Shang Yazi continued, "I may have lost, but I haven't failed completely. Father exiled me to the slave-hunting brigade — three years! After three years, I'll be back. But before that, there are some things I want to give you."
As he spoke, Shang Yazi handed several documents to Shang Yifan.
Shang Yifan took them and scanned their contents. The documents detailed Shang Yazi's secret assets, planted operatives, and a number of capable subordinates.
"Brother Yazi, this is…" Shang Yifan put on an expression of surprise.
"Brother Yifan, among all our siblings, you're the one with the best chance of securing the young master position. Let your older brother give you a hand — I hope you succeed in one swift stroke. Feel free to use all these resources. When I return in three years, you can hand them back to me then." Shang Yazi sighed.
Having been demoted to the slave-hunting brigade for tempering, he naturally couldn't bring along subordinates or guards. He wasn't going there to enjoy himself — he was being punished.
Now that he'd lost the young master title, these forces would inevitably crumble sooner or later. Better to hand them over to Shang Yifan to manage while he still had control. That way, in three years when Shang Yazi returned to the family, he wouldn't have to start from scratch.
Shang Yifan hastily stood and clasped his fists, his voice moved: "Brother Yazi's generosity will never be forgotten. If the day comes when I become young master, I will repay you tenfold."
"My, we're brothers — no need for talk of repayment. Ha ha ha…" Though his mouth said this, Shang Yazi's lips split into a wide grin, revealing deep satisfaction.
After a warm exchange of words, Shang Yifan personally escorted Shang Yazi out through the gate.
Watching his departing figure, the smile on Shang Yifan's face gradually transformed into a cold sneer.
"Shang Yazi, what a clever scheme — wanting me to hold your forces for you? Ha. Then I'll play along, first taking over your forces, then breaking them apart and absorbing them. You'll never see them again."
He had seen right through Shang Yazi's plan.
"Three years? How many things can happen in three years? You really still think you have a chance. Hmph, truly naive! So naive — no wonder he was outsmarted by Fang Yuan and Bai Ningbing. What a disgrace to our Shang family!" Shang Yifan sneered repeatedly.
But at the thought of Fang Yuan and Bai Ningbing, his expression darkened once more.
"Shang Xinci…" He rolled the name around in his mouth.
With Shang Yazi out of the picture, he had thought the young master position was his for the taking. But who could have guessed a dark horse would emerge — Shang Xinci had risen from nowhere to become his greatest obstacle.
Shang Yifan narrowed his eyes to slits, a sharp gleam within, and murmured his analysis: "Shang Xinci's greatest advantage lies in Father's favoritism. What other child has ever received such preferential treatment? But the family rules are set in stone — with everyone openly competing for the young master position, Father can't give her any special treatment."
"On the contrary, because of Father's favoritism, the other siblings all harbor grievances against Shang Xinci, or even outright hostility. Her greatest advantage is in fact her greatest weakness."
"Shang Xinci's second advantage is actually her true greatest advantage — and that's Fang Zheng and Bai Ningbing! Those two are really…"
At the thought of Fang and Bai, a complicated mix of bewilderment, envy, jealousy, and incomprehension surfaced on Shang Yifan's face.
"Those two — who knows what they're thinking! They wouldn't even take the position of outside-surname elder, rushing off to help Shang Xinci instead!"
It was as if someone had given up eating a watermelon and gone to pick up sesame seeds instead.
"How did Shang Xinci win them over? What incredible luck — she easily took in two such formidable commanders. That Bai Ningbing is already at the Fourth Transformation level of cultivation, and Fang Zheng can even defeat Ju Kaibai!"
That was two Fourth Transformation combatants.
Even the eldest brother, Shang Qiuniu, didn't have any Fourth Transformation subordinates.
Among the ten young masters, the Shang family's current young patriarch, Shang Tuohai, only had two Fourth Transformation powerhouses under his command.
But those two subordinates didn't belong to Shang Tuohai's private forces either — they were specifically assigned by the family to assist him.
As the family's young patriarch, Shang Tuohai personally managed a merchant caravan. Operating out in the field, he naturally needed powerful helpers to deal with all manner of situations.
Now here was Shang Xinci — not yet even the Shang family's young master — already aided by two Fourth Transformation powerhouses.
This situation had made more than a few of Shang Yanfei's children green with envy and burning with alarm.
"However, even with Fang and Bai backing her, so what? The young master position will definitely be mine!" Shang Yifan licked his lips, thought of something, and his spirits lifted.
……Meanwhile, in the Nanqiu Garden.
"The Shang family has an extensive and comprehensive set of rules, especially regarding the successor — the regulations are even more stringent." Wei Yang stood before Fang Zheng, Bai Ningbing, and Shang Xinci, speaking with conviction.
"Miss Xinci, if you want to ascend to the young master position, you'll need to pass the Shang family's examination. This examination is quite traditional — it has always been the same content: business management."