I put you in charge of those rebellious female soldiers, how come they all became top special forces

Zhao Tingxuan leaned forward slightly.

"I know that Zong Yanhui has access to the Zhao family's overseas money laundering records."

Zhou Chengye paused as he poured tea, then looked up at him.

Zhao Tingxuan remained expressionless and continued speaking.

"But I'm not afraid of that."

"Those transaction records are just copies. If it really goes to court, I can hire some lawyers to turn them into worthless pieces of paper."

"What I'm really wary of isn't those few pieces of paper."

"It's Zong Yanhui."

Zhou Chengye didn't reply, but simply pushed a cup of the second brewed tea in front of Zhao Tingxuan.

Zhao Tingxuan didn't touch the teacup and continued speaking.

"He was too greedy, too arrogant, and too controlling."

"When Lanmeng first started, the profits were divided among five companies. The Zong family demanded 70%, while the other four companies contributed manpower, resources, and distribution channels, and together they received less than 30%."

"In recent years, he has gone even further, using those few pieces of dirt to manipulate people everywhere, treating us like his dogs."

"A grasshopper on the same rope? What a joke. If a grasshopper knew it was tied up, the first thing it would do is bite through the rope."

"I don't want to be on the main family's ship anymore."

He paused for a moment, staring intently into Zhou Chengye's eyes.

"But I won't try to sink it; someone else will do that dirty work."

After he said that, the reception room was silent for a few seconds.

Zhou Chengye picked up his teacup, took a small sip, and asked.

"What does Patriarch Zhao want from the Zhou family?"

Zhao Tingxuan held up three fingers.

"First, I want a guarantee that after the Zong family falls, no matter how it falls, the Zhao family will not be held accountable."

"Regarding Lanmeng's matter, the Zhao family provided the overseas account channel, but the actual amount of money they handled was not much, so the implications were limited."

"As long as someone is willing to step forward and help the Zhao family distance themselves, we will be absolutely safe."

Zhou Chengye didn't say anything, silently gesturing for him to continue.

"Secondly, the Zong family has several financial channels overseas, which they have been operating for more than ten years, and their methods are very mature."

"With the downfall of the main family, these channels will become ownerless, and our Zhao family wants to take them over."

"Third," Zhao Tingxuan said, his voice lowering considerably, "The Zhao family can remain silent at crucial moments, even give a push from behind, but they absolutely cannot leave any trace."

After hearing the three conditions, Zhou Chengye put down his teacup.

"The Zhao family head has quite an appetite."

Zhao Tingxuan smiled slightly upon hearing this.

"Whether someone has a big appetite or not depends on how much food is on their plate. The Zong family's plate is enough for everyone here to eat their fill."

Zhou Chengye didn't respond to his question, but instead asked a question in return.

"Patriarch Zhao, before you came to see me, did you consider this question?"

"How do you know that the person who wants to harm the main family now will definitely succeed?"

Zhao Tingxuan's lips stiffened slightly.

The person Zhou Chengye mentioned was not named.

But both people present knew who they were referring to.

Zhao Tingxuan looked down at the cup of tea on the table that had stopped steaming, and remained silent for two seconds.

Then, he let out a cold laugh.

"I don't know if he can succeed."

"But I knew that Zong Yanhui would definitely fail."

Zhou Chengye raised an eyebrow slightly.

Zhao Tingxuan raised his head and said coldly, "A person who can't even keep his own family's secrets doesn't deserve to sit in that chair."

This sentence refers to the line involving Zong Aoming.

Zhao Tingxuan didn't know the specific details, but through Zong Yanhui's behavior, he knew that there were problems within the Zong family.

If someone manages to breach a family's internal defenses, how far is the family from collapse?

Zhou Chengye's expression changed slightly at this moment.

Zhao Tingxuan probably knew more than he expected.

Or rather, Zhao Tingxuan's judgment was even more accurate than he had anticipated.

The two stared at each other for a few seconds.

Zhou Chengye was the first to look away.

"The Zhou family has received the sincerity of Patriarch Zhao."

"I will discuss the specifics with my father."

Zhao Tingxuan nodded and didn't ask any further questions.

That's enough.

The Zhou family couldn't make a decision on the spot; this kind of thing required Zhou Dingshan's personal approval.

But Zhou Chengye did not refuse, which means there is a reason for the matter.

Zhao Tingxuan stood up and reached out to straighten the collar of his trench coat.

I'm getting ready to take my leave.

Zhou Chengye also stood up, and the two of them walked a few steps toward the door.

Zhao Tingxuan had just reached the door when he suddenly stopped, as if he had remembered something.

"By the way, there's something I need to tell Young Master Zhou first."

Zhou Chengye looked at him.

Zhao Tingxuan turned around, a cryptic smile playing on his lips.

"You're not the first person to receive a visit like this. But I bet I'm the first one to come to you on my own initiative."

"The other companies are probably still observing."

"But while they may be observing, once the wind changes, they run faster than rabbits."

"If you come looking for the Zhou family again later, the bargaining chips won't be as substantial as what I'm offering today."

Zhou Chengye simply smiled slightly and remained silent.

Zhao Tingxuan turned around, walked to the door, paused for a moment, and did not look back.

"Please thank your father for me. It's not easy for the Zhou family to have endured this for the past twenty years."

This statement represents an attitude.

Zhao Tingxuan didn't come to make a deal; he came to express his stance.

He admitted that the Zhou family had been wronged by the main family for twenty years, and that the Zhou family had been holding onto this grievance for far too long.

This also implies that the Zhao family is willing to stand firmly on the Zhou family's side.

Zhou Chengye did not reply.

Only after watching Zhao Tingxuan's figure disappear at the end of the passageway did he sit back down in his chair.

He lowered his head, looking at his blurry reflection in the tea, a ruthless glint flashing in his eyes.

Twenty years have passed.

Zhao Tingxuan was right; the Zhou family had indeed waited long enough.

……

That evening.

The Zhao family's old residence.

It was already completely dark when Zhao Tingxuan's car drove into the yard.

As soon as the driver opened the car door, the old butler, Uncle Du, came forward, bowed, and handed over a cup of hot tea.

Zhao Tingxuan took the tea, took a sip, and then went straight to the study.

Du Bo followed behind, also without saying a word.

Having been together for decades, the two had developed a tacit understanding.

Upon entering the study, Zhao Tingxuan placed the teacup on the table, unbuttoned his trench coat, and hung it on the coat rack behind the door.

Uncle Du closed the door and stood respectfully three steps away from the desk.

"Speak," Zhao Tingxuan said, sitting down in the armchair and closing his eyes.

Du Bo cleared his throat and reported in a low voice.

"Sir, Zong Yanhui's men have been keeping a close eye on the Zhao family's movements, especially the routes your vehicles take. They've had at least three different groups of people following you in the last two days."

"There were two suspicious-looking people sitting in the teahouse across the alley you went to this afternoon. I had someone take a picture of them; they are the outer guards of the Zong family."

Zhao Tingxuan closed his eyes, made no expression, and simply replied.

"Let him keep an eye on it."

"The closer the watch, the more guilty he is."

Du Bo frowned slightly, as if he wanted to say something but hesitated.

Zhao Tingxuan opened his eyes and glanced at him.

"What? Scared?"

Du Bo quickly shook his head.

"I'm worried that Zong Yanhui might discover that the place you went to belonged to the Zhou family..."

"So what if they found out?" Zhao Tingxuan sneered. "Do I, Zhao Tingxuan, need to report to Zong Yanhui who I see and who I don't?"

Du Bo fell silent.