Translator: DavidT Editor: celllll
Ling Tian then giggled before saying seriously, "I have another request for teacher."
Seeing Ling Tian all serious, Mister Qin did not dare delay before replying, "Speak."
Ling Tian then said, "I want to have all the information that you know regarding the Xiao family."
Mister Qin then exclaimed, "Xiao family? Your future wife is from the Xiao family?" In his heart, he was thinking about why he did not know about this.
Ling Tian then sighed as he nodded, "Furthermore, she is the only little princess of the Xiao family. I heard that the lass is called Xiao YanXue and is also five this year."
Mister Qin then did not know whether to laugh or cry as he replied, "You are both of the same age and you call her ‘lass’? You really like to brag."
Ling Tian then giggled and asked, "What does Mister knows about the Xiao family?"
Mister Qin then replied with a proud smile, "With regard to the Xiao family, I am the right person for you to ask. Although I do not dare say that I know everything regarding the Xiao family, I know at least most of it. This old man and the Xiao family head have been good friends for many years."
Ling Tian became interested as he walked to Mister Qin’s back and massaged him lightly. At the same time, he said, "Then will Mister please tell me about it?"
Mister Qin twiddled with his beard with satisfaction and said, "Mmm, on account of the fact that you are so filial, your teacher will explain to you the matters of the Xiao family."
Ling Tian nodded and began to listen carefully.
"The Xiao family has an extremely special existence in the whole continent. This family is not any weaker than the six great families in the world today. But the Xiao family is able to distance itself from the royal family and yet receive benefits from all of the different nations. Besides that, the Xiao family’s wealth is publicly recognized as the first in the world. Furthermore, it is publicly known that their wealth was slowly accumulated through ordinary business means and a result of many generations of hard work."
As Ling Tian listened to this point, he could not help but sneer in his heart. Full of lies! This was the thought in Ling Tian’s heart. Able to become the world’s first without using any underhand means? This is something Ling Tian would never believe! Even in the earth where he stayed in his previous life, it is also impossible for one to achieve such heights only through honest means! Not to mention, this place which was still in the warring states with great chaos all over.
However, Ling Tian did not say anything and silently listened to what Mister Qin had to say.
"…the Xiao family head is called Xiao FengHan, great with skill and strategy. In the past, he roamed around the continent and was a life-and-death brother to your grandfather, Ling Zhan. Due to the fact that your grandfather had saved his life many times, the both of them were extremely close. Your pre-planned marriage was probably a doing of the both of them."
"The Xiao family had begun to change its main dealings 30 years ago from the civilian to the military industry. From then on, the Xiao family specialized in the dealings of armors and weapons. It was also from that time on when the Xiao family established its standing as the world’s wealthiest family!"
"The wealth of the Xiao’s family can be easily explained with a single point. Currently, there are seven empires in the continent. Of the arms in the Star Falling Empire, Heaven’s Blessing Empire, Burning Phoenix Empire and our own empire, at least half of them were purchased from the Xiao family! As for the other three empires, there were at least 30 percent bought from the Xiao family."
Ling Tian took in a cold breath! If he were to follow such calculations, the accumulation of wealth over the years would mean that the Xiao family was wealthier than the four great empires combined! Being this wealthy, they can literally do anything they want in this world! Even if they were to deal with a small empire, they would be able to settle anything with money!
Money can’t solve anything; this phrase does have its own logic! But if the amount of wealth reaches a stage where everyone in the world finds it to be frightening, then money is able to solve everything! There is nothing that such wealth would not be able to solve!
Thinking about this, Ling Tian began to conceive ideas in his head. It seems like that Xiao family must have contributed much for the Ling family to have its current standings! With such a strong alliance as an in-law, it is no surprise that the Ling family is still able to remain standing despite the adversities.
However, the Xiao family was indeed extremely bold. They actually dared to give up on all other businesses and specialize in the dealings of armor and weapons, which is a big taboo of an industry! You have to know, this industry is something which every empire would covet after. If any of the seven empires in the continent absorbs the Xiao family, they would definitely have the capabilities to unite the whole continent! Such an attraction was something which no empire would be able to resist!
Since Ling Tian was able to realize this fact, then everyone should be able to as well. But why was it such that no country had made its move until now?
With the delicate balance of power in the continent currently, any small movements would definitely create a huge storm. As long as a single party were to show signs of threat, all of the other empires would definitely gather to suppress that empire. However, this was not the main reason the different empires were staying silent! Unifying the continent was the dream of every ruler! In order to unify the continent, there would definitely be risks involved. But if they were able to completely eat up the Xiao family in a short time, the benefits they would reap would be worth much more than the risk they were taking.
If that’s the case, there was only a single reason left: The Xiao family definitely has a powerful military might which no one else knew to protect the safety of the Xiao family!
As he thought about that, Ling Tian could not help but ask in doubt, "Such a fat piece of meat, it can’t be that no one wants a piece of it right?"
Mister Qin then nodded his head in agreement, "Of course there are many people who want a piece of them. You have to know, there were 11 empires in this continent 25 years ago. But now, there are only seven left. The four empires which disappeared were the ones who wanted a piece of this meat."
Ling Tian took in another cold breath, "Destroying four nations? Since the Xiao family possessed such strength, why did they not unify the continent themselves?"
Mister Qin nodded his head in reply, "It is not that they do not wish to unify the continent. It is because they are already the target of many powerhouses! If they were to take any action, it would also become their ending. Even the four empires from back then did not form an alliance to attack together. Instead, they fought individually. The Xiao family had only defended against a single wave of attacks from them. Following which, the other nations had attacked together to destroy them. Just from this point alone, it can be seen that while the Xiao family had the ability to protect itself, it was still far from unifying the continent."
"Besides that, it is said that the first leader of the Xiao family, Xiao ChengYun, was a reincarnated celestial. He was adept in divination with many peculiar abilities. Before he died, he had performed divination for the Xiao family and left behind a will: If the Xiao family were to continue with its business, the foundations of the Xiao family would not perish. But if it were to have any ambitions to unify the continent, the whole family would be wiped out for sure!"
Ling Tian then sneered and laughed, "Reincarnation of a celestial? Will of an ancestor? Divination? What a joke! Sir, do you really believe that?"
Mister Qin replied with a bitter laughter, "It doesn’t matter whether or not I believe it. In fact, it would not affect the present state of the continent even if no one in the continent believes it. But the key is that the Xiao family had always followed this will. Besides that, the Xiao family had always been doing their business peacefully without a single person of the Xiao family becoming a government official of any country. They had always been extremely peaceful, keeping to the will of their ancestors. Thus, despite how the various nations all covet after the Xiao family, they were extremely careful towards them, keeping this delicate state."
With regard to what Mister Qin said, Ling Tian sneered with disdain! He then said, "I am sure that every empire is definitely eyeing covetously at the Xiao family and awaiting an opportunity! As for the Xiao family, they have not given up on unifying the continent either! It is just that all of the preparations are being made in secret! As for the military might of the Xiao family, it is definitely not weaker than any of the empires! There is only one reason why there has not been any movements: all the powerhouses need a justifiable reason! In other words, they are waiting for a chance!"
Mister Qin’s face changed as he asked, "You, how did you deduce that?"
Ling Tian smiled slightly, his fair-looking face plastered a sweet looking smile. But in the eyes of Mister Qin, it was filled with a bone-piercing chill! He could not help but tremble for a moment!