Chapter 885: Just who took the bait? (2/2)

Mothers had strength!

Once she calmed down, Ning Jing adjusted her thoughts. No matter whether she escaped in the end, she had to deal with Ning Cheng first and eliminate his suspicions against her and Tang Li. Otherwise, Tang Li would die here. At this thought, Ning Jing suddenly gripped Tang Li’s hand in fear. He had no idea how weak her heart felt at this instant, so he only muttered, “What is it?”

Before Ning JIng could answer, a skinny middle-aged man suddenly popped out of nowhere to take Tang Li’s hand and stuff some chips inside. “Sir, sir, I’ve lost all my luck tonight! I can tell it’s your first time here, so I beg you to help me play a few rounds and change my luck!”

Ning Jing could tell at a glance that Uncle Cheng had sent this man to them. This was a peddler! Anyone caught in his grasp would be guaranteed to lose everything of worth in his gambles. Was Ning Cheng planning to have Tang Li lose the entire Tang Clan? If that really happened, she wouldn’t have to worry about the matter of getting their assassination weapons. This was a fatal strike against Tang Li! She couldn’t begin to imagine how much he’d be ruined after such a serious outcome, or how Long Feiye would punish him in turn.

How ruthless, Ning Cheng!

If she unmasked herself and dealt with the problem for Tang Li now, Ning Cheng would definitely sense something wrong. She could only remind him in secret. But even so, Tang Li could tell this man was a swindler already! Her reminder only offered him further consolation. He happily agreed to the skinny man’s demands. “Alright, this gentleman will change your luck free of charge first. Which table? Let’s go!”

A shrewd look came into the man’s eyes as he quickly led the way. Ning Jing panicked. She furiously gripped Tang Li’s hand, but he allowed her to fuss before a glad smile rose to his lips. Even he himself didn’t notice. Finally, Ning Jing couldn’t take it anymore and muttered, “Tang Li! This is a trap! I saw Ning Cheng just then and he recognized us!”

Tang Li murmured back, “Aiya, my family’s Jing Jing finally has her heart on my side this time.” Her reminder to him this time proved that she was really here to steal the black market’s silver, not lie to him.

“I...I…” Ning Jing suddenly didn’t know how to explain herself. In the end, she decided to let him misunderstand to the end. “You can’t possibly win. These peddlers lead people to tables where they swindle them out of their cash! Tang Li, you should stop playing after a few rounds and just then the dealer you’re the Tang Clan head. Say you want to see the manager, then I’ll pretend to urge you to keep gambling in case Ning Cheng suspects me.”

Tang Li looked down at her and suddenly smiled. It was the brightest one he’d worn since they left Medical City. “Jing Jing, since you didn’t lie to me, I’ll help you win back everything you deserve. We won’t lose until we’re bankrupt tonight.”

“Tang Li! You can’t win against them! They’ll cheat!” Ning Jing panicked enough to stomp on his feet.

“Wanna bet?” Tang Li chuckled under his breath. “If I lose, I’ll let you go. If I win…” He thought it over, then whispered by her ear, “When we get your personal stamp, go back to the Tang Clan and bear my children, alright?”

With a child, it’d be easier for him to override his mother and preserve her life. Ning Jing’s eyes grew red with impending tears, but her voice remained icy. “I don’t have the right to bear your children, nor do I want to! I’m telling you now, don’t blame me for not reminding you if anything happens!”

Tang Li chuckled coldly without replying. Very soon, the skinny man led them to a huge gambling table. Ning Jing recognized the dealer at a glance to be Uncle Cheng and felt pure despair. His hawk-like eyes made it impossible to her to even speak to Tang Li now.

What to do?

Tang Li, you idiot. How can you fight against Uncle Cheng’s set of tricks!

“This is…” Uncle Cheng smiled.

“This is my friend, hehe. Help me a few rounds. Any losses count as mine, any wins count as his!” the skinny man answered hastily.

“Hehe, as long as it’s agreed,” Uncle Cheng nodded before shuffling the cards. The entire table was playing Yadaxiao,[1] where the winner would be determined after revealing their cards. Without a word, Tang Li played with the chips in his hands while quietly observing Uncle Cheng shuffle the deck.

It had to be said that neither Ning Cheng nor Ning Jing understood Tang Li very well. He was someone who ate, drank, and gambled well in his time as the young Tang Clan head. All he was missing was whoring. At age 13, he followed the Tang Clan guards to gambling houses in secret and lost for five years straight. But after turning 17, he’d never lost a single game--if only because he was an expert cheater.

None of Uncle Cheng’s moves went by his eyes!

Daylight came and found Tang Li still at the gambling table. At the beginning, he’d lost and won a few rounds in turns, but by the end they were nothing but successive victories. He began to put higher and higher stakes and almost seemed to go wild with betting. Ning Jing was too familiar with this set. Uncle Cheng would allow Tang Li to keep winning and going mad. Only then would he start betting his own family assets. Meanwhile, Ning Cheng kept watch from the shadows until Gu Qishao urged him to leave. He, Gu Qishao, and Mu Linger all headed towards Blacktower.

At the same time, Long Feiye and Han Yunxi had already received news from the shadow guards that Tang Li and Ning Jing had headed to the black markets.

“Why did he bring Ning Jing there?” Long Feiye didn’t get it. Although Tang Li was good at gambling, he didn’t indulge in such vices. He wouldn’t deliver Ning Jing right into the Three-Way Black Market now when he knew it was Ning Clan territory.

“Let’s not enter the city tonight. It’s pretty close to the Three-Way Black Markets from where we are, so let’s make more headway and check it out?” Han Yunxi asked seriously. She was afraid that Long Feiye would disagree, so she patted her legs and added, “As long as I apply medicine when I’m supposed to, they’ll be fine. Eating regular meals don’t have as much effect.”

Long Feiye finally agreed. “If we move fast, we’ll be there within five days. We can rest at Three-Way Black Market, that’s not far from Blacktower.”

Han Yunxi hadn’t seen Tang Li for ages and rather missed him. How would that guy react after finding out she and Long Feiye were actually together now?

1. Yadaxiao - sounds like Baccarat, but that has a different name. For the life of me I can’t find an English equivalent to this one, which literally means “Big Crushes the Little,” I’ll update name/notes when I do.