Chapter 560 — Trouble at the Kang Xiaofeng Household
The Blossom Guardian · Page 1 of 2
"Young Master Bing was going at it with three girls till the middle of the night — he still hasn't gotten up," Li Cihua said offhandedly. Zhong Fabai counted as one of their own now, so Li Cihua didn't bother watching his words.
"Heh heh, Young Master Bing is really something! That kind of stamina — we can't even hope to match it!" Zhong Fabai stuck up his thumb and, without batting an eye, slipped in the flattery.
"Naturally. Who do you think Young Master Bing is?" Li Cihua gave a faint smile. "Brother Zhong, is there something you need him for?"
"I wouldn't dream of troubling Young Master Bing with my affairs — having Brother Cihua speak for me is plenty!" Zhong Fabai laid the flattery on thick.
"What's the matter? Let's hear it." Li Cihua, far from letting Zhong Fabai's flattery go to his head, asked straight out.
"Brother Cihua, this time Gu Pengzhan has trampled all over me — you've got to stand up for me!" Zhong Fabai sat down on the sofa across from Li Cihua, his face and voice both fierce. "I'm one of Young Master Bing's men now, and like the saying goes, you don't beat a dog without asking its master first. What he did was way out of line!"
"Oh? What did Gu Pengzhan do?" Li Cihua asked mildly.
"My boy Zhong Yongliang did nothing but court his daughter Gu Mengyao, and Gu Pengzhan had him dragged off and a kidney cut out of him! Isn't that going too far? He's got no respect at all for you or Young Master Bing!" Zhong Fabai spoke with great indignation.
"Wait — what did you say? Cut out a kidney?" Li Cihua was taken aback. If it had been any other matter, pinning it on Gu Pengzhan might have been plausible, but cutting out a kidney was a bit too far-fetched. And the moment Zhong Fabai mentioned a cut-out kidney, Li Cihua thought of someone else entirely. "You're certain it was Gu Pengzhan?"
"Well... there's no proof yet, but it has to be him!" Zhong Fabai wailed. "My boy said the man who cut out his kidney warned him to stay far away from Gu Pengzhan from now on, or he'd take his life! It's got to be Gu Pengzhan, no question!"
"I see..." Li Cihua nodded. "All right, you go on back for now. Once Young Master Bing is up, I'll talk it over with him and see what's to be done."
Li Cihua was a smooth operator; naturally he wouldn't make Zhong Fabai any direct promises, even if the man counted as one of their own.
"Brother Cihua, you can't just wash your hands of this — Gu Pengzhan has gone too far this time!" Seeing that Li Cihua's attitude was neither warm nor cold, and that he had committed to nothing either way, Zhong Fabai grew anxious. If Li Cihua wouldn't take it on, then going head-to-head with Gu Pengzhan himself would surely end badly for him.
"I understand. If Gu Pengzhan really was behind this, Young Master Bing will certainly stand up for you," Li Cihua said mildly — though what he left unsaid was that if Gu Pengzhan had nothing to do with it, then there was nothing to be done. Young Master Bing had been eyeing Gu Pengzhan's family fortune for a long while; even without this business with Zhong Fabai, he meant to move against Gu Pengzhan sooner or later, so there was no harm in doing the man a favor now.
"All right, then I'll go back and wait for good news from you and Young Master Bing!" Zhong Fabai knew that saying more would get him nowhere; everything would have to wait until Young Master Bing woke up.
A great commotion had lately befallen the Kang Xiaofeng household: someone had come calling at the family teahouse.
Kang Xiaofeng had wanted to seek out Wei Zhao, but Wei Zhao had gone to Yanjing and he had no idea whether the man was back yet. Not wanting to intrude, Kang Xiaofeng could only grit his teeth and handle it himself.
Kang's father was an educated man who had always done business honestly, and done quite well at it. So although the Kangs were no great wealthy house, they lived comfortably enough. But that calm had now been shattered.