Han Xue entered the conference room, and many eyes landed on her, with quite a few people rubbing their hands, preparing to give Han Xue a hard time.
"Please, directors, take your seats. The board meeting will begin shortly."
Bai Lingling addressed the seated directors, and soon they took their seats.
"That man who lives off a woman, why isn’t he with you?" ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ NovᴇlFirᴇ.ɴet
Bai Lingling lifted her gaze toward the director who had spoken—a greasy man in his forties from the Chen Family. By seniority, the man was a nephew of the old chairman. However, he was greedy and lecherous, and if it weren’t for the shares he held, he would be nothing.
"Exactly, today should be a joyous day for him, Century Group is about to be renamed ’Li’."
Someone beside chimed in sarcastically.
Those speaking were all directors from the Chen Family lineage. Aside from them, the other directors remained silent, their lips curling in amusement at the drama.
Han Xue glanced over the assembly. She knew well the composition of the Century Group board—it was broadly divided into three major factions.
The first faction was the Chen Family, relatives who had supported Chen Qinian’s startups and invested money. They held four seats on the board and controlled about 4 percent of the shares—a not particularly high proportion.
The second faction was the old comrades who had struggled alongside Chen Qinian during the startup days. This group had eight seats, with shares around ten percent.
The third faction was led by the Dongfang Family, consisting of venture capitalists and financiers, who held roughly thirty percent of the shares.
Chen Qinian himself held thirty-seven percent of the shares. Including the Chen Family and his startup comrades, Chen Qinian had absolute control, with over fifty percent of the shares.
Less than twenty percent were public float shares.
However, shares weren’t synonymous with voting rights. As the dominant shareholder in the board, Chen Qinian had absolute voting power; as long as he was chairman, Century Group remained his, and no one could take it from him.
Similarly, if Li Feng were to hold Chen Qinian’s shares by proxy, he too would inherit this absolute authority.
If Li Feng didn’t agree, Century Group would never change hands.
Unless someone acquired more than fifty-one percent of the shares and overturned the board, but that would be a protracted internal struggle.
"Today’s first item on the agenda is the selection of the chairman."
Han Xue ignored the Chen Family directors, her gaze sweeping over Dongfang Wenzheng. The Chen Family members weren’t a concern, and she wasn’t worried about the old comrades who had struggled with Chen Qinian.
The only concern was the capital faction led by the Dongfang Family. They controlled a significant number of shares and were the most likely force to take over.
"Heh, it seems like there’s no need to choose, right?" Dongfang Wenzheng noticed Han Xue’s gaze and smiled slyly.
"Should we invite him out so we can applaud and celebrate?"
"Hmph, we will absolutely not support an outsider as chairman." The Chen Family directors spoke out. They’d rather align with the Dongfang faction than allow Han Xue and the man dependent on a woman to rise to power.
As if their Chen Family had no one.
Among the veteran directors, Ma Changchun also spoke, "I wasn’t at the banquet that day, but I can’t believe Chen Qinian would be so senile as to hand over the company to a complete outsider."
"Having such a person take the lead would doom Century Group."
"Exactly, if he wants to be the chairman, we should vote."
Han Xue looked at the chaos below. Although she had anticipated it, observing this scene still made her glad she had made her choice.
Li Feng, he couldn’t be the chairman. If he became the chairman, it would only be a disaster.
Han Xue scanned the room with her beautiful eyes, "I know your thoughts and concerns. The will my husband set up at the reception was announced in front of everyone and is legally binding."
"My husband designated the child in my womb to inherit Century Group, with the shares held in trust by Li Feng and me until the child is born and reaches adulthood at eighteen."
"Then let’s have a reelection."
A Chen Family director slammed the table directly.
"Director Chen Yu, may I finish speaking?"
"Hmph, even if you talk up a storm, Century Group will not accept that snitch, who freeloads and is even a son-in-law living in someone else’s house. Our Century Group can’t afford to lose face like that."
Han Xue coldly glanced at the other party.
"However, Li Feng also knows his own limitations, not enough to convince everyone, and I need to focus on my pregnancy and can’t support Century Group."
As soon as Han Xue said this, everyone in the room looked up at her, wondering what she meant by mentioning Li Feng’s inadequacy and her need to rest.
Many people glanced at Dongfang Wenzheng, wondering if this woman had made a secret deal with someone from the Dongfang faction.
If so, this board meeting was just a formality. Everyone might as well go back to their own homes and forget about it.
"Therefore, I propose that Chen Muyang assume the role of chairman of Century Group."
As soon as Han Xue spoke up, the directors present almost stared at her in disbelief.
When did this woman get involved with Chen Muyang? Speaking of which, they had indeed overlooked Chen Muyang, the actual Crown Prince of Century Group, not the one in Han Xue’s womb. Chen Muyang was nearly thirty.
If it weren’t for the change in the will, Chen Muyang would almost certainly be the designated heir to Century Group, but his reputation was poor, and he was notoriously violent.
Besides, he had been injured before and seemed to have become a eunuch, recently treated like an abandoned stray dog.
"Why would Han Xue support Chen Muyang?"
"You ask me, who do I ask? But if it’s Chen Muyang, it’s not unacceptable," a few Chen Family directors exchanged glances. They were all very astute, knowing they could only complain so much with the shares they held.
Although Chen Muyang was quite unpopular, he was still part of the Chen Family, the biological son of Chen Qinian. Although he was now a eunuch, being a eunuch didn’t matter as long as Century Group remained a Chen dynasty; they had no objections.
The veteran directors looked at each other.
Some of these people actually disapproved of Chen Muyang, even disliked him, but now with the precedent set by Li Feng, Chen Muyang was not unacceptable.
Dongfang Wenzheng deeply looked at Han Xue. This woman had really outmaneuvered him. Li Feng was out, and now Chen Muyang was in.
The directors from both the Chen Family faction and the veteran faction would certainly not oppose as they had before. Chen Muyang had spent many years as the Crown Prince of Century Group; probably no one in Century Group would oppose him as chairman.
After all, Chen Qinian’s prestige in Century Group was immense.
"Let’s vote then, who agrees, who disagrees."
Han Xue called for a vote directly. Once a board resolution was formed, even if Li Feng returned, he couldn’t change anything.