Gao Mingtang’s face turned red, then purple, under everyone’s gaze. He heaved and huffed several times before finally suppressing his anger. “Sire Qianye, are you also planning to discuss things standing up?”

All the seated family heads looked away in a different direction, not daring to look straight at Gao Mingtang. Their families were far too inferior. How could they sit calmly when the man was standing by the door. It was just that the torrential pressure from above was so great that even the families usually reliant on the Gao didn’t dare stand up.

Qianye’s expression was calm. “Since you’re late, then you shall stand.”

Gao Mingtang laughed. “Good, good! I want to ask you one more thing. What will happen to those who don’t arrive at all?”

“If they’re not here by sundown, there’s no need to come anymore.”

Gao Mingtang sneered. He wanted to say “What can you do if they don’t come?” but a sudden notion drenched him in cold sweat.

Gao Mingtang said after some deliberation, “They won’t have a seat here…”

“Not here, not in this city.” Qianye’s expression was cold.

Gao Mingtang was shaken. “Sire, how will you govern Tidehark without the support of all the families?”

A massive entity like Tidehark possessed enough...