Chapter Thirty-Four

 

The candlelight in the bedroom had been extinguished, and it was so silent that only the breathing of two people could be heard.

Zhao Yelan didn’t wait for the other party to speak, and simply asked: “What are you thinking about? The matter of Nanjiang?”

“En. I was wondering if someone in the court obtained the poison from Nanjiang and used it on my father,” Yan Mingting said.

People from Nanjiang were not allowed to enter Beijing unless they were summoned. Even if the summons came, they would be strictly guarded by the Imperial army. It was impossible for them to come in contact with ordinary people. However, Nanjiang had just asked the Xuan Dynasty for peace not long ago, and it was impossible for them to take the risk of poisoning the old general unless someone cooperated with Nanjiang or secretly obtained the poison from the Nanjiang envoy.

“En, we’ll continue to look into who was close to the Nanjiang envoy at that time. It would be even better to know the details of the pilgrimage,” Zhao Yelan said. “Li Jinyu was there, maybe he can make some inquiries.”

“But how do we get him to open his mouth?”

“Wait, and he will take the initiative to bring it to our door.”

Hearing these words, Yan Mingting’s tense strings finally loosened. He felt inexplicably relieved, and smiled: “Okay, I’ll listen to you.”

A day later, Li Yucheng came to the door again. This time he had timed it correctly in order to obstruct someone.

“Are your legs and feet feeling better?” Zhao Yelan looked at him with a half smile, then turned his head to look around. “How about hanging in that tree today?”

Li Yucheng’s face turned colors. He gritted his teeth and put on a show of strength to disguise his fear, saying: “Stop talking nonsense. Zhao Yelan, do you dare to gamble with me?”

“Gamble?” Zhao Yelan raised his eyebrows. “I do not agree.”

“Why don’t you agree?!”

“It is my prerogative to agree or to disagree.” 

Zhao Yelan turned his head to Gao Tan, who rushed over to greet him, saying: “Xiao Gao, see our guest off.”

“Yes.” After receiving the order, Xiao Gao lifted Li Yucheng up and carried him all the way to the Prime Minister’s mansion before dropping him.

“Ouch! Hey!” Li Yucheng fell, rubbing his buttocks as he stood up. He pointed at Gao Tan’s back and cursed, “All right, you brat, when I avenge myself, I will definitely treat you with extreme prejudice!”

“Aiya, Young Master, why did you go to provoke Zhao Yelan again?” A servant hurried out to support him, persuading earnestly, “The master has implored you again and again not to cause trouble, especially for Zhao Yelan. Why didn’t you listen?”

“What do you know? If neither of us say anything, who will find out?” Li Yucheng was helped all the way back to his room. Lying on the bed, the more he thought about it, the angrier he became. He beat the bed board. “I just can’t take it! Zhao Yelan used to flaunt his might and bully my father in court. Now that he’s been demoted, how dare he still disrespect me in public……hmph, I’ve already thought of a way to get revenge!”

He was not knowledgeable in literature, so he couldn’t compare to Zhao Yelan in that aspect. In terms of martial arts, he couldn’t win against that boy next to Zhao Yelan or against the vicious Yan Mingting. 

Therefore, he decided on another way – Gambling!

He had witnessed Zhao Yelan’s gambling skills with his own eyes and could easily win against him. Zhao Yelan only needed to make a big bet, and he could take revenge without hesitation.

Moreover, even Yan Mingting couldn’t help with this matter. Who let them take the bet, hehe.

“Go and take out all my personal money,” Li Yucheng ordered in a whisper. “Then take it to my gambling hall buddy……”

For the next few days, Li Yucheng went to the General’s Mansion, but Gao Tan carried him back and threw him to the ground every time. His ass almost broke apart.

“Are you really going to refuse him?” Yan Mingting asked as he held a carrot in his hand, feeding the rabbit.

“What do you think?” Zhao Yelan sat in the study, writing.

“It’s just a delay tactic. The less urgent you are, the more anxious he will be to draw you out. At that time, everyone outside will know that it was Li Yucheng who insisted on betting with you, rather than your deliberate plan,” Yan Mingting said.

Zhao Yelan nodded silently.

Yan Mingting put the carrots in the courtyard, and the rabbit jumped away from the door of the study to continue eating.

Zhao Yelan heard his footsteps approaching and said without raising his head: “Go and wash your hands.”

“I’ll go right away.” Yan Mingting put his hands behind his back and looked at the paper. “What are you writing?”

“I’m copying a book. Why, is there a problem?”

“You’re too busy copying books, why don’t you draw a big portrait of me?” Yan Mingting asked earnestly. He raised his head to look at the mountain landscape painting hanging in the room, and pointed to the figure on it. “This painting is very good, but it would be even better if the person in it was bigger.”

“Tacky.”

“So what if it’s tacky just once?”

“Won’t means won’t.” Zhao Yelan put down his brush, pushed him out the door, and locked it. Then he turned back and continued to copy the book quietly.

“Just draw a portrait.” A head poked in through the window, speaking pitifully.

“Don’t even think about it.” Zhao Yelan walked over and closed the window. Finally, there was no noise.

“I’ll pay, just name the price.” A tile on the roof was lifted, letting in some sunlight.

Zhao Yelan raised his head to stare at that extremely noisy face, gritting his teeth in fury as he said: “Yan Mingting, you just try to disturb me one more time.”

“In what way?”

Zhao Yelan raised his sleeve and reached into it with his hand.

Yan Mingting’s pupils trembled and he quickly turned his face away. The arrow brushed past his cheek.

He laughed out loud: “Not bad, the accuracy is well-controlled and your progress is very fast. As expected of my good disciple.”

As soon as he finished speaking, another arrow was launched at him. Truly exceedingly ruthless.

In the blink of an eye, it was a rest day. Zhao Yelan had left Li Yucheng alone for several days and finally agreed to gamble with him.

Li Yucheng was overjoyed, and hurriedly hired a sedan chair to take him to the gambling hall, gearing up to vent his anger.

After Yan Mingting received this news at the training grounds, he rushed to the gambling hall without stopping, He Cuizhang and Zhong Yuehong following in unison.

When the three of them arrived, the gambling hall was already packed, everyone gathered around the biggest table in the middle to watch Li Yucheng and Zhao Yelan’s game with interest.

It took Yan Mingting a long time to squeeze in through the crowd of excited gamblers and see Zhao Yelan sitting gracefully in his seat. However, his expression was not good. On the contrary, Li Yucheng waved his fan triumphantly with a pile of silver on the table before him.

“How is the situation looking?” He asked the people next to him.

“Zhao Yelan lost badly!”

“I think this Li Yucheng came prepared, he always refuses to yield. The bets are getting bigger and bigger, so exciting!”

“I want to see Zhao Yelan lose everything!”

“It will also be fun if Li Yucheng loses. It will be interesting no matter who loses, hahaha!”

“Why don’t we make a bet on who wins or loses today!”

Yan Mingting squeezed a few more steps forward and finally reached Zhao Yelan’s side. The two looked at each other, and he said righteously: “Zhao Yelan, come back with me. I won’t let you have a sword to bet on today.”

Hearing this, the others burst out laughing. Zhao Yelan losing Yan Mingging’s sword last time had become a big joke in the gambling hall, and now the joke was coming around again.

Li Yucheng was even more pleased. His eyes roamed around and fell on the sword Yan Mingting was carrying, and he said: “Zhao Yelan, how about betting that sword?”

Zhao Yelan raised his eyes: “Then what are you betting?”

Li Yucheng pushed forward all of the money in front of him: “Everything.”

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There were exclamations all around, and everyone couldn’t wait to watch the show.

“No way,” Yan Mingting refused, but Zhao Yelan moved faster, snatching his sword and placing it on the table: “Deal.”

Li Yucheng was instantly overjoyed. He sent a covert, meaningful look at the dealer, and then looked at the two of them proudly.

“My lord, don’t bet on the sword, ah!” He Cuizhang and Zhong Yuehong shouted from the back row. “Those are the General’s treasures!”

“You guys shut up,” Li Yucheng shouted. “Since it’s already on the gambling table, you have no way to take it back, isn’t that right?”

“That’s right, ah! If you bet, you pay!” The gamblers echoed.

After opening the cup, Zhao Yelan’s face was ashen-colored. Li Yucheng moved forward gleefully to grab the silver and then pick up Yan Mingting’s sword. Glancing at it in disdain, he threw it to the servant boy: “Take it back and give it to the cook.”

He Cuizhang and Zhong Yuehong were furious, and didn’t know whether to be angrier at Li Yucheng or Zhao Yelan.

“Look what you did!” Yan Mingting scolded, and Zhao Yelan hung his head, saying nothing.

Seeing this, Li Yucheng’s desire for revenge became more and more exuberant. He would definitely ruin the two of them!

“Let’s stop playing bit by bit, how about just placing the big bets? Don’t you want to win it all back?”

Zhao Yelan asked: “How big?”

“A life or death situation where all wealth is on the table,” Li Yucheng said.

The servant quickly grabbed him and whispered: “Young master, that isn’t what you said before. Didn’t you just plan to win a little off him and stop after you made him lose face?”

“Go, go, go, stay to the side.” It was already to this point, so why should he hold back? Li Yucheng threw him off and looked directly at Zhao Yelan. “Zhao Yelan, let me ask – do you not dare?”

This method of aggression was the most useful for gamblers. Zhao Yelan’s eyes flashed: “Not dare? I will accompany you to the end.”

“Zhao Yelan!” Yan Mingting’s eyes darkened. He took his arm and was about to walk out.

“Yan Mingting, do you not know the rules of the gambling hall?” Li Yucheng yelled, and the others responded loudly, “That’s right, not allowed to go, not allowed to go!”

“Let go, it’s none of your business,” Zhao Yelan said coldly, breaking free of his grasp. He turned around and continued to sit at the table, looking at the exhilarated Li Yucheng. “If you lose, you are not allowed to renege on your debts.”

“This is natural. I bet ten thousand gold taels first!”

Everyone: “Ooh!”

Zhao Yelan also bet the same amount, and the two signed the papers in front of everyone.

Zhao Yelan bet big at the beginning, and a skilled gambler among the crowd saw this and shook his head with a sigh: “The dealer hasn’t even started to shake, and he bet blindly. This sort of gambling can’t be done purely by luck.”

“Li Yucheng will listen to the sound, anyway. Do you see that he is distinguishing it by the sound? Most likely, Li Yucheng is going to win, it’s looking good for him.”

“That’s right, this Li Yucheng’s luck is too good today for some reason. I think it’s probably a trick.”

“We won’t be lucky enough to see Zhao Yelan go bankrupt today, will we?”

“I’m going to call my buddies over to watch!”

When the dice cup stopped, Li Yucheng opened his eyes, laughed, and bet small with pride. He fanned his face and shook his head: “Zhao Yelan, Zhao Yelan, today you are done for. In terms of gambling skills, you are still a tender young master, while I –”

“Ah – !” Everyone looked down at the dice and exclaimed loudly.

Li Yuchung listened to their shouts and applause with satisfaction. He raised his hand to signal for silence and then turned his head to look at the dice: “Six……six, six, six?”

“Ah! Impossible!” Li Yucheng moved to the side of the dice cup in disbelief. He had obviously heard the sound of three ones!

Dumbfounded, he picked up the dice to check, and his face drained of blood. He flew into a rage, grabbing the dealer’s collar. “Didn’t you say there would be no problems? How could it be three sixes?!”

“I, I don’t know what is going on, ah.” The dealer said pleadingly.

“Why, did you bribe the dealer?” Zhao Yelan asked leisurely.

The others immediately looked at Li Yucheng in contempt. It was fine to give bribes, but he still lost after bribing him. How embarrassing!

“I didn’t!”

Li Yucheng immediately released the dealer. At this moment, the paper in front of him was taken away by a slender hand, and Zhao Yelan’s ghostly voice sounded in his ears: “I will give you one day to prepare the ten thousand gold taels. Any later, and I will chop off your hands and feet.”

Li Yucheng’s face went pale, and he fell to the ground limply. Looking at Zhao Yelan in a panic, he pulled at his clothes and said: “Let’s, let’s play again.”

“No need, ten thousand taels is enough for me.” Zhao Yelan took two steps back, smiled slightly, and bent down to pat his face. “The rule is that if you bet, you pay, as you have repeatedly emphasized. Could it be that after losing, you want to renege on your debts?”

“That’s right, you can’t renege on your debts!” He Cuizhang shouted loudly.

“That’s right, that’s right!” The others jeered. “Go back and prepare the gold, hahaha!”

Li Yucheng felt that the sky was falling. Where could he get so much gold, ah! Just when he was in despair, he suddenly saw Yan Mingting passing by him to pick up the sword on the table, his other hand stretched out.

“Childish.” Zhao Yelan said, and then smoothly gave him a high-five.

“So it turns out that you were acting as partners to deceive me!” Li Yucheng immediately got up and ran after them. “You planned to harm me!”

Zhao Yelan turned around and said with a smile: “You must show evidence. Who asked me to gamble over and over again? Who bought off the dealer? How did you lose, yet still want to make unfounded accusations? Can the son of the dignified Prime Minister only know how to play a scoundrel and frame others?”

Everyone pointed and looked at Li Yucheng. Li Yucheng looked around, and his eyes suddenly turned red as he covered his ears and fled.

“Xiao Gao, follow him, don’t let him commit suicide. Ensure that he returns to the mansion safely,” Zhao Yelan ordered, looking up at the sky. “No matter how hard Li Jinyu pretends to be deaf and dumb, he will have to step out the door for his stupid son.”

“En, wipe your hands first.” After the two got into a sedan chair, Yan Mingting took out a handkerchief and grabbed his hand to clean it.

Zhao Yelan looked down and wondered: “Why do you love cleanliness so much today?”

“You touched his face just now.” Yan Mingting wiped his hand vigorously.

“……”

Zhao Yelan withdrew his hand abruptly, looking at him with a complicated expression. He saw that the handkerchief in his hand was still the same one used to wipe his sweat at the training grounds last time.

“Stop the sedan chair,” Zhao Yelan called.

“What’s wrong?” Yan Mingting chased after him, puzzled. “Why aren’t you taking the sedan chair?”

Zhao Yelan walked forward on his own, Yan Mingting following. He was about to ask more questions when He Cuizhang and Zhong Yuehong also caught up. He Cuizhang said: “We were really scared to death just now, we almost thought Zhao-daren was really going to lose and go bankrupt!”

Zhong Yuehong: “That kid was really looking for a fight, he was going to throw away the General’s sword! I really want to beat him up!”

“No need, it’s understandable that he hates me,” Yan Mingting said.

“Hey, General, what are you holding in your hand?” With sharp eyes, Zhong Yuehong noticed that his sword had been hung on his waist at some point, and what he held in his hand was an embroidered brocade handkerchief.

“A handkerchief, can’t you see it?” Yan Mingting waved the handkerchief in front of them.

“I mean, General, why would you carry such a thing with you?!” Zhong Yuehong wasn’t aware that the General had such an interest.

Yan Mingting subconsciously glanced at Zhao Yelan’s figure. Coincidentally, Zhao Yelan looked back to see him smile and wipe his forehead with the handkerchief: “It’s a hot day, this is good for wiping sweat. What’s the problem?”

Zhao Yelan: “……”

He Cuizhang and Zhong Yuehong looked at their heroic general as he wiped his sweat pretentiously with a handkerchief, thinking: The problem is serious!

What’s more, it was already sunset. Where was the heat?!

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