Chapter 362: Unworthy Sons, No Successor

Seeing Old Sir Li still refuse to admit it, right to his face, filled Wu Jianxiong with even more contempt.

"You’re imagining things. No one is trying to ruin the relationship between our families. I found out about this myself. And I’m furious about what your eldest son did to my younger daughter. He got drunk and dared to lay his hands on her, on my Qiaoqiao! Does he think I’m dead? I’m not dead yet!" Old Sir Wu said. "On top of that, Li Gongde himself said it loud and clear: Guo Dongmei is pregnant with Li Gongming’s child. If not for that, why would I, who trusted you so completely, have investigated you behind your back? And that investigation... it wasn’t just some small matter. It uncovered this entire mess. Today, no matter what, I’m calling off the engagement!"

Old Sir Li cursed inwardly. ’My second son is worse than useless, an absolute liability! Causing this kind of trouble at such a critical moment...’ Without the Wu Family’s support, the Li family would face a dire situation.

What made Old Sir Li even more furious was the other accusation. ’When did my eldest son ever lay a hand on Wu Qiaoqiao?’

"Wu, please, listen to me explain. Just let me investigate this! I’m completely in the dark about all of it. You come in here demanding to call off the engagement... you’ve completely blindsided me." Old Sir Li was planning to stall for time. ’First, I’ll drag this out for a few days, long enough for Guo Dongmei to get rid of the child. Once the evidence is gone, the whole pregnancy issue disappears!’

’Losing the child would be a shame, of course—it’s Li family blood, after all. But the situation is too critical right now; there can’t be any slip-ups. Besides, there are plenty of other women who can bear children. We don’t need Guo Dongmei!’

For now, he had to placate Old Sir Wu. Only then would he have time to handle everything else.

"Wu, I’m begging you. Just do me this one favor and let me find out what really happened. If someone is secretly spreading rumors to slander our Li family, I swear I won’t let them get away with it!" Old Sir Li pleaded, his expression desperate.

"Hmph!" Old Sir Wu snorted. "Do you have any idea what your two sons are really like? They put on this act of being perfect gentlemen, but my investigation revealed that one is more despicable than the other! I’ve seen the Li family for what it really is, and it makes me sick! I don’t care if you agree or not. This engagement is over, right here, right now!"

With that, Old Sir Wu tore the engagement certificate in his hands. The engagement had just been a formality, a public declaration that their two families were joined by marriage. The legally binding relationship would have been established at the wedding.

Even if they called off the engagement, the worst that could happen was some gossip and criticism behind their backs. It wouldn’t result in any material losses.

Wu Jianxiong had already reached an agreement with Gu Qingyu, forming a partnership. That, combined with what happened to his daughters, led him to break with the Li family completely. Calling off the engagement was his pledge of allegiance to Gu Qingyu, a clear statement of his position.

After Wu Jianxiong stormed out, Old Sir Li’s expression turned grim. "Get Li Gongming and Li Gongde back here at once," he said. "I have questions for them!"

"Yes, Old Master Li. I will go at once," the Li family’s housekeeper said with a respectful bow.

"Wait!" Old Sir Li called out to the housekeeper. "While you’re at it, make a trip to the Guo Family. I need to speak with Guo Zijian. Tell him to come see me."

"Yes, Old Master Li," the housekeeper replied. He didn’t leave right away, asking, "Is there anything else, Old Master Li?"

"Nothing else. Go now! The faster, the better!" Old Sir Li’s face was flushed red, his anger boiling over.

Having made a mistake recently, Li Gongde didn’t dare draw attention to himself and was lying low at his office. When he got the call from the old housekeeper, a sense of dread washed over him. He quickly asked in a hushed voice, "Uncle Li, does Father want me back for something important? What kind of mood is he in?"

Housekeeper Li knew the whole story, but it wasn’t his place to say more. He just glanced at the eldest young master and sighed. "I’m not clear on the specifics, but I happened to overhear that the Wu Family came to call off the engagement! You should hurry home, Eldest Young Master. I still have to go find the second young master!"

"Oh my god!" Li Gongde was stunned. ’Has it all come out?’

The thought of his father’s fury terrified Li Gongde. He didn’t dare go back and face that anger alone.

’The Wu Family is calling off the engagement. That’s mainly my younger brother’s fault! There’s no way I’m going back now just to be Father’s punching bag.’

Seeing that Li Gongde wasn’t moving, Housekeeper Li pressed him. "Old Master Li is furious. Please, Eldest Young Master, hurry back!"

"Oh, Uncle Li, you misunderstand," Li Gongde said, walking ahead without giving Housekeeper Li a chance to object. "I’m just worried you don’t know where my younger brother is. I’ll take you to him!"

Housekeeper Li understood perfectly. Li Gongde figured that if the two brothers went back to face their father’s wrath together, they could at least share the blame. If he returned first, he would be the one to bear the initial brunt of the old master’s fury.

’Besides,’ Li Gongde thought, ’what does Old Sir Wu calling off the engagement have to do with me? It was my younger brother who knocked up Guo Dongmei, not me!’

’The worst I did was get drunk and let it slip!’

With that thought, Li Gongde became even more determined not to go back first.

Housekeeper Li was old and sharp. Having watched the two young masters grow up, how could he not see right through Li Gongde’s little scheme?

Housekeeper Li sighed to himself. ’The old master has been brilliant his whole life, but foolish this one time. He failed in raising his two sons. The eldest is undisciplined, unambitious, and a womanizer!’

’And the second young master... he’s shrewd, yes, but a complete mess when it comes to women. He’s involved with so many of them, all daughters from powerful families. It might bring the Li family some short-term benefits, but in the long run, it’s just going to cause more trouble.’

’And isn’t this mess the proof of that?’

’First, he used the Guo Family, getting involved with their Guo Dongmei. Now, he wants an alliance with the Wu Family, so he gets engaged to their Wu Jingjing.’

’But then Guo Dongmei gets pregnant, and somehow the Wu Family finds out the truth and comes to call off the engagement!’

’This isn’t just about calling off a wedding. Behind the scenes, this is a complete rupture between the Wu and Li families.’

’Right now, the Li family and the Gu Family are locked in a struggle for dominance. Only a handful of minor players are staying neutral; they don’t have enough power to do anything else. Everyone else is either choosing Gu Qingyu or the Li family.’

’As one of Jincheng City’s old, established families, the Wu Family’s influence is deep and complex. They have considerable power. While not at the absolute top, their ambition is perfectly clear.’

’Once they break with the Li family, they’re bound to side with Gu Qingyu.’

’With this, as one side’s power wanes, the other’s waxes. Gu Qingyu’s strength will skyrocket, while the Li family will be weakened.’

’How can the family possibly defeat the Gu Family at a critical time like this?’

*Sigh*... ’I can’t think about this anymore.’ Housekeeper Li sighed. The more he thought, the more distressed he became.

’With two such worthless sons, the Li family has no worthy heir!’