Chapter 132 The Big Fish Takes the Bait

Xuanyi is a good child, but she's been raised by your elder sister-in-law to be like this. If things continue like this, Xiuwen might be corrupted too. It's best if he goes to Ling Shan Academy, it's...Meng Jin Yao had a puzzled expression on her face, her eyes filled with confusion and a hint of interest. She stared at Li Cheng, who was sporting a bruised nose and swollen face, looking utterly disheveled, for a long time. Finally, she nodded her head: "Alright, I don't have anything else to do today anyway. Just tell me your nonsense, it'll pass the time."

Upon hearing this, Li Cheng let out a sigh of relief. At present, besides the eldest daughter who had become Madam Hou, he couldn't find anyone else who could repay his gambling debt.

If he can't come up with five thousand taels within ten days, he will really be beaten to death.

While his wife wouldn't help him, the eldest daughter might. His wife's confidante, the eldest daughter had a grudge against her mother, and maybe she needed something from him

This is his only confidence.

Li Cheng sat in the front seat of the carriage, next to the driver, and went to a teahouse with Meng Jin Yao.

Upon entering the room, Meng Jin Yao sat down and calmly watched Li Cheng. Li Cheng had a handsome and dignified appearance. At first glance, one couldn't tell he was a gambler. No wonder she hadn't noticed this problem before.

She asked curiously, "Li Manager, you should have gone to my mother for this matter. I really don't understand why you would bypass my mother and come to me directly"

Li Cheng knelt down with a thud: "Miss, only you can help me with this."

Meng Jin Yao sounded like she heard a joke, chuckled softly, and said: "That's strange. My good mother and Grandma Qiao had a deep bond, master and servant alike. Grandma Qiao even risked her life to save my mother. As long as you ask both Grandma Qiao and my mother, she wouldn't refuse to help you."

Li Cheng replied, "Miss, back then, to repay your silver, my mistress pawned all her dowry. Now that the Yongchang Marquis's mansion has fallen into disrepair, she couldn't possibly take out so much silver from the mansion to pay off my debts."

As he spoke, he thought of the new gambling buddies he had made. At that time, he won every bet, and many people envied his good luck. Lin Dajun egged him on, and he became a bit cocky. His gambling addiction deepened, and he wanted to win more silver.

As a result, he gambled away all the silver he had won over those days. Later, thinking of making a comeback, he bet all the capital from the previous quarter and lost it all in a moment of heat. Now that he has sobered up, he realizes it's too late.

He looked remorseful and continued, "Furthermore, I made the mistake of befriending a bad person. He encouraged me to use last quarter's income from the estate for gambling. If my lady finds out, she certainly won't let me off easily."

Meng Jinyu listened to Li Cheng's words, her heart was extremely calm. This was within her plan, but on the surface, she still looked at Li Cheng in surprise and disbelief, saying: "Li Manager, I didn't expect you to be so bold, but you told me this, aren't you afraid that I will tell my kind mother Although I have grudges with her, it seems quite good to see you guys fighting among yourselves."

Upon hearing this, Li Cheng panicked and hurriedly kowtowed several times, begging bitterly: “Miss, please save me! I will repay your great kindness by serving you like a cow or a horse.”

Meng Jin Yao raised an eyebrow and asked in a cool voice, "You and Qiao's grandmother are both close confidantes of my mother. What benefit would I get from helping you You owe gambling debts of 5,000 taels, and the Zhuangzi has another shortfall of 1,000 taels, totaling 6,000 taels. This is no small sum. What about you is worth my spending 6,000 taels on"

Li Cheng immediately expressed his loyalty: "As long as the young lady needs me, I will definitely follow your orders."

Meng Jinyu looked down at him from above, as if weighing his worth. After a long while, she shook her head in boredom and suddenly stood up, tossing out a cold sentence: "Your mother is Sun Shi's confidante, and you and your mother have always been loyal to her, wholeheartedly devoted to her. And Sun Shi even made you the manager of Zhuangzi, but now you have betrayed me for silver. Who knows, maybe next time you will betray me for silver again."

As soon as the words left his mouth, Li Cheng's heart sank half way. Panic flooded his mind. If today's events reached the mistress's ears, his mother probably couldn't save him. Perhaps considering their past master-servant relationship, she wouldn't pursue the matter of moving the estate assets, but the five thousand taels would never be returned to him. He was still dead.

He raised three fingers and swore an oath: "Miss, I swear, from now on I will be loyal to you, with no other thoughts. If I betray you, I shall surely be struck by lightning!"

Meng Jin Yao remained unmoved: "If swearing oaths were useful, I reckon someone would get struck by lightning every day." She then glanced at Qing Qiu and Ning Dong, "It's getting late, let's have lunch first.

The master and his two servants set off, ready to leave the room.

Li Cheng, seeing the situation, instantly fell into a deep despair. He regretted it immensely. He had also gone to gambling dens from time to time in the past, but he had never gambled so big. He truly didn't know how he was possessed and sunk into it without being able to extricate himself.

Qing Qiu suddenly said, "Madam, Manager Li might not be of much use and wouldn't be worth the six thousand taels you would spend on him, but perhaps Grandmother Qiao would be"

Upon hearing this, Meng Jinyang's steps faltered. She turned to look at Li Cheng, who was still kneeling on the ground, and seemed to be wavering.

Li Cheng seemed to see a glimmer of hope from despair, eagerly looking at Meng Jiny Yao, hoping she would change her mind.

Meng Jiny Yao stared at Li Cheng for a moment, then shook her head lightly, nonchalantly saying: "Grandma Qiao is loyal to the Sun family. She almost lost her life to save the Sun family back then, how could she betray them for Mr. Li"

Li Cheng heard this, the hope in his eyes extinguished once again.

Qing Qiu thoughtfully replied, "Madam, Li Guan is the only child of Qiao Mama. He is her flesh and blood. Perhaps he would turn against you for his son"

Li Cheng once again ignited a glimmer of hope.

Meng Jinyáo seemed to be seriously considering Qingqiu's words and asked in a soft voice, "Li Guan, how deep is your relationship with Qiao Ma Ma as mother and son"

Li Cheng hurriedly replied, "My mother has always been extremely kind and loving to me."

He was telling the truth, his mother did love him dearly. But his mother was also extremely loyal to his wife. It was just a matter of whether she would betray his wife for the sake of the eldest daughter and do her bidding.

However, back then the mistress repaid her mother-in-law's kindness almost with her life. Could anyone be more important than this son

Meng Jinyao's delicate brows furrowed slightly, her gaze thoughtful. After Li Cheng had anxiously waited for a long while, she finally spoke: "Manager Li, I suddenly remembered that there is something I need to ask Grandma Qiao to do. If this matter is accomplished, it will also be worth six thousand taels of silver."

She paused, her voice trailing off as she glanced at Li Cheng. Then she continued, “However, whether or not I save you depends on what Grandma Qiao says. If she agrees to me, then I'll pay off your five thousand tael gambling debt and help you make up the one thousand tael lost in the casino. But if she doesn't agree, then I won't force it. Today, Li Guan said certain things to me that I will pretend not to have heard and won't mention to Mrs. Sun.”

Over a short period, Li Cheng's emotions were up and down. When Meng Jin Yao finally agreed to help him, he was overjoyed and relieved, his back soaking wet with cold sweat.

He respectfully replied, "Miss, when do you have time I'll invite my mother to see you."

Meng Jin Yao thought for a moment, and said softly: "Tomorrow."t all. Besides, since her periods were irregular, she just ignored the problem.Gu Jingxi was taken aback. He didn't understand medicine, and he wasn't familiar with this aspect, but did it make sense...