Chapter 171: The Scapegoat

"Later, after the banquet ended, I heard... I heard that Bai Yuyu went to the East Suburb Villa with Jiang Hao, and they are living together..."

"Perhaps it was precisely because of this that Jiang Hao managed to connect with the Bai family..."

As soon as Pan Yixuan finished speaking, Yang Yunhua stood up abruptly.

He slowly turned his head, glared at Pan Yixuan with a ferocious expression, and roared angrily, "Since you knew that Jiang Hao had a connection with the Bai family, why did you still instigate me to go against Jiang Hao again and again? Pan Yixuan, are you in cahoots with Jiang Hao? Did you deliberately try to ruin me and my Bai family?"

"No, Patriarch Yang, you've misunderstood. I didn't foresee this coming either," Pan Yixuan cried out hastily.

Without listening to his explanation, Yang Yunhua strode forward and dealt Pan Yixuan a fierce slap across the face.

Slap!

Accompanied by a heavy sound, Pan Yixuan was knocked over to the ground by the blow, unable to even crawl back up.

"Someone come here, tie Pan Yixuan up for me!"

Yang Yunhua roared with all his might, resembling a maddened lion.

The moment his words fell, numerous servants rushed into the reception hall and bound Pan Yixuan tightly with thick, sturdy hemp ropes like a zongzi.

Meanwhile, Yang Yunhua whipped out his phone and hurriedly dialed a number.

East Suburb Villa.

Several minutes had passed since Bai Qiming finished his phone call. With a cheerful smile, he said to Jiang Hao, Su Qingli, and the members of the Su family present, "Don't worry, the Yang family is in for a catastrophic disaster this time. Even if they don't completely ruin themselves, they will definitely suffer a crippling blow, leaving them with neither the strength nor the capital to stir up trouble in Maple Leaf City."

Hearing Bai Qiming's words, both Jiang Hao and Su Qingli broke into radiant smiles.

However, the members of the Su family present found it hard to believe.

Bai Qiming had merely made a single phone call just now. Could just one phone call inflict such heavy losses on the Yang family?

Surely not?

Although the Yang family could not compare to the Bai family, a premier elite household of Nanyang City, they shouldn't be brought down so easily by just one phone call from Bai Qiming!

Suddenly, Bai Qiming's phone rang.

He glanced down at the screen and chuckled, "Old man Yang Yunhua is calling me. Jiang Hao, should I answer it or not?"

"Answer it," Jiang Hao said with a smiling nod.

Nodding in agreement, Bai Qiming answered the call and immediately switched it to speakerphone.

This way, everyone present could hear Yang Yunhua's voice.

As soon as the speakerphone was turned on, Yang Yunhua's aged voice came through the phone, laden with a heavy, tearful sob.

"Mr. Bai, was it you who ordered Bai's Heavy Industries to sever ties and stop cooperating with our Yang family? How could you do this? I haven't offended your Bai family..."

Yang Yunhua's words left every member of the Su family present in utter shock.

The head of the Yang family, the paramount patriarch of Maple Leaf City, the once invincible Yang Yunhua, was actually taking the initiative to call Bai Qiming, weeping and pleading on the phone!

Was this really the head of the Yang family?

Was this really the awe-inspiring Yang Yunhua?

The Su family members stared with dropped jaws, their chins practically hitting the floor!

Bai Qiming chuckled lightly and said, "I originally had no intention of moving against your Yang family, but you people really play dirty! You used low-handed tactics time and again to target Jiang Hao and Su Qingli, and I let that slide. But I never imagined you would actually pressure the Su family, sending them over to demand accountability and make trouble for Jiang Hao and Su Qingli! Yang Yunhua, what you've done is simply indefensible."

"I, Bai Qiming, conduct myself in an open and honorable manner and never resort to stabbing people in the back. That's why I look down on you, and I despise you!"

"Your Yang family is unworthy of cooperating with Bai's Heavy Industries! Do whatever you want now; don't contact me ever again, and don't ever look for Bai's Heavy Industries again!"

Having said that, Bai Qiming made to hang up the phone.

Yang Yunhua cried out in bitter desperation, "It's not like that! I had no choice; I had my own hidden difficulties... Mr. Bai, things can't be explained clearly over the phone. Let me come and make a personal apology to you in person, what do you say?"

"Alright, I'll wait for you. I'm currently at the East Suburb Villa, together with Jiang Hao."

Bai Qiming immediately agreed.

If Yang Yunhua wanted to come, let him come. Bai Qiming was certainly not afraid of him.

Yet the Su family members present wore complex expressions, their hearts torn with inner conflict.

Yang Yunhua was about to arrive shortly. What should they do?

Would it be wiser for them to step aside and avoid him?

Yet, they simply couldn't bear to miss such a magnificent drama about to unfold right before their eyes!

Twenty minutes later, a luxurious black Land Rover pulled up outside the courtyard gates of the East Suburb Villa. The car door opened, and Yang Yunhua rushed over quickly, dragging the bound Pan Yixuan along with him.

Seeing the courtyard full of Su family members, along with Su Qingli and Jiang Hao, Yang Yunhua showed no surprise, having already been informed beforehand.

Without hesitation, he brought Pan Yixuan straight before Bai Qiming.

"Mr. Bai, I, Yang Yunhua, have come to make amends!"

Tears streaming down his face, Yang Yunhua broke into aged, sobbing wails—a truly heartbreaking and sorrowful sight for anyone to witness!

Yet the Su family members present were utterly thrilled, secretly rejoicing in their hearts.

Just that morning, Yang Yunhua had been threatening and intimidating the Su family. Yet now, the head of the Yang family had no choice but to bow his head, admit his wrongs, apologize, and even weep bitterly in desperate supplication right before their eyes. It was an utter state of wretchedness. How could the Su family members not feel deeply vindicated?

This Yang Yunhua thoroughly deserved it!

He truly deserved it!

"Spare me the talk of apologies. I'm already fully aware of everything you've done, so you don't need to fabricate lies and argue your case before me," Bai Qiming said coldly.

Pain pierced through Yang Yunhua's heart, filled with extreme regret.

Glancing at Jiang Hao, who stood next to Bai Qiming with a radiant smile on his face, he finally experienced a sudden flash of realization.

No wonder Jiang Hao and Su Qingli showed zero fear of the Yang family and repeatedly went head-to-head with them—it turned out they had a powerful backer!

Had he known earlier that Jiang Hao and Su Qingli were backed by the Nanyang City Bai family, nothing could have forced him to pressure Jiang Hao and Su Qingli into coming over to apologize, let alone resort to such despicable tactics against them!

Yet now, regret seemed far too late, entirely beyond redemption!

Still, Yang Yunhua spoke up, "Mr. Bai, those things were indeed my doing. I apologize to you, and I apologize to Mr. Jiang and Ms. Su. My mind has grown muddled with age, but more importantly, I was hoodwinked by a villain!"

The moment he finished speaking, Yang Yunhua kicked Pan Yixuan to the ground, sending him rolling right in front of Jiang Hao and Su Qingli.

Pointing a trembling finger at Pan Yixuan, he cursed viciously, "It was this scoundrel who came to me time and again, instigating me to move against Mr. Jiang and Ms. Su. Everything I did later on was incited by him!"