Chapter 4220 — The Seat of Third Pavilion Master
The Blossom Guardian · Page 2 of 3
"But even if they split up at the start, once the mission was over, would those people really not wait for Senior Brother Lu at all and just come back on their own? That seems hardly reasonable, doesn't it?" Wei Zhao asked in turn.
"On the surface they would certainly wait a while, but that sort of thing is only for show. The truth is, although Lu Bianren counts as a talented disciple and had smooth sailing before, because of his temperament, after his patron Vice Pavilion Master Yao went missing, he has actually not fared well," Yu Zhenyang said with a faint sigh.
Unlike a disciple of ordinary caliber such as Senior Brother Kubi, Lu Bianren—in Qingyun Pavilion, which had always been short of talent—had truly shone brilliantly for a time; otherwise he would never have left an impression on the mind of a Pavilion Master like himself. It was only a pity that, because Vice Pavilion Master Yao had gone missing, Lu Bianren was like an eagle with broken wings, and from then on he faded into obscurity, lost among the crowd.
"Senior Brother Lu was indeed unhappy during his time at the Welcome New Pavilion—that I know. But afterward, did he not rise to Second Senior Brother Steward of the outer gate of Qingyun Pavilion?" Wei Zhao could not help asking in puzzlement.
"Haha, in terms of rank alone, that does count as a promotion. But first, he had no backing; second, he was not shrewd or tactful enough. That post of Second Senior Brother Steward of the outer gate—he could never truly hold it steady. From what I know, after taking office he never exercised any real authority; he was simply left a figurehead by the Senior Brother Steward of the outer gate," Yu Zhenyang said with a touch of regret.
"Is that so..." Wei Zhao had warned Lu Bianren to watch out for exactly this sort of situation well before he took office, so he showed no surprise. Instead he said, "But doesn't a situation where one man holds sole power ill suit Qingyun Pavilion's long-term development? Do the higher-ups really not interfere at all, not inquire at all?"
"That may be so, but the higher-ups not interfering in competition among the disciples below is a convention established over a long time; no one would rashly break the rule. After all, it is also a reflection of individual ability," Yu Zhenyang said, shaking his head.
"This disciple understands. Thank you for telling me, Pavilion Master," Wei Zhao said, nodding in thanks without dwelling on the matter.
"It's nothing—a small matter," Yu Zhenyang said with a smile.
After seeing Yu Zhenyang off, Wei Zhao went straight to the Welcome New Pavilion to find Senior Brother Kubi and told him the whole affair. After all, when it came to ties with Lu Bianren, Senior Brother Kubi's were the closer ones.
"Alas, first Vice Pavilion Master Yao, and now Senior Brother Lu—and I can do nothing to help. What is to be done?" Senior Brother Kubi heaved a deep sigh upon hearing it.
"There's no helping it. For now we can only wait and see, and hope that Heaven looks after them," Wei Zhao said helplessly. Though they now knew the cause, there was still no word at all; even if he wanted to help, it would be to no avail.
"When all is said and done, it's my own uselessness to blame. If my strength had been a little greater before, I could have gone with Senior Brother Lu, and then we could at least have looked after one another. That would be better than standing by helplessly as we do now—alas..." Senior Brother Kubi said in vexation and self-reproach.