"Sechan reported that someone made an attempt on the child's life."
In the manor garden a lively place adorned with exotic flowers, bathed in a relaxing atmosphere and soft sunlight a man sat on a chair. Beside him, a tea set rested on a table. The man seemed lost in thought as he listened to the words of the commander of the family guard.
He was not alone. Around him, seated at the table, were the family members: adults, all well-dressed, symbols of the clan's affluence. Everyone here was a brother or sister.
The commander of the family guard, having finished his report, took a step back, waiting to be dismissed. Normally, this was not news that required the involvement of the family guard's commander.
But since this information had to be conveyed to the Patriarch, he had no choice but to come personally.
The atmosphere was light. On the surface, no one really paid attention to the matter; it was as if that sort of thing happened all the time and was a trivial detail.
"Attempted? So the child survived?"
The Patriarch brought his teacup to his lips. His brothers and sisters cast furtive glances at him. They all knew how their brother reacted to this kind of situation, but there was no harm in gauging him; after all, it was his son's life in question. No one was truly surprised by his cold attitude.
He stood up without waiting for the commander to speak further, his expression already confirming what he thought. He walked away, and the commander of the family guard followed after offering his salutations.
Once the Patriarch was gone, the mood shifted.
"Who tried it this time?"
Everyone could now speak more freely, even if each was careful not to say certain things: it was that kind of place.
"Well, I feel the Elder won't appreciate the news," a man sighed with visible disappointment in his eyes.
The murmur of discussion began to rise.
"Time flies, and now he is on his fifth birthday. He is quite persistent for a cockroach, but we cannot act rashly either."
"I hope this generation will wash away the shame that is Wushou. I fear for our family's prestige."
Of course, everyone agreed on the matter of Wushou, but they didn't necessarily share the same intentions, and there was no point in letting the others know.
"Even if our brother hasn't been lucky, I think that among the children we have, the future of our clan is secure. We just need to find a way to convince him."
"Since Li Gihun seems to be close to this Tang Xueran, I think we should consider him a potential successor."
Li Gihun's name had, of course, been brought up by his mother, but everyone did their best to control their facial expressions.
As members of the same family, one had to pay attention to everything concerning the clan, and to any keen observer, that child had something about him.
Li Gihun was a very gifted child and held many qualifications.
Before Wushou's birth, many had their eyes fixed on him. Now that it was revealed that Wushou was not an individual to be counted on, his name naturally resurfaced among many others.
He showed extraordinary talent for martial arts. Although there were other talents, what differentiated him were his actions: he seemed very cunning and vicious. With time, Li Gihun would certainly be among those supporting the family, and perhaps even guiding it, as his mother hoped.
"Sister, you are right; Gihun seems very sharp for his age. But he is not the only one to consider. Our prestigious family, in its misfortune, has been blessed with several geniuses who will allow us to save face. We must not rush, but nurture them properly. What a pity for our brother that Wushou is such a waste."
Of course, this intervention was full of subtext, which pleased the majority and failed to please the others.
"Come now, come now, we are family."
"We should go about our business, seeing as this meeting has no further points requiring the Patriarch's presence."
"Yes, brother, let us keep that in mind."
They stood up one after another, their heads clouded with numerous calculations.
Li Changseng, the Patriarch, knew very well what his brothers and sisters were thinking as he left the garden. Their logical train of thought was easy for him to read. But what bothered him was something else.
As he walked down the corridor, he asked himself a question: why did Sechan persist in protecting that child? Even to him, it was incomprehensible. If she had at least fled with him, he would have understood, but she was exposing herself to danger by maintaining the status quo. Changseng did not doubt Sechan's strength, but he did not understand her thought process.
He knew almost nothing about her either; all he knew was that she had a connection to the child's mother.
"However, this time, they sent a servant. They are starting to become desperate."
Changseng did not care what happened to the child, but he knew who was behind this attack.
He couldn't help but sigh; seeing his siblings seek to establish their dominance over this empire he was building exasperated him.
"My brothers and sisters are nothing but foxes, and the Elders are no better," he thought. "If they put this energy into realizing my ambition, my vision would not take long to become reality. We haven't even finished growing this family, and they are all already thinking about succession."
"Hmmm? What was his name again? Among my brothers' children, he is the most interesting one. We shall see what surprises he has in store for me in a few years."
Although Changseng had forgotten his nephew's name it was not Gihun, he no longer concerned himself with the matter.
As usual, he would let everyone do as they pleased as long as he saw results. That was the kind of man Li Changseng was.