Chapter 36: Su Lan’s True Strength

To be honest, if Qin Guosheng were still alive, the Qin family would have nothing to fear. The expressions on the faces of those present would not be as they were now. Once they were certain that Qin Guosheng was truly dead, each person's face revealed a different emotion.

Previously, with Qin Guosheng's authority looming over them, none of these people could hope to seize control of the Qin family for themselves. But now, with the circumstances having drastically changed—Qin Guosheng dead—they saw a chance to reclaim everything that had once belonged to them.

Only Fang Tai, with his straightforward nature, was still fixated on avenging Qin Guosheng. Watching Su Lan speak so eloquently and even exuding the presence of a true matriarch, Lin Li could not help but feel a sense of admiration. Truthfully, he had not expected Su Lan to rise to the occasion so resolutely in such a critical moment.

Zhou Huaji and Qiu Bisheng, too, looked at Su Lan in astonishment. They had assumed that with Qin Guosheng gone, Su Lan was nothing more than a figurehead. How could a mere woman hope to control the entire Qin family? Even if Su Lan harbored such ambitions, so did many others throughout the Qin household.

That had been their way of thinking, but now, witnessing Su Lan’s composure, even they found it hard to believe and began to suspect that things had escalated beyond their control.

Su Lan, for her part, regarded the three men coldly.

“I know all of you are desperate to avenge the eldest Qin, but this is not something that can be accomplished through reckless passion alone,” she said. “Ye Aotian was formidable to begin with. Now he has even more martial experts at his side. If you go after him now, do you mean to destroy the Qin family entirely?”

Her sharp gaze swept over each of them. Qiu Bisheng and Zhou Huaji were clearly displeased, but Fang Tai only hung his head, looking chastened.

“Sister-in-law, I simply cannot swallow this grievance. If we do not avenge him, how can we face the eldest Qin in the afterlife?” Fang Tai’s voice was choked with emotion.

Qiu Bisheng and Zhou Huaji exchanged a glance. Though they, too, were angry, their feelings did not run nearly so deep. Qin Guosheng had often made some outrageous decisions, and even in death, his absence was not necessarily a misfortune.

“Sister-in-law, if you won’t allow us to seek revenge now, what are we to do?” Zhou Huaji asked curiously. “We can't just pretend nothing happened.”

“Don’t forget,” Su Lan replied, “that aside from our Qin family, there are still four great families in River City. Officially, we have nothing to do with them, but now, with the eldest Qin gone and so many of our people lost, do you not see that they will try to swallow up our power?”

At this, Zhou Huaji and Qiu Bisheng finally came to their senses. Even Lin Li, standing nearby, looked at Su Lan with surprise. He had not expected her to speak with such clarity, as he had not discussed any of this with her the day before.

Everyone had underestimated Su Lan’s capabilities.

What Lin Li did not know was that after returning home yesterday, Su Lan had immediately begun preparing to consolidate the entire Qin family. Qin Guosheng was dead, but Qin Lang still lived. Although the boy had committed many misdeeds in his life, his current fate—paralyzed on one side—was his own destiny. Su Lan had no intention of abandoning him. If she wished to stabilize her control over the Qin family in the future, she would need to keep him under her thumb.

Initially, Zhou Huaji and Qiu Bisheng had been thinking only of how to seize the Qin family’s power for themselves. But after hearing Su Lan’s words, they quickly realized the truth. She was right—at this moment, they were the most coveted prize in the eyes of others, who would happily see them destroyed. Rather than fighting amongst themselves for power, it was time to unite, deal with external threats, and only then consider their own ambitions.

Observing their change in demeanor, Su Lan immediately understood what was on their minds.

“I know that all of you doubt my abilities and believe I am unfit to shoulder the responsibilities of the Qin family,” she declared. “So let this be my chance to prove myself. If I make any mistakes that bring greater crisis upon the Qin family, you may point them out, and I will hand over all my authority to you.”

The others looked at Su Lan, none of them having expected her to be so decisive. Fang Tai, standing nearby, spoke up.

“Sister-in-law, we were all personally chosen by the eldest Qin. After all these years of life and death together, I, Fang Tai, would never dare covet what belongs to the Qin family.”

The other two glanced at Fang Tai, wishing they could punch him square in the face. Yet with his words, he had cut off any retreat for the rest of them. They could not continue to argue on this point.

“In that case, none of us have any objections,” they said. “Now, more than ever, the Qin family must stand together.”

Thus, with her strength and presence, Su Lan managed to subdue the key figures of the Qin family. Only after they left did she collapse into her chair, utterly spent.

Fang Tai was straightforward—he had always been this way when following Qin Guosheng. His thoughts were plain for all to see. Zhou Huaji and Qiu Bisheng, on the other hand, were entirely different. Cunning and inscrutable, they always appeared harmless, but no one could predict what they might do next. That was why Su Lan felt so nervous.

Fortunately, they had not dared to openly rebel this time; otherwise, she would not know what to do next.

“Sister Lan, you truly impressed me this time,” Lin Li said, coming up behind her and gently massaging her shoulders. “To think you convinced them all with just a few words.”

“Zhou Huaji and Qiu Bisheng still have their own designs, but they understand that the current threat comes from the four great families of River City,” Su Lan replied. “So, for now, they won’t act against us. But if ever they find an excuse, they will not hesitate to strike.”

Lin Li nodded. He was certain Zhou Huaji and Qiu Bisheng would investigate Qin Guosheng’s death, and then use that as leverage against him and Su Lan.

Those two were the very definition of a smiling tiger—seemingly kind, but deadly beneath the surface. They could never be underestimated.

“Don’t worry, Sister Lan,” Lin Li said. “I already have a plan for dealing with them. Our next step is to find a way to help Qin Lang recover.”