A person fell into a snake pit and was quickly devoured by a mass of snakes. Screams echoed throughout the second floor. Whether on the stands or below, the difference was that those below could clearly see the scene of people falling into the snake pit and being swallowed by countless snakes.
Wang Qiancheng lowered his head. A mist of blood rose from the snake pit below his feet. Only scattered points of light were visible in the dark abyss. The desperate screams seemed to be trapped in a dark swamp, the fear of impending death enough to drive a person mad. Fortunately, a servant quickly pulled him onto the viewing platform. It was only when his feet touched solid ground that Wang Qiancheng’s heart truly settled.
"Congratulations, Young Master Wang!"
The servant helped him sit down securely in a chair and handed him a cup of tea. Escaping death by a narrow margin and gaining a promise from a direct disciple of Medicine King Valley was indeed worthy of congratulations.
Wang Qiancheng wanted to flip the servant off to express his gratitude, but his hands were too weak to lift. If it were possible, Wang Qiancheng wished he could go back in time by the duration of an incense stick. He wished he could have grabbed a chair and smashed it against his pig-headed brain, which had been doused with dog excrement, when his past self, in his petty dislike and provocation of Feng Luan, had done so.
Seeing that Wang Qiancheng did not reach for the tea, the servant placed the cup back on the table.
...
Liu Cheng glanced at the dealer. The scene before him was both unexpected and expected. He knew that Yipin Ju would absolutely not let Wang Qiancheng die here, but he hadn't anticipated witnessing this scene.
When had the other party made their move? He hadn't detected anything! On the contrary, this Feng Luan seemed certain that the dealer from Yipin Ju was responsible for the tampering!
"Young Master Liu, I didn't have enough fun today. If there's an opportunity, let's gamble again!" Nan Shiying withdrew her gaze from the dealer and turned to look at Liu Cheng.
Liu Cheng cupped his hands towards her and nodded readily, "Certainly!"
After agreeing to gamble again another day, Nan Shiying walked onto the viewing platform. Seeing Wang Qiancheng slumped in his chair, she smiled and said, "Congratulations, Young Master Wang. If you ever need me to fulfill my promise, come find me at the Tongji Pharmacy on Yunlan Street."
This was a shop Nan Shiying had acquired in the past for Du Lao and the others to use, but due to various circumstances, Nan Shiying had ultimately not had Du Lao and the others move in.
Instead, she had hired a shopkeeper and assistants.
Wang Qiancheng twitched his lips and nodded weakly.
...
Since Wang Qiancheng, the injured party, did not pursue the matter, no one reported it to the authorities.
Wang Qiancheng had the family of his guard collect the body, paid for a generous burial, and provided a substantial severance package. The job of a guard was inherently dangerous, with heads constantly on the line. The severance Wang Qiancheng provided was enough for their families to live on for half a lifetime. The family, besides being deeply grateful, harbored no resentment.
"What exactly happened?"
His son went out, his guard died saving him, and yet his son suppressed the matter, turning a major incident into a minor one, resolving it quietly. This was not like him.
"It's nothing!"
Wang Qiancheng felt that some things didn't need to be explained in detail. At the very least, after weighing the pros and cons and realizing that the best solution was to back down, he felt there was no need to mention it to anyone.
"You..."
"Father, I'm tired!"
...
"Yipin Ju is Ji Hong's property, isn't it!"
Back at the Wang Mansion, Lu Wan served tea and then withdrew. Today, on a whim, she had gone to Yipin Ju, and it had not been in vain. Not only had she become acquainted with Liu Cheng and others, but she had also stumbled upon this matter. In this capital, apart from Ji Jinmo and Ji Hong, no third person could be so unrestrained.
Of course, the reason she was so certain was that if Yipin Ju were also her lord's property, the Xuan Guards would not have reported it.
Ji Jinmo clearly knew about this long ago and was aware of the illicit dealings at Yipin Ju, choosing to turn a blind eye.
In fact, the best course of action today would have been to let Wang Qiancheng die at Yipin Ju. However, when the dealer made his move, Ji Jinmo had not intervened. Was it because he didn't want Wang Qiancheng to die, or because he didn't want him to die at Yipin Ju? These two "don't wants" represented two entirely different psychological states.
That strange feeling resurfaced in Nan Shiying's heart.
She subconsciously rubbed her chin with her hand, but she didn't ask anything. After all, if Ji Jinmo had wanted to say something, he would have done so long ago. Since he was unwilling to speak, even if she asked a hundred times, the answer would be the same.
"Yes!"
There was nothing to hide about this.
Nan Shiying didn't ask any more about Yipin Ju. Instead, she stroked the teacup, gazing through the slightly ajar window at the bright moon hanging in the night sky.
...
As dawn broke, the morning mist shrouded the streets like a fairyland, with visibility not exceeding one meter.
The gate of the Liu family, the residence of the Grand Chancellor, was opened by the gatekeeper. Liu Wan Jun, dressed in his official robes, stepped over the threshold and onto the carriage. The coachman drove the carriage towards the palace gate.
The curtains were secured to the window frames with ropes, but even so, the biting cold wind still seeped in through the gaps. The hands Liu Wan Jun rested on his knees retracted slightly into his sleeves. The brazier in the carriage couldn't suppress the bone-chilling cold.
It wasn't until the carriage stopped that Liu Wan Jun lifted the curtain.
The coachman reached out and helped Liu Wan Jun down.
"Was incense lit in the carriage today?" Liu Wan Jun lowered his hand, adjusted his official attire, and frowned slightly, recalling the fragrance he had smelled in the carriage.
A servant glanced into the carriage and said with his head bowed, "Perhaps the charcoal and spices were placed together today. I will go to East Street to get some new charcoal."
Liu Wan Jun grunted and stepped into the palace gate.
The coachman of the Liu Mansion reined in the horse and turned around, nearly colliding with the carriage behind him. Fortunately, the carriage behind had already slowed down, preventing the important person inside from experiencing the jolt of an abrupt stop. The two narrowly avoided a scolding!
Afterward, he drove to East Street, replaced all the charcoal in the brazier, and then returned to the palace gate.
After a morning court session, the sky had completely brightened, and the accumulated mist had dispersed considerably. Liu Wan Jun walked out hand-in-hand with Nan Chaoyin. They stopped their conversation by their carriages and got into their respective vehicles.
There was no longer any fragrance in the carriage, and Liu Wan Jun nodded with satisfaction.
Upon returning to the Liu Mansion, Liu Wan Jun went directly into the study. By lunchtime, the servant waiting at the door, having not received any instructions from Liu Wan Jun to serve a meal, cautiously knocked on the door: "Master, it is noon. It is time for lunch!"
There was no response from inside the room.
"Master?"
The servant called out again, still receiving no reply.
He gently pushed the door open and entered the study. Liu Wan Jun rested his right elbow on the desk, his head cradled in the triangular area formed by his upper and forearm, appearing to be asleep.
The servant walked up to him and gently touched his shoulder.