Chapter 15: Distracting the Guests

Amidst the chorus of agreement, Andre reached out to indicate silence, 'Friends of the Harburg family, please calm down. I know that the number of people attending this meeting today is a little more than our initial estimate, but this is not something unacceptable. On the contrary, from another perspective, it shows that our meeting is correct, and everyone will try their best to participate. 

Andre's casual tone and his quirky movements drew a laugh, and many people began to sneer and mock one another.

'Yes, that's right. After all, a face is a good thing, but not everyone has one. Some people don't usually do anything for the family, but when they hear that the family is holding a meeting, they run there faster than anyone else, even they don't get invited, because they know very well that if they don't come, they will be abandoned by the family. They need to continue shamelessly feeding off the family. What a bunch of rogue vampires!

'Oh! Speaking of vampires, I can guarantee that this is definitely the worst time a vampire has ever been hacked. Although vampires are dirty creatures in the dark, they are also considered elegant. However, some people are really vulgar and despicable!'

'But as Count André said, the more eager those people act, the more they prove their inner filth, and the righteousness and holiness of our cause. So gentlemen, I think we should make this meeting a success. At least I will support the Count...'

These people's words followed one after the other. Although none of them explicitly named anyone, their words and actions pointed an unmistakable finger at Ming and Caitlyn.

Caitlyn's eyes were red, and she felt so aggrieved that she wanted to cry: Who are these people? It's obvious that I am the first heir of the Harburg family, and it's obvious that they are the ones trying to divide up the family's wealth. I only came here to stop them, but now it's as if they are the heirs and I am the robber. How shameless!

'Relax, these are the so-called aristocrats in the family. On the surface, they all put on a sanctimonious appearance, but in reality, everyone is a filthy bastard!' Zhou Ming said to Caitlyn.

'My father was deceived by these damned people, and Harrogate is in its current state because of them,' Caitlin said with clenched teeth.

'Don't worry, no matter how much they took in the past, I will make them spit it out!' Zhou Ming said.

'I have no doubt about that!' Caitlin nodded firmly.

On the lectern, Andre was very pleased with the comments from the audience and continued, 'Well, what happened before was just a small incident before this meeting, so let's forget about those unpleasant things. I think the Harburg family meeting can officially begin now!'

As soon as Andre's words finished, Ming suddenly stood up and said, 'Huh? So this meeting hasn't even officially started yet? Then Mr Andre, before... Do you tell everyone a story before every meeting? If so, that's a shame, I didn't get to hear the whole thing.'

In the end, Zhou Ming even let out a deliberately heavy sigh, leaving André standing awkwardly at the lectern.

But Andre adjusted quickly: 'To be honest, the meeting has already started, but since you gentlemen and I have a lot in common, we will chat and exchange our views before the meeting begins. How come the Chinese are also interested in this kind of idle chat? But I'm afraid I won't be able to tell you about it, because it was just ordinary chatting.'

When Andre finished, the room once again fell silent at Zhou Ming. 'The intelligence of Chinese people is a serious problem. If you want to find fault, at least use your brain, otherwise your behaviour is really weak!'

Amidst the hissing, Andre looked down at Zhou Ming with contempt. Zhou Ming was not angry about this, but just shrugged his shoulders uselessly.

Andre thought that Ming had given in to pressure, and continued, 'Well, our meeting may have been interrupted, but I believe it can still continue.'

A sarcastic comment often used by nobles caused another round of jeering at Zhou Ming, but it didn't last long. Andre continued, 'First, I would like to say that today this meeting has been called because of the situation in Harburg. As we all know, the situation is not optimistic. Due to some previous decision-making problems, the family's assets have continued to suffer losses...'

Zhou Ming interrupted Andre again: 'Decision-making problems? I don't know if there is something wrong with my understanding, but are you saying, Mr Andre, that you are going to put all the blame on the late former patriarch, Archduke Ferdinand?'

Andre frowned: 'Of course I'm not trying to shirk responsibility, but the responsibility of Archduke Ferdinand is obvious to all.'

'I see. But as far as I know, the reason the Harrods Bermuda was sold was because of your investment failure, what do you say to that?' Zhou Ming asked again.

Andre's eyebrows furrowed even deeper, but he remained unruffled. He said, 'I really don't know who could say such irresponsible things . Perhaps this person is thinking of a very grand conspiracy, because the truth is that my investments have been very successful, as can be seen from the Harburg family fortune that I am now preserving.

'Is transferring property that belongs to someone else to your name by means of intrigue and deception what you, Count Andre, would define as a successful investment?' asked Zhou Ming.

'I'm sorry, but I refuse to answer that question,' Andre said solemnly. 'Because a person with serious subjective bias will ask questions that are also more biased, and I don't need to explain each of these biases. So do you have any other questions?'

Zhou Ming smiled and said there were none, and made a gesture to let Andre continue.

Andre first looked deeply into Zhou Ming's eyes, and then said, 'As a member of the Harburg family, I am also very sad about the family's current decline, and I desperately hope that the family will be able to revive one day. The family is currently very divided, so for the sake of the family, I think the first thing we need to do is elect a successor for the family, because only when the train has a leader can it pull the whole train along better.'

Almost as soon as Andre's words had finished, Zhou Ming happily applauded and said, 'Mr Andre has hit the nail on the head. In our country, there is a common proverb says, if you want the train to run fast, you need a strong locomotive. So the locomotive is the key to the whole train! It just needs careful discussion to choose the locomotive that can pull the whole train the best. But I think...'

Since Ming Zhou started talking, Andre has been staring at him, but seeing that Ming Zhou doesn't seem to be done, he interrupts, 'Mr. Ming Zhou, I think your brilliant words should be spoken from the lectern. Or should I just let you take over the hosting position?'

'Of course!'

Zhou Ming nodded without hesitation, and after finishing his speech, he took the initiative to go up to the lectern. He looked around the hall and said, 'Hello everyone from the Harburg family, I am your future clan leader and husband Zhou Ming. I come from Huaxia, and I am very happy to meet everyone here today.'

Everyone in the audience was dumbfounded as they listened to Zhou Ming's rambling speech from the podium, including Andre on the podium, who was also dumbfounded and unable to speak.

Hey, what's going on? That was obviously a rhetorical question. Can't you tell when something is obviously rhetorical? And you actually went up to the podium and took over the role of host? How rude is that?

Andre was going crazy inside, and Zhou Ming seemed to sense it. He turned to him and asked, 'Hey? Mr Andre, what are you still doing here? Just go and listen. I'm now in charge of chairing this meeting, and I don't need a co-chair. I'm confident I can handle this situation on my own, so don't worry about me.'

I'm worried about your mother, you bastard!

Andre raged in his heart. If possible, he really wanted to take out a gun and blow Zhou Ming away.

But as a nobleman who had just spoken of elegance, Andre still suppressed his anger and asked Zhou Ming with clenched teeth, 'Sir from Huaxia, don't you think your behaviour is very undignified?'

Zhou Ming asked back in surprise, 'Why do you think that, Mr. André? Didn't you just say that you would give up the host position to me? Or were you just saying that? In that case, you weren't being true to your word, so I can just disregard what you said before?'

'You're just talking nonsense!' Andre finally couldn't hold back and shouted angrily. But as soon as he said it, he came to his senses and suppressed his anger. Then he said to Zhou Ming, 'Of course what I said is true, but he will mean something different by the same words.'

Zhou Ming could hear how Andre was grinding his teeth, and he was worried that he was going to bite his back molars to pieces.

'So Mr Andre means that you want to co-host the show with me on the stage, right?' Zhou Ming asked with a face full of enlightenment.

Andre felt like going crazy at Zhou Ming's words, although he knew that Zhou Ming had been doing it on purpose from the beginning.

Andre took a few deep breaths to calm down his murderous mood before finally saying to Ming, 'Don't you dare pull any more of these stupid stunts in front of me, because they're completely useless and your behaviour is very childish!'

'Really? I feel the same way,'

Zhou Ming suddenly said with a smile, and Andre looked at Zhou Ming's smile, which gave him a creepy feeling, as if it wasn't an ordinary smile, but the abyss of hell of the devil.

Sure enough, Zhou Ming then suddenly reached out and put his arm around Andre's shoulders, smiling and saying, 'Don't be surprised, everyone. In fact, all of that was just a joke between Andre and me. After all, this meeting is so important, naturally it needs more representatives. Everyone knows that my wife Caitlin is the true heir to Harrogate, so if we really have to decide who should preside, it should be her. How could I possibly be qualified?'

'Of course, Andre also said before that this meeting would be different, and that perhaps the succession order would not be followed, and that power would only go to those who were capable. That's what he meant.'

Zhou Ming paused deliberately here before finally saying, 'Everyone here should have the right to inherit. Don't you agree?'

For the first time, everyone answered in unison, 'Yes!'

Relax when you are nervous, comfort yourself when you are troubled, and don't forget to bless yourself when you are happy!