The surroundings were deathly silent!
Everyone was stunned!
Zuo Qian's sudden, furious outburst was almost unbelievable to everyone present.
As for the patriarch of the Zuo family, Zuo Qian's uncle, he hadn't even recovered from the shock before Zuo Qian slapped him across the face!
*Slap!*
The crisp sound was even more piercing than the sound of Zuo Qian being whipped earlier!
Everyone around was dumbfounded, staring at the scene in disbelief.
What was going on?
"Zuo Qian, you, you dare to hit me?! I am the patriarch of the Zuo family!"
Zuo Qinghou jumped up, his rattan whip once again poised to strike Zuo Qian.
Zuo Qian, however, let out a cold snort, "Hmph, try hitting me one more time. Even if I've left the Yan family, my years of accumulation are not something the Zuo family can compare to. Regardless, I've given birth to two sons for the Yan family. Do you think my two sons will let you off?!"
Instantly, a deathly silence fell over the entire hall.
Although Zuo Qian's words were incredibly arrogant, everyone present knew very well that she was speaking the absolute truth.
Zuo Qian had appeared too easy to bully before, and moreover, this incident had truly brought shame to their Zuo family. Therefore, everyone felt that punishing Zuo Qian was justified.
However, they failed to consider that the rise of the Jinmen Zuo family was entirely due to Zuo Qian's efforts over the years!
Especially in the past three years, if Zuo Qian hadn't helped with the monster material business, could the Zuo family have achieved such substantial profits?
Before, they had revered Zuo Qian. Now that she was cast out by the Yan family, they wanted to kick her while she was down?
They were thinking too simplistically; the process of discarding someone after they'd served their purpose couldn't be this swift.
Clearly, Zuo Qian had initially chosen to tolerate their actions, but the escalating oppression had pushed her beyond her limits!
"You... you are shameless, and you dare to clamor here!" Zuo Qinghou's eyes widened. His authority as patriarch had been thoroughly trampled today, yet the rattan whip in his hand remained suspended in mid-air, unable to fall.
This was no joke! He didn't have the guts for that!
"Heh heh, I'm shameless? If my grandfather hadn't pulled me back from Hanjiang back then, would I have ended up in this state? So what if I helped Yin Zhengjun? Even the Yan family hasn't done anything to me. You, an old geezer from the Zuo family, do you intend to beat me to death?!"
Zuo Qian sneered, rising to her feet and surveying the crowd with a detached gaze. "Anyone who thinks I, Zuo Qian, am shameless can leave the Zuo family. From now on, I will manage all the Zuo family's businesses. Anyone who has an objection, speak up now!"
As soon as these words were spoken, many people present were enraged.
When did it become the Zuo family's turn for a woman to call the shots?
If this news got out, it would surely be a laughingstock!
But Zuo Qian didn't give the surrounding people a chance to vent their anger, continuing in a cold tone, "However, don't blame me for not reminding you. The Yan family has already cut off eighty percent of your channels. The remaining twenty percent are also resources in my hands, and I have other resources as well!"
As soon as these words were uttered, everyone fell silent, their anger extinguished.
With the economic lifeline firmly in Zuo Qian's grasp, who dared to make a fuss?
The strong ruled.
No one was against money; it was Zuo Qian's capability that mattered.
Even without the Yan family's support, Zuo Qian's accumulated wealth over the years was truly beyond their reach!
"Oh? It seems everyone supports me. Then I will accept these lashes. It can be considered my apology to the ancestors upon my return to the Zuo family. From now on, I don't want to hear about past matters from anyone!"
Zuo Qian spoke each word deliberately, finally fixing her gaze on Zuo Qinghou, "Patriarch, you can retire!"
"I..."
Zuo Qinghou's eyes widened. He then glanced around, seeing everyone avoiding his gaze, even lowering their heads. Only then did Zuo Qinghou let out a self-deprecating smile and shake his head, "Good, good. The Zuo family has a daughter. Whether it's good fortune or disaster, who can say!"
With that, Zuo Qinghou dropped the rattan whip in his hand and turned to leave.
At this moment, everyone listened to Zuo Qian.
Zuo Qian, unconcerned about the injuries on her back, stated coldly, "The Zuo family's businesses will not shrink; from today onwards, they will only do better than before. But now I need you to do one thing: go to Jiangbei and find out about the safety of my son, Yin Jiyuan. Whoever can bring him back, I will pay ten billion!"
Upon hearing this, everyone around became extremely excited. Many stood up, made promises to Zuo Qian, and then turned to search for him!
Zuo Qian watched as people came and went, while others remained to flatter her. Her eyes sharpened slightly, and she murmured to herself, "For bringing me to such a tragic state, the Yan family will not forgive you, and I will forgive you even less!"
...
At this very moment, Yin Jiyuan, who had been in the hospital for an entire night of rescue, had survived.
Biomedical technology was quite advanced now. Although Yin Jiyuan had endured torture akin to being cut into a thousand pieces, all vital points had been avoided, thus preserving his life.
However, the healing of each wound was an extremely painful process for Yin Jiyuan!
He had returned from the brink of death several times, and finally, his vital signs had stabilized.
"Mr. Yin, hehe, as you wished, we have treated you. The promised medical fees..."
A doctor in a white coat approached, speaking with a smile.
The guards had instructed them earlier to do their best to save him, as he would be sent to prison afterward.
However, the doctors knew that this person was unlikely to survive, and even if he did, he would be a cripple. They hadn't intended to expend much effort.
But, as Yin Jiyuan was on the verge of death, he mentioned an overseas account with a substantial amount of money, promising one hundred million in reward to whoever saved him.
One hundred million was enough to make many people take risks, and the medical team before them was one such example.
"My... my legs have no sensation, what is going on?"
Yin Jiyuan swallowed with difficulty, his voice hoarse as he pressed for an answer.
The doctor shook his head, "You were too severely injured. The nerves in your legs cannot be re-sutured. Of course, if you have a lot of money, you could purchase expensive regenerative gene therapy, and there might still be hope for recovery!"
Upon hearing this, Yin Jiyuan's eyes widened in disbelief, "You mean, my legs are crippled now?! You bastard, didn't I tell you? I have money, why didn't you save me?"
The doctor frowned slightly, "I don't have the channels to acquire such gene therapy. More importantly, the price is extremely high. A bottle on the black market costs over a billion, capable of regenerating internal organs. May I ask, Mr. Yin, can you afford these fees? If you pay now, I can help!"
Yin Jiyuan gasped in shock!
Ten billion!
In the past, he might have been able to afford it. But now, Yin Jiyuan knew that the Yin family was finished. His personal savings combined were only around two to three hundred million. He couldn't possibly come up with this money!