The Old Gambler reluctantly tore his gaze away from the gold. He slumped onto the bed, his voice exceedingly awkward. “Go ahead and ask…”
Xu Ancheng exchanged a glance with Qin Qiwu, then stepped forward. “Old sir, why did you steal the government silver back then?”
Xu Ancheng frowned in confusion. The silver bore the official seal, so even if the Old Gambler had taken it to gamble, no gambling house would dare accept it.
The Old Gambler’s expression changed the moment he realized why they had come. He said nothing.
His eyes darted around. Then he flopped backward and pulled the quilt over his head.
Xu Ancheng: …
“Old sir…”
Xu Ancheng tried to say more, but the Old Gambler acted as though he had fallen asleep, refusing to utter a single word.
Looking at the old man’s hunched back, Qin Qiwu spoke encouragingly. “Old sir, you’re already so old. How could you have carried away so much government silver? Could there have been some misunderstanding?”
The only response was the shape of a body beneath the quilt.
Ji Zhaoxi leaned against the doorway. The setting sun had dyed the sky crimson, and several villagers who had been working were packing up to head home.
The villagers on the nearby field ridge happened to be peering curiously toward the thatched hut. When they met Ji Zhaoxi’s gaze, their bodies stiffened. They awkwardly looked up at the sky.
Inside, Qin Qiwu and Xu Ancheng had practically talked themselves hoarse, but the Old Gambler still refused to say a word. He even tugged the quilt farther over his head.
Buried beneath the quilt, the Old Gambler’s eyelids grew heavier and heavier, and his breathing gradually evened out.
He had to admit, the two of them had rather soothing voices…
Just as he was about to fall asleep, the quilt was suddenly yanked away, and something cold was pressed directly against his neck.
Old Gambler: …
“Don’t, don’t… please don’t!” The Old Gambler shakily raised his hands, carefully keeping them away from the sword. His voice was nearly tearful. “My lady, please don’t!”
She looked so innocent and pure—how could she possibly have such terrifying bloodlust?
Ji Zhaoxi snorted. “I asked you nicely just now, and you refused to answer. You forced me to use stronger measures.”
The Old Gambler was simply taking advantage of Qin Qiwu and Xu Ancheng’s gentle natures.
He was wide awake now. Trembling, he sat up. “What would you fine officials like to ask? I’ll tell you everything I know.”
He glanced at Ji Zhaoxi and gave an ingratiating smile. “Miss, could you perhaps take your sword away from my neck…”
Ji Zhaoxi kept a solemn expression and pretended not to hear him.
The Old Gambler choked and turned to the two people opposite him.
Xu Ancheng met his gaze and smiled, his eyes curving slightly. “Old sir, do you remember what we just asked?”
As expected, this sort of thing was best left to Miss Ji.
The Old Gambler quickly nodded. “Fine officials, that government silver was indeed stolen by me! I owed money, but I didn’t know it was government silver, so I took it.”
He answered smoothly, as though he had recited the explanation thousands of times.
Qin Qiwu’s expression remained unchanged as she asked with a smile, “But the convoy transporting the government silver was so tightly guarded that not even a fly could have gotten inside. Old sir, you’re in such poor health—how did you manage to carry away so much silver?”
The Old Gambler stole a glance at Ji Zhaoxi. He scratched his head, then stared at the thatched roof, sweat covering his forehead.
“Old sir, since you say you stole it, how exactly did you do it?”
“Were you alone, or was someone threatening you?”
“Don’t worry, old sir. We’ll protect you.”
Qin Qiwu and Xu Ancheng pressed him with question after question until the Old Gambler’s eyes began to glaze over.
Why did these two have so much to say…?
Ji Zhaoxi sat on the threshold and began watching the villagers in the distance again.
Inside, the Old Gambler was being questioned into a daze. Ji Zhaoxi walked toward the villagers, and the people hiding beneath the tree immediately panicked. They began loudly reciting poetry once more.
“The county magistrate is benevolent as a parent, and the people of Pingyuan live in peace…”
“Er… The county magistrate sits in the hall, and then…”
“Tsk! It’s the Son of Heaven of the Sacred Dynasty who sits in the hall!”
“Then you recite it! I’m always the one doing it!”
By the time the villagers had argued their way through the line, Ji Zhaoxi had already sat down beside them. The villagers became even more flustered.
It was much cooler beneath the tree. Ji Zhaoxi sat there in the breeze, silently wiping her sword.
The villagers stole a glance at her. Then they stopped reciting poetry and began chewing dates instead.
When Qin Qiwu and Xu Ancheng finally finished their questioning and came outside, they immediately saw Ji Zhaoxi sitting beneath the tree, eating dates with several villagers.
“Miss Ji, shall we head back?” Qin Qiwu asked with a smile as she walked over.
Ji Zhaoxi acknowledged her and stood up. The villagers also rose awkwardly.
Ji Zhaoxi and the villagers stared at one another.
After some hesitation, one of them asked, “Leaving?”
Ji Zhaoxi scratched her head. “Mm.”
The villager pointed awkwardly at the dates beside them. “Take some dates with you. They’re really sweet.”
Ji Zhaoxi coughed embarrassedly. “No need. Things aren’t easy for you either.”
“Oh, they’re easy enough, they’re easy enough. Take some,” the villager insisted.
Ji Zhaoxi declined again.
Qin Qiwu and Xu Ancheng stood to the side, smiling as they watched the exchange.
Miss Ji really could get along with people anywhere.
In the end, the villagers stuffed all the remaining dates into Ji Zhaoxi’s pockets. Embarrassed, Ji Zhaoxi took out some silver, but the villagers hurriedly waved it away.
“Tsk!”
Ji Zhaoxi looked at them, seeming to want to say something but holding back. One of the villagers patted her on the shoulder.
“You should get going.”
“Thank you…”
And so Ji Zhaoxi returned with her pockets full of dates.
By the time they reached the inn, night had fully fallen. Qin Qiwu was rather curious.
“Miss Ji, what did you talk about with those villagers?”
In such a short time, Miss Ji had become as close to those villagers as though they were old friends.
Ji Zhaoxi shook her head in confusion. “We didn’t talk about anything.”
She had simply sat there enjoying the breeze. Then the villagers tentatively offered her a few dates, and she accepted them and began eating.
As they ate, they tossed the pits away. Before long, they had started competing to see who could spit a date pit the farthest. Not one of them said a word; they simply began competing in silence.
The evening breeze was a little chilly, and the vendors on both sides of the street had already changed shifts. The air was filled with the enticing aromas of food.
Xu Ancheng glanced at Qin Qiwu. His ears flushed for an instant, and he silently offered her his outer coat.
Qin Qiwu coughed and shook her head, fanning her flushed, overheated face with one hand.
Xu Ancheng asked softly, “Miss Qin, Miss Ji, is there anything you’d like to buy?”
Standing behind them, Ji Zhaoxi watched the scene with a look of satisfaction and nodded.
Yes, this was exactly how it should be.
What a perfect match.
A handsome man and a beautiful woman, with a bodyguard following behind them—the combination was more than enough to draw attention.
Quite a few people in the crowd fixed their gazes on Qin Qiwu and Xu Ancheng. Just as they were preparing to approach and strike up a conversation, a sharp, icy stare suddenly swept over them.
It was so fierce that no one could ignore it.
Everyone else: …
After returning to the inn, Qin Qiwu and Xu Ancheng went over the Old Gambler’s story. Their expressions were somewhat grave.
The theft of the government silver had clearly not been a spur-of-the-moment decision by the Old Gambler. There was likely something more behind it—something involving both the authorities and the gambling house.
In the other room, Ji Zhaoxi was busy shoveling food into her mouth. Fu Xianyan glanced at her, then picked up a jujube.
He lightly held it between his fingertips, lowering his eyes to study it for quite a while before leisurely bringing it to his lips.
Ji Zhaoxi stared speechlessly at Fu Xianyan as he ate the jujube with exaggerated elegance.
Who was he trying to fool?
