C623 Faced with a Choice
C623 Faced with a Choice
Besides, as long as one didn't seek death, there would be no downhill business. It would only be a better way to go about it.
So at this moment, Zhao Jinbao was completely free, he did not need to consider the issue of development anymore. Under the situation where he had already decided on the general direction, all that was left was for Du Juann to assist him.
After he finished dealing with the matters at hand, Zhao Jinbao thought that it was time to make a trip to the imperial capital. Zhang Lang successfully betrothed his to him. As a good brother, he should congratulate his. Moreover, he had other matters to take care of in the capital.
Ever since the Battle of Dragon King Mountain, there had been a matter that he hid in his heart. Although he had never mentioned it to anyone, he could never forget it.
Taking the opportunity to congratulate him, he wanted to clearly sort out this matter of 'how one should answer another's questions' and smooth it out!
And on the day that Zhao Jinbao set out, a major event had occurred at the imperial city.
Early morning, Zhang Family.
This day was an especially important day for Zhang Family. It was not some commemorative day, nor was it the birthday of anyone. It was entirely because today was the day where Jiang Family was going to give Zhang Family an ultimatum.
Long before Zhang Lang had returned to the Zhang Family, Jiang Family had also sent people to climb the gates to the Zhang Family. As one of the three pillar families of the imperial city, the strength of its Jiang Family was obvious to all, and its might was also obvious to all. As long as it was not a business or territory under the control of the other two great families, then Jiang Family would definitely be taken into account.
And because Zhang Family was a declining family, it didn't have any special relationship with the other two big families. The gaze of Jiang Family naturally fell on its head.
No matter if it was fat or thin, it was always a piece of meat. As long as it was meat, Jiang Family would always want to use his chopsticks, not to mention that piece of meat was ownerless. Under the premise that the other party didn't have any ability to resist, Jiang Family really didn't care about adding another subordinate clan.
Maybe the Zhang Family at this time had already lost its ability to create value, but as long as it was purchased by the Jiang Family, then the Jiang Family would definitely have a way to let the Zhang Family help him create value.
Even though the Zhang Family had lost its former status, the Zhang Family was still the Zhang Family. It did not depend on anyone, did not need to listen to anyone, and even more so, did not have to help others create value.
The family may be small, but it still had power!
Zhang Family had become someone else's vassal, and they had become an accessory. Even if they had Jiang Family, a person who was protected in their reputation, at a critical moment, it was hard to say if Jiang Family would protect it or not.
Benefits were paramount. When Zhang Family was not valuable enough to bear the losses it caused, it would be ruthlessly abandoned.
At that time, Zhang Family would be nothing more than a tool. They would lose their sovereignty, and also lose everything.
Thus, from their perception, they knew that they definitely could not agree to this Jiang Family acquisition. But from a rational point of view, they could not reject this unreasonable request.
Because, people of Jiang Family, would not give them the chance to refuse. Either obey or wait for the clan to be exterminated.
In the face of a life and death situation, Zhang Family entered into an unprecedented dilemma.
In the main hall of Zhang Family, the deadline for making such a response was right in front of them. At this moment, the people from Jiang Family were about to arrive, and as to what the final response would be, the Zhang Family still did not have an answer.
…
Seated on the Patriarch's seat, Zhang Wenwu's brows were tightly knitted. He was truly unable to make a decision on such a dilemma.
To be willing to be under someone was a humiliating decision, and in the future, there would be no dignity left for him to discuss. But if he decisively refused, it was equivalent to pushing his Zhang Family to the brink of extinction. As the Patriarch, he was the family's leading figure, and had not been able to revitalize the family. He had already been ashamed of his Zhang Family, and currently, under his lead, his Zhang Family did not even protect the basic dignity of the family.
Beside Zhang Wenwu, his wife and Grandmother Zhang were seated on his left and right. Grandmother Zhang, who had not cared about family matters for many years, had also sat in the meeting room at this critical moment.
Furthermore, Zhang Lang had just returned to the Zhang Family, he just needed to calm down and be his young master. No matter what happens to the Zhang Family, he will always be the young master of the Zhang Family, and this will never change.
But thinking about it carefully, this huge matter of his family's survival was something that Zhang Lang, as the Young Master of the Zhang Family, had the right to know. If this sort of thing that affected everyone in the Zhang Family was kept from him, then it was obvious that Zhang Lang had not been treated as a person from the Zhang Family.
Thus, after some deliberation, Zhang Lang was informed of this matter and was invited to the seating area.
After the two brothers, the rest were the Zhang Family Foreign Dignitary and the others.
The entire hall was filled with people, but with so many of them present, not a single person said a word. The entire hall was terrifyingly quiet.
"Everyone, let's hear your opinions. Regarding the Jiang Family's recruitment, what do you all think about the past few days?" Looking at the silent crowd, Zhang Wenwu said.
Other than Zhang Lang, everyone else had their heads lowered in silence.
"Does everyone have nothing to say or haven't they thought it through? Since this is a meeting, let's share our views then! " Zhang Wenwu said again.
No one spoke. The guest official and the rest, everyone looked at each other, obviously waiting to see what was going on.
After all, they were merely guests in the Profound Sky Continent. The true authority in their words lay in the hands of Zhang Wenwu, so his decision would be the final decision of the Zhang Family.
"Since everyone has nothing to say, let me share my thoughts with everyone." Seeing that the person from Jiang Family was arriving, Zhang Wenwu could not wait any longer. If he dragged this on, it would not solve anything, and would instead vent his anger on the Jiang Family.
"The capital's Jiang Family. The recruitment that they spoke of, was actually a merger. They wanted Zhang Family to be used to create value for them. But as one of the three great families, Jiang Family's methods are indeed not something we can imagine. If we disobeyed his wishes, the outcome of our Zhang Family can be imagined! "
"I, Zhang Wenwu, am not a greedy person who fears death. I am not afraid of my dignity, nor am I afraid of being looked down upon by others. However, I am afraid that my Zhang Family will be broken in my hands, and that these close to a thousand lives would all be lost because of a single decision of mine. I can become a sinner, but I definitely can't use these thousands of lives to pay for my dignity! "
"Patriarch, please tell us what you want to do. Since we have chosen to follow Zhang Family, we will definitely advance and retreat together with it!" On both sides of the main seat, one of the Guest Warriors said.
"Yes, Patriarch. We will definitely advance and retreat together with the Zhang Family. Whatever you say, we will do!" The other answered from the side.
In fact, the meaning that Zhang Wenwu wanted to express was that after he finished saying two sentences, the answer had already come out. Lowering his head to Jiang Family, he was a sinner for Zhang Family, but in order to resist Jiang Family, not only did he become a sinner, he even took the lives of thousands of people from Zhang Family.
The former could be borne by him alone, but the latter was something that all the Zhang Family would bear together.
He could repent the loss of his Zhang Family with his death, but if he could cause the death of so many people, then it would truly be difficult for him to redeem himself with a hundred deaths!
Therefore, his decision was obvious!