Ye Li reached her hand backward and Secret Guard No.3 who was standing behind her handed her a pile of silver draft obediently, 20,000 Liang in total. Watching Ye Li throw those silver draft on the table like a generous lord without blinking, Secret Guard No.3 felt his heart twitching. Prince Ding’s Manor was wealthy without a doubt, however, they didn"t have much money with them at present. When they left the capital, his master only took 20,000 Liang worth of silver draft and some silver changes with her. 20,000 Liang was a lot of money which could pay for a comfortable visit to Nan Zhao. However, it wasn"t much in a gambling house. Given his master’s luck, she would lose them all in less than an hour.
Right now, Ye Li increased her bet to 500 Liang.
“Young lord, are you going for big or small?” Ru Mei asked.
Ye Li answered with a smile: “I don’t like small. So big it is.”
As a result, those gamblers all made an opposite bet. All those born with eyes could see how luck went against this young man.
When she had lost some 10,000 Liang, Ye Li finally had a happy smile on her face. As Ru Mei put down the dice cup, Ye Li beamed and shook her head: “This round, I’ll go with small.”
Ru Mei lifted the dice cup among boos and noise. “Three sixes, Big!” Wailing filled the house.
Another round began and Ye Li raised her bet to 1,000 Liang. This time, she wasn’t unlucky anymore. Rather, she acted as if she had G.o.d"s help. “Small!”
The dice cup was up. One, two four, it was small!”
“Big.”
Five, five, six, it was big!
“Big!”
...
In half an hour, a lot of silver draft and ingot piled up in front of her. Secret Guard No.3 got Ye Li a chair. She sat comfortably on it and beamed at Ru Mei’s increasingly pale complexion. Then she pushed the silver draft in her hand forward with an innocent smile. “30,000 Liang on small!”
Ru Mei’s slender fingers stopped for a second. Slowly, she lifted the dice cup under everyone"s gaze. “One, one, two. Small!”
Behind Ye Li, Secret Guard No.3 looked at the increasing pile of silver draft anxiously. A while ago, he was worried that they would have to go back to the capital, defeated. Now he started to worry whether they can make it out of here safely if the princess won too much money.
Without batting an eyelid, Ye Li looked at Ru Mei at ease, her chin supported by one hand. “All in. Big!”
Everyone gasped with shock since the silver draft and ingot in front of Ye Li was at least 100,000 Liang in total. If she made a correct bet, she would go back with her pocket full. If she didn’t, she would get nothing in return. Few at that table would have the courage to bet over 100,000 Liang at once. After all, their money was made through hard work instead of simply falling into their pockets.
Beads of sweat started to appear on Ru Mei"s jade-white forehead. She looked at Ye Li with shock and wonder. With everybody watching, she opened the dice cup slowly. Everyone shouted in astonishment: “Three threes!”
Ru Mei’s hand shook, her face ghastly pale.
“My Lord, you play extremely well.” She said, frustrated.
Ye Li smiled without a word. In her previous incarnation, in preparation for an undercover task, she had learned from a King of Gamblers who praised her for being a talented gambler. Besides, with her eyesight and hearing, Ru Mei had no chance to cheat in front of her. Of course, Ye Li didn"t think Cool Breeze Bright Moon House would cheat for 100,000 Liang which would no doubt taint the reputation of both Han Ming Yue and Cool Breeze Bright Moon House. However, it might not be the case if she kept winning. After all, Han Ming Yue was as famous for his love of money as his Cool Breeze Bright Moon House.
“My Lord, our Master has invited you to have a chat inside.” While Ye Li was pondering whether she should keep playing, a young man who looked like a steward came out and told Ye Li as he cupped his hands toward her with a smile.
Ye Li thought for a second and smiled: “It"s my pleasure to meet Master Ming Yue. But... Cool Breeze Bright Moon House won’t murder for money, right?”
The young man"s mouth twitched and he forced a smile. “My Lord, you must be making fun of me.”
As Ye Li stood up, she handed the silver draft to Secret Guard No.3. Then she put her clothes in order with a smile: “After you.”
The young man brought Ye Li and Secret Guard No.3 to a yard behind the gambling house. There was a pavilion near a lake, from where came pleasant music.
“Master.”
“Leave us. My Lord, why don’t you come in for a chat?” The music stopped, in its place was a deep and beautiful voice of a man.
Hearing that, Ye Li raised her brows. Watching the young man leave respectfully, Ye Li laughed loudly: “It’s an honor to receive your invitation, Master Ming Yue.” Then, she signaled Secret Guard No.3 to stay outside with her eyes. Opening the gauze curtain with several layers, she walked in.
Inside the pavilion, a handsome man with a naughty gaze in a dark red brocade outfit leaned lazily on the table where his musical instrument was. When he saw Ye Li come, he raised his brows with a smile: “My Lord, I didn’t expect someone as young as you to beat Ru Mei. You are a legend though you are young. May I have your name?”
Ye Li smiled: “You flatter me. It was nothing to speak of. My family name is Chu, my name, Jun Wei.”
“Chu Jun Wei? Good name. But... I haven’t heard of any generous lord whose family name is Chu in Great Chu. Speaking of Chu Family of Xi Ling... you don’t look like one.” Han Ming Yue said with his eyes fixed on Ye Li as he watched her closely.
Ye Li didn’t mind that. She got herself a seat. Sitting down, she smiled: “I’m from a humble family. I won’t dare to bother you with my family, Master Ming Yue.”
Han Ming Yue snorted slightly and said: “A humble family? I don"t think so.”
Waving her fan, Ye Li smiled calmly. “Why not? I don’t think you are that legendary Master Ming Yue myself.”
“Oh?” Han Ming Yue raised his brows, intrigued. However, a trace of sharp glow pa.s.ses his eyes. “I wonder what you"ve heard about me?”
Ye Li smiled: “I heard that Master Ming Yue had an elegant and smart carriage, that he was extraordinarily handsome, a good man rarely seen in this world.”
It seemed Han Ming Yue wasn"t happy about her answer. He said with a frown: “So, I’ve disappointed you, Mr. Chu?”
Ye Li lowered her eyes with a smile: “As long as I’m concerned, Master Ming Yue won’t sit like you do in front of a stranger.” Looking at the handsome man sitting lazily by the table with a musical instrument, Ye Li can"t help sighing slightly to herself. In terms of appearances, Han Ming Yue and his younger brother Han Ming Xi looked 80% alike. They might be able to fool others. However, this man didn’t make any effort to put on a disguise or he didn"t think a young man of 13 or 14 years of age would have the chance to meet Han Ming Yue before. Well, shame on him since not only had she met Han Ming Yue, she met Han Ming Xi as well.
“Well, Mr. Chu, it seems you’ve made up your mind that I’m not Han Ming Yue?” Han Ming Xi stood up and stared at Ye Li a little cold.
Ye Li smiled: “Don’t get angry. Shouldn’t I be the angry one since you’ve fooled me here in the name of Master Ming Yue?”
Han Ming Xi sneered: “Mr. Chu, stop your show. You wanted to draw the Master’s attention spending all that money, didn’t you? Now, tell me what you want. I might let you have it if I’m happy.”
Ye Li raised her brows. “Mister, are you in charge here? Or... to put it more specific, are you in charge of Tianyi Pavilion?”
As soon as he heard Tianyi Pavilion, Han Ming Xi shot Ye Li a sharp look, his handsome face colder. “Who on earth are you?”
In this world, a lot of people knew about Tianyi Pavilion, more knew about Cool Breeze Bright Moon House. But not many knew that Cool Breeze Bright Moon House and Tianyi Pavilion belonged to the same person.
Ye Li lowered her head and asked: “You got to tell me whether you are in charge or not before asking me, right? If it takes me a lot of talking and time while you aren’t in charge, that will be a waste of our time.”
Han Ming Xi glared at her and snorted slightly: “Han Ming Yue isn’t here now. I’m in charge of both Cool Breeze Bright Moon House and Tianyi Pavilion. Do you understand?”
Ye Li clapped her hands with a smile: “Great. May I have your name, mister?”
“Han Ming Xi.” Han Ming Xi said with his teeth clenched. Surely, he wouldn’t tell this boy his nickname since Young Master Feng Yue wasn"t a reputable one for either man or woman.
Ye Li rubbed her forehead and said pensively: “So, you are Master Ming Yue’s... brother? No wonder you guys look so alike.”
“You’ve met my big brother?” Han Ming Xi asked with a frown.
Ye Li maintained her composure. She gave him a smile and said: “Well... I had the pleasure to meet Master Ming Yue when he was young. I always remember that so I look up to him all this time.”
Han Ming Xi curled his lips.
When his big brother was young, he was indeed in the limelight. But that was in the capital of Chu so not many people in the South knew about that. But... did this boy even reach five back then?
Ye Li didn’t care what he was thinking about and said: “I come all the way here and you haven"t even offered me tea. Is this how you treat your guest?”
Han Ming Xi looked at her for a good while before an eerie smile crawled upon his face. “You can have tea or a favor, but before that, you have to beat me at gambling first!"