Chapter 862 — The Strange Banquet

Wei Zhao did not know whether this counted as a good thing — was it genuine ease, all matters settled at last, or merely the calm before the storm?

As things stood, the latter possibility seemed the more likely. Yu Kun had been crippled at his hand; the Yu family could hardly remain unmoved. Perhaps they were even now brewing some scheme.

And as for others — well, had not Kang Zhaoming already come knocking at his door?

Wei Zhao had never believed that a bad man could, without the least warning, undergo a great enlightenment and turn over a new leaf. Without some precipitating cause, had he suddenly attained satori? Such was Kang Zhaoming's case — his inexplicably improved attitude made Wei Zhao certain that he must harbor some ulterior motive.

And so Wei Zhao did not bother to keep him in view. At table he did exactly as he pleased, which left Kang Zhaoming utterly exasperated.

Having failed to seize the teapot for himself, Kang Zhaoming could only withdraw his hand with a glum look. His legs were no good to him; he could not rise, and after Wei Zhao had finished with the kettle, it had been set down somewhere far out of his reach.

"Cough, cough — Xiaobo, you are, after all, one of the Kangs. Ours is a distinguished medical household. If you are to be a vice president, you ought to come and be vice president at our Divine Physician Kang Medical Company. Why go and serve as vice president for some outsider's firm? If word of that got around, would it not be a loss of face for the Kang family?" Kang Zhaoming coughed twice and went on.

"Oh? The Kang family?" Kang Xiaobo gave a cold laugh. "What connection do I have to the Kang family? Apart from bearing the surname Kang, when have you people ever given me a thought? What — did you come all this way to offer me a vice presidency at Divine Physician Kang Medical Company?"

"Well... haha, never mind a vice presidency — even a shareholder's seat would be no problem!" Kang Zhaoming gave a hollow laugh. "Grandfather holds the reins for now, does he not? Once I come into power, I will certainly set aside a portion of the Kang family shares for you and make you a shareholder in Divine Physician Kang Medical Company! You are a Kang after all — how could we treat you shabbily?"

"Oh, then I suppose I ought to thank you. You invited me here just to say this?" Kang Xiaobo did not believe for a moment that Kang Zhaoming had called him over to talk such nonsense. Shares for him? The thing was utterly out of the question. He did not believe Kang Zhaoming would hand him so much as a scrap of stock — not unless the sun rose in the west.

"Ha, let's eat first, let's eat first..." Kang Zhaoming laughed, then, feigning an air of unconcern, said to Zhu Xiaozhang, "Go and see — why is the food so slow in coming?"

Just as he spoke, a waiter knocked and brought in the dishes. Soon the courses they had ordered were laid out one by one on the table. The service here was, in truth, quite rapid.

Wei Zhao simply refused to pay Kang Zhaoming, Zhu Xiaozhang, and Wang Shubin the least heed. The moment the food arrived, he fell to eating with relish, and every now and then picked out choice morsels for Tang Yun.

Wei Zhao cared for nothing at all, but Tang Yun felt rather embarrassed — she was, after all, a young woman, and faced with several men with whom relations were hardly cordial, so she could not help being a little awkward.

Kang Zhaoming watched Wei Zhao eating away with complete disregard for everyone else, and his brow tightened. He was deeply annoyed, but he could hardly say anything — he was still counting on Wei Zhao to help persuade Kang Xiaobo in a moment. And so he held his tongue for the time being.

"Xiaobo, I hear that Doctor Guan's Pharmaceutical's flagship product is also a wound-healing remedy? Quite similar to our Divine Physician Kang's Golden Wound Medicine?" Kang Zhaoming asked casually, pretending nothing was on his mind.

"Yes — Doctor Guan's Trauma Remedy." Kang Xiaobo did not know what Kang Zhaoming was driving at, so he kept his answers brief, replying only to what was asked. None of this was confidential, after all, so there was no point in hiding anything.

"Oh? And in terms of efficacy, is it roughly the same as Divine Physician Kang's Golden Wound Medicine?" Kang Zhaoming pressed on.

"I suppose so," said Kang Xiaobo.

"Heh, I see. I wonder where Doctor Guan's Pharmaceutical came by the formula for its wound medicine. Ha — do you know?" At last, step by step, Kang Zhaoming began to disclose his purpose.

Kang Xiaobo was no fool. At these words he felt a surge of anger, and a flicker of ire crossed his face. Kang Zhaoming's implication was plain: the formula for Doctor Guan's Trauma Remedy had come from Kang Xiaobo himself!

In an instant Kang Xiaobo understood everything. Kang Zhaoming's purpose in inviting him to dinner lay precisely here — he wanted to know whether Kang Xiaobo had given out the formula. But not only had Kang Xiaobo not done so; even his grandfather had never so much as set eyes on that prescription. How could he possibly have supplied it to anyone?

And so Kang Xiaobo said coldly, "How should I know?"

"Ha, if you don't know, you don't know — by all means, don't take offense!" Seeing that Kang Xiaobo was upset, Kang Zhaoming hastened to smooth things over.

"What have I to be angry about?" Kang Xiaobo remarked flatly, then glanced at Wei Zhao to see what he might say. But he saw only Wei Zhao still eating with unruffled enjoyment, and at that Kang Xiaobo's heart settled completely.

"Very well, Xiaobo. Since we are both Kangs, let us not speak in circles — as honest men speak no hidden words. Could you, brother, manage to get hold of a copy of the formula for Doctor Guan's Trauma Remedy for me?" Seeing that Kang Xiaobo remained uncooperative and that his honeyed words were having no effect, Kang Zhaoming grew anxious. Clenching his teeth, he came straight out with his aim.

"The formula for Doctor Guan's Trauma Remedy? What would you want with that?" Kang Xiaobo was taken aback. "Don't you already have the recipe for Divine Physician Kang's Golden Wound Medicine?"

"Ha, just for reference — the more the better!" Kang Zhaoming laughed. "What do you say? As vice president of Doctor Guan's Pharmaceutical, you can surely get your hands on the formula, can you not? Of course — though we are both of the Kang family, as the saying goes, 'even brothers settle accounts in clear figures.' I would not have you do it for nothing! Shubin..."

At this, Wang Shubin, catching his meaning, brought out a black leather briefcase, set it down by the table, and opened it...

It was a case stuffed full of banknotes, enough to dazzle the eyes! The reason Kang Zhaoming had used cash rather than a card was that cash delivered a visual impact far greater than any bank card. He wanted Kang Xiaobo, swept up by an impulse of greed, to take the case of money.

"What do you mean by this?" Kang Xiaobo frowned. To say that a large case of money set before him did not stir his heart would be a lie. But Kang Xiaobo was a man of principle — he would never betray his company's interests for a case of cash. And that was to say nothing of the fact that Wei Zhao was sitting right beside him. Even had Wei Zhao not been present, he could never have accepted the money. He reflected inwardly that Kang Zhaoming had indeed chosen the wrong tactic!

"This is three hundred thousand. So long as you help me find out the formula for Doctor Guan's Trauma Remedy and the channels through which they procure their raw materials, this case of money is yours!" Kang Zhaoming patted the briefcase on the table and went on, "Three hundred thousand — I imagine you have not yet earned much from Doctor Guan's Pharmaceutical, have you?"

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