Chapter 4072 — Fallen for It?
The Blossom Guardian · Page 2 of 2
"Right! I was just thinking that lump of iron didn't look like a weapon at all—so it was a trap all along! That little bastard Wei Zhao is truly devious, even planting a man here on guard to make it look like the thing was really something valuable. Otherwise I never would have fallen for such a rotten trick!" Kang Jingming cursed furiously.
Being that sort of man himself, he naturally judged Wei Zhao by the worst possible motives. Little did he know that every bit of the suffering he had just endured was self-inflicted from start to finish—and if there was a true cause, it was simply this: he was too stupid.
Seeing that Kang Jingming had talked himself into a neat explanation all on his own, Zhong Yongliang was happy to chime in with eager agreement. The two of them headed straight back to the tavern to report to Si Haitao.
Seeing Kang Jingming swathed in bandages from head to toe, looking for all the world like a casualty on his last legs, Si Haitao was dumbstruck. "Wei Zhao did this to you?"
"No—Steward Si, I was tricked by him..." Kang Jingming at once launched into a tearful, sniveling tale of woe, which boiled down to a single sentence: it wasn't that I didn't try my best—it's that Wei Zhao is just too cunning!
Having heard the whole tale of Kang Jingming's misadventure, Si Haitao, Nan Tianxiong, and Nan Tianguan exchanged glances. On reflection, though, Kang Jingming's being tricked this time was partly his own doing—if Si Haitao hadn't ordered him to present a token of allegiance, Wei Zhao could never have set such a trap, no matter how devious he was.
"Very well. You may not have succeeded this time, but even without merit there is hard work to your credit. I have seen your sincerity—let this count as your token of allegiance. In the days to come, I will naturally look after you," Si Haitao said mildly.
Kang Jingming was overjoyed and thumped his chest. "Thank you, Steward Si! If you ever have a command for me, I'll brave boiling water and tread through fire without a moment's hesitation!"
"Good. Then I'll be watching how you perform from here on." Si Haitao nodded in satisfaction, then turned to Zhong Yongliang. "Now, Zhaoming has joined my ranks, and I have accepted him. But you, Zhong Yongliang—I can't simply take you in just because you're Zhaoming's friend. You'll have to produce some solid contribution first. Otherwise, you'll have to remain under observation for the time being."
Zhong Yongliang thought it over, then put on a show of difficulty. "Steward Si, I went to make trouble with him just now too, but Zhaoming charged ahead of me—the moment he picked up that lump of iron, he got burned. I had no choice but to drag him back out. I never got a chance to show what I can do."
"Be that as it may, I treat all alike. Zhaoming only earned his place after suffering greatly for it. If you want me to take you in as well, you can't come with no contribution at all," Si Haitao said, still shaking his head.
This old devil really won't be fooled! Zhong Yongliang fretted inwardly. This lot have their sights set squarely on Wei Zhao—if I don't find a way in now, it'll be next to impossible to dig up intelligence on their schemes later.
Suddenly, Zhong Yongliang's eyes lit up. "That's right—Steward Si, aren't you looking for people of crooked mind but real potential? As it happens, I know just the one—and a rare beauty at that!"
Si Haitao's harassment of the two young ladies had long since spread across the whole of North Island, and Zhong Yongliang naturally knew of it. The old lecher was lust incarnate—bringing this up was deliberately playing to his tastes.