Others immediately chimed in, “Yes, yes, cancel the debts.”
Zhang Biao also looked at Bai Lixin.
“Who said I would cancel the debts?” Bai Lixin said coldly, “Since you chose to gamble, you have to pay the price. I won’t cancel your debts, not only that, I will find each of you one by one and make you recognize your situation clearly. I’m not a good person, and as gamblers, you are not pitiable either. I believe all of you entered the gambling den knowing what it means, yet you still entered. So, I don’t need to be lenient with you.”
“But one thing you can rest assured, although I’m not a good person, I’m not an unforgivable villain either. So, I won’t plunder your wealth or take away your family members. If I find out that you are selling your relatives to repay the debts, not only will I not accept the money, I will double the debt.”
“I will leave you with the necessary living expenses and the houses you rely on for survival.”
“You can slowly repay the money, I won’t increase the interest, you just need to repay my initial capital. But you need to understand, until the money is fully repaid, you will bear the debt every day.”
The guests around looked at Bai Lixin with complicated eyes.
Some people wanted to say something, they opened their mouths but hesitated.
Finally, a man’s voice rang out from the crowded crowd, “Alright! I agree! Thank you, boss! As long as you don’t sell my daughter, and let me keep the person who makes a living, even if I have to sell everything, I’ll repay the money!”
This voice seemed like the opening of a floodgate, and other voices followed suit.
“It seems okay this way. If the interest doesn’t keep piling up, and we only repay the initial capital without time pressure, I can earn this money.”
“Yes, as long as there’s no compound interest, and we don’t end up owing more as we repay, this is acceptable.”
“But I owe a lot of money, I can’t repay so much. I think both you and that proprietress are just trying to make money off us!”
“Yes, I can’t repay it. No money, no life. Just kill me if necessary!”
Bai Lixin glanced at the speaker and sneered, “I never generalize everyone based on one person’s actions. I never think that everyone entering a gambling house is greedy, nor do I believe that everyone can completely change.”
“There are good and bad people, that’s human nature. Some people can be saved, while others are beyond redemption.”
“Why can some people repay their debts while others can’t? Those who can’t repay need to think seriously, have you been too greedy? If you are greedy, you have to pay for your own greed. That’s the world. I’m not your mother, I won’t pamper you just because you say ‘I’m miserable.’ To put it bluntly, you ended up like this because of your own actions. But if you want to continue like this, you better carefully consider your fate.”
After saying this, Bai Lixin slapped the gambling table behind him heavily.
The gambling table covered in thick marble instantly shattered into pieces.
The people at the scene fell silent.
This person wasn’t easy to deal with.
They couldn’t provoke him, let alone bully him!
“Well, any more questions?” The young man rubbed his slightly reddened palms and looked at the people in the casino with a smile.
People looked at each other and didn’t dare to say a word.
The young man continued, “Since there are none, please leave. This gambling den is closed from now on, never to reopen.”
Hearing the young man driving them away, people hesitated for a moment before turning and leaving.
The crowd streamed out and in just a short while, there were only a few people left in the gambling den.
A figure sneaked away, preparing to blend into the crowd and leave. But just as he was about to walk out the door, his shoulder was forcefully grabbed.
A voice as cold as a demon from hell came from behind, “Where do you think you’re going?”
The man suddenly stiffened. He trembled as he turned around, and looked at the man with a gloomy face in front of him. “Boss, I, I’m going back to check on my sick mother at home.”
“You bastard!” Zhang Biao’s fist landed heavily on the man’s bruised face. “Yesterday, you said your mother was ill, and we, brothers, scraped together five taels of silver for her treatment. Unexpectedly, you squandered this lifesaving money in the gambling den! You deserve to die!”
The furious punches rained down, and Zhang Biao’s face was livid. He seemed eager to beat the man to death.
Seeing this, a young constable hurriedly rushed forward and held Zhang Biao back. “Boss, if you keep going like this, you’ll kill him! It’s not worth it, not for scum like him! And if you don’t kill him but injure him severely, you’ll still have to pay for his medical expenses!”
The man held his head and begged bitterly, “Boss, I was wrong, I admit it! Boss, please let me explain, my mother wasn’t sick! She was never ill!”
On hearing this, Zhang Biao’s fists slowed down.
He took a deep breath and took two steps back.
His clenched fists were placed behind him, and he glared at the man in fury. “Then why did you say your mother was sick?!”
“I was wrong, Boss,” the man’s face was now completely swollen like a pig’s head, and he spoke with difficulty, “I was addicted to gambling, but I didn’t have money. If I directly asked you for money, you surely wouldn’t give it to me, so I came up with this excuse. I thought, Boss is so filial so he must be unable to bear seeing someone else’s mother unable to afford treatment.”
“Boss, I was wrong, I really was, I shouldn’t have deceived you, and I shouldn’t have cursed my mother.” He said and slapped his face hard. “I’m a scoundrel. After what happened today, I suddenly realized, cheating is common in gambling. I won’t gamble anymore, truly, believe me this one last time!”
Zhang Biao looked down at the man with a cold expression. Then, he pulled out his dagger from his waist and threw it in front of him. “Cut off one of your little fingers. Let the severed finger constantly remind you to stay away from the gambling den.”
“In the future, whenever you see that missing finger, you’ll remember today’s lesson.”
The young constable tugged at Zhang Biao. “Boss, is this really necessary?”
“I don’t trust him now,” Zhang Biao said coldly. “A man who can fabricate his own mother’s life and death wouldn’t hesitate to lie to us again. I only want results. Are you going to do it, or shall I do it for you? If you won’t, I’ll help you.”
The man’s face showed no expression. He stared at the dagger for a long while, his thoughts inscrutable.
Just as Zhang Biao was about to bend down to pick up his dagger, the man suddenly grabbed it, raised his hand, and decisively cut off his own left little finger.
Blood sprayed out instantly, staining the ground red.
The man didn’t make a sound. His pig-like face turned pale for an instant, and cold sweat trickled down his forehead. “Boss, I remember! From today on, if I gamble again, it’s as if I’m cutting off this finger.”
After saying this, he raised the dagger again and cut the severed finger into two pieces from the middle.
Only then did Zhang Biao relax his expression slightly. He took the dagger back from the man’s hand, wiped off the blood stains carefully with a handkerchief, and put it back into its sheath.
After doing all this, he helped the young man up. “You’re covered in wounds. Stay in the yamen temporarily for the next few days. I’ll go to your family and tell them that you’re on official business and will be away for a few days.”
“Even if you go back now, you’ll frighten your mother and your wife and daughter. Go back when you’ve recovered from your injuries.”
The man just nodded vigorously. “Okay, I’ll listen to Boss. Thank you, Boss.”
Zhang Biao forced a bitter smile. “Thank me for what? Thank me for cutting off your finger? Or for almost beating you to death?”
The man shook his head vigorously. “No, thank you for saving my life today, for making me see the light, for giving me a second chance at life.”
“It wasn’t me who saved you,” Zhang Biao turned his head and nodded toward Bai Lixin, “he’s the one who saved you. It was his courage that saved you. If I had been the one to intervene, even if the opponent didn’t cheat, I wouldn’t have been able to defeat the proprietress.”
“He is the newly appointed scribe in our yamen, Bai Lixin.”
Upon hearing this, the man immediately knelt down to kowtow to Bai Lixin.
Bai Lixin sidestepped, avoiding the man’s prostration. “A man should be self-reliant. If you really want to thank me, work diligently in the yamen from now on. Don’t slack off, and don’t cause trouble for me. I’m new to this position and there’s much I don’t understand. I hope you can help when the need arises.”
“Of course, no problem,” the man readily agreed. “Rest assured, benefactor. In the future, as long as you speak, I, Chang Songyi, will not refuse even if it means facing a blade or fire!”
Bai Lixin nodded. “It’s getting late. You should go and attend to your business.”
———————————–
In the live broadcast room:
[So satisfying.]
[Gambling dens harm people, and this has been the case since ancient times.]
[Indeed, nine out of ten are cheats. Customers might win ten coins today and lose a hundred tomorrow, but the gambling den makes a profit every day.]
[Today was another day to admire God Xin. His principles are too righteous; I love it. ‘No gambling in the world’—what a powerful phrase. And he even came up with the idea of making the proprietress an anti-gambling advocate, brilliant.]
[Absolutely, is it possible for the proprietress to gradually transform into an anti-gambling little guardian while paying off debts?]
[The possibility is very high.]
[Sigh, God Xin said something profound. Not all gamblers are beyond saving, but not all of them can be saved either. Some are already beyond redemption.]
[That’s human nature, you don’t need to feel pity for them. Life’s path is chosen by oneself; they gave up on themselves. However, although we can’t decide others’ paths, we can choose our own. As long as we tread each step of our lives carefully and don’t be blinded by enticing temptations, that’s enough.]
[Right, well said.]
——————————–
Zhang Biao handed the man over to the young constable. “Take him back to the yamen, find a doctor in the clinic, let the doctor examine him thoroughly, and prescribe some medicine for him.”
After giving a few quick instructions, Zhang Biao hurriedly followed Bai Lixin’s figure.
Bai Lixin wasn’t walking fast and Zhang Biao quickly caught up with him.
“Master, where are you going?” asked Zhang Biao.
Bai Lixin: “Just wandering around, then heading home.”
Zhang Biao: “Master, if you don’t mind, could you come to my house? I greatly admire you. Earlier, I was blind and impulsive. I hope you can give me a chance to apologize for my rudeness.”
Bai Lixin asked, “Of course, when?”
“Anytime,” Zhang Biao replied.
Bai Lixin pondered for a moment. “Alright, let’s go now. The sun is setting. You probably don’t need to return to the yamen, right? Let’s go.”
Zhang Biao suddenly felt nervous. “Oh, tonight?”
“Is it not convenient?” Bai Lixin asked. “Is something happening at your home tonight?”
“No, no, not at all,” Zhang Biao hurriedly said.
He was both excited and flustered. “Let’s go, sir. I’ll lead the way.”
After following behind Zhang Biao for a while in the town, they stopped in front of a relatively modest house.
The exterior was made of gray bricks, and although it looked a bit old, it was neat and clean. There were no visible stains on the walls.
Zhang Biao nervously rubbed his hands. “Sir, this is my humble house. My house certainly can’t compare to yours. Sir, please don’t mind.”
Bai Lixin reassured him, “I won’t. I like it here.”
Zhang Biao’s expression relaxed a bit. “Sir, please come in. Watch your step at the doorstep.”
S419M quietly commented, [Rest assured, your ‘sir’ won’t mind you. Because your ‘sir’ doesn’t even have a house.”
[…] Bai Lixin, [Who said I don’t have a house? Didn’t I just win one at the gambling den a moment ago?]
S419M: [Oh, right, I forgot about that. But let me just say something, Lord Host, you were incredibly handsome just now! So cool!]
Escape System: [Yeah, yeah, Master Bai Lixin, I didn’t expect you to be so charming when you play the villain. I was completely captivated. If I didn’t already have Brother M, I would definitely have pursued you relentlessly.]
S419M: [Sister System, wuuuu, did you want to abandon me just now? Am I not good enough?]
Escape System: [Brother M, you’re amazing, so I won’t leave you. Mwah, don’t be sad, hugs.]
S419M: [Wuuu, Sister System, you’re so kind.]
Bai Lixin: […]
‘I seriously suspect that the Escape System deliberately said that just for S419M to hear, to increase its sense of crisis.
My, is everyone this scheming when it comes to relationships nowadays?
Is this why I haven’t managed to capture the monk for so long?!
Damn it, am I really inferior to a System?
Have I lived these tens of thousands of years in vain?’
Bai Lixin suddenly fell into deep self-denial.
‘No, how can I lose to two Systems?
I bet my reputation, I must win over the monk.
Damn it, I just said there’s no gambling in the world.’
——————————
Bai Lixin followed Zhang Biao into the house. As soon as he stepped into the courtyard, he heard the sound of someone reading aloud.
Zhang Biao heard it too. “That’s my younger brother. He’s diligent and studies for several hours every day.”
Zhang Biao, who usually carried a hint of arrogance, couldn’t help but show some pride on his face when talking about his brother. It seemed he really cherished his younger sibling.
“My brother is outstanding. He loved reading since childhood. Back then, our family was poor, and I wasn’t inclined toward academics, so I went out to earn money to support the family and send my brother to a private school.”
“My brother was clever from a young age. Words I couldn’t learn after studying ten times, he could grasp in one reading, and he wrote exceptionally well. He memorized texts quickly too, and he looks like a young master, unlike me, a rough fellow.”
“At the age of sixteen, my brother passed the provincial examination and will participate in the county-level examination this year. With his intelligence, he will definitely become a *Juren. Then he’ll go to the capital for the imperial examination, maybe he’ll even achieve the title of top scholar or the second rank by the time he returns.”
*Juren is the title of a successful candidate in the imperial provincial examination.Bai Lixin rarely heard Zhang Biao speak so eloquently. He nodded in agreement, “Certainly, he can do it.”
“But you know,” Zhang Biao scratched his head and chuckled, “even if he doesn’t pass, it doesn’t matter. Going to the capital to become an official might not be a good thing. Living a peaceful life is a blessing. If my brother becomes a Juren, he can return to the town, open a private school, and teach. That would be great. Moreover, he’s handsome. Later, he can marry a beautiful wife, and their children will surely be as good-looking and smart as my brother.”
“As long as he’s happy.”
“And if he can serve the country in the future, even better.”
Others immediately chimed in, “Yes, yes, cancel the debts.”
Zhang Biao also looked at Bai Lixin.
“Who said I would cancel the debts?” Bai Lixin said coldly, “Since you chose to gamble, you have to pay the price. I won’t cancel your debts, not only that, I will find each of you one by one and make you recognize your situation clearly. I’m not a good person, and as gamblers, you are not pitiable either. I believe all of you entered the gambling den knowing what it means, yet you still entered. So, I don’t need to be lenient with you.”
“But one thing you can rest assured, although I’m not a good person, I’m not an unforgivable villain either. So, I won’t plunder your wealth or take away your family members. If I find out that you are selling your relatives to repay the debts, not only will I not accept the money, I will double the debt.”
“I will leave you with the necessary living expenses and the houses you rely on for survival.”
“You can slowly repay the money, I won’t increase the interest, you just need to repay my initial capital. But you need to understand, until the money is fully repaid, you will bear the debt every day.”
The guests around looked at Bai Lixin with complicated eyes.
Some people wanted to say something, they opened their mouths but hesitated.
Finally, a man’s voice rang out from the crowded crowd, “Alright! I agree! Thank you, boss! As long as you don’t sell my daughter, and let me keep the person who makes a living, even if I have to sell everything, I’ll repay the money!”
This voice seemed like the opening of a floodgate, and other voices followed suit.
“It seems okay this way. If the interest doesn’t keep piling up, and we only repay the initial capital without time pressure, I can earn this money.”
“Yes, as long as there’s no compound interest, and we don’t end up owing more as we repay, this is acceptable.”
“But I owe a lot of money, I can’t repay so much. I think both you and that proprietress are just trying to make money off us!”
“Yes, I can’t repay it. No money, no life. Just kill me if necessary!”
Bai Lixin glanced at the speaker and sneered, “I never generalize everyone based on one person’s actions. I never think that everyone entering a gambling house is greedy, nor do I believe that everyone can completely change.”
“There are good and bad people, that’s human nature. Some people can be saved, while others are beyond redemption.”
“Why can some people repay their debts while others can’t? Those who can’t repay need to think seriously, have you been too greedy? If you are greedy, you have to pay for your own greed. That’s the world. I’m not your mother, I won’t pamper you just because you say ‘I’m miserable.’ To put it bluntly, you ended up like this because of your own actions. But if you want to continue like this, you better carefully consider your fate.”
After saying this, Bai Lixin slapped the gambling table behind him heavily.
The gambling table covered in thick marble instantly shattered into pieces.
The people at the scene fell silent.
This person wasn’t easy to deal with.
They couldn’t provoke him, let alone bully him!
“Well, any more questions?” The young man rubbed his slightly reddened palms and looked at the people in the casino with a smile.
People looked at each other and didn’t dare to say a word.
The young man continued, “Since there are none, please leave. This gambling den is closed from now on, never to reopen.”
Hearing the young man driving them away, people hesitated for a moment before turning and leaving.
The crowd streamed out and in just a short while, there were only a few people left in the gambling den.
A figure sneaked away, preparing to blend into the crowd and leave. But just as he was about to walk out the door, his shoulder was forcefully grabbed.
A voice as cold as a demon from hell came from behind, “Where do you think you’re going?”
The man suddenly stiffened. He trembled as he turned around, and looked at the man with a gloomy face in front of him. “Boss, I, I’m going back to check on my sick mother at home.”
“You bastard!” Zhang Biao’s fist landed heavily on the man’s bruised face. “Yesterday, you said your mother was ill, and we, brothers, scraped together five taels of silver for her treatment. Unexpectedly, you squandered this lifesaving money in the gambling den! You deserve to die!”
The furious punches rained down, and Zhang Biao’s face was livid. He seemed eager to beat the man to death.
Seeing this, a young constable hurriedly rushed forward and held Zhang Biao back. “Boss, if you keep going like this, you’ll kill him! It’s not worth it, not for scum like him! And if you don’t kill him but injure him severely, you’ll still have to pay for his medical expenses!”
The man held his head and begged bitterly, “Boss, I was wrong, I admit it! Boss, please let me explain, my mother wasn’t sick! She was never ill!”
On hearing this, Zhang Biao’s fists slowed down.
He took a deep breath and took two steps back.
His clenched fists were placed behind him, and he glared at the man in fury. “Then why did you say your mother was sick?!”
“I was wrong, Boss,” the man’s face was now completely swollen like a pig’s head, and he spoke with difficulty, “I was addicted to gambling, but I didn’t have money. If I directly asked you for money, you surely wouldn’t give it to me, so I came up with this excuse. I thought, Boss is so filial so he must be unable to bear seeing someone else’s mother unable to afford treatment.”
“Boss, I was wrong, I really was, I shouldn’t have deceived you, and I shouldn’t have cursed my mother.” He said and slapped his face hard. “I’m a scoundrel. After what happened today, I suddenly realized, cheating is common in gambling. I won’t gamble anymore, truly, believe me this one last time!”
Zhang Biao looked down at the man with a cold expression. Then, he pulled out his dagger from his waist and threw it in front of him. “Cut off one of your little fingers. Let the severed finger constantly remind you to stay away from the gambling den.”
“In the future, whenever you see that missing finger, you’ll remember today’s lesson.”
The young constable tugged at Zhang Biao. “Boss, is this really necessary?”
“I don’t trust him now,” Zhang Biao said coldly. “A man who can fabricate his own mother’s life and death wouldn’t hesitate to lie to us again. I only want results. Are you going to do it, or shall I do it for you? If you won’t, I’ll help you.”
The man’s face showed no expression. He stared at the dagger for a long while, his thoughts inscrutable.
Just as Zhang Biao was about to bend down to pick up his dagger, the man suddenly grabbed it, raised his hand, and decisively cut off his own left little finger.
Blood sprayed out instantly, staining the ground red.
The man didn’t make a sound. His pig-like face turned pale for an instant, and cold sweat trickled down his forehead. “Boss, I remember! From today on, if I gamble again, it’s as if I’m cutting off this finger.”
After saying this, he raised the dagger again and cut the severed finger into two pieces from the middle.
Only then did Zhang Biao relax his expression slightly. He took the dagger back from the man’s hand, wiped off the blood stains carefully with a handkerchief, and put it back into its sheath.
After doing all this, he helped the young man up. “You’re covered in wounds. Stay in the yamen temporarily for the next few days. I’ll go to your family and tell them that you’re on official business and will be away for a few days.”
“Even if you go back now, you’ll frighten your mother and your wife and daughter. Go back when you’ve recovered from your injuries.”
The man just nodded vigorously. “Okay, I’ll listen to Boss. Thank you, Boss.”
Zhang Biao forced a bitter smile. “Thank me for what? Thank me for cutting off your finger? Or for almost beating you to death?”
The man shook his head vigorously. “No, thank you for saving my life today, for making me see the light, for giving me a second chance at life.”
“It wasn’t me who saved you,” Zhang Biao turned his head and nodded toward Bai Lixin, “he’s the one who saved you. It was his courage that saved you. If I had been the one to intervene, even if the opponent didn’t cheat, I wouldn’t have been able to defeat the proprietress.”
“He is the newly appointed scribe in our yamen, Bai Lixin.”
Upon hearing this, the man immediately knelt down to kowtow to Bai Lixin.
Bai Lixin sidestepped, avoiding the man’s prostration. “A man should be self-reliant. If you really want to thank me, work diligently in the yamen from now on. Don’t slack off, and don’t cause trouble for me. I’m new to this position and there’s much I don’t understand. I hope you can help when the need arises.”
“Of course, no problem,” the man readily agreed. “Rest assured, benefactor. In the future, as long as you speak, I, Chang Songyi, will not refuse even if it means facing a blade or fire!”
Bai Lixin nodded. “It’s getting late. You should go and attend to your business.”
———————————–
In the live broadcast room:
[So satisfying.]
[Gambling dens harm people, and this has been the case since ancient times.]
[Indeed, nine out of ten are cheats. Customers might win ten coins today and lose a hundred tomorrow, but the gambling den makes a profit every day.]
[Today was another day to admire God Xin. His principles are too righteous; I love it. ‘No gambling in the world’—what a powerful phrase. And he even came up with the idea of making the proprietress an anti-gambling advocate, brilliant.]
[Absolutely, is it possible for the proprietress to gradually transform into an anti-gambling little guardian while paying off debts?]
[The possibility is very high.]
[Sigh, God Xin said something profound. Not all gamblers are beyond saving, but not all of them can be saved either. Some are already beyond redemption.]
[That’s human nature, you don’t need to feel pity for them. Life’s path is chosen by oneself; they gave up on themselves. However, although we can’t decide others’ paths, we can choose our own. As long as we tread each step of our lives carefully and don’t be blinded by enticing temptations, that’s enough.]
[Right, well said.]
——————————–
Zhang Biao handed the man over to the young constable. “Take him back to the yamen, find a doctor in the clinic, let the doctor examine him thoroughly, and prescribe some medicine for him.”
After giving a few quick instructions, Zhang Biao hurriedly followed Bai Lixin’s figure.
Bai Lixin wasn’t walking fast and Zhang Biao quickly caught up with him.
“Master, where are you going?” asked Zhang Biao.
Bai Lixin: “Just wandering around, then heading home.”
Zhang Biao: “Master, if you don’t mind, could you come to my house? I greatly admire you. Earlier, I was blind and impulsive. I hope you can give me a chance to apologize for my rudeness.”
Bai Lixin asked, “Of course, when?”
“Anytime,” Zhang Biao replied.
Bai Lixin pondered for a moment. “Alright, let’s go now. The sun is setting. You probably don’t need to return to the yamen, right? Let’s go.”
Zhang Biao suddenly felt nervous. “Oh, tonight?”
“Is it not convenient?” Bai Lixin asked. “Is something happening at your home tonight?”
“No, no, not at all,” Zhang Biao hurriedly said.
He was both excited and flustered. “Let’s go, sir. I’ll lead the way.”
After following behind Zhang Biao for a while in the town, they stopped in front of a relatively modest house.
The exterior was made of gray bricks, and although it looked a bit old, it was neat and clean. There were no visible stains on the walls.
Zhang Biao nervously rubbed his hands. “Sir, this is my humble house. My house certainly can’t compare to yours. Sir, please don’t mind.”
Bai Lixin reassured him, “I won’t. I like it here.”
Zhang Biao’s expression relaxed a bit. “Sir, please come in. Watch your step at the doorstep.”
S419M quietly commented, [Rest assured, your ‘sir’ won’t mind you. Because your ‘sir’ doesn’t even have a house.”
[…] Bai Lixin, [Who said I don’t have a house? Didn’t I just win one at the gambling den a moment ago?]
S419M: [Oh, right, I forgot about that. But let me just say something, Lord Host, you were incredibly handsome just now! So cool!]
Escape System: [Yeah, yeah, Master Bai Lixin, I didn’t expect you to be so charming when you play the villain. I was completely captivated. If I didn’t already have Brother M, I would definitely have pursued you relentlessly.]
S419M: [Sister System, wuuuu, did you want to abandon me just now? Am I not good enough?]
Escape System: [Brother M, you’re amazing, so I won’t leave you. Mwah, don’t be sad, hugs.]
S419M: [Wuuu, Sister System, you’re so kind.]
Bai Lixin: […]
‘I seriously suspect that the Escape System deliberately said that just for S419M to hear, to increase its sense of crisis.
My, is everyone this scheming when it comes to relationships nowadays?
Is this why I haven’t managed to capture the monk for so long?!
Damn it, am I really inferior to a System?
Have I lived these tens of thousands of years in vain?’
Bai Lixin suddenly fell into deep self-denial.
‘No, how can I lose to two Systems?
I bet my reputation, I must win over the monk.
Damn it, I just said there’s no gambling in the world.’
——————————
Bai Lixin followed Zhang Biao into the house. As soon as he stepped into the courtyard, he heard the sound of someone reading aloud.
Zhang Biao heard it too. “That’s my younger brother. He’s diligent and studies for several hours every day.”
Zhang Biao, who usually carried a hint of arrogance, couldn’t help but show some pride on his face when talking about his brother. It seemed he really cherished his younger sibling.
“My brother is outstanding. He loved reading since childhood. Back then, our family was poor, and I wasn’t inclined toward academics, so I went out to earn money to support the family and send my brother to a private school.”
“My brother was clever from a young age. Words I couldn’t learn after studying ten times, he could grasp in one reading, and he wrote exceptionally well. He memorized texts quickly too, and he looks like a young master, unlike me, a rough fellow.”
“At the age of sixteen, my brother passed the provincial examination and will participate in the county-level examination this year. With his intelligence, he will definitely become a *Juren. Then he’ll go to the capital for the imperial examination, maybe he’ll even achieve the title of top scholar or the second rank by the time he returns.”
*Juren is the title of a successful candidate in the imperial provincial examination.Bai Lixin rarely heard Zhang Biao speak so eloquently. He nodded in agreement, “Certainly, he can do it.”
“But you know,” Zhang Biao scratched his head and chuckled, “even if he doesn’t pass, it doesn’t matter. Going to the capital to become an official might not be a good thing. Living a peaceful life is a blessing. If my brother becomes a Juren, he can return to the town, open a private school, and teach. That would be great. Moreover, he’s handsome. Later, he can marry a beautiful wife, and their children will surely be as good-looking and smart as my brother.”
“As long as he’s happy.”
“And if he can serve the country in the future, even better.”
