The sounds of tiles and dice were isolated outside by the heavy door. Liu You was reading a book inside the room.

A subordinate pushed open the door. “Young Master, there’s someone outside who’s probably come to wreck the place.”

This was a gambling house. There were often arrogant gambling experts who didn’t believe in bad luck and came to show off their skills. Liu You wasn’t surprised. He turned a page of his book, and only after quite a while did he ask, “How many chips does he have?”

“He exchanged a thousand taels when he arrived. After betting on the dice for the time it takes an incense stick to burn, he now has nearly ten thousand taels in hand.”

This number made Liu You’s gaze leave the book for a moment, then he continued reading. “Lead him to the Plum Blossom Table. One table will be enough for him to lose it all back.”

“He won at the Plum Blossom Table too,” another subordinate came to report.

All gambling houses had their own methods of controlling wins and losses, held in the owner’s hands. The Plum Blossom Table was the anchor installed in the gambling house. Liu You frowned. “What about the magnet?”

The subordinate mumbled, “The magnet just happened to break today.”

They hardly dared describe the scene outside. From the dealer to the gamblers at the Plum Blossom Table, all were played by the gambling house owner’s own people. Countless pairs of eyes, through the smoke, exchanged knowing smiles imperceptibly, just waiting for the fat sheep to enter the trap.

Who knew that when the cup was lifted, the magnet failed. Those gazes became rigid. The numbers showing on the two dice were exactly what that red-robed gentleman had predicted. He merely raised his eyebrows, smiled as he looked around at everyone, then gathered the chips before himself.

Liu You slammed the book on the table, his heart growing tense. “Bringing his own magnet and able to hear the dice—could it be a competitor come to disrupt things? What’s this person’s background? Did he say what he wants?”

“He said he wants to gamble with the Young Master for twenty bolts of cloud brocade, the finest orange color. The words have already been spoken, and there are busybodies watching outside. If the Young Master doesn’t appear, it will give people something to talk about.”

Liu You glanced at his white clothes. He loved collecting cloud brocade—everyone in the city knew this. These words sounded like a provocation in his ears, as if wanting to take his treasured possessions. Liu You’s fingers tightened slightly.

The people surrounding the gambling table made way. Lu Huating saw a white-robed gentleman emerge surrounded by others.

The two men greeted each other formally. Liu You’s gaze fell somewhat strangely on Lu Huating’s side.

This person hadn’t come alone—beside him was a young lady.

This woman had proper bearing, standing beside Lu Huating. Through her veil, the curves of her shoulders and neck were faintly visible, possessing an elegance that surpassed frost and snow. She stood quietly without speaking, their hands clasped together.

“Master Lu is skilled at throwing dice. I wonder if you’re equally skilled at Pai Gow?”

Lu Huating smiled. “If Master Liu is skilled at Pai Gow, I can accompany you.”

His tone contained hidden arrogance, naturally making Liu You quite displeased. Liu You took out a brocade handkerchief, wiping his smooth, dry scholar’s hands, saying with pride, “I heard you want cloud brocade from me. If you asked me directly, I could give it to you today. But if you want to gamble with me, unless the stakes are big enough, I don’t want to be tainted with this vulgar merchant smell.”

He had the capital to be proud. This son of Liu Sijun was not only skilled at reading but also extremely good at gambling games. In another two years, he would enter the court as an official, becoming famous in Chang’an for his Pai Gow skills.

Lu Huating said nothing, pushing all his chips before him. Liu You didn’t even look at them properly. The attendant beside him explained, “Our Young Master wants bigger stakes before he’ll gamble—an arm, or a leg. Has the gentleman thought it through? Otherwise, if anyone could come wreck the place and cause trouble in the future, what would our Young Master do?”

Hearing this, Lu Huating’s eyes grew darker. With one hand, he casually toyed with the set of bamboo tiles on the table, polished smooth as jade. “I’ll wager this life of mine. Are you willing to gamble?”

Using one’s life to exchange for twenty bolts of cloud brocade—the surroundings fell quiet for a moment. Liu You’s expression became focused. He looked at Qun Qing again with slight suspicion. Finally, he couldn’t help but speak. “Master Lu, this lady cannot stand nearby. There are rumors among the common people of ladies skilled at reading tiles and hearing dice. If she stands to the side watching the tiles, secretly giving you hints…”

Lu Huating momentarily thought his imagination was quite rich.

The gambling house’s people came to drive Qun Qing away. Lu Huating only felt the ice-cold sensation in his hand tighten, that unease transmitting into his body. His right hand grabbed his fan, blocking those two people. “No, my lady will be afraid if she leaves me.”

He glanced at Qun Qing, saying, “Master Liu, I’ve already wagered my life. Why not establish a written contract to avoid having no proof after the fact?”

Liu You thought to himself, over a mere twenty bolts of cloud brocade, was this person making such a big fuss—would he really renege on the debt? If his brain wasn’t missing a screw, then he truly wasn’t afraid of dying young. He immediately had someone bring paper and brush, and the two each signed.

Lu Huating glanced at Liu You’s signature, folded the paper with one hand, and tucked it into his bosom. A crisp sound came from the side—an attendant boy had already shuffled the bamboo tiles and pushed them before the two men.

Liu You divided the tiles into two hands. Seeing the tiles in his hand clearly, he secretly observed his opponent. Lu Huating was also looking at him, maintaining the same inscrutable expression, impossible to read anything from his face.

Liu You was extremely skilled at calculating tiles. When he was focused, those around him dared not disturb his train of thought. From his four tiles, he pushed out two leading tiles, slowly revealing them—”Double Person.”

Lu Huating also turned over his leading tiles—also Double Person, but unfortunately with insufficient points.

Liu You was deeply versed in tile-matching rules and rarely made mistakes. Moreover, the attendant boy standing opposite shook his head slightly, already hinting to him that the tiles Lu Huating drew were chaotic, containing no Heaven tile. With the leading tiles at a disadvantage, the trailing tiles would have even less chance of winning.

So Liu You revealed his trailing tiles. Lu Huating also spread out his trailing tiles—the points were indeed not high. However, Liu You’s expression only relaxed for a moment before becoming grave. The trailing tiles plus the leading tiles—the four tiles perfectly formed “Double Pepper.” Those around reacted and began discussing like boiling water.

Lu Huating said, “I concede.”

He had lost!

This loss led to three consecutive losses. Cold sweat broke out on Liu You’s forehead. This person matched tiles so quickly and easily, yet deliberately pretended to be at a disadvantage, toying with his mindset. Clearly, this person’s quick wit couldn’t be underestimated. His heart couldn’t help but feel anxiously unbearable.

At this moment, a subordinate ran in and leaned close to Liu You’s ear. “Master sent word asking if the Young Master signed anything. It’s best to be cautious and guard against Prince Yan’s mansion…”

Matching tiles required complete concentration. Liu You was at a critical winning or losing moment—how could he tolerate such interference? He reached out and pushed him aside. “Wait until I finish this round, then go reply to Father.”

That subordinate spoke several more times but was driven to the side by Liu You.

Past the halfway point of seven rounds, more and more people crowded around to watch the match.

Murmuring voices, shuffling sounds, cheering voices—wave after wave rushed into Qun Qing’s ears. She gradually could smell the smoke. Her mind was chaotic as if awakening from a great dream, her headache extreme.

Lifting her veil with one hand, Qun Qing saw Lu Huating holding her hand, her fingers clasped between his slender ones.

This scene actually made a slight numbness rise between her fingers. Qun Qing froze for a moment, then closed her eyes again.

Strange—why was she having this kind of dream?

In her dizziness, she struggled to steady herself, clearly hearing the sound of small bells at her ear.

Behind her, people continuously jostled back and forth. In the chaos, someone lightly patted her shoulder. Then Qun Qing saw a sachet with tiny bells drop to the ground. Qun Qing stared fixedly at the sachet by her feet. Embroidered on it was a small rabbit. From its color and style, she could tell this wasn’t an old item—it was something her mother had newly embroidered.

She turned her head toward the crowd, subconsciously wanting to find the person who had just dropped the sachet and patted her. She saw a woman’s back, walking with the same swaying gait as her mother, quickly disappearing into the crowd.

Qun Qing’s heart tightened. She immediately followed, releasing the shackles on her hand.

Liu You played his leading tiles. Lu Huating’s lashes moved. Suddenly feeling his left hand empty, like a string breaking, he immediately turned to search. In the crowd, Qun Qing’s figure was nowhere to be seen. He turned his face toward the tile layout, his dark eyes profound.

Lu Huating remembered tiles by relying on the grain patterns on the backs of the bone tiles. The bone tiles were of equivalent size, but the bamboo grain left after polishing was different for each. Before gambling began, he had already memorized the patterns one by one. So when he watched Liu You take tiles, the tiles in his opponent’s hand were crystal clear in his mind—thus he was invincible in battle.

When matching tiles, one needed complete concentration. However, at this moment, when Liu You turned over Lu Huating’s trailing tiles, his eyes showed delight. He said coldly, “Master Lu, you’ve lost.”

If he could lose, that proved the earlier wins were merely luck.

The situation reversed—Lu Huating actually lost three consecutive rounds.

The crisp, rapid sound of shuffling was like surging waves. Liu You looked at Lu Huating’s expressionless face. “The deciding round, Master Lu—have you thought it through? If you lose again, you’ll forfeit your life.”

This was the fourth day that Li Huan and Xiao Yunru were distributing grain in the inner city.

The disaster had temporarily subsided. Prince Yan’s mansion’s hidden guards went door to door distributing mugwort and medicine packets—no epidemic had appeared for now. Disaster victims in the city with spare money had all resolved their grain shortage. Those truly without any wealth were given porridge cooked and distributed daily by Prince Yan’s mansion.

Li Huan had never done such difficult work. Holding the ladle of white porridge, if he scooped slightly less, the little beggar before him cursed at him. His temper flared. Xiao Yunru took the ladle, saying, “Your Highness has been busy all day. Go drink water over there. Let this consort handle it.”

So Li Huan retreated to the side, watching Xiao Yunru distribute porridge from afar. “Zhu Su, go add a layer of clothing for the Princess Consort. Don’t let her catch cold.”

Zhu Su received the order and left. Today, the disaster victims queuing for porridge were much more numerous than usual, so they were still busy late into the night without rest.

Liu Sijun’s carriage arrived at this time.

Liu Sijun lifted his lantern and quickly descended from the carriage. Surveying the scene before him, he then led his household servants to kneel before Li Huan, bowing down. “This subject failed in disaster relief. Please, Prince Yan, punish me. Also, please, Your Highness and Your Ladyship, come to the magistrate’s mansion to speak. Don’t damage your noble bodies.”

Li Huan didn’t move. Liu Sijun remained kneeling.

Regarding the matter of Old Cai the Sixth impersonating Prince Yan’s mansion’s people, both sides tacitly understood and didn’t mention it.

Li Huan wiped the sweat from his face, cold as ice and frost. “The situation in the city—this prince’s memorial has already been sent to the palace by swift horse. Doing this act now is already too late. Go back and wait for your punishment.”

Liu Sijun’s face showed grief. He raised his face. “Your Highness, won’t you reconsider?”

Li Huan didn’t hear fear but rather caught the threatening tone of burning one’s boats. He couldn’t help but stare at him. Liu Sijun’s pair of eyes also gazed fixedly at him, his fingers in his sleeves lifting slightly.

Li Huan inwardly thought this was bad. Those “disaster victims” in the queue had already swarmed forward, surrounding Xiao Yunru completely. Several hidden guards from Prince Yan’s mansion rushed over. They only heard an explosive bang of gunpowder. When the smoke dispersed, Xiao Yunru had vanished without a trace.

Li Huan lowered his sleeves. Seeing only a hair ornament flower remaining on the ground, his mind couldn’t help but fall into chaos. He kicked Liu Sijun in the chest, then drew his sword and pressed it against his throat. “You dare abduct the Prince Yan’s consort? What do you want to do?”

“If Your Highness kills this subject, there will be no trace of the Princess Consort.” Liu Sijun said, “This subject wishes to negotiate with Your Highness.”

“What?”

Liu Sijun wiped the blood from the corner of his lips, still looking at him. “My foolish son, in his immaturity, probably randomly signed some contract at the gambling house. I hope Your Highness will retrieve it from the Chief Administrator’s hands so my magistrate’s mansion won’t be destroyed and its people ruined. If Your Highness gives this subject a way to survive, this subject will naturally give the Princess Consort and the young heir a way to survive.”

The tip of Li Huan’s sword trembled slightly.

On such a cold day, Xiao Yunru hadn’t even put on an outer garment. Thinking of this, he only felt his own heart aching from being blown by the cold wind. However, he knew this wasn’t the time to provoke the other party, so he sheathed his sword, pretending to agree. “This prince will go to the gambling house now. If you dare harm the Princess Consort, this prince will take your life.”