First-rank palace maid Su Jixiang

"Please come in and have a seat, Madam. I happen to have some recent accounts that you would like to review," Qiao Er said.

He has great flexibility with Su Jixiang.

The casino was a joint venture between him and Su Jixiang, with each holding a portion of the shares.

Qiao Er knew very well that while he might be able to thrive in the casinos of the North, opening his own casino would be a much more difficult task.

Casinos involve some hidden forces, and it's impossible for one person to gain a foothold in an unfamiliar place.

However, Su Jixiang is different. Just as she can run all her stores very well, she has figured out a way to run stores. No matter where she goes, whether it is the underworld or the legitimate world, she has a way to handle things.

Therefore, Qiao Er trusted and admired Su Jixiang from the bottom of his heart.

He never falsified the accounts.

Therefore, Su Jixiang trusted him very much.

“The accounts are on your side, I don’t need to look at them,” Su Jixiang said with a smile.

"It's a rare treat for Madam to come, so please take a look," Qiao Er said with a smile.

That's right, since we're already here, we might as well take a look.

Qiao Er was very experienced in running gambling dens, and he strictly followed Su Jixiang's requirements: no matter where he went, the gambling den should only be second-rate, not first-rate.

After all, no matter where you are, there are all kinds of forces intersecting behind top-notch gambling dens.

Second-rate gambling dens do not steal the profits of first-rate gambling dens, and can naturally coexist peacefully with them.

In addition, Qiao Er never skimped on decorations, so even though his gambling den wasn't large, everything inside was exquisite, attracting many people and ensuring he never lacked business.

When this gambling den in the capital first opened, it wasn't very profitable, as people complained about the high tea fees. However, as time went on, the gambling den became more and more attractive.

These days, it's basically packed with people every single day!

Su Jixiang looked at the accounts and was quite satisfied, to be honest, this small gambling den was actually quite profitable.

"The information gathered and inquired about by the gambling dens has been submitted to Lord Wei Jing recently," Qiao Er said. "If Madam wishes to see it, I will show it to her."

"No need to look at it." Su Jixiang waved her hand. Wei Jing and the others were former secret guards, so they were very professional in analyzing and processing this kind of intelligence. She didn't know much about these things, so she didn't need to worry about them. She just needed to know what she wanted to know.

Gambling dens and restaurants are the best places to gather information and spread news. As a result, with Su Jixiang's gambling dens and restaurants flourishing everywhere, Wei Ling's control over intelligence in various places has also reached a new level.

"Madam, we just spent one tael of silver to spread the news. Do you think the young master of the Princess's mansion will listen to it?" Green Water looked at Su Jixiang with some concern.

"That depends on Manager Qiao's abilities," Su Jixiang said with a smile, looking at Qiao Er.

Qiao Er pursed his lips and smiled. He raised his hand and beckoned a servant, whispered a few words to him, and then the servant left to carry out his orders.

"Madam, please wait and see," Qiao Er said with a smile. He had tea served. "This is the latest Osmanthus tea that I had someone buy. Madam, you can have a taste first. If things go quickly, that kid will lose so much he'll have to sell his pants in less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn!"

Then, realizing he'd been a bit crude, he shrugged sheepishly, "Madam, this is a bad habit I just can't shake!" He came from humble beginnings and was an orphan; even now, he still couldn't quite shake this quirk. But he was already trying.

"It's alright, it's alright." Su Jixiang waved his hand dismissively.

It's already quite an achievement for Qiao Er to have come this far from being a street urchin. She wouldn't dwell on it too much.

This newly harvested Osmanthus tea indeed has a rich aroma of osmanthus flowers mixed with the tea's fragrance. As soon as it is brewed, the room is filled with fragrance, and the fragrance is fresh and natural, making people feel relaxed and happy as soon as they smell it.

"This tea is quite good!" Su Jixiang said with a smile.

"I'm glad you like it, Madam." It was rare for Qiao Er to see something that Su Jixiang liked. Usually, he couldn't even give Su Jixiang anything he wanted to give her. Today, she liked this tea, so Qiao Er quickly said, "When you leave later, Madam, just wrap it up and take it back with you."

"Thank you very much!" Su Jixiang did not refuse. She did not like drinking tea much before. She used to think that all tea tasted the same. But now that she has been with Wei Ling for a long time, she can taste some of the flavor.

Although Wei Ling doesn't say it, his background and childhood experiences have destined him to be quite particular about tea ceremony, so Su Jixiang will now search for good tea for Wei Ling whenever she sees it.

As Qiao Er said, in the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the servant who had gone out earlier returned and reported to the manager: "As instructed by the manager, that young master Chen has lost every last penny!"

"How much did he lose?" Qiao Er asked.

"It adds up to more than seven hundred taels in total," the servant replied.

More than seven hundred taels of silver! Chen Jianian has quite a lot of money on him!

"Is he still playing up ahead?" Qiao Er asked with a smile.

"He just left, cursing and swearing!" the servant said. "Our men have already caught up with him."

"Hmm." Qiao Er waved his hand, dismissing the servant, and then said to Su Jixiang, "Madam, Chen Jianian has lost all her money and left."

“Okay. Let’s go back then!” Su Jixiang said to Lushui.

"Where is Madam going?" Qiao Er asked. "Should we prepare a carriage?"

Su Jixiang thought for a moment, "Let's get a carriage and go back to the Zhenbei Marquis's residence." It's not appropriate to wear these clothes from Miaoshou Pavilion outside today.

Chen Xinghe must be by Qin Wanfang's side; even if she goes to Miaoshou Pavilion, she won't see Qin Wanfang. Qian Feng doesn't need to worry about being at Miaoshou Pavilion either; Zhou Ziqi will take good care of him.

Therefore, it would be better for her to return to the Marquis's residence first.

Qiao Er wrapped the tea leaves and handed them to Lvshui. Then he called a carriage and sent Su Jixiang and Lvshui onto it. He watched them leave through the back door of the gambling den before closing the door.

Inside the carriage, Green Water still felt a little worried.

"Madam, should we ask someone to give Chen Jianian some more pointers?" Green Water asked.

“No need.” Su Jixiang shook his head.

"Why?" Green Water asked, puzzled.

"Regardless of whether the money he used to gamble came from the Princess, losing it all so quickly will be difficult to explain back home," Su Jixiang laughed. Seven hundred taels wasn't a small sum. Losing it all in the time it takes for an incense stick to burn—this kid was incredibly reckless! "He'll always find an excuse to ask for more money when he gets back. People will rack their brains for solutions in situations like this. Do you think he'll let go of what we said to him? Besides, he started losing money after meeting us, so that left a deep impression on him! He'll definitely remember every word we said! If he thinks about it carefully, he can piece together a rough outline! With that, he can openly go to the Princess to claim credit and ask for more money!"