"Director Guan, you flatter me."
Xu Yi said with a smile.
"Flatter you? Who could even laugh right now? Director Xu, don't tell me you really can't tell a kind word from a cruel one."
Cao Jie's swollen, bluish eyes, like a pair of fish bladders, fixed on Xu Yi. He turned his teacup in his hand and sneered. "We all thought you'd come up with some brilliant plan. Who'd have guessed you'd go after a useless nobody like Xiong Jiu? If you'd dared to move against Third Young Master Zhao, I'd at least have admired your courage."
Xu Yi smiled. "What's with all the circling around the point? Old Guan, Old Cao, if you've got something to say, just say it. By the way, Steward Wang, why have we been called to this meeting? From what Director Cao said, it sounds like I've offended someone again?"
Wang Fengqi looked at Xu Yi, feeling a headache coming on. He had disliked Xu Yi ever since the man joined the First Section. Xu Yi was far too sharp and entirely unsuited to the ways of the official world. He was a seed of trouble waiting to sprout.
Back then, by not sending Xu Yi to take up his post in the First Division, Wang Fengqi had been subtly trying to give him a hint.
He hadn't expected Xu Yi to be so hopelessly obtuse, causing one commotion after another in such short order. As expected, in the end, the trouble had landed on Wang Fengqi's doorstep.
Now Xu Yi was playing dumb in front of everyone again, which only made Wang Fengqi even more unhappy. "Steward Xu, word has come down from above again. Our First Section's funding will still be tight the month after next. What do you think we