Chapter 15: Bursting with Joy

“This…”

No one in the gambling hall had ever imagined that Young Lord Qin could be so shameless.

“I’m staking the entire Four Seas Gambling Hall!” Liu Laoqi gritted his teeth, throwing caution to the wind. “I’ll bet the whole Four Seas Gambling Hall—is that enough?”

Qin Lang leisurely waved his jade bone fan, his tone languid. “Not enough.”

“Not enough.”

Shen Ruojin entered through the curtain, echoing him in unison.

Qin Lang looked up at her, the motion of his fan slowing for a moment. He thought to himself:

Hmm, she also thinks I’m worth a fortune overnight.

Shen Ruojin said, “It doesn’t matter what my husband stakes today; he’s bound to lose.”

She approached Qin Lang’s side, standing opposite Liu Laoqi at the far end of the long table. “Come, I’ll bet with you.”

Qin Lang was delighted by her phrase “my husband,” though he feigned reluctance. “Why did you come? And right away make me the wager? Do you even know what Liu Laoqi asked me to stake? You agreed so quickly.”

Despite his words, the laughter in his eyes was unmistakable.

Everyone praised the noble lady for her gentleness and propriety, but he favored Shen Ruojin’s free-spirited nature.

“I didn’t catch that clearly. I only heard him say he’s staking the entire Four Seas Gambling Hall.”

Shen Ruojin’s tone was casual.

When she arrived, she only heard the crowd’s cheers and Liu Laoqi declaring he would bet the entire Four Seas Gambling Hall against Qin Lang.

All the gambling halls in the capital were backed by powerful patrons; they couldn’t simply be bought with money. Winning this would be quite an accomplishment.

Shen Ruojin was confident. “Anyway, I can only win, never lose. Young Lord Qin, do you believe me or not?”

Qin Lang leaned back in his chair. “If you think you can, then come and try.”

Those gathered around the table were stunned.

To think they would wager all the gold and silver on the table—and even their honor—in such casual banter?

Is this still the unruly Young Lord Qin who never respected anyone?

Liu Laoqi’s face showed delight, but he said, “You’re just a woman. Have you ever been inside a gambling hall? Do you even know how to roll dice? Betting this big, if you lose, won’t you be crying in Young Lord Qin’s arms? If this spreads, won’t people say I, a seasoned gambler, bullied a young lady?”

Shen Ruojin remained composed. “I’ve never been inside a gambling hall, and I have no habit of wasting words before a bet.”

Qin Lang raised an eyebrow and smiled. “Liu Laoqi, my wife thinks you talk too much and drag things out.”

“Second Young Master, the Second Young Madam probably doesn’t even know how gambling works, yet you don’t stop her and just laugh…”

Xiao He, the steward, was sweating nervously.

Young Lord Qin was an unrestrained rogue, and his newlywed wife was just as unconventional.

Coming to the gambling hall to find her husband, not to bring him back and admonish him, but to place a bet herself.

Losing some gold and silver was minor; tarnishing the new bride’s reputation would be serious.

How on earth would they explain this to the prince and princess when they returned to the manor?

“If the lady says she’ll win, then she will win. You’re not betting your honor, so why worry?”

Qin Lang pointed with his fan and told Xiao He to stand aside.

“Honor? Whose honor—mine or yours?”

Xiao He was baffled, muttering silently.

Shen Ruojin was also unclear and was about to ask him when Liu Laoqi, rolling up his sleeves, said, “Young Madam, you’re young but bold in speech. You’re the one who wants to gamble, not me tricking you because I’m an expert. If you lose everything later, you can’t back out!”

“Done talking?” Shen Ruojin tapped the table with her fingertip. “Let’s begin.”

“You came looking for this.”

Liu Laoqi, one of the top gamblers in the trade, had never been taken so lightly, especially by a woman. He immediately had two dice cups brought.

The table was long; Liu Laoqi took one dice cup, then casually threw the other across the table to her.

Shen Ruojin raised her hand, caught it, emptied the dice, and lightly weighed them in her palm without saying a word.

The stern gambling official said, “No need to weigh them. Our Four Seas Gambling Hall’s dice are never rigged. Lady, no matter how much you check, you won’t find a fault.”

Liu Laoqi thought Shen Ruojin knew she couldn’t win, so he tried to find another way to gain advantage, looking down on her even more with disdain.

“The other games are too complicated; you wouldn’t understand anyway. We’ll play the simplest—betting on big or small, best of three.”

Shen Ruojin raised her hand. “Please.”

Her concise words embarrassed Liu Laoqi, who fell silent and immediately began to shake the dice cup with dazzling speed, his hands a blur.

Shen Ruojin didn’t move a muscle, instead taking the chance to observe Qin Lang, who sat in the grand chair.

At that moment, Qin Lang was also watching her; their eyes met directly.

Qin Lang’s heart skipped a beat, but he maintained a playful, cynical smile. “Why aren’t you making a move yet? What are you staring at me for?”

“Waiting for him to finish showing off.”

Shen Ruojin thought, since she had time to spare, admiring some good looks wouldn’t hurt.

Qin Lang laughed aloud. “You don’t seem to respect your opponent much, my lady.”

“I’m not rushing him; that’s respect enough.”

Shen Ruojin watched Liu Laoqi shake for a while longer, then slam the dice cup onto the table. She casually shook her cup a few times and pressed it down.

Liu Laoqi confidently said, “I bet big.”

“Agreed.” Shen Ruojin revealed her dice simultaneously, and the onlookers leaned in eagerly.

Each had three dice.

Liu Laoqi’s showed 6, 6, and 5—a very high total.

No one expected Shen Ruojin’s to be 6, 6, and 6.

“Liu Laoqi actually lost!”

“To a woman!”

The gamblers who had long been dominated by Liu Laoqi erupted in astonishment.

Shen Ruojin’s face remained impassive.

Young Lord Qin toyed with his jade bone fan as if it were the most ordinary thing.

Nearby, steward Xiao He was dumbfounded, unable to close his mouth.

Liu Laoqi was even more incredulous. “Impossible! You just got lucky this round. Again!”

Shen Ruojin gestured “please,” signaling he should go first once more.

This time Liu Laoqi shook the dice cup even longer.

Shen Ruojin still looked casual, as if it were nothing.

This round they bet on small or big again.

Liu Laoqi confidently revealed three ones, smiling and proclaiming, “This time I’m definitely winning.”

“Don’t speak too soon.”

Shen Ruojin opened her cup, revealing three dice stacked together, the top showing a single dot.

Liu Laoqi was stunned on the spot.

“Three points against one point. My lady wins.”

Qin Lang acted as referee, announcing with a smile.

Best of three rounds concluded. The gamblers were dumbfounded; they said Liu Laoqi had underestimated his opponent and lost the entire Four Seas Gambling Hall—defeated by a woman.

“No, I haven’t lost yet! Let’s make it best of five. Again!”

Only then did Liu Laoqi truly regard the woman before him as a worthy opponent.

Shen Ruojin said, “Even if we play ten more times, you still won’t beat me.”