Chapter 1339: [NCheng] Done for
Cheng’er saw that she was gaining momentum and added urgently, “Ah-Cheng, I can help you earn money and even pick out women for you. More importantly, I’m the one who’s most familiar with Liubei Trade Consortium. Just let me come back. 10 taels is 10 taels, I don’t mind.”
She had thought it all out. As long as she could come back to the consortium, any old deal would get her plenty of silver. Ning Cheng didn’t even want to speak anymore, but couldn’t hold back after her words.
“You can make money? All the silver you embezzled from Liubei Trade Consortium went to Carefree Joy, didn’t it? You can earn money, then take it to earn more for your private stores!” Ning Cheng immediately detailed how Cheng’er had been taking advantage of a few huge business deals to launder her money and even pointed out a few ways she could’ve done it better.
“If you did it that way, it’d be seamless. A pity that…” Ning Cheng paused to pat her head. “A pity that you’re deficient upstairs.”
This was extreme humiliation, but Cheng’er was fully convinced. Ah-Cheng had only used three days to become Liubei Trade Consortium’s true master, which was already impressive enough. His words only earned her further admiration.
She was silent for a long while before she declared, “Ah-Cheng, I want to take you as my master!”
Ning Cheng finally blew up at her words and roared, “Are you getting lost or not?!”
She had been hurt and humiliated, but how thick was this woman’s skin? What was her heart made out of? Wouldn’t she get injured if she kept being so shameless?
Cheng’er had steeled her heart to rely on this man. She lay back on the bed, pulled up the covers, and said, “I’m sleepy, so I can’t get lost.”
“How much money do you want? Give a price,” Ning Cheng said coldly.
“Let me stay here and I promise not to be greedy for money anymore. I don’t even want the 10 taels a month. Just keep me fed and clothed,” Cheng’er said.
For a second, Ning Cheng considered tossing Liubei Trade Consortium’s command token at her. After all, she was the best candidate to run the business besides him. But he didn’t. He hadn’t killed her before, so how could he push her into the first now? Just because someone could lead Liubei Trade Consortium didn’t mean they could keep it. He needed someone with strong martial arts backing who was also familiar with business to inherit this consortium. Otherwise, when Le Zheng’s family came to seek revenge, no one would be able to block them.
Ning Cheng sat down and heaved a long sigh. Cheng’er looked at him and subconsciously sat up. She was actually afraid to see Ah-Cheng so quiet and serious. She’d rather he yell at her. When he looked up, she immediately ducked her head.
Ning Cheng took out two keys and said. “These are the keys to the treasure trove in that Immeasurable Peak. There are a total of three keys, the last of which is with Xiongfei. He helped with the a.s.sa.s.sination of Le Zheng, so he deserves a share. The rest is all yours.”
Cheng’er wanted these keys more than anything else, but she didn’t take them. She only asked cautiously, “What are the terms?”
“Don’t disrupt Liubei Trade Consortium’s business anymore,” Ning Cheng say word for word, “and leave immediately!”
...
“I don’t want to!” Cheng’er refused.
Ning Cheng was taken aback. “Don’t you want money? You should know that Liubei Trade Consortium might not make that much even in the next two to three years!”
“I want you!” Cheng’er replied without hesitation. “I don’t want money anymore, I just want you!”
Ning Cheng gave a start before he laughed out loud as if hearing a ma.s.sive joke. But for him, it really was a farce. He knew better than anyone else how greedy Cheng’er was. Yet she actually chose him over money?
He leaned down with both arms resting on the bed as he pressed close to her. “Cheng’er, I don’t want to play anymore. Even if you give me ten years, I have no way to earn more silver for you!” He patted her face and sneered, “Wake up!”
His motions weren’t hard at all, so her face didn’t hurt. But for some reason, her heart ached fiercely. His every pat seemed to cause her chest to throb.
I feel miserable…
She ignored it and smiled. “I don’t care. At any rate, I just want you.”
Ning Cheng finally lost all patience and picked her up princess-style to stride out the door. He took a shortcut to the back gates and tossed her out without pity before slamming the entrance shut!
“Xiongfei!” he shouted angrily.
Xiongfei hurried over. “Master Cheng, what’s wrong? Why are you so angry?”
“Spread word that anyone who lets Cheng’er in again can get lost with her!” he said icily.
Outside the gates, Yujin helped Cheng’er up and grew anxious at the wound on her head. “He hurt you?”
Cheng’er shrugged her shoulders. “No, I asked for it myself.”
Yujin realized that Cheng’er seemed to be in a good mood and asked doubtfully, “What happened?”
Cheng’er burst into laughter. “Jin, he really doesn’t want to kill me!” She even infuriated him but he still spared her life, which was really unexpected.
Yujin was completely oblivious to what was going on by the time Cheng’er dragged her away.
“Let’s find a place to live nearby. I refuse to believe he’ll never leave the gates!” Cheng’er grinned mischievously.
Cheng’er really did settle down somewhere nearby and took on the job of staring at Liubei Trade Consortium’s main entrance while she had Yujin watch the rear. For a proper a.s.sa.s.sin reduced to gate duty, she didn’t feel wronged, but she was bored to death. In the past two days, Ah-Cheng remained indoors. However, someone else did come to Liubei Trade Consortium: Batu!
Cheng’er wanted to bite him as soon as she saw him at the door. Yujin only said calmly, “Although he burned down Carefree Joy, Ah-Cheng was the one who caused it all.”
Resentful, Cheng’er said, “Liubei Trade Consortium did a lot of deals for the Wolf Sect last year, but Batu wasn’t the one in charge. Why did he come here?”
Yujin shrugged her shoulders as if to say, no use asking me. Cheng’er was too lazy to say more, either.
She could only wait.
Batu went in for a long time before emerging with an exceptionally ugly expression.
“Jin, I have a bad feeling,” Cheng’er said in a low voice.
Yujin’s gaze grew complicated as she murmured back, “Since it’s a sense of foreboding, let’s withdraw.”
Cheng’er glared at her and said nothing else.
That very afternoon, Cheng’er’s premonition was fulfilled. Batu came back again, dragging a middle-aged woman from the carriage after him. This was none other than Carefree Joy’s proprietress! Cheng’er was sitting at the window as she muttered to herself, “Jin, I’m done for.”
She thought Batu would kill the old proprietress, but he actually brought her with him. Now that he was here, it was clear the woman had betrayed her!
Yujin looked back at the disheveled Cheng’er and said helplessly, “Why do you keep raising people who betray their master?”
Cheng’er’s reply was even more helpless. “When Ah-Cheng offered a reward for my capture, everyone knew I was out of money. Any human would sell me out!”
Yujin’s voice was cold and quiet. “So, I’ve never been human in your eyes?”
Cheng’er wanted to laugh, but couldn’t. She was very clear how serious things had turned. Behind Batu was the Wolf Sect, which few could afford to offend. Last year it was Ah-Cheng in charge of the deals between Liubei Trade Consortium and the Wolf Sect, but she knew about them too. The current person in charge of the Wolf Clan, Eldest Miss Han Xiang (韩香), was an extremely protective and unforgiving master.
Ah-Cheng’s business with the Wolf Sect were not for making money, but connections as friends. The Wolf Sect was the strongest power in southern Mysterious Continent. Le Zheng had once told Ah-Cheng that being on good terms with them would make business much easier for Liubei Trade Consortium. No one would dare to smash them.
But from what she knew, that Eldest Miss Han was full of ambition and always wanted to be the partner of Liubei Trade Consortium. Le Zheng had refused, along with Ah-Cheng, because once Han Xiang entered the consortium, both of them would lose their right to speak and be reduced to servants.
Cheng’er was silent for awhile before she suddenly stood up. “I’m going to take a look!”
Yujin quickly pulled her back. “Are you courting death? Do you think Batu will spare you after you tricked him?”
“Everyone has to take responsibility for his or her own deeds! I can’t implicate Ah-Cheng and Liubei Trade Consortium!” Cheng’er declared.
“That guy has a lot of skills, maybe he can help you instead,” Yujin soothed.
“Batu can crush him with one finger, Jin, you know that. In a place like this, true ability comes from martial arts,” Cheng’er intoned.
“Then there’s less reason for you to go. Is that fellow Ah-Cheng supposed to throw away his life to protect you?” Yujin asked seriously. “You’re no fool, so why think of others as fools?”
Cheng’er pursed her lips resentfully before going back to the window. She would wait!
She waited all the way until nightfall before she saw Batu coming out. The old proprietress wasn’t with him. Cheng’er didn’t know the situation and wanted to charge inside to find out, but she was blocked by the guards despite multiple attempts. When she tried one last time, Ah-Cheng suddenly opened the rear entrance himself. She walked quickly towards him and asked, “What did Batu find you for?”
Ning Cheng didn’t speak beyond looking at her coldly.
“Did he threaten you?” Cheng’er asked next.
Ning Cheng remained mute and Cheng’er simply turned to leave. Only then did he ask, “Where are you going?”
“To find him! It was my fault, so I’ll clean up my own mess,” Cheng’er replied.
But Ning Cheng only said, “Cheng’er, why the rush?”
Cheng’er looked back in confusion.
“Batu’s already killed that old proprietress. He’s currently rus.h.i.+ng to claim credit in front of his master while I promised to talk to Eldest Miss Han tomorrow about a cooperation between us.”
“Ah-Cheng, you’re protecting me, aren’t you?” Cheng’er interrupted.
Ning Cheng smiled. “You should know that the powers behind Le Zheng aren’t weak. After killing him, I can only cooperate with the Wolf Sect.”
“You…” Cheng’er was stunned.
“I’ve long planned it out. I have to thank you for leading Batu here, or else I wouldn’t have found a chance to do something I didn’t want to again. After all, I rejected Eldest Miss Han in the past,” Ning Cheng said icily.
Cheng’er looked at Ah-Cheng and felt for the first time how scary and strange he was. She realized she actually knew very little about him. But even so, she refused to believe he was willing to be someone else’s dog. She preferred to think he had his own bitter troubles.
“You knew I was nearby, so why didn’t you hand me over?” she insisted on probing.
But Ah-Cheng’s response left her in despair.