The Grand Protector pondered, his brow furrowed in deep thought.
Ye Fan's words held merit, and the Grand Protector was well aware of the Gu family's current predicament.
However, even so, any internal strife within the Gu family would inevitably lead to significant losses in its strength.
Such losses were likely beyond what the current Gu family could bear.
The Grand Protector remained with a tightly knitted brow, caught in indecision.
Seeing the Grand Protector's demeanor, Ye Fan let out a bitter chuckle and shook his head.
He had said all he could to the Grand Protector, yet the latter still harbored reservations. Thus, no matter what else he said, it was unlikely to change the Grand Protector's mind.
Meanwhile, the Great Elder, standing by, spoke up, "Brother Gu, I believe Brother Ye's words are very pertinent. The Gu family's internal affairs are already in disarray. If it weren't for the Old Master, those people would have likely caused chaos long ago. Indulging them further will only make them more audacious, and in the end, it will be the Gu family that suffers. Do you truly wish to see the Gu family vanish into the annals of history?"
"Throughout history, how many great families like the Gu family have ultimately met their demise? What was the reason?"
The Great Elder's voice was cold, and a glint of frost flickered in his eyes.
The Grand Protector looked at the Great Elder in surprise.
"But if we take action against those people, it will surely damage the Gu family's foundation, and besides, regarding the Old Master..."
The Grand Protector's mind was occupied with his concerns. The Old Master was still alive, and if he were to truly act against Gu Ping and others, the Old Master would likely be heartbroken. If he were to anger the Old Master to the point of illness, the repercussions would be too great to bear.
"Grand Protector, those who achieve great things do not concern themselves with trivial matters. If you remain hesitant, fearing this and that, then the Gu family will only head towards destruction. There is no other path," Ye Fan stated coldly.
There was no fault in his words; they were simply the truth.
For any family, without unwavering resolve, it would be difficult to endure to the end. In the end, it would be like drawing water with a bamboo basket, all in vain.
The words of the two men deeply stirred the Grand Protector's heart.
He was not a fool and understood the Gu family's current situation all too well.
If it weren't for the older generation painstakingly holding things together, the Gu family would have long been destroyed by other forces.
"Perhaps, this matter requires further deliberation."
After a long pause, the Grand Protector finally spoke in a low voice.
Upon hearing the Grand Protector's words, Ye Fan's lips curved into a smile.
The Grand Protector's words indicated that he was swayed by the matter. All that remained was to plan carefully.
The three of them dined at the Wang family's restaurant for a considerable time, not leaving until the sun began to set.
The Grand Protector was invited to stay at the Wang residence, where he engaged in conversation with the Great Elder.
Meanwhile, Ye Fan and Dong Ge returned to the Xiao Ran Pavilion.
Ye Fan's dominant performance in today's selection had brought him immense fame, making him a household name in Jiangnan City.
Consequently, the entrance to the Xiao Ran Pavilion was swarmed with people, who only dispersed late into the night.
Ye Fan and Dong Ge had already entered through the back door. Only after securing the back door did Ye Fan let out a long sigh of relief.
"Fortunately, the back door is designed quite cleverly, situated beside a neighboring shop. Otherwise, this Xiao Ran Pavilion would likely have been torn down by those people."
Even he hadn't anticipated how famous he had become, drawing such a terrifying crowd.
Dong Ge was covered in sweat, his face pale. He had nearly been crushed into a meat patty by the frenzied crowd while pushing his way through. If not for his robust physique, Dong Ge would likely be a corpse by now.
Old Gu leisurely sipped his wine, offering no comment on Ye Fan's overnight fame.
Elder Li, however, let out a long sigh, "It seems the Xiao Ran Pavilion must open for business as soon as possible. Otherwise, those curious individuals will undoubtedly block the entrance every day, which will only disrupt our lives."
Elder Li was quite rational, knowing that as Ye Fan's fame grew, the impact on the Xiao Ran Pavilion would only increase.
In such circumstances, maintaining an air of mystery would yield no benefit.
Elder Wang also nodded, "Old Li is right. Ye Fan, it's time to satisfy the curiosity of those people."
For Elder Wang, who possessed a heart as steady as a rock, to say such a thing indicated just how fanatical the people outside were.
Ye Fan, also with a pale face, replied, "Alright, we will open the Xiao Ran Pavilion first thing tomorrow morning. However, I don't think I should stay here. Otherwise, I fear those people will give me no peace."
Ye Fan shook his head like a rattle drum.
It wasn't that he was lazy; it was simply that the enemies were too formidable for him to handle.
Seeing Ye Fan's exhausted expression, Elder Li and the others could only offer helpless smiles.
They knew that Ye Fan wished to be a hands-off manager.
Yet, they were powerless to do anything about it.
As he had said, once those people saw Ye Fan, they would likely latch onto him relentlessly.
After all, with Ye Fan's current notoriety, he was enough to drive those people to madness.
Who wouldn't want to capitalize on the buzz?
Therefore, Ye Fan's request was entirely reasonable.
"Brother Ye, since you won't be at the Xiao Ran Pavilion tomorrow, where will you go?" Dong Ge urgently inquired.
As Ye Fan's bodyguard, it was his duty to ensure Ye Fan's safety, so he needed to be clear about Ye Fan's movements.
Ye Fan thought for a moment, "How about we pay a visit to the Feng family and conduct some business with them?"
A cold smile touched Ye Fan's lips.
By now, the Feng family and himself were irreconcilable, and Ye Fan wanted to hasten the Feng family's demise.
However, since learning of Feng Ting's ambition, Ye Fan's intentions had shifted.
If he continued to rely solely on Feng Ting, he would only end up being Feng Ting's unpaid henchman.
Why would Ye Fan undertake such a thankless task?
Moreover, to think that Feng Ting wanted to use him? Wasn't that overestimating himself?
A cold smile suddenly appeared on Ye Fan's face.
Upon seeing the cold smile on Ye Fan's face, Dong Ge couldn't help but gasp.
That smile signified that the Feng family was likely in for trouble.
However, what exactly did Ye Fan intend to do?
...
The next morning, the Xiao Ran Pavilion opened for business, and half of Jiangnan City rushed into it.
Not for any other reason but to catch a glimpse of Ye Fan.
Unfortunately, Ye Fan had left the Xiao Ran Pavilion early, leaving everyone immensely disappointed.
But when they saw the artifacts displayed in the Xiao Ran Pavilion, everyone went wild.
The Xiao Ran Pavilion was filled with exquisite antique items. Any single piece could be considered a treasure in any other antique shop.
It was not strange for an antique shop to have a few treasures, as it was necessary to have a prized possession to serve as a centerpiece.
However, for every item casually displayed to be genuine was simply unbelievable.
Yet, all of it in the Xiao Ran Pavilion was real.
Seeing the astonishment on people's faces, Elder Li and the others stroked their beards and laughed heartily.
With these treasures in place, the Xiao Ran Pavilion was destined to become one of the foremost antique shops in Jiangnan City in a very short time.