She still did not know if this man was friend or foe. If she took Nan Liefeng’s stone today, who was to say that Nan Liefeng wouldn't come hunting her down another day?
However, if she did not take it and offended this man, she feared she would not fare well either. Nan Liefeng was already so wary of him, which showed that the man truly possessed some ability. Although she did not know what he was after, well...
When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Once she took the money and left, and after she had properly recovered her strength, Nan Liefeng might not even be someone she would need to worry about.
"Very well!"
The man let out a low chuckle. "Then I shall place a bid on this young master’s behalf: three hundred thousand gold!"
Liu Rumeng naturally would not raise the bid further, and as for the others, it went without saying. In the end, the stone was won by Nan Liefeng—or rather, won temporarily—and then gifted to Liu Rumeng. Though she hadn't placed the bid herself, she had still obtained the stone in the end, so she could not be considered to have lost.
Several large men placed the stone in the center of the table, and one of them reached out to split it open.
"Wait." Liu Rumeng waved her hand, suddenly turning her head to look behind her. "Lord Huang San, would you like to come and verify this stone? Is it the same one as before? Let’s not have you claiming later that I swapped the stone."
Huang San knew his defeat was sealed and had been preparing to slip away while everyone was distracted. But no sooner had he reached the door than he was blocked and forced back.
"Huang San, where are you going?"
"Exactly! The gamble isn't over yet, and you're already trying to bolt?"
Surrounded by the crowd, Huang San could neither escape nor argue his way out. His face shifted between shades of grey and black. Liu Rumeng had always enjoyed beating a dog that had fallen into the water; this type of petty person loved to stir up trouble and bully others. She strolled over to Huang San, her beautiful eyes raised slightly, the faint coldness in their depths making Huang San stiffen in terror.
"Huang San, a bet is a bet. Since you agreed to this gamble, you should know the rules."
"This... this doesn't count! You didn't place the winning bid yourself, so naturally, the gamble is void!"
"It was never said that I had to be the one to bid! Are you trying to welch on the deal?!" Her beautiful eyes turned icy in an instant.
Huang San was immediately struck speechless. He was shoved back by the crowd and pressed against the table where the stone sat. He harbored a glimmer of hope: perhaps this piece of junk wouldn't reveal any Green Crystal at all. If that happened, he wouldn't be the loser, and he might even be able to turn the tables.
Liu Rumeng certainly knew there was no Green Crystal inside, but her agreement with Huang San had only specified that there would be "Green Crystal." Since the stone had Green Crystal on the exterior, she had not lost.
"Miss, I’m going to open it now."
Liu Rumeng curled her lips. "Go ahead."
Huang San leaned in extremely close, terrified of missing a single detail. Liu Rumeng, however, looked distracted. The outcome was already set; she just feared that today she would only make enough money from the Green Crystal on the outside.
As the blade cut down, the dense stone emitted a sharp, grating sound. Everyone watched with bated breath. Halfway through the cut, a faint black glow appeared.
The crowd gasped. Black? How could there be black?!
As the blade continued to cut upward, more black was revealed. It was not a brilliant, deep black, but a dull, murky color—a sign of terrible quality.
A smile crept back onto Huang San’s face. He fanned himself, sneering, "In my opinion, there’s no need to continue. It’s clear there is no Green Crystal inside. I doubt there’s even any purple jade."
Those around them looked disappointed.
"How could there be no Green Crystal?"
"Sigh, spending three hundred thousand gold on a piece of waste like this—it's a real pity."
"Good thing I didn't bid. Thank heavens!"
The murmurs rose and fell.
"Miss, do you want to keep cutting?"
"Of course."
The blade continued downward. Before long, the entire stone had been sliced open. Murky, dark crystals covered the interior like two inkstones; there was not a trace of green to be found. Three hundred thousand gold had indeed been spent on a piece of waste! Not to mention Green Crystal, there wasn't even the lowest-grade purple jade. Everyone shook their heads and sighed.
Huang San seized the opportunity, jumping about again. "How about that? I told you there was nothing in this stone! Spending three hundred thousand gold on such a piece of junk—can’t you all see what kind of tricks are being played here?"
With this series of blows, suspicion began to grow in the hearts of the crowd. Regardless of whether Liu Rumeng won or lost the bet, the damage to the casino’s reputation was already done. Huang San’s goal for the day was to shatter everyone’s trust in this gambling house so they would turn to other casinos, and his objective had been achieved.
Sneering, Huang San said triumphantly, "You should admit defeat now."
Liu Rumeng had known there was no Green Crystal inside, but for it to be this completely black was quite something. If she were anyone else, she would probably suspect foul play too. But if he expected her to admit defeat, he was far too early!
She reached out to pick up a piece of Green Crystal that had fallen off the outside, intending to hold it up for Huang San to see. However, she heard a mocking voice drift over: "Does no one else wish to bid?"
This was clearly directed at the merchants upstairs. Since the stone had been fully opened, the merchants on the upper floor had remained silent. They had expected to buy something good, but given the result, they couldn't help but feel discouraged. Only one hesitated before speaking: "I am willing to offer five thousand gold for the Green Crystal scattered outside. Would the young lady be willing to sell?"
Why wouldn't she? Five thousand gold was enough for her to squander for a while.
Just as she was about to agree, a strip of white silk flew out of thin air, wrapped around the stone on the table, and pulled it up to the upper floor. Liu Rumeng was stunned, and the crowd was shocked. Was this person trying to rob her?
"Since no one here intends to bid, I shall have to accept this good fortune myself."
The crowd fell silent, and Liu Rumeng felt a bit confused. The man’s style of doing things was extremely strange, and even she couldn't fathom his intentions.
"I am willing to offer four hundred thousand gold for this stone. Does the young lady agree?"
Liu Rumeng was utterly stunned. Four... hundred... thousand? Gold?! Was he insane?! Was this piece of junk worth that much? If he wanted it, he could find them all over the streets!
Huang San stammered, "Th-this young master, did... did you mispeak? Do you really want to pay fo-four hundred thousand gold to buy it?"
"Indeed. I wonder if this young lady would be willing to part with it?"
The floor below was dead silent, followed by intense discussion. They had met fools before, but never one this foolish! Everyone present was an old hand who had been in business for many years; they could see at a glance whether the stone was worth anything. It wasn't worth forty gold, let alone four hundred thousand. Who knew what kind of sucker would think it was a treasure?
Hearing the crowd's comments, Liu Rumeng felt even more suspicious. If the man wanted to help her, why drag Nan Liefeng into it as a dupe? Moreover, she didn't know him at all. She didn't think her charm was great enough to make a man go crazy for her.
Seeing that she remained silent, the man smiled. "What do you think, Miss?"
"Do you really want to buy it?"
"I do."
"You won't regret it?"
"I will not."
If he was a fool with too much money, she had no reason to refuse.
"Deal!"
In an instant, a strip of white silk wrapped around a stack of gold notes and flew into Liu Rumeng’s hand. The thick stack of notes was so heavy she could barely hold it. She began to calculate how many alchemy furnaces she could buy, how many clothes she could get for her mother and Xiaoqing... Since her business here was done, she prepared to withdraw.
"Wait, Miss, don't be in such a hurry. You seem to have forgotten something."
"Hmm?" Liu Rumeng froze.
The white silk drifted out again, accurately binding a person and throwing him onto the stone platform. Liu Rumeng had almost forgotten about Huang San.
Huang San was bound like a zongzi, rolling around on the platform and shouting excitedly, "On what grounds are you binding me? She clearly lost!"
"It was, of course, you who lost," the man answered in Liu Rumeng’s place.
"The stone didn't yield any Green Crystal, so she lost!"
"The agreement was that if no good crystals were produced, it would naturally be the young lady's loss."
Huang San roared, his neck turning red: "She lost! The crystals produced here aren't even as good as purple jade—how can you call these 'good crystals'?"
"This is Heavenly Profound Stone, something rarely encountered in a millennium. You actually claim it’s not even as good as purple jade? With such poor discernment, how dare you cause trouble here!" The voice deepened, and everyone felt a chill.
Huang San suddenly began to convulse, and soon he went quiet. The fan in his hand dropped to the ground, and a note fell out from the handle. Liu Rumeng picked it up and opened it. It contained the time to stir up trouble and the promised reward... He was indeed a spy sent by another party.
The truth had come to light. Liu Rumeng no longer needed to stay, so she packed her things and walked out. The crowd dispersed as well, leaving only Nan Liefeng and Situ Shao'an, who were being detained at the gambling house because they could not pay the gold.
The grey-clothed man went straight upstairs to the private room and said respectfully, "Master Moyin."
The man flicked his robes and stepped out from behind the gauze curtain. He wore a white robe that looked cold, arrogant, and brilliant. His clear, fair face had sharp, cold, and handsome features; his deep, pitch-black eyes shimmered with a charming luster. His thick eyebrows, high-bridged nose, and beautifully shaped lips all proclaimed his nobility and elegance.
A faint smile graced his handsome face, and a white lotus glowed faintly on his forehead. When he opened his lips, his voice was a deep tone, completely different from before: "Where did she go?"
"She went to the furnace shop. She is likely going to buy an alchemy furnace."
The man chuckled. A doting look swirled in his eyes, but his voice sounded helpless: "How heartless. She didn't even say thank you."
"Master’s behavior is so unpredictable that I fear the young lady thinks she has run into..." The grey-clothed man did not dare to continue.
A fool?
"Liuluo, have I been too lenient with you recently?" He actually dared to tease him.
"Master seems to have smiled a lot more recently," Liuluo said, emboldened.
Who didn't know that Moyin was always cold, proud, and aloof? No one knew why he had suddenly become so much more approachable lately.
The man touched his lips, a strange light flowing through his eyes: "Is that so?"
His peripheral vision caught sight of the frantic Situ Shao'an and the furious Nan Liefeng.
"Master, tonight is the palace banquet. If Young Master Nan does not appear, there might be trouble."
The man’s lips curled, but a coldness leaked from his eyes: "I said it was tonight, didn't I? Why the rush?"
*Daring to covet my woman! This little lesson is light!*
Liu Rumeng left the casino with the gold and began wandering along the street. With money in hand, she had more options and didn't need to return to the previous shop. However, from a distance, she saw the shop assistant running toward her, his face full of eagerness.
"Miss, I’ve found you! Please, come back with me!"
Liu Rumeng found it amusing. He was the one who despised her for having no money earlier, and now he was the one begging her to return. She curled her lip: "I suddenly don't want to buy anything."
The assistant grew anxious the moment he heard this: "Miss, I beg you, come back with me! It was our boss who lacked the eye to recognize a true master and didn't know your identity. I apologize to you—please, be magnanimous and don't hold a grudge against a small fry like me!"
Liu Rumeng couldn't quite understand. What identity? Could her identity as the fourth young lady of the Yang family have been exposed? Impossible. Besides, even if it were, given her current situation, she wouldn't be valued by them.
"Miss, just consider it a favor to me. If you don't go back with me, my boss will surely punish me severely. Please, take pity on me!"
The assistant was only in his teens, similar to her own age. Liu Rumeng felt a pang of pity and softened, nodding.
When the two returned to the furnace shop, they hadn't even entered before they saw the boss waiting at the door for quite some time. As soon as he saw Liu Rumeng, he rushed out to welcome her with a face full of enthusiasm.
"Distinguished guest, you’ve finally returned!" His expression was as if he were seeing his own mother. Liu Rumeng was ushered into the shop, feeling completely baffled.
"Please, have a seat for a moment. I’ll go get the item right away!" After saying this, the boss scurried off.
The assistant hurriedly served fruit and snacks, and brewed the best tea in the cup. Liu Rumeng held the teacup, her mind still a total mess. Before long, the boss returned from the secret chamber, acting all mysterious, cradling something in his hands. He carefully presented it to Liu Rumeng.
"Guest, please take a look at this."
He opened the silk cloth to reveal a crystal-clear little alchemy furnace, which looked small and exquisite. Liu Rumeng took a glance but couldn't discern anything special about it.
The boss leaned in close: "Guest, this is the best alchemy furnace in our shop. To tell you the truth, this furnace..." He looked left and right to ensure no one was watching, then whispered, "...it was made from the bones of a Fire Phoenix!"
"Fire Phoenix?"
A Level 7 spirit beast! She couldn't even catch one if she tried. Using it to make a furnace... wasn't that a bit too reckless?
Liu Rumeng’s eyebrow twitched as she tugged at the tattered sleeve of her garment: "I can’t afford this furnace." They had despised her earlier and were now fawning over her; it was likely they knew she had made money gambling and thought she was an idiot with too much cash, wanting to rip her off!
The boss, terrified she wouldn't buy it, quickly said: "It’s not expensive, not expensive..."
"Oh?" Liu Rumeng looked innocent. "I didn't bring much silver with me today."
"...Miss, how much did you bring?"
Liu Rumeng took out her money pouch, shook it, and dumped out five or six pieces of silver. She counted them: "Two taels."
The boss’s mouth twitched, and he managed a strained smile: "Gu-guest, would you like to... look again?"
Liu Rumeng rested her chin in her hand and dug out another piece: "I also need to buy a chicken for my mother."
"Gu-guest..."
Liu Rumeng dug out another half-piece: "And I need to get medicine for my father."
Digging here and there, she didn't have much money to begin with; after her various deductions, only four pieces were left. The boss gritted his teeth, grabbed the remaining silver on the table: "Guest, one tael! I’ll sell it to you for one tael!"
Liu Rumeng bought a peerless alchemy furnace—allegedly made from Fire Phoenix bones—for one tael of silver. As she walked out of the shop, she couldn't help but mutter: "This thing isn't fake, is it?" Watching the boss’s frantic reaction, she felt the whole situation was bizarre.
Qingye crawled out from her sleeve, jumped onto the furnace, and tilted its little head left and right before suddenly leaping onto her shoulder: "Master, this really is made from the bones of a Fire Phoenix, and it’s a hundred-year-old Fire Phoenix at that!"
"How do you know?" It could recognize this even when it had been turned into a furnace?
"Fire Phoenixes and White Phoenixes have always been mortal enemies, so of course I can recognize them!"
Liu Rumeng shook her head: "Born of the same root, why be so cruel to each other?"
"Master, please listen. Alchemy is not difficult if you say it is, but it is extremely difficult if you say it is easy. It requires high innate talent. The world believes that if you have a furnace and herbs, you can make pills, but they don't know that the subtleties within are not something that can be explained in a few words. With the same herbs and the same furnace, one can produce pills with vastly different medicinal effects. Everything depends on your own understanding."