There is something wrong with the car accident

"Xiaoman, let me tell you something. It is precisely because this matter has nothing to do with me that I can speak my mind with a clear conscience!"

"Control? You are far too young to understand the complexity and power struggles within the family!"

Zhao Deshan offered a cold laugh, a trace of mockery curving the corners of his lips. "Do you really think a few unread messages are enough to uncover the truth? This is nothing more than your youthful impulsiveness!"

"I am not being impulsive; I am being rational!" Zhao Yiman did not retreat an inch. She looked straight into her third uncle's eyes, vowing silently to herself that she would never let her father's death be in vain.

"I will find the truth, even if it costs me my life!"

"Hmph, the truth? In this world, plenty of people use these dirty tricks. Out of ten, how many are ever brought to light?"

Zhao Deshan let out a cold snort, a flash of disdain in his eyes as he spoke, "Let me tell you the truth, Xiaoman. Their entire goal is to throw our Zhao family into chaos so they can fish in troubled waters!"

"Therefore, your claim that you will take over as head of the family is absolute nonsense!"

"I will make all of you see that the Zhao family can no longer be manipulated by dark conspiracies!" Zhao Yiman's voice was firm and clear, piercing through the silence of the conference room like a sharp sword.

Seeing that Zhao Yiman, dressed in mourning attire, refused to budge an inch, Zhao Deshan turned his head to glance at Zhao Dezhu, and then at Zhao De'an. "You two, why aren't you saying a single word?"

"Our eldest brother is gone. Do you two want to see the Zhao family tear itself apart?"

Suddenly, Zhao Dezhu's cold laugh echoed through the conference room, like a sudden storm that instantly shattered the deadlock.

His gaze was as sharp as a falcon's as he stared directly at Zhao Deshan, his words carrying an unquestionable firmness. "It's not that we aren't talking, Third Brother. In fact, I feel like you're the one stirring up trouble. Don't you think my dear niece is doing a fine job stepping up as family head?"

"You?"

At that moment, Zhao Deshan's face turned green.

He looked at Zhao Dezhu in sheer disbelief. Such words—coming from the very man who had always wanted to usurp their eldest brother?

Why did it sound so grating to Zhao Deshan's ears?

Zhao Deshan's expression instantly darkened, his fists clenched tightly as if suppressing the raging fire within his heart.

He thought to himself that Zhao Dezhu's words were undoubtedly pouring oil on the fire, deliberately meant to intensify the internal conflict within the family.

"You are just trying to sow discord!"

Zhao Deshan retorted coldly, his voice trembling slightly, revealing his mounting anxiety.

"I'm not sowing any discord," Zhao Dezhu replied with a faint smile, a glint of cunning flashing in his eyes. "I simply believe Xiaoman has the capability to handle all of this. Why should an old fogey like you be here making a mess of things?"

"If you ask me, the one trying to sow discord is you!"

The atmosphere in the conference room grew increasingly tense. Zhao De'an remained silent for the moment.

Then, Zhao Deshan cast a cold glare at Zhao Dezhu. "Second Brother... I suspect that while you pretend to support Xiaoman on the surface, you're actually plotting something else behind the scenes!"

Hearing this, Zhao Dezhu whipped his head around and glared coldly at Zhao Deshan. "Third Brother, you can say whatever you want, but you can't just talk nonsense. What's wrong with me supporting my own niece?"

Zhao Deshan sneered, "Don't think I don't know. Over the past few months, you've been getting awfully cozy with Gao Qiqiang. The moment Gao Qiqiang went abroad, my eldest brother died in a car accident. Are you daring to claim this has nothing to do with you?"

Zhao Yiman's heart jolted as she realized events were spiraling far beyond her expectations.

She raised her head, looking at Zhao Dezhu with unwavering resolve. "Second Uncle, is what Third Uncle just said true?"

Zhao Dezhu's expression darkened, and he spoke coldly, "Gao Qiqiang entered our city to handle the jade project. With his immense wealth and power, how am I supposed to do business in the future if I don't engage with him? As for you, Zhao Deshan, you sit around every day lacking ambition while our family's territories are being eroded and shrinking under pressure from other clans. If the eldest brother never came after you, it was only because you were lucky! How dare you stand here and spout nonsense?"

"Do you really think your opinion holds any weight?"

Zhao Deshan's face grew even gloomier, anger and resentment flickering in his eyes.

He took a deep breath, trying to suppress the turbulence in his chest, and said coldly, "Do you think your relationship with Gao Qiqiang can protect the Zhao family? Openly and secretly, he has never once taken us seriously! If the eldest brother's death is tied to Gao Qiqiang, then your willingness to step aside and let Yiman take charge suddenly makes complete sense!"

"Because you want to turn Yiman into your puppet!"

"Enough!" Zhao Yiman suddenly interjected, her voice like thunder, stunning both of her uncles.

"Both of you uncles are arguing over who holds power while forgetting who our true enemy is. We need unity, not mutual accusations!"

"As for this so-called Gao Qiqiang, even if he wants to break into the local jade market, as long as our import channels and distribution networks remain unaffected, that is all that matters! Beyond that, it is only natural to forge alliances with outsiders!"

"There has never been such a thing as running a business behind closed doors in this world!"

Hearing this, Zhao Dezhu nodded with a smile and looked at Zhao Deshan. "Little brother, listen to our dear niece. How sensible her words are! Just because I know Gao Qiqiang, does that mean Gao Qiqiang was the one behind it? By that logic, since you know Sister Hong, why don't I accuse Sister Hong of making the move?"

"As far as I know, Sister Hong is currently abroad as well! Besides, her subordinate, Old Ghost Shi, has been acting quite lawless in the market lately!"

"Are you choosing to play deaf and dumb to all of that?"

"How clever of you," Zhao Dezhu sneered. "Everything you do is supposedly for the family, while everything I do is meant to destroy it, is that it?!"

Watching the two men bicker, Zhao Yiman felt a growing sense of anxiety.

She knew deep down that signs of internal strife were already showing within the family, and this was entirely inappropriate.

She forced herself to calm down, her tone resolute as she spoke. "Second Uncle, Third Uncle, arguing over who is right and who is wrong will not solve our problems. We must find the truth if we are to preserve the Zhao family."

"The truth?" Zhao Deshan sneered, a sinister glint in his eyes. "Do you think the truth will simply lay itself bare before us? In this family, anyone could be our enemy!"

"I will not back down." Zhao Yiman's voice was as piercing as a cold wind. She looked directly into Zhao Deshan's eyes without a shred of fear. "I will uncover the cause of my father's death, and I will not let any conspiracy succeed!"

"Yes, exactly. So I say, let's keep investigating. Let's get to the bottom of Eldest Brother's death, and I want to see what those people behind the scenes are really trying to achieve!"

At that moment, Zhao De'an finally stepped forward. He glanced at his two brothers before turning his gaze to Zhao Yiman. "Niece, your fourth uncle supports you too!"

"The Zhao family currently needs a core figurehead! I have faith in you!"

Just as these words settled, a knock echoed from outside the office door.

A moment later, a man in plainclothes walked into the room.

He was an old acquaintance of the Zhao family; the security and order of many territories belonging to the Zhao clan fell under his jurisdiction.

"Yiman, it truly seems there is something suspicious about Mr. Zhao's car accident!"