Chapter 4377 — The Two Houses Join Forces
The Blossom Guardian · Page 2 of 2
"Honestly, even now I feel as though I'm dreaming. A great favor is not repaid with words, Brother Ling, so I won't say more. The Qingtian Escort Agency will never forget your kindness," Qi Wenmo said solemnly.
"Come now, what's the point of such talk between friends? If you're not busy, sit and share a pot of tea with me." Wei Zhao smilingly poured him a cup—all of it fine spirit tea seized from Wei Zhaotong's chambers. No sense letting it go to waste, and it might as well do the two of them some good.
"Yes, yes." Qi Wenmo nodded again and again. At a time like this, unless it were a matter of life and death, he would not bother himself with the agency's affairs at all. What could possibly be more important than drinking tea with Wei Zhao?
"By the way, how has the agency been these past few days? Any trouble?" Wei Zhao asked as he sipped his spirit tea.
"None at all. Everything's normal. If you have the time, Brother Ling, you might come by the agency as a guest, and let me treat you to some good tea in return!" Qi Wenmo said with a smile.
He had originally meant to ask Wei Zhao to attend the Southern Continent Escort Symposium on the agency's behalf, but now he was too embarrassed to raise the matter. The man was, after all, the honored vice-chairman of the Hong Clan Merchant Guild; to still expect him to go on serving as an escort of their agency would be utterly shameless.
"A guest? No, I'll pass on that!" Wei Zhao curled his lip, and Qi Wenmo started in alarm, thrown into awkward embarrassment, at a loss for what to do—but then Wei Zhao went on: "I'm an escort in name, after all. Going back to the agency to look in on things is only proper. How could you call that being a guest?"
"Ha, Brother Ling, you gave me quite a fright! I thought you'd turned up your nose at our little Qingtian Escort Agency!" Qi Wenmo burst out laughing.
As the two of them were chatting and laughing, a young clerk suddenly came running in through the door and stood staring eagerly at Wei Zhao, as though he had something to report, yet on catching sight of Qi Wenmo he swallowed his words.
"Brother Ling, shall I step out for a moment?" Qi Wenmo said tactfully at once.
"No need. Brother Qi is no outsider. Say what you have to say right here," Wei Zhao said, stopping him.
"Yes, sir. Reporting to the vice-chairman: a great matter has just come to pass outside. The Poison Eye Mercenary Corps has publicly announced that, as of today, it has entered into a strategic partnership with the Dragon Boat Escort Agency. From now on the two houses advance and retreat as one!" the clerk reported.
"What?!" Before Wei Zhao could even speak, Qi Wenmo had already cried out in shock, his face drawn with anxiety.
"What is it?" Wei Zhao asked, rather puzzled. The Poison Eye Mercenary Corps he naturally knew—he had crossed paths with them often enough—but this Dragon Boat Escort Agency he had never once heard of.
"You don't know, Brother Ling—the Dragon Boat Escort Agency is the second-largest agency native to the Weihu Sea, second in strength and standing only to our own Qingtian Escort Agency. I never imagined they'd actually throw in their lot with the Poison Eye Mercenary Corps!" Even now Qi Wenmo had not recovered from the shock, and he could scarcely believe it.
"One is the second-largest agency in these parts, the other the Poison Eye Mercenary Corps. For the two of them to join forces, and to choose this particular moment to do it—I fear they mean no good," Wei Zhao said, his brow furrowing as well. (To be continued..) R527