Chapter 3985 — I Know You

The onlookers, however, were merely there for the spectacle. Every last one of them already disliked Wei Zhao, so naturally none of them would step forward to speak up for justice at a moment like this. They would have been only too happy to see Wei Zhao trampled to death by Gongyang Jun—a textbook case of people who never minded a show, so long as it was big enough.

Wei Zhao only smiled faintly. "Oh? Did I mishear just now—was it not Young Master Xu who summoned me to enter, but some ill-mannered watchdog who doesn't know the rules? Or is it that this invitation Young Master Xu so graciously delivered to my door is a forgery, and I actually have no right to go in at all—that I've simply been made a fool of?"

Xu Lingchong was instantly at a loss for words. Making things difficult for Wei Zhao had been a notion that struck him on the spur of the moment; he had assumed that before Gongyang Jun's domineering might, a wretch of Wei Zhao's caliber would surely be scared witless. Who could have guessed the fellow showed not the slightest trace of fear, and even had the leisure to needle him in this roundabout fashion?

In point of principle, Wei Zhao had done nothing improper. The Threefold Pavilion did set great store by rank and precedence, but it also observed the rule of first come, first served. That the others yielded the way to Gongyang Jun was their own choice, born of their fear of him—but that did not mean everyone was obliged to do the same.

For a long while, Xu Lingchong merely sneered, his face dark, and said not a word.

So long as he kept his mouth shut, the guards would not let Wei Zhao through—and that was precisely the effect he wanted. Let Wei Zhao have all the sharp tongue he liked; what did it matter? Young Master Xu need not utter a single word. He had only to keep the man blocked here, and sooner or later Gongyang Jun would come out and deal with Wei Zhao himself.

Sure enough, Gongyang Jun soon spoke up—and his very first words startled everyone: "You are Wei Zhao?"

Not only those present, but even Wei Zhao himself was taken aback. He and Gongyang Jun had met only once in all—and it could hardly even be counted as a meeting, for at the time, during the pressure-resistance assessment at the Hall of Law Enforcement, Wei Zhao had merely stood among the crowd and glimpsed Gongyang Jun from afar. Gongyang Jun could never have noticed a nobody like Wei Zhao.

Yet those words of Gongyang Jun's plainly meant that he had at least heard of Wei Zhao's existence—which, in anyone's eyes, was utterly inconceivable.

After much pondering, Wei Zhao concluded that the only possible explanation for the other's having heard of him was that Shangguan Lan'er's intervention on his behalf at the Hall of Law Enforcement had drawn Gongyang Jun's attention.

"Indeed. This one is Wei Zhao. I pay my respects to Hall Master Gongyang," Wei Zhao said, turning and cupping his hands.

Gongyang Jun looked Wei Zhao up and down with care, a gesture that set the crowd exchanging glances all the more. This Hall Master of Law Enforcement was renowned across the Northern Island for his arrogance; even with a Threefold Pavilion elder standing before him, he could scarcely be bothered to spare a glance. What on earth did this insignificant Wei Zhao possess that Gongyang Jun should regard him with such special attention?

After a moment, Gongyang Jun slowly spoke, his tone carrying a domineering force that brooked no doubt: "Anyone else who dared block this seat's path would already be a dead man. But you, Wei Zhao—you may be granted leniency."

In an instant the whole assembly erupted in uproar, and even Wei Zhao himself was left stunned and utterly bewildered.

Given Gongyang Jun's pride, he never spoke falsehoods—or more precisely, he disdained to speak falsehoods before anyone at all. If he said he would kill, then even here at Shangguan Lan'er's birthday banquet, even with the Pavilion Master of the Threefold Pavilion present, no one could hope to stop him. And yet he had publicly granted Wei Zhao special leniency!

What was this supposed to mean? Wei Zhao himself was rather dazed. He had no ties of friendship with this Gongyang Jun whatsoever—on what grounds should the man single him out with such favor?

"You would do well not to misunderstand this seat's meaning. This seat has an old acquaintance who has enjoyed your care, so I am merely doing him a favor. As for you—a thing no more than a creeping ant—you could never enter this seat's sight." It was rare for Gongyang Jun to offer an explanation at all.

His contempt for Wei Zhao sprang from pride ingrained in his very bones; he made no effort to conceal it, nor was there any need to. Given the present gulf in strength between them, Wei Zhao was, like all the others present, nothing but an insignificant ant in his eyes—devoid of the slightest weight, to say nothing of standing.

That sensation of being looked down upon from some lofty height roused, even in Wei Zhao's placid temperament, a rare flicker of displeasure—though he let none of it show on his face.

"So then, this one owes that friend thanks as well," Wei Zhao said with a composed smile. The friend he meant was, of course, Shangguan Lan'er.

After all, it was not hard to infer from Gongyang Jun's words that he had most likely spared Wei Zhao precisely out of regard for Shangguan Lan'er.

Nor was such a thing surprising. Looking across the whole of the Threefold Pavilion on the Northern Island, Shangguan Tianxia was universally acknowledged as the one figure of power before whom Gongyang Jun would bow his head. As Shangguan Tianxia's only granddaughter, Shangguan Lan'er naturally carried considerable weight in Gongyang Jun's eyes as well. That Shangguan Lan'er had been able to walk Wei Zhao out of the Hall of Law Enforcement last time was proof enough.

And though the connection between Wei Zhao and Shangguan Lan'er had been deliberately concealed all along—enough to fool the likes of Xu Lingchong—if this Gongyang Jun wished to learn anything, it could hardly be hidden from him.

As people said, there were no secrets in the eyes of the Hall of Law Enforcement—and in the eyes of its Hall Master Gongyang Jun, all the more so.

"I hope you won't mistake the person," Gongyang Jun said, the corner of his mouth curling into a faint, enigmatic arc.

He could certainly guess what Wei Zhao was thinking. Unfortunately, he might give face to Shangguan Tianxia, but a little girl like Shangguan Lan'er—how could she command such regard in his eyes? Absurd!

Yet Gongyang Jun had no intention of puncturing the misunderstanding. He had never meant to divulge anything to Wei Zhao in the first place, and he could not be bothered to waste words on such a creeping ant.

Glancing at Gongyang Jun's ambiguous half-smile, Wei Zhao felt a faint throb at his heart. But since the other offered no explanation, there was no way to fathom his meaning. At once Wei Zhao turned to Xu Lingchong and said, "Surely I may go in now, Young Master Xu?"

Xu Lingchong's lips twisted into a stiff grimace. This time he had finally had a rare chance to put Wei Zhao on the spot in public—yet never in his wildest dreams could he have foreseen such an incredible twist, that even Gongyang Jun should regard Wei Zhao with special favor. Damn it all—had the world gone mad?

But now that even a towering figure like Gongyang Jun had spoken, it was no longer realistic for Xu Lingchong to keep using this matter to make things difficult for Wei Zhao. Otherwise, he might fail to get the better of Wei Zhao and instead incur Gongyang Jun's displeasure—and that would be no laughing matter.