latelenovela Chapter 344
Chapter 344
"If you don't help me, I will go straight to the Emperor—" Cheng Qingli looked at Manager Xu with a smile in her eyes, looking very much like she would storm into the palace to complain to the Emperor if he didn't do as she said.Manager Xu choked back his words. He thought to himself that this little ancestor really dared to say anything. No one was supposed to know that his master was the Emperor!
To think that the Second Miss of the Cheng family actually knew. He wondered if the Emperor had mentioned it to the Empress, or to Grand Preceptor Cheng.
Otherwise, how could Second Miss Cheng know such a highly classified secret?
However, since Second Miss Cheng had already laid her cards on the table, Manager Xu felt that if he didn't help her and she really did complain to the Emperor, he would likely be the one to suffer. After all, it was said that the Empress doted on this younger sister of hers.
And the Emperor also cared for this Second Miss Cheng very much.
Thinking of this, Manager Xu sighed and asked in a low voice, "What are your orders, Second Miss Cheng?"
Hearing this, Cheng Qingli smiled triumphantly. She knew it! This was her Emperor brother-in-law's property.
She also thought to herself that her Emperor brother-in-law was quite sly. He constantly complained about being poor, yet he actually owned such a lucrative place.
Zhu Jingchen: This is a massive injustice! He had originally set up this gambling den just to gather intelligence. It hadn't made any money before; it was only recently, after changing strategies according to Lord Li's suggestions, that it had started to turn a small profit.
"Do you see that woman?" Cheng Qingli pointed at Huo Yunzhi downstairs and asked.
"I see her." Manager Xu looked at Huo Yunzhi, wondering how this person had provoked this little ancestor to the point of being brought right to him.
One must know, this was a gambling den. No one who came here ever left completely unscathed.
However, this woman looked like a fat sheep ripe for the shearing. He just didn't know her identity. After all, by the Emperor's decree, they were not allowed to touch the money of innocent commoners.
"This woman is Prince Lanhuai's side consort, born into a merchant family. Her Huo family had their assets confiscated by the Emperor, and her younger brother was sentenced to exile for a thousand miles. In a moment, let her win a couple of rounds, and after that, make her spit out every good thing she has on her," Cheng Qingli said bluntly.
Manager Xu hadn't expected that person to be from the Huo family. Thinking of this, he couldn't help but take a few more glances. He had heard a thing or two about the Huo family.
He hadn't expected to run into one of them so soon.
Thinking about it, the Huo family wasn't clean either; otherwise, how could the Emperor have punished them?
"May I ask how this Miss Huo has offended you?" Manager Xu asked curiously.
"She wants to catch a white wolf with empty hands; she wants my shop for nothing," Cheng Qingli said, looking at Huo Yunzhi with a mocking sneer.
"Rest assured, Second Miss Cheng. This matter will definitely be handled to your satisfaction." Manager Xu nodded, agreeing to the request.
"In that case, I'll head out. Otherwise, if she can't find me in a moment, she might leave." After saying that, Cheng Qingli went downstairs.
Huo Yunzhi didn't see Cheng Qingli and was just about to leave when Cheng Qingli called out to her, "What's the matter, Side Consort Huo? Have you lost your nerve?"
"Miss Cheng, where did you just go?" Huo Yunzhi questioned with some dissatisfaction.
"I don't think I need to report my whereabouts to you. Do you dare to make a bet with me?" Cheng Qingli looked at Huo Yunzhi with a half-smile.
"Second Miss Cheng, you aren't trying to cheat, are you?" Huo Yunzhi looked at Cheng Qingli suspiciously.
"If Side Consort Huo doesn't have the courage to bet with me, then forget it. Plenty of people want my Qin Pavilion." After saying this, Cheng Qingli sat down at a nearby gambling table, ignoring Huo Yunzhi.
"Yo, little lady, do you know how to play?"
"Yeah, if you don't know how to play and lose later, don't go crying! Hahaha..."
"Little girl, this is a gambling table, not a place for young girls like you. Hurry up and leave!"
The crowd chimed in one after another, all trying to persuade Cheng Qingli to leave.
After all, although Cheng Qingli was beautiful, she looked like someone who shouldn't be trifled with. Although they loved to gamble, they didn't want to get involved in any trouble.
If this little girl started throwing a tantrum later, it would ruin their fun.
"What, are you afraid I can't afford the silver? Or are you afraid I'll win all your silver?" After saying this, Cheng Qingli pulled a fifty-tael silver ingot from her robes and placed it on the gambling table, right on the large character for Small.
Seeing the fifty taels of silver Cheng Qingli brought out, everyone's eyes lit up.
The way they looked at Cheng Qingli was incredibly excited; this was a huge catch!
Fifty taels of silver was enough for them to spend for a long time. At this moment, everyone was itching to get in on the action.
"Little girl, once this silver is placed on my gambling table, there's no chance to take it back," the dealer nearby reminded her.
"Don't worry, this lady can afford to lose this little bit of silver." Out of the corner of her eye, Cheng Qingli noticed that Huo Yunzhi hadn't left, so she deliberately acted as if she didn't know what she was doing.
"Dealer, hurry up and start. The little lady has already spoken."
"Exactly, dealer, why aren't you hurrying?"
Terrified that Cheng Qingli might run away, the crowd hurriedly urged him.
The dealer glanced at Cheng Qingli, whose face was covered in a bright smile, and sighed inwardly.
He thought to himself, this little girl is pretty, but why is she so foolish?
That was fifty taels of silver!
Cheng Qingli obviously knew it was fifty taels. However, if she didn't lose a few rounds, how would Huo Yunzhi take the bait?
What she wanted was precisely to lose this silver.
To lower Huo Yunzhi's guard against her.
The gambling table Cheng Qingli was at played the simplest game of betting on Big or Small.
Seeing that Cheng Qingli's mind was made up, the dealer didn't try to persuade her anymore. Urged by the crowd, he quickly began shaking the dice cup in his hand.
"Come, come, come! Place your bets and hands off! Everyone, hurry up and bet!" As soon as the dealer slammed the dice cup down, he quickly called out to the people around the table.
"I bet on Small!" Cheng Qingli deliberately placed her fifty taels on Small.
Seeing Cheng Qingli bet on Small, the others were thrilled. They hadn't expected this little girl to directly bet fifty taels of silver. If they won...
Thinking of this, everyone was extremely excited.
"Dealer, I bet on Big!" A man directly placed two copper coins on the character for Big on the table.
"Wait, Liu San, what is the meaning of this? Two copper coins?" Seeing this, the dealer was somewhat dissatisfied. The little girl had bet fifty taels, and he was betting two copper coins. His intentions were far too obvious.
"What, are two copper coins not money?" the man called Liu Mazi said in dissatisfaction.
"Exactly, I'll bet two coins too!"
"I bet three coins!"
Soon, everyone had placed their money on Big. However, the amounts were all small. It looked like a large pile, but in reality, it didn't even amount to one tael of silver.
Seeing this, the dealer couldn't help but shake his head. Their intention to scam the little girl was just too obvious.
"Dealer, why aren't you hurrying to open it and let everyone see what it is?" Cheng Qingli didn't care at all and instead urged the dealer to quickly reveal the answer.