Poison Genius Consort

park of intelligence could figure out his aim.
Slaves had to obey their masters because they belonged to them.
They didn’t have the right to haggle with their owners.

Ning Cheng smiled at Manager Jin.
“Heheh, Jin Zi.
If Jun Yixie hadn’t reminded me, I would have forgotten.
You’re my slave, so what terms can you demand from me? This master will tell you now, Mu Linger’s mine from this moment on.
Not even a thousand gold pieces will trade her back! As for your debt, I’ll consider repaying it after I see your behavior!”

Manager Jin’s gaze grew complicated beneath his bangs.
He didn’t speak, but he did feel something amiss about Ning Cheng.
Meanwhile, Jun Yixie rubbed his chin as he debated whether to speak, but ended up saying nothing at all.
Ning Cheng’s words not only warned Manager Jin to stay back, but also told him that Ning Cheng wasn’t handing over Mu Linger.
Although he had already handed over the 30,000 battle horses, their relationship was still strained.
Jun Yixie kept Ning Cheng in check just as Ning Cheng pinned down his movements.
Moreover, Jun Yixie had yet to receive his payment despite sending the 30,000 horses ahead of him, so he was still the passive party.

Since Ning Cheng had rejected his request in such a mild and roundabout way, Jun Yixie wasn’t in any mood to make more demands.
With him here, he wouldn’t let Mu Linger loose a step, so it could still count as her falling into his hands.
Thus, Jun Yixie next set his sights on Ning Jing.
With a playful smile, he said, “Uncle Cheng, this wife of the Tang Clan isn’t yours either, is she?”

Uncle Cheng quickly replied, “I wouldn’t dare, I wouldn’t dare! Duke of Kang must be jesting.”

Jun Yixie wasn’t very clear on the relationship between Ning Jing and the Tang Clan vs.
Ning Jing and the Ning Clan.
Of course, nobody present knew the relationship between the Tang Clan and Long Feiye, either. 

“Heheh, this lord was just saying.
How could a servant like you dare to kidnap your own master?” Jun Yixie smiled coldly.
Here lay his doubts. 

Uncle Cheng glanced at Ning Cheng, but he remained silent.
Thus, the man quickly explained, “Duke of Kang, you may not know, but Miss Jing took advantage of Manager Jin kidnapping Mu Linger to put on a play herself.
And now you see? The Tang Clan took it as the truth and got anxious.
As long as we hold our ground, Tang Li will definitely offer even more generous terms.
It’ll be easy enough to find a middleman to deliver a letter then and reap the profits!”

Uncle Cheng was a crafty, cunning man.
As long as he didn’t reveal Ning Jing’s whereabouts at Skyriver City and kept whetting Tang Li’s appetite until he turned crazy with worry, it would be easy to find someone unrelated to Jun Yixie to deal with him.
Tang Li would agree to any terms placed by the middleman then. 

Outside, Mu Linger couldn’t help her rage.
“This old thing deserves to die!”

Ning Jing’s voice was cold as well.
“He deserves more than just death!”

Uncle Cheng’s plot was ingenious, but he had no idea that Han Yunxi had long exposed his betrayal on the first day he and Manager Jin kidnapped the duo.
Once news broke that Ning Cheng had allied with Jun Yixie, she was sure that Mu Linger and Ning Jing had ended up there.
Currently, Han Yunxi’s group was on their way to Three-Way Black Market again after passing on the news to Tang Li.
He too, was rushing back to meet with them. 

Back in Skyriver City, Ning Cheng only glanced at Uncle Cheng without a word.
Jun Yixie only assumed that Uncle Cheng’s words reflected Ning Cheng’s own intentions. 

“Fine, then we’ll sit and wait!” Jun Yixie was exhilarated.
Teaming up with Ning Cheng was already good news, but now they even have two important hostages.
His heart swelled with the promises of victory.
Now as long as the 30,000 horses made it to the Ning Clan troops, he could receive his money and begin to move! 

“Someone come, clear out two tents and treat our honored guests well!” Jun Yixie ordered loudly.

Uncle Cheng and Manager Jin were shown out the door while Mu Linger and Ning Jing were taken off the carriage and into a tent.
Now only Jun Yixie and Ning Cheng remained inside. 

“Ning Cheng, how long will it take the Ning Clan troops to accustom themselves to the 30,000 battle horses?” Jun Yixie asked.

Ning Cheng had always commanded the armies in north Tianning and had plenty of cavalrymen in his troops.
The only thing he lacked was battle horses, so 30,000 stallions was like adding wings to a tiger, redoubling their strength.
It shouldn’t take long for the army to accustomize themselves to these animals.
What Jun Yixie wanted was a specific timeline.

“I reckon three months!” Ning Cheng say, dragging out the time on purpose.
Actually, only one month was needed, but the delay meant that war wouldn’t start until the horses and men were good and ready.
If he could extend the deadline, then he’d cause less trouble for Han Yunxi.

And if he could trick even more out of Jun Yixie in the meantime, he’d do his best to get that too. 

At the same time, he made preparations for a worse-case scenario.
No matter when his silver drafts reached Myriad Merchant Hall, he was waiting for the 30,000 battle horses to reach the Ning Clan troops first before dying together with Jun Yixie.
He would never pay up!

Not even a single copper coin!

Rather than remain tormented by Jun Yixie or treated as his hostage to threaten the Di, he’d rather die and be done with it all! In some ways, he and Su Xiaoyu were quite similar, so he couldn’t help but ache for the child when they met the other day.
He understood her stubbornness and resolution.

Ning Cheng had put all his affairs in order, but never expected Uncle Cheng to arrive with Ning Jing and Mu Linger in tow.
If he and Jun Yixie really had a falling out, what would become of the two women?