Chapter 4040 — Paying a Call
The Blossom Guardian · Page 2 of 3
Hong Zhong laughed. "Then I shall borrow Young Hero Lin's auspicious words. I will go on ahead to Middle Island and scout the ground; barring mishap, we shall meet again there before long!"
"Until we meet on Middle Island!" Wei Zhao smiled faintly.
Hong Zhong assumed that the new branch steward, Si Haitao, would not arrive for at least a few days. Little did he know that even as he took his leave of Wei Zhao, Si Haitao had already set foot on North Island—he had merely kept out of sight, conducting his investigations in secret all along.
Troops and horses may not move, but intelligence goes first. As a former regional inspector of the Hong Shadow Group in the Hong Clan Merchant Association, Si Haitao would not abandon this instinctive habit built up over many years, even now that he had become steward of the North Island branch.
As for Nantian Ba and his companions, they were local snakes native to North Island and had all manner of ties with him. Their relationship was reliable, so they were naturally Si Haitao's first choice for getting a clear picture of the situation.
"Inspector Si—oh no, I should say Steward Si now. I never imagined you would be transferred to North Island. This news has delighted us beyond measure; at last we have found a patron. In the days to come, we shall have to beg Steward Si's kind regard!" Nantian Guan spoke with a fawning smile.
Nantian Ba was too proud and disdained flattery, while Yu Jiang was not of sufficient standing. Thus, among the several of them, it was Nantian Guan who had the closest ties with Si Haitao.
"Say no more, say no more. We are all our own people. So long as you serve me well in the days to come, I will not treat any of you shabbily, hahaha! But this steward has only just arrived and knows North Island mostly from written reports. As to what the actual situation is, I will need you to give me a detailed account." Si Haitao's face was full of amiable approachability.
"Of course, of course." Nantian Guan, only too glad of the chance to show off, nodded repeatedly.
For all that they had earlier put on an air of scarcely regarding Hong Zhong, the post of steward of the Hong Clan Merchant Association's North Island branch carried enormous weight for anyone. Otherwise Hong Zhong could never so easily have become a guest of honor to a top figure of the Santie Pavilion like Shangguan Tianxia. Win his favor, and the benefits went without saying.
Especially after their recent clashes with Hong Zhong had shown them the depths of the Hong Clan Merchant Association's strength, they were all the more respectful.
The three of them, Nantian Guan included, at once poured out everything like beans from a bamboo tube, each chiming in, recounting to Si Haitao the situation of every faction on North Island. Even some of the Santie Pavilion's little-known secrets were disclosed without the slightest concealment.
At the end, Nantian Guan did not forget to bring up the matter of Wei Zhao. Though they were now certain that Wei Zhao was not the Lin Er they sought, the affair of the Far North Island had already made enemies of them with Wei Zhao and Hong Zhong.
Strike first to gain the upper hand. Now that they had attached themselves to a patron like Si Haitao, it would be a terrible waste not to make good use of him.
After hearing them out, Si Haitao pondered for a moment and said, "As for this matter you speak of—picking a quarrel with that Wei Zhao—I think it best we put it off for now. Hong Zhong is at the height of his influence. Once he goes to Middle Island and is long parted from Wei Zhao, their relationship will naturally cool, and it will not be too late to move against Wei Zhao then."
At these words, Nantian Ba and the others exchanged glances. That was not right—the evasiveness in his words was far too obvious.