"You can't just say such things casually," Li Wanming said with a smile on her lips as she sat there calmly. "According to the rules of Mingyue Gambling House, cheaters will have their hands and feet chopped off. I don't have the guts to do that..."
At this point, she seemed to remember something. She looked over with a faint smile, her eyes as cold as a piercing cold wind. "What was it you said just now, sir? If you lost, you'd pay me five thousand taels of silver!"
The wealthy merchant's face turned pale, and his voice trembled involuntarily. "She must be cheating! Otherwise, how could it be so coincidental that she got the Emperor cards in both hands?"
Li Wanming let out a sigh and pushed the cards in front of her forward. She stared intently at the dealer across the table. "His words imply that there's something wrong with your cards."
The dealer's face darkened. "Mingyue Gambling House never cheats, and all our gambling tools are flawless."
He turned to the wealthy merchant and said, "If you don't believe me, you can check them yourself. But please allow me to remind you that if you find nothing wrong, according to the rules of Mingyue Gambling House, you'll have to leave one of your hands here."
"I... I didn't say that..." the obese merchant shrieked. His face was as pale as paper, and beads of sweat the size of soybeans dripped from his forehead. "I'm saying she's cheating! This woman is cheating!"
Li Wanming gently rolled up her sleeves, revealing her snow - white wrists. There was nothing on her wrists except a black mountain jade bracelet.
Seeing her action, the young man in brocade clothes said directly without waiting for the dealer to speak, "I don't know her!"
The gaunt old man also said stiffly, "I don't know her either!"
Li Wanming withdrew her hand and pretended to sigh with difficulty. "You see, I'm not an accomplice."
"Think about it. As a woman, how could I possibly cheat right under the nose of Mingyue Gambling House? You keep accusing me of cheating. Are you indirectly saying that our dealer here has poor eyesight?"
The dealer's face took on a subtle expression, and there was a glint of cold light in his eyes. He paused for a moment and then placed an eight - treasure - shaped glass dice cup on the table.
"In this round, this lady wins."
The obese merchant's body trembled violently. Sweat trickled down his triple chin, soaking a dark stain on his ginger - yellow silk robe, as if it was stained with some disgusting dirt.
"No... This can't be..."
His short, thick fingers clung tightly to the edge of the table, and his turbid eyes almost popped out of their sockets.
Li Wanming lifted the corner of her lips slightly, with a faint smile in her eyes and brows. "A gambler must accept defeat." She turned to Xiao Jingbai and lifted her chin slightly, signaling, "Collect the money."
"Ah? Oh... Yes, yes, yes..." Xiao Jingbai finally woke up from his dream at this moment. He hurriedly stood up and fumbled to grab the silver notes.
"Wait!" The wealthy merchant suddenly sprang up. His fat palm slapped hard on the table, and there was a fierce look in his eyes. "You think you can take money from me..."
"What, are you a sore loser?"
The young man in brocade clothes raised his eyebrows slightly, with a half - smile on his lips. "Should I carve the words 'A gambler must accept defeat' on your face? If you don't have such tolerance, don't enter the gambling house in the future!"
The wealthy merchant's fleshy face immediately turned as red as pig liver, and his arrogant demeanor wilted instantly.
Li Wanming said softly, "Thank you for your concession," and then swaggered away with Xiao Jingbai.
Outside, the sun was shining brightly, and the spring breeze was gentle, which diluted the cloying sweet fragrance on their bodies a lot.
"Cousin - in - law, how did you..." Xiao Jingbai was both surprised and delighted. Just as he was about to say something, Li Wanming hissed and pulled him forward quickly. "Don't talk."
"What's wrong?" Xiao Jingbai hugged the silver notes in his arms tightly and asked fearfully.
Li Wanming didn't answer. She tugged at his sleeve and walked faster and faster, as if the wind was under her feet. It wasn't until they turned into a small alley in front that she pulled him down to crouch behind a row of water vats.
"Cousin - in - law..." Xiao Jingbai said weakly.
Li Wanming frowned slightly and hissed again, "Don't talk!"
Through the gaps between the water vats, Xiao Jingbai saw several thugs with fierce looks on their faces rushing over in a hurry. "There's no one here! What about over there? Go and check!"
The leader was actually the obese wealthy merchant from the gambling table.
His fleshy face trembled, and he pointed his gold - inlaid silk fan in the direction of the alley entrance. "Search separately! That bitch and the brat can't have gone far!"
"Sir, there's no one here!"
"Humph! That bitch runs quite fast! You guys go and search over there. You must catch that bitch for me today!"
The wealthy merchant kicked over a bamboo basket by the roadside, startling a few sparrows looking for food.
Xiao Jingbai was so scared that his face turned pale. He tightly covered his mouth and didn't dare to make a sound.
After a while, it got quiet outside. Only then did Li Wanming lead him out from behind the water vats.
"Cousin - in - law, they..."
Li Wanming said, "It's nothing. They lost five thousand taels for no reason. How could they let it go easily?"
"If they rob the money back after leaving the gambling house, they can just make it look like they were robbed. It doesn't violate the rules of the gambling house, and the gambling house won't care."
"Are they so arrogant?" Xiao Jingbai was stunned for a moment and then said anxiously, "Then shouldn't we go back quickly and call for help?"
"Don't be in a hurry." Li Wanming pursed her lips and smiled. "We're almost there."
She led Xiao Jingbai slowly to the alley entrance and counted softly, "One, two, three, four..."
Before she could count many numbers, they heard a shrill scream like a pig being slaughtered from the alley ahead.
Xiao Jingbai quickly took a few steps forward and poked his head out from behind the wall. He saw the obese body of the wealthy merchant curled up on the ground. The gold - inlaid silk fan was broken into two pieces, and the scattered fan bones glinted coldly in the sunlight.
The strong men beside him were also lying on the ground, struggling but unable to get up.
"Sir, please spare my life! Spare me!" The wealthy merchant was in tears and begged repeatedly. "I was blind... Please tell me which gang you guys belong to... Let me die in peace..."
"Upholding justice on behalf of heaven. Do you think you're worthy of asking my name?"
Several men in black stood like ghosts in the shadows. The leader sneered and then raised his leg and stomped on the wealthy merchant's arm, breaking it.
The wealthy merchant immediately let out a scream, and his fleshy face twisted into a mess.
The man pressed harder with his foot, his voice getting colder. "If you ever harass a decent woman again, you can forget about your other arm too!"
...
Li Wanming watched the end of the fight coldly. She gently patted Xiao Jingbai's shoulder. "Okay, they won't come after us anymore. Let's go back to the mansion."
She led Xiao Jingbai back onto the long street. The sunlight fell on her face, creating a layer of fine golden light. The white jade hairpin in her hair bun was shining brightly, like the rippling water in the spring breeze.
Xiao Jingbai looked at her face,欲言又止 (wanted to say something but hesitated).
He was extremely confused. There were countless questions swirling in his mind, but he didn't know where to start.