Yan Weichi shook her head and sighed, "No more, I'm done. This is boring!"
Seeing Yan Weichi about to leave, the dealer hurriedly said, "Hey, hey, hey, young master, don't go yet. Play a little longer; you’re sure to win it back."
Yan Weichi curled her lip and said, "Do you take me for a fool? There are four numbers and I can only guess one—the odds of winning are clearly terrible. Hmph, I'm done!"
The dealer chuckled, "Oh, you are a clever man, sir. How could we ever think you were a fool? How about this: you tell us what to play and how, and I will certainly make sure you have a good time."
Yan Weichi frowned slightly and said, "Is that so? Well... let’s keep it simple. Let’s guess odd or even!"
Guess odd or even?
Yan Weichi pointed to the pile of broad beans and said, "We’ll both close our eyes, reach in and grab a handful, and then we'll guess each other’s. Let’s make it one hundred taels per round!"
That was simple and fast.
Grabbing broad beans was different from shaking dice. Shaking dice required skill and the ability to manipulate the numbers. Grabbing beans relied on tactile sense. Someone who played with beans often would naturally know exactly how many they had grabbed the moment they reached in. If one wanted to cheat, it would come down to sleight of hand—seeing if one could add an extra bean while opening their palm to change the count.
The dealer believed his touch and his speed were far superior to Yan Weichi’s. Naturally, he wasn't afraid of such rules. However, one hundred taels per round was a bit too slow for his taste.
The dealer smiled and said, "The rules can be set by you, young master, but let’s up the stakes. You clearly aren't short on silver; this small-time betting is boring."
Yan Weichi acted as if she were getting carried away, immediately saying, "You’re right! My father is the richest man in Jiangnan. Tell me, how much do you want to bet?"
The dealer grinned, "Five hundred taels a round!"
Four rounds like this, and he would fleece this little fat sheep clean.
Yan Weichi appeared hesitant.
The dealer continued to goad her, "For the son of the richest man in Jiangnan, isn't five hundred taels just the price of a cup of tea?"
Yan Weichi put on an expression of gritting her teeth, immediately rolled up her sleeves, and said, "Hmph, five hundred it is!"
...
Hidden in the shadows, Yu Feiyan and Ye Tianshu couldn't help but cover their foreheads and shake their heads.
Yu Feiyan frowned, "Isn't this Yan Weichi a fool? It’s obvious she’s about to be fleeced."
Ye Tianshu also said thoughtfully, "She’s so sharp when she’s lying to people, so why is she so easily duped when gambling?"
"No, I have to go stop her!" Yu Feiyan couldn't hold back anymore.
Ye Tianshu held him back again, insisting he watch the whole show.
...
On the other side, Yan Weichi and the dealer had already begun their game.
The dealer rolled his sleeves up to his elbows to show he wasn't cheating. He closed his eyes, reached into the sack, grabbed a handful, and held his fist over the center of the table.
Everyone stared intently at the dealer’s hand. Yan Weichi said, "I guess… odd!"
The dealer opened his five fingers to reveal his palm. Everyone stretched their necks to look.
One, two, three... nine!
It was nine—it really was an odd number!
Yan Weichi cheered, "Wow, I won! I won!"
The surrounding crowd chimed in, "My, what a capable young master!"
"Such good luck!"
"The young master is truly blessed!"
...
The dealer also smiled, "Young master, here is your banknote, please take it!" He handed over the five hundred taels with apparent ease.
Yan Weichi took it with a silly grin, then rolled her own sleeves up to her elbows and reached in to grab some beans.
The dealer didn't know how many she had grabbed, but no matter the number, the result would be either odd or even. Therefore, the dealer figured his odds of winning were fifty percent. Starting from the next round, he would make sure Yan Weichi didn't guess a single one correctly; in other words, her winning probability would drop to zero. This way, Yan Weichi was destined to lose.
*Chapter 39: The True Hunter Often Appears as the Prey*
Yan Weichi looked at the dealer, who was sure of his victory, and couldn't help but sneer inwardly.
How did that saying go? Those who harm others will eventually be harmed themselves. The same logic applied to those who scheme against others. The best hunter often appears in the form of the prey.
Yan Weichi placed her hand, clutching the beans, in the center of the table and signaled for the dealer to guess.
The dealer guessed casually, "Even!"
Yan Weichi opened her fingers, and *clatter*—three beans fell out!
The dealer froze for a moment, yet still smiled with flattery, "The young master’s luck has truly turned!"
As he spoke, the dealer handed Yan Weichi another five hundred taels.
In two rounds, Yan Weichi had already gained one thousand taels. Some kind-hearted onlookers urged her to quit while she was ahead, but Yan Weichi acted like a complete idiot who couldn't stop, insisting on gambling until she was satisfied.
The dealer, naturally, was delighted and rushed to grab more beans. This time, he only grabbed two, which made it easier to cheat. He brought his hand to the table and said, "Young master, please."
Yan Weichi said, "I guess… even!"
The dealer’s smile stiffened for a moment. Instead of opening his hand immediately, he tried to squeeze another bean hidden between his fingers into his palm.
However, in that split second of hesitation, Yan Weichi reached out, tapped his fist, and said, "Open it already!"
The dealer hurried to open his hand. Everyone saw that there were only two beans lying in his palm.
The dealer was stunned, subconsciously exclaiming, "How is this possible?"
He had clearly squeezed the one from between his fingers in! It should have been three!
Yan Weichi put her hands on her hips and frowned, "What’s that supposed to mean? Is it impossible for me to have good luck?"
The dealer quickly composed his expression, smiling, "No, no, I misspoke. Someone, bring the banknotes!"
In the blink of an eye, another five hundred taels were in her pocket.
How could the dealer know that Yan Weichi possessed a white jade bracelet capable of storing objects? As long as it was an inanimate object she touched—directly or indirectly—she could store it in the bracelet using her intent.
When she tapped the dealer’s hand just now, she had stored all the beans in his palm and, in a split second, placed two back. In short, as long as she touched the dealer’s hand, she could easily control the number of beans. She could also control the number of beans in her own palm via the bracelet. No matter what her opponent guessed, she could change the number. Therefore, the dealer’s winning probability was zero, while hers was absolute!
Seeing Yan Weichi had already won 1,500 taels, even Yu Feiyan in the shadows started to get excited.
"That should be enough, right? She has 3,500 taels now. If she goes to redeem the jewelry and returns the items, she’ll still have 500 taels left. I’ll count that as passing the test!"
Ye Tianshu laughed, "I don't think this girl is going to stop so easily. It’s strange, though—how is she guessing so accurately?"
Yu Feiyan shook his head; he couldn't see the trick either. Yan Weichi’s sleeves were rolled high, her entire forearm exposed, with no sign of cheating. Could it be that her hand speed was incredibly fast? But even if it were, she could only control the number in her own palm; how could she control the amount the opponent had? It didn't make sense!
...
The two men found it illogical, and the dealer felt the same. However, the dealer had sent many people to watch Yan Weichi from every angle, and they hadn't caught a single trick.
Back and forth, the dealer had actually lost 5,000 taels. Yan Weichi now held 7,000 taels. This was no small sum.
No one noticed that Yan Weichi would tap the dealer’s fist from time to time.
Seeing that it was about time, Yan Weichi put away the banknotes and immediately said, "Alright, alright, it’s getting late. My mother has already cooked dinner, so I’m heading home. We’ll play another time!"
Yan Weichi made a move to leave. The dealer’s face instantly changed, and he shouted angrily, "Stop right there! You dare to cheat at the Four Saints Casino? Do you want to die?!"
The onlookers quickly made way, and in the blink of an eye, Yan Weichi was surrounded by a group of burly guards.
Yan Weichi looked at the dealer and frowned, "You’re a sore loser, aren't you? You had so many people watching me, did anyone see me cheat? Show me the proof!"
The dealer sneered, "I don't need proof. If I say you cheated, then you cheated. Hand over the banknotes, and I’ll spare your life!"
Yan Weichi smirked, "Oh? Are you trying to play dirty now? Everyone look, the Four Saints Casino is such a sore loser!"
Seeing the scene, the gamblers rushed toward the door. For one, they didn't want to get involved; for another, they felt the casino was truly untrustworthy. They had only lost 5,000 taels and were already resorting to murder to cover it up.
Seeing this, the dealer panicked. He shouldn't have spoken like that in public. He should have let the brat leave and dealt with him in the dark. Thinking of this, the dealer immediately laughed, "Young master, you’ve misunderstood. I’m just feeling frustrated. How about this: let's play one last round. If you win, I’ll give you ten thousand taels. If you lose, you hand over all the banknotes you have. How about that?"
*Chapter 40: The Cicada Sheds Its Skin*
Yan Weichi looked at him with a fake smile, thinking to herself, "You’re the one seeking death, so don’t blame me!"
Yan Weichi walked back to the gambling table and said, "Fine. Are you grabbing them, or am I?"
The dealer immediately said, "Naturally, I will."
Yan Weichi nodded in agreement. The dealer reached into the sack but didn't grab anything, bringing his hand out empty. He thought he was being clever; that way, whether Yan Weichi guessed odd or even, he would win.
The dealer grinned hideously, "Young master, guess!"
Yan Weichi reached out to tap the dealer’s fist and said, "Odd!"
The dealer laughed aloud, opening his hand as he said, "You guessed wro—"
He didn't finish his sentence before he was dumbfounded. Because lying in his palm was indeed one small broad bean.
A gasp went through the crowd!
*Oh! She won! Amazing! My god!*
The dealer stood frozen, cold sweat rolling down his forehead. If he lost these 15,000 taels, he’d likely lose his job.
"This is impossible! How can this be? You cheated! You cheated!"
Yan Weichi spread her hands, "Big brother, you were the one who grabbed the beans, what does that have to do with me? Are you trying to welsh on the bet?! Hey, everyone look, he’s not keeping his word!"
The dealer looked at the surrounding patrons and decided to swallow his anger for now, planning to deal with the brat when he was alone. The dealer gritted his teeth, "Someone, bring the banknotes!"
A moment later, Yan Weichi walked out of the Four Saints Casino, feeling satisfied with 17,000 taels in her pocket.
Hidden in the shadows, Ye Tianshu couldn't help but applaud her. *Clap, clap, clap!*
"Brilliant! Brilliant! How did she do it? This is even more accurate than my divination!" Ye Tianshu was skilled in the art of fortune-telling, but he couldn't figure out what method Yan Weichi had used.
Yu Feiyan had no time for sentiment. He frowned, "The Four Saints Casino won't let this go. They’ll definitely make a move against her. Looks like we need to help."
Ye Tianshu smiled, "I wouldn't be so sure. Since she dared to walk into that casino, she must have had a plan. Let’s make a bet—I bet she’ll walk away unscathed."
Yu Feiyan raised an eyebrow, "Bet what?"
Ye Tianshu smiled slyly, "I bet you’ll come to the Red Sleeve Tower and share a drink with my girls!"
Yu Feiyan was a man of integrity who kept away from such places. Ye Tianshu loved to drag him into the mud just to see him uncomfortable.
Yu Feiyan sneered, "And if you lose?"
Ye Tianshu raised an eyebrow, "Then for three months, I won't touch a drop of perfume."
Yu Feiyan rolled his eyes at him, clearly unimpressed by his frivolous nature. However, he didn't refuse, saying, "It’s a deal!"
*Slap!* The two made the bet.
...
The people from the Four Saints Casino indeed had no intention of letting Yan Weichi go. But they couldn't act in a crowded place, so they trailed her as she left the casino.
Yan Weichi didn't go far; she went straight into the pawnshop from earlier.
The shopkeeper said in surprise, "Young master, back to redeem your items so soon?"
Yan Weichi smiled sheepishly, "Sorry, shopkeeper. I was originally planning to run away from home, but my elder brother caught me, and I’ve decided to go home and get married after all."
Yan Weichi took off her hat, revealing a head of long, beautiful hair.
The shopkeeper was slightly stunned, then laughed, "So you’re a little girl running away from an arranged marriage! Well, even if you were only a 'young master' for an hour, I still have to charge a ten percent fee."
Yan Weichi nodded, "That’s only fair!"
She hurriedly produced 3,300 taels and redeemed the two sets of jewelry. Then, she selected a pair of small hairpins in the shop, brushed her hair into two small buns, and finally asked the shopkeeper for a cloth wrap. She bundled up the long robes and the two sets of jewelry. The dashing young master who had entered walked out as a neighborhood maid.
The thugs from the casino guarding the entrance didn't recognize her at all. Yan Weichi glanced at them, sneered, leaped onto her horse, and headed toward Yu Man Tang.
...
In the shadows, Yu Feiyan and Ye Tianshu sighed again.
Yu Feiyan lamented, "No wonder she borrowed my clothes. It was a bluff to make people think she was wealthy, while she used it to shed her skin like a cicada!"
Ye Tianshu chuckled, "Little Feifei, you’ve lost. This girl is truly interesting."
*Chapter 41: Capturing Hearts*
The two followed Yan Weichi all the way back to Yu Man Tang, discovering that her identity had shifted from the young master to a maid from a wealthy household.
Yan Weichi lowered her head, timidly handing over the two sets of jewelry, and said apologetically, "Shopkeeper, I am truly sorry. My mistress did not agree to the match and has locked my young master away. We have to return these two sets of jewelry. My master said to let you pick two bolts of fabric as compensation for taking up so much of your time."
Although the shopkeeper of Yu Man Tang was a bit annoyed, he couldn't complain when someone was giving him two bolts of high-quality fabric for free.
The shopkeeper nodded, "Your young master is a generous person; I won't stand on ceremony then."
The shopkeeper went to the cart and selected two floral bolts of fabric, clearly intended for the women of his household. Even though the business deal hadn't gone through, he was quite pleased with the gain.
...
Afterward, Yan Weichi took the five carts of silk back to Lingluo Fang. The shopkeeper there was equally bewildered. Yan Weichi still kept her head low and repeated the same story timidly, "Shopkeeper, to be honest, my young master intended to propose, but the official's daughter looked down on us business folk and drove my master away. We have to return these fabrics. My master took two bolts earlier to give to our second master, and I don't know the exact price. Here is 500 taels; consider the extra a tip for the hard work of your staff."
Five hundred taels for two bolts of fabric?
The shopkeeper of Lingluo Fang was overjoyed. This young master was clearly no ordinary person. He hurriedly said, "This... I’m sorry. Even if the deal fails, the goodwill remains! It’s too much, it really is!"
Yan Weichi shook her head, "This is what my master ordered. Please make sure to give the reward to your men. I must take my leave now."
The shopkeeper watched with a smile as Yan Weichi left. Even though the original deal had fallen through, selling two bolts for 500 taels was like picking up money. In a good mood, he took 100 taels and split it among the five workers. The workers were even happier; none of them felt they had wasted their time. Their monthly wages were only five taels, so this was four months' salary! In short, everyone was happy—except for the people at the Four Saints Casino.
...
In the shadows, Yu Feiyan and Ye Tianshu exchanged a look and burst into laughter.
Ye Tianshu sighed, "See? See? My eye for talent is sharp as ever. This girl is truly clever!"
Yu Feiyan also lamented, "How does her brain work? She spent one afternoon out and earned so much silver. With this talent, why be the Crown Princess? She should just become the richest person in the world!"
Ye Tianshu rolled his eyes at Yu Feiyan and continued, "What do you know? Ten thousand taels of gold can't compare to a beautiful companion. With Eldest Senior Brother’s looks, what girl wouldn't be smitten?"
"Enough, enough. Eldest Senior Brother likes women, so quit your daydreaming. Let’s follow her and see what she does next." Yu Feiyan interrupted Ye Tianshu and led him on, keeping pace with Yan Weichi.
...
After leaving Lingluo Fang, Yan Weichi didn't go straight back to the Crown Prince's Mansion. She went to an apothecary to buy a large pile of herbs, then to a clothing shop to buy some new clothes for herself. Finally, fully loaded, she returned to the Crown Prince's Mansion.
At this point, Yu Feiyan and Ye Tianshu were already in Shangguan Xi’s room, giving a vivid account of the day’s events.
The somewhat weak Shangguan Xi leaned against the headboard, looking at the two in confusion.
He asked, "You say she won 17,000 taels of silver?"
Yu Feiyan said, "To be precise, she won 14,000; 3,000 was her gambling capital."
Ye Tianshu chimed in, "That’s right, she first tricked Lingluo Fang out of five carts of silk."
Yu Feiyan continued, "Then she tricked Yu Man Tang out of two sets of jewelry."
Ye Tianshu added, "Then she exchanged those for 3,000 taels of gambling money at the pawnshop."
Yu Feiyan interjected, "And finally, she won 14,000 taels at the Four Saints Casino!"
Shangguan Xi looked at the two excited men in front of him, unable to help but frown. Why did he feel like his two junior brothers had become fans of Yan Weichi in just one afternoon?
If Yan Weichi knew what Shangguan Xi was thinking right now, she would surely nod and say, "That’s right, they’ve both become my fans."
*Chapter 42: Street Performance*
Yu Feiyan and Ye Tianshu were still recounting the day’s events, all centering on Yan Weichi’s wit and cunning.