CH 81

Chapter 81 Gambling

Liu Zhongming raised his eyes, looked at Liao Guangming’s knife-like gaze, and understood.

The emperor asked him to take over the affairs of Pan He, and the news was revealed to Liao Guangming, which also showed that they had not guessed wrong about the emperor’s thoughts.

This was to make him and Liao Guangming face off against each other.

“Commander Liao has a wide range of friends.” Liu Zhongming just smiled and elaborated. He then turned to Ning Wang: “The one in my room, Wang Ye seems to only have heard about it, but he hasn’t seen that child yet.”

“Yes, I haven’t seen him before.” Mu Jingzhao admitted and regretted it in his heart – when he was playing with Dan Lang, he should have had a chance to meet him. He wondered, “How is he good?”

“How is he good…” Zhongming stretched his voice and raised his eyebrows at him: “He’s different from those constantly using cosmetics and you won’t get bored in a few days. So it’s not me having lasting affection, but it’s the taste of the little monster.”

Mu Jingzhao reluctantly stood up: “No way, you have to show me another day, you can’t just entice another’s appetite.”

“Shizi!” Liao Guangming was coldly sidelined, his face became ugly, and he couldn’t help but interject: “Zhongming doesn’t believe me?”

Liu Zhongming seemed to react for a moment before he remembered what they were talking about before, and said casually, “I naturally believe Commander Liao’s words.”

He seemed not interested in this topic, and turned to Mu Jingzhao with great interest in the blink of an eye: “I dare not let the lord see him…”

Seeing Liu Zhongming turning away from himself again, Liao Guangming’s face was ashened. He suddenly put his two fingers together, and wanted to point at the boy’s eyes: “Zhongming if you don’t believe me, I can show you…”

Before he could finish his sentence, he flipped his wrist and caught the chopsticks thrown directly to him in his hand, and laughed again after a moment of astonishment.

“What does Zhongming mean by this? Seeing his appearance, do you have pity on him? It’s just right. I was going to dig his eyes out to make a vessel for Zhongming to treasure, it’s the best of both worlds.”

Liu Zhongming took the new chopsticks handed over by a servant, slowly wiped it with a handkerchief, before he spoke casually.

“Commander Liao, what do I have pity for? If you want to dig it out, go dig it out, but I don’t want to see blood in my banquet.”

“Is it the best of both worlds? I didn’t say that I like him. Commander Liao also underestimated my taste.

Mu Jingzhao was stunned for a moment, then he just realized what happened, then immediately shouted: “Liao Guangming, what the h*ll are you doing? Today is Zhongming’s birthday! How can you do this!”

“My lord, I’ve been wronged,” Liao Guangming spread his hands : “I am also doing this for Zhongming, aren’t I?”

“I appreciate it,” Liu Zhongming rubbed his chopsticks attentively and sneered: “My things, I will know if it’s good or not, I don’t need others to judge them.

“I also don’t need someone else to do what I need to do.” He raised his eyes and looked over: “If I want something, I will naturally get it myself.”

Liao Guangming’s eyes sank.

Seeing that the atmosphere was not right, Mu Jingzhao busily tried to round up the field. He naturally stood on Liu Zhongming’s side: “Liao Guangming, don’t worry about it. Everyone knows Zhongming’s temper. Don’t touch his things.”

Speaking forcefully, it seemed like he forgot about the Dan Lang situation from before.

Liu Zhongming smiled without saying much, and nodded slightly to everyone at the table: “I can’t fix this problem, I can only ask you to bear with me.”

Liao Guangming’s face was gloomy for a moment, then suddenly he smiled: “I was impatient and I actually forgot about Zhongming’s temper. Since it’s Zhongming’s birthday…”

He clapped his hands, someone pushed open the door outside, and a young man with almond eyes and peach cheeks came in.

Mu Jingzhao’s eyes lit up, he snorted, and hit Liu Zhongming with his elbow: “I didn’t expect Commander Liao to secretly hide such a good thing. This appearance, amazing! Just looking at it makes my bones numb!”

“Wang Ye praised it. Since Wang Ye can say this, I am relieved,” Liao Guangming smiled slightly: “It happened that I didn’t bring any gifts, so I want to use him as a birthday gift for Zhongming. Does Zhongming like it?”

“Since Commander Liao is being considerate, then I will accept it with a smile.”

Liu Zhongming waved at the young man, sneering in his heart.

Liao Guangming came here today with the intention of finding fault. Whether he wanted to put Chenzhou’s eyes into a container and give it to him, he just wanted to suppress him, protesting to himself openly and secretly, so as to teach him how to know when to retreat.

Whether the person was accepted or not was a trivial matter, but just now the two of them had already started their hands, and everyone can see that Liao Guangming was sharp and thorny. With this move, if he accepts it now, everyone else will say that he wants to settle the dispute and was bowing his head.

Liao Guangming was nothing but if he gives in, he will lose the face of the entire Liu family. What’s more, Pan He was a rare breakthrough that he squeezed from the emperor’s side, so how could he give in?

The boy did have a very good appearance, and leaned over shyly and timidly.

Liu Zhongming held his hand with the end of his fan, looked sideways at Mu Jingzhao, and asked with a smile, “Is this what Wang Ye likes?”

Liao Guangming’s heart skipped a beat. Before he could say anything, he actually saw Liu Zhongming’s fan lifted towards Mu Jingzhao.

“Then I will win favor by using someone else’s property and give him to Wang Ye. Wang Ye must take good care of him.”

“Liu Zhongming!” Liao Guangming shouted sharply.

“What’s wrong, Commander Liao?” Liu Zhongming looked at him: “Since it was given to me, isn’t it mine? How I want to deal with it, it should have nothing to do with Commander Liao.”

Everyone at the banquet was silent, they didn’t know how to deal with the two disputing.

Commander Liao was of course the emperor’s person, but here was the Shizi of Anding Marquis, and weighing it, everyone should know which side was more important. Commander Liao obviously was at a disadvantageous position and naturally no one was willing to open their mouths to chime in to mix in this muddy water.

Only Mu Jingzhao happily stretched out his hand to pull the young man into his arms, and then wondered: “Zhongming really doesn’t like it? Even this kind of appearance can’t enter your eyes? What kind of person would you be interested in then?”

Liu Zhongming shook his fan comfortably: “My lord, looking for beauty is like drinking tea. Drinking in big gulps, playing around, everyone can do that. When you actually carefully appreciate it and try it to select the best, only then would one be successful.”

Mu Jingzhao was convinced with his mature way of speaking but before he could open his mouth to speak, Liao Guangming sneered, “Shizi’s way of looking at things is above average but can his appearance be considered amazing?”

Liu Zhongming took on a peacemaker look: “Commander Liao misunderstood, it’s just every flower enters each person’s eye differently, I was just making a comment.”

“How can that appearance be bad?” Liao Guangming sneered coldly: “I suddenly want to make a bet with Shizi.”

Qu Chenzhou’s divination really hit the ground running. Liu Zhongming’s heart was refreshed, but his face appeared lazy: “What are you gambling?”

No matter how stupid Mu Jingzhao was, he could see that something was wrong. When he wanted to change the subject, he was lured in by Liao Guangming’s thoughts. He loved it the most when things were bustling with noise and excitement.

“Let’s bet on the plaything that Shizi is interested in. Let’s see if he can be better than my gift, how about it?”

Liu Zhongming groaned in his heart and almost slipped off his seat.

For the first time, he wondered if Qu Chenzhou’s divination was inaccurate, or that “every bet would win”… shouldn’t be a bet with Liao Guangming…

He was a little bit hurt, and even regretted being fooled by Qu Chenzhou to be full of confidence.

Although Qu Chenzhou was worried that he could not be cured before, he still comforted that “beauty is in the bones”. If he could bet with only the upper half of his face, he would definitely win, but if he couldn’t be cured, the scar on his face would not convince the others.

After listening to his comfort, Qu Chenzhou touched his chopsticks to his lips for a long time, and the silence made him feel a little sad. He heard Steward Lin say that Little Brother Qu was born delicate and outstanding originally and even those who did not come for divinations would crowd at the door.

Now he has fallen into this state.

“Chenzhou, what are you thinking about?” He couldn’t help asking, afraid that the comfort he had just given would trigger his past memories.

“Shizi’s words just reminded me,” Qu Chenzhou replied with a serious look: “We haven’t had braised pork ribs for a long time.”

With his future hanging on such a b*stard, Liu Zhongming was very worried and silent. He let out a helpless sigh.

He didn’t accept immediately, which made the atmosphere cold for a while. Mu Jingzhao hurriedly spoke for him: “It’s boring to bet on this. There is no number one for literature*. Whether their appearance looks good or not, how can you tell who wins or loses, right??”

* It means that no matter how good something is, they dare not boast that theirs is the best in the world

The crowd clapped in agreement.

Liao Guangming asked with a smile, “Shizi doesn’t dare to accept?”

“I accept, why won’t I?” Liu Zhongming threw the handkerchief on the table, leaned back on the back of the chair, and looked at him: “Let’s compare in 6 months, how about it?”

Mu Jingzhao didn’t know the true intent between the two, he just thought it was lively, and was busy enjoying the atmosphere: “Really? Zhongming, you really agreed? Don’t try to trick me at that time!”

Liao Guangming also didn’t dare to be too forceful. He twitched the corners of his mouth and said with a smile: “It’s settled then.”

“Zhongming,” Mu Jingzhao asked, pulling on his clothes, “Why so long, do you want me to suffer waiting for the next six months?

“Wang Ye, why rush …”

Before Liu Zhongming finished speaking, he heard Liao Guangming interject coldly: “Zhongming, since this has captured everyone’s attention, how can you just casually talk your way through? Do you want to bet for good luck?”

“Zhongming, bet with him. If you lose, I’ll pay for you.”

Mu Jingzhao looked righteous, but he didn’t know that he had blocked the person’s retreat, Liu Zhongming only smiled bitterly.

“What does Commander Liao want to bet on?”

“Let’s just bet on…” Liao Guangming turned the chopstick in his hand, feeling uneasy.

He used to be on good terms with Liu Zhongming, naturally because the famous Shizi only loved doing business and had no intention of having an official career. Who would dislike someone who has money and status without any threat.

But now that the man suddenly stood opposite him, he suddenly realized that this person who came out of nowhere halfway was a behemoth that was difficult to deal with.

“How about one’s official career?” He gritted his teeth and said with a smile: “Whoever loses will leave with dignity, okay?”

There was an uproar during the banquet, and even Mu Jingzhao froze for a while: “Commander Liao, this joke is boring.”

“It’s boring. To be an official in the court is to serve the country, it is the grace of the emperor, how can you use it as a bet?” Liu Zhongming asked, but before everyone could breathe a sigh of relief, he continued: “But since Commander Liao proposed it, how about this?”

Liao Guangming was pressed by the emperor’s crown, so he couldn’t say anything, he could only ask, “What are your thoughts Shizi?”

“After all, I’m still young, even if I’m idle at home, I’m not important to the court. Commander Liao is the backbone of the country. If we bet on official work, if the emperor blames me, I can’t argue.”

“If I lose, I will submit my resignation form. If Commander Liao loses, just send me a person and everyone can have a good laugh.”

“Who! “Liao Guangming’s heart tightened, he naturally knew who the other party wanted, and he asked knowingly.

Liu Zhongming chuckled: “I haven’t thought about it yet, we can talk about it later, it won’t hurt Commander Liao.”

Mu Jingzhao couldn’t think of who Liu Zhongming wanted and since it was just playing, he slapped the table: “Zhongming really has the ability, then let’s settle it!”

“No!”

Liu Zhongming raised his eyebrows: “What? Commander Liao is afraid of losing?”

Everyone’s eyes were focused on Liao Guangming, he only stared at Liu Zhongming. After a long while, he sneered: “Okay, it’s a deal.”

Seeing that he didn’t finish his meal and left in a hurry. Mu Jingzhao asked, “Zhongming, how did you provoke him again?”

“I didn’t,” Liu Zhongming said. He replied calmly: “Wang Ye also saw it. It was fine when I came. It was obviously Commander Liao who came to provoke me.”

“That’s right, he really did, those who wear official uniforms are all enemies.” Mu Jingzhao also had to admit. He looked at the boy in his arms and asked worriedly, “Zhongming, in half a year, where are you going to find someone? Should I also help you find something.”

Liu Zhongming put his fan on his arm: “My lord, it is up to people to make things happen. Sometimes, if you want to win a bet, you can just ask the Bodhisattva.”

“The Bodhisattva?” Mu Jingzhao wondered, “What Bodhisattva?”

“Bodhisattva…”

As it was approaching Hai Shi (9-11pm), there was a sound in the courtyard, presumably someone had returned. Qu Chenzhou hurriedly got up and lifted the lantern by the door to open the bedroom door.

Liu Zhongming stood outside the door, holding three incense sticks in both hands, and bowed his hands to him reverently.

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