Chapter 735: Chapter 734: Are you still awake?
Late at night in Binhai City, the lights were still on in Sun Weimin’s home.
Sun Lei had fallen asleep, and Tang Qian, yawning, walked into the bathroom to wash her face with cold water. When she came out, she saw Sun Weimin sitting on the living room couch, smoking.
"What’s wrong?" Tang Qian walked over and sat next to her husband, looking tenderly at the man, and asked softly.
Sun Weimin glanced at her, said, "A guest will be coming over in a while."
Tang Qian’s heart stirred and she asked, "Has your family agreed?"
Sun Weimin nodded.
Tang Qian was pleased and said, "That’s good. Those people on that side are too selfish and petty, not at all formidable. They couldn’t compete with the Qin Family here. From the beginning, my father firmly stood with the Qin Family, not just because Qin Huai’an was his old superior, but also because my father believed that in terms of right and wrong, the Qin Family could never be at fault. Following the Qin Family, even if we lost, we wouldn’t be scorned by future generations."
Sun Weimin nodded, and at that moment, the phone placed on the coffee table vibrated, a text message, two words: Open the door.
Sun Weimin looked at Tang Qian who gave him a confirming and supportive look; the couple rose simultaneously and went to open the door.
Two men stood outside.
One was Sun Chaoyi, a rising political star from the Sun family governing Jiangbei County; the other was a man who looked to be in his sixties or seventies.
Upon seeing the elderly man, Sun Weimin immediately bowed in respect, "Uncle."
This man’s name was Sun Changning, father of Sun Chaoyi, Sun Weimin’s uncle.
Sun Changning, holding a high position, was one of the two main pillars of the Sun family, having left the position of a great official of a distant land just over a year ago, currently high in the power center of the Imperial Capital.
Tang Qian had never met Sun Changning, but she had seen him on television and knew of his official position. However, facing this highly placed political figure, she did not follow her husband in performing the courtesy.
Up to now, the Sun family still had not accepted her.
Initially, the Tang family had opposed her marriage with Sun Weimin; she could confront and stay estranged from her own father for over a decade, and now, she faced even less desire to make amends with the relatives from Sun Weimin’s side who disregarded her.
However, Sun Changning seemed not to mind, and after Sun Weimin invited them in, the father and son briefly surveyed the room before Sun Weimin asked them to sit down.
"Go brew some tea." Seeing Tang Qian not moving, Sun Weimin couldn’t help feeling a bit helpless, his eyes pleading.
"No need, let’s get down to business sooner," said Sun Changning, waving his hand with a smile.
Sun Chaoyi also smiled awkwardly and shook his head to decline.
Tang Qian nevertheless stood up, went and brewed three cups of tea, set them on the coffee table in front of them, and then said to Sun Weimin, "You talk, I’m going to sleep."
As she was about to leave, Sun Changning quickly said, "Why don’t you sit down and listen too?"
Tang Qian pointed to herself, smiling, and asked, "Would that be appropriate?"
Sun Changning gave a bitter smile and said, "Are you still mad at the Sun family? Alas, things have come to this point, and I won’t keep this from you two anymore: our Sun family may have made a wrong move, a very bad move. The glory of the Sun family is about to be destroyed."
Upon hearing this, Tang Qian’s face, instead of showing previous mockery, turned serious and she grew silent.
Sun Weimin offered cigarettes to both, as Sun Changning and his son were both heavy smokers. Seeing an ashtray on the coffee table that still contained a few uncleaned cigarette butts, they made themselves at home and lit up.
After a brief silence, Sun Changning said to Sun Weimin, "Weimin, you’ve stayed in Binhai without leaving since the incident. Up to now, the Qin family still hasn’t moved you from your position, which shows they still trust you greatly."
Sun Weimin gave a bitter smile upon hearing this: "They don’t trust me; they trust the Tangs."
Sun Changning sighed and nodded, saying, "The Tangs indeed see far into the future. But this time, it isn’t that our Sun family was short-sighted; being in the Imperial Capital, the situation forced us, and we had no choice but to bow."
Sun Weimin and Tang Qian didn’t speak.
Sun Chaoyi said, "Cousin, you might not be aware, but Third Uncle and Auntie had already been controlled by them long ago. If Uncle doesn’t obey them, not only will he be threatened with his life, but all of our Sun Family in Imperial City will perish. Those people are unscrupulous; by then, our Sun Family really had no choice."
Sun Weimin and Tang Qian’s expressions changed, with the former asking, "How are Third Uncle and Auntie now?"
Sun Chaoyi replied with a bitter smile, "They went to an underground military bunker for shelter. To put it nicely, they are with them, but what’s the difference from being their hostages? Since the incident, they haven’t come back, only keeping in touch with the family through phone calls."
Sun Weimin slammed his hand down hard on the coffee table, "Defying the law with martial arts, disregarding the rules, these people are a cancer to society."
Tang Qian, feeling sorry for him, gently massaged his hand and chided him, "You’re already in your forties, why still act so rashly? Not all martial artists are bad people. Brother Yang and his wife, along with many martial arts practitioners, are gallant individuals of justice. They care for the Divine Continent and protect Yanhuang, silently giving much more than ordinary people can."
Sun Weimin gradually calmed down and nodded, "I know, I was referring to those ambitious families hidden in the world of martial arts."
Sun Changning sighed and said, "Indeed, those people are lawless cancers to human society. If their actions can’t be effectively restrained, they will become the greatest threat to humanity’s peace.
"Power absolutely must not fall into the hands of these people; otherwise, let alone ordinary civilians, even families like ours, the Sun Family, would become their puppets."
Sun Weimin and his wife looked toward this Second Uncle.
Sun Changning openly said, "This time I came here hoping to ask the Qin Family for a favor via the Tangs."
A flicker of intrigue flashed through Tang Qian’s eyes, but she didn’t respond and even turned her head away.
Sun Weimin glanced at his wife, then looked toward Sun Changning, "Second Uncle, what’s this about?"
Sun Changning sighed, "The Sun Family had no choice but to make a bad move, and I hope there’s a chance for redemption."
Sun Chaoyi followed up, "Exactly, Weimin, our Sun Family being forced to take sides was completely against our will. Now the whole nation is cursing the Chu Family Faction, and our Sun Family is being derided as well. This feeling is too hard to bear. Weimin, talk to your father-in-law, just say our Sun Family wants to make amends."
Sun Weimin’s eyes sparkled with relief, "Really? Second Uncle, has the family really decided to do this?"
Sun Changning nodded, "A mistake is a mistake, but our Sun Family cannot continue to err. Weimin, my coming to see you today despite the risks already shows the Sun Family’s determination. Speaking grandly, we are doing this for Divine Continent; speaking personally, the Sun Family mustn’t end with our generation. Once wrong, we must admit it and change."
Sun Weimin was overjoyed and turned to look at Tang Qian.
Sun Changning and Sun Chaoyi also looked toward Tang Qian. Although Sun Weimin was a son-in-law of the Tangs, the Southwest Tangs were too proud, coupled with their old grievances with the Sun Family, Sun Weimin asking the Tangs wouldn’t be effective. Whether the Sun Family could safely connect with the Qin Family depended on Tang Qian.
"I’ll try," Tang Qian finally softened.
Her son’s surname was Sun, and Sun Weimin always kept his family in his heart. As the wife of Sun Weimin, how could she truly ignore the fate of the Sun Family?
Besides, as Sun Changning said, from a broader perspective, the Sun Family defecting would definitely benefit the unification efforts of Divine Continent.
That night, many others also stayed awake.
Luo Yong, the stabilizer of the Luo Family, hadn’t slept either.
To be precise, ever since the incident in Divine Continent, he had hardly been able to sleep well.
The media strategy led by Qin Yanyang had had an excellent effect, which further affirmed the idea that had long sprouted in Luo Yong’s mind.
He grabbed his phone and resolutely dialed a number.
The person on the other end seemed to have been waiting for the call, instantly picking up as soon as the phone connected.
"Brother Wang, you haven’t slept either," Luo Yong began.