Chapter 3889 — Blocking the Door
The Blossom Guardian · Page 2 of 2
The two flanking were familiar faces, Kang Jingming and Zhong Yongliang, while the one leading in the center was none other than that sissy head steward of the spirit herb garden whom they had met in the Pill Hall the last time the spirit herb seeds were distributed.
Why had this one come? Wei Zhao raised an eyebrow slightly at the sight, though judging by the scene before him, even a fool could guess with his toes: the sudden arrival of this sissy head steward must surely have been arranged in advance by Kang Jingming and Meng Jueming.
The much-put-upon senior brother hurriedly shot Wei Zhao a look. This visitor came with ill intent; today they must tread carefully, or true disaster would follow.
Wei Zhao merely smiled noncommittally, watching coldly from the sidelines and waiting to see how things would unfold.
When this sissy head steward of the spirit herb garden drew near, the newcomers of the Azure Cloud Pavilion all perked up. No matter how sissy this fellow might be, he was still a figure of authority in the Pill Hall. Now that he had come in person to make trouble for Wei Zhao, today's spectacle was well worth the wait!
Kang Jingming stepped forward with a chuckle. "Leader Wei Zhao, when I was tallying the points I discovered that all forty of your spirit herb seeds had perished utterly. I thought the matter rather odd, so I took the liberty of inviting Steward Linghua over to have a look. It's a matter of duty—I trust you won't take offense."
What a piece of work this one was! Qiao Hongcai and Xiao Che and the others all raised their middle fingers in unison.
Wei Zhao's eyelid twitched at the words, though not because of Kang Jingming's petty, gloating little smirk, but because of a name he was hearing for the first time.
Steward Linghua? The name certainly did justice to this steward's sissy temperament—what other red-blooded man would ever give himself a name like that?
Steward Linghua's phoenix eyes swept Wei Zhao up and down appraisingly; he cocked his orchid finger and said in that mincing, sardonic tone, "This junior brother, when you declared those forty spirit herb seeds last time, this one kindly gave you a reminder, did he not?"
"Indeed," Wei Zhao nodded blandly.
"I'm afraid I don't recall. Pray enlighten me, Steward Linghua," Wei Zhao said, still composed and at ease.
"Every single spirit herb seed, even mass-produced as they are, consumes countless hours of blood and sweat from every soul in the spirit herb garden. This time the higher-ups decreed they be brought out for you newcomers' assessment. Even knowing that over eighty percent would be lost, this one had nothing to say."
Here Steward Linghua's voice abruptly turned cold. "But to insist on declaring forty spirit herb seeds when you knew full well you lacked the ability—that falls outside the bounds of normal conduct. Might this one be permitted to understand it as this junior brother deliberately sabotaging the fruits of my spirit herb garden's labor?"
Before Wei Zhao could respond, Meng Jueming had already rushed to chime in. "Quite right. Though I, Meng Jueming, am the steward of the Azure Cloud Pavilion newcomers, when it comes to such irresponsible, vicious conduct that damages the precious resources of the Threefold Pavilion, I have never been one to shield and cover for my own. Steward Linghua, I give you my word here and now: this Wei Zhao is yours to deal with as you see fit, and we will cooperate with you fully."
For today's affair, Meng Jueming had already cleared things beforehand with Hu Yunfeng, the pavilion master of the Welcome Pavilion; otherwise, as a mere newcomer steward, he would never have dared utter such words in public.