Chapter 3846 — The Confidence of Nan Tianguan
The Blossom Guardian · Page 2 of 2
If this Lin Er were a valued client of the entire Hong Clan Merchant Guild, then even if he lent Nan Tianguan ten times the courage, he would never dare go to their door and threaten them into handing over Lin Er's particulars.
As the renowned second-ranked merchant guild among the five great islands of the Heaven Tier, the Hong Clan Merchant Guild had always defended its clients—especially those it valued—with the utmost resolve.
If Lin Er were such a client, then never mind Nan Tianguan—even if the entire Threefold Pavilion of the North Island came forward to pressure the Hong Clan Merchant Guild, it would be useless. Merchants may chase profit and may even stoop to any means, but what had made the Hong Clan Merchant Guild the colossus it was today was, more than anything, its reputation.
Without formidable reputation, it could never have become a top-tier merchant guild; and to build such reputation required painstaking, year-after-year cultivation—a process exceedingly long and arduous. Yet to destroy such formidable reputation was exceedingly simple.
They need only betray a client's information once—even the simplest particulars of identity—and if word of it spread, the mighty reputation accumulated over a thousand years would be ruined in a single day.
Every person who joined the Hong Clan Merchant Guild, down to the lowest menial, underwent all manner of indoctrination morning and evening, and among it the most fundamental and most important tenet was this: defend the guild's reputation unto death.
But if Lin Er was valued by Hong Zhong alone, then matters became far easier.
Where there are people, there is a jianghu; even within the Hong Clan Merchant Guild, all was not one solid block. If word came down from the higher-ups at the guild's Central Island headquarters, then Hong Zhong's status as the guild's North Island representative would naturally cease to exist.
Nan Tianguan understood well that to pry Lin Er's identity from Hong Zhong, the first step was to separate Hong Zhong from the Hong Clan Merchant Guild. Nan Tianguan dared not challenge the guild itself, but if it were merely Hong Zhong alone, there was still a chance to apply some pressure.
"May I ask, Martial Uncle, when shall we set out for the Hong Clan Merchant Guild?" Yu Jiang did not know what Nan Tianguan was scheming, but since the man dared speak of visiting the guild even knowing that Nan Tianyong had been humiliated there before, he must surely have his own backing and confidence.
"No hurry in that. We will wait a couple of days. For now, Martial Nephew, go and post the notice seeking the leader's spirit-jade card. This seat must prepare a few things—and, while I am at it, observe how the situation develops." Nan Tianguan wore an air of unfathomable profundity, then waved a hand at Yu Jiang, signaling that he might withdraw.
"This disciple shall obey Martial Uncle's command." Yu Jiang said nothing more; he respectfully kowtowed, and, facing Nan Tianguan, retreated cautiously all the way to the door before turning to leave.
Watching Yu Jiang's departing figure, Nan Tianguan thoughtfully stroked his chin and laughed softly to himself. "The boy plays the obedient one well enough—but if he thinks to win this seat's favor, he is far from it yet."
Three days passed in a flash. The matter of the supervising deacon Nan Tianyong being slain in a single strike near the market square had, after three days of ferment, become known to all. Not only the disciples of the Soaring Heavens Pavilion—even the disciples of the other Threefold Pavilion branches discussed it over tea and meals without exception.
And the question on everyone's mind was but one: who was the killer? (Next Tuesday, WeChat yuren22 will distribute game gift-pack activation codes, reusable—no need to scramble for them.) (To be continued...)
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