Chapter 4341 — Evidence?
The Blossom Guardian · Page 2 of 2
"That day, we set out from Weihu City, and the escort route was supposed to be strictly confidential. Apart from you, Young Master, and Steward Wei, only we four escorts knew of it. And because the route chosen was so well hidden, and the sea fog lay thick, under ordinary circumstances we would meet no one at all, let alone run into pirates—unless..." Li Yanji, terrified of misspeaking, weighed every single word with utmost care, and to the ears of the crowd, it came out quite methodical.
"Unless what? Go on," Qi Wenmo said coldly.
"Yes. To be ambushed by pirates even so, there is only one explanation: someone was a mole!" Li Yanji declared with finality. This was not something he had fabricated on the spot; after all, the manner in which the pirates had appeared had indeed been highly suspicious. If those pirates had not been lying in wait but had merely happened to pass through that godforsaken stretch of sea, that would be far too much of a coincidence.
Everyone present nodded at this. The analysis was reasonable and sound; they were all old hands of the jianghu, and in such circumstances the likelihood of a mole was indeed very high.
"Right! The moment those four peak late-Golden-Core pirates appeared, before Brother Li and I even had time to react, Ling Yi and that junior apprentice sister of his surrendered without a word—they even turned around and helped the pirates keep watch on the two of us. Two against six, we had no choice but to endure it. Who the mole is—that's obvious!" Guan Zhiyuan followed up, secretly exchanging glances with Li Yanji. The two clearly felt this account was flawless and were immensely pleased with themselves.
For a moment, all eyes once again focused on Wei Zhao. By Li and Guan's account, Wei Zhao truly seemed to be confirmed in the crime of betrayal.
"Ling Yi, what do you have to say?" Qi Wenmo looked at Wei Zhao. Whether or not he believed Li and Guan's story, since this was a face-to-face confrontation, he naturally had to give Wei Zhao the chance to speak.
Wei Zhao smiled faintly, turned to look at Li and Guan, and raised an eyebrow. "Are you two finished?"
"Finished. What, do you mean to quibble? The facts are solid; there's nothing left to explain, is there?" Li Yanji sneered without cease, then turned at once to Qi Wenmo. "Young Master, he has tacitly admitted it. I beg you to pass sentence and punish the traitor severely, to make an example of him!"
Qi Wenmo frowned. Although it did sound as though that was indeed how it had happened, the eagerness with which Li and Guan wanted to convict Ling Yi was rather telling.
"Heh, are you two fools? Brother Qi was asking me just now, not the two of you. Rushing so to have me sentenced—even a fool could see the trick in that. Guilty consciences, is it?" Wei Zhao laughed with breezy composure.
"Guilty consciences? Everything we said is the truth—what have we to feel guilty about? The matter has come to this; don't tell me you mean to turn around and bite the innocent with slander? Hmph, I advise you not to be so naive!" Guan Zhiyuan stamped his foot and sneered.
"From beginning to end, it has been nothing but your two men's one-sided account, without a shred of evidence. Do I even need to bite back? Do you think everyone is listening to a storyteller, making it up however you please?" Wei Zhao could not help but laugh, watching the two with a teasing look.
"Evidence?" At that, Guan Zhiyuan was suddenly at a loss for words; his expression froze, and he did not know what to say.
"How is there no evidence!" Li Yanji's eyes suddenly darted about, and he pointed at Wei Zhao, swearing solemnly: "Two ironclad proofs, nailed down tight, more than enough to prove you are the traitor who betrayed us from within!"