CH 46

Chapter 46 Bet 

Qu Chenzhou raised his eyes and looked outside: “Shizi is here.”

Steward Lin was taken aback and turned around quickly. Sure enough, he saw Liu Zhongming standing outside the window with his hands behind his back. He didn’t realize when he came.

“Shi…”

He was at a loss and was about to explain, but he saw that Liu Zhongming wasn’t looking at him. He just waved his hand: “You go out.”

Steward Lin responded, and when he went out, he wanted to look back, but seeing that the doors and windows were closed, he stayed for a while, then left with a sigh.

Liu Zhongming found a sturdy piece of wood at the door and sat down. He had been here for a while, and naturally could hear Steward Lin’s words clearly. His heart was filled with fire for some reason, but he didn’t know when the fire had started.

“Steward Lin’s words also make sense. Be sweeter with your mouth and learn to please. In the future, if this Shizi is happy, he might find a good home for you.”

Qu Chenzhou glanced at him and saw that he was still wearing the same clothes just now. His clothes were neatly ironed and his complexion as usual. There was no blush at all. His eyes flickered slightly, and he lowered his gaze.

This made him reflect on his momentary panic just now – some thoughts were not supposed to be had, so why should he still care.

“Thank you for your kindness, Shizi, then I will trouble you to help me find a good family. The family background should be pure and rich, both men and women are alright. If it is a girl, she must be gentle, and if it is a man, he must not always be grumpy.”

Liu Zhongming knew that he was saying that he had a bad temper, so he stood up and said, “Qu Chenzhou!”

“Huh? Is there something wrong, Shizi?”

He really hated Qu Chenzhou talking to him like this, but after thinking about it, he seemed to be the first to act strange this time. According to past experience, he was 80% sure he was unable to win the fight, so he just sat down again.

“What do you think of Dan Lang?”

“What does the Shizi think of him?” Qu Chenzhou asked rhetorically.

“He is scatterbrained and loses his cool. It’s clear that he wanted to go to Ning Wang at first, but when he came to me, he acted as if he was wronged. There doesn’t seem to be much hidden in his eyes.”

Qu Chenzhou completely agreed.

“For him, Ning Wang was notoriously good. Although he was abusive, even if he loses it, he would arrange a good place for him. If this Dan Lang was not a greedy person, how could he fall for Jiang Xingzhi’s bait? Shizi’s… reputation of loving wealth is quite big.”

Liu Zhongming’s eyebrows jumped up again.

“As you said before, he won’t be a person who was trained by Jiang Xingzhi. He should have given him some benefits.”

“Naturally. Jiang Xingzhi has only been in Qi Wang’s mansion for four years and has not had time to cultivate Qi Wang’s death squad of soldiers. Moreover, he was sent out of the capital at the end of last year. By the time he came back, Qisheng building had already been passed on to Shizi, and he didn’t have enough time to think about me.”

“Qu Chenzhou,” Liu Zhongming raised his head slightly. Qu Chenzhou sat high up and looked down at him, which made him feel extremely uncomfortable: “Then tell me, what does Jiang Xingzhi want him to do?”

“Is Shizi testing me?” Qu Chenzhou felt a little helpless: “Shizi must have already made the booklet.”

Liu Zhongming laughed sullenly. Although this person was annoying, he was smart and made talking with him easy.

Regarding Qu Chenzhou’s divination, from not knowing, to suspicion to confirmation, Jiang Xingzhi had the same experience as him. The only difference between them is – Du Quan’s booklet of Qu Chenzhou’s divination. 

“However, I persuade Shizi to keep the book well hidden. If Dan Lang can’t find it, Jiang Xingzhi will not act rashly. If Dan Lang finds it, as long as Jiang Xingzhi does a little research, he would become alert and this is not good for Shizi.”

“I understand,” Liu Zhongming looked at his pair of eyes and asked, “When you saw him just now, what did you read?” 

“Divination?” Qu Chenzhou looked out the window slightly: “The divination said that he would die.”

“He’s going to die…”

For someone like Dan Lang who was caught in the middle of something like this, Liu Zhongming was not surprised by this result, he was only curious about one thing.

“Now everyone knows that he is my person, and if anyone does something against him, they will become my enemy. Who would do this? Jiang Xingzhi? I don’t think he dares!”

“If Jiang Xingzhi moves any personnel, Qi Wang will know. In the current situation, there is no need for Qi Wang to offend you because of Dan Lang. Jiang Xingzhi would not want Qi Wang to know about his actions in private, so I guess it won’t be him.”

“Who would it be? And when?”

Qu Chenzhou helplessly spread his hands: “Shizi, divinations don’t say this much. Although I know the divination, I still rely on the heavens to eat, and no one can explain the divination for me. Why bother to ask me Shizi?”

Liu Zhongming pondered for a while, then asked, “Is there any time when the divination has failed?”

“Failed? So far, there have not been any instances.”

“That’s good,” Liu Zhongming stretched his legs and leaned on the pillar behind him: “I would like to see who can kill him under my watch? Do you want to make a bet?”

“What gains are we betting on?”

“On who is courageous enough,” Liu Zhongming looked up and down, and couldn’t help laughing: “Gains? What can you take out to bet?”

“I won’t lose,” Qu Chenzhou said to him: “So it depends on what Shizi can afford to lose.”

Seeing Liu Zhongming’s dark face, he added to the fire: “If the Shizi doesn’t want to gamble, it doesn’t matter. I also have enough food and clothing.”

“Okay!”

Even if he knew that he was being provoked, Liu Zhongming still agreed. If he wins, he will naturally keep him oppressed. Even if he lost, it meant that Qu Chenzhou can calculate everything without omission. He will not suffer.

“The gains, you can decide. I can afford to win and lose.”

Qu Chenzhou fell into a deep thought and after a long time he asked tentatively, “Three hundred taels of silver… how about it?”

Liu Zhongming was stunned for a long time and asked, “What?”

He suspected that he had heard it wrong. This person could spend three thousand taels of silver without blinking an eye. With that confident look just now, according to this person’s bad character, he had expected that a lion would open his mouth and make things difficult for him.

To only bet three hundred taels, is this because he is afraid that he won’t be able to take out the money when he loses?

But having said that, even if he bet a tael or two now, Qu Chenzhou still won’t be able to take it out.

“…” Seeing that he didn’t answer immediately, Qu Chenzhou thought he had asked for too much and hesitated for a moment: “Two hundred taels would also be…”

“Five hundred taels.” Liu Zhongming made a final decision: “If I lose, I will give you five hundred taels. If you lose, you will be fined for three days without food, do you dare?”

Qu Chenzhou breathed a sigh of relief: “Deal. But… Shizi better give Dan Lang a few bodyguards.So that if he encounters some accidents outside, it will be easy to deal with.”

“Outside?” 

“A person who is suspicious and useful should of course be let out for a walk, so as to know what he wants to do, right?”

That statement killed two birds with one stone and Liu Zhongming naturally understood what he meant, his face was a little overwhelmed.

“That’s right, what have you  been doing these days, why didn’t you tell me the truth?”

“Steward Lin can explain it more clearly, Shizi probably doesn’t have the patience to listen to me again.”

Liu Zhongming figured it out during this time. With this person’s temper, even if he was bitten to death, he would refuse to speak. Even if you pry his mouth open, you will not hear a word.

He felt compelled to reiterate their status.

“Qu Chenzhou, don’t forget, I am your master!”

“Master,” Qu Chenzhou obediently stood up from the firewood: “I have no intention of being disobedient. If the master is dissatisfied, please advise me.”

“Advice?” Liu Zhongming sneered: “Then tell the truth. You bought a blacksmith shop, a tavern, and then went to a rouge shop, what did you do?”

“This can’t be revealed.” Qu Chenzhou calmly refused. Seeing Liu Zhongming getting angry again, he said slowly: “I’m doing what I should do, the Shizi doesn’t need to know. The things I want, I will take it myself, and it will not harm Shizi.”     “

“Even though Shizi has not yet entered an official position, you cannot act leisurely. The people in the court seem to be neutral, but in fact have their own positions. There is no harm in moving around more to observe, so a to avoid being at a loss when things come to a loggerhead.” 

“Also, your impulsive and irritable temperament, putting up this show in front of outsiders is not a bad thing. However, if you are really angry, it is a big taboo. So when Shizi can finally grow up, I will tell you.”     

After hearing these words, Liu Zhongming froze for a moment, as if he heard what his elder sister said to him again – Zhongming, elder sister is waiting for you to grow up…     

He endured for a while, then finally suppressed his temper. He took a step forward, then stretched out his hand to Qu Chenzhou: “I understand, let’s go out.”     

His foot stepped on a piece of firewood that was lying on the ground and the firewood was originally used to hold up the pile. Thus, when moving his feet, Qu Chenzhou only felt his body become weightless for a moment, sliding down with the firewood that collapsed instantly. Both his feet kicked Liu Zhongming’s ankles.     

The two, one up, one down, slid all the way along the falling firewood.     

Liu Zhongming was caught off guard and was kicked down. He rested on the ground with one hand propping up, touching Qu Chenzhou’s forehead, and the other hand protected the heads and faces of the two of them. When they stopped, he realized that his knees were numb from the firewood on the ground. He couldn’t get up.     

The most terrible thing was that he was only a fist away from Qu Chenzhou’s face, and he could even feel the breath of the other party.     

Fear flashed across the face of the other party, as pitiful as a helpless little rabbit. He was not indifferent and calm at ordinary times, making Zhongming stunned, and for a moment, forgetting the pain on his body.     

Someone outside the door heard the sound and rushed over, exclaiming: “Shizi!”     

“Get out!” Liu Zhongming’s face instantly flushed red; to him this position was really embarrassing.     

“Did you hear?! Get out!”

The servants responded accordingly, and went out of the firewood house.

Qu Chenzhou’s back and hands were in unbearable pain, and he didn’t know if they were broken. While Liu Zhongming was pressing on him, he couldn’t get up.

But the body temperature that seeped in through the thin shirt made him feel weak involuntarily. He didn’t dare to look at the one above, so he could only turn his face away silently.

Liu Zhongming put his hands on his face and eased the burning pain in his knees. Seeing Qu Chenzhou’s cheeks being gradually dyed red, he rushed to ask, “What are you being shy about?”

Qu Chenzhou couldn’t say “I’m not shy”. He could only frown even tighter and close his eyes, but couldn’t stop trembling slightly.

“I won’t…” His reaction made Liu Zhongming’s mouth dry and he was about to say “I won’t do anything to you”, but his eyes stayed involuntarily fixated on his red ears.

The porcelain white delicate neck extended all the way under the loose collar, and he could see it rise and fall with his breath.

Half of what he said was stuck in his throat, which made the cover up even worse.

Liu Zhongming’s face was also red and feverish. Those charming dreams seemed to be waving to him, and the gasping sound was amplified in his ears, tempting him to gnaw on the neck that had no resistance.

After a moment of silence in the room, Qu Chenzhou bit his lower lip and said softly, “Shizi… get up…”