Chapter 157: A Couple Through Thick and Thin
Chapter 157: A Couple Through Thick and Thin
The Yu family was an academic family, and all the children were taught by tutors. Yu's grandfather was a famous scholar in Youzhou, and growing up surrounded by his influence, Yu also developed a sense of pride akin to that of an erudite scholar.
When she heard that she was to marry a merchant, Yu was displeased. However, the Yu and Meng families had been close for generations, and this marriage arrangement had been set in stone long ago, leaving no room for regret.
The years she spent in the Meng family felt like a nightmare. It was not where she belonged, and Meng Dalang was not the man of her dreams.
Fortunately, she later met Xie Huai'an, a man who had topped both the provincial and metropolitan imperial examinations. He was exceptionally talented, gentle, and elegant, and as the heir to a marquessate, he was the kind of man she felt worthy of marrying.
She only held scholars in high regard.
At first, when she heard that Lu Yuan was a Grand Commandant, she assumed he must be very capable. But it turned out that he hadn't even passed the imperial examinations.
As for Meng Qianqian...
The Meng family didn't teach her to read and write but instead trained her in fighting and killing. She paid no heed to whether it was appropriate for a woman or not; in her mind, a woman's place was at home, managing the household and teaching her children. For a woman to do a man's work would be a reversal of the natural order. Bing'er, on the other hand, was both talented and well-versed in the arts, proficient in playing the guqin, chess, calligraphy, and painting—these were the qualities a young lady of a prestigious family should possess.
After entering the mansion, Meng Qianqian realized that Lu Yuan hadn't left yet. With Banxia absent, he must have taken Baoshi to Tinglan Court.
"Finished?" Lu Yuan asked.
Meng Qianqian nodded. "I've caused trouble for the Grand Commandant."
The Marquis of Anyuan would surely not let this matter rest, and they might even come looking for him.
Lu Yuan replied nonchalantly, "The Princess of Wanping has also caused you trouble, so let's call it even."
Meng Qianqian smiled. Indeed, it was only fair to look at it that way.
Now, the two of them truly resembled a couple who had been through thick and thin together.
Lu Yuan and Meng Qianqian strolled back to the main courtyard. Meng Qianqian waited for him to enter first, but instead, he said, "This commander just remembered something. I have something to take care of and won't be back tonight."
Meng Qianqian responded with an 'oh' and didn't ask what it was about. She bowed to him and said, "Grand Commandant, take care."
Lu Yuan glanced at Meng Qianqian. "In the future, there's no need to bow to this commander."
Meng Qianqian was taken aback. "Hmm?"
Lu Yuan said expressionlessly, "What I mean is, it might blow our cover."
Meng Qianqian understood. "Yes, Xiao Jiu remembers."
Lu Yuan didn't return that night and didn't go to court the next day either.
Maid Li was worried that the new son-in-law had found a woman outside and was neglecting his newlywed wife by not coming home at night.
But Meng Qianqian wasn't worried. If Lu Yuan had a woman he admired, he wouldn't have gone through with the fake marriage to deal with the Miao border situation.
With Zhang Feihu and his soldiers returning to the border, her third uncle and the others heading back to Youzhou, and the grand wedding finally over, it was time for her to take care of her own matters.
"I'm going out."
"Sister, I want to go too!"
"You stay home."
The place she was going today wasn't suitable for Tan'er.
She changed into a light blue martial arts outfit and put on a conical hat and a veil to conceal her appearance.
She first wandered around the market, but as expected, she didn't see the assassin.
Then she went straight to the gambling house.
The last time she had seen the other party was here. The person had gone upstairs, but when she tried to follow, the employees had stopped her.
Meng Qianqian called one of the attendants and asked, "What are they gambling on upstairs?"
The attendant glanced at her and said, "Anyway, it's not something you can afford to bet on!"
"Interesting," said Meng Qianqian calmly, scanning the surroundings before choosing the busiest table.
The reason this table was so crowded was twofold: first, the game was simple, just betting on odd or even; second, there was a skilled gambler who had guessed correctly ten times in a row.
The crowd went from initial skepticism to blindly following the gambler's bets.
"No changing bets after they're placed! No changing bets!"
The dealer shouted.
"Young Master, big or small?"
A burly man asked.
The young master replied, "I bet big!"
The burly man quickly put up all his belongings as collateral: "Big!"
The crowd followed suit.
"Big! Big! Big! Big!"
The crowd shouted excitedly, while the young master remained calm and collected, exuding an air of confidence.
Meng Qianqian gently placed two gold ingots on the table and said, "Small."
The dealer looked at her in surprise, and the crowd turned to her with curious gazes.
In the gambling house, one could encounter all sorts of people, and it was not uncommon for women to frequent such places.
The crowd merely thought she was foolish. Hadn't the gambling master just said it would be a big roll?
No one bothered to remind her that they were there to gamble, not to perform charitable deeds.
The dealer lifted the cup, revealing the dice. "Three pips, small!"
Three dice, all showing one pip.
The crowd was stunned.
"But you said it would be big?"
The young master spread his hands in a shrug. "Just because I say so, doesn't mean it will be. Come on, this is a gambling table, not an exam hall. Besides, did I ask you to follow my bets?"
The burly man grabbed the young master by the collar, his face twisted in anger. "I lost it all because of you!"
The young master smiled faintly. "You followed my bets and won ten rounds in a row. If you had stopped then, you would have been fine. Your greed is your own fault."
"You—"
Before the burly man could throw a punch, one of the gambling house's bouncers dragged him out.
The young master continued, "Let's continue. This time, I bet on small."
Meng Qianqian said, "One thousand taels. Big."
The dealer revealed the dice—three sixes, a big roll.
Meng Qianqian added, "Five thousand taels. Big."
The dealer rolled the dice—a four, a six, and another six. Another big roll.
Meng Qianqian raised the stakes further. "Ten thousand taels. Big."
As the dealer lifted the cup, beads of cold sweat formed on his forehead.
He had tampered with the dice, so they should have shown a small roll. Why were there three sixes again?
The young master smiled at Meng Qianqian. "This time, I'll follow your bet."
Meng Qianqian took out a token given to her by Lu Yuan as part of her bride price. She didn't know its exact value, but when the young master and the dealer saw it, their expressions changed.
The dealer quickly said, "Miss, your bet is beyond what we can accommodate here. Please come with me upstairs."
Was she finally going to be allowed upstairs?
Meng Qianqian put the token away.
The attendant who had ignored her earlier now respectfully led her upstairs.
Downstairs, the place was bustling with people from all walks of life, with the scent of perfume and sweat filling the air. Upstairs, however, the atmosphere was entirely different.
The corridor was elegantly furnished and filled with the fragrant scent of sandalwood. The doors to the private rooms were closed, with only the occasional sound of dice shaking or tiles being shuffled leaking out.
There were a total of eight rooms, but only two were occupied.
The main hall gave the impression of a low-end gambling house, but upon reaching the second floor, one would discover that the doors were made of the finest yellow pear wood.
Even Wanru Tower couldn't compare to this.
The attendant led Meng Qianqian to the study at the end of the corridor and announced, "Fourth Young Master, your guest has arrived."
"Please come in," came a young man's voice from inside.
The attendant opened the door for Meng Qianqian. "Miss, please."
Meng Qianqian stepped into the room.
The door closed behind her with a soft thud.
Meng Qianqian's expression remained unchanged as she began to survey the room and the man sitting in a wheelchair.
The room was dimly lit, with the windows closed, and the strong scent of medicine mixed with sandalwood filled the air, creating an unpleasant aroma.
The man addressed as Fourth Young Master smiled at her. "So, it was you who almost ruined my business?"
Like Lu Yuan, he was the type to hide a knife behind a smile. However, while Lu Yuan's smile was enchanting and captivating, his was sinister.
"I'm looking for someone," Meng Qianqian stated.
(End of Chapter)
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