"Quite a spectacle!"
Qian Wenshi sat in the hall leisurely sipping tea, "There are more experts around here than in a damned sect!"
"Yeah, so what exactly is the Wei Family trying to do?"
"Who knows, let's just wait and see."
"Anyway, it's definitely not a child's play."
"Yeah, you see how panicked the yamen is, they're really afraid something might happen."
"Haha, we're scared too. We are business partners, if all six big families were wiped out, our business would collapse instantly."
"Well, let's just stay put today."
Qian Wenshi curiously fiddled with the teacup in front of him, "But this thing is quite strange."
"No doubt that the Wei Family is taking the lead."
"Counting the Wei Family, there are six families in total, controlling eighty percent of the clothing trade in Xufu Town."
"But what about the more than twenty other families?"
The head of Twelve Linked Huts said casually, "Them? Haha, they're not qualified to come here."
"Do you want to have dinner with them?"
"Didn't you feel annoyed when you went to the Wei Mansion, and there were Qi Family and those smaller families?"
The heads understood immediately.
Annoyed!
How can one not be annoyed?
"You see, those small family spies are all outside the crowd."
"Those who can enter the Lamp Flower Tower at this time, are top-notch figures in our Xufu Town."
"Hehe."
"This is not a minor gathering at all; this is about big business."
The heads of Twelve Linked Huts, their vision was indeed sharp.
They can spot the eager, longing gazes among the crowd.
Among them, of course, were people from the Qi Family.
Their expressions were anxious and uncomfortable.
They all claimed to be from great families, every one of them boasting extraordinary prowess.
But what use is that!
The convener won't include you in their games.
Sigh.
Doesn't it make you angry?
Angry?
Anger does no good, you're just not qualified.
Right now, unless you are part of the six big families, not even the government yamen can enter, except for the County Magistrate and his family.
Others shouldn't even think about it.
"Has it come to this?"
"Never thought the situation would change in a day like this," Qian Wenshi lamented.
The third leader of Twelve Linked Huts next to him candidly said, "There must be someone influencing things in the background, otherwise would the yamen be so tense?"
"This is psychological warfare."
"Hmm... Makes sense, so is it an inside influence from the Wei Family?"
"Not sure, but it's possible."
The group of twelve gathered together, leisurely consuming the candied fruits on the table.
Qian Wenshi asked, "Brothers, who do you think is the one leading this whole Wei Family affair?"
"Definitely not the old man Wei Xubing, he's great at business, but he wouldn't take such risky ventures."
"Then it's the eldest, Wei Zhe?"
"Also unlikely, the eldest Wei Zhe was groomed by the old man, he also runs in business, similar character to the old man."
"Then is it the second son Wei Fei?"
"Possible?" The head gave Qian Wenshi a sidelong glance, "Though the second son has quit gambling, can he really change his nature overnight?"
"Then it must be the third son Yuchi!" Qian Wenshi was shocked, "Could it really be Yuchi?"
"Who else could it be?"
The head of Twelve Linked Huts was a mature and steady man.
He squinted his eyes, clutching the teacup in his hand, "No matter how you look at it, I'm becoming more and more interested in Yuchi."
"At such a young age, to have orchestrated such a big scene, I'm afraid if he really settles things tonight!"
"The entire Xufu Town might see a change."
"Is it really that serious? Big brother, could it be so grave?"
"Of course, you Little Twelve, learn well, don't think people here are all easy to deal with?"
"Alright!" Qian Wenshi replied awkwardly.
"We'll see, it's almost time for the meeting."
"Okay!" Qian Wenshi exclaimed in awe, "So if it really is Yuchi, then what exactly does this young man intend to do?"
...
On the street, the people of Xufu Town were bewildered.
What's going on?
How come the Lamp Flower Tower is surrounded, even by the yamen people!
And look, there are even family members.
Not only that, the heads of the Twelve Linked Huts are all seated inside the hall!
What's this about?
"According to what my seventh uncle said, it seems the six big families are discussing something."
"Is it about clothing?"
"It must be about clothing!"
"Then what will they say?"
"I don't know!"
The townsfolk were deeply concerned, not just out of curiosity, but because such matters were directly tied to their interests.
In Xufu Town, as long as you can make clothes, you'd never worry about having a meal.
For a clothing town, the gathering of these leaders in the clothing industry is very critical.
"There have been guesses offered by storytellers, if there's no news by tonight, that's the best news."
"But if we hear the six families have clashed, our business will be tough in the future."
"Ah!?"
"No way, we are counting on the gold and silver from these three to four months of autumn, and we still have the New Year ahead."
"There's no way around it, the one leading this convocation, his mind isn't just average."
"Sigh, indeed, he just had to choose autumn."
"Frustrating."
And just as the townspeople were talking about these things.
Exclamations rang out.
The carriages arrived.
Carriages engraved with the crests of various prominent families stopped one by one in front of the Lamp Flower Tower.
"Wow! This is the Li Family! The young master of the Li Family has grown so big."
"Impressive!"
"These days, one-tenth of Xufu Town's clothing sales are in their hands."
Four people entered the Lamp Flower Tower in succession, and their family emblem seemed to be a special kind of flower.
Leading the way was an old man leaning on a cane.
"The Zhao Family is here too!"
"The head of the Zhao Family still looks so young!"
"They seem to handle another tenth of the clothing sales!"
After the four from the Li Family entered, the four from the Zhao Family arrived.
An elder, two middle-aged men, and a woman in her twenties.
"The Bai Family!"
"The Bai Family is known for their women, and their head, Bai Rou, is as beautiful as a flower, though she is already married."
"Yes, but she still has that allure, looking as if she could squeeze out water."
After the Zhao Family's four entered the Lamp Flower Tower, five women arrived.
The women varied in appearance.
At the forefront was a woman in luxurious garments.
Then.
"The Yue Family!"
"Rumor has it they're well-connected with the authorities, but business hasn't been good lately, barely managing to secure a tenth of the clothing sales."
"It's tough, seems the Patriarch died young and there are still many old grudges from past wars."
"But at least they managed to get in! They might rise again someday!"
After the five women entered the Lamp Flower Tower, the six from the Yue Family came next.
All six were very young, the eldest around Wei Zhe's age, and they appeared less composed compared to the other families.
They brought the most people.
Probably feeling quite insecure inside.
Next.
The crowd grew somewhat excited.
Two more carriages arrived.
From south to north, from north to south, simultaneously stopping in front of the Lamp Flower Tower!
"The Wei Family!"
"The Zhangsun Family!"
"Dear me, these two families dominate four-tenths of Xufu Town's clothing sales! They're impressive!"
"Wow, all four from the Wei Family are here!"
"The Patriarch Wei Xubing, he was a talented scholar in his youth!"
"The eldest, Wei Zhe, is in his thirties and still single!"
"Second son, Wei Fei, dashing and handsome, had a bad reputation before but seems to have changed his ways now?"
"The youngest, Yuchi, is still a teenager, but he... he seems to be the calmest one!"
"Great talent always emerges!"
Finally, the Zhangsun Family.
"The Zhangsun Family brought three!"
"They're an old established clothing family in Xufu Town, only bringing three people!"
"Three generations, with the grandfather also being the head, Changsun Hao, then the son, Changsun Cheng, and finally the granddaughter, Changsun Mei!"
"The Zhangsun Family remains deeply rooted."
"Seems like Xufu Town's clothing was initially started by them!"
"Really?"
"The Zhangsun Family is that impressive?"
"Yes! Although the Wei Family's business is now akin to the Zhangsun's, they still lack depth; it all requires time to settle."
"And this granddaughter, Changsun Mei, is quite something, youthful and exceptionally handsome, with a blend of charm and grace!"
"Anyone lucky enough to marry Changsun Mei would be truly blessed!"
"Indeed! A woman like that can be a great help!"
Thus, all six clothing families of Xufu Town were present.
Li Family, Zhao Family, Bai Family, Yue Family.
Wei Family and Zhangsun Family.
...
The shopkeeper of the Lamp Flower Tower was nervous as a puppy.
Truly anxious.
On one hand, he thought about the rising reputation of the Lamp Flower Tower, on the other hand, he was worried sick.
He had long instructed the cooks to prepare the best dishes, almost kneeling to them in the process.
Begging them to display their finest culinary skills.
But the words were unnecessary; the cooks were anxious too!
Damn it all!
If they couldn't properly serve these six families, who knew what consequences would follow.
All the top chefs were here!
The kitchen was now filled with the whirring of fans, top-quality charcoal burning relentlessly.
Damn it.
All of Xufu Town was in chaos.
The yamen feared trouble.
The Twelve Linked Huts feared trouble.
The other small families feared trouble.
The shopkeepers feared trouble.
Even the ordinary folks feared trouble.
Everyone was in absolute panic!
All because of Yuchi's suggestion...
Then the clamor quieted down.
It was as if all of Xufu Town had come to life, everyone straining their ears for news from inside the Lamp Flower Tower.
These were matters of fate's trajectory.