Chapter 132 The Big Fish Takes the Bait
Meng Jinyao looked puzzled, her eyes filled with confusion and a hint of interest. She stared at Li Cheng, who was bruised and battered, for a long time before finally nodding her head: "Fine, I don't have anything else to do today anyway, so I'll just listen to your nonsense and pass the time."
Upon hearing this, Li Cheng secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Apart from his eldest daughter, who had become the wife of a marquis, he really couldn't find another person who could pay off his gambling debts.
If he can't produce five thousand taels within ten days, he really will be beaten to death.
The lady would certainly not help him, but the eldest daughter, who knows the situation, might help him. He is the lady's confidant, and the eldest daughter has a grudge against the lady. Maybe she can use him for something?
This was his only source of confidence.
Li Cheng sat in the front seat of the carriage, next to the coachman, and followed Meng Jinyao to a teahouse.
After entering the private room, Meng Jinyao sat down and looked at Li Cheng with a leisurely air. Li Cheng had a decent appearance and looked respectable. At first glance, you really couldn't tell that he was a gambler. No wonder she hadn't noticed this problem before.
She asked curiously, "Manager Li, you could have just asked my mother about this. I really don't understand why you would bypass my mother and come directly to me for help?"
Li Cheng knelt down with a thud: "Young lady, only you can help me with this matter."
Meng Jinyao chuckled as if she had heard a joke, and said, "That's strange. My good mother and Granny Qiao have a deep bond. Granny Qiao even almost lost her life to save her. If you and Granny Qiao ask her, how could she not help you?"
Li Cheng replied, "Young lady, back then, in order to repay your money, Madam pawned her entire dowry. Now that the Yongchang Marquis's mansion has declined, it's impossible for her to take out so much money from the mansion to repay my debts."
As he spoke, he recalled his new gambling buddies. Back then, he always won at gambling, and many people envied his good luck. With Lin Dashan egging him on, he became somewhat arrogant, his gambling addiction intensified, and he dreamed of winning even more money.
As a result, he lost all the money he had won over the past few days. Then, thinking he could turn things around, he lost all the profits from the previous quarter. He lost his temper and couldn't resist. Now that he has come to his senses, it's too late.
He looked remorseful and continued, "Moreover, I have made the wrong friends. They persuaded me to use the estate's last quarter's income for gambling. If Madam finds out, she will certainly not let me off the hook."
Meng Jinyao listened to Li Cheng's words with a calm heart. This was part of her plan, but on the surface she still looked at Li Cheng with a look of astonishment and said incredulously, "Manager Li, I really didn't expect you to be so bold. But you're telling me all this, aren't you afraid I'll tell my dear mother? Although I have a grudge against her, it seems quite nice to see you people fighting among yourselves."
Upon hearing this, Li Cheng panicked and kowtowed several times, pleading, "Young lady, please save me! I will repay your great kindness by serving you like a slave."
Meng Jinyao raised an eyebrow and asked in a low voice, "You and Granny Qiao are both my mother's confidantes. What benefit would I get from helping you? I'd pay off your gambling debts of five thousand taels, and the income hole from the estate would be another thousand taels, making a total of six thousand taels. That's no small sum. What do you have that would make me spend six thousand taels on you?"
Li Cheng immediately pledged his loyalty: "As long as Miss needs my help, I will be at your beck and call."
Meng Jinyao looked down at him, seemingly assessing his worth. After a while, she shook her head in boredom, then suddenly stood up and casually said, "Your mother is Sun's confidante. You and your son have always been loyal to her, and Sun even made you the manager of the estate. But now you've turned against me for money. Who knows, you might betray me for money next time too."
As soon as he finished speaking, Li Cheng's heart sank. Panic surged into his mind. If this matter were to reach his mother's ears, even she probably couldn't save him. Perhaps out of consideration for their past master-servant relationship, she would not pursue the matter of him shifting the estate's income, but she would not help him repay the five thousand taels. He would still be doomed.
He raised three fingers and swore a solemn oath: "Young lady, I swear that I will be loyal to you from now on and will never have any other thoughts. If I betray you, may I be struck by lightning."
Meng Jinyao remained unmoved: "If swearing a poisonous oath were effective, people would probably be struck by lightning every day." As she spoke, she turned to Qingqiu and Ningdong, "It's getting late, let's go have lunch first."
The three of them, master and servants, started to leave the private room.
Seeing this, Li Cheng instantly fell into deep despair and felt extremely regretful. He used to go to gambling dens from time to time, but he had never tried to gamble such a large sum. He really didn't know how he had become so obsessed and unable to extricate himself from it.
Qingqiu suddenly said, "Madam, Steward Li may not be of much use and is not worth spending six thousand taels of silver on. But perhaps Granny Qiao is worth it?"
Upon hearing this, Meng Jinyao paused, turned to look at Li Cheng who was still kneeling on the ground, and seemed to waver.
Li Cheng seemed to see a glimmer of hope in his despair, looking at Meng Jinyao with longing, hoping she would change her mind.
Meng Jinyao stared at Li Cheng for a moment, then gently shook her head, saying dismissively, "Granny Qiao was loyal to Madam Sun. She almost lost her life to save Madam Sun back then, so how could she betray Madam Sun for Steward Li?"
Upon hearing this, Li Cheng's hope was dashed once again.
Qingqiu seemed to be deep in thought, and replied, "Madam, Steward Li is Granny Qiao's only child, her own flesh and blood. Perhaps he would turn against you for his own son?"
Li Cheng felt a glimmer of hope rekindle.
Meng Jinyao seemed to be seriously considering Qingqiu's words, and asked in a low voice, "Manager Li, how deep is your relationship with Granny Qiao and her son?"
Li Cheng hurriedly replied, "My mother has always treated me very well and loves me dearly."
He was telling the truth. His mother did love him, but she was also extremely loyal to the madam. He just didn't know if his mother would betray the madam for him and work for the eldest daughter.
However, the kindness that the lady had shown to her mother back then was something her mother had almost repaid with her life. How could her master be more important than her own son?
Meng Jinyao frowned slightly, deep in thought. After Li Cheng had been anxiously waiting for a long time, she finally spoke: "Manager Li, I suddenly remembered that I really have something that I need Granny Qiao to do. If this is done well, it will be worth six thousand taels of silver."
She paused, glanced at Li Cheng, and continued, "However, whether or not I save you will have to wait until I see Granny Qiao. If she agrees, I will pay off your five thousand taels of gambling debt and make up for the one thousand taels of income from the estate. If she doesn't agree, I won't force you. I will pretend I didn't hear what Steward Li said to me today, and I won't mention it to Madam Sun."
In this short period of time, Li Cheng's emotions fluctuated wildly. When Meng Jinyao finally agreed to help him, he was overjoyed and relieved, and his back was already soaked with cold sweat.
He replied respectfully, "Young lady, when do you have time? I will invite my mother over to see you."
Meng Jinyao thought for a moment and said calmly, "Tomorrow."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com