The opponent raised his hand in a gesture of invitation, and Chi Jingyu picked up a black piece, pondered for a moment, and then placed it on the chessboard.
After the game ended, Chi Jingyu looked at the chessboard with a calm expression: "I lost."
He looked up at the person opposite him and asked, "You invited me here in this way; what is your purpose in doing so?"
The other party smiled slowly, his tone gentle: "The previous person was ignorant and acted rudely. Please don't take offense, Your Highness."
"I invited you here today to ask the young master: In this time of great upheaval and rapid advancement, it is wise to remain aloof and self-sufficient, but one will inevitably be abandoned by the tide of the times. Does the Marquis's mansion still wish to remain a cold-hearted bystander?"
Chi Jingyu's eyes trembled, and he suddenly looked up: "You..."
——
Yuan Zhao gambled a few times and won most of the time, but he still decisively stopped. This is the usual practice of gambling dens: give you a taste of sweetness first, and by the time you are deeply involved, it is too late.
He staggered to the back of the gambling den, ostensibly looking for a latrine, but actually secretly searching for Chi Jingyu's whereabouts.
He reached the stairwell, his eyes flashing as he was about to go up, when a burly man with a black beard suddenly appeared in front of him, placing a hand on his shoulder: "Where are you headed, guest?"
Yuan Zhao narrowed his eyes, certain that this person was a martial arts expert.
He complained angrily, "Where is your outhouse?! I've been looking for ages, I'm almost wetting myself!"
Upon hearing this, the burly man's eyes flashed with disdain, and he pointed in a direction: "That way, please."
"Why didn't you say so earlier!" Yuan Zhao glared at him, then swayed over, almost stumbling and falling in the process.
The big man rolled his eyes and turned to leave.
Yuan Zhao breathed a sigh of relief when he heard the footsteps fade away.
Wow, this gambling den is full of hidden talents. The mastermind behind it is indeed no ordinary person.
...
A little while later, he saw Chi Jingyu leave the house, looking preoccupied.
Yuan Zhao did not leave immediately, but waited for a while longer, and saw the two men at the stairwell exchange a glance.
He looked thoughtful, and in a daze, he seemed to hear some strange sound, a bit muffled, like something rolling over the ground.
He couldn't explain it right away.
——
When Lady Hou fell ill, Shen Xiwei, despite being heavily pregnant, came to visit her every day.
She looked worried as she stood guard by the Lady of the Marquis's bedside. The old nanny was watching her intently, but she seemed oblivious, only saying in a melancholy tone, "How did the Lady fall so ill? Now the Marquis has entrusted the Marquis's residence to Aunt Qiu to manage, hoping that the Lady can recover quickly. The Marquis's residence cannot do without you."
She appeared worried, but every word she spoke struck a nerve with Lady Hou.
Seemingly expressing his dissatisfaction with her favoritism towards her son, since she fell ill, Marquis Ningyuan has only visited her once and even handed over the management of the household to a concubine!
Lady Hou has never suffered such a humiliation since she married into the family!
She was holding in her anger, so naturally her illness wouldn't get better.
Now that a lowly woman like Shen Xiwei dares to jump on her head, Madam Hou closed her eyes.
The old nanny, observing the situation, said coldly to Shen Xiwei, "Madam Shen, you may go back now. Madam needs to rest."
Shen Xi glanced subtly at the sachet hanging by the bedside, a slight smile playing on her lips: "Then this concubine will take her leave."
As soon as she left, Lady Hou could no longer sit still. She opened her eyes, burning with anger: "What is Shen Xiwei anyway? How dare she kick me when I'm down!"
Her gaze sharpened, and she gave a cold laugh. "Go, summon Yun Que."
Not long after, Shen Xiwei received the news that Yun Que had been promoted to concubine.
...
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