Facing the several men closing in tighter around him, Xu Xi’s entire body tensed. Through gritted teeth, he said: “It’s only eight hundred taels. I’ll repay it.”

“You’ll repay it?” The leader chuckled darkly. “If Young Master Xu will repay it, that would be wonderful.”

He extended his hand before Xu Xi: “Then let’s not waste time. Young Master Xu can settle the gambling debt, and we can hurry back to Qianjin Pavilion to work.”

The debt collectors were burly and imposing. The hand extended before Xu Xi was like a worn palm-leaf fan.

Xu Xi drew a deep breath and said: “I don’t have money right now. Give me some more time.”

The men exchanged glances and all burst out laughing.

That palm-leaf-fan-like large hand landed heavily on the young man’s shoulder with a smile that didn’t reach the eyes: “Young Master Xu must be joking. If you don’t have money now, how will you have it in the future? Are you planning to take the silver the Marquis Estate gave you to send you away and use it to turn things around at Qianjin Pavilion?”

One man’s eyes lit up: “That’s right! The Changchun Marquis Estate kicked Young Master Xu out—they must have given him silver!”

The leader shot his companion a look.

Several men crowded forward to snatch the bundle carried on Xu Xi’s arm.

“You’re robbing me!” Xu Xi clutched the bundle tightly and shouted loudly.

The spectators all stood motionless.

If it were truly robbery, brave men would step forward to help, or people would join together to beat the villains committing daylight robbery into pulp.

But this wasn’t that kind of situation.

Unable to control his own hands, he’d accumulated gambling debts. If even his own family wouldn’t help, why should strangers?

It was only because Young Master Xu was young that he seemed somewhat pitiful—if it were one of those rotten gamblers instead, people would only want to spit and say he deserved it.

With people watching coldly from the sidelines, how could Xu Xi fend off several large men? The bundle he’d been clutching protectively before his chest was snatched away in the blink of an eye.

“Big Brother.” The man handed the bundle to the leader.

The leader looked at the young man being firmly restrained by several burly men and, with a sinister smile, opened the bundle.

Several articles of clothing and socks fell out. Beyond these was a sapphire-blue brocade purse lying in the snow, extremely conspicuous.

The leader immediately picked up the purse, laughing excitedly: “Let me see how much capital the Marquis Estate gave Young Master Xu to make his way in the world.”

Xu Xi stared blankly at the exquisitely crafted purse.

He didn’t know how much money was inside—after being swept out, he hadn’t gotten around to opening it yet.

But it should be enough to repay the eight hundred taels in gambling debts.

Xu Xi thought of what those men had said to him after his first loss: “Short on cash? Borrow from the gambling house—how convenient. You’re a young master of a marquis household. Are you afraid you can’t repay a dozen or so taels?”

Ten taels after ten taels, until it reached eight hundred taels. The gambling house stopped lending to him but also didn’t press him to repay.

After that, he wrote one IOU after another to several gambling friends.

Even though his father was extremely disappointed in him, surely he wouldn’t deny him even eight hundred taels?

Xu Xi stared unblinkingly as that palm-leaf-fan-like large hand pulled out a stack of silver notes from the purse, along with scattered loose silver.

The leader made no attempt to hide it, counting openly before the crowd.

As he called out the amounts, Xu Xi’s face grew increasingly pale.

When the leader finished counting, he looked at the young man with some sympathy, clicking his tongue and sighing: “I truly never expected that the grand Marquis Estate would sweep Young Master Xu out and send him off with just five hundred taels.”

Another man chimed in: “Exactly! Five hundred taels is a huge sum for us common folk, but what does it count as for a marquis estate that produces ten thousand taels at the drop of a hat? Isn’t this just sending away a beggar?”

The spectators began discussing and finally reached a conclusion: These clothes, socks, and pocket money surely weren’t prepared by the Marquis of Changchun, a grown man—they must have been arranged by the Marquis’s wife. Indeed, having a stepmother meant having a stepfather.

Looking at it this way, Miss Luo hadn’t been wrong at all—it was the Changchun Marquis’s wife who arranged for the servants to pursue the silver.

Mixed in the crowd were two people from the Changchun Marquis Estate. Hearing these discussions, one of them took off running toward the estate.

The Marquis of Changchun had sent people to quietly follow Xu Xi—not out of concern that he would suffer hardship after being expelled, but purely to keep tabs on the situation.

“Lord Marquis, people from Qianjin Pavilion have surrounded the Young Master, demanding repayment of gambling debts.” The servant who’d rushed over reported breathlessly.

The Marquis of Changchun’s expression changed immediately. Through gritted teeth, he said: “That beast still has gambling debts?”

“Yes, the Young Master still owes Qianjin Pavilion eight hundred taels—”

“There is no ‘Young Master’!” The Marquis of Changchun angrily interrupted the servant.

The servant quickly corrected himself: “Young Master Xu owes Qianjin Pavilion eight hundred taels. The Qianjin Pavilion people snatched Young Master Xu’s bundle. Inside the purse was five hundred taels…”

The Marquis of Changchun frowned and blurted out: “Only five hundred taels?”

Seeing the Marquis of Changchun’s doubtful expression, the servant quickly assured him: “The Qianjin Pavilion people counted it publicly—the silver notes totaled five hundred taels, plus a few taels in loose silver.”

The Marquis of Changchun’s face turned ugly.

The things Xu Xi took with him were prepared by Madam Yang. He’d thought there would be at least one thousand taels.

That Madam Yang!

In that moment, that gentle, considerate face became blurred.

A thought vaguely flashed through the Marquis of Changchun’s mind: He seemed not to truly understand this cousin.

“Lord Marquis, Young Master Xu is still short three hundred taels—”

“Don’t concern yourself with him! Continue watching. Report immediately if there’s new information.”

The servant hurried away. The Marquis of Changchun’s expression remained unsettled.

At his age, he naturally knew how terrifying the ruthlessness of gambling establishments could be, but the Marquis Estate couldn’t provide this money.

Everyone knew Xu Xi had been expelled from the Marquis Estate. If he produced this silver, in the future Xu Xi’s actions would be inextricably tied to the Marquis Estate.

That would pose enormous hidden dangers.

Yet despite making this decision, thinking of the ordeal Xu Xi would face, the Marquis of Changchun couldn’t help feeling somewhat reluctant.

He quickly transformed this reluctance into fury toward Madam Yang.

If that wench had prepared more silver for Xu Xi, why would he need to be in this difficult position!

Never mind the Marquis of Changchun’s deepening aversion toward Madam Yang—Xu Xi’s escape route had been completely blocked by several burly men.

The leader put away the silver notes and tossed the purse containing a few pieces of loose silver back into Xu Xi’s arms.

“We’re not people who leave no way out. We’ll leave Young Master Xu a few pieces of loose silver to buy steamed buns. However, Young Master Xu needs to explain clearly—how will you repay the remaining three hundred taels?”

Xu Xi bit his lip hard: “I… will find work as soon as possible.”

The leader laughed: “Young Master Xu truly is a noble young master who doesn’t understand the hardships of the common people. Do you know how much ordinary work pays per month?”

Xu Xi was stumped by the question.

He didn’t know.

Since childhood, he’d never been deprived in food, clothing, or necessities.

The leader held up two fingers: “Being able to earn two taels of silver per month is already decent work. Young Master Xu, calculate how long it would take to repay three hundred taels?”

Xu Xi didn’t need to calculate—he was already chilled to the bone.

The leader suddenly smiled: “However, Young Master Xu does have his strengths. Perhaps he really could earn three hundred taels.”

Xu Xi looked at him in confusion.

The leader waved his hand: “Brothers, escort Young Master Xu to the place across from the gambling house to exchange for silver!”