Chapter 3893 — Die with Your Eyes Open
The Blossom Guardian · Page 2 of 2
"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...)
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