Selection banquet
The gambling den was called Wan Jin Fang, and it was located just one street away from Xi Xiang Ju.
It is said that it was originally called Wan Jin Fang, but business was dismal, so the owner sold it to the current owner's wife.
The proprietress felt that the previous name was too straightforward and didn't sound good, so she changed it to the current Wan Jin Fang.
Everyone initially thought that a woman couldn't possibly run a gambling den well, and they were all waiting to see her fail.
Who knew that she would actually run Wan Jin Fang so successfully, with business booming almost every night.
"Lord Shen, how about we go in and play a couple of rounds?" Zhu Qinghe asked the person next to her as she stood in front of Wanjinfang.
Zhu Qinghe originally thought that someone as serious as Shen Wumei would definitely educate her strictly.
Unexpectedly, he countered with, "You know how to play?"
Zhu Qinghe: "..." Of course she wouldn't.
Although she lived a very unconventional life, she had never actually gambled.
Watching Shen Wumei stride confidently into the gambling den, Zhu Qinghe felt a little uneasy.
Once inside, Zhu Qinghe realized she had been overthinking things.
How could a dignified Lord Shen possibly touch this?
Once the token is issued, who can rival it?
Almost forgot that she had a powerful backer to rely on now. Zhu Qinghe waited until the gamblers inside had run away in a panic before she leisurely walked in with a sense of pride.
It seems that having official status is quite useful.
The gambling den owner looked quite ordinary, but when she smiled, wrinkles appeared at the corners of her eyes, though it was a fake smile.
"You two officials have quite the grand procession; it has scared away all my guests."
Zhu Qinghe really couldn't bear the title of "official," so she silently stood a little further away. However, Shen Wumei stretched out his long arm and pulled her over directly, giving her no chance to dodge.
Seeing that the proprietress's gaze had shifted to her, Zhu Qinghe had no choice but to speak up: "Proprietress, we've come to you to understand the situation."
"Wang Ji?" To everyone's surprise, the gambling den owner seemed completely unfamiliar with Wang Ji.
"I don't know the people you're talking about."
Don't know them? How could that be? Is Shui Hong lying to them?
Zhu Qinghe and Shen Wumei exchanged a glance, confirming the information once again.
"You're He Niang, the owner of the gambling den, right?"
The proprietress looked puzzled: "I am indeed the owner of the gambling den, but my name is Chen Cui, and everyone around me calls me Sister Cui."
She wasn't He Niang, so who was the He Niang that Shui Hong told them about?
The clues have led us here, but seem to have gone cold again.
The emerald green tea rippled gently in the white porcelain cup, and Yinluoha listlessly placed the tea lid back on the rim of the cup.
"Aunt He, come out and let's talk. We've been here for ages, stop hiding."
The sound of a beaded curtain rustling came from the inner room, followed by the slow, languid footsteps. Yin Luoha looked up and saw a slender, dark figure appear by the door.
The newcomer was dressed in all black, looking like a widow who had been in mourning for many years. Her demeanor was cold and serious, completely opposite to her beautiful eyes and eyebrows.
He resembled a rigid and serious old scholar in a school.
She's more like a female teacher who's overly strict and polite.
"Long time no see, Aunt He," Yin Luoha greeted with a smile.
The person he called "Aunt He" nodded indifferently: "Your Highness has come today to demand an explanation."
Dressed in all black, Dale stood beside Silver Lohar, wearing a silver mask and diligently fulfilling her role as a shadow guard.
Yin Luoha rubbed his cheek as if he had a toothache: "How dare I question Aunt He's crime? But since we're on someone else's turf, you should at least be a little more restrained."
It's ridiculous that Adele always has to clean up the mess.
Aunt He was not grateful at all and snorted coldly, "I think His Highness finds me troublesome. Now that he's grown up, he wants to kick this old hag away."
"You ungrateful little brat!"
Yinluoha wanted to explain something more, but then came the chaotic sounds of weapons clashing outside the door.
Aunt He turned her head, her expression sharp: "Someone has come to our door."
Yinluoha sighed; he knew it would come sooner or later.
At the entrance.
Shen Wumei sheathed her long sword, ignored the guards lying on the ground around her, and strode inside.
Zhu Qinghe followed behind him, flicking her sleeves. They had followed Yin Luoha's trail to this place, and seeing so many guards, they knew this was the place.
Wang Ji's matter was indeed related to them.
Yin Luoha looked at Shen Wumei walking towards him and said calmly, "So you really found out about this place."
Shen Wumei glanced at Aunt He behind him, "This is the murderer you are supposed to protect."
"I wouldn't call it protection, but she is, after all, a family member who raised me since I was a child. Even if she did something wrong, I can't just stand by and watch someone take her away."
"You need to understand, this isn't your Silver Tenon Clan," Shen Wumei said coldly. "You have no right to be above the law and protect anyone."
The atmosphere was tense, ready to erupt at any moment.
Zhu Qinghe took a few steps forward, standing between the two sides, breaking through this invisible barrier.
"Perhaps we have a way to have the best of both worlds."
The government office.
Miss Yu looked down at the documents on the table, then turned to Zhu Qinghe: "A settlement agreement?"
Zhu Qinghe nodded: "Yes, this is the settlement agreement regarding the murder of your husband, Wang Ji. We have now found the murderer who killed your husband."
"However, this murderer's situation is somewhat special. She was mentally unstable due to the betrayal of her former lover, but she would never do such a thing when she was in a stable mental state."
"Her identity is also quite special. If we really take it seriously, it might even affect the peace between our dynasty and foreign tribes."
"So we drafted this settlement agreement, which will provide you with appropriate compensation. Is that acceptable to you?"
Miss Yu remained silent for a while before finally signing her name on the document.
Zhu Qinghe saw the person off and watched her slowly walk towards home. She had lost a lot of weight recently, and the apron straps on her back were loosely tied around her waist, as if she had tied them crookedly by herself.
Zhu Qinghe couldn't help but sigh.
Was she really doing the right thing?
"Why are you sighing again? You did a good deed." Shen Wumei appeared behind her at some point.
Zhu Qinghe didn't turn around, and said softly, somewhat dazed, "Is this solution of buying off a loved one's life with money really a good thing?"
Shen Wumei turned her around by her shoulders and looked seriously into her eyes: "We are not gods. In any case, you have done very well."
As soon as Yinluoha stepped out, he saw the two gazing deeply into each other's eyes, and then he turned around to see Adele with her head down behind him.
Comparing yourself to others is truly infuriating.
Why is his love life so bumpy?
As jealousy arose, Yin Luoha remembered something, so he went over and patted Shen Wumei on the shoulder: "Lord Shen, you should go home and visit when you have time. Your father is preparing a marriage selection banquet for you."
"The invitees are all daughters of high-ranking officials; such good fortune is truly the envy of others."
He feigned a sigh, only to meet Shen Wumei's icy gaze, whose face clearly said, "Shut up or I'll kill you."
Zhu Qinghe frowned, quickly grasping the key point: "To be able to organize such a grand marriage selection banquet, with high-ranking officials in attendance, what is your father's status?"
Shen Wumei's face darkened: "He is not my father. I have no father."
"Oh, so you must have popped out of a rock?" Yinluoha continued his sarcastic remarks.
Shen Wumei, unable to bear it any longer, drew her sword and slashed: "I've put up with you for a long time. Don't think that just because you're a prince I won't dare to beat you up."
Adele protected Yin Luoha and began to fight Shen Wumei.
Yin Luoha felt heartbroken seeing Adele's frail figure fighting with Shen Wumei: "Shen Wumei, you shameless bastard, you actually hit a little girl."
"I'm going to beat you up!" Shen Wumei shouted.
Zhu Qinghe rubbed her temples, her head aching. "Gentlemen," she said, "this is the government office. Can you please stop making a fool of yourselves?"
I wonder what grudge Yin Luoha has against Shen Wumei. Why does Shen Wumei act like a three-year-old child whenever she encounters him, getting angry at the slightest provocation?
Finally, the fighting stopped. Zhu Qinghe saw off the little prince of Zhumao. Yin Luoha felt sorry for Ade and vowed to make Shen Wumei suffer before leaving.
“Miss Zhu, I’m doing this for your own good. This man is unreliable. He…”
Shen Wumei interrupted him with an angry shout, "Stop trying to sow discord! Get out of here!"
The little prince, though furious, dared not speak out and stormed off.
"Let's eat," Zhu Qinghe said calmly.
Shen Wumei looked at her, unsure whether she was angry or not: "Aren't you going to ask me anything?"
"You don't even have a father anymore, so what am I supposed to ask?"
Okay, I'm still angry.
"I will absolutely not attend that marriage selection banquet!"
“Really?” Zhu Qinghe glanced behind him. “They’ve even sent an invitation. It wouldn’t be right not to go.”
Shen Wumei turned around and saw Mo Wu holding a red invitation card. He looked at his master nervously and whispered, "Maybe I should come back later."
The atmosphere doesn't seem too good.
Shen Wumei: "..."
Thank you so much! You're already here, what's the point of saying anything?
"Let me see," Zhu Qinghe said, taking the invitation from Mo Wu with interest. "Wow, it's from the capital! The signature is—"
Zhu Qinghe paused, then looked at Shen Wumei: "Your father is the Prime Minister?"
Shen Wumei sighed inwardly; if he could, he would have preferred otherwise.
"I didn't realize you came from such a distinguished family, Lord Shen. No wonder you looked down on everyone back then, yet you were so generous with your money."
After all that, he turns out to be just a second-generation official.
Shen Wumei said, "I didn't mean to hide it from you. I don't have a good relationship with my family, so I haven't been back for many years."
Zhu Qinghe nodded: "So I was right back then. In other words, the first time I told your fortune, you didn't even pay me, and you even arrested me."
She grew angrier the more she thought about it, "And they even called me a charlatan!"
Shen Wumei: "...I was blind."
Hmm, that's more like it.
Shen Wumei was still thinking about how to appease the person when she heard her speak with great interest: "That marriage selection banquet..."
Shen Wumei immediately declared, "I'll tear up the invitations right now... no, I'll burn them!"
Zhu Qinghe asked in bewilderment, "Why are you burning it? Haven't you been home for a long time? You should go."
Shen Wumei: "?"
“However, I’m afraid you’ll be scared if you go alone, so I’ll go with you,” Zhu Qinghe said with a smile.
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