Chapter 3: The Calculated Heir
Jiang Yukang sat in the luxurious study of his family's sprawling estate, his sharp gaze trained on the morning's newspaper laid out before him. Yet, as his eyes scanned the pages, a deep frown creased his chiseled features. There was no mention, not even a whisper, of the recent events surrounding Bai Yunshu's supposed death.
It was as if the skilled spy, someone he had once been close to, had simply vanished without a trace.
Jiang Yukang's jaw clenched as he tossed the newspaper aside, his movements sharp and precise – a testament to the rigid self-control he had cultivated over the years. He was no stranger to deception and the shadowy machinations of powerful organizations, but this blatant erasure of Bai Yunshu's existence left a sour taste in his mouth.
"Chang Wei," he called out, his deep baritone slicing through the heavy silence.
Within moments, a man of average height but wiry strength strode into the study. Chang Wei was Jiang Yukang's most trusted aide and bodyguard – a combination of lethal skill and unwavering loyalty honed over a decade of service.
"You summoned me, Young Master?" Chang Wei's eyes were alert, ever vigilant.
"There's been no news about Bai Yunshu," Jiang Yukang stated, his tone clipped. "Not a word of her reported death or the alleged events surrounding it."
Chang Wei frowned, his brow furrowing. "That is...highly unusual, given her reputation and standing within the organization."
"Precisely." Jiang Yukang leaned back in his chair, steepling his long, elegant fingers beneath his chiseled jaw. "Which leads me to believe there's been a coverup – some sort of foul play afoot."
His aide's frown deepened, concern flickering across his weathered features. "You suspect the organization has moved to bury any traces of the incident?"
"Among other things." Jiang Yukang's lips pressed into a grim line. "We both know the brutality they're capable of, the lengths they'll go to protect their secrets."
A heavy silence descended upon the study as the two men mulled over the implications. Finally, Jiang Yukang sighed, his shoulders squaring with a newfound resolution.
"For now, there's little we can do but keep our eyes and ears open. If Bai Yunshu is truly gone..." He trailed off, an uncharacteristic flicker of grief passing across his striking features.
Though over a decade had passed since their paths first crossed at the orphanage, Jiang Yukang still remembered the remarkable young girl who had possessed a maturity far beyond her years. Even as a child, Bai Yunshu had been steadfast and resilient, traits that had drawn him to her company as they poured over tattered books together, forging an unlikely bond.
When he had been miraculously reunited with his birth family at fifteen, leaving the harsh realities of the orphanage behind, Jiang Yukang had vowed to return for Bai Yunshu and her brother one day. To provide them with the opportunities and security he now enjoyed.
But by the time he had managed to track them down, after years of meticulous searching, they had already been swept up by the enigmatic organization that had identified Bai Yunshu's potential at a young age. A fruitless dead-end that still left a bitter taste of failure in Jiang Yukang's mouth.
Shaking off the melancholic reverie, he refocused on the present, his expression hardening once more.
"Regardless of Bai Yunshu's fate, we have other matters that require our attention." He fixed Chang Wei with an inscrutable look. "My grandfather has made his wishes regarding my impending nuptials quite clear."
Chang Wei inclined his head in understanding. The long-standing alliance between the Jiang and Feng families was no secret, with talks of solidifying the union through marriage having spanned decades.
"The Feng family has four eligible daughters from what I've gathered," Chang Wei stated. "Feng Ruoxi, the only daughter of the household patriarch. And from his younger brother's line – the twin sisters Feng Meiling and Feng Xiuying, as well as the youngest, Feng Airi."
Jiang Yukang's mouth curved into a humorless smirk. "Indeed. A proverbial buffet of choices, all in the name of bolstering the family's business ties and inheritance rights."
"We shall have to pay a visit to the Feng estate soon to assess the prospective brides," he declared, already formulating strategies in his ever-calculating mind. "See what you can uncover about their temperaments and standings within the household beforehand. I want no unpleasant surprises once the vetting process begins."
Chang Wei gave a solemn nod. "As you command, Young Master. I'll have the details prepared for your review by day's end."
With a subtle inclination of his head, Jiang Yukang dismissed his aide, already turning his thoughts to the task ahead. While choosing a wife was traditionally a joyous occasion, he found little cause for celebration in his instance.
No, this would be an arrangement of the highestOrder – a calculated move on the grand chessboard of power, influence, and familial duty. He would approach the matter with the same cold pragmatism he applied to all his endeavors, analyzing every angle and possible outcome with surgical precision.
After all, rushing in blindly or allowing emotion to cloud his judgment could prove catastrophic. He had learned that harsh lesson long ago when ripped from the naïve innocence of childhood and thrust into the brutal realities of his newfound status.
As the sole heir to the prestigious Jiang family empire, Jiang Yukang knew he could ill afford any missteps, personal trifles, or misplaced sentiments. His path had been inscribed from birth – one of power, control, and the relentless pursuit of legacy.
And he would walk that path, as immaculately and decisively as any mission Bai Yunshu had undertaken for her organization. Even if it meant turning his back on any lingering ideals of love or fairy-tale romances.
Jiang Yukang spent the remainder of the morning meticulously poring over the dossiers Chang Wei had compiled on the four eligible Feng daughters. His aide had proven exceptionally thorough, leaving no stone unturned in his background investigations.
Feng Ruoxi, was the only child of the Feng family patriarch and his late wife. At eighteen, she should have been approaching the prime age for an advantageous marital match. However, the reports painted a rather underwhelming picture – a timid, sickly young woman overshadowed by the exacting cruelties of her stepmother.
Jiang Yukang's lips curved into a contemptuous sneer as he read the accounts of Feng Ruoxi's mistreatment at the hands of her affluent family. While he held no illusions about the depths of depravity the elite could sink to, the notion of such unchecked abuse towards an ill and defenseless young woman left a sour taste in his mouth.
Perhaps it was the lingering vestiges of the orphan boy who had learned harsh survival skills at a tender age. Or maybe a part of him still clung to the faint hopes and ideals he had forged alongside Bai Yunshu in those long-forgotten days of innocent camaraderie. Regardless of its origins, the distaste coiled within his gut like a viper roused from slumber.
With a shake of his head, he forced the errant sentiments aside, refocusing on the task at hand with his customary cold calculation. Feng Ruoxi's unfortunate circumstances could potentially work in his favor – a pliable, cowed bride might prove easier to mold to his exacting standards and the duties expected of the Jiang family's matriarch.
Then again, a broken spirit could also breed resentment and defiance when pushed too far. It would require a deft hand to strike the proper balance of control. Not an issue for one of Jiang Yukang's capabilities, but still a factor to consider.
Shifting his attention to the remaining candidates, his eyes narrowed fractionally. The twin sisters, Feng Meiling and Feng Xiuying, were the daughters of the family's lesser branch headed by the patriarch's younger brother. At twenty-two, they were older than the ideal brides but still held the prized potential for providing an heir.
According to Chang Wei's findings, the two young women were virtual opposites in temperament – Meiling, the elder, was wild and unrestrained, frequently stirring up scandal with her brazen antics and illicit dalliances. Xiuying, on the other hand, appeared demure and reserved on the surface yet harbored a ruthless ambition and propensity for vicious mind games in her quest for power.
Jiang Yukang felt his mouth twisting with wry amusement as he digested the twins' profiles. While both possessed their unique risks and downsides, they were at least more intriguing prospects than the seemingly vapid Feng Ruoxi. Though the notion of taming either woman's bold inclinations could prove...entertaining, if nothing else.
Finally, he turned his attention to the last candidate – seventeen-year-old Feng Airi, the youngest daughter of the lesser Feng branch. Her dossier proved the most sparse of the four, indicating a relatively unremarkable existence thus far. She showed academic promise, scoring highly in her studies, but little else remarkable or potentially problematic emerged from Chang Wei's findings.
A virtual blank slate, for better or worse. While lacking any obvious red flags, her youth and inexperience could potentially shape her into an ideal, biddable wife for the Jiang family. Or, conversely, forge her into an empty-headed ornament, possessing neither the wit nor the backbone to serve as a capable matriarch.
A sharp rap at the study door broke through his reverie. "Enter," he called out, his authoritative baritone slicing through the stillness.
Chang Wei stepped through the doorway, his movements economic and precise. "I've made the arrangements for our visit to the Feng estate tomorrow afternoon, per your instructions."
Jiang Yukang inclined his head in a subtle nod of acknowledgment. "Excellent. See that the appropriate security details are in place for our convoy's departure at half-past noon. I want no complications or unfortunate...surprises."
"It will be handled with the utmost discretion, Young Master," Chang Wei assured him, seemingly unfazed by the inherent threat laced within the directive.
Anyone foolish enough to underestimate Jiang Yukang's capability for ruthless countermeasures against even a perceived threat didn't remain in his trusted inner circle for long. His aide understood the stakes all too well – their formidable family was constructed upon a foundation of absolute control and uncompromising power.
With a wordless nod of dismissal, Jiang Yukang watched as Chang Wei retreated from the study. Pivoting in his chair, he turned his attention to the floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked the immaculately-manicured gardens beyond the manor's walls.
The lush greenery and vibrant floral arrangements stood in stark contrast to the barren desolation that had surrounded the orphanage grounds during his childhood. A cosmos away from those bleak days of scrounging for scraps and doing whatever was necessary to survive the harsh realities of abandonment.
His jaw clenched, chiseled features hardening like cooled granite as the memories threatened to encroach. Jiang Yukang allowed himself a fleeting moment of gratitude that circumstances had changed – that he had clawed his way from that wretched existence into a world of power, privilege, and the ability to command his own destiny.
With a resolute exhalation, Jiang Yukang rose from his chair, his movements fluid and controlled like those of a panther sizing up its prey. His striking features settled into an inscrutable mask of determination as he straightened the impeccable lines of his tailored suit.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone