Chapter 3850 — The Shadow Division
The Blossom Guardian · Page 2 of 3
What a deep, unfathomable place the Hong Clan Merchant Guild was! And now, with nothing but a single thin sheet of letter paper, Nan Tianguan had forced Steward Hong Zhong and four formidable guest retainers into speechless silence, then sat there chatting and laughing as he turned host into guest. This martial uncle of his was indeed a thorny character, one not to be mentioned in the same breath as his bargain of a master!
Still, to see that expression of defeat on the face of Steward Hong Zhong, who had never shown him a kind look, gave Yu Jiang a secret thrill of pleasure!
To be sure, it was Lin Er who had truly snatched away the Star Ink Stone, but Hong Zhong, who had ruled in Lin Er's favor and awarded it to him, was likewise on Yu Jiang's list of grudges. It was only because his own strength was too meager that he could not make trouble for the man, no matter how much he resented him.
Now Yu Jiang did not even need to act himself; his martial uncle Nan Tianguan had done it for him. To see this so-called great man of the Hong Clan Merchant Guild, Hong Zhong, in such a sorry state—his teeth clenched in hatred yet not daring to resist—that feeling was simply euphoric!
Every advantage carries its disadvantage. The identity of steward of the Hong Clan Merchant Guild's North Island branch had brought Hong Zhong status and power, but it had also bound him in layer upon layer of restraints. With this letter sitting here, if Hong Zhong said no now, he would be setting himself against a Four-Direction Inspector of the Hong Shadow Division.
A Four-Direction Inspector might not hold the great power to promote a man's advancement, but to ruin someone's prospects took no more than a single word from his lips. Thus even a steward of Hong Zhong's rank and authority dared not slight him in the least. After all, a man's future was at stake—who would dare be careless?
A moment later, the errand boy came to the doorway carrying tea. He carefully stole a glance at Hong Zhong's dark expression, and seeing no reaction, could only brace himself and set the tea on the table beside Nan Tianguan, then bow and withdraw.
Nan Tianguan poured himself a cup, brought it to his lips, and took a contented sip before sneering at Hong Zhong. "You've had time enough to think over what you ought to do, haven't you? A man under another's eaves must bow his head. You're an old thing of a certain age now—surely this seat needn't teach you such a lesson himself!"
Whether Hong Zhong would cooperate—Nan Tianguan had never harbored the slightest doubt. With this letter from a Four-Direction Inspector of the Hong Shadow Division in hand, it was as good as holding the imperial sword of authority; Nan Tianguan was not worried in the least that the man would refuse.
Hong Zhong was a sensible man as well. If he lacked even this much capacity to read the times, he could never have climbed to the post of North Island branch steward.
According to Nan Tianguan's original plan, had it not been especially necessary, he would not have intended to use this letter to force the other man to submit. He had meant to let Hong Zhong come to recognize his power and then seek him out of his own accord to cooperate on some grand enterprise.
Borrowing another's authority to establish one's prestige could indeed make the other party more clearly aware of one's power and make it easier to seize the dominant position in future dealings. But to lean on one's advantage and bully others too brazenly might well produce the opposite effect. If that fellow Hong Zhong harbored a grudge and refused to cooperate no matter what, that would truly be overdoing it.
It was only that Hong Zhong, that old cur, had been given a face and declined to take it, insisting on rushing up to have his face trampled. There was no stopping him, so he could only be accommodated.