Everyone Gets a Share?

"Young Master Nalan, what did you find in the cave below?"

Little Fairy Doctor and I had just climbed up the Cliff when a mercenary leader approached us with a chuckle and asked.

I glanced at him. This fellow seemed to be called He Meng? The Third Regiment Leader of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group, an Eight Star Dou Zhe.

I withdrew my gaze, lowered my head to brush the dust from my clothes, and said, "Don't ask what you shouldn't. Just do your own job."

He Meng's expression stiffened, but tempted by the treasure, he still said, "Um, Young Master Nalan, according to the rules, everyone who sees it gets a share. Since you found the treasure, you should at least give us a portion, shouldn't you?"

He turned to the mercenaries from the other two groups and said, "Everyone, isn't that right?"

Seeing that the people from the other two mercenary groups were also tempted and nodded slowly and hesitantly, I could not help laughing. My expression was icy, my eyes full of mockery.

These fifteen mercenaries belonged to the three major mercenary groups of Green Mountain Town. Of course, since I had kept them on the outskirts these past few days, one mercenary had already died and several had been injured.

Meanwhile, my family's guards had remained in the middle and had not encountered any magical beast attacks. Every one of them was unharmed, and there was even a Dou Shi holding the line... Did this motley bunch of old, weak, sick, and disabled people, divided at heart, really think they deserved to talk to me about everyone getting a share?

I quietly pulled Little Fairy Doctor back a step, retreating behind the guards, and said coldly, "We agreed on the hiring fee before entering the mountains, and I already paid you half. You still want more? You may not be pretty, but you certainly have pretty dreams!"

He Meng's face darkened. Savagery and greed hid deep in his gaze as he said, "Young Master Nalan, you can't put it like that. Look at how many of us were injured. Our Wolf Head Mercenary Group even lost a brother! You should at least offer some compensation, shouldn't you?"

I could not be bothered talking to this fellow consumed by greed any longer. He did not even understand the most basic principle of knowing his place! Did he not see the worthless trash around him? He dared dream of taking benefits from me? He truly did not value his life... Then he could die.

I signaled the Guard Captain. He nodded, then pushed off with the tip of his foot and suddenly surged forward, Dou Qi erupting as he charged at He Meng.

Caught off guard, He Meng barely managed to block two strikes before he could no longer withstand the attacks of a Six Star Dou Shi. The Guard Captain killed him in three moves!

The battle had begun abruptly and ended just as abruptly. Only then did the remaining mercenaries react, retreating in panic as they drew their weapons and stood on guard.

My guards also drew their weapons, surrounding Little Fairy Doctor and me protectively. For a time, both sides stood with swords drawn and bows bent!

But in the end, neither side fought. The mercenaries on the other side belonged to three separate groups and were divided at heart. And I was not stupid enough to slaughter people for no reason. If He Meng had not kept trying to squeeze money out of me, I would not have killed him...

Poor me! Although the Nalan Family was wealthy and powerful, that was all family property. My own personal funds were pitifully few! Especially after I had given Xiao Yan and Xun Er a lavish gift before leaving, I was even more strapped for cash.

Both sides remained on guard as we returned to Green Mountain Town, the mercenaries in front and my guards and I behind them.

By the time we were halfway there, it was dusk, so we made camp.

By the campfire, Little Fairy Doctor and I sat side by side, yet I could feel the distance between us. I shifted closer and asked softly, "Little Fairy Doctor, do you think I... am a bad person?"

Little Fairy Doctor moved away, widening the distance between us. The dim firelight fell across her face, making her expression appear uncertain. After a moment of silence, she asked instead, "Why did you kill He Meng?"

I scratched my head and said troubledly, "Didn't you see it? He wanted to rob us of our treasure, so naturally we killed him."

Little Fairy Doctor frowned, turned to me, and said unhappily, "You were clearly the one who killed He Meng. What does that have to do with me?"

I shrugged. "By that logic, I wasn't the one who killed He Meng either. The Guard Captain was."

I moved over and sat beside Little Fairy Doctor again. "You have a share in this treasure too. If we gave some to those mercenaries, then with more people splitting it, the medicinal herbs you receive would decrease..."

Sure enough, those herbs were Little Fairy Doctor's weakness. At the mention of medicinal herbs, she immediately grew tense. She looked toward the mercenaries camping alone in the distance, then turned back to look at me. Her hands tightly clutched her pale white dress, her little face utterly at a loss...

After a long while, Little Fairy Doctor finally made up her mind with a frown. "Then don't give them any."

I laughed heartily. Nothing more was said that night. The next day, we set out again and returned to the inn in Green Mountain Town in the afternoon.

I settled the mercenaries' remaining hiring fees, medical expenses, and death benefits, then dismissed them. I also rewarded each ordinary guard from my household with Three Thousand Gold Coins, while the Guard Captain received Thirty Thousand Gold Coins... These guards belonged to the family, not to me personally, so I did not reward them too extravagantly. A modest reward was enough to show my appreciation.

Afterward, Little Fairy Doctor and I entered the room and began taking stock of the gains from this trip.

First were the hundreds of thousands of gold coins and treasures. There was too much for me to count properly. I had intended to give some gold coins to Little Fairy Doctor, but she did not want them and only clamored to see the medicinal herbs.

Helpless, I took the many Jade Bottles from my Ring of Holding, then brought out paper and a brush.

Little Fairy Doctor gave me a strange look and asked, "What do you need paper and a brush for?"

I chuckled. "Of course, to record all these medicinal herbs in a register so I can distribute them to you fairly."

Little Fairy Doctor blinked and asked, "How much can I get?"

I held up two fingers. "Twenty percent."

Little Fairy Doctor exploded at once. Her brows shot up as she pointed at me and began cursing furiously. Honestly, it was hard for me to imagine that such a pure and ethereal young girl could become so shrewish over a few flowers and herbs...

I could not withstand her at first. After arguing for a long time, I slowly raised her share from twenty percent to forty percent. In truth, I had deliberately gone easy on her and given ground.

My goal had never been the medicinal herbs. I would have been willing to give all of them to Little Fairy Doctor. The reason I argued with her was more to deepen our relationship... After all, what young couple had ever been together without arguing?

Hahaha...

Satisfied, Little Fairy Doctor smoothed her pale white dress and ran her fingers through the dark green strands hanging before her forehead, returning to her previous ladylike bearing. Then, happily, she began selecting herbs from the many Jade Bottles.

This forty percent was not forty percent by quantity, but forty percent by value. Little Fairy Doctor mostly chose rare and precious medicinal herbs, and she soon used up her forty percent share.

She looked at the remaining herbs, her little face nearly scrunching into a ball. Then she turned and shot me a resentful look, puffing out her cheeks as she said, "You stingy bastard."

I shrugged, outwardly unconcerned, while inwardly I was laughing with delight. This was perfect. Simply perfect...

If I had directly given all the medicinal herbs to Little Fairy Doctor, she would probably have only seen me as a generous young master. Once she used up the herbs, she would quickly forget the whole matter.

But now? Little Fairy Doctor had gone from eagerly anticipating the division at the beginning, to becoming angry over her share, to arguing, to secretly rejoicing when her share increased, to feeling delighted while choosing herbs, and finally to being reluctant to part with the remaining ones... Tsk, tsk. Her emotions had been like a roller coaster. Even after a very, very long time, Little Fairy Doctor probably would not forget what happened today.

With a broad wave of my hand, I put the remaining Jade Bottles into my Ring of Holding. Clapping my hands, I said, "All right, the treasure has been divided. Little Fairy Doctor, will you stay at the inn for the night, or go straight back to the Wan Yao Zhai?"

"Didn't you also get several Scrolls? What are they?" Little Fairy Doctor asked curiously.

I laughed inwardly. She had taken the bait after all. Anyone who had entered the Stone Chamber in the cave could tell that the Scrolls in the Metal Box were the most valuable items. Naturally, Little Fairy Doctor could not resist asking about them.

I pretended to be wary and took several steps back. "I already gave you the portion of the treasure I promised you. These Scrolls are all mine. You have no share in them."

"I know! You stingy bastard. I just wanted to see what they were. It's not as if I wanted them!"

Little Fairy Doctor curled her lips and said irritably, "You're still stuck at Dou Qi and aren't even an official Dou Zhe. You didn't contribute a bit when we were searching for treasure and didn't help at all. Yet in the end, you took the greatest share of the benefits. That really isn't fair."

I chuckled. "I'm the young master of the Nalan Family. Isn't that the greatest fairness of all?"

I took the Seven Coloured Poison Scripture from my Ring of Holding and waved it casually, saying in an even tone, "This Scroll is rather interesting. It's actually a poison scripture..."