Chapter 171 Coveted by Many

Bai Cheng leaned back leisurely against the sofa, then raised an eyebrow slightly, a faint smile lingering in his eyes as he said, "Believe it or not, this matter actually requires your help. Isn't the auction taking place in a few days? There is a lot in that auction that I must get my hands on."

"Then Young Master Bai might as well tell us, what exactly is this item you are so eager to acquire?" Shao Bin was indifferent at first, casually picking up a glass of wine from the edge of the coffee table and taking a sip.

A gleam of unreadable intent flashed in Bai Cheng's eyes as he continued, "A sacred detoxifying herb called the Universe Herb will be up for auction. I need to buy this herb, and I need your help to lend me some money."

As his voice trailed off, the two men in the private room froze for a moment. Shao Bin, in particular, furrowed his brows slightly before speaking with nonchalant indifference, "Although your Bai family cannot compare to the Dong family, you are still a medical dynasty with decades of history. Can't you even afford to win an ordinary herb at an auction? Why do you need to borrow money from us?"

"On that point, you are quite mistaken. This is no ordinary herb; it is the sacred detoxifying herb, the Universe Herb. One of my elder sisters accidentally poisoned herself while testing medicinal ingredients, and now she is in critical condition. That is why I need this herb to save her life," Bai Cheng said with a slight frown.

At this point, the other man quickly asked, "Your elder sister? Could it be your cousin Bai Yan? I heard that your cousin has been studying traditional Chinese medicine since she was a child and often tests medicines on her own body to explore their properties. Could it be that she is the one who was poisoned?"

Since it had already come to this, and sitting before him were his two good friends and sworn brothers, Bai Cheng sighed and nodded without hiding the truth. "That's right, it's my cousin Bai Yan."

Upon hearing this, the man who had just asked—Zhou Ning, the only son of the Zhou family—was deeply shocked. A trace of undisguised anxiety flashed across his eyes as he blurted out, "What? Your cousin Bai Yan has actually been poisoned? How is her condition right now? How many days can she hold on?"

Seeing that the anxiety on his face was genuine, Bai Cheng was stunned for a moment. This was the first time he realized that his close friend Zhou Ning cared so deeply for his cousin Bai Yan.

Sighing honestly, Bai Cheng said, "You know that although our family's pharmaceutical business cannot compare to the Dong family's, we have been in the trade for over a dozen years, and we keep some fine medicines in our household. Therefore, as soon as my cousin was poisoned, she was immediately treated by the elders of the family. Although she hasn't regained consciousness, fortunately, she can still hold on for a few days. That is why we must secure this Universe Herb."

Now that matters had reached this point, Shao Bin and Zhou Ning naturally had no objections. They nodded, assuring Bai Cheng that they would give him their full support at the auction to help him acquire the herb.

However, Shao Bin also asked with a hint of perplexity, "Logically speaking, it shouldn't be that difficult for the Bai family to secure this herb. Why are you making such a solemn request for our help?"

"You are quite clever indeed. If no one else coveted this Universe Herb, it wouldn't be too difficult for our Bai family to win it. The catch is that word has also spread from the Dong family indicating that they are determined to get their hands on this herb," Bai Cheng said, twisting his brow. If not for receiving this intelligence, how could the dignified Bai family ever seek outside help? Although they had clashed with the Dong family in business many times over the years, they had lost far more than they won, and they still held considerable wariness toward the Dong family.

Moreover, the Universe Herb was of paramount importance to the Bai family right now. If the Dong family truly intended to contend with them for it, relying on the Dong family's strength meant their chances of obtaining the herb were slim.

Because of this, Bai Cheng, acting as the representative of the Bai family, wanted to enlist the help of the Shao and Zhou families. Although these two families were not massive, uniting three families together would at least give them a fighting chance against the Dong family.

"Strange. I heard that the Dong family has a daughter suffering from congenital heart disease. Could it be that this herb is intended for her?" Zhou Ning's family was also a traditional Chinese medicine dynasty with a long history. Years ago, elders from his family had been invited by the Dong family to treat Dong Weiyi's daughter, Dong Shien, so he was somewhat familiar with the situation.

Bai Cheng simply shook his head, his eyes narrowing with a probing gleam as he sighed, "That's not it. The Universe Herb is a sacred detoxifying herb, and Dong Weiyi's daughter isn't poisoned. I heard that his determination to secure this herb is somehow related to the recently rising Cunshan Hall."

The moment the three words "Cunshan Hall" echoed in the private room, Shao Bin's drinking motion abruptly paused. He stiffly set his wine glass down on the table and tentatively asked, "Young Master Bai, what did you say? The Dong family's pursuit of that Universe Herb is related to Cunshan Hall?"

"That's what the intelligence report says anyway. I'm not entirely clear on the details, but it's likely true. By the way, your Shao family also seemed to have close contact with the Dong family recently. Don't you know any inside information?" Bai Cheng turned the spearhead toward Shao Bin, asking probeingly.

Shao Bin shook his head, claiming ignorance, and hastily steered the conversation away. Sensing that Bai Cheng no longer wished to dwell on such heavy topics, he clapped his hands. The door to the private room swung open, and three or four graceful, alluring women walked in.

Before long, the three men were immersed in a world of intoxicating decadence. Accompanied by beauties, all their worries were cast to the back of their minds, and they enjoyed themselves to the fullest.

Yet, perhaps because of those three words—Cunshan Hall—a string remained tightly wound in Shao Bin's mind from beginning to end. Finding no pleasure in his drinking, he perfunctorily went along with the mood for a little while before hastily taking his leave and returning home.

Seeing her son return at such an early hour, Xiao Rou felt somewhat surprised. "Did you not have a good time with your friends? Why are you back so early?"

"Mom, where is Dad? I need to talk to him about something," Shao Bin said with a furrowed brow. Noticing the strange look on his face, Xiao Rou pointed upstairs and said, "Your Dad has been in the study handling work. What do you need to talk to him about?"

Without offering any explanation, Shao Bin strode straight upstairs. Reaching the study, he cleared his throat first before knocking on the door. Upon hearing an authoritative voice from within, he pushed the door open and stepped inside.

"What do you want?" Shao Siming glanced at him indifferently, showing complete disinterest.