Chapter 3893 — Die with Your Eyes Open

"Well then, Wei Zhao, what do you have to say for yourself now?" In Meng Jueming's eyes, those two points alone, as stated by the Spirit Flower Steward, had already nailed the fact of Wei Zhao's cheating beyond any doubt.

Cheating in the all-important newcomer assessment—the charge might not sound as grave as rebellion, but it was no light matter either. At a stroke, Wei Zhao's name would be entered on the Three Stack Pavilion's blacklist, and he could forget about ever making a name for himself on the North Island for the rest of his life.

To his surprise, Wei Zhao merely frowned at Meng Jueming and said, "Senior Brother Meng, the Spirit Flower Steward has come from afar as our guest, and in both standing and authority he is no lesser than you. Do you not think it ill-mannered to keep cutting him off like that?"

Aiya! Meng Jueming nearly choked up a mouthful of old blood. In full view of everyone, he had just been called ill-mannered by a mere newcomer from the secular world—by the ancestors, this was beyond all forbearance!

"Wei Zhao, don't you damn well try to change the subject! According to what the Spirit Flower Steward just said, your crime of cheating is already established, so let's see how you talk your way out of it now!" Meng Jueming could not hold back his cursing.

"My crime of cheating is established?" Wei Zhao was instantly amused. "Senior Brother Meng, you said it yourself a moment ago—the one with the most say here is the Spirit Flower Steward. So how is it that before the Spirit Flower Steward has even spoken, you're already jumping out to pass sentence?"

"Slapping your own face, isn't that our Senior Brother Meng's specialty?" Qiao Hongcai chimed in with a chuckle from the side.

Meng Jueming's face darkened again. Seeing that everyone was looking at him, he could only swallow his fury and preserve his dignity. "Fine. Then let us trouble the Spirit Flower Steward to pass judgment. Today I'll let you die with your eyes open!"

Every gaze in the hall swung back to the Spirit Flower Steward. He drew a deep breath and spoke slowly. "Very well. Then I shall tell you the result. This Junior Brother Wei Zhao—he did not cheat."

"Hah? Did not cheat?" Meng Jueming and the whole assembly were struck dumb on the spot. He pointed at Wei Zhao, stammering, "Th-this... how is that possible! Spirit Flower Steward, you can't have made a mistake?"

The Spirit Flower Steward shook his head and said, himself equally incredulous, "Honestly speaking, this one also finds it baffling. But these thirty-nine spirit herb seedlings were indeed cultivated from that batch of spirit herb seeds—that much cannot be faked."

"Why?" Meng Jueming asked hurriedly.

"Because every one of those spirit herb seeds bore a true-qi mark unique to the Spirit Herb Garden, which no one can imitate. So it can be confirmed that this Junior Brother Wei Zhao did not cheat," the Spirit Flower Steward affirmed.

"You all heard that, didn't you? Senior Brother Meng, what do you have to say now?" Wei Zhao sneered at once. He had already sensed the true-qi marks on the spirit herb seeds while channeling his true qi, which was why he had dared to do this today. Even if the Spirit Flower Steward and Meng Jueming had colluded to call black white, he would not have feared it.

Still, judging by what the Spirit Flower Steward had said just now, he was not cast from the same mold as Meng Jueming. That saved him no small amount of trouble.

In full view of everyone, Meng Jueming was now truly riding a tiger and unable to dismount. Not only had he framed a newcomer under his own command, he had even rashly resorted to violence. If that charge were pursued in earnest, it was no small matter at all.

"This... you can all bear witness for me that I acted purely in the public interest. Even if a slip occurred along the way, it is excusable. The higher-ups will surely see things clearly—Wei Zhao, don't go scheming to frame an honest man!" Meng Jueming, bereft of arguments, still stuck out his neck and spoke with stubborn bravado.

"Frame an honest man? From the sound of that, you framed my Wei Zhao as the ringleader and now you're the one in the right?" Qiao Hongcai was so angered he laughed. Meng Jueming truly had no shame at all.

"Spirit Flower Steward, you have been witness to this whole affair from beginning to end—what do you say?" Wei Zhao ignored Meng Jueming and turned to the Spirit Flower Steward.

"In today's matter, Steward Meng's handling was indeed somewhat rash, and the fault lies with him first," the Spirit Flower Steward declared his position at once.

He had come along with Kang Jingming today with the public interest at heart, and he was no grasshopper on the same rope as Meng Jueming. Naturally there was no need for him to stubbornly cover for Meng Jueming.

"Good! I will report this matter to the higher-ups for handling, and I hope the Spirit Flower Steward will speak up for justice when the time comes," Wei Zhao said with cupped hands.

The Spirit Flower Steward glanced at Meng Jueming. A normal person would never do something that needlessly gave offense, yet he still nodded. "Very well. But might Junior Brother Wei Zhao explain how exactly you cultivated these seedlings? Such quality and survival rate are truly hard to imagine—this one is most curious."

As the chief steward of the Spirit Herb Garden, the Spirit Flower Steward's one and only thought now was to get to the bottom of the secret Wei Zhao carried. Forty spirit herb seeds of inherently poor quality, and he had actually reared thirty-nine fine seedlings from them—a survival rate so absurd it verged on one hundred percent. If he could remain unmoved even by this, he would truly have been unworthy of ever reaching his present position.

If he could obtain this secret, it would mean no less to the Spirit Herb Garden than gaining an enormous treasure. Never mind offending a mere Meng Jueming for it—even offending Hu Yunfeng, master of the Welcome Pavilion, would be a small price to pay.

"Spirit Flower Steward, you must know this is a closely guarded trump card. Even the spirit herb cultivators of your Spirit Herb Garden would hardly share it freely, I expect?" Wei Zhao refused without the slightest hesitation.

"That is true enough—this one was presumptuous." The disappointment in the Spirit Flower Steward's eyes was impossible to hide, yet he refused to give up. "Then, if the opportunity arises, might Junior Brother Wei Zhao come to serve in my Spirit Herb Garden? The Alchemy Hall would do as well, of course. As for treatment, rest assured—everything is negotiable!"

"That, well—we shall see how things go," Wei Zhao said noncommittally.

For now he was still only a newcomer of the Welcome Pavilion, and what the future held could only be taken one step at a time. His foremost goal was to get to the Middle Island and find Zhang Lifeng.

If it proved helpful to that end, he would not mind taking up a post anywhere at all; but if it proved of no benefit, then he could only decline with thanks.

Seeing that Wei Zhao showed no particular eagerness, the Spirit Flower Steward could not help but regard him more highly still. Neither arrogant nor rash—this Wei Zhao was decidedly interesting!

"Very well then. I hope to hear good news from you." The Spirit Flower Steward well knew that haste makes waste. Though he was desperately eager to learn Wei Zhao's secret, he would not press unduly. His phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, and he suddenly turned to Kang Jingming beside him. "Junior Brother Kang, since it was you who called this one over, surely you must also see this one back?" (To be continued...)

(.)