Chapter 666: Feel this, my heart is warm (2/2)

“Young Miss, the Tang Clan really was generous with their gifts! That wedding nanny was right, these have to be the number one betrothal gift in the world!” a servant girl smiled.

Ning Jing cast a side glance at the girl, who immediately shut up. Still, a curve rose to her lips. She assumed that the Tang Clan wouldn’t give any more gifts beyond their assassination weapons, but they actually offered this much. The betrothal gifts were not only the face of the husband’s family, but a sign of how much they valued their future bride. She and Tang Li’s marriage might be happening under extenuating circumstances, but underneath her fierce personality, Ning Jing still had the soft whims of a girl. After all, you only got married once in your lifetime.

As she stroked the various treasures, she began to get a little nervous. She…was really going to get married!

Ning Nuo emerged then, all smiles. “Ning Jing, you received such a large batch of betrothal gifts. How is Cloud Realm Trade Consortium supposed to supply your dowry now?”

“I’ve said it before, I don’t need you butting into my business!” Ning Jing hated not Tang Li, but Ning Nuo most of all!

“I came precisely to remind you of one thing: Lady Tang once said that the Tang Clan can still afford to raise you with no dowry at all!” Ning Nuo said. “The Tang Clan gave so much betrothal gifts precisely because they don’t lack for money! Your mother-in-law is formidable!”

Ning Jing understood. If she didn’t bring enough dowry to get married, her mother-in-law would probably eat her alive!

“Someone come, give me the lists of Cloud Realm Trade Consortium’s armaments!” Ning Jing said coldly.

Ning Nuo grew alarmed. “What are you planning?”

“I don’t need you to get involved! Just try and waste words with me again!” Ning Jing warned.

“Ning Jing, I’m telling you now, if you dare to gift those armaments to the Tang Clan, big brother won’t show you any mercy!” Ning Nuo grew serious.

“Who said I’m giving them away? The Cloud Realm Trade Consortium has already accepted the betrothal gifts. The dowry will be determined by me since it’s mine! The Tang Clan has never given their weapons to outsiders. As I see it, this is a chance!”

Ning Jing figured that she could bring a few of the Tang Clan’s assassination weapons into the public and make a killing in business!

“This…isn’t a bad idea!” Ning Nuo finally understood what she was thinking…

—

Lady Tang’s group left the canyon only a short while before taking a side path to throw off their pursuers. Tang Li and Long Feiye now joined the two women in the carriage.

“With Ning Jing’s personality, she wouldn’t just have treasure and jewels in her dowry. Besides money and wealth, Cloud Realm Trade Consortium’s most valuable assets are their shops and stores. They have complete chains of shops in all sorts of trades and professions,” Han Yunxi analyzed carefully. “Ning Jing wouldn’t marry into the Tang Clan empty-handed. She wants to get some advantages from the Tang, so her aim will be for the Tang Clan assassination weapons. Her first choice will be to go the arms trade route!”

“She’s in control of the dowry, so that’s a risk. Be careful that she doesn’t incur a debt for the Tang Clan!” Tang Li remarked.

Although gunpowder powered weapons existed in Cloud Realm Continent, their numbers were sparse. Weapons determined victory in wars, so the arms tradewas a highly sensitive area of business. Ning Jing wouldn’t be so stupid to get directly involved.

Long Feiye patted Tang Li’s shoulders and said coldly, “She’s already your person. Can’t you take her things as well?”

Now the weight of the responsibility laid on Tang Li’s shoulders. He glanced at Han Yunxi and said, “Sister-in-law, is that the truth?”

“My things are the Duke of Qin’s things while the Duke of Qin’s things are my things. In the end, my things are still my things!”2 Han Yunxi grinned.

Long Feiye had no objections to this, while Tang Li just exhaled. He leaned listlessly against a wall, intertwined in his own conflicts. How was he supposed to make Ning Jing his? After a few more days, his free and carefree days would be over!

“Yunxi, that gold ingot…” Lady Tang trailed off worriedly.

“Don’t worry. That gold ingot is our key to exploring the way. At the very least, it’ll take us to the front doors of the great hall down in the canyon.” Han Yunxi had done a lot of work on the gold ingot. At the end of the month, when Tang Li came to pick up his bride, she and Long Feiye would come along to rescue the Chu elder captives!

Meanwhile, there was still major work to be done in the next few days, and that was to smoke out the traitor amongst the Tang Clan! Once they were back, Long Feiye immediately found Chu Xifeng and Aunt Ru to hear of their investigation progress.

“There are still 10 more people left to interrogate. The others can all be eliminated from suspicion,” Chu Xifeng reported.

“And if those ten show no results, either?” Long Feiye asked coldly.

Chu Xifeng felt at a loss. “This subordinate isn’t fully aware of internal situation at the Tang Clan. I would have to ask Aunt Ru for ideas.”

“Interrogate them first. As I see it, the traitor is one of those ten. If rat torture isn’t enough, we can try some other ones. I refuse to believe there are those who don’t fear death! Traitors to the Tang Clan can die!”

In a marked contrast to her previous silence, Aunt Ru was back to being ruthless and to the point again. A complicated look flickered past Long Feiye’s eyes before he said coldly. “Bring in all of the remainders. Your lordship will interrogate them personally!”

1. Cui Hua (翠花) – literally “jadeite flower.”

2. My things…are still my things… – an adaptation of a modern saying by married women: “My things are my husband’s things while my husband’s things are my things. In the end, my things are still my things!”