Chapter 15

From the moment Wen Changning stepped outside, her face was flushed red. Wen Hening and Wen Yan exchanged puzzled looks, and when Wen Hening quietly tried to ask a few questions, their younger sister gave him a sharp glare, prompting him to wisely keep silent.

The three siblings, each accompanied by an attendant, set off together.

As Wen Changning had said, no one in the Wen family knew how to have fun better than Wen Hening.

At home, he restrained himself somewhat, maintaining the image of a refined young gentleman from a scholarly family.

But outside, everyone knew the Fourth Young Master of the Prefect’s household was a prodigal who spent his days galloping about the streets and neglecting serious matters.

Today, escorting his sisters out, Wen Hening initially tried to act the part, taking them to tea houses and taverns.

Wen Changning was clearly enjoying herself, but Wen Yan looked utterly uninterested.

Determined to please his third sister, Wen Hening gritted his teeth and took them to an underground gambling den.

This gambling den was unlike others; it was not just about money but also involved betting on rare treasures, exotic beasts, and, at times, even lives themselves.

Though bold, Wen Hening had only been to such a place once before—and after that, had been severely reprimanded by their father.

But times had changed, and with his third sister accompanying him, there was nowhere he could not go.

Wen Hening led them to a dock outside the city where an ancient yet grand pleasure boat was moored. At first glance, it looked no different from a common cargo vessel.

He gestured toward it, declaring this was the underground gambling den.

Wen Changning and Wen Yan’s faces were full of astonishment.

“I’ve lived this long and never knew Xijiang City had such a place,” Wen Changning exclaimed.

Wen Hening smiled softly, whispering, “This den is hardly a proper establishment; it’s normal that a young lady like you wouldn't know. Even I only found out through introductions.”

He glanced at Wen Yan and continued, “We wanted to bring it into the city, but Father feared trouble and refused, so he had this boat set up at the dock. It sets off for an hour past noon and returns at dusk.”

Wen Yan asked, “Did you bring enough capital?”

Wen Hening grinned, patting the pouch at his waist, “Don’t worry, Third Sister. Today, you’ll enjoy yourself fully.”

“Then let’s go,” Wen Yan said.

Without hesitation, the group boarded.

Though unassuming on the outside, the boat’s interior was exquisitely ornate, exuding opulence at every turn.

Everyone boarding had to pay a fee of eight taels of silver.

Once paid, guides led them inside.

Since he had two female companions, Wen Hening spent fifty taels for a private room.

No sooner had they settled than tea and snacks were brought.

Only after the boat left the dock at the appointed time did it truly come alive.

In the central open space of the large boat, gambling tables of various sizes were arranged—some for dice, others for card games like bridge, and some with nothing on them at all.

There was more than one way to gamble here.

At the very center, surrounded by the tables, stood a large platform that served as the biggest gambling table on the entire boat.

“The last hour is when the main table begins,” Wen Hening whispered to Wen Yan, “Right now, everyone is exchanging their stakes.”

Not all brought rare treasures; most came with silver, which they would wager in rounds against others or the house to exchange for the prized items in hand.

Only those with enough to wager could sit at the final table.

“Third Sister, do you want to go down?” Wen Hening asked.

The floor below was already crowded and buzzing with excitement, a scene quite enticing.

Wen Yan’s eyes never left the scene below, and she waved her hand at his question, “You go if you want.”

Compared to sitting at the tables, she preferred to watch others gamble.

At this moment, everyone seemed to have shed their inhibitions, indulging in unrestrained abandon.

In just a short while, the only things missing were bloodshed or chaos; truly, everything imaginable was happening.

Wen Hening could hardly contain his excitement and, after brief instructions, headed downstairs with Wen Changning following.

Perhaps because his sister trailed behind, he behaved decently, sticking to proper gambling tables where dice were rolled.

Those below gambled with flushed faces and tense excitement; those above did no worse.

A light knock came at Wen Yan’s private room, and a server brought a menu listing storytellers, dancers, musicians, and such.

Wen Yan glanced over it and casually chose one, then returned her gaze downstairs.

Soon, a musician carrying a qin—a traditional stringed instrument—knocked and entered.

Wen Yan’s eyes twinkled as she called him over.

Time slipped away swiftly, and soon the last hour arrived, the grand gambling table ready to open.

Wen Hening, clutching their winnings, returned to the private room with Wen Changning.

Luck had favored Wen Hening today, winning more than he lost.

All the silver was exchanged for rare and exquisite items.

There were famous calligraphy and paintings, precious jewels, and various playful trinkets.

Among them, an intricately carved ivory ball was the most exquisite.

Wen Changning held the ivory ball tightly, reluctant to let go. Had it been before, she would have snatched it eagerly.

But now, she dared not provoke Wen Yan.

Wen Hening whispered soothingly, “Here, Third Sister, take this. Next time, Fourth Brother will get you one too.”

Wen Changning drooped her head and murmured, “Let me make amends for before. Fourth Brother, please speak for me so she doesn’t hold a grudge.”

Since that night, Wen Changning felt unsteady in her mind. Sometimes in dreams, she saw Wen Yan smiling as she snapped her neck or struck her head.

After so many days, she’d finally mustered the courage to lower her pride and make peace.

Naturally, she wouldn’t quarrel with her anymore.

As the two siblings reached the door of the private room, they knocked lightly and pushed it open.

What they saw inside shocked them both.

A disheveled man knelt beside Wen Yan, back to them, leaning up to bite a piece of cake from Wen Yan’s hand.

His lips were moist and red, and before biting, his tongue flicked out to lightly lick the cake.

Wen Changning’s head buzzed, and she was dumbfounded.

This scene was no better than what she had witnessed before in Wen Yan’s quarters.

Wen Yan saw them enter, relaxed her grip, and the cake fell into the man’s mouth.

Qing Yun, her face flushed with embarrassment, handed Wen Yan a handkerchief to wipe her hands.

Wen Yan took it, a faint smile playing on her lips as she greeted them, “You’re back.”

The man chewing the cake turned his head to look at them.

Wen Hening quickly covered his sister’s eyes.

The man was undeniably handsome, cradling an ancient qin in his arms, fingers tightly gripping the strings.

He wasn’t playing, however; his eyes were red-rimmed and misty, his neatly tied hair somewhat disheveled, his loose clothes revealing half a bare chest.

Such a sight stirred all manner of wild imaginings.

Though a prodigal, Wen Hening was still innocent in such matters. Encountering this scene, his face flushed as deeply as Wen Changning’s.

Wen Yan addressed the man on the floor, “Go play the qin.”

The man bowed obediently, “Yes.”

His low, husky voice only made the siblings blush further.

He stepped aside, placed the qin on a low table, adjusted his clothes, lowered his head, and began to play.

The music was delicate and lingering.

Wen Yan rested her cheek on her hand, eyes drifting to the bustling hall below, and asked her siblings:

“Did you win?”

Wen Hening pulled Wen Changning inside, avoiding looking at the man.

“We won some little things. Third Sister, see if you like any.”

Wen Changning silently placed the ivory ball on the seat.

The two startled servants also set down their treasures.

Wen Yan glanced at them, unimpressed.

Their thoughts seemed elsewhere; the room fell into an eerie silence, broken only by the haunting qin melodies.

But the stifling atmosphere didn’t last long; with the opening of the grand gambling table, the excitement returned.

The items presented in turn rekindled the crowd’s fervor.

The siblings focused intently below, trying to ignore the man in the room and what they had just seen.

Wen Yan glanced at them, chuckling softly.

Children truly cannot withstand such matters.

At her age, what were a few men?

Had she not been so deadly in her youth, scaring many away, she might have even built a harem.

Alas, in the end, she was all alone.

Now, thinking back, her greatest regret was never having lain with the monk from the Ten Thousand Buddhas Sect.

The others were indifferent, but that monk—the unparalleled face, the muscular body hidden beneath monk’s robes, and the aura of ascetic purity—was intoxicating beyond measure.

She sighed, wishing she had been a rogue cultivator back then, free from restraint, able to take what she wanted at will.

That monk wouldn’t have stood a chance.

But in the end, she gained nothing.

“Third Sister, what’s wrong?” Wen Hening, startled by her sudden sigh, asked cautiously.

Wen Yan lazily pointed at a pair of birds on the stage below, resembling both birds and chickens, “I want that.”

Wen Hening turned to look as the presenter introduced them:

“This is the Divine Rooster, whose flesh is said to extend life and preserve eternal youth.”

Wen Hening was intrigued by the bird’s strange, majestic appearance—part chicken, part peacock, covered in iridescent feathers unlike anything seen or heard of before.

“This chicken is truly extraordinary,” he said.

Wen Changning was curious, “Eating it really prolongs life and keeps you forever young?”

Wen Hening responded, “Whatever. Third Sister wants it. Let’s win it first!”

The two siblings’ eyes sparkled with interest, fixed on the Divine Rooster below.

Wen Yan was curious about its taste.

Having seen many strange things in her previous life, this was the first time she’d encountered such a bird, and she was eager to try it.

While the three were gambling over the Divine Rooster, two letters arrived one after another from the capital to Lady Lu.

She accepted them joyfully from the servant, but upon reading their contents, her expression changed drastically.

Lady Lu struggled to contain her emotions, trembling as she finished reading both letters, then fell unconscious without uttering a word.