Love letters are not allowed in the exorcism notebook!-Chapter 864 - 111: Something That Sounds Unlikely

"This is the telegram sent back by Cypher."

Mu Yuming raised his hand and tossed the envelope and a cigar across the desk to Mu Yuheng.

"I told them, the people from King Mu’s Mansion intend to rekindle relations with me, but personally, I’m unwilling. After all, we haven’t had contact for many years, and there’s no emotional connection to speak of. Moreover, my business is flourishing now, so I don’t need to rely on that surname anymore."

Mu Yuheng waved his hand. "I’m not used to these Western contraptions; the kick is too strong."

Opening the envelope and glancing at its contents, Mu Yuheng couldn’t help but furrow his brow. "They want you to return to King Mu’s Mansion to fight for the inheritance? How do they even know about this?"

"The Four Seas Commerce Guild has eyes and ears everywhere—wealth that rivals nations, deeply intertwined with domestic affairs. Knowing this is hardly surprising."

Mu Yuming lit the cigar, his expression turning serious. "The focus isn’t on me. I’m just an insignificant pawn—not one of Young Master Huang’s trusted confidants. The spotlight is on Yang Jian. Not only does he possess the Yang Family’s direct bloodline, but he also has Young Master Huang’s deep trust. He’s an intricate and dangerous figure."

"If he’s coming to Tianmen, it’s unlikely to be for anything good."

Mu Yuheng nodded. "When a night cat enters the house, there’s always a reason. Just how much do you know about this Yang Jian?"

"Hasn’t the Secretary Bureau collected intel on him?"

"Yes, but I still want your subjective perspective."

Mu Yuming took a puff of the cigar and said seriously, "Back when the Yang Family fell apart, only three main branches remained—the rest were mere clingers-on. I don’t need to elaborate on Yang Qiming’s Navy branch. Then there are the Yang sisters, who specialize in financial operations within the Four Seas Commerce Guild. Lastly, there’s Yang Songxian’s lineage in Xiangjiang, regarded as the true direct descendants of the family."

"Yang Jian is Yang Songxian’s second son, originally named Yang Tianyou. After his mother’s death, he had a falling-out with his biological father and ventured alone into Southeast Asia. Later, he joined the Four Seas Commerce Guild and caught Young Master Huang’s eye, rising to the position of Martial Arts Hall steward."

"His most notable traits are ruthless law enforcement and strict discipline. After taking charge, he purged quite a few traitors, moles, and scoundrels. Of course, some say he’s merely a blade in Young Master Huang’s hand, used to eliminate dissent."

"His first order of business in Tianmen will likely be assessing me and the other covert operatives planted in the area."

Mu Yuheng suddenly interjected, "Young Master Huang is planning to return to the country?"

"There are two possibilities."

Mu Yuming raised two fingers.

"The first possibility: Regardless of the circumstances, the new government is still a democratically elected one, choosing a President instead of an Emperor. Young Master Huang might be laying groundwork to return and run for election... Even though the Four Seas Commerce Guild has a solid foothold in the Southern and Southeast Asian regions, the North ultimately remains the territory of President Xu."

"The second possibility: Though people may be skeptical, based on my personal subjective judgment, I think Young Master Huang intends to relocate the entire Four Seas Commerce Guild back home."

"Relocate it back?"

Mu Yuheng raised his brow. "Do you have any evidence for this?"

"No evidence. As I said, it’s purely my personal guess—boiled down to the three elements: timing, geography, and human relations."

Mu Yuming spread his hands. "When the Four Seas Commerce Guild was first established, beyond the influence of certain individuals, the primary reason was the domestic environment—closed off, stagnant, lacking progress. Now the situation is entirely reversed."

"Domestic development is advancing rapidly, while the Federation struggles with chaos and instability, with conditions worsening drastically. It’s no longer a suitable environment for survival or growth."

"In the era of colonial expansion, Hell Demons could manipulate capital to their advantage with ease. However, times have changed. In the New Continent, aside from vast tracts of land for agriculture, there’s little room for development. They can no longer insert themselves into domestic markets or play their expertly honed financial games."

"Within this broader context, leaving the headquarters of the Four Seas Commerce Guild in the Federation is no longer a wise choice. Even a desperate dog would jump a wall, and those Demons don’t have nearly the moral restraint of a dog."

"If it were those old-timers in charge, with their rigid thinking, relocation might be impossible. But now that Young Master Huang is in power, I believe she possesses enough foresight and boldness."

"The remaining question is—whether the President is willing to make room for them beside his own pillow."

Mu Yuming adjusted his glasses, clasped his hands together, and lowered his voice. "Judging from my observations over the past six months since returning to the country, the President’s attitude toward his base, the Land of Dragon Rise, has been notably peculiar."

"After the establishment of the new government, not only were supportive policies withheld, but local elites were drawn away en masse to other regions. Additionally, there’s been a vigorous campaign against local gentry and stubborn factions—even his own direct Qilin Army has started undergoing purges."

"The government’s top brass might as well be nonexistent. Zhou Yaowen, originally slated to be mayor, took to teaching instead. The Special Service Bureau’s director and deputy director positions remain vacant, and even middle-ranking officials are disappearing one by one..."

"From an outsider’s perspective, these actions can be explained with the rationale that the President, now in charge of the nation, has countless obligations and requires hands-on personnel everywhere. And indeed, that rationale holds water."

"But what if... Xu Ziwei is doing all this to make room for Huang Shisan and the Four Seas Commerce Guild?"

Mu Yuheng fell silent for a while, then shook his head. "Your idea is too far-fetched; it’s tantamount to inviting a wolf into the house. In truth, the President may be called President, but she operates as an Emperor. An Emperor is always isolated. Throughout history, no King has ever tolerated such occurrences."

"Then why were the Red Lantern Society and the Qianjin Church disbanded?"

Mu Yuming retorted.

"Let’s set aside the Qianjin Church—I truly don’t know enough about them. But the Red Lantern Society is indisputably the President’s closest direct line, and they’re all women, so there’s no concern about them building their own armies. Why would they disband the Red Lantern Society? Aside from their extreme isolationist policies, what other reason can you think of?"

"The President herself adopts an already strong stance toward Western nations. What’s wrong with her direct line choosing isolationist policies? Could it truly be because of some laughable notion that the new era no longer requires Huaidao Sect forces?"

"You’re fixated on the idea that the President wouldn’t tolerate others by her side, but have you considered what happens if the Four Seas Commerce Guild relocates its headquarters to the South—to Xiangjiang? How would the President monitor their movements from thousands of miles away? Would there be the risk of division between the North and South, of two suns in the sky?"

Mu Yuheng shook his head. "That’s impossible. Tianmen City... It’s simply too small to accommodate the Four Seas Commerce Guild. Moreover, as far as I know, the Guild is rife with factionalism, with Southerners predominating. Even Young Master Huang herself is a native of Guangdong Province. If they chose to return, it wouldn’t be to the North."

"What if you also factor in Korea and Fusang?"