Suspicion
Grand Scholar Linghua clearly couldn't stand the way Grand Scholar Jiu Xiu talked to people like a fighting dog, picking a fight the moment he opened his mouth.
She gave a cold snort. "Chief, even at a time like this, you're still looking for trouble at every turn. If you're going to talk like that, then I'm afraid I can't communicate with you."
So what if he was the Chief Grand Scholar? She could simply refuse to engage with him. If he wanted to smear her, he could go ahead. She was already under house arrest, so what more could he do? Surely he wouldn't dare defy the whole world and kill her, a Purple Gold Ribbon Grand Scholar? He'd better consider whether he could pull it off—and whether the Yao Cao Clan would allow it!
Grand Scholar Jiu Xiu was momentarily at a loss after Linghua had parried his attack with that soft-spoken retort.
His tone softened. "Was I wrong, then? Wasn't this Water Engineer Scholar someone you, Linghua, took a liking to and insisted on poaching from the Five Elements Academy?"
"I poached him with the approval of the Academy's senior council and under its authorization. And during the decapitation operation, he was assigned to Elder Yin Qiao's group. I, as deputy commander, wasn't with them. So if you want to know what happened to Water Engineer Scholar, you should ask someone who knows, not me."
Grand Scholar Linghua's answer was reasonable and well-supported.
It was true that she had recruited him, but during the operation, Water Engineer Scholar had been with Elder Yin Qiao's group.
As deputy commander, Grand Scholar Linghua had led her team to Eagle Country. She hadn't been with them at all, and their paths hadn't crossed during the operation.
After the accident,