Chapter 6
When they went out, He Yunsheng asked, "Why are you so late today? You won't be able to get a good seat later. "
"I have something to do." He Yan said, "It's okay if you can't get a good seat. Our cakes are better."
He Yunsheng was speechless.
He felt that talking to He Yan now was like punching cotton, making it hard for him to vent his anger. He Yan didn't lose her temper and was in a relaxed mood. He Yunsheng didn't know if she was optimistic or stupid. At least, he hadn't seen He Yan in a long time.
The shed was set up on a street in the west of the city. Opposite was the capital's largest restaurant, Zuiyu Court. Guests came and went, and the small business here was very good. But the shed was only so big, so they had to go there early to get a good seat.
He Yunsheng took out the big cake from the steamer.
Da Nai cake was a kind of pastry. It was made of peeled and pitted raw plums, blanched with white plum and licorice soup, and then filled with honey, pine nuts, olive kernels, walnut kernels, and melon kernels. It was put into a small steamer and steamed until it was ripe. It was sour and sweet, very delicious, and not expensive. He Yunsheng came to sell the big cake, and he could make money every month to support his family.
The sun was warm and comfortable, and people came to buy one or two from time to time. By the time the sun turned to the east of Zuiyu Court, they would probably be sold out.
He Yan watched He Yunsheng work. He Yunsheng was very capable, and it reminded her of the children in the army camp. Most of the children in the army camp were from poor families, and the young masters of rich families were not willing to let them go to war. Those poor children went to war just for a bite to eat. So before that, they did all kinds of work, and they could do anything.
Although she had never been poor, she had been through it.
"Hey, give me one … Isn't this Lady He?" A voice interrupted He Yan's thoughts.
She looked up and saw a long-faced man in front of her. His hair was combed into a shiny bun, and he had the head of a deer and the eyes of a mouse. He was dressed in white, but he was neither fish nor fowl. He raised his hand and was about to put it on He Yan's shoulder, but He Yan dodged to the side.
The man missed and regretfully retracted his hand, saying, "Lady He, long time no see. You didn't go out much these days. So you're here to sell cakes with Young Master He … How can you do this kind of thing? It's hard...."
His tone made it sound like they were close.
He Yan didn't understand and looked at He Yunsheng. He Yunsheng's face was filled with anger as he reprimanded, "Wang Jiugui, stay away from my sister!"
"Brat, your sister doesn't mind... ... You........................................................... Well, I bought some rouge a few days ago and wanted to give it to you. Since I happened to meet you today, I want to give it to you. I wonder if you would do me the honor of going to the Sishui River with me? "
. "He Yan wanted to laugh at a person who looked like a beggar trying to act like an elegant young master. She had met many people in her two lives, both good and bad. But no one dared to tease her like this.
"I want to sell cakes. I may not be able to go for a walk with you." He Yan tactfully declined. "You should give this rouge to someone else."
Wang Jiugui was stunned.
He lived on the same street as the He family. He Yan's father was a military officer, so others didn't dare to provoke her. But He Yan wasn't a girl who knew her place, and she liked to take advantage of little things. Usually, if he gave her some rouge and powder, she would call him "Brother Jiugui". Today, in front of so many people, he was slapped in the face.
Wang Jiugui was embarrassed. His smile wasn't as sincere as before. "Lady He can't still be thinking about Young Master Fan, right? Young Master Fan is about to get married. Why do you …"
"Shut up!" Before he could finish his words, Wang Jiugui felt a punch on his face and fell to the ground with a thud.
He Yunsheng stood in front of him and pointed to the distance. "Get out of here!" she said angrily.
The fourteen or fifteen-year-old boy was like a half-grown calf, full of strength. Wang Jiugui had been hollowed out by wine and women. He was no match for He Yunsheng. His head hurt, his face hurt, and his whole body was flustered. He scrambled to his feet and looked at He Yan. She didn't seem to have any intention of apologizing. In fact, she seemed to be interested. Suddenly, a nameless anger surged in his heart.
"You …" He pointed at He Yan with a trembling finger.
He Yunsheng stood in front of He Yan and sneered. "What's wrong with us?"
Wang Jiugui didn't dare to step forward. He had some doubts in his heart. The relationship between these two siblings had never been good. He Yan always complained to him. He Yunsheng also never cared about He Yan's matters. Why were these two together today? He Yunsheng even stood up for He Yan.
"Just you wait!" He stomped his feet and ran away.
The crowd dispersed and the shed returned to its original calm. He Yunsheng put away the big cake with a gloomy face and didn't say a word.
He Yan looked at him.
"What are you looking at?" He Yunsheng asked angrily.
"You did a good job just now." He Yan pondered for a moment. "It's just that your lower body is a little unstable. Your basic skills aren't very solid. You still need to practice your horse stance at home."
"Go away." He Yunsheng didn't want to talk about it. "You're not a martial arts instructor!"
He Yan looked at He Yunsheng. He Yunsheng was a promising talent. Perhaps it was because he had worked hard since he was young and had a good foundation. Compared to the young masters of the He family, He Yunsheng was a good seedling.
He shouldn't have bought the big cake here. He should have gone to a better martial arts school to learn his skills.
"Then let me rephrase. Who is Master Fan?"
He Yunsheng slammed his handkerchief on the table and glared at her. "You still dare to say it!"
"What's wrong with Master Fan?" He Yan glanced at him.
He Yunsheng mentioned "Master Fan" as if he was extremely angry. "What's wrong? If he didn't provoke you first, you wouldn't have been fooled by him! That kind of young master is a womanizer. You're the only one who would believe him. He's about to get married, and you're still going on a hunger strike for him. You're dying for him, but he's still marrying someone new! You, on the other hand, have become a joke in the capital and you still mention him. Are you trying to anger me to death? "
With just a few words, He Yan roughly understood what was going on.
Lady He was spoiled and spoiled since she was young. How could she raise a peony in a clay basin? She wholeheartedly wanted to marry into a noble family and become a noble lady. By chance, she met a young master from a noble family. The two of them secretly fell in love. However, Lady He gave her heart to the other party, but the other party was just fooling around. A young master from a noble family would never marry the daughter of a military official.
Master Fan's family had already found a suitable match for him and was about to get married. How could Lady He let it go? She personally went to ask for an explanation, but was mercilessly kicked out. She couldn't accept it and wanted to commit suicide by hunger strike. Just as she was about to die, He Yan woke up and replaced Lady He.
It was no wonder that after He Yan woke up, everyone in the He family treated her with caution. They were afraid that she would accidentally commit suicide again.
He Yunsheng was still talking endlessly, scolding He Yan for not being clear-headed. He didn't know that his real sister had long passed away. He Yan wrung her hands in her heart. Lady He shouldn't have ruined her life for a liar. Life was very precious. It was a waste to give it to someone who wasn't worth it. Moreover, if she passed away like this, the person who betrayed her would still live freely, but the person who truly loved her would be in so much pain that he wished he was dead.
What was the point of hurting her loved ones and making her enemies happy?
Her experience was somewhat similar to Lady He's. They both had bad relationships, but she was different from Lady He. He Yuansheng, He Yuanliang, He Rufei, Xu Zhiheng, and He Wanru. She would personally visit them one by one and take back what they owed her.
For this, she had done a lot of work.
Every morning, she would walk with a sandbag tied to her body in order to regain her strength. Every afternoon, she would sell goods in the marketplace so that she could inquire about the He family and the Xu family from all kinds of people.
For example, the blind Madam Xu had accidentally fallen into the water and drowned a few days ago. The First Master of the Xu family was inconsolable and bedridden. The entire He family was mourning, and the First Master of the He family's hair turned white overnight. General Feihong and his sister were very close, so he personally took care of his cousin's funeral. The funeral lasted for three days and three nights, and the whole city knew about it.
These half-truths flew into He Yan's ears like snowflakes, and she could only laugh it off.
The truth had been covered up, and she had to uncover it. Before that, she had to live well.
Chapter 7
At night, the wind came in through the cracks in the window and made the candlelight sway slightly. He Yan looked at the silver pieces in front of him and asked, "That's all?"
"I've already asked the shopkeeper to give me more." Qing Mei said awkwardly, "But the shopkeeper said that the jewelry can only be exchanged for this much."
He Yan nodded, "Then you can leave first."
Qing Mei left.
He Yan picked up the silver pieces one by one and put them in his palm. There were only two pieces in total. She felt that her heart seemed to be broken along with them.
When she was in the He Family, she didn't lack money. Even if she was really short of money, she could casually take some jewelry or jade pendant to exchange for some money. Later, when she was on the battlefield, she didn't need money. When she returned to the capital, the Emperor's rewards filled several courtyards of the He Family.
She thought of the gold, silver, and jewelry bestowed to General Feihong. She could take any one of them and solve the He Family's urgent needs. But she wasn't in the He Family now.
He Yan sighed heavily and finally understood what it meant to be "a penny stumped a hero".
At night, the wind came in through the cracks in the window and made the candlelight sway slightly. He Yan looked at the silver pieces in front of him and asked, "That's all?"
"I've already asked the shopkeeper to give me more." Qing Mei said awkwardly, "But the shopkeeper said that the jewelry can only be exchanged for this much."
He Yan nodded, "Then you can leave first."
Qing Mei left.
He Yan picked up the silver pieces one by one and put them in his palm. There were only two pieces in total. She felt that her heart seemed to be broken along with them.
When she was in the He Family, she didn't lack money. Even if she was really short of money, she could casually take some jewelry or jade pendant to exchange for some money. Later, when she was on the battlefield, she didn't need money. When she returned to the capital, the Emperor's rewards filled several courtyards of the He Family.
She thought of the gold, silver, and jewelry bestowed to General Feihong. She could take any one of them and solve the He Family's urgent needs. But she wasn't in the He Family now.
He Yan sighed heavily and finally understood what it meant to be "a penny stumped a hero".
Money was money. There was one more thing. She also wanted to go to the drill ground. Going up the mountain to chop firewood every day could certainly strengthen her body, but it only increased her physical strength. If she wanted to recover her strength, the fastest way was to go to the drill ground and fight with others, shooting arrows and riding horses. But she didn't know if He Sui, who loved his daughter very much, would agree.
She blew out the candle and went to bed. No matter what, everything could wait until tomorrow.
The next day, after chopping firewood and going down the mountain, He Yunsheng had lunch and went to sell cakes.
He Yan looked at his big basket full of cakes and asked, "You made so many cakes. Can you sell them all?"
"The weather is hot. There are a lot of people coming to buy cakes." He Yunsheng said, "After a few days, it's time to sell other cakes."
He Yunsheng was really worried about this family. He was very clear about these business matters. He Yan was in awe and patted his shoulder, "Then let's go."
He Yunsheng's body stiffened. He Yan's action was really … very manly.
When they arrived at the shack, there weren't many peddlers because they had arrived early. The two of them found a good spot near the street. He took out the big cake.
It was the beginning of April. When the sun came out in the afternoon, it felt like summer. The large cake was sweet and sour, and also had the fragrance of plums. It was the perfect time to buy it as a snack. As He Yunsheng expected, business was good. He Yunsheng picked up the cakes and He Yan collected the money. While the two of them were busy, they suddenly saw a group of people aggressively rushing towards their position. The leader was Wang Jiugui from yesterday.
"Pa!" Wang Jiugui slammed both of his hands on the table. The surrounding people hurriedly retreated, unwilling to be implicated in this disaster.
He Yunsheng was fearless and said angrily, "What are you doing?"
"What are you doing?" Wang Jiugui coldly snorted, "You hit me yesterday, do you think I can just let it go?"
He Yunsheng rolled up his sleeves and said coldly, "You want to fight? I'll accompany you! "
"Good boy, you have guts!" Wang Jiugui took a step back, and the minions behind him surrounded He Yunsheng, "Young man, I advise you not to be too arrogant!"
He Yunsheng was unmoved. At this moment, He Yan said, "Stop!"
He Yunsheng and Wang Jiugui looked at He Yan together.
When Wang Jiugui saw He Yan, he laughed again and said, "This boy is not sensible, but he is your younger brother. I still have to give face to Lady He. If Lady He is willing to accompany me for a walk, I will let this matter go. I am a magnanimous person and won't bicker with a child. "
"I think you can't spit out ivory from a dog's mouth!" He Yunsheng was furious.
"Wait." He Yan grabbed He Yunsheng's hand. He Yunsheng wanted to break free, but no matter how hard he tried, He Yan's hand firmly clamped down on him. He Yunsheng couldn't help but be stunned. When did He Yan's strength become so strong?
"If you have something to say, don't say it here. You will scare the people around." He Yan said indifferently, "Let's go over there and talk." She pointed to a small alley in the distance.
"No!"
"Okay!"
He Yunsheng and Wang Jiugui spoke together.
He Yunsheng said anxiously, "You are a girl, how can you and them … these people are not good people!"
Wang Jiugui laughed, "It seems that Lady He is sensible. Let's go. I also brought a gift for Lady He today …"
He Yunsheng still wanted to make trouble. He Yan leaned close to his ear and whispered, "Do you think that I chopped firewood with you in the mountains for nothing? Don't worry, it will be fine. Just for the time it takes to brew a cup of tea. "
The girl's voice was soft and gentle, with a trace of inexplicable laughter. He Yunsheng couldn't help but be stunned. When he came back to his senses, He Yan had already walked away with Wang Jiugui and the others.
He Yunsheng wanted to chase after them, but when he thought of what He Yan said to him, he stopped himself.
He would trust her this time. The time it takes to brew a cup of tea. If she didn't come back in the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, he would go and find her.
On the other side, He Yan and Wang Jiugui walked into the small alley.
Above the small alley was the wine shop of Zuiyu House. They could faintly hear the melodious sound of the zither inside. He Yan had been looking forward to this place for a long time, but she had never been there. Not long after she returned to the capital, He Rufei came back. She was dressed as a girl, so she couldn't enter this kind of place.
"Younger Sister He," Wang Jiugui grinned and leaned forward, "What do you want to talk to me about?"
"My younger brother."
"You're talking about Young Master He," Wang Jiugui was slightly surprised, but he quickly smiled and waved his hand magnanimously, "I won't lower myself to his level, you know that." He took out a round powder box the color of a duck's egg from his bosom, and touched He Yan's face with his other hand, "I have you in my heart, from now on, we are a family …"
Before Wang Jiugui could finish his words, they were replaced by a scream.
In Zuiyu House, the zither string trembled slightly because of this scream. A wrong note was plucked, like a scratch on a beautiful jade, abrupt and regretful. Someone asked in confusion, "What's that sound?"
A corner of the muslin curtain was lifted by the handle of the fan. The teacup was exquisite, but it was not as slender as the fingers holding the tea.
He Yan let go of his hand, and Wang Jiugui's arm hung limply, his face full of horror. He Yan smiled faintly, raised his hand, and the box of powder box smashed towards Wang Jiugui's head, smashing white foam on his face.
"Thank you for your gift, but I don't like this kind of inferior powder. Remember, don't give me this kind of thing in the future."
"Slut! Hit him! "Wang Jiugui wailed, but didn't forget to give the order.
When the young girl heard this, it was as if she had heard a joke. Her eyes curved, and her laughter was as clear as a mountain spring. She was really happy. The spring breeze blew up the corner of her skirt, her black hair, snow-white skin, almond-shaped eyes were bright and benevolent. She was like a dainty young lady walking on the blue road.
But the words she said were terrifying.
She rubbed her wrist, and said with a smile, "You better not regret it."
Chapter 8
Wang Jiugui felt that he must be dreaming. He pinched his thigh hard and immediately cried out in pain, "Ouch!"
It didn't seem like a dream.
But if it wasn't a dream, how could he explain what was happening in front of him?
In just a moment, his lackeys were all lying on the ground. The culprit had one foot on the stone steps and was brushing the dust off her clothes. Feeling Wang Jiugui's gaze, she looked over. Her eyes were clear and bright, making Wang Jiugui's hair stand.
He had never seen He Yan like this.
He Yan wasn't like this. He Yan was beautiful, mean, greedy, vain, and liked to take advantage of others. There were countless women like this in Shuo City. Most of them were arrogant, but their lives were thin. The good ones could become concubines in rich families. The bad ones would marry an ordinary person and live a sad life. He Sui raised her like a young lady. He Yan had never touched any sharp weapons in her life. Her hands were either playing the zither or painting. At least, they weren't used to hit people.
But just now, Wang Jiugui saw her hands clenched into fists and punch the man beside him to the ground. He still remembered that He Yan had just grabbed his arm. Before his body could go numb, he felt pain in his arm and screamed. How were those fingers? They were sharper than an ax.
This woman was too scary. What kind of medicine did she eat? She became so strong overnight. She could defeat more than ten people by herself?
Wang Jiugui wanted to cry.
He hadn't thought about how to beg for mercy when he saw the girl walking towards him.
"Grandaunt, please spare me!" His rationality disappeared at this moment. Wang Jiugui blurted out, "I didn't recognize Mount Tai. Please be magnanimous and let me go!"
"Don't give me this kind of gift in the future." He Yan said gently, "I don't like it."
"Okay, okay okay okay." Wang Jiugui said "okay" several times. Afraid that He Yan didn't believe him, he added, "Tell me what you like. I'll buy it for you … Is that okay?"
"That won't be necessary, I won't accept a reward if it's not deserved." He Yan laughed, "We're all neighbors, don't make such jokes in the future."
"Yes, yes, yes." Wang Jiugui was moved to tears.
"But I have something to ask you," she said.
A moment later, He Yan left a mess on the ground and left in a relaxed manner, leaving behind groans and groans. She walked briskly and did not know that after she left, on a certain floor of the Drunken Jade Tower, someone released the hand holding the fan, and the gauze curtain covered the mess downstairs.
"When did the women in the capital become so fierce and fierce?" This was a brisk voice that was filled with laughter and ridicule. "Could this be the reason why Uncle is still unwilling to get married?"
His words were not answered.
The man continued, "Uncle, why don't we ask around and find out which family that young lady was from? If she's not bad, why don't you take her in as one of your female guards? At night, you can … "
"Bang!" Someone's fingertips lightly tapped the table, and the tea lid on the half cup accurately flew into his mouth with a whoosh, leaving him speechless.
"Wu wu, wu wu — —" The man was unwilling to give up and made threatening gestures.
"If you say one more word of nonsense, I'll throw you down from here." A lazy and indifferent voice interrupted the other's complaints.
The room quieted down.
The plucked strings of "Flowing Light" slowly flowed through the elegant room, covering the spring scenery outside the window. The tea continued to be drunk. Someone muttered, "Stingy", but it was quickly drowned out by the sound of the zither.
He Yunsheng saw that He Yan came back safe and sound and was relieved.
"Are you okay? Where are Wang Jiugui and the others? "He Yunsheng didn't see Wang Jiugui's figure and asked.
"I tried to reason with them and moved them emotionally, and they left. They also said that they will come another day to apologize and won't do such a thing in the future. "He Yan said," Don't worry about them, just continue to sell cakes. "
He Yunsheng looked at her suspiciously.
If Wang Jiugui was really so reasonable, he wouldn't be called Wang Jiugui. But He Yan didn't look like she wanted to say more, and she didn't look like she was hurt. He Yunsheng was a young man, so he quickly put this matter to the back of his mind.
At night, after dinner, He Yunsheng wanted to go to bed, but He Yan stopped him.
"What's the matter?"
"Do you have clean clothes?" He Yan asked.
He Yunsheng didn't understand.
"I want to see if there's anything on your clothes that needs to be mended." He Yan said, "I can help to mend it at night."
He Yunsheng's expression was about to crack.
Ever since he was born, this was the first time He Yan had asked to mend his clothes. For a moment, the young man's heart was filled with a strange feeling, but … he asked hesitantly, "Have you done needlework before?"
He seemed to remember that He Yan didn't know how to sew, and Qing Mei did all the needlework.
"You're underestimating me. Of course. "Of course not.
He Yan gave him a push. "Hurry up and get it. Bring whatever you can get."
He Yunsheng obediently found a pile of clothes. He Yan picked up the clothes and walked into the house. He Yunsheng was still a little hesitant, "Why don't I ask Qing Mei to do it?"
"Qing Mei's work is not as good as mine. Go to sleep. You have to wake up early tomorrow." He Yan said.
After sending the young man away, He Yan returned to the house and looked around. Finally, she found a maroon round-necked, narrow-sleeved long robe. He Sui probably gave all his money to his daughter. He Yunsheng didn't even have a decent piece of clothing. He only had some cotton clothes and this long robe was probably the leftovers of other people. The color of the washed clothes was old.
Fortunately, she was about the same height as He Yunsheng, so the long robe barely fit her. Then, she tied her hair into a man's bun and stuck a tree branch outside the door. She made her skin darker and her eyebrows thicker. He Yan looked at the mirror. She looked like a young man.
In her previous life, she was very good at dressing up as a man. At least during those years, no one noticed anything wrong. In this life, she didn't feel awkward dressing up as a man. Unfortunately, she wanted to be an elegant young master, but when she wore this robe, she looked like a young master from a declining family. It was barely pleasing to the eye.
She paced back and forth in the house. When she was sure that nothing would go wrong, she secretly opened the door and walked to the courtyard. She nimbly jumped over the wall and came to the street.
At this time of the year, there was no curfew in the capital. It was a lively and bustling time. He Yan walked along the brightly lit street. The boats along the shore sang and danced pleasantly. The hawkers on both sides of the street shouted loudly. Spring was full of life. It was a prosperous night.
She hadn't been able to go out like this for many years. He Rufei had returned to the He Family. He Yan had married into the Xu Family. He Yan had lost her sight.
These lively, bustling, and beautiful things seemed to be very far away from her. But tonight, with the night breeze blowing from the lake, she regained what she had lost. She was free.
She was free from the He Family and had to start all over again. She was grateful to the heavens.
The capital was not far from the Drunken Jade House. Outside the Ming House, beautiful girls were welcoming guests with smiles on their faces.
This was not a brothel, but the capital's largest and most famous gambling house, Le Tong House.
He Yan stopped in front of Le Tong House.
Chapter 9
At the entrance of Le Tong Zhuang, a woman wearing a flower hairpin stopped He Yan and said: "Gongzi, this is a gambling house."
"I know." He Yan nodded and took out a piece of silver from his sleeve. He waved it in front of her and said: "I'm here to gamble."
The woman was stunned. Before she could say anything, He Yan had already walked in.
The woman standing outside the gambling house was a gambling prostitute. The people who came to Le Tong Zhuang were all from wealthy families. Silver was worthless, so they learned to treat people differently. Those who didn't look very rich would persuade people to leave. First of all, it wasn't very nice for poor people to walk inside. They would dirty the embroidered carpet. Second of all, the poor people cared about money and couldn't afford to lose. Once they lost, they would cry to the heavens and earth and refuse to pay. They would disturb the noble's mood and lose more than they gain.
He Yan's clothes were old and washed. He definitely didn't look like a young master from a wealthy family. Unfortunately, the gambling prostitute didn't have time to stop her. She had already entered uninvited.
The gambling house was full of people. Everyone's face was red. Those who won were naturally complacent. Those who lost were unreconciled. They took out a stack of banknotes and shouted: "Again!"
He Yan walked and looked around. It turned out that the rumors about gambling houses and brothels were true.
Today, after she taught Wang Jiugui a lesson, she asked Wang Jiugui a question. She asked him which was the biggest gambling house in the capital. Wang Jiugui, a street punk, must know. Sure enough, Wang Jiugui told her about Le Tong Zhuang.
He Yan had never been to a gambling house. Before she joined the Fuyue Army, because of her special identity, she couldn't go to places with more people, let alone a gambling house. When she joined the Fuyue Army and returned to the capital after winning the war, He Yunsheng came back. She became the Di Missy of the second branch of the He Family. She couldn't go to this kind of place. Therefore, this was the first time she didn't even know where the gambling house was.
Le Tong Zhuang, on the other hand, had everything. Pai Gow, Danqi, Chinese chess, grass fighting, cockfighting … She was dazzled by the sight. While she was amazed, she also felt that it was a pity that she did not know how to do any of these.
Some people were guessing the dice. They put the dice in a bowl and guessed the number. This was the simplest game, and it also attracted the most people. He Yan's eyes were dazzled by the flowing silver. The corners of He Yan's mouth finally broke into a smile.
The He Family was really too poor, but He Yunsheng still had to attend a school or martial arts school. Pawned jewelry couldn't be exchanged for much money, and it was still far from being enough to buy a bundle. Even if he wanted to make a big cake and sell it, it would take a long time to save up. After thinking about it, He Yan could only think of going to the gambling house. Although it was opportunistic, he could not care so much at the moment.
"Hey, brother, why are you standing here? Don't stand here if you don't want to gamble." The people around He Yan shoved him with disdain in their eyes.
If you don't have money, why did you come to a casino? Can't you just buy some nice clothes? It was really unappetizing.
He Yan said: "Let's gamble."
The people around were all wearing gold and silver. They were either rich or noble. When they suddenly saw a young man in poor clothes, they couldn't help but look over. He Yan took out the only two pieces of silver from his sleeve and put them on the table.
Someone mocked: "Boy, you should think clearly. This is not a joke. I see that you don't have any other silver on you. Why don't you stop gambling? If you really lose and cry, others won't return the silver to you! "
It wasn't that such a thing didn't happen. Gambling was addictive. The more one lost, the more one gambled. Some people lost all their land deeds, wives and children. In the end, they regretted it and were kicked out by the people of Le Tong Village. This happened from time to time.
They looked at He Yan with pity. The poor people in Le Tong Village had no way out.
He Yan smiled: "It's okay, I'm just gambling for fun."
Everyone burst into laughter, but no one knew whether they were laughing out of goodwill or just for fun.
The dice were put into the bowl and turned upside down. The dealer shook the dice left and right. The dice made a crisp sound. It was accompanied by the lively voices of the people. It was like music. He could vaguely hear the rough men talking and laughing loudly.
He Yan remembered those years in the barracks.
When she entered the barracks, from a soldier to a deputy general, from a deputy general to a general. She didn't have any relationship with the He family. She relied on her own flesh and blood to earn her position.
There was no other entertainment in the cold and bitter border. Those men in the barracks couldn't hold it in and secretly gambled.
He Yan would punish them every time he saw them. He couldn't stop them from gambling in private. He Yan was also helpless. In the end, he could only rule that they couldn't gamble with silver. They could gamble with other things like a drumstick, a piece of dry food, or a piece of fur.
They didn't really want to gamble, but they were really bored. He Yan couldn't bear to deprive them of their only pleasure other than training and fighting. They let He Yan play with them. Sometimes, He Yan would join them for one or two rounds when he was in the mood. Every time, he lost badly.
She lost almost all of her trinkets, but she wasn't angry. She just felt that there were specializations in this field. Not everyone knew how to gamble.
The crisp sound of the dice stopped abruptly. The dealer put down the bowl and looked at her.
"Big," He Yan said.
"Open — —"
The bowl was opened. Two dice lay quietly on the table. Everyone held their breath and looked over. The two dice, one five and one six, were indeed big.
Everyone was a little surprised. After a moment, the man who laughed at He Yan laughed: "You're lucky. Take this money and get some good clothes!"
Some scattered silver and banknotes were piled up in front of He Yan.
He Yan pushed the silver out again.
Everyone looked at her.
"Again," she said with a smile.
Someone couldn't help but say: "Hey, this kid is a little arrogant!"
"Brother, you'd better quit while you're ahead. It's good enough that you won." This was a kind advice.
"Do you really think you'll always be so lucky? Hahaha, children are so naive! "
Sounds of mockery, persuasion, and chatter filled his ears. He Yan only had eyes for the two dice among the multitudes of people.
He Yunsheng needed to attend school and become a military officer. Qing Mei couldn't finish all the chores, so the He Family should hire more servants. It would be summer in a few months, and the rainy season would come. Some of the tiles on the He Family's door were missing, so it would definitely leak … Both inside and outside, they needed silver.
She wanted to find out about Xu Zhiheng and He Rufei, so she couldn't do without silver.
She didn't need a lot of silver, but she definitely couldn't do without it. Otherwise, when she couldn't move an inch, she would know that life was difficult.
"Have you thought it through?" The middle-aged man who shook the dice stroked his beard and smiled kindly.
He Yan returned a polite smile.
"Again."
Chapter 10
Money was piled up on the table, and some people stacked their jade pendants on top of them. A young and inexperienced boy who had good luck after good fortune naturally attracted the attention of others. Not long after, the place was filled with people who wanted to watch the fun.
"Big."
"Open —"
"Gongzi, please choose."
"Small."
"Again."
"Open —"
"Again."
"Open —"
"Again."
"Open —"
In front of He Yan, there was a pile of banknotes. The people who laughed at her just now had already quieted down. Even a fool could see that she was not a newbie who came to play for the first time. If it wasn't for the reputation of Le Tong Zhuang, others would have suspected that she was working together with the banker to deceive outsiders.
The faint sound of the night watch came from outside. He Yan said, "It's getting late, I should go back."
"Gongzi," the bearded old man smiled, "Let's play one last round. How about we change the bet?"
He Yan looked up at him, "How do we play?"
"Let's not play big or small. I think gongzi is an expert. How about we guess the number of the dice?" He pushed all the jewelry and banknotes on the table to the middle of the table, "If gongzi wins, these will all be gongzi's."
He Yan looked at the banknotes on the table.
She had already won a lot, and she knew that this would attract other people's attention. In the past, when she was in the army, she had heard the young generals talk about the dark side of casinos, so she knew a thing or two about it. She should have stopped when she was ahead, but for some reason, He Yunsheng's yearning gaze when he talked about going to school appeared in her mind, as well as the one and only clothes she was wearing, which had been washed out.
"Okay." She said.
The crowd was in an uproar, and the atmosphere suddenly became tense.
Guessing big or small and guessing numbers were two completely different things.
Guessing big or small depended on luck. There were only two outcomes, big or small. But the number had to be accurate to every single one. If it was wrong, it was wrong. The chance of winning was too small. Unless it was someone who really knew how to throw dice, they probably wouldn't do it like this. Moreover, the banker's method was different.
He Yan also pushed all the banknotes in front of him forward.
If she lost this round, everything she had done tonight would have been for naught. If he won, He Yunsheng's tuition would be enough for the He Family's food and drink for the next three to five years.
When the crowd saw this, they all raised their stakes. "Me too!"
"This is my silver, I bet on this brother to win!"
"How is that possible? I'll bet on my opponent, hahaha!"
The higher the stakes, the more people would watch. Getting rich overnight was even more irresistible than the best opera troupe in the capital.
The long-bearded old man slowly lifted the bowl, and the casino quieted down. It seemed that only the sound of the dice colliding in the copper bowl could be heard.
He Yan was slightly distracted.
Her gambling skills were really terrible. At least before she returned to the capital, before she married into the Xu family, it was as bad as before. Not long after she got married, she played the 'Leaf' card game with other madams at various banquets as Young Mistress Xu. She always lost miserably. At that time, Xu Zhiheng always laughed and said, "You ah, why are you so stupid?"
That was a rare moment when he showed her mischievous side. She thought that she caught this handsome man's gentleness and intimacy. She was very happy and secretly made a decision to learn her skills well so that she could make Xu Zhiheng proud at the next banquet.
Unfortunately, before she could seriously learn the 'Leaf' card game, she became blind.
Whether it was a family banquet or an external banquet, the Xu family couldn't let a blind person represent the main branch. She didn't go out anymore, but the fu was really boring and stuffy. She couldn't see, so she could only learn to listen.
She wanted to be a blind person who could move freely. Even if she couldn't see, she didn't need other people's help. She had always been competitive, so she started practicing again. First, she listened to the sounds and learned to distinguish shapes. Then, she slowly moved. When she was almost ready, she could use the branches in the fu as swords and secretly make gestures.
It was at that time that she learned to listen to the sounds of the dice.
He Yan felt that the dice were much simpler than the 'Leaf' card game. The more delicate something was, the more it tested one's hearing ability. She listened like this, and each side of the dice had a slight difference. She shook the dice in the bamboo tube and poured it on the table. She silently recited the numbers and then used her fingers to test it. At first, she always made mistakes. Once, after she finished reciting the numbers and touched the dice, she finally smiled.
She succeeded.
The Xu family's servants secretly talked about her. They said that after the young mistress became blind, she went crazy and shook the bamboo tube in the room all day long. However, they gradually discovered that He Yan didn't need anyone's help. She could still eat, live, and travel. She could accurately distinguish each Xu family servant by their voices and knew where each utensil was placed.
If she didn't know that she really couldn't see, she would be no different from a normal person.
Xu Zhiheng praised her for being amazing. He held her hand and praised her. He Yan was very happy, but also a bit disappointed. She didn't know what she was disappointed about, but she always felt that perhaps it shouldn't be like this.
Now that she thought about it, at that time, her hearing ability had been trained to perfection. She could probably hear Xu Zhiheng's coldness and perfunctory tone when he spoke to her. However, her emotions made her subconsciously avoid this thought.
He Yan lowered her eyes. In the end … the person involved couldn't see clearly.
The sound of shaking the dice came to an abrupt end. With a "bang", the bowl was upside down on the table.
One dice, two dice, both of them landed.
Everyone looked at He Yan. He Yan closed her eyes. It was as if she had returned to the days when she was in the Xu family. She sat in front of the table, shaking the dice alone. She opened the lid alone. She touched each side of the dice alone.
She tried to grasp the light in the darkness.
"2, 5." She opened her eyes and said.
The upside down bowl and chopsticks were opened, and the two dice fell naked in front of everyone's eyes.
At first, it was quiet. After a while, someone softly cried out in surprise. Then, one after another, cries of surprise rose and fell. He Yan was closest to a pampered young master. He grabbed He Yan's arm and shouted, "Master, from today onwards, you are my master! Please accept a bow from your disciple! "
He Yan helplessly pulled away the young master's hand that was grabbing her arm.
The long bearded old man's smile stiffened. However, after a moment, he stroked his beard and said with a smile, "Young master, you have good skills. These silvers are all yours." After a pause, he said, "May I ask young master's esteemed name? Would you do me the honor of drinking a cup of tea with this old man before you leave?"
He Yan put all the silver notes and jewelry into her bosom and politely declined, "Nameless brat, there's no need to mention it. It's really late today. As for the tea, I'll drink it another day. "After she finished speaking, she walked past everyone and quickly left Le Tong Manor.
The people in the gambling house continued to marvel at the gambling house. The long bearded old man's smile didn't change. He turned around and walked upstairs. Someone bowed their head in front of him. He said, "Follow him!"
On the other side, the big man with a gloomy face pressed his fingers together and waved to Ding Yi behind him. He then followed him out of Le Tong Manor.
"You want to run away after winning my money? There's no such thing in this world, idiot! "