Chapter 131 of Volume 1: Gambling

  "You're a Bodhisattva reincarnate, this kindness of yours is something others can't learn even if they try." Li Qiu's wife was so excited her lips were trembling. "Just yesterday I mentioned that we might sell the medicine shop and these people cried and begged to follow us wherever we go. Neither my husband nor I dared to agree. As she spoke, she turned to leave, "I'll go get them to come over and kowtow to you..."

  Li Qi and his wife were also considered to be quite wealthy among the merchants, with Zhen Shiniang's clever ideas and the opening of an inpatient department, plus Jian Dafu's reputation, their income was better than other pharmacies, and the doctors and apprentices earned more than elsewhere, so naturally no one wanted to leave.

  As she watched Li Qizhen's wife hastily leave, Zhen Shiniang felt that the huge stone that had been weighing on her heart was finally lifted, and she had never felt so relieved.

  Only the Li family in Wutong Town knew that she was Jian Dafu, now they have all moved to Linggu Town, and Shen Zhongge will not be able to dig her out even if he digs three feet underground.

  Even if she were beaten to death, she would never admit that she was actually Jane Doe.

  Jian Dafu, along with the myth she created, thoroughly disappeared from Wutong Town!

  With a sigh of relief, Zhen Shiniang's heart was also somewhat melancholy. From then on, she no longer practiced medicine. She couldn't help but feel some reluctance and shook her head. Zhen Shiniang quickly walked into the house. Since she had made up her mind, she could only move forward. Hesitation had never been her style.

  Shen Zhongge put his words into action and invited the imperial physician on the fourth day.

  It turned out that Shen Zhongge, the most famous imperial physician, had invited Taigong Hospital to come and see that it was not Wen Taigong, so Zhen Shiniang put down her mind.

  After discussing for half a day, regarding her illness, the imperial physician's views were basically consistent with hers, and even less optimistic than hers. In addition, since the imperial physician had also taken her pulse twice, Zhen Shiniang felt that her treatment direction had always been correct, it was just that this body of hers had been ruined to be really too weak.

  In short, it was emptied out.

  Like a worn-out tire with countless holes, no matter how you repair it, it's still useless.

  The last shred of hope in her heart was completely disillusioned, and Zhen Shiniang's expression had become somewhat dim without realizing it.

  After seeing off Dr. Li, Shen Zhongge entered the door and saw Zhen Shiniang like this, his heart felt a sudden pang of pain for no reason. Zhen Shiniang was always calm and composed, optimistic and upward-looking, but he had never seen her with such a dull expression before.

  "General..." The room was eerily quiet. Zhen Shi Niang raised her head to see Shen Zhong Ge standing silently at the door, staring at him.

  "Ah..." Regaining his composure, Shen Zhongjie walked over with a light step. "It's been a long time since we last played chess, let's have a game!" He chuckled and said, "My chess skills are not as good as yours. Let's agree on this first, you have to give me three pieces." His tone had a hint of childish petulance.

  Zhen Shining was somewhat silly.

  Is this that arrogant great general?

  With a face like a rogue, how can you be so much like Jianwu?

  "......General, aren't you going to Fenggu's large camp today?" These days he has been getting up early and returning late, tirelessly going out for military training.

  "No need." Shen Zhongge had already sat cross-legged on the kang, a departure from his usual dignity. He looked at Zhen Shiniang with great interest.

  No good deed goes unpunished!

  Zhuo Mo couldn't understand Shen Zhong's sudden abnormal behavior, and Zhen Shi Niang muttered to herself in her heart. Suddenly, she had an idea: "He must have listened to Imperial Physician Jiang's words. Is he sympathizing with me?"

  This thought flashed through Zhen Shiniang's mind, and she secretly smiled to herself.

  Seeing her still standing there in a daze, with a look of being at a loss on her face. Shen Zhong's eyes flashed with a hint of worry, and it was instantly covered up, as he loudly called out to Dong Ju to come over and set up the chessboard.

  Snap out of it. Zhen Shiniang spryly got onto the kang, "If you want me to let you win, forget about it! We agreed that whoever loses gives one or two silver coins!" Recalling Jian Wu's sly expression, "Or else I won't play with you at all!" No matter what, she wouldn't go against her own good fortune. When the leader was in a good mood and willing to lower his guard to bribe employees, she didn't need to hold grudges and refuse others from afar.

  Shen Zhongge burst out laughing after hearing it.

  The bright laughter made the nervous maid's expression relax, and for a moment, the old mansion was filled with a happy and relaxed atmosphere.

  That winter chrysanthemum had already arranged the chessboard, and Shen Zhongge had brewed a pot of Bi Luo Chun tea. He also handed Zhen Shiniang a cup of cow's milk and tremella soup.

  A few days ago, while chatting casually, Zhen Shiniang occasionally mentioned that the cow's milk lotus seed drink at the palace banquet was delicious. The next day, Shen Zhongjie had Rong Sheng send over a few bottles of high-quality lotus seed powder and also had someone buy a cow that had just given birth to raise in the backyard, making Zhen Shiniang cry with laughter. From then on, she had a cup of cow's milk lotus seed drink every day.

  After one round of chess, Shen Zhongge lost eight pieces.

  What was amusing to Zhen Shiniang was that Shen Zhongjie, who had always been generous with his money, was actually very stingy when it came to betting. Despite having a ready-made ingot in his pocket, he refused to take it out and instead made Rong Sheng go find some loose silver, haggling with her over the amount.

  Zhen Shi Niang gritted her teeth in anger.

  Looking at the eight taels of silver in front of her, Zhen Shiniang secretly regretted it. If she had known he would really give her the money, she would have said the bet was ten taels from the start. This way, wouldn't she have won enough to make up for the shortage of funds at Daren Hall?

  After losing two rounds, Zhen Shi Niang finally won less than twenty taels of silver in front of her, and she began to feel a little dissatisfied. "It's too slow, it's too slow, I don't want to play anymore!"

  Just as Shen Zhong was getting into it, he looked puzzled and asked, "What's too slow?"

  Of course, it's just making money too slowly!

  At this rate, she won't even be able to earn a few taels of silver after grinding her paws for a whole day.

  Coming back to her senses, Zhen Shi Niang realized that she had almost slipped up in her excitement, and her face flushed with heat. However, she maintained her composure and suggested to Shen Zhong Ge, "Let's play a guessing game... hmm... we'll take turns giving each other riddles to guess, and if you guess wrong, you'll be fined ten taels of silver."

  Of course, the fastest way to win money is to roll dice or bet on big and small, but she's not good at these things. She believes that if she plays with Zhen and Shen Zhongqiu, she'll lose more miserably than a yellow mouse.

  In ancient times, there was no brain-twisting game, I believe that using this will definitely win a lot of money.

  Who's got the patience to play this with you!

  He was originally a chess enthusiast, especially after losing, Shen Zhongke's whole heart and mind were on the chessboard. After hearing this, he felt a wave of annoyance in his heart, and as soon as he opened his mouth to refuse, he raised his head and met Zhen Shiniang's excited red face with a smile. He hesitated for a moment, subconsciously nodded, "Good!"

  It's not easy to see her so happy, he'll make an exception this time.

  "Alright, no one is allowed to cheat!" Zhen Shi Niang rarely showed her playful side. "I'll go first... cough, cough..." She coughed once, "Why does the white crane sleep with one leg tucked in?"

  It's so simple!

  She thought she was a three-year-old child, Shen Zhongqiu was somewhat disdainful. Seeing Zhen Shiniang's face full of excitement, he couldn't bear to disappoint her, so he pretended to think for a moment, "The white crane is an animal, this is its habit."

  "Wrong!" Zhen Shi Niang shook her head decisively, "Because if a white crane folds up its two legs, it will fall over." She stretched out her hand, "Ten taels of silver!"

  Is this okay too?

  The little maids burst out laughing all at once.

  Apart from Chrysanthemum and Magpie, nobody has ever heard of such a straightforward answer to this question.

  Shen Zhongdang was stunned for a long time, and then he also burst out laughing. He beckoned to Rong Sheng to take out another ingot and hand it over, "Again!" He had completely forgotten that this time it should be his turn to ask the question.

  Finally getting his Yu Bao out, Zhen Shi Niang was in a great mood. "Why is it that when a butcher and a high monk sit together, the butcher can more easily ascend to heaven and become a Buddha?"

  "Is this true?" Shen Zhongge stared at Zhen Shiniang with wide eyes, how come he had never heard of it?

  "It's because of the good intentions behind slaughtering a pig!" Dong Ju answered hastily as Shen Zhongge was unable to respond.

  Jian Erniang shook her head, and Rong Sheng said, "The high monk is a fake monk."

  "Wrong!" Zhen Shi Niang turned her head towards Shen Zhong Ke.

  Shen Zhongge took out a ingot and placed it on the table, "You say."

  "The Buddha said, put down your butcher's knife and become a Buddha on the spot."

  The crowd burst into laughter again, and when Shen Zhongge looked over, Zhen Shiniang asked, "Is congee expensive or is shaobing expensive?" He was willing to give up his right to ask questions, so she naturally wanted to seize the opportunity to grab the silver.

  "Baozi is expensive!" Shen Zhongge said confidently.

  It's common knowledge that people often go to hotels to eat.

  Unexpectedly, Zhen Shining shook her head, "Wrong, it's the porridge that's expensive." Her hand stretched out to Shen Zhongjie again, "Because precious things are scarce."

  What's the difference between this and robbery?!

  Seeing the small white hand stretched out in front of his eyes, Shen Zhongge was a bit dazed.

  About to retort, but thinking carefully, there's nothing to argue about. With a wry smile, he shook his head and took the ten taels of silver from Rong Sheng's hand and handed it over.

  At first, due to not being too adapted, the ingots in front of Zhen Shining increased one by one, and soon they were exchanged for a hundred taels of silver ticket. After adapting to this rapid thinking, Shen Zhongge quickly entered the state, what surprised Zhen Shining was that Shen Zhongge's reaction was faster than she imagined, such as when she asked: "It takes a minute to cross a bridge, and the guard patrols every half minute. If someone is found crossing the bridge, they will be called back, but Mibei passed through smoothly, what method did he use?"

  Everyone who heard this was shocked, Shen Zhongge opened his mouth and replied, "Mi Di walked to the middle of the bridge and immediately turned around. The guard thought he had passed from the other end and ordered him to turn back." Then he stretched out his hand to ask Zhen Shiniang for silver.

  Shen Zhong didn't know how to play this game, so he changed the rules. Zhen Shiniang would ask him questions and if he answered correctly, she would give him silver coins; otherwise, he would lose ten taels of silver.

  Shen Zhong and Zhen Shi Niang were in a good mood, the little maids were also relaxed, surrounding them and chattering away, it was quite lively.

  After Zhen Shi Zhong's counterattack began, the silver tickets in front of Zhen Shi Nang changed back to ingots one by one, and she couldn't help but secretly regret it. If she had known this would happen, she shouldn't have let him change the rules, and started thinking about some more difficult problems.

  Shen Zhongge had never seen Zhen Shiniang gamble so well, watching her win silver and smile with joy, losing and frowning, Shen Zhongge's heart was filled with delight, after all, he didn't want to see her frown, seeing the silver ingots in front of her door were almost gone, Shen Zhongge began to deliberately answer incorrectly and give in.

  Look up and see that it's already late, the pile of silver in front of her has been exchanged for a 100-tael silver note. Zhen Shi Niang decided to quit while she was ahead, "I'll go cook dinner for the general." Gamblers lose everything because they don't know when to stop.

  Jian Zhen asked Dong Ju to carefully collect the silver she had won, Shen Zhong Ge shook his head with a smile, and in his eyes, there was a hint of indulgence that even he himself hadn't noticed.