Chapter 258 - Chapter 258: Chapter 267: Manipulation from Behind (2/2)
“How would I know! I just think that for these bandits to be so rampant, there must have been more of them. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have dared to make waves,” Li Bonian jumped at Han Yu’s words, hastily offered his defense, and then threw threats at Han Yu.
“Lord Han, you can eat food indiscriminately, but words must not be carelessly spoken, or they might breed disaster!”
“Really? Well, that’s not careless talk at all. I’ve learned some interesting news from a few important bandit leaders. Everyone wonders how petty bandits dared be so audacious. It turns out…” Han Yu said, noting Li Bonian’s face clearly showed worry and fear, eager to know the news, yet he deliberately paused without continuing.
“It turns out what? Lord Han might as well clarify your statement; I sense something’s off in your implication,” Li Bonian feared Han Yu knew of their connection with the bandits, and if it came to light and reached his superiors, and if it was traced back to him, things would be dire. After all, although someone was manipulating things from behind, it was him who dealt with the bandits directly. If the higher-ups investigated, the person behind could shove the blame on him, making him the scapegoat. At that thought, he was incredibly anxious and panicked, yet Han Yu had only said half of what he meant, leaving Li Bonian uncertain whether Han Yu was deliberately antagonizing him.
“I’m afraid I can’t reveal specifics to Master Li; after all, it involves the case details, including the bandits whom I will be transferring to the Mansion’s custody. If Master Li is truly curious, he may inquire with our Master,” Han Yu was intentionally keeping Li Bonian on tenterhooks, letting him suffer in worry and agony.
“If that’s the case, then there’s nothing more to say. Lord Han, take care of yourself, hmph!” Li Bonian, failing to get any information from Han Yu, huffed and turned to leave, thinking that he’d have to gather intelligence from elsewhere to verify the truth of Han Yu’s claims.
“Wait, Master Li, please stay a moment.”
Everyone was engrossed in watching the confrontation between Han Yu and Li Bonian, and when they saw Li Bonian just walk away, they felt somewhat dissatisfied by the anticlimactic end and called out to him to stay.
Li Bonian stopped impatiently, “What is it?!”
“It’s like this, we have something we’d like to ask Master Li, and we hope he won’t withhold his guidance!” Liu Cong also started speaking in a formal tone that didn’t quite suit him. But considering the prospect of getting one over on Li Bonian, he could manage a bit of discomfort.
Liu Cong then had his men carry a box over and place it in front of Li Bonian, his face revealing a somewhat sinister smile. Regrettably, Li Bonian, due to his arrogance, looked down on Liu Cong as nothing more than a brute and failed to notice the trap. Seeing Liu Cong having a box brought over, he even thought they were showing off their spoils from the bandits. Perhaps they intended to flaunt their prize to him?
What fools! Any treasure should be kept hidden, not flaunted so openly—it was bound to be confiscated. Or perhaps these men simply didn’t understand the value of the items in the box. Li Bonian thought to himself and looked at Han Yu and Liu Cong’s gang with even more contempt, now in no hurry to depart.