humiliation didn't stem from having to go read the regulations. It was from being so utterly humiliated by Yuan Shang in front of everyone, especially in front of Xu Ke. How could they possibly accept this?

"Continue your meeting," Yuan Shang said. "The rest of you, watch yourselves. Don't cause any trouble."

"Of course. Thank you for your trouble, Vice Alliance Leader Yuan," Wong Qifu nodded.

But just as Yuan Shang was about to leave, another voice spoke up.

"Vice Alliance Leader Yuan, since you're already here, why not join our meeting? It's not a secret, and you could offer us some guidance."

It was Wang Tianlu, beaming. He couldn't care less that Wong Liqing was being punished; he just saw a chance to curry favor with Yuan Shang. Guiding the board of the Wang Family Corporation—Wang Tianlu was sure Yuan Shang would secretly love it. And if Yuan Shang was happy, he would be happy.

Yet Yuan Shang refused. "No need to be so polite. I just came to give Mister Xu an update on the matter he asked me to handle today. So, I hope you can finish up quickly."

He was already growing impatient waiting for Xu Ke, and that impatience had flared into anger the moment he learned the Wang Family was giving Xu Ke a hard time over such a trivial issue. That was why he had unleashed his fury on Wong Liqing the second he walked in.

Hearing Yuan Shang's words, everyone was stunned.

Who would dare ask Vice Alliance Leader Yuan to run an errand? And have him come all the way to the Wang Family Corporation just to give a status report? That was more prestige than even Chen Xiong had!

Wang Tianlu asked instinctively, "May I ask, which Mister Xu...?"

The other board members glanced at each other, confused. Was there anyone here with the surname Xu? Not a single one of them made the connection to Xu Ke.

Only Zhan Yunning, standing behind Xu Ke, had her expression change drastically. How is this possible?

Yuan Shang looked at them, perplexed. "Xu Ke, of course. Why? Is there someone else here named Xu?"

As his words fell, the meeting room was plunged into dead silence.

Xu Ke?! He had Vice Alliance Leader Yuan run an errand for him and even come to the Wang Family Corporation to report on it?

At that moment, everyone stared at Xu Ke's calm face, overcome by a powerful sense of unreality.

How could this be possible?! Was this really the kept man they all looked down on?

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