Chapter 3850 — The Shadow Division
The Blossom Guardian · Page 1 of 3
But the problem was this: the man whose name signed that letter bore the critical identity of a Four-Direction Inspector of the Hong Shadow Division of the Hong Clan Merchant Guild, a power sufficient to inspect every branch of the Guild, from the stewards at the top down to the lowliest errand boys at the bottom.
Once he was branded with the charge of dereliction of duty and subjected to a rigorous investigation, then no matter how incorruptible or clean Hong Zhong might be, a layer of his hide would inevitably be stripped away; he might even be removed from his post as branch steward, and decades of painstaking effort would be ruined in a single stroke!
Watching Hong Zhong's dark, ugly expression, Nan Tianguan felt a surge of satisfaction, and his face even betrayed a long-absent look of smug triumph.
Ever since he had taken that coveted seat as the managing senior disciple of the Soaring Sky Pavilion, Nan Tianguan had always kept his joys and angers hidden, never letting slip any shallow expression that might invite others to look down on him. But now, he could not help but gloat.
From the moment he had walked through the door, he had been taking one blow after another. But now that he had laid his trump card on the table, the tables had turned at once. Not only was Hong Zhong, that arrogant old cur, struck dumb, even those four elusive guest retainers of formidable skill were now cowed into silence!
A Four-Direction Inspector of the Hong Shadow Division—within the Hong Clan Merchant Guild, that was an absolutely fearsome role that everyone dreaded. Not only did ordinary stewards like Hong Zhong fear him; even guest retainers of high skill, men of considerable freedom, had to yield him a measure of deference.
The Hong Clan Merchant Guild's garrison guest retainers enjoyed benefits that were second to none in the trade. Even though this Four-Direction Inspector nominally had no authority to inspect guest retainers of high skill, if he were truly to make a note against them and report it to the higher-ups, whether they could continue to hold their posts as garrison retainers thereafter would be very much in doubt.
These four formidable guest retainers guarding the North Island branch could ordinarily stand aloof from worldly affairs and hold no one on the North Island in their eyes. Yet the moment their own vital interests were truly at stake, they too had no choice but to keep silent. Whatever their level of cultivation, cultivators were always the most pragmatic of people.
"Well then, old cur? Now will you tell me the true background of that so-called Lin Er?" Nan Tianguan said. "This seat has no patience to waste time on you!" Beneath the stunned gazes of all around, Nan Tianguan seated himself in the central armchair as though no one else existed, leisurely crossing one leg over the other—everything was under his control.
Nan Tianguan glanced at the empty teapot beside him and snorted coldly at the errand boy by the door. "Well? Aren't you going to pour this seat some tea? Not even this much sense, and the Hong Clan Merchant Guild keeps a pack of trash like you?"
Such rude behavior, turning host into guest, would previously have gotten Nan Tianguan thrown out by the four guest retainers. But now, not a single one dared make a sound.
Even Hong Zhong, the steward, the Hong Clan Merchant Guild's plenipotentiary on the North Island, did no more than glance at him and said not a word.
Seeing this, the errand boy at the door shrank back, and could only tiptoe in to take the teapot away and prepare good tea for Nan Tianguan.
Watching this scene from the side, Yu Jiang could not help but feel secretly alarmed.