Chapter 944: Halfway to success (2/2)

“As long as it doesn’t betray my senior brother, I can do anything,” Bai Yuqiao exposed her baseline. At this, Ning Cheng knew he was halfway to success. Whenever Bai Yuqiao came to ask about Jun Yixie, she’d always dismissed his watchers outside the tent. Thus, he could only hide things from Jun Yixie by using Bai Yuqiao.

Ning Cheng finally turned and retraced his steps. “There is something you could help me with.”

“Speak!” Bai Yuqiao was ecstatic.

“Heheh, help me buy a few tankards of wine without letting your senior brother know,” Ning Cheng said carelessly.

Bai Yuqiao was instantly on guard. “Why not let my senior brother know? He hasn’t restricted your drinking.”

Ning Cheng smiled coldly. “I can’t swallow the wine in his army, nor is it enough for this clan head! Heheh, I’d rather not cause trouble just because I think your senior brother’s poor.”

Bai Yuqiao knew how much her senior brother lacked money, yet prided himself on appearances. If Ning Cheng looked down on Jun Yixie for something so trivial, he’d definitely be humiliated and furious. Originally, she was expecting some big favor from Ning Cheng, but buying wine was a simple affair. This made her lower her guard.

“What kind of wine do you want do drink? I’ll treat you to it!” Although she didn’t have much money either, she could still afford to support him for awhile. But the words out of his mouth scared her senseless.

“Ten tankards of Ice Wine is fine,” Ning Cheng replied.

Bai Yuqiao’s mouth twitched! Ice Wine was a Northern Li specialty, but ranked the highest amongst its alcohols. It was also reserved exclusively for the imperial family. They would only award it to various nobles or officials when they were in a good mood, so it rarely left the palace. Some people who preferred wealth over wine would secretly hand the wine over to large shops to sell. Eventually, the imperial family found out, so now every single tankard of Ice Wine sent as tribute to the palace was smuggled out by the poorer princes to sell off at high prices. This was an open secret in Northern Li’s royalty circles, and the price of Ice Wine had only grow throughout the years. A single jar was only enough for four to five cups, but cost at least 5,000 taels of silver. Still, there were customers that could afford the price. They didn’t buy the wine to drink it, but to establish relations with the sellers and get closer to those princes.

In short, it was disguised bribery!

If Ning Cheng wanted ten tankards of the stuff, wouldn’t it cost her 50,000 taels? She didn’t even have 5,000! She’d long handed over his gold cards to her senior brother to pay for the soldiers’ salaries and provisions. But even if she still had them, she could never spend so much money just to buy Ning Cheng some wine!

Ning Cheng might be a big moneybags, but she was poor!

Bai Yuqiao looked at Ning Cheng and finally understood the true reason why he didn’t bring up his request with senior brother. This was simply humiliating Jun Yixie for being a pauper!

“That’s a rare wine. I can’t afford it,” Bai Yuqiao got straight to the point.

Ning Cheng handed over a few silver drafts worth tens of thousands of taels without any hesitation. “This clan head won’t drink wine bought by a woman’s money. Here’s 10,000 taels, buy as much as you can. The rest can be your commission fee.”

Although the prices of Ice Wine were rarely set and varied between locations, it wouldn’t stray much from 5,000 taels! The commission fee moved Bai Yuqiao’s heart, and she instantly agreed. An extra thousand taels or so could be saved for emergencies.

Accepting the silver drafts, she said, “I agree. Can you tell me why my senior brother’s not going to Hundred Poisons Sect now?”

“He’s waiting until your master has no choice but to find him!” Ning Cheng replied.

Bai Yuqiao might be smart, but how could she possibly match wits with him?

“You mean to say my master won’t show up at Hundred Poisons Sect,” Bai Yuqiao said carefully. That was what she guessed as well, but she had been thinking in the wrong direction entirely. She assumed that senior brother would stand up for Hundred Poisons Sect if master didn’t go, but neglect to consider that he might be waiting for master to show up instead!

“Did senior brother tell you that?” Bai Yuqiao wanted confirmation.

Ning Cheng shrugged and said nothing, but Bai Yuqiao only took it as an implicit affirmation.

“Ning Cheng, I can keep buying you wine or even do other things. Promise me that if my master comes, you have to coax senior brother not to fall into his snares again!” Bai Yuqiao declared.

“Bring those ten tankards of Ice Wine first. Otherwise, there’s nothing to discuss!” Ning Cheng said before swishing his sleeves and walking away.

Bai Yuqiao didn’t hesitate. She left the army that very night to find someone to buy the wine. Jun Yixie wouldn’t have seen anything suspicious about this if he was in her shoes, but he might have refused Ning Cheng’s request in the first place, or denied accepting his money. Now Bai Yuqiao was different. She would definitely spend Ning Cheng’s silver drafts, which was exactly what he wanted.

As for whether Bai Yanqing would show up at Hundred Poisons Sect or find Jun Yixie instead, Ning Cheng couldn’t guess. He thought the former was more likely. The day of the face off was drawing ever closer. There was still no news of Bai Yanqing, but what would be his ultimate choice?