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Once Rong Ling left, what followed was the trial of Rong Qikeng. Faced with all the evidence, Rong Qikeng could only passively listen. Before, these uncles and cousins supported him because they had watched him grow up and felt affection for him. Part of it was also because they respected his father, Rong Feiwu, and gave him immense support. However, he did things that betrayed them both inside and outside the family, and Rong Feiwu wasn't present today. So, everyone treated him with a cold exterior!

Extremely disappointed!

Basically, a resolution has been reached regarding his handling. It involves him immediately stepping down from his position as the chairman of Asia-East Group and as the head of the household. Further discussions will then be held to determine what kind of punishment should be imposed on him and whether he should be expelled from the Rong family. An announcement will be made to the public that Rong Qikang has no further ties with the Rong family from now on.

Because of Rong Sanbo's matter, Rong Fei Wu and several other influential figures within the clan were running around, unable to attend this meeting. Therefore, Rong Qikeng was given a "death reprieve" and temporarily breathed a sigh of relief. This also gave him a chance to fight for his survival. Right now, what he needed most was help. So, he immediately sought out his mother, the former matriarch who was known for her intelligence and respect among the clan members.

Du Caiyi had already learned the ins and outs of the matter, her heart filled with anger towards Rong Qikeng. Upon seeing him, she completely lost the composure and grace of a noblewoman. She raised her arm, regardless of the consequences, and struck him, while cursing all the while.

"You little rascal, you little rascal, how could you do such a thing..."

"Damn you! How was I supposed to teach you How did your father teach you How did your tribe teach you You son of a bitch, how could you do such a thing..."

"You've already taken this seat, what more could you possibly want How could you reach so far with your hands like that, you rascal! You've broken my heart..."

The more she scolded, the more Du Caixin cried. Her slightly blurry tears flowed slowly down her well-maintained face. She didn't bother wiping them away, just kept staring with her red eyes, hitting Rong Qi harder and harder with each passing moment. No matter how she thought about it, she never imagined that her own son would betray the family by seducing Rong San. Rong San was like the main trunk of a great tree; the Rong family's prosperity and flourishing growth depended on his support. Why on earth had this boy lost his mind and done something so treacherous! This was a grave offense, with no room for compromise. Even if she wanted to help, there was nothing she could do.

Du Caiyi thought the more she did, the sadder she became. Finally, she was so tired of crying that she covered her face and wept loudly.

She had been waiting for her son to become the head of the family for so many years. Back then, she was so radiant and powerful, always believing that her son was a good person, and it was only natural for her to think that he had the ability to take that position, and that it should rightfully be his. She and her husband had worked so hard for so many years, building up the Rong family with their own hands. Why shouldn't their son inherit it! But after all this waiting and hoping, when he finally got the position, it didn't last long at all. If it was Rong Ling or someone else who had plotted against him, that would be understandable. But now, looking at where he is today, it was all his own doing! How could she stand this How could she possibly tolerate it!

"Rong Qi, you really broke Mama's heart, you truly broke Mama's heart..."

Upon hearing this, Rong Qi's eyes welled up with tears. At this point, he finally felt remorse, but it was too late. When he had devised this scheme, he could never have imagined things would turn out like this! He only felt that his luck was bad and Rong Ling's was exceptionally good. After he got rid of the burden of Ya Dong, something happened to Ya Dong immediately afterward. He even harbored resentment towards Rong Ling, and in a narrow-minded way, suspected that Rong Ling had known all along that things would turn out this way, which is why he had withdrawn so decisively at the time!

Today, these thoughts can only pass through his mind. He absolutely cannot say them out loud anymore. It would be pointless!

Looking at his own mother crying so sadly, Rong Qikeng's heart was also not feeling good. To be honest, his mother had been very good to him, truly thinking of him. He ended up like this today, indeed, he owed his mother an apology.

"Mom…" Rong Qi's voice trembled slightly, his heart aching like it was being pricked by needles. He reached out to embrace his mother and comfort her, but Du Caiyi swatted him away with a forceful hand, pushing him back. He gritted his teeth, then with a heavy thud knelt down before Du Caiyi.

"Mom, Mom!" Rong Qi's voice was booming, but his face, though resolute, was streaked with tears that spoke volumes of his vulnerability. His sorrow was palpable.

"Mom, it's son. I'm sorry for what I did. It's my fault, all my fault. Son apologizes to you, please don't cry, don't cry, Mom, Mom---. Son was wrong, wrong, wrong…"

Rung Qi roared, his face turning red and his neck bulging with veins. Let me know if you need anything else translated!

When Du Caiyi saw this, she put down her hands that had been covering her face. Seeing her son like this, although she was still angry, heartache and reluctance surged up in her heart rapidly.

"Mom, Mom---"

Rong Qikeng wept, truly wept. He looked up at his mother, large tears streaming down from the face that had always been a symbol of fortitude. It was deeply moving!

Du Caoyi's tears stopped. Looking at her son who was crying like a big boy now, she felt a complex expression on her face. This was the piece of flesh that had fallen from her own body, and she had once been so spirited and energetic. Since he grew up, when had he ever cried like this!

For heaven's sake, how could my heart bear to see my own children in such sorrow!

Fung Kai-kin, seeing the situation, immediately hugged Du Cai-yi's thigh and pressed his head against it, like a wounded beast, whimpering and wailing in grief.

After a moment of stunned silence, Du Caixin suddenly wiped her face, drying her tears, and spoke in a low voice.

"Get up!"

Rong Qi knuckled down, holding onto her legs, still kneeling, not moving at all.

"Get up, what are you doing like this" Du Caiyi reprimanded. "You're my son, when something happens, you can't just know how to cry!"

Rong Qikeng heard this and was immediately struck with inspiration. He knew his mother had a plan, and immediately cried out pleadingly.

"Mom, you have to help me! You must help me!"

"Get up!" Du Caiyi kicked her leg with all her might, her voice brimming with the authority of someone in power. "I told you to get up!"

This is already a warning, and it also means that her patience has run out.

Fung immediately let go of her hand and hurriedly stood up, bending over with tear-filled eyes looking at Du Caiyi. Though he was a tall man, towering over Du Caiyi by a head, when standing before her, he bent over, hunched his back, drooped his shoulders, and lowered his head, like a big dog that only obeyed orders.

"What you did is unforgivable." Du Caiyi looked coldly at her own son. "Mom would even beat you half to death without regret. Qikeng, you have to understand what you did, what it means!"

Rong Qi's face fell even lower.

Du Caiyi let out a long sigh.

"Now is not the time for me to go into details. First, tell me everything you've done, without leaving out a single thing! I need to understand the situation before I can figure out how to help you!"

As for the mistress's position, she certainly couldn't keep it. But if she used some means to secure her son's wealth and prosperity for the rest of his life, that was still possible.

Upon hearing this, Rong Qinkeng's heart felt as if a stone had been lifted. He understood his mother's capabilities very well. He immediately became obedient and confessed everything he had done without reservation. At this moment, he didn't withhold anything, even revealing some underhanded schemes he had concocted against Rong Sanbo and the He family.

Du Caiyi felt a pang of sadness and suffocation after hearing this. All these things stemmed from Rong Ling's return. If he hadn't returned to the Rong family suddenly, Rong San wouldn't have shifted his focus and placed high hopes on him. In the end, he even helped him take away the position of head of the family that should have belonged to his son. Her son harbored resentment, she understood, and she could empathize with it. Once her son took the position of head of the family, he was eager to prove himself, so he made such a big fuss, which she also understood. But unfortunately, he was met with Rong Ling's counterattack. Rong San even defended Rong Ling wholeheartedly. It was understandable that her son became frantic and wanted Rong San to step down.

But his downfall stemmed from an unstable foundation and acting too hastily!

And she was wrong too. When Rong Ling was driven out, she only felt a surge of exhilaration in her chest, thinking about how she could finally look down on Rong Ling's mother and feel smug. So at the time, not only did she watch her son suppress Rong Ling, but she also personally intervened, which angered Rong San. To be honest, she didn't really like Rong San either deep down. But who could have guessed that Rong Ling, that crafty little rascal, had a plan all along and recovered so quickly.

It's awful!

But now thinking about these things is useless!

"There's still room to salvage your uncle's situation!"

Rong Qi-keng's eyes immediately widened, and he eagerly looked at his mother.

As you said, you did indeed want to bring down your third uncle, but it's understandable. Your third uncle has always been lenient and permissive, that's common knowledge. So you were angry and acted impulsively for a while. This can help you a lot. And you can also blame the He family. You can say that you only had the intention but didn't actually do anything. But unexpectedly, the He family was suddenly investigated, so you got dragged into it. (..tw no pop-up ads) That way, it can also lighten your punishment. I'll go back and plead for you, and I'll also get your father to intervene and save you. It shouldn't be a big problem, but—

Du Caiyi's tone hardened by three points. "You must now do something to improve your image in everyone's eyes. As I see it, the only thing you can currently control is the He family. Find a way to make sure the He family doesn't drag you down. And try to negotiate a major deal. That way, before you're officially ordered to step down, your performance review will look better too. Then, when the time comes, my father and I will help you secure a good position."

Both mother and son had reached a point of deep understanding, so Rong Qikeng naturally nodded in agreement.

"You're terribly mistaken about the He family. You shouldn't have provoked them in the first place." Du Caiyi coldly lectured.

Rong Qi's head bowed. This time, he couldn't shift the blame onto Rong Ling anymore, to make excuses for himself.

Du Caixin is not the type of person who spends a lot of time dwelling on regrets. She prefers to look forward, and that's how she is now as well.

"Since things have gone this far with the He family, let's just drop it. For now, you should appease them and stop them from revealing anything they haven't said. Once our family gets through this hurdle, immediately sever ties with the He family. As for the child He Ya has in her belly, figure out a way to get rid of it. I don't want any further connection with the He family."

Whether he should rise or not, this is still a question. The He family now occupies a deeply uncomfortable place in his mind – a thorn that he wants to remove more than anyone else. Had he not been so closely entangled with the He family previously, divulging too much information, he should have severed ties with them immediately when trouble struck.

"Conversely, one can also turn a disadvantage into an advantage."

After a moment's thought, Du Caiyi continued, "As you said, the He family is concerned about you. Some things haven't been spoken aloud, so the clan's punishment for you definitely won't be severe. They need to appease the He family to prevent the situation from becoming even more serious."

Speaking of this, Du Caiyi's eyes lit up.

She felt that she was capable of it.

When Rong Fei Wu returned home, he received guidance from Du Cai Yi and, following Rong Qi Keng's example, knelt before Rong Fei Wu.

"Dad, please hit me, son was wrong, I beg you to help your son!"

Feng Fei had been running around these days, feeling quite exhausted. Nevertheless, he still mustered the remaining energy to beat Rong Qikeng severely. Later on, he felt increasingly frustrated and took off his belt, whipping Rong Qikeng again. Du Caoyi endured her heartache as she watched him whip for a while, guessing that he had vented a lot of anger, before finally stepping forward to persuade him.

"Alright, alright, stop fighting! This isn't the time to be brawling. We need to figure out what to do next!"

"What can be done, what else can be done, this wretch, this fool..."

Fang Qi roared angrily, and wanted to fight. However, his belt was suddenly snatched away by Du Caiyi, who then "slap!" threw it on the ground.

"Hit him, and you'll know what it's like to be hit! You don't even feel sorry for your own son You didn't raise him with all that effort! Or are you saying since you found someone better on the outside, this son means nothing to you anymore Even if he dies, it wouldn't matter"

Upon hearing Du Caiyi's cryptic words, Rong Feiwu immediately felt displeased and his tone became sullen.

"Don't talk like that, it's not right! Our son turned out this way because you coddled him!"

“Are you kidding me!” Du Caiyi sneered. “My son, everyone else used to say he was great, didn't you think so too! But who was it that called Rong Ling back and ruthlessly pushed our son down During the most glorious and energetic decade of his life, he was crushed by him, missing the opportunity to pursue his ambitions. Rong Feiwu, I tell you, all this is your fault! If it weren't for what you did back then, things wouldn't be like this today!”

Rong Fei's face stiffened upon being pointed out.

Du Caiyi immediately softened her voice and adopted a tender approach, shedding tears as she pleaded for her son. She mentioned Rong Qikeng's contributions and her own hardships as a mother. She claimed that Rong Qikeng had been driven to this action, seeking both an outlet for frustration and an opportunity to showcase himself.

After all, Du Caixin and Rong Fei have been married for so many years. They know his temper better than anyone!

Soft over hard!

She softened her tone, with a hint of grievance. Rong Fei Wu's surging anger was instantly quelled.

"Fifth brother, you always protected Rong Ling before, afraid that we would bully him. But look at it now, which time wasn't Rong Ling bullying us Look at all the things he has done! This time, he didn't even say hello and went straight to our fourth brother, dealing with us without even consulting you. Rong Ling can get away with this, but we are the ones who need your protection."

"That's all his own doing." Rong Fei puffed up his chest, bristling with anger.

Du Caiyi wiped away a tear and cried, "What's the point of being competitive Qi Keng just took over the business of Yidong. If there wasn't anything to do with the He family, he wouldn't have gotten this far. Think about it, when you first became the head of the family, weren't you also flustered and caused some trouble! Even Rong Ling when they were the head of the family, it took over a year for things within the clan and Yidong to run relatively smoothly! Our Qi Keng is really not bad, but he's just unlucky. Before he could even properly recover, he was dragged down by the He family!"

"This wasn't his own doing, after all!" Rong Fei snorted, but he was somewhat swayed by Du Caiyi's words.

Du Caiyi saw that his expression had loosened slightly, so naturally she pressed on, her eloquence flowing like water.

Upon hearing this, Rong Fei wu immediately raised an eyebrow, finding it utterly absurd.

"Do you still want him sitting in this position! After what he did, he wants to stay in this position That's impossible!"

Du Caiyi said calmly, "I'm not doing this for our sake, but for our family and Third Brother. Think about it, why did the He family help us cover things up It's because the He family's daughter-in-law is pregnant, isn't it And because they still have big dreams, wanting to be the head of the family! If we continue like this, what do you think will happen The He family has no hope left, so what else can they do! Hopeless people can be very dangerous. Fifth Brother, think about it carefully, am I making sense"

Rong Fei narrowed his eyes, his gaze suddenly becoming profound. After a long while, after much deliberation, he nodded.

Du Caoyi continued, "Qi Ke committed such a grave error; that position will definitely not be his anymore. Qi Ke told me himself that he doesn't want it at all. Now that he proposes this idea, it's just an attempt to make amends and get over this hurdle first. Once Third Uncle recovers, we can deal with the He family then. Silencing them will be a piece of cake!"

Feng Wuyu nodded again. Du Caoyi immediately felt a surge of joy in her heart, and she carefully observed Feng Wuyu's expression, softly suggesting, "Well, Fifth Brother, let's discuss this properly and then go find the Fourth Brother and the others. This matter shouldn't be delayed!"

Rong Fei Wu raised his hand, signaling to Du Cai Yi to stop speaking. He needed some time to think things over.

Du Caiyi's heart skipped a beat. Having been married for many years, she understood that when her husband made this gesture, she shouldn't disturb him.

Standing there, she tried to persuade Rong Fei Wu, her voice hoarse from speaking so much, but she wasn't entirely confident. After all, her husband wasn't someone easily swayed.

As expected, the worst-case scenario she had imagined came to pass.

"Just tell me what else you have in mind!"

A flicker of embarrassment crossed Du Caixin's face. Occasionally, she would feel as if she were completely transparent before her husband, unable to hide anything from him.

"Come on, don't keep me in the dark anymore. Otherwise, if anything else happens, I won't care about it!"

He should know his own wife well. To claim that everything he does is for the family, with such righteous indignation, is nothing more than pompous rhetoric. Besides, the Rong family has weathered centuries of storms; no one can truly claim absolute authority and say that everything they do is for the family, not even himself!

Du Caiyi felt a chill in her heart and met Rong Feiwu's sharp gaze. She gritted her teeth and explained everything. After all, she had let Rong Qikeng temporarily continue as the head of the family, mainly to allow Rong Qikeng to rely on this position and make more business deals so that the clan would have a better opinion of him and he would have a better way out. She didn't tell Rong Feiwu about this now because she wanted everyone to agree to let Rong Qikeng continue as head of the family first. Then, she would still tell Rong Feiwu about it because doing business still required Rong Feiwu's help. However, she had kept it a secret before because she was afraid that Rong Feiwu might be angry.

Rong Fei Wu was indeed angry.

"Are you still thinking of letting him handle business! It's utter nonsense. You think this Yadon belongs to our family, that we can do whatever we want! The clan members aren't fools; they won't let him handle business! Letting him stay in that position is a temporary measure, already a huge favor. Do you expect him to still have real power! This is impossible! The clan wouldn't agree!"

Now many people hate him so much they want to punch him, yet he can still pretend nothing happened and act all innocent!

"The Rong family's decisions are not made by me alone, and I don't have the final say. This won't work!"

"Fifth Brother, Qi Ke is our son. We can't just stand by and watch him lose everything!"

"You reap what you sow!" Rong Qikeng said, his face dark and grim.

“You are his father, after all. Your son is like this, as parents we can only do what we can. Fifth Brother, this child, Qiang, you raised him yourself. Please help him. I know you can do it, the clan will listen to you!”

“I can’t do this anymore!” Rong Feiwuhu’s face darkened. “For him, as his father, I’ve done all I can. Didn’t I help get Rong Ling out of the way back then Didn’t I put my old face on the line and beg for him everywhere” To this point, I have no face left, how can I possibly help anymore!”

Du Caiyi suddenly frowned.

"That's it, let him be a puppet head of the family for now. Once this is over, give him some money and he can go abroad to make his own living."

The implication there is that it's meant to drive Rong Qikeng away from the Rong family!

This is the last thing Du Caiyi wanted to see, and something that Rong Qikeng absolutely couldn't bear! He didn't have the guts! The Rong family was his best shelter; he had grown up in the Rong family for thirty-eight years. Leaving the Rong family now made him feel like he didn't even have a shell to protect himself, it would be better if they just killed him outright.

"Dad—" A mournful cry escaped, Rong Qi-keng knelt down and crawled towards Rong Fei-wu, hugging his legs. "Dad, I don't want to, please help me, help me..."

Saying that, a few more tears rolled down his cheeks as he ran away.

Feng Fei looked at her with annoyance. "Why are you crying A man shouldn't cry!"

Rong Feiwu cast a pleading look to Du Caiyi.

Du Caixin suddenly clenched her fist and took a step forward. With a "thump," she knelt down. This startled Rong Fei Wu, his eyes widening in surprise. He knew very well what kind of personality his wife had. But today, the woman who was known for her aloofness knelt before him!

He felt this kneel, too heavy!

Du Caiyi's cries, tears forming a line.

"Fifth Brother, we've been married for many years. Even when I was at my most heartbroken and difficult, I never asked you for help. Today, I beg you, please help our son."

That pair of eyes, which were welling up with tears, looked at Rong Feiwu with such pleading. To see Du Caiyi like this, kneeling before him, made Rong Feiwu feel his heart tighten and then loosen all at once.

“Mom—“ Rong Qi’s eyes widened in shock. He turned and embraced his mother tightly, then sobbed softly, repeating over and over, “Mom, it’s my fault. I've let you down. It's all my fault. I'm so sorry, Mom. I'm so sorry…”

Du Caiyi reached out with one hand and hugged Rong Qikeng's head, tears rolling down her face even more turbulently, but she looked up at Rong Feiwu with unwavering eyes.

"Fifth brother, please!"

"This is our son!"

Rong Fei Wu looked at the mother and son who were huddled together and crying, his heart felt particularly heavy. His wife and son both knelt before him, crying and begging him, what else could he do!

With a heavy sigh, he nodded solemnly.

Du Caiyi's heart immediately relaxed. She knew that this move was the right one. And she had also anticipated that her husband still had this capability. After all, he was once the head of the household. He was a seasoned and experienced figure, and at this very moment, when the Rong family was leaderless, wouldn't everyone still rely on him and follow his orders

*

As night fell, Rong Ling learned from a trusted confidant in the Rong family that the clan had decided to keep Rong Qikeng as the head of the family for now. They would only judge him after Rong Sanbo's matter was settled. A cold sneer immediately appeared on his lips.

Rong Fei Wu, you've really gone all out for this ungrateful son of yours!

Can this helpless old man, who can't even stand up, still show you miracles!

Then, when it comes to the He family, who are the most adept at riding the waves and adapting to changing circumstances, can they truly withstand pressure and remain steadfast

Will the enemy even give you a chance to breathe and prepare once they declare war!

What a joke!

And he wouldn't allow it!

If you move someone who has caught your eye, don't expect to get away unscathed!

--- Aside ---

Let me know if you have any other text you'd like me to translate!

Highly recommend my friend's novel "Entangled," a modern urban work, ranking on the SiaoXiang subscription list. Don't miss out on this fantastic piece!

He and she, every night entangled in each other's arms, yet there was only physical intimacy, no promise of love; she bore his children, gave him her whole heart, wishing to be his wife, to love him for life, but he said, she wasn't worthy!Yan's place. This meticulous appearance was truly doing his best as a fatherly figure, making the little guy overjoyed. These days, his cheerful laughter filled Lin Meng's ears, and it also allowed Li...