Chapter 4370 — Chai Laoshi
The Blossom Guardian · Page 2 of 2
"That Deputy Steward Chai just now claimed he was idle. Is that true or false?" Wei Zhao turned to the clerk who had followed him in and asked quietly, betraying nothing.
"It—it is true…" The clerk was merely a Heaven-tier expert who had not even succeeded in Foundation Establishment, no different from an ordinary man before Wei Zhao; a single casual glance from him set his heart pounding, and he answered in a stammer.
"Oh? A deputy steward with real authority in his hands—just how was he idle? Tell me," Wei Zhao said, his face full of doubt.
"It is true, truly true—this lowly one would not dare deceive you in the slightest. Deputy Steward Chai really does not do much these days; everything in our branch, above and below, is managed personally by Steward Wei. Deputy Steward Chai seldom shows himself…" The clerk was on the verge of tears, terrified that Wei Zhao would not believe him.
"Seldom shows himself? You mean this fellow has been shirking his duties all along?" Wei Zhao pressed.
"N-no… it is not that… Deputy Steward Chai never shirked before. He was always diligent, seeing to everything himself. But after Steward Wei was transferred here a few years ago, he… he stopped concerning himself with affairs…" the clerk answered cautiously.
"So you are saying this Chai Laoshi was pushed aside by Wei Zhaotong? Did the two of them ever clash openly?" Wei Zhao pinched his chin thoughtfully.
"Uh…" The clerk thought it over carefully. "If you mean an open clash, that would be several years back. Steward Wei had just been transferred here and forcibly took over all the business that Deputy Steward Chai had been in charge of. Deputy Steward Chai went to argue it out with him at the time, and Steward Wei said nothing and did not lose his temper—but afterward Deputy Steward Chai disappeared for a month, saying he had gone to the headquarters on Central Isle. Apart from that there was no conflict. On the whole, whatever Steward Wei said, Deputy Steward Chai neither took part nor spoke up…"
"Disappeared for a month?" Wei Zhao found this rather strange. Seeing the clerk hesitate, he said, "Whatever you know, spit it all out. Do not force me to use a soul-search technique!"
"Yes, yes!" The clerk had no idea that Wei Zhao could not perform any soul-search technique at all and was simply scaring him for sport. He dared hold nothing back now and hurried on: "I heard people say that during that month, Deputy Steward Chai never went to the headquarters on Central Isle at all—he had been beaten and injured, and spent the whole month recovering…"
"A month recovering? So it was Wei Zhaotong's doing, then?" Wei Zhao's mouth curved faintly.
"Uh… Deputy Steward Chai never spoke of it to anyone, so we do not know for certain, but that is what everyone guessed. Otherwise he would not have been so afraid of Steward Wei afterward, not daring to meddle in anything, hollowed out entirely…" the clerk said cautiously.
"Hm, I understand. You may go. Send Chai Laoshi in," Wei Zhao said with a nod.
He had been watching the clerk's expression the whole time and had detected nothing amiss—which meant the man was most likely telling the truth. Moreover, what he had let slip matched both the air Chai Laoshi gave off and his behavior a moment ago; such things could not be invented on the spot, and so were credible enough.
"Yes, yes." Only then did the clerk let out a long breath.
...R1052