Chapter 434: Directly Expelled from the Xiao Family
But when it came to Xiao Ye, they dared not do a thing.
It was as if a pair of eyes was watching their every move, an unseen gaze that never looked away!
Xiao Ye had never taken Xiao Qi seriously, but he hadn't expected so many people to have already switched sides.
He set down his teacup, his expression unreadable. "Notify everyone that I am convening a Xiao Family meeting tonight. Attendance is mandatory for all!"
"Those out of town or abroad will join by video conference. Everyone else must be physically present!"
"The meeting is at eight o'clock tonight. Anyone who is late will be expelled from the Xiao Family immediately!"
The moment the news broke, the Xiao Family sprang into action.
Even those who had thrown their lot in with Xiao Qi understood that he was currently no match for Xiao Ye. They knew they had to bide their time and proceed with caution.
Thus, they had no choice but to attend the meeting.
At eight o'clock sharp that evening.
The Xiao Family's largest meeting hall was already packed with people.
All the members of the Xiao Family's direct lineage were present; not a single person from any branch was missing.
Even those who were abroad or out of town and couldn't make it back in time were now connected via video call.
The laptop had been placed on a chair nearby, taking up a seat as if a real person were there.
The atmosphere was inexplicably tense.
After a long while.
Xiao Ye finally made his entrance, deliberately late.
Upon entering the meeting room, he immediately ordered someone to turn on the signal jammers.
This time, no one would be live-streaming anything.
Xiao Ye pulled out a chair. "This family meeting is now in session. We'll begin with a roll call to see if anyone is absent."
An assistant and the butler immediately split up to perform the check.
Only after confirming that not a single person was missing did they return to their positions behind Xiao Ye.
"Very good. It seems you're all quite obedient."
Xiao Ye steepled his fingers and rested his hands on the table. "Do you know why I've called this family meeting?"
"N-No… We don't know."
Some of them genuinely didn't know, especially the younger generation.
They spent their days concerned only with feasting and fun, knowing very little about the family's affairs.
Xiao Ye's sharp gaze swept around the room. "Since some of you are still in the dark, I'll make it clear. Today's meeting is primarily about a person named Xiao Qi."
"Recently, an incident occurred. A man named Xiao Qi has come forward, claiming to be my father Xiao Ling's biological son—and his only son."
The room erupted in an uproar.
Did that not imply… that Xiao Ye was the fake?
Xiao Ye's expression remained unchanged as he continued, "I know my own identity. Therefore, this Xiao Qi must be an imposter."
"However, it seems quite a few members of our Xiao Family believe him. They have even begun to secretly join his camp, plotting to commit acts that would harm the Xiao Family."
The hall suddenly fell deathly silent.
Though Xiao Ye's voice was calm, many could hear the killing intent laced within it!
"And so, today's meeting is to resolve this very matter."
Xiao Ye opened a file in front of him. "From this moment on, when I call your name, you will stand up."
He began to read out the names.
There were Elders, pillars of the Xiao Family, and even some of the younger generation.
By the time he had finished, nearly a third of the people in the room were on their feet.
But among them, there was hardly anyone Xiao Ye considered a real threat. In his eyes, they were nothing more than a disorganized mob.
"Now, all of you can get the hell out!"
"Since you don't believe I'm a member of the Xiao Family—and were even so clever as to try and let a bastard into our ranks—then there is no place for you here."
"The Xiao Family has thrived to this day because of its unity, because of the contributions every single member has made."
"With minds like yours, forget about contributing to the family; we'd be lucky if you didn't bring disaster upon it."
Xiao Ye gave a faint smile. "As Patriarch, I have the right to purge the Xiao Family of potential threats and cancerous elements."
"So this is my decision, and this is your fate. Those who make mistakes must be punished!"
With that, he clapped his hands.
Men began to file into the room, while even more waited just outside the door.
"Take them away. Each of them will be given a house, a car, and one million in savings. Everything else is to be confiscated!"
To an ordinary person, this would be a huge sum of money, but to a member of the Xiao Family, it was a mere drop in the bucket!
This decision threw the standing members into a state of panic and fear, but more than that, it filled them with rage!
"Xiao Ye, you can't do this! I'm an Elder of the Xiao Family!"
"That's right! Even if you're the Patriarch, you can't just kick us out!"
"I see now! You must have a guilty conscience, that's why you're doing this! You're clearly trying to turn the Xiao Family into your personal dictatorship!"
Xiao Ye looked at the furious crowd. "You're right. The Xiao Family *is* my personal dictatorship."
"I'd love to give you power, but are you even worthy? You all look the part, but you've got the brains of a pig!"
"Some random person pops up claiming to be the young master of the Xiao Family, and you just blindly believe him, even scheming behind my back about how to deal with me."
Finished speaking, Xiao Ye had no desire to waste time listening to their arguments. "Men! Drag them away!"
"If anyone wants to plead on their behalf, you can get the hell out with them!"
"Go ahead and try me. See if I won't do it!"
Xiao Ye stood. "And don't you forget, it is because of me that the Xiao Family continues to prosper. Without me, the family would have fallen into ruin long ago."
"By now, we might not even be able to hold on to our title as a Hidden Clan!"
"Since you insist on being such ungrateful curs, I'll grant your wish! Take them away!"
His men swarmed in.
No matter how the accused Xiao Family members struggled or cursed, the guards showed no sign of letting go.
Soon.
One by one, the people were dragged from the hall.
Half an hour later, the number of people in the meeting room had been reduced by a third.
The remaining members were terrified, each of them fearing when Xiao Ye might turn on them next.
They frantically searched their memories. 'I... I probably... didn't do anything wrong, right?'
Xiao Ye's gaze swept over those who remained. "I don't care what you think of me, whether you're dissatisfied or you resent me."
"But anyone who plots against the Xiao Family or against me—I will not spare a single one of you!"
With that, he walked straight out of the meeting room.
The winds of change were blowing through the Xiao Family; a great upheaval was inevitable!
Even after Xiao Ye was gone, no one dared to speak. They all simply filed out.
Only when they had returned to their own quarters did they dare to vent their frustrations.
Many of those who had been taken away were relatives of those who remained—parents, siblings, and so on.
By driving them out, wasn't Xiao Ye just slapping the rest of them in the face?
"That Xiao Ye… he's gotten far too arrogant!"
"This is unacceptable! We can't let him just expel people like this. How can the affairs of the Xiao Family's main lineage be treated so flippantly!"
Not long after.
More rumors began to circulate online.
The latest development in the saga of the true and false young masters of the Xiao Family: anyone who had tried to help the so-called false master had been expelled from the family by Xiao Ye, and their current whereabouts were unknown!
Was he silencing them by killing them?
Could it be that… the "false" young master was actually the real one?
And that Xiao Ye, from the very beginning, was the real imposter!