Gambling House
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I truly don't want to get into trouble. Although I can be a little rebellious sometimes, I wouldn't overstep my boundaries. Thus, I sent Ying to the Palace to get permission of getting more shadow guards as well as to inform Consort Lin that I was with Jia Xu.
Though a woman being with a man outside might be scandalous, Jia Xu is my betrothed. It won't be a problem as long as the Palace knew about it. It can be considered as our formal meeting with each other before deciding to get married.
"You're too paranoid" Jia Xu glanced at the guards dressed in plain clothes from a distance. I denied "No. I'm being careful". He sighed "Having them around means less freedom"
"I'd rather have my security than freedom" going to an unknown place and taking narrow route alleyways. I wouldn't take the risk of endangering myself yet at the same time I can't help myself from following him to probe things outside of my knowledge.
"What rigid rules and you insist on following them? You must have a boring life" offended, I told him in a mocking tone "Oh really? Why not try losing them from following us if you're so capable" He looked back at me with a cunning smile, tightening his hold on my wrist as he pulled me in his arms, his mouth came near my ears as his hot breath sprayed on my neck "If you don't take a risk, life won't be exciting". I was about to raise my hand to give him a resounding slap for his impudence, what follows was him dragging me through the maze in these alleyways, as I struggled to follow him, tripping a few times. Good thing his hold on me was tight so he could pull me up before I could kiss the ground.
As someone from the palace who has never done any labor work, I was immediately exhausted, trying to catch my breath. "I can't--I can't run anymore" My feet slowed down as I gasped "I'm exhausted..."
Jia Xu continued to drag me with him, I feel like a rag doll being dragged on these dirty alleyways "I said I can't run anymore!" I dug my feet into the ground in protest, they're my guards, it's not like they're going to kill us. He looked behind me and sighed "Good thing we already lost them" I also looked back and found a deserted dark alleyway, it was daytime, and yet with the shadows of the buildings surrounding it, it remained gloomy.
"You clearly know they're not following us anymore, aren't you?" his eyes widen a bit, he seems innocent and aggrieved like being wrongfully accused. I wouldn't fall for such pretense. I couldn't hear their footsteps for a while and yet he continued to treat me like that. What kind of a noble gentleman is he?
Without thinking, I raised my foot to kick his calf and he immediately avoided it. My anger started boiling up "Who told you to dodge?"
"Did you tell me not to dodge?" he asked in a flabbergasted expression. I gritted my teeth, giving him a sharp cold stare. "Alright, alright, we better hurry inside. Getting too much attention here is always not a good thing" he appeased me and didn't dear drag me again, he was one step away from me as he lead the way "You better don't stray far from me"
He seems to enter the back door of a two-story wide building, as soon as we entered. I was dazzled by the glittering gold and silver displayed all over the spacious receiving hall, the marble floor shone with luster. There are painted lanterns that are not lightened at the sides.
This isn't anything new to me, nobles and royalties love to show off their wealth through materialistic things, theirs however has a touch of elegance and classiness, not gaudy and outlandish like this one.
Scowling at this display of wealth that is simply distasteful in the eyes, I walked beside Jia Xu and whispered to him "Where is this place?"
"Gambling house" he handed me a black thin veil to cover half of my face.
A man was sitting on the settee beside the window with two women, one woman each in his arms. They fed him dates and grapes, poured him wine as they fluttered their eyelashes at him, the man's hands would accidentally brush their chest and legs. The women didn't mind as they flirtatiously laughed at his behavior.
"Are you sure this isn't the pleasure house instead?" I whispered again, Jia Xu glanced at the place where I'm looking, shrugging his shoulders "That's normal. The gambling house has a lot of guests coming from nobles, wealthy merchants, and influential people alike, they love going here. The host naturally has to accommodate them to keep them going here"
Jia Xu and that man abruptly made eye contact, the former made a courteous smile, and the latter nodded in acknowledgment. "That's General Sun Renshu's second-in-command, Hong Hui"
"Second-in-command? Aren't they waiting for Imperial's father's edict to return?" if Hong Hui is here, there's a chance General Sun is also here in the capital. It can't be that his second-in-command is here just to fool around with tender grass and flowers.
"It's the army that needs his majesty's edict to return, not the generals themselves. General Sun can come here but without the escort of his army as long as he got permission from his majesty to return. As for why did he return early? I don't know either, it seems to be kept a secret. I haven't heard of Hong Hui being in the capital as well. They must have an important business here" They could be spying or investigating something or someone in this place.
For someone who has worked years in the army for Conquest, they sure are diligent in their work. Working right after marching from the Northern border to the capital.
We walked upstairs and were greeted by loud voices. No, they weren't greeting us, they were shouting to win their gamble. I have no idea shouting can help in winning except working up your energy to waste.
It was the first time I saw nobles act like men on the street. Shouting and moving unscrupulously. Under their refined covers were men of greed and animalistic desires.
There are few women as well but none of them were from notable clan figures. Perhaps they were concubines brought by the men here or workers in this gambling house.
One particular table is playing ¹Liubo and was densely surrounded by the crowd. It turns out that both of the players were from aristocratic clans. One of them even used to be a candidate for my prince consort. They were gambling at an inconceivable stake. One where high-ranking officials have to work for a year before getting that kind of amount.
Jia Xu was explaining to me the rules of the board games but I can't properly understand him with all these noises. In the gambling house, they also have a courtyard for cockfighting and dogfighting that can be seen outside the window on this floor. I can tell that side was even noisier, I can hear their voices from here despite the noise on this floor too.
I shook my head at Jia Xu, there's no use explaining it to me. He stopped and nodded in understanding.
"You stay here for a while," he said in a louder voice, my head whipped back at him "I'm coming with you" There's no way I'll stay here without him, having no guards is a lot of risk already. A lot of nobles were also present.
His lips tugged up and I knew he was going to tease me again "Relax princess. You can be clingy to me all you want but I don't want to frighten you" he pointed at the courtyard where guests were clamoring. "What they're playing is bloody. Don't worry, I'll be leaving my servants here" A pair of men and women bowed behind me. I didn't know they were his servants. I thought they were just watching the gambling to entertain themselves like us. They weren't with us when we walked here, it can possibly be his servants were arranged ahead of time.
At this juncture, his teasings were ignored "Didn't you say I have to take a risk to make my life exciting? And I have to learn troublesome things?" my voice turned a bit louder as well so he can hear me. He sighed helplessly "Alright, follow me"
Once we were in the courtyard, I grimaced at the bloody sight. Feeling a bit of pity in my heart. I know even people are subjected to this, it usually happened in disguise and not a rampant gambling house, nobles also hosted such things in their homes so they could avoid inspections.
I sat there for about half an hour in observation before I couldn't bear all the noises.
Standing up, I looked at Jia Xu to start complaining to him. "Such barbaric acts should be banned and--" My heart sank in nervousness when I saw his empty seat. Did he leave me here just like that?
Looking around, I saw his servants that were watching me. I walked up to them and said in a trembling voice unable to contain my rage "Where is your useless master?"
"Answering her highness, he was called by Young Master Wang Jian a while ago" Their heads lowered in reply. "He seems to put great importance on this Wang lad than me" Their heads bowed even lower at my remark.
Suddenly, loud noises erupted inside the gambling house. And here I thought it couldn't get any more noisier. There are sounds of clashing weapons and breaking things. Soon, chaos occurred.

1. Liubo which literally means "six sticks" was commonly played by two players. Each player had six game pieces with which one was making moves on a square wooden board with inscribed symmetrical patterns. The six sticks were used in order to determine which move to be made and had the same function as dice.
Regular updates are difficult for me. I have full units, college f*cks me up.
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