Taking A Zhu

At Nalan Sheng's words, A Zhu's eyes immediately lit up. "Young master, if you truly can save Fourth Brother Feng, our young master will certainly reward you handsomely afterward."

"There's no need for a handsome reward."

Nalan Sheng waved his hand. "Personally, I believe more in trading one life for another. As it happens, I'm still short a few maidservants.

"If you want me to save this Fourth Master Feng, choose one of yourselves to become my maidservant."

"..."

Wang Yuyan and the others' expressions changed slightly at his words.

"Oh, and I suggest you decide quickly. Otherwise, Fourth Master Feng probably won't hold out much longer."

Pressed by Nalan Sheng, A Zhu glanced between Wang Yuyan and A Bi before finally saying with some resignation, "If you don't mind having me, young master, why not let me be your maidservant?"

Wang Yuyan needed no consideration. She was Murong Fu's cousin, not a maid of the Murong Family.

Even if Wang Yuyan were willing to sacrifice herself to save Feng Bo'e, A Zhu and the others could not agree to it. Otherwise, none of them would be able to answer to Murong Fu.

Moreover, A Zhu had always treated A Bi as her own little sister. Naturally, she could not bear to let her make such a great sacrifice, so she could only choose to sacrifice herself.

"Sister A Zhu..."

"A Bi, my mind is made up. Don't try to persuade me."

Before A Bi could finish, A Zhu interrupted her and shook her head. "Compared with a mere maid like me, Fourth Brother Feng is far more helpful to our young master.

"If the master and mistress hadn't taken me in back then, I might have died long ago. Now it's time for me to repay the Murong Family."

"Once I'm gone, I'll leave the young master in your care. Take good care of him."

"Mm."

Seeing that A Zhu had gone this far, A Bi could only nod through her tears.

"Do you really have to be so dramatic? You're making this sound like a parting in life and death."

Nalan Sheng looked rather helpless. "I am, after all, the Prince Consort of the Dali Kingdom. Being my maidservant hardly wrongs you, does it?"

"Never mind. Hurry and give this antidote pill to Fourth Master Feng! Any later, and it may be too late."

With that, Nalan Sheng took out a Second-Rank Antidote Pill and tossed it to A Bi, who wore a long green dress.

A Bi instinctively caught the Second-Rank Antidote Pill. Not daring to hesitate for even a moment, she hurriedly slipped it into Feng Bo'e's mouth.

Gulp!

Once the Second-Rank Antidote Pill reached his stomach, Feng Bo'e, who had been unable to move, soon climbed up from the ground.

"Fourth Brother, are you all right now?"

At the sight, A Zhu could not help smiling a little. At least her sacrifice had not been in vain.

"Sister A Zhu, words of thanks can't repay such a great kindness."

Feng Bo'e cupped his hands toward A Zhu. "If you ever run into trouble, just say the word. I'll stake my life on helping you resolve it."

Although the scorpion venom had left Feng Bo'e unable to move a muscle, his awareness of his surroundings had not been greatly affected.

Thus, Feng Bo'e naturally knew that A Zhu had traded her freedom to Nalan Sheng for a Detoxifying Sacred Pill, pulling him back from the gates of death.

A Zhu had no intention of standing on ceremony with Feng Bo'e either. Smiling brightly, she said, "Then you'd better keep your word, Fourth Brother. If I run into trouble in the future, I really will come to you."

"Of course!"

Feng Bo'e nodded emphatically.

The less A Zhu stood on ceremony now, the more it eased the guilt in Feng Bo'e's heart.

"Ah!"

A Zhu suddenly cried out as Nalan Sheng slipped an arm around her slender waist and pulled her into his embrace.

"Rest completely assured. I never mistreat my own people."

Halfway through speaking, Nalan Sheng planted a kiss on A Zhu's jade-white cheek. "From now on, A Zhu belongs to me. I'll be too busy doting on her to ever bully her."

⁄(⁄⁄•⁄w⁄•⁄⁄)⁄

A Zhu had initially been deeply apprehensive, but after Nalan Sheng hugged and kissed her in front of everyone, embarrassment occupied her entirely. She wished she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into. How could she spare a thought for anything else?

Mu Wanqing rolled her eyes at Nalan Sheng in annoyance. Feeling a little jealous, she could not resist secretly pinching the soft flesh at his waist.

Zhong Ling, meanwhile, grinned foolishly, wearing the fond smile of an aunt watching a young couple.

"Tap, tap, tap..."

Just as Nalan Sheng was thoroughly enjoying teasing A Zhu, a jumble of footsteps suddenly sounded. Hundreds of ragged beggars emerged from every direction, surrounding them so tightly that not even water could slip through.

Bao BuTong's and Feng Bo'e's expressions changed sharply. Surrounded by so many members of the Beggar Gang, they could forget about taking Wang Yuyan and A Bi out of the encirclement. Even they themselves would probably be trapped here.

Qiao Feng narrowed his tiger-like eyes slightly, looking puzzled as he silently wondered, These gang members have always respected me. Usually, they hurry over to salute as soon as they spot me in the distance. Why isn't a single one calling me gang leader today?

Qiao Feng soon noticed what was wrong: among the hundreds of gang members before him, none of the senior figures he knew were present.

Apart from the Four Great Elders and Helmsman Jiang, who had arrived first, none of the others were there.

Could internal strife have suddenly broken out in the Beggar Gang? Have the transmission and enforcement elders and the branch helmsmen already fallen victim to foul play?

Qiao Feng's face betrayed nothing, but inside, his thoughts churned like towering waves in a raging sea.

Before Qiao Feng could make sense of the situation, the Long-Armed Elder suddenly shouted, "Form the Dog-Beating Formation!"

"Rustle, rustle..."

As soon as the Long-Armed Elder spoke, seventy or eighty beggars carrying clubs surrounded Nalan Sheng and his companions.

"..."

Nalan Sheng froze briefly at the sight, then turned to Qiao Feng. "Gang Leader Qiao, what is the meaning of this? Does your gang intend to catch us and the Murong Family's people in one net?"

"You misunderstand, Young Master Nalan. The Beggar Gang has no intention of making enemies of you."

Qiao Feng frowned slightly. "Stand down at once! Young Master Nalan is my friend, not an enemy!"

To Qiao Feng's surprise, however, the beggars surrounding Nalan Sheng and his companions acted as though they had not heard him.

"Gang Leader, this man just saved someone from the Murong Family, and he's also intimate with their maid. He's very likely

"a helper hired by the Murong Family. I think we should take them all down together."

The Long-Armed Elder snorted coldly. "Attack!!!"

Clack, clack, clack...

At the Long-Armed Elder's command, the beggars surrounding Nalan Sheng and his companions began beating their clubs together as they slowly closed in.

A cold glint flashed in Nalan Sheng's eyes. "Gang Leader Qiao, if you don't stop them now, don't blame me for disregarding your dignity and unleashing a slaughter!"