You're the one who wants to marry a mistress, and I'm marrying someone else, yet you still

"So, what do you need so much silver for?"

Fu Rou frowned, her eyes filled with worry. Why did this child suddenly want so much money?

“Do you know that one hundred taels is two months’ salary for us? It’s a lot of money. You have to tell me what you’re going to do with all that money.”

Although she knew that Shen Yanzhi was usually a bit playful, she had never seen him so eager for so much money before, especially since he was just a child and didn't need so much money.

Shen Yanzhi's eyes flickered, and he said evasively, "I... I have a few friends at the academy who are short of money recently because of some family troubles, and I want to help them out."

He used to think that one hundred taels was a lot, but Xie Wanru could give him that much so easily, and she gave it to him several times. He had forgotten that one hundred taels was a considerable sum of money for them in the past.

Furthermore, Fu Rou wasn't very generous with the money, and when he compared the two in his mind, he disliked Fu Rou even more.

Fu Rou was filled with even more doubts.

She understood her son. In her opinion, although Shen Yanzhi was a bit spoiled, he was not a bad person at heart and was a good boy who would not lie easily.

But now this is clearly an excuse, how could she not worry? Friends from the academy? Shen Yanzhi's friends from the academy are all rich and powerful, if something really happened, they wouldn't need this little bit of money.

"Yan Zhi, have you gotten into some trouble outside? Why don't you tell your mother whether this friend is someone from your old academy or someone your father found for you at Beifu Academy?"

Fu Rou asked tentatively, her eyes fixed on Shen Yanzhi.

Shen Yanzhi's heart tightened, but she still tried to remain calm: "Mother, don't overthink it, and don't ask so many questions. Just give me the money. I'm really just helping a friend."

Shen Yanzhi avoided Fu Rou's question, saying that his statement was purely fabricated and would only create more loopholes.

The academy was as ordinary as it could be, and the children there all came from ordinary families. Because he couldn't be discovered, he could only reluctantly attend for a few years.

At Beifu Academy, he had no friends at all; otherwise, he wouldn't have gotten into a fight and been expelled from the academy.

Fu Rou sighed, knowing she wouldn't get any more information from him.

“I don’t have that much money. So, you absolutely mustn’t do anything illegal or disorderly. Your father and grandmother are now managing the Shen family’s shops and land together, and they’ve secured a place in the Shen family. He’ll have other sons in the future. But your sister and I will have to rely on you from now on, understand?”

Fu Rou took out a money pouch from her bosom, which was full of loose silver, and handed it to Shen Yanzhi.

"Rest well now, and buy whatever you want to eat. Once your father finds a new academy, you can continue your studies."

Shen Yanzhi took the money bag, his face visibly losing its previous enthusiasm. He replied perfunctorily to Fu Rou, "Don't worry, I know my limits."

After saying that, Shen Yanzhi hurriedly left Meiyuan, not even hearing Fu Rou call him for lunch.

"Ugh……"

Fu Rou could only sigh to herself.

Back in Beiyuan, Shen Yanzhi locked himself in his room and began to think about how to deal with the bet with Lin Qing.

He knew he wasn't very good at gambling, and after sleeping outside all night, he felt like he had caught a cold, his head was foggy, and he was in very poor condition.

But now that things have come to this, Shen Yanzhi, with no way out, has decided to take a desperate gamble.

The small amount of silver Fu Rou gave him amounted to only a dozen or so taels, so he rummaged through his belongings and found some valuable items such as jade pendants and bracelets that Shen Nian'an had given him, intending to use them as gambling chips to try his luck.

As night fell, the gambling den was bustling with noise.

Shen Yanzhi secretly slipped out through the back door to meet Lin Qing again, but this time he bribed the gatekeeper with some silver to make him open the door for him later, otherwise he would have to sleep at the gate again.

He went out the door, and Lin Qing followed suit, but this time Minister Lin bumped right into Lin Qing.

"It's so late, are you going out dressed like that?"

Minister Lin was late finishing his shift because of a case, and that's when he ran into his troublesome daughter.

“Father, I want to go out for some fresh air. It’s inconvenient to wear women’s clothes, but I will bring guards with me and I’ll be back soon. It’s very safe, so please don’t worry.”

Lin Qing chuckled and tried to slip away.

She had been plotting for so long, and now that she finally had another chance to bully Shen Yanzhi, she didn't want to let this opportunity slip by. Besides, she and Shen Yanzhi had an agreement, and if she didn't keep it, she would lose!

Although Minister Lin frowned, he still did not stop her and let her play by herself. He instructed her to have at least ten guards and to return within an hour.

After all, having guards would be safer; stopping her would make it more dangerous for her to sneak out.

An hour?

"Okay father."

Lin Qing ran off in a blaze of joy; an hour was more than enough for that brat Shen Yanzhi to lose miserably.

After she left, Minister Lin sighed, thinking that the girl had been spoiled rotten.

Upon returning to his residence, Minister Lin went straight to his study. Just as he was about to pick up his pen to deal with the backlog of official business, a sense of unease inexplicably arose in his heart. The political situation in the court and the country had been unstable recently, and the Third Prince had privately inquired about it. Naturally, he insisted on following the Prince's arrangements in everything.

But the Third Prince doesn't seem to have given up.

He shook his head, dispelling the unfounded worry, and turned his attention to the files on his desk.

On the other side, Shen Yanzhi and Lin Qing soon met outside the gambling den. The two walked into that world full of temptation and danger, one after the other.

Inside the gambling den, candlelight flickered and smoke swirled, the shouts of gamblers and the rolling of dice intertwined, creating a bizarre and fantastical scene.

Too many people have fallen into depravity in this place.

Shen Yanzhi gripped the jade pendant and bracelet tightly in his hand, his palms slightly sweaty.

He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down, and followed Lin Qing to a gambling table.

Lin Qing watched him with amusement, a playful smile on her lips. "Young Master Shen seems quite nervous. If you're afraid of losing money, go back now and have your wet nurse put you to sleep."

"Sleep my ass."

Shen Yanzhi replied to him bluntly.

Then the gambling began, and Shen Yanzhi's luck did not seem to be on his side. After several rounds, he had very little silver and jewelry left.

He was extremely anxious, but dared not show the slightest panic, for fear that Lin Qing would see through his disguise.

When the silver ran out, he could only use the jewelry he had taken out, but his father knew all about these things, and if he was asked about them later... he would be exposed.

Lin Qing didn't win by much as usual, but she did win by a small margin. If this continued, Shen Yanzhi would really lose.