"Young master, are you coming again?"
A man who was grinning so wide his mouth seemed to reach his ears counted the silver notes in his hand and asked Li Yanzhu obsequiously.
Li Yanzhu pushed aside the game tiles in front of her and waved her hand, "This is no fun, I'll try something else."
The man's smile immediately drooped.
This Laifu Zhuang had all sorts of people, but few fat sheep.
This person, with his clear complexion and fine clothes, was clearly a young master born with a silver spoon in his mouth, naive to the ways of the world.
He hadn't even frowned after losing dozens of taels of silver.
He quickly tucked away the silver notes and hurried after her.
"Young master, what else would you like to play?"
Seeing that the wealthy "fat sheep" hadn't shooed him away, he eagerly rubbed his hands and said, "Laifu Zhuang has everything, Pai Gow, Xiangqi, Chinese chess, grass fighting, cockfighting... If you wish to play, I, Ergou, can guide you through it all!"
Li Yanzhu stopped and looked at him, "Are you often here?"
She was dazzled by the variety of games and indeed needed someone to guide her.
It would be best to find someone who could highlight her role as a "big spender."
Ergou nodded immediately and leaned closer to her, whispering, "To tell you the truth, young master, I'm very familiar with this place."
He was indeed familiar.
Because he worked for the casino.
His job was to find target "fat sheep" customers and entice them to open their wallets and return again.
His salary came from the kickbacks he received.
"Alright, you're the one," Li Yanzhu said, placing her hands behind her back with a satisfied nod. "Ergou, is it? I want to play dice."
She had looked around and found that guessing dice was the simplest.
It involved putting dice in a bowl and guessing the total, with money flowing like water in each round.
This was also the game with the most onlookers and participants.
It fit Li Yanzhu's "big spender" persona in every way.
While Ergou marveled inwardly, he also felt a tinge of regret. This gamble was too big, and the kickbacks he would receive were small.
He quickly stepped forward and cleared a narrow space that was just passable.
Li Yanzhu was quite pleased and directly tossed a silver ingot into Ergou's hand.
Ergou happily rubbed it in his palm, then shooed away the people around him.
Although the displaced people complained, they dared not say anything.
Li Yanzhu was even happier that she had chosen the right person. She generously threw two silver ingots onto the table and placed her bet.
The dice were put into the bowl.
The dealer shook it from side to side.
The crisp sound of the dice clashing, accompanied by the lively human voices, was like music.
It made Li Yanzhu recall her past experiences.
The first time she played with Chao Chao, she even lost the golden hairpin her father had just given her.
Unwilling to accept defeat, she dragged everyone in the manor to play, and in the end, she finally won against Chao Chao, but was also placed under a gambling ban by her father.
At first, she feigned listening to Ergou's wins, but later she played openly, and Ergou didn't stop her.
"Again!"
Everyone was somewhat surprised, "Still playing?"
Some mocked, "If you lose your underpants, you'll have nothing left!"
"Brother, take the winnings while you can." This was a well-intentioned piece of advice.
Various voices filled her ears.
Li Yanzhu ignored them all, continuously taking out silver and throwing it onto the table.
"Children are so naive."
With continuous sighs and taunts, Ergou finally couldn't bear to watch and tried to stop her from gambling.
Li Yanzhu, however, became impatient and swung her fist.
Ergou immediately clutched his eye and whimpered silently.
By the time she lost everything, Xiao Cuini directly clutched her money pouch and refused to let go.
"Young master, if you lose any more, you'll have no family fortune left."
Li Yanzhu waved her hand, snatched the money pouch, and placed it on the table, "It's fine, my father can earn more."
Large stacks of silver were piled on the table.
She bet high, and the others bet low.
A naive young man who was foolish with money naturally attracted attention.
Soon, a larger crowd gathered to watch the spectacle.
"Again."
"Open—"
"Again."
"Open—"
"Again."
"Open—"
Finally, Li Yanzhu bitterly smiled and took off the jade pendant from her body, "Now I've really lost everything, down to my underpants!"
"Young master!" Xiao Cui tried to cover Li Yanzhu's mouth. "Why do you say everything!"
The crowd gasped.
"This young master has terrible luck."
A dignified voice rang out from behind the noisy crowd.
"Young Master Fang?" The crowd murmured, making way for him. "This young master is blessed."
Li Yanzhu tried to suppress her smiling lips and waved the jade pendant in her hand, "He's all I have left."
Fang Hanzhou furrowed his brow. "May I help you gamble this round, young master?"
He lowered his head, his gaze level with Li Yanzhu's. "If we win, you'll get half of it."
Li Yanzhu blinked her eyes, then nodded with a smile, "Alright, please, sir."
She placed the jade pendant on the table and then stood obediently to the side.
Fang Hanzhou did not steal the spotlight but asked for her opinion.
"Big," Li Yanzhu blurted out.
Fang Hanzhou raised an eyebrow and nodded, "Big."
"Young Master Fang, are you sure? This young master has already lost all day."
Fang Hanzhou said nothing, only quietly watched the dealer.
The bowl was opened, and two dice lay quietly on the table.
Everyone held their breath and looked. The two dice were both fives, indeed a big number.
He turned around triumphantly and returned the jade pendant to Li Yanzhu.
Li Yanzhu excitedly reached out to take it, but as soon as her hand touched the jade pendant, she vomited a mouthful of blood.
Fang Hanzhou was startled, wiping the blood off his face, and then cradled the soft, collapsing young master.
Instead, Xiao Cui cried out in shock.
"Princess!"
Princess?
Fang Hanzhou stiffly turned his neck and looked down at the person in his arms.
He quickly wiped the blood-stained jade pendant.
Indeed, two characters, "Taiping," were engraved on the back.
It was the Eldest Princess!
Fang Hanzhou was momentarily bewildered, but after confirming Li Yanzhu's identity, he instantly lifted her into his arms.
Xiao Cui wiped her tears, "Young Master Fang, my young master's carriage is just outside."
Fang Hanzhou nodded, carrying the person out.
As he reached the carriage and saw the characters "Taiping" hanging on it, he regretted not noticing it earlier.
He gave his attendant a look, and the attendant immediately took a horse and rushed towards the Fang residence.
"Young Master Fang, am I going to die?"
Li Yanzhu's eyes were tearful, her hand weakly gripping his robe.
She looked so pitiful.
Fang Hanzhou's previously stern expression softened. "Don't worry, I'm here."
He gently placed Li Yanzhu down and then climbed out to drive the carriage.
He was an unrelated male.
Carrying the Princess was irregular, and sharing a carriage with her...
Even if the Princess's vomiting had nothing to do with him, the Emperor could skin him alive.
If it were any other princess, it might be manageable, but this was the most favored Eldest Princess, and he could not afford to offend her.
But then he thought of Li Yanzhu's pitiful appearance.
Fang Hanzhou couldn't help but feel a bit puzzled.
From his interactions with the Eldest Princess, she was not as overbearing as the rumors suggested. Instead, she was gentle and well-behaved, with a touch of liveliness and spirit.
As he drove the carriage, he flicked the whip to clear the people blocking the way.
At the same time, he comforted Li Yanzhu, "Your Highness, please rest assured, I have sent someone to find a physician. You will be fine."
Outside, there was a flurry of urgent activity and anxiety, but inside the carriage, Li Yanzhu sat up, wiped her mouth with her sleeve, and then rinsed her mouth.
She cast a sidelong glance at the stunned Xiao Cui.
She put a finger to her lips and shushed her, then picked up grapes from the table and began to eat them.
"You scared me to death!" Xiao Cui complained, wiping away tears.
Li Yanzhu patted her hand reassuringly and then instructed her on all other matters.
With a "hiss,"
The carriage stopped.
Li Yanzhu immediately swallowed the food in her mouth and feigned to collapse weakly onto the footboard.
Her appearance was exactly like someone who was about to die.
Xiao Cui also cooperated by exclaiming, "Princess!"