Chapter 281: Watch Your Mouth From Now On
Yuan Tiancheng immediately summoned all Yuan Family members to the old residence.
He didn't mince words: anyone who didn't show up would not only lose their year-end dividend, but all their Yuan Family cards would also be frozen!
Aside from the Yuan Family members currently out of town, everyone else in Shanghai returned, regardless of whether they were sleeping or what they were doing.
A few had just been pulled from their lovers' beds; if their own elders hadn't personally come to fetch them, they'd probably still be asleep.
Yuan Tiancheng's gaze swept across the room. Making sure no one was missing, he finally said, "I've called you all here today for one reason."
The crowd exchanged glances, wondering what kind of major issue could possibly warrant summoning the entire Yuan Family.
Yuan Tiancheng's voice suddenly turned icy. "It's about today's rumors!"
"Members of the third branch, step forward!"
No one moved, so Yuan Tiancheng had his bodyguards drag the man out.
"You're the one who was spreading rumors, right?"
"I... I didn't!"
The Yuan Family member who had been dragged out was already filled with regret. 'Why did I say so much? If I'd known, I wouldn't have been such a blabbermouth.'
"I was just repeating what I heard from someone else."
Yuan Tiancheng looked at him. "Then tell me, who did you hear it from? Give me a plausible name, prove you were just repeating what someone else said, and I'll let you off the hook!"
The man racked his brain but couldn't come up with a single plausible name.
After all, the company had only reported that Yuan Tiancheng had made an enemy of the Liu Family to protect a man.
It had said nothing else.
The scandalous parts of the rumor were just lies he'd made up because he couldn't stand Yuan Tiancheng.
"It seems you can't name anyone. In that case, you're the one who said these things, aren't you?"
"I said it! I was wrong, I swear I'll never do it again! I was just talking nonsense..."
The other members of the third branch chimed in. "Who told you to spout such nonsense? You'd better learn to watch your mouth!"
"Tiancheng, look, he's already admitted he was wrong. It's not a huge deal, was it really necessary to drag everyone here for this?"
The other members of the Yuan Family clearly agreed.
They had better things to do than drop everything and rush over just for some gossipmonger. This was a massive overreaction.
Yuan Tiancheng sneered. "Let it go?"
If the lies were just about him, he would have let it slide. But this was about Xiao Ye!
This was no small matter. If the rumor spread, it could give people an opening to attack Xiao Ye.
In this day and age, a sex scandal always draws more attention than anything else!
Once Xiao Ye was branded as a man-lover, even if he got married later, simply being seen in public with another man could be twisted by the media!
A cold fear washed over Yuan Tiancheng as he contemplated the potentially disastrous consequences.
Thankfully, he'd discovered it in time. If he'd let it continue, he would have truly offended Xiao Ye, and that might have spelled the end for the Yuan Family!
He raised his hand, and a heavy slap landed.
The man was sent stumbling to the ground.
"He spread malicious rumors. As of today, he is exiled from the Yuan Family! He is no longer one of us!"
"I'm giving the third branch one hour to get him out of here. If anyone dares to support him after this, don't blame me when I throw you out too!"
Everyone was stunned. None of them had imagined the punishment for a few careless words could be so severe.
"Tiancheng, is this really necessary? It was just a few words. He's already apologized and promised it won't happen again. You can't exile him from the family over this."
"Exactly, it's not that big a deal. There's no need to be so harsh, is there?"
"Patriarch, you're going too far! Exiling him from the family for this is completely unreasonable!"
Yuan Tiancheng looked at the clamoring crowd and said coldly, "The elders of each branch, come with me. We need to have a little talk."
The elders stepped forward and followed Yuan Tiancheng into an inner room.
Half an hour later, they emerged, their expressions grim.
Just now, Yuan Tiancheng had explained the gravity of the situation to them.
And... Xiao Ye's true identity.
The elders exchanged a look, then announced in unison, "We agree with the Patriarch's decision to exile him. If any of you object, you can get lost along with him!"
"The Yuan Family has no place for people who fabricate baseless rumors!"
With even the elders speaking this way, the other family members didn't dare utter a word of protest, no matter what they thought.
And just like that, the rumor-mongering family member was thrown out.
He was still in disbelief. 'How did things turn out this way?'
"Dad, Mom, save me!"
"Yuan Tiancheng, you can't do this! I'm a member of the Yuan Family! You have no right to throw me out!"
"Let go of me! I'm not leaving! I won't leave the Yuan Family!"
His voice grew fainter as he was dragged away.
Yuan Tiancheng looked coldly at the others. "If I hear anything like this again, you will share his fate."
"That's all. Dismissed!"
The Yuan Family members quickly dispersed.
Some tried to pry information from the elders, but they were repeatedly rebuffed.
"Don't ask us. We're not saying a word. If you're that curious, go ask the Patriarch!"
The third branch was still considering how to save the man when one of the elders barked, "If you don't want to bring misfortune upon the entire Yuan Family, you'll send him away immediately!"
"Grandfather, it can't be that serious!"
The enraged elder slammed his cane on the ground. THUMP! "Then get a move on! Do you expect an old man like me to do it for you?"
"Let me tell you, the Patriarch was right. If you don't send him away within the hour, I'll send you all away with him and cancel everyone's cards!"
When they heard that, the others finally quieted down and obeyed.
When their own interests were on the line, what did a family member matter?
And so, an hour later, that Yuan Family member was kicked to the curb.
All assets in his name were frozen. All he had left was a bank card containing 500,000, the clothes on his back, and a cell phone.
With that 500,000, as long as he settled down and found a job, he could still live far better than the average person.
But to a member of the Yuan Family, 500,000 was an insulting pittance, not even worth a second glance.
He stood at the gate of the Yuan Family's old residence, his eyes filled with venomous hatred. "Yuan Tiancheng, you're just using me to make a point!"
"You kicked me out of the family over a few words. I swear I won't let you get away with this!"
He knew it was practically impossible for him to make a comeback and challenge the Yuan Family on his own.
He was self-aware enough to know that he was no match for Yuan Tiancheng and possessed no business acumen. The only thing he could do was find an ally.
"The Liu Family! Yuan Tiancheng, you just wait! I refuse to believe you can handle the Liu Family!"
Wasting no time, he immediately turned and left.