Chapter 4348 — Show Our Guests Out
The Blossom Guardian · Page 2 of 3
"Simple. Your escort agency delayed a full month before delivering the goods to the Fang Family Manor, inflicting tremendous damage on the reputation of our Hong Chamber of Commerce. Out of regard for our old friendship, I have not even settled that account with you yet. And you still have the nerve to come claim your compensation?" Wei Zhaotong curled his lip and sneered, "The contract stated in black and white that in the event of any mishap, compensation would be paid at the original price. Surely Young Master Qi is not about to treat that contract as a trifling joke?"
Every word landed with such an air of perfect reasonableness that it seemed the matter could only ever have been thus. Even Wei Zhao, standing by, was struck speechless—let alone Qi Wenmo, the man at the center of it all.
"Fine. Since you insist on putting it that way, I won't bandy other words with you. The contract states that if the escorted goods cannot be delivered, compensation is paid at the original price. But our agency has now delivered them—merely a little late, that is all—and Fang Biwu has raised no objection. For you to still be demanding compensation at the original price, Shopkeeper Wei, is simply beyond reason, is it not?" Qi Wenmo said with righteous indignation. "The delay did cause losses, but the losses are not great. By any measure of feeling or fairness, Shopkeeper Wei, you cannot cling to those three hundred thousand spirit jades. If word of this gets out, it may sound fine in the telling but it will not sound fine in the hearing."
At this, Wei Zhaotong's expression finally shifted ever so slightly. Qi Wenmo's threat was no idle shot in the dark—once such a thing spread, Wei Zhaotong would be firmly branded a man of greed.
There was nothing reproachable about a merchant pursuing profit, but for a man of his standing—a regional shopkeeper of the great Hong Chamber of Commerce—it would also stain the reputation of the Chamber itself. If the Hong Shadow Group were to learn of it, they would surely conduct a thorough investigation, and what the situation might then become was truly impossible to say.
Yet the spirit jades had already been swallowed into Wei Zhaotong's belly, and to expect him to spit them out now would be harder than climbing to the heavens. Had he truly cherished his good name so dearly, he would never have stooped to such dealings in the first place.
"My apologies. I have already handed your agency's three hundred thousand spirit jades in compensation over to the Central Island headquarters. Even if I wished to return it now, I cannot. Young Master Qi had best give up that hope," Wei Zhaotong said at last, fobbing them off with a fabricated excuse.
"What? You—" Qi Wenmo nearly lost his breath, so furious that his hair seemed to stand on end. He had only gathered the three hundred thousand spirit jades in compensation and delivered them yesterday, and today Wei Zhaotong claimed they had already been sent up to the Central Island headquarters. Damn it, did the Hong Chamber of Commerce really possess such heaven-defying efficiency?
"Show our guests out," Wei Zhaotong said with a cold smile. He lifted his teacup at once to signal the dismissal, giving Qi Wenmo no further chance to speak, and turned and walked away.
"Yes, sir." The servant posted outside the door came running at once and, with the utmost deference, addressed Qi Wenmo and Wei Zhao's party of three, "Gentlemen, please see yourselves out."
"You people—" Though Qi Wenmo was no simpleton, even he was so enraged that he nearly could not restrain himself from striking. With both witness and evidence in hand, he had come in full fury to settle accounts with Wei Zhaotong, only to find the man utterly unimpressed—and to swallow a bellyful of anger for his pains. Such a cruel gap between expectation and outcome was more than anyone could bear!