122: Chapter 122 The Passing of Old Zhang

In the room, time seemed to stretch out endlessly.

Elder Zhang's breathing grew lighter and lighter, like a spider silk swaying in the autumn wind; every faint rise and fall seemed like a gentle farewell to the world.

The waves on the monitor gradually flattened, like the last ripples of a receding tide.

Zhang Jinrong stood by the bed, gazing at his father's withered face, momentarily transported back to his childhood.

"Keep your wrist steady!"

The young Zhang Jinrong felt his hand enveloped by Elder Zhang's broad palm, tracing the characters of the Lantingji Xu stroke by stroke; hidden within the stern reprimands was an undisguisable expectation.

It was as if he could also see that rainy night over thirty years ago, when he had stumbled upon first entering the political arena, and Elder Zhang had simply handed him a cup of hot tea: "Zhang Jinrong, the political arena is like a chessboard; you must understand when to sacrifice a piece to seize the initiative."

Memories flashed by like a revolving lantern. In this moment, Zhang Jinrong was not just the pillar of the Zhang family, but a son about to lose his father.

The other family members were also immersed in memories and sorrow; some shed silent tears, others clenched their fists, all struggling to suppress the waves of emotion in their hearts.

In that moment, so quiet one could hear a heartbeat, Elder Zhang's eyelids fluttered slightly and opened slowly.

Those eyes, which had weathered a lifetime of vicissitudes, were exceptionally bright at this moment, as if trying to pour all the wisdom and concerns of his life into this final gaze.

Zhang Jinrong dropped to one knee with a thud, clutching his father's withered hand tightly, as if he could hold onto the life that was slipping away: "Dad, I'm here."

His voice was choked, nearly breaking.

"Zhang Jinrong…"

Elder Zhang's hoarse voice sounded like autumn leaves brushing against the ground, yet it instantly silenced the entire room.

Zhang Jinrong leaned in closer, feeling his father's faint breath brush against his ear.

Elder Zhang's fingers trembled slightly, as if trying to grasp something: "The Zhang family… must be twisted… into a single rope…"

His gaze suddenly became exceptionally sharp: "Remember… as long as the people are here… there is hope…"

Zhang Jinrong pressed his father's hand against his own forehead and swore solemnly: "Rest assured, I will remember! As long as I am here for one day, I will never let the Zhang family fall apart!"

His voice was low but heavy, as if signing a sacred contract.

The corners of Elder Zhang's mouth lifted slightly, revealing a smile of relief.

He slowly turned his clouded eyes, his gaze pausing on the face of each family member. That look was wrapped in too many unspoken emotions—concern, expectation, and deep attachment.

Finally, his lips moved softly: "You all… must… be well…"

Before the words had fully faded, the hand gripped by Zhang Jinrong suddenly lost its strength and dropped gently like a fallen leaf.

On the monitor, the ECG symbolizing life became a cold, straight line, and the long "beep—" pierced the eardrums.

Time seemed to freeze at this moment.

Zhang Jinrong remained in a kneeling position, tears silently falling onto the back of his father's hand, which had not yet gone cold. He bowed slowly, bidding his father a final farewell with the most solemn of rites.

Behind him, family members stepped forward one by one; some knelt and kowtowed, others covered their faces and wept. The entire room was immersed in an impenetrable sorrow.

Suddenly, chaotic footsteps were heard outside the door.

The younger generation of the Zhang family, having received the news, could no longer hold back and flooded into the room, weeping.

Their young faces were filled with disbelief and pain. They reached out with trembling hands, wanting to touch the old man's peaceful remains, yet afraid of disturbing this eternal slumber.

The entire Zhang family was enveloped in grief, but Zhang Jinrong knew he could not collapse.

As the new leader of the family, he had to stand tall and lead the family out of this gloom to move forward.

He slowly straightened up and wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes. His voice, though hoarse, was resonant: "Everyone, Father has passed, but the backbone of the Zhang family cannot bend! We are currently at a critical juncture of survival; the harder it gets, the more we must stand firm!"

He paused, his voice becoming even more firm: "Father's dying words are still ringing in my ears: as long as the people are here, there is hope."

"If one generation is not enough, then two; if two are not enough, then three!"

"As long as the bloodline remains unbroken and the belief does not die, there will come a day when the Zhang family stands up again!"

"Big brother is right! We cannot let Father down!"

Zhang Jinrong's younger brother, Zhang Jinhui, was the first to step forward in response. His voice still carried a sobbing tone, but it revealed an unquestionable resolve.

The other family members nodded one after another, saying they would twist into a single rope to face the future of the family together.

...

Elder Zhang's life and death tugged at the nerves of the entire capital.

His passing was not just the loss of one family; it marked the end of an era.

The news exploded across the capital like a thunderclap.

Less than half an hour after Elder Zhang passed away, countless eyes were fixed on every move of the Zhang family.

Some sighed, reminiscing about the old man, while others secretly calculated how the power structure would be rearranged.

The political ecosystem of the capital was on the verge of a drastic change.

In recent years, the Zhang family's momentum had not been what it used to be, but as long as Elder Zhang was there, everyone would always show some respect.

Now that this final reservation was gone, they were like reefs exposed after the tide receded, forced to face the pounding of the raging waves.

It was not hard to imagine that a storm targeting the Zhang family was imminent.