"Lord Commander, your words don't match your heart. I'll have to lay mine bare, then. I never intended to take anything from anyone by vying for the post of head of the Catching Thieves Division—not even from Song Huaishan and the others. If they hadn't come looking for me, I would never have acted this way. I have no power, no influence, and no backing. I have no intention of sinking roots into the power struggles of the Nether Court. All I want is to earn some incense and build up a little wealth. Do you think I'm speaking from the heart, sir?"
Long Wenzhang was at a loss. He had turned the burly, bearded man down tactfully several times, yet the man still kept trying to draw him into a heart-to-heart.
Master Zuo picked up the thread. "Lord Lei, whatever you want to say, say it plainly. There's no need to beat around the bush."
"Very well. I'll be direct. What I'm doing now is not intended to threaten your position, Lord Commander. Even if I complete the task within three months, I'll serve no more than one term as head of the Catching Thieves Division. When the time comes, I'll need you to recommend me for a post elsewhere."
Long Wenzhang froze. He hadn't expected Lei Chiyan to be so perceptive as to pinpoint the very thing that worried him most.
There was friction between Long Wenzhang and Xu Yi, but it came in two forms: the primary conflict and the secondary one.
The secondary conflict was that Xu Yi had barged in and taken the vacant post of head of the Catching Thieves Division, harming Long Wenzhang's interests. But Long Wenzhang lacked the strength to firmly control that post, so the stake wasn't all that great.
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