"Me, audacious? In what way?" Wang Yu challenged Tang Yingchang. "Xu Ke stood by and watched you, an outsider, strike me without lifting a finger. All I did was call him out, and you call that audacious?"

Since Tang Yingchang had completely turned against her, Wang Yu dropped all pretense of courtesy.

Upon hearing this, everyone turned to look at Wong Qifu. Xu Ke was clearly in the wrong.

Though everyone knew exactly what Wang Yu was up to, some couldn't help but feel a sense of schadenfreude. They were eager to see how Wong Qifu and Xu Ke would handle this.

"How dare you question me?" Tang Yingchang snorted, his voice laced with menace. "As an external member of the Wang Family, what is wrong with me assisting Mister Xu in disciplining you?"

The moment he finished speaking, the room fell deathly silent.

Wang Yu looked as if something had caught in her throat, her face a mask of disbelief. The members of the Wang Family Clan seated around her were even more shocked.

Did we hear that right? Did Tang Yingchang just say he was a member of the Wang Family Clan? What is this? Did we mishear him?

In a major clan, there are generally two options for powerful experts from outside the family.

One is to become a venerated figure, like Chang Yi or Ouyang Shuang of the Huang Family. Venerated figures receive the clan's patronage. In normal times, they serve as a status symbol for the great clan, and in a life-or-death crisis, they are obligated to intervene. This way, while they don't hold any core authority within the clan, they retain the freedom to leave whenever they wish. Furthermore, if the great clan wishes to command their services during peacetime, they must pay an additional price. This was precisely why Huang Qi had to pay a price for Ouyang Shuang's assistance.

Generally, Innate Experts who are used to their freedom prefer to become venerated figures.

Their second option is to become an external member. Simply put, this means becoming a part of the great clan. While they gain more power, they must also shoulder more duties. Most critically, they lose the freedom to leave as they please and are bound by numerous restrictions. Lin Qinghua and Mai Qing, for example, were external members.

So when the members of the Wang Family Clan heard Tang Yingchang declare himself an external member, they were utterly dumbstruck.

Has an Innate Great Perfection Expert really just fallen from the sky and become a member of our Wang Family Clan? What kind of incredible surprise is this? We must have forgotten to check the almanac before leaving the house today. How could so many unbelievable, baffling things happen one after another? What on earth possessed Tang Yingchang to suddenly become an external member of our clan?

Wang Wu also stared, wide-eyed. Tang Yingchang, a fellow Innate Great Perfection Expert, was making a huge move! The affairs of a great clan were always numerous and complicated. If not for a debt of gratitude he owed to Wang Jiangnian, he would never have stayed by Wong Qifu's side to protect her. And now, Tang Yingchang had declared, out of the blue, that he wanted to become an external member. It truly caught Wang Wu completely by surprise.

Thinking this, Wang Wu subconsciously glanced at Xu Ke.

The only thing that could have made Tang Yingchang suddenly pledge his allegiance is likely the title of 'Medical Saint's Pupil'...

...

Seeing Tang Yingchang's declaration, Wang Yu trembled with rage and shouted furiously, "Nonsense! You were clearly not an external member before!"

She was so enraged her face turned beet red. Tang Yingchang was blatantly lying to her face. Everyone knew he hadn't been an external member of the Wang Family before. But to put her in her place, he was now brazenly talking nonsense. This made Wang Yu, who had thought she could gain the upper hand, feel a raw, naked rage.

Just then, Tang Yingchang said in a playful tone, "Oh? So I'm not an external member, you say?"

"Of course you're not!" Wang Yu bellowed.

This Tang Yingchang is too shameless! No, it's Xu Ke who is shameless! Tang Yingchang must be saying this under Xu Ke's instruction. But does Xu Ke really think the other members will agree to such a blatant lie? What a joke!

But at that moment, several seated members shot to their feet, loudly berating Wang Yu.

"Who says he isn't?"

"Wang Yu, don't think you can drive Mister Chang away just because you feel wronged!"

"You have no right to represent the Wang Family Clan and deny Mister Chang's status as an external member."

"Mister Chang only slapped you to cooperate with family business. How dare you be so insolent to him?"

"Now, I order you to apologize to Mister Chang immediately!"

Wang Yu was stunned, and for a moment, her vision went black.

What is happening? Why are they turning on me? I'm the one whose face was slapped swollen, and it's still burning with pain!

Truthfully, some had long been envious that Wang Yu had Tang Yingchang's help. Now that he was set to become an external member of their Wang Family Clan, it meant they might also be able to get his help. Even if Tang Yingchang could only act for half an hour as the rumors suggested, that would be enough!

So how could they possibly help Wang Yu drive him away now? And they were supposed to help her hold him accountable for the slap? What a joke! There was no point in pursuing it.

Even though they knew in their hearts that Tang Yingchang was only agreeing to become an external member to help Xu Ke put Wang Yu in her place, they were more than happy to accept it. Faced with an Innate Great Perfection Expert dropping into their laps as an external member, who would possibly refuse? Only an idiot would!

Meanwhile, Xu Ke just watched everyone chastise Wang Yu, his gaze casual and disdainful.

I'm playing dirty. What are you going to do about it? In any case, I don't have to say a word. This pack of Wang Family members will do all the talking for me.

Treated this way by everyone, Wang Yu trembled with rage, her lips quivering. "You... you all..."

"What about us?" someone yelled. "Shut up and apologize to Mister Chang right away!"

Seeing things turn this way, they weren't about to give Wang Yu a chance to argue. They were eager to shut her down for good.

A look of regret flashed across Wang Yu's face.

These people are so treacherous! For the sake of gaining Tang Yingchang, they would so readily demand she swallow the humiliation of being slapped?

Once Tang Yingchang's status as an external member was solidified, she would have truly suffered that slap for nothing.

However, not only did the Wang Family members not give her a chance to argue, but Wong Qifu wouldn't either.

"Alright, let's put this matter to rest and return to the main issue," Wong Qifu said, directly changing the subject.

Wong Liqing immediately reached out to support Wang Yu.

Wang Yu grew dizzy with fury at Wong Qifu's actions. By changing the subject, Wong Qifu was sending a clear message to her.

So what if I had you slapped? Right now, you just have to take it!

She was seething with a fire in her belly, but she could only swallow the bitter pill. What else could she do? Faced with the utter shamelessness of Wong Qifu and Xu Ke, she was powerless.

Wong Gaoyang immediately stepped forward. "Wong Liqing, for colluding with the Ye Family and for overstepping your authority in the management of the Wangjiang Hotel—we will settle the score for both matters at once."

Seeing even the old issue with the Wangjiang Hotel being brought up, the expressions on Wang Yu and Wong Liqing's faces changed.

Why are they suddenly settling old scores?!

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