If matters with the Wei family could be settled this easily, if this matter implicated Liyang's Tang family, it was probably not right to settle this manner like this anymore… Because the Tang family was not one that the Wei family could compare with.
Even if they were all elite families, there were ranks amongst them as well. Although the Wei family could only be counted as a second-tiered elite family, Liyang City's Tang family had already stepped into the top tier. With a different tier, the attitude the Long family had in dealing with them would naturally be different as well and it was not this Young Master Long's place to settle this so simply. Not to mention, behind the Liyang Tang family, there was another Tang family with greater influence and power.
Amongst the gaming rules in the elite families, since his people had touched the Liyang Tang family's little princess, the Long family was in the wrong to begin with. If the Long family really remained silent and didn't even show their attitude on the matter, when the time comes for the Tang family to bring this matter to the officials, it would be hard for the Long family to settle it, no matter how great their forces and connections were.
An elite family had their own honor and dignity and it was one that even servants of great political families had no right to touch. If the one that bullied the Tang family's little princess was the Long family's young master, then it would be normal to be bullied as the Tang family could not win against the Long family. No one would say anything about it. However, if a Long family's servant and underling had bullied the Tang family's little princess, it would probably bring about combined animosity and resistance from all of the elite families.
An elite family was an elite family and a servant was a servant. You may be able to bully me, but if your servant bullied me, you would be slapping all the elite families in the face. No one would allow for such an existence.
Of course, if both families fought against each other with the families at stake, then it would be another matter. However… there was no need for the Long family and the Tang family to reach such a state today.
"Never mind," Young Master Long merely pondered for a moment, before he ordered faintly, "Butler Qian, bring this Ceng Wei away and settle him with the triad's rules. Apart from that… keep Zhao Zhigang. We'll go to visit Mr Tang Yuanfeng tomorrow."
This visit was not an apology, but to place this matter on the table and make it known, so that other elite families and political families could see that their Long family would give the Tang family a proper answer for their servants' mistakes!
Since the Tang family's daughter had been bullied, Tang Yuanfeng would definitely fight for his daughter, while he was only throwing away several useless pawns. There was no point in going against the Tang family for a few nobodies.
This wasn't submitting, nor was it saying that the Long family was afraid of the Tang family. In fact, it was the opposite. The Long family was definitely more influential and powerful than the Tang family. However, the more influential and powerful a family was, the more they had to make others feel that they were confident and fair in their decisions. There would never be an instance where they extinguished another family just because they protected their own people.
The world needed balance. The extinguishing of any family would bring about unpredictable consequences to civil society and the country would never allow for such things to happen easily.
To Young Master Long, perhaps it was just a small and minuscule matter. However, to Tang Xiaoxiao, it would definitely cause huge trouble. She had originally thought that this matter had faded away and she didn't want her father, Tang Yuanfeng, to know about this matter. She didn't want her father to worry for her, not to mention for Tang Yuanfeng to take away her freedom because of this matter.
After the accident before, if Tang Xiaoxiao hadn't been smart and begged bitterly for her father to not give her any bodyguards, perhaps this father who doted so extremely on his daughter wouldn't let his precious daughter go out alone anymore. In fact, because of what happened before, Tang Xiaoxiao had even made a military pledge that nothing would happen to her again and that she will definitely protect herself properly…
If her father found out about this matter, she would really lose all of her freedom.
The more she didn't want Tang Yuanfeng to find out, the more something would happen amongst all of these happenings…
…
This evening, a charity banquet was held by Doni Cola in China. The purpose was to raise money for areas that lacked water in the areas of western China. Countless of the elite wealthy and affluent, as well as the more well-known celebrities would attend as well. Cheng Mu, who had risen to the status of the year's top celebrity with his outstanding performance in the movie, 'On the Bank of Qing River', had naturally received an invitation as well. He had even given the organizer a gold-plated watch to be tonight's auction item.
Such an occasion was definitely the best chance for celebrities to stand out. In order to make a dazzling appearance tonight, Tang Xiaoxiao spent three hours choosing his suit and accessories for the event. She had hired the most professional make-up artist and hairstylist to help with his make-up and styling. The whole ordeal of suffering started from nine in the morning until four in the afternoon. The vehicle the organizer had sent had finally parked at the carpark of his apartment, and the chauffeur pressed the horn to signal their arrival.
Ruan Jin checked out the handsome Cheng Mu with a bright smile. "It's okay now. Today's Ah Mu is really handsome, there will definitely be wealthy ladies who want to speak more with you. Xiaoxiao ah, your taste is really extraordinary. When will you dress me up to be so handsome too?"
"Sure," Tang Xiaoxiao was tidying Cheng Mu's final appearance as she teased Ruan Jin, "When you earn 820 thousand US dollars, I can dress you up to be so handsome as well."
Hearing 820 thousand US dollars, Ruan Jin instantly deflated. "Are you kidding me? 800 thousand US dollars is about five million Chinese yuan if you convert it! When has Ah Mu been so extravagant before? The most extravagant he's ever been was when he did that endorsement for Qifu Jewelry and wore a diamond ring. That ring was worth a million dollars and we were so scared of losing that ring that we specifically got an insurance company to insure that ring."
Ahem. Cheng Mu cleared his throat on purpose. "Ah Jin, I think we have to insure my outfit from head to toe today, because if I lose anything I'm wearing, it's likely we will go bankrupt."
"Why do you say that?" Ruan Jin narrowed his eyes as he inspected Cheng Mu from head to toe.
Tang Xiaoxiao lifted Cheng Mu's tie and outer jacket without any care, "This tie is custom-made by a French master tie designer and costs around 70 thousand Euros. This suit is custom-made by America's master designer, Mr Blandis and its market price is at around 120 thousand US dollars currently. The other things… like the tie clip and watch are all from the luxurious brand category and their price ranges from at least 10 thousand Chinese yuan to 100 thousand Chinese yuan."
Ruan Jin's mouth was so wide it formed an 'O' shape as he stared at Cheng Mu and Tang Xiaoxiao flabbergasted. "A-Are you serious?"
Tang Xiaoxiao smiled brightly, like a little fox. "Do you think I'm playing with you?"
Ruan Jin glanced secretly at Tang Xiaoxiao before he seemed to shrink into himself. "Of course not, it's just that I think it's a little too… incredible. Ah Mu, didn't your money… all go to repaying Uncle and Auntie's debt? Why would you have so much money to buy all this?"
"Oh? Why do you say that? What debt?" Tang Xiaoxiao's ears seemed to perk up and she couldn't help but pry with curiosity.
Knowing that he had made a mistake, Ruan Jin sent an apologetic glance at Cheng Mu. "This… I'm sorry, Ah Mu, I was speaking too much. But Xiaoxiao is considered one of our own now. It'll be better if we tell her about it, right?"