Prince Duan stared straight at Ning Chen and for a good while did not come back to himself.

Good God. One foot in the sky and one on the ground—the man had him completely thrown.

After a moment Prince Duan came to himself, shook Ning Chen's hand and laughed. "This prince did not misjudge you. You and I are of the same mind. A pleasure doing business."

When he let go he hurried to set the wine pot upright, with real pain in his face... that was Plum Blush he had brewed with his own hands.

"Your Highness said just now that you have a great deal of silver put by in Xiliang and in the Wu Kingdom. How much, exactly?"

Prince Duan looked at Ning Chen, who was smiling in a way that would give a fox a run for its money, and his eyes turned wary. "That is silver this prince earned. What is earned from here on belongs to the two of us."

Ning Chen made a face. "Then what other business does Your Highness have?"

Prince Duan's eyes stayed wary. "You aren't thinking of killing the donkey once the milling's done?"

Then that did not sound right, and he changed it at once. "You aren't thinking of tearing down the bridge once you're across?"

Ning Chen smiled. "Your Highness thinks far too little of Ning here. The truth is that out of everything you have said, only one line moved me."

"What line?"

"Your Highness said there is no grievance and no feud between us, and agreement wins for both sides... Ning here likes to think he still has a line he doesn't cross. But a single copper can stop a hero, and cutting off his own road to money is not a thing Ning here is capable of."

Prince Duan laughed. "You and this prince really are of one mind. Fond of silver and fond of beautiful women both. I hear Ning the Silver Coat spends eight nights in ten at the courtesans' quarter?"

"When this prince first came to Xiuzhou the household wasn't in…