"Was the grandfather of the Sun Family also once the Store Manager of the Xiao Family?" Lin Tian asked curiously.
Because being a Store Manager was no small position, in ancient and even modern tis, the Store Manager controlled the operation of the store. In modern business terms, the Store Manager is like a company’s professional manager, the general manager, or CEO, possessing great power.
In modern business corporations, family businesses, or company boards, CEOs are often granted a certain amount of shares, making the CEO not just a nominal Emperor, but truly in control of the company’s shares.
"Exactly, your classmate’s grandfather once was the Xiao Family’s Store Manager. But when the grandfather passed away, Sun Hai inherited the legacy, and many things changed," Miss said.
Lin Tian raised his eyebrows slightly and said softly, "Are you letting Sun Hai do whatever he wants just for the sake of that one rule?"
"What would you do if you were in my place?" Miss retorted.
"Not to sound unpleasant, but your staunch adherence to those rules might make your grandfather so angry he’d climb out of his coffin," Lin Tian said, his words harsh.
But he understood Miss. With her stubborn nature, speaking softly was useless; she needed sothing shocking, just like the Second Miss before, who was spoiled and wilful, and even sicced dogs on people. Speaking kindly was useless, a spanking had set her straight.
The characters of the two sisters were indeed very similar in this regard, so Lin Tian deliberately provoked her with his words.
Sure enough, Miss’s expression cooled instantly. The little girl was angered; even struggling with the business operation, she still adhered to her grandfather’s rules, not being too hard on Sun Hai. Yet, being spoken about so disparagingly by Lin Tian, Miss felt both aggrieved and angry.
Had anyone else said it, she would have just been angry, but Lin Tian’s words, for so reason, made her feel deeply hurt.
"Even if I’m struggling, I haven’t gone against Grandpa’s words; am I really in the wrong?" Miss said, her expression troubled.
Seeing the atmosphere turn sour, Liu Wenxing pretended to study the electronic devices on the ground, and Second Miss glared at Lin Tian, signaling him not to be so harsh with his words.
But as if Lin Tian saw nothing, he continued in the sa tone, "You’re not just wrong; you’re totally wrong. Let ask you, when your grandfather set this rule, did he say it in front of all the Store Managers?"
Miss frowned and thought for a while, then said, "I wasn’t born then. How would I know the exact situation? But I’ve heard my mom ntion it, and it seems to be the case?"
"Hmph, and you call yourself the CEO, a businesswoman no less. Can’t you see through even this bit of human nature?" Lin Tian retorted unapologetically.
Being called out by an outsider like Lin Tian, Miss’s face reddened with embarrassnt, but she stubbornly replied, "What human nature? You’re not much older. You talk about human nature all the ti; tell , what have you discerned this ti?"
"Miss, you’re only two or three years older than . If you can talk about it, why can’t I?" Lin Tian said, defiant. "I say you can’t see through it, and it’s really no injustice to you."
"Your grandfather established such a rule partly to thank those Store Managers for their outstanding contributions to the Xiao Family, but more importantly to win their hearts and ensure they served the Xiao Family with loyalty. Are you upset? Think about it, aren’t these the facts? As the president, don’t you understand these tactics?" Lin Tian asked calmly.
The Miss had nothing to say in response, but her expression still showed so defiance, clearly unable to refute, yet stubbornly clinging to her own views.
Lin Tian was not in a hurry and continued, "Let ask you another question, did your grandfather or great-grandfather ever include this rule in the family regulations?"
Wealthy families like these often have family rules, which is why Lin Tian was confident in asking.
Although the Miss was puzzled by Lin Tian’s question, she still answered, "No, this rule isn’t part of the Xiao Family’s regulations. What exactly are you trying to say?"
"What I’m trying to say is the true aning behind why your grandfather established this rule," Lin Tian said, feigning profundity, "Your grandfather distributed shares to the Store Managers in their presence and declared that their shares were untouchable. Indeed, this move was very effective in securing their loyalty, and it significantly aided the developnt of the Xiao Family’s business at the ti."
"The founding Emperor of the Ancient Han Dynasty, Liu Bang, in order to rely on Han Xin to defeat Xiang Yu, conferred upon Han Xin two special privileges: Three Kings and Three Immortal. Three Kings ant equality with the Heavenly King, the Earthly King, and the Monarch, while Three Immortal ant he wouldn’t die upon seeing the sky, the earth, or any iron weapon."
"After receiving these two titles, Han Xin, of course, devotedly pursued Xiang Yu and defeated him. It’s safe to say that Han Xin conquered half of Liu Bang’s empire."
"If Liu Bang valued Han Xin so much, why didn’t he just give him an amulet of immunity to death or a similar decree? Instead, why use the Three Immortal gimmick? Because Liu Bang was clever; he didn’t want to go to extres, creating an untouchable figure for himself or his descendants."
"Eventually, Han Xin’s achievents overshadowed his superior, becoming arrogant with his power. Liu Bang had his wife, Lady Lu, set up a banquet; even knowing it was a trap, Han Xin, overly confident in his Three Immortal status, attended. As a result, Lady Lu had him tied up, placed in a wooden cage, covered the cage with cloth, suspended it midair, and had him stabbed to death with bamboo stakes."
"His entire manner of death didn’t violate Liu Bang’s Three Immortal rule but still resulted in Han Xin’s death. This is the art of Emperor’s Skill," Lin Tian said, watching the Miss and smiling as he explained.
The Xiao sisters and Liu Wenxing were captivated, following Lin Tian’s narrative and reflecting, with even Liu Wenxing appearing to understand sothing, not to ntion the Miss and Manxuan.
Lin Tian further explained, "Your grandfather did not include that rule in the family regulations because, like Liu Bang, he aid to prevent the Store Managers from becoming overly powerful and arrogant, posing a threat to the Xiao Family, and enabling the future generations to strip them of their shareholder status if necessary."
"Therefore, the rule about not touching their shares, I understand it as your grandfather reminding you that, should these shareholders ever endanger the Xiao Family, their shares should indeed be reconsidered," Lin Tian said with a smile.
The Miss looked at Lin Tian in astonishnt, never expecting such an interpretation; it almost seed as if Lin Tian had an alien brain, coming up with such a perspective!
Liu Wenxing and Manxuan had already admitted their admiration, deeply impressed by the explanation that used extensive references and reasoning to interpret their grandfather’s rule in an entirely different, even opposite, way.
"Lin Tian, your brain, with all this alluding and referencing, if it were a college entrance essay, it would definitely score full marks," Liu Wenxing exclaid sincerely.
Unexpectedly, the Miss suddenly laughed, smiling at Lin Tian, she said, "Thank you for your brilliant explanation."
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