Chapter 258 - Chapter 258: Chapter 267: Manipulation from Behind (1/2)
Chapter 258: Chapter 267: Manipulation from Behind
“Haha, our ‘Great Hero’ has returned. I don’t suppose he has eradicated the bandits, has he? If…” Li Bonian intended to further embarrass Han Yu by shouting loudly from a distance. However, he hadn’t finished speaking when he noticed the scene in front of him seemed off. The string of people Han Yu and his soldiers brought back looked decidedly like bandits.
Li Bonian’s subordinate, trailing behind him, wished he could die then and there. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to explain the truth to Master Li; he simply had no chance to do so! Master Li was walking too fast, and by the time he caught up, panting behind him, there was no time to provide an excuse for his behavior. Having been at Master Li’s side for so long, he knew Master Li’s temper all too well. In this situation, Master Li was definitely not going to come away with any advantage from Lord Han, and might even end up filled with fury. In the end, it was invariably the poor subordinates who would bear the brunt of his anger.
“Master, Lord Han has indeed eradicated the bandits and is returning to the military camp to report,” Li Bo whispered to Li Bonian, to prevent him from making an even greater fool of himself.
“Why didn’t you say so sooner? What’s the use of your mouth, if not to speak? Do you take pleasure in watching me make a fool of myself?!” Li Bonian was infuriated, feeling as if he were being toyed with. He wanted to lash out, but with so many onlookers, he couldn’t let Han Yu witness his humiliation. He had to deliberately keep his voice down; otherwise, he would have probably kicked Li Bo and cursed him out by now.
“I wouldn’t dare,” Li Bo cautiously replied, fearing that his master would seek retribution in the fall. Internally, he was criticizing Li Bonian: With such impatience, lacking in subtlety and ability, and still wanting to compete with Lord Han, wasn’t he seeking his own demise? If not for that superior, Master Li, backing him, someone as foolish and arrogant as Li Bonian wouldn’t have been able to maintain his position until now.
Han Yu, observing Li Bonian and his flustered entourage, roughly grasped what was going on and displayed a smile that was not quite a smile, “Master Li, were you about to say something, perhaps to celebrate my victorious return? That’s very courteous of you. I must say, thanks to Master Li’s blessing, I have indeed accomplished a feat this time. If there are any commendations from Shangfeng, I must also thank Master Li for the recommendation; otherwise, I wouldn’t have had a chance at this glorious opportunity.”
Han Yu said this with a smirk, intentionally hitting on Li Bonian’s sore spot. Watching Li Bonian’s complexion twist, Han Yu felt a bit of satisfaction. Although he disdained bickering with such a buffoon, it was tiresome to have the fool constantly prancing around in front of him, not to mention his subordinates couldn’t stand seeing Li Bonian’s smugness. He had to fulfill his subordinates’ wishes at least this once.
“Lord Han is too polite. Eradication’s eradication, but whether it counts as an achievement is another matter. Who knows if one or two bandit leaders escaped? If they gather a new gang of thieves later on, wouldn’t all this effort be in vain? Then it would be a fault, not a merit,” Li Bonian glanced over the group and saw that a few bandit leaders were not among them. He assumed the bandit leaders had broken through the government soldiers’ encirclement and fled, thinking it would be easy to use this later against Han Yu, with those connections.
“Master Li, rest assured, I captured every single bandit in the act; none who were there managed to escape,” Han Yu replied, giving an answer that was beyond reproach but still allowed him some leeway.
“Lord Han had better not be boasting. Whether or not bandits escaped isn’t something you can cover up. Look here, aren’t many people missing?” Li Bonian thought he had caught Han Yu in a flaw, pointing out that the largest bandit leader wasn’t even among them, which hardly counted as bandit eradication.
“Missing many people? Why would Master Li say that, unless Master Li knows how many bandits there originally were? Now that would be curious,” Han Yu replied pointedly.