Chapter 3850 — The Shadow Division

But the problem was this: the man whose name signed that letter bore the critical identity of a Four-Direction Inspector of the Hong Shadow Division of the Hong Clan Merchant Guild, a power sufficient to inspect every branch of the Guild, from the stewards at the top down to the lowliest errand boys at the bottom.

Once he was branded with the charge of dereliction of duty and subjected to a rigorous investigation, then no matter how incorruptible or clean Hong Zhong might be, a layer of his hide would inevitably be stripped away; he might even be removed from his post as branch steward, and decades of painstaking effort would be ruined in a single stroke!

Watching Hong Zhong's dark, ugly expression, Nan Tianguan felt a surge of satisfaction, and his face even betrayed a long-absent look of smug triumph.

Ever since he had taken that coveted seat as the managing senior disciple of the Soaring Sky Pavilion, Nan Tianguan had always kept his joys and angers hidden, never letting slip any shallow expression that might invite others to look down on him. But now, he could not help but gloat.

From the moment he had walked through the door, he had been taking one blow after another. But now that he had laid his trump card on the table, the tables had turned at once. Not only was Hong Zhong, that arrogant old cur, struck dumb, even those four elusive guest retainers of formidable skill were now cowed into silence!

A Four-Direction Inspector of the Hong Shadow Division—within the Hong Clan Merchant Guild, that was an absolutely fearsome role that everyone dreaded. Not only did ordinary stewards like Hong Zhong fear him; even guest retainers of high skill, men of considerable freedom, had to yield him a measure of deference.

The Hong Clan Merchant Guild's garrison guest retainers enjoyed benefits that were second to none in the trade. Even though this Four-Direction Inspector nominally had no authority to inspect guest retainers of high skill, if he were truly to make a note against them and report it to the higher-ups, whether they could continue to hold their posts as garrison retainers thereafter would be very much in doubt.

These four formidable guest retainers guarding the North Island branch could ordinarily stand aloof from worldly affairs and hold no one on the North Island in their eyes. Yet the moment their own vital interests were truly at stake, they too had no choice but to keep silent. Whatever their level of cultivation, cultivators were always the most pragmatic of people.

"Well then, old cur? Now will you tell me the true background of that so-called Lin Er?" Nan Tianguan said. "This seat has no patience to waste time on you!" Beneath the stunned gazes of all around, Nan Tianguan seated himself in the central armchair as though no one else existed, leisurely crossing one leg over the other—everything was under his control.

Nan Tianguan glanced at the empty teapot beside him and snorted coldly at the errand boy by the door. "Well? Aren't you going to pour this seat some tea? Not even this much sense, and the Hong Clan Merchant Guild keeps a pack of trash like you?"

Such rude behavior, turning host into guest, would previously have gotten Nan Tianguan thrown out by the four guest retainers. But now, not a single one dared make a sound.

Even Hong Zhong, the steward, the Hong Clan Merchant Guild's plenipotentiary on the North Island, did no more than glance at him and said not a word.

Seeing this, the errand boy at the door shrank back, and could only tiptoe in to take the teapot away and prepare good tea for Nan Tianguan.

Watching this scene from the side, Yu Jiang could not help but feel secretly alarmed.

What a deep, unfathomable place the Hong Clan Merchant Guild was! And now, with nothing but a single thin sheet of letter paper, Nan Tianguan had forced Steward Hong Zhong and four formidable guest retainers into speechless silence, then sat there chatting and laughing as he turned host into guest. This martial uncle of his was indeed a thorny character, one not to be mentioned in the same breath as his bargain of a master!

Still, to see that expression of defeat on the face of Steward Hong Zhong, who had never shown him a kind look, gave Yu Jiang a secret thrill of pleasure!

To be sure, it was Lin Er who had truly snatched away the Star Ink Stone, but Hong Zhong, who had ruled in Lin Er's favor and awarded it to him, was likewise on Yu Jiang's list of grudges. It was only because his own strength was too meager that he could not make trouble for the man, no matter how much he resented him.

Now Yu Jiang did not even need to act himself; his martial uncle Nan Tianguan had done it for him. To see this so-called great man of the Hong Clan Merchant Guild, Hong Zhong, in such a sorry state—his teeth clenched in hatred yet not daring to resist—that feeling was simply euphoric!

Every advantage carries its disadvantage. The identity of steward of the Hong Clan Merchant Guild's North Island branch had brought Hong Zhong status and power, but it had also bound him in layer upon layer of restraints. With this letter sitting here, if Hong Zhong said no now, he would be setting himself against a Four-Direction Inspector of the Hong Shadow Division.

A Four-Direction Inspector might not hold the great power to promote a man's advancement, but to ruin someone's prospects took no more than a single word from his lips. Thus even a steward of Hong Zhong's rank and authority dared not slight him in the least. After all, a man's future was at stake—who would dare be careless?

A moment later, the errand boy came to the doorway carrying tea. He carefully stole a glance at Hong Zhong's dark expression, and seeing no reaction, could only brace himself and set the tea on the table beside Nan Tianguan, then bow and withdraw.

Nan Tianguan poured himself a cup, brought it to his lips, and took a contented sip before sneering at Hong Zhong. "You've had time enough to think over what you ought to do, haven't you? A man under another's eaves must bow his head. You're an old thing of a certain age now—surely this seat needn't teach you such a lesson himself!"

Whether Hong Zhong would cooperate—Nan Tianguan had never harbored the slightest doubt. With this letter from a Four-Direction Inspector of the Hong Shadow Division in hand, it was as good as holding the imperial sword of authority; Nan Tianguan was not worried in the least that the man would refuse.

Hong Zhong was a sensible man as well. If he lacked even this much capacity to read the times, he could never have climbed to the post of North Island branch steward.

According to Nan Tianguan's original plan, had it not been especially necessary, he would not have intended to use this letter to force the other man to submit. He had meant to let Hong Zhong come to recognize his power and then seek him out of his own accord to cooperate on some grand enterprise.

Borrowing another's authority to establish one's prestige could indeed make the other party more clearly aware of one's power and make it easier to seize the dominant position in future dealings. But to lean on one's advantage and bully others too brazenly might well produce the opposite effect. If that fellow Hong Zhong harbored a grudge and refused to cooperate no matter what, that would truly be overdoing it.

It was only that Hong Zhong, that old cur, had been given a face and declined to take it, insisting on rushing up to have his face trampled. There was no stopping him, so he could only be accommodated.

Sipping the hot tea in his cup with relish, Nan Tianguan was not so impatient as he had claimed. He showed not the slightest inclination to urge Hong Zhong further; from his expression, he seemed rather to be savoring the moment.