Chapter 32: Rising Waves
The night was deep and dark. The Cheng family hall was brightly lit, yet it could not conceal the oppressive atmosphere that filled the room.
Cheng Huan sat upright in the main seat, the teacup in her hands long since grown cold, with a thin layer of tea stains congealed around the rim.
Her brow was deeply furrowed, her fingers unconsciously tapping against the sandalwood armrest.
Several Cheng family disciples below either stood or sat, their faces growing uglier by the moment.
"Creak!"
The main door was suddenly pushed open, and Cheng Ming strode in quickly, breathing heavily as he asked, "Elder sister, how is the situation? What did those merchants say?"
Cheng Huan's eyes carried exhaustion. She slowly set down the cold teacup, "Li's Trading House, Ink Fragrance Studio... they have all chosen the Ning family's ships."
Upon hearing this, Cheng Ming immediately flew into a rage, "Those ungrateful wolves! Our Cheng family has treated them well over the years. Whenever their merchant ships encountered danger, when have we not provided full protection? Now they dare to betray us!"
The dock business was the Cheng family's lifeline, and the Goddess Temple Dock was a hub that the Cheng family had spent generations of effort and blood developing from a barren marsh of reeds.