Top-class Bodyguard

Chapter 1064 1040: The Dominant Five Great Clans

Ren Feng was well aware of Liou Rumei's methods. Back in Jiangnan City, she and Xia Wenxue had been known as the Twin Flowers of Jiangnan City, but in terms of business ability and her skill at maneuvering among men, Liou Rumei was far stronger than Xia Wenxue.

After all, Xia Wenxue still had Xia Yunlong backing her. The entire Flying Snow Group had people secretly arranged by Xia Yunlong smoothing the way, which was what allowed Flying Snow Group to grow so rapidly.

But Liou Rumei was different. She relied completely on her own ability, using her deft handling of men to get them to put up money and effort, and that was how Qingcheng International had developed so fast.

Compared on this point, Xia Wenxue really couldn't measure up to Liou Rumei, so Liou Rumei's personality was also much more aggressive than Xia Wenxue's.

And yet this enchantress with such terrifying business talent had ended up in Ren Feng's hands.

Ren Feng sat in his seat, watching Liou Rumei weaving through the crowd, a faint smile at the corner of his mouth. He was sitting somewhat in a corner, so Liou Rumei hadn't noticed him, and besides, Ren Feng wanted to first see how far Liou Rumei had gotten with her expansion into Yanjing.

At this moment, Liou Rumei was holding a wine glass with a beaming smile, chatting with those people.

"Mr. Fang, I'll be counting on your care from now on." Liou Rumei giggled as she spoke, her face full of a hundred kinds of charm.

The men around her had long since been bewitched by her, their souls half gone. That Mr. Fang nodded again and again, laughing as he said, "Mr. Liou, what are you saying? Our cooperation is as firm as stone. If Qingcheng International runs into any trouble, you can just say the word."

"Then I'll thank you in advance, Mr. Fang. If I really do run into trouble in the future, you mustn't just stand by and watch, or I'll be very heartbroken." Liou Rumei's face immediately showed a look of grievance, and Mr. Fang hurriedly gave his assurances.

"Mr. Liou, if Mr. Fang doesn't help you, I, Shang An, would also be more than willing to lend a hand."

A young master from another family beside them also spoke with a smile.

"Then I'll thank you as well, Mr. Shang." Liou Rumei giggled. "In fact, it just so happens I do have a little trouble right now."

"Oh? Mr. Liou, what sort of trouble have you run into?"

Everyone around was looking at Liou Rumei with extremely fervent expressions. Anyone who didn't know better would think they were all men of chivalrous spirit, but in reality, there wasn't a single fool among them.

"It's like this, gentlemen. Didn't this little girl just acquire the land at Malang Mountain? What needed to be built is already finished. When the time comes, could I trouble all of you to give me some face and attend my humble establishment's opening ceremony?"

"Of course, if Mr. Liou invites us, how could we not go?" some people laughed heartily. "But Mr. Liou, you move awfully fast. It's only been a few months—don't tell me that entire plot has already been fully developed?"

"It only needed some minor modifications. I didn't change most of the original structures. But don't worry, I guarantee it'll be a place that suits all you gentlemen's tastes." Liou Rumei giggled.

"That's great, then let's drink a toast to Mr. Liou."

"Come on, a toast to Mr. Liou."

Under Ren Feng's distant gaze, Liou Rumei downed her wine without so much as flushing or panting, then said with a beaming smile, "Gentlemen, you can chat among yourselves for a bit. I still have to go greet some other young masters."

"Alright, then we'll see you later, Mr. Liou."

Seeing Liou Rumei move on to the disciples of other families from the Yanjing Clan, Ren Feng smiled. This little vixen really did have men dancing in the palm of her hand.

Still, because of Liou Rumei's arrival, the atmosphere in the hall had grown a bit livelier, no longer as full of killing intent as before.

Zhang Shaohu, Qian Yi and the others had all left. Only a lone Huang Shaowei sat far off by himself, drinking sullenly. He didn't even look at Liou Rumei, just stared fixedly at Ren Feng, as if he wanted to kill him with his eyes.

As time passed, people from the other upper-class families arrived at the banquet as well, so the mood grew even more animated. More or less everyone had temporarily put what had just happened to the back of their minds and were busy making connections and forging relationships.

Huaxia had always been a society of human relationships, a fact unchanged over several thousand years. Hence the saying "mastery of human sentiments is an article in itself," which shows just how important personal connections are.

For the Yanjing Clan, this principle was even more crucial. The waters of Yanjing ran deep and its power structure was complex, so for the sake of their own family interests, cultivating ties and forming cliques was indispensable.

"Ting Lan, can you tell me a bit more specifically about this Yanjing Clan?" Ren Feng asked.

Xu Tinglan nodded. "In fact, these families exist partly for historical reasons, partly because they occupy key resources. But whatever the cause, in Yanjing, families are an obstacle you can't get around. The most important among them are the twenty upper-class families and the twelve top-tier families. The combined power of these thirty-two families is enough to shake all of Huaxia."

"That strong?" Ren Feng was a bit surprised.

"Mm, that's what I heard from my dad. But don't worry, the people above are well aware of this and naturally have ways to keep them in check. At the very least, the absolute initiative is firmly in the hands of the top level."

Ren Feng nodded and continued asking, "Why is there only an eight-family difference between the upper-class families and the top-tier families?"

"It's not about quotas, it's about each family's strength. As for the exact criteria, I don't know. I only know that there's still quite a gap between the upper-class families and the top-tier ones."

Ren Feng nodded. "These families aren't a monolithic bloc, right?"

"Of course not. Their interests are entangled with one another, and open and covert struggles have never stopped." Xu Tinglan said with a smile. "But among the top-tier families, the more dominant ones are the Liou Family, the Shen Family, the Shangguan Family, the Murong Family and the Sima Family. Each of them in turn is connected with several other families and upper-class families to form smaller alliances."

The Liou Family?

Ren Feng's heart stirred. Could that be Liou Rumei's family?

He was still mulling it over when Liou Rumei had already picked up the microphone and said with a bright smile, "I'd like to thank the organizers for giving this little girl a chance to introduce to everyone a new Beauty Elixir our Die Qingcheng has just developed."

Ren Feng looked up, and everyone else in the hall was also looking at Liou Rumei, their faces a bit puzzled. A Beauty Elixir? Most of the people present were men—what did they need with beauty products?

Liou Rumei was still smiling. "I know all you gentlemen are confused, but this particular elixir does have something to do with you."

"Mr. Liou, don't keep us in suspense, just tell us straight."

"Alright, then I'll be frank. This elixir has to do with the bedroom." Liou Rumei said with a radiant smile. "I know many of you gentlemen may have some unspeakable problems, so I specially ordered the R&D department to develop this elixir."

At that, everyone's expressions changed.