“Madam Xiao, gambling isn’t done with empty words. How much silver do you intend to wager for this first round?”
The shopkeeper quickly composed himself and gestured toward the recorder Zhang Sheng standing nearby.
Zhang Sheng immediately stepped to the side of the table, facing Xiao Ying directly.
The three Chen family siblings grew tense, especially Chen Xingyue, who feared the vicious woman would lose again and sell off either her eldest brother or eldest sister.
“My time is limited. Let’s decide the outcome in a single round.”
Xiao Ying remained calm throughout, casually tossing a ten-tael silver ingot onto the table.
The shopkeeper was somewhat surprised she could actually produce money.
Heh, but after this round, the money would be his.
“Madam Xiao is decisive. Then we’ll settle it in one round.” The shopkeeper naturally wouldn’t object. “If you win this round, these ten taels are yours. If I win, your silver belongs to the Zhao Residence.”
Saying this, he confidently threw his own ten-tael ingot onto the table.
“How would Madam Xiao like to gamble?” he asked with a jovial smile.
“Your choice.” Xiao Ying’s expression remained indifferent, completely composed.
The shopkeeper sneered inwardly. Still putting on airs at this point? Very well, he’d make sure she lost convincingly.
“Then let’s play the simplest game – dice throwing. Whoever rolls the higher number wins.”
“Acceptable.”
After finalizing the terms, the shopkeeper glanced at Steward Zhou, who nodded in approval. The gambling match officially began.
Zhang Sheng produced two dice from his robe, tossing one to Xiao Ying while keeping the other himself.
He smiled confidently. When it came to this game, if he claimed second place, no one dared claim first – at least in Hongye Town, he was the undisputed champion.
Both began shaking their dice, though Xiao Ying only gave hers a single shake before slamming it onto the table, appearing completely inexperienced.
Zhang Sheng, meanwhile, demonstrated various flashy techniques, shaking his dice in a dazzling display before finally covering it on the table.
“Madam Xiao, who should reveal first?”
The shopkeeper looked at her with a mocking smile, eyes full of derision.
Xiao Ying casually uncovered her dice. Two bright red dots faced upward, visible to all present.
“Pfft…”
Someone immediately couldn’t suppress a laugh. With skills like this, she dared come here to gamble?
Zhang Sheng secretly rolled his eyes, feeling that gambling with such a person was a complete waste of time.
The Chen siblings felt their hearts turn cold. Even Chen Xinghai and Chen Xingyun, who trusted Xiao Ying deeply, couldn’t help but worry.
Two points – this didn’t look promising. They would lose if the opponent rolled even one point higher. Could it be that Mother truly didn’t know how to play?
Chen Xingyue directly burst into angry tears. She knew this woman was both vicious and useless.
It’s over, it’s over. Eldest Sister would probably be sold off today.
“Madam Xiao has quite the skill.”
Steward Zhou’s tone was sarcastic, his praise actually concealing contempt as he began assessing Chen Xingyun.
Though this young lady appeared sallow and thin, with some proper feeding she would likely blossom into a fine beauty who should please the master.
“Madam Xiao, two points.” The shopkeeper seized the opportunity to announce the result before turning to Zhang Sheng.
Xiao Ying remained silent throughout, calmly seated in her place.
“My turn to reveal.” Zhang Sheng sneered.
Just as he was about to lift the cover, Xiao Ying’s hand resting near the table suddenly flicked slightly, a surge of spiritual power instantly penetrating the other’s dice.
The next moment, the cover was lifted. Zhang Sheng smiled confidently – he didn’t need to look to know he must have rolled a six.
“What’s going on here?”
The shopkeeper’s startled exclamation rang out, his smile freezing on his face, eyes filled with disbelief.
“Tsk, as expected of an expert.”
Xiao Ying swept a glance over the scene, her tone dripping with sarcasm.
Seeing Steward Zhou’s expression darken, Zhang Sheng finally sensed something amiss. He looked down at his dice and was instantly rooted to the spot in shock.
Where were the dice? They had crumbled into a pile of powder—not a single pip remained!
“No, impossible! How could this happen?”
Zhang Sheng was utterly dumbfounded. He cupped the pile of powder in his hands as if beholding something horrifying, completely unable to accept it.
It couldn’t be—he had clearly rolled a six. How could they have turned to dust?
His gaze snapped toward Xiao Ying. It had to be this woman’s doing—damn her!
But he couldn’t figure out how she had managed it. Moreover, if she possessed such skill, why had she repeatedly lost to them before?
His mind was a tangled mess, growing more confused by the second. What in the world was happening?
It was over. He had lost to her at his own game, causing the Zhao Residence to forfeit ten taels of silver and even lose a servant girl.
Such humiliation would surely be pinned on him by the Zhao Residence.
At that thought, cold sweat drenched his back.
A glance at Steward Zhou beside him confirmed it—his face was as dark as storm clouds, and Zhang Sheng broke out in even more cold sweat.
Meanwhile, the three siblings of the Chen Family were astonished. They had thought defeat was certain, but the situation had taken an unexpected turn—it seemed they had won.
Chen Xinghai and Chen Xingyun were immediately overjoyed. They knew their mother never acted without certainty!
Their victory meant they could redeem their younger sister.
“Shopkeeper, why haven’t you announced the result?”
Xiao Ying showed no surprise at all. She fixed her gaze on the shopkeeper, a faint, elusive smile playing on her lips, sending a chill down his spine and leaving him seething with suppressed anger.
“Zhang Sheng—no pips.”
He forced down his confusion and fury to announce the result, then added, “This round goes to Madam Xiao.”
“My thanks for your concession.” Xiao Ying smiled lightly.
Zhang Sheng glared at her venomously and shoved the ten-tael silver ingot toward her.
Xiao Ying calmly collected her own silver, then toyed with the ten taels she had won, clearly in high spirits.
“Steward Zhou, according to the rules, I can redeem my daughter now, correct?”
Steward Zhou was nearly beside himself with rage. No one had ever humiliated him like this.
No—this wasn’t just a slap in his face; it was an insult to the entire Zhao Residence, to Zhao Yuanwai himself!
This woman had thoroughly offended the Zhao Residence.
Filled with hatred, how could he let Xiao Ying off so easily?
“You’ve only passed the first test. If you want to redeem her, you must pay ten times the price.”
“We originally bought Chen Xingyue for five taels of silver. If you want her back, you’ll have to give me fifty taels!”
“What? Fifty taels!”
Before Xiao Ying could respond, Chen Xingyun cried out in shock, his face paling.
Even a fool could tell they were being deliberately cheated. Such an exorbitant demand was clearly meant to prevent them from redeeming Xingyue.
The flicker of hope that had ignited in Chen Xingyue’s eyes was instantly extinguished. Five taels might have been possible, but fifty? This woman would surely be unwilling.
No—even if she were willing, she couldn’t possibly produce that much money.
In her half-year at the Zhao Residence, she had learned all too well what kind of place it was—a den of wolves. Once you entered, there was no leaving.
“You should leave now.”
She lowered her head dejectedly. It was already a miracle that this woman had come to redeem her today.
Xiao Ying, however, paid no attention and only stared coldly at Steward Zhou, slowly rising to her feet.
“How much did you say?”
“Fifty…”
Slap!
Steward Zhou sneered, but before he could finish speaking, a crisp slap echoed through the air—he had been squarely struck across the face.
His sneer instantly froze on his face, leaving him utterly stunned.