Chapter 63 Selling him out to be a bad guy.
Zhi Guanyin was born in a brothel and is now the mistress of the gambling house owner.
She was beautiful, had good eyesight, and could roll the dice beautifully. Many gamblers came to gamble here because of her reputation. They were willing to lose thirty or fifty taels just to win her smile.
But most of the gamblers were unbridled and unrestrained. When they lost a lot, they would pester her to sleep with them, or they would report them to the police.
Sometimes, the gambling house owner would smile and try to mediate, and sometimes he would just sit aside and count the money, pretending to see nothing and turn a deaf ear to nothing.
When the Guanyin raged at him, he simply smiled and tried to appease him. Last time, two drunken merchants lost nearly a thousand taels. While hesitating whether to send someone to collect their money, they kept glancing dishonestly at the Guanyin's chest. The owner saw this and pushed the Guanyin into their arms. This angered the Guanyin, who immediately turned hostile and was slapped in the face by the owner.
The owner scolded her and said, "I have never treated you harshly. Why can you sell it in a brothel but not here?"
Zhi Guanyin suddenly felt sad and hateful.
Tired of the humiliation she endured in the brothels, she begged her owner to redeem her and live with him in the gambling den. She didn't ask for his undivided attention, but simply for his leniency and tolerance. To her surprise, he still considered her a prostitute and wanted her to engage in such degrading practices!
From then on, Zhi Guanyin wanted to get rid of him.
To do this, she needed to secretly save some money and also find a place to accommodate her.
Ji Caibing, the young master of Ji's Trading Company, is a man with sharp eyes and a sharp mind. He somehow sees through her predicament and wants to do business with her: Nanny Zhou, the cousin of the gambling house owner, works as a maid in an official family where the head of the family has died. Recently, Nanny Zhou tricked the only young master in the family into gambling, and the young master gradually became addicted. Nanny Zhou is sure that the housewife Zhao is a coward, and is thinking of joining forces with the gambling house owner to cheat the master of his property.
Ji Caibing said to Zhi Guanyin, "The Jiang family's wife has discovered this. If she reports it to the authorities and arrests us, the gambling house won't get a penny. But she doesn't want her property confiscated, so she asked me to make a deal with you."
Zhi Guanyin looked at her and said, "I'd like to hear more about it."
Ji Caibing said, "Wait for Madam Zhou to bring the young master here. I'll kidnap Madam Zhou, and you can trick that kid into signing an IOU to use the house deed to pay off his gambling debts. When you get the house deed, return it to me, and I'll pay you five hundred taels."
Zhi Guanyin asked, "Aren't you afraid that I might get angry and refuse to give you the deed?"
Ji Caibing said, "First, even if you covet the deed, you won't get anything. Second, the Jiang family's wife is backed by the Xie family. I'm afraid anyone with the guts to take the Jiang family's wealth would risk their life to take it. Of course, it would be better for you and me to sign a deed first."
Ji Caibing borrowed Xie San's power to bully others, and finally convinced Zhi Guanyin. She nodded and said, "Okay, after this is done, I hope Madam Ji will protect me a little."
Today is the day we have agreed to take action.
Just now, Zhi Guanyin had a conflict with a dishonest gambler and was slapped by the boss. Now the boss came to apologize. Zhi Guanyin sat in front of the dressing mirror and wiped her tears. She took out some ice and slowly applied it along her swollen face, and then used rouge to cover up the sadness.
Her luggage was packed. As soon as she received the five hundred taels, she would leave the gambling house immediately, even if it meant not having to sell her indentures and becoming an illegal resident incognito.
At this moment, someone suddenly knocked on her door: "Excuse me, is this Lady Guanyin?"
The voice was that of a young, calm, and unfamiliar woman. Zhi Guanyin was immediately alert and grabbed the scissors on the dressing table. "Who?"
"My name is Zi Su," the girl said in a gentle voice, "My master wants to see you."
＊
In the brothels where there is debauchery and debauchery and where dignitaries are everywhere, Zhi Guanyin has met many noble people.
But their nobility lies in their silken clothes and proud conversation, unlike the one in front of him. Although his servants are all dressed simply, their every move is lazy and relaxed, like a crane preening its feathers, with an indescribable dignity.
Unable to guess his origins, Zhi Guanyin quietly raised her eyes to observe him. Through the half-beaded curtain, she first caught sight of a slender hand, its knuckles slightly bent, slowly tapping the armchair. The deep purple armchair was already quite old, speckled with dings and scuffs, but beneath the long fingers, carved from fat and jade, it seemed to glow with life, a precious instrument with a unique ancient charm.
Guanyin is good at playing dice and is very knowledgeable about palmistry. Maybe clothes can deceive people, but hands cannot.
Looking at his hands, the joints are straight and smooth, and the palms of his hands have no wear and tear from holding weapons for a long time, so he is not a warrior; his skin is as white as jade, and his middle fingers have no thin calluses from often holding pens, so he is not a civil official either.
Lustrous and smooth like jade, without calloused fat; pampered and comfortable, not a tool for serving others—
He must be a very respectable and noble person who does not do anything himself.
Zhi Guanyin was startled. She didn't dare to look up at the man's face. She stood respectfully with her head bowed, her eyes wandering only to the hem of his robe. "I wonder what you want me to do, sir?"
The man spoke slowly, his voice soft and calm, yet with a cold, icy air:
"The young master of the Jiang family lost a lot of money in your shop, right?"
Zhi Guanyin answered honestly: "Yes, but this matter has nothing to do with me. I should ask the boss about it."
"Madam Jiang, Shopkeeper Ji, the person you're looking for is you."
Upon hearing this, Zhi Guanyin felt a chill on her back: "I didn't know this would offend your Excellency..."
"It's okay, just tell the truth."
Zhi Guanyin had no choice but to bite the bullet and explain her plan to Ji Caibing in detail.
After she finished speaking, she heard the leader chuckle softly. It wasn't dissatisfaction or sneer, but rather a hint of tenderness. "She really took my advice to heart."
He said to Zhi Guanyin, "After doing this, I'm afraid the boss won't tolerate you. How long can Manager Ji protect you? Do you want to take back your contract of sale, or even take over this gambling house?"
Upon hearing this, Zhi Guanyin's heart was pounding. Her first reaction was not to question the other party's ability, but to fear the price she would pay for it.
"But my lord, although I am of low rank, I know that trust is the most important thing. I promised Manager Ji..."
"You handle her business as she pleases. I have other instructions."
The man in the lead spoke calmly, yet with a hint of murderous intent: "After this is accomplished, I will help you kill the boss."
＊
As soon as Jiang Congqian entered the gambling house, Congying and Ji Caibing followed him quietly.
Ji Caibing pointed Jiang Congqian, who was gambling happily, to Zhi Guanyin. She was thinking about finding someone to deal with Nanny Zhou and did not notice the hesitation that flashed across Zhi Guanyin's face.
Cong Ying saw it and frowned slightly.
The Guanyin said, "Please wait a moment, I will leave now."
She went to talk to Jiang Congqian. At first, Jiang Congqian didn't care. But after she helped him win a few games with the Guanyin throwing game, his eyes turned from suspicion to admiration.
Moreover, Zhi Guanyin was so kind and gentle, praising him endlessly, that Jiang Congqian soon began to feel dizzy and slammed the banknotes given by Cong Ying on the table. Zhi Guanyin lowered her head and whispered something to him, and Jiang Congqian shouted with shining eyes, "Bet on big! All bets on big!"
Cong Ying hid behind the screen on the second floor, looking up and down the gambling house, observing anyone with suspicious behavior.
Among the crowd of beastly gamblers dressed in colorful clothes and decorated with gold and shouting loudly, she suddenly caught a glimpse of a cool light purple color, and walked briskly into the private room on the second floor with tea.
Ying's eyelids twitched slightly: Why is Zi Su here? Could it be...
After thinking for a while, she tiptoed away from the screen and walked to the private room where Zi Su had entered. She was trying to peek at the people in the room through the gap in the side window, but the door suddenly opened from the inside.
Zi Su seemed to have expected her coming and said with a smile, "Madam Jiang, His Highness invites you."
Cong Ying felt embarrassed and had to follow her inside. Through the raised pearl curtain, she saw Prince Jin looking at her tenderly and lovingly, with a smile of triumph in his phoenix eyes that shone with pure jade.
"Your Highness, how are you?" Cong Ying bowed from behind the pearl curtain. "Why is Your Highness here?"
Seeing that she did not come forward, the King of Jin supported himself on his jade staff and slowly stepped forward to greet her: "Come and watch the fun."
Cong Ying asked, "Are you here to see the excitement in my house?"
She recalled an anecdote King Jin had told her on Ghost Crying Peak: a son disliked by his stepfather, who teamed up with gamblers in a gambling den to win back his mother's dowry from his compulsive stepfather. This story inspired Cong Ying, leading her to change her previous life's decision to confiscate the Jiang residence, even though she would rather destroy everything.
Thinking of this, she looked at Prince Jin with a strange look in her eyes: "Could it be that Your Highness had already anticipated this day?"
It was such a coincidence that it was no wonder she thought too much.
The King of Jin spoke in a gentle voice, like a jade: "Don't be angry, I'm not here to disturb you, it's just that I haven't seen you for a long time and I miss you, so I came to see you, come-"
Prince Jin held out his hand to her. Cong Ying stared at his slender, jade-like knuckles, feeling a conflict between her conscience and her desires.
She had to admit that she was deeply moved. She was surprised to see him here, but she felt relieved. But what was this? Was she having a secret meeting with someone behind Saburo's back?
Besides, she even rejected Sanlang, and she didn't want Prince Jin to witness her family's troubles with his own eyes.
Seeing her indifference, the Prince of Jin changed his invitation to a request, raising his arm to invite her to take a seat. "I can't stand any longer, Ah Ying. There are so many people downstairs, why don't you stay here with me? You'll have a better view."
Cong Ying sighed silently and could only say, "Thank you, Your Highness."
The two sat down opposite each other behind the pearl curtain. Zi Su served tea and then retreated outside the curtain to wait, observing with his ears and nose, and with his nose and heart, without listening or watching too much, but just apologizing to Mr. Xie San in his heart.
Cong Ying had to admit that the place chosen by King Jin was indeed good. He only needed to raise his hand and push open a crack in the window to have a clear view of the gambling game on the first floor.
Jiang Congqian had just won two hundred taels, only to lose it all with interest. Frantic, he began to ask fellow gamblers for money. Impatient with the young man, they pushed him, but he was supported by the scattering Guanyin. She wiped Jiang Congqian's sweat with a handkerchief and whispered something to him with pity.
Behind Ying, there was the crisp sound of chess pieces falling. The King of Jin said, "It's a relief that Xie San isn't here to interrupt us. Ying, would you like to play a game of handicraft?"
Cong Ying silently told herself to walk upright and sit straight, not to have any distracting thoughts, and not to let Sanlang down.
After a while, I heard a lonely sigh behind me, and the barriers in my heart collapsed in an instant like a city wall built on soft soil.
She turned around, picked up a chess piece, lowered her eyelashes, and whispered, "Your Highness really is here to watch me have fun."
Prince Jin smiled and said, "How could that be?"
The two exchanged moves, their moves evenly matched. If they weren't in such a crowded place, they would have looked like a pair of lovers gambling on books and spilling tea. The Prince of Jin was as skilled at chess as Xie Xuanlan, and Cong Ying had to concentrate completely to win the game. He didn't win until the chessboard was completely filled with pieces.
The King of Jin threw the remaining pieces back into the chess basket: "I fought hard but was defeated. I am convinced."
The sound of a cuckoo came from outside the window, and Ying suddenly came back to her senses.
This was the voice made by Ji Caibing, and it was urgent, as if he was looking for her everywhere. This meant that the Guanyin throwing game had been successful, and Jiang Congqian had successfully written an IOU to pay off his gambling debts with the house deed.
Looking down from the window, Zhi Guanyin smiled and accepted the IOU, but did not turn around to report to Ji Caibing. Instead, he continued to persuade Jiang Congqian to be the banker and start the game.
Cong Ying felt something was wrong. Where would Jiang Congqian get the money to gamble now?
Suddenly, Jiang Congqian whispered something, and the gambling crowd downstairs erupted in cheers, some bursting into laughter, others scorning him.
"He actually wants to bet on his own mother!"
"Good boy, you are such a filial son!"
"How much is his mother worth? Is it enough to be a banker?"
The loud discussions among the crowd reached the private room on the second floor. Zong Ying gasped and her expression changed instantly.
Zi Guanyin pulled the blushing Jiang Congqian over and laughed heartily to smooth things over: "Don't laugh, everyone. I've seen this young man's mother. She was once the most beautiful woman in Xuzhou's music bureau, and now she's even more charming and stunning. Compared to her, I'm just a plain old Dong Shi! Stunning beauty is a priceless treasure. If you're not convinced, just win this round and see!"
Hearing this, Cong Ying's blood boiled. He slammed the window frame and said, "What a beast!"
She turned to go downstairs, but was stopped by Prince Jin: "Aying."
Cong Ying stared at him steadily: "Is this His Highness's idea? Did His Highness bribe Zhi Guanyin?"
King Jin admitted frankly: "That's right."
Cong Ying didn't think he would deliberately humiliate her, but after thinking about it, she couldn't understand: "Why? What does my family affairs have to do with His Highness? What benefit does this matter have to His Highness?"
The King of Jin said, "You only caused him to lose all his wealth, but you didn't kill him completely. This would only bring trouble to yourself. Although the wealth is in your hands, can you bear to watch them starve? I also want to respect your choice, but Ah Ying... you are too soft-hearted."
Just as the Lord of the Crimson Cloud Crown said: Even if a person is smart, excessive wisdom will lead to harm.
Since Aying couldn't bear it, he had to be the bad guy for her.
Cong Ying questioned him, "Does it mean I have to watch this rebellious son betray his biological mother and even add fuel to the fire in order to be considered decisive?"
The King of Jin consoled her, saying, "It's not necessary to come to this. Please sit still and wait for another round."
As Cong Ying stormed out, the King of Jin picked up a piece of perilla and placed it on the plate: "Perilla."
Zi Su stood in front of Cong Ying, looking rather embarrassed: "If your Highness doesn't allow me, I can't let my wife go."
The sound of a cuckoo came closer and closer. It was Ji Caibing who had found her on the second floor. Cong Ying was delighted and quickly shouted, "Cai--wuwu!"
Zi Su quickly covered her mouth and "invited" her back behind the bead curtain.
The sound of "cuckoo cuckoo" lingered outside the window for a few times and then gradually faded away. From the firefly's eyes, Ji Caibing ran down the stairs to the second floor and soon disappeared.
Only then did Zi Su let her go and apologized to her. Cong Ying covered her face in frustration.
The cheers from downstairs continued, rising higher and higher. Finally, Ying heard someone shout:
"He lost! He lost again!"
"This time I'm a motherless child!"
"Ah! Let's go and see the beautiful woman!"
Two lines of clear tears dripped down Cong Ying's palm, one by one blooming on her skirt. Zi Su had withdrawn without knowing when, and the King of Jin walked in front of her, grasped her wrist, and forcibly removed her covering.
He knelt down in front of Cong Ying, wiped the tears from her face with the corner of his sleeve, and gently stroked her eyes with his fingertips.
In the past, his gentle and peaceful gaze concealed his true color. Now that their eyes were so close, Cong Ying realized that the color of his pupils was unfathomable, like towering ice and snow hidden in the long night, filled with a depth and ruthlessness that was inconsistent with his age.
However, his tone was exceptionally gentle and soft:
"Of course, all this is my fault, my sin, but I have to do it, and I am happy with it."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
