Chapter 4233 — The Hong Clan Trading Company's Assignment
The Blossom Guardian · Page 2 of 2
Hearing this, Wei Zhao was now wholly certain of the newcomer's identity. It was the very man Hong Zhong had spoken of before—the steward of the Hong Clan Trading Company's branch here in the Wei Arc sea region, and an old friend of Hong Zhong's these many years: Wei Zhaotong.
Huang Xiaotao glanced at Wei Zhao; she had caught it too. But Wei Zhao gave her an imperceptible shake of the head, signaling that they should not reveal themselves for now. After all, the two of them were using false names at present, and they could hardly greet Wei Zhaotong under those false names. Better to leave it until some later day when there was need.
"It is indeed no small piece of business." Wei Zhaotong nodded, and glanced at Wei Zhao and the others not far off, but said no more.
"Very good, very good. Manager Wei, pray step inside, and we shall talk it over within." Qi Wenmo understood at once, and nodded.
All business is a commercial secret, and this above all was a great commission for the Hong Clan Trading Company. The hall was crowded and eyes were many; to discuss matters openly—to name the goods, to name the route—and then have word of it leak out, whether by intent or accident, would be a fatal **blunder. It might well be that when the escort set out, a whole band of villains would already be waiting along the road.
The two at once went shoulder to shoulder through the great hall and into an inner room to talk in private, leaving Wei Zhao and the rest to wait outside.
Watching this, Wei Zhao nodded thoughtfully. So it seemed that though Qi Wenmo was in name only the young master of the Qingtian Escort Agency, since he could take it upon himself to deal with so great a client as Wei Zhaotong, he was in truth already half a master of the house. No wonder that even a swaggering, supercilious sort like Cheng Qitian had been so wary of him.
Even if the Poison Eye Mercenary Corps was a power to match the Qingtian Escort Agency, and even if both men were young masters alike, one was a mere second-generation heir and the other half a master of his house—and the gulf in standing between them was no small thing. Of all the second-generation heirs Wei Zhao had yet seen, this Qi Wenmo was surely among the most mature and seasoned, and beyond all doubt a man not to be taken lightly.
In the time it took to drink a cup of tea, Qi Wenmo came out with Wei Zhaotong. Both wore smiling faces; plainly the business and the price had been settled, and what remained was to convey the goods from the Hong Clan Trading Company to the Qingtian Escort Agency and make ready for the road.
Yet before that, there was one matter of great importance: deciding which escorts would accompany the convoy.
"May I have everyone's attention. I have just concluded a piece of business with Manager Wei—an escort run for the Hong Clan Trading Company. The destination is the Fang family manor on Xianpeng Island, the goods to be delivered into the hands of Steward Fang himself. The payment is generous in the extreme. Any who wish to take this run may sign on now." Qi Wenmo's gaze swept the whole hall as he announced it in a ringing voice.
At his words, the men present looked at one another, yet not one showed any inclination to step forward and sign on.
Wei Zhao and Huang Xiaotao exchanged a glance, somewhat puzzled. Men die for wealth as birds die for food; Qi Wenmo had said plainly that the pay for this run was generous, and as the young master of the house he could not be lying through his teeth. And every man here was an escort who had come for gain—surely they could not all be too bashful to speak up. There was no need for such modesty.
What they did not know was that the reason the men hung back so was simply that this run was truly no easy one.