Chapter 884: Wesll be together forever (1/2)

Although the waters of the Three-Way Black Market were deep, that was only from an ordinary person’s perspective. Tang Li didn’t fear them, but he made one thing clear to Ning Jing.

“How much silver are you planning to take back?” he asked coldly while examining her from head to toe. Ning Jing silently exhaled. She knew her chance had come with Tang Li’s question.

“They’re banknotes and deeds, so it’s impossible to give an estimate. In any case, it’s enough to support me for the rest of my life,” Ning Jing replied. She had no idea just how much wealth was stored in the warehouses either, nor did she have any key. Myraid Merchant Hall’s warehouses were all under Ning Cheng’s sole rule. She didn’t have a right to them no matter how much she’d done for Cloud Realm Trade Consortium.

In truth, she’d hidden quite a few secret stashes of wealth over the past years. Even if she could spend and squander freely, she wouldn’t risk robbing money from Myriad Merchant Hall! She made up an excuse just to trick Tang Li, including the very existence of “Ouyang Jing!” She knew that they would have to pass by here on on their way to Northern Li. As long as she went inside, she had a chance to shake Tang Li off her tail.

Tang Li, let’s say goodbye after tonight! We’ll never meet again!

You too, Di Clan! Goodbye after tonight, and may we never meet in the next life!

Tang Li was oblivious to the truth. He only thought Ning Jing wanted to find a chance to pass on a secret message to Ning Cheng in the black markets so the Ning Clan could save her. He didn’t covet the Myriad Merchant Hall’s wealth either. His words just then had just been sounding Ning Jing out and to gauge the true wealth of the storehouses.

“What, you only have so little things in your Myriad Merchant Hall storehouse? Nothing else?” he probed.

Ning Jing knew there were other things, but she wouldn’t expose any of the Di Clan’s secrets even if she was leaving them. Arching a brow, she grinned. “Of course there’s other stuff. But I can’t take them away, nor do I want them. Let’s go, you’ll know once we see them in person.”

“Find! I’m going in with you!”

Hearing this, Ning Jing felt inexplicably sick at heart after her days of sunny moods.

Sick at heart? She was such a practical person that she’d never felt that way in her life. She didn’t want to--nor dare--dwell on the feeling, but ignored it completely and clapped Tang Li on the back. “On account of your truth in me, I’ll give you half the money once I get it. When we get back to the Tang Clan, you have to take good care of me. How about it?” Her eyes were shining and her face passionate, almost as if she really meant it.

Tang Li didn’t answer, but took out a pair of exquisite, pretty white jade bracelets from his sleeve. Seeing this, Ning JIng’s face blanched. “Tang Li, what do you mean by this?”

This was a punishment bracelet, one of the Tang Clan’s hidden weapons. It was used to trap a criminal’s hands much like modern handcuffs. However, it was far superior to handcuffs. Its size could be adjusted to the prisoner’s wrist and automatically make them unable to struggle. The two bracelets were connected by an imperceptible chain that was invisible to the naked eye. At most, it could only extend one meter, and was inseverable by even the sharpest sword.

If these bracelets were placed on a person’s hands, then they wouldn’t be able to use their hands anymore. If it was divided between two people, then they would be confined to within a meter of each other. Under Ning Jing’s alarmed gaze, Tang Li slowly slipped a bracelet onto his wrist. Then he raised it up for Ning Jing to see. “Pretty?

Ning Jing suppressed the indignation in her eyes without a sound. Tang Li took the other braceful and adopted an icy tone despite his smile. “Jing Jing, husband will put it on for you. We’ll be together forever, alright?”

For a second, Ning Jing had the misconception that they’d gone back in time. He used to tease and behave like a hooligan just like this, as if...as if they really were a quarrelsome but loving couple, a husband and wife who adored each other. She looked at it for a long time without saying a word.

“No good? Then shall we continue up north?” Tang Li was still smiling, but he had no emotions whatsoever.

Ning Jing gently gritted her teeth. She looked calm, but her heart was long a mess. She knew that Tang Li wouldn’t budge an inch after this. If she refused him, they would continue north. Where was she supposed to find “Ouyang Jing” there? She wasn’t familiar with Northern Li territory at all, so it’d be even harder to find a chance to escape. In the end, it was possible that Tang Li would discover her lies. He already suspected her of wanting to run away, so she’d never escape the Tang Clan again.

But if she agreed to this, then how was she supposed to escape later? She had even planned out an escape route in the black markets in her head, but Tang Li’s move had left her trapped on the tiger, unable to dismount. What to do?

Tang Li didn’t press her, but arched a brow as he waited patiently. His cold pupils seemed to be mocking her plots. Ning Jing looked at him hopelessly, her eyes burning with resentment. If she could, she’d bite him right now. Why did a man like him exist in this world? Why did she meet him at all? Did she owe him a pile of debts in a past life? If she had met someone else on the road that day--a real cultivating disciple--then everything would be completely different! She could remain at Cloud Realm Trade Consortium and focus on business matters instead of getting swept up in all these plots and schemes. She wouldn’t be entangled in the war between East and West Qin or feel so exhausted.

“Tang Li!” she suddenly barked out, as if wanting to tell him something.

“I’m here!” he replied.

In the end, Ning Jing forced her true words back down into her stomach. No matter how sincerely she spoke, would he even believe her? Even if he did, could she really stay by his side? Ever since she was young, she never backed down when it came to what she wanted or fought for. She did as she dared. If Tang Li wasn’t part of East Qin, she could keep fighting for his affections even if he didn’t like her. But he wasn’t just part of East Qin, but a loyal member as well. She didn’t have a chance.