CHAPTER 303: CHAPTER 290: SHE IS BOUND TO FAIL

Sitting in the carriage, Yu Xiaolian could hear the people on the street discussing her upcoming competition with Ma Xiyue.

Who would’ve thought the news traveled so fast!

As for the arts of piano, chess, calligraphy, and painting, Yu Xiaolian wasn’t really afraid. She had started these hobby classes back in elementary school. Even though she might be a bit rusty now, she could lose one round as long as she won two.

Having spent a lot of time at the academy, she knew that the academic competitions there usually involved a few projects—either couplets, poems, or chess games.

She could handle all of these; she even learned folk dance. The only things she feared were the archery game and incense mixing, neither of which she had learned.

Incense mixing wouldn’t be a problem; worst case, she’d sneak in some fragrance agents and cheat.

But she had never tried the archery game, and it was quite common in competitions between women.

Since it was a competition, Yu Xiaolian wouldn’t do anything reckless. She planned to take the next two days to practice her archery skills.

But before practicing archery, she needed to visit the Women’s Virtue Academy.

She had Sun Mancang drive the carriage to Zhenpin Pavilion, and upon leaving, Yu Xiaolian held a few exquisite gifts in her hands.

Yu Xiaolian got in the carriage and told Sun Mancang, "To the Women’s Virtue Academy."

While Yu Xiaolian was off to find Dean Lu, Ma Xiyue was also gathering information on Yu Xiaolian’s weaknesses.

Yu Xiaolian left the Women’s Virtue Academy in high spirits. As she passed by the gambling house, she heard the owner had already opened bets on her contest with Ma Xiyue.

Out of curiosity, Yu Xiaolian had Sun Mancang find out more.

"What? More bets are on Ma Xiyue?" Yu Xiaolian was shocked.

Sun Mancang nodded, "It’s more than ten times as much on her than on you."

Yu Xiaolian was displeased. What was wrong with these people? Were they so confident in Ma Xiyue?

She wasn’t lacking either!

"Look..." Yu Xiaolian, using her sleeve as cover, took out a heap of silver notes from her space, "I’m betting on myself to win. Go place the bet."

Sun Mancang stepped back two paces, "Lian Mei, don’t bet."

Such a sum of money, it would be a shame to lose it.

Besides, a young lady gambling like an old man? What about her reputation if word gets out?

"Even you don’t have confidence in me?" Yu Xiaolian was frustrated.

Apparently, she had been too low-key. No, she needed to stand out.

"Go bet!" Yu Xiaolian attempted to hand over the silver notes once more, but Sun Mancang still didn’t take them.

"If you won’t, I will!" Yu Xiaolian ignored Sun Mancang’s objections and strode into the gambling house.

As soon as Yu Xiaolian entered, the bustling noise inside the gambling house suddenly fell silent.

"Who’s the owner of the gambling house?" Yu Xiaolian looked around before speaking up.

Zhao Biaotou was upstairs having tea and casually chatting with Zhao Zhixin about Yu Xiaolian and Ma Xiyue’s bet. Unexpectedly, Yu Xiaolian suddenly arrived.

Zhao Biaotou leaned over the second-floor railing and shouted to Yu Xiaolian, "Little Lian, you’re here, come on up."

Yu Xiaolian looked up.

Upon seeing Zhao Biaotou, she noticed the person next to him looked somewhat similar, and Yu Xiaolian had a few guesses.

As expected, upon reaching the second floor and asking, she found out that the gambling house was also Zhao Family’s business, and the owner was Zhao Zhixin, the fourth of the Zhao family, known as Fourth Master Zhao.

When they heard that Yu Xiaolian wanted to bet on herself and wager three thousand silver notes, the Zhao brothers were stunned.

This girl never failed to surprise them.

She truly dared with three thousand! And truly confident!

What ordinary girl would dare enter a gambling house?

Wouldn’t her legs get broken!

This girl was truly extraordinary!

Zhao Zhixin advised Yu Xiaolian to think it over. If she lost her family’s fortune, she shouldn’t come crying here.

Yu Xiaolian laughed heartily, "It’s just small change."

Zhao Zhixin laughed, realizing that this usually quiet teacher from the Yu family was quite wealthy.

Zhao Biaotou, who had helped Yu Xiaolian sell glass cups and a Yangyang figurine at the Zhao Family auction, knew the Yu family had significant backing, so he didn’t stop Yu Xiaolian from betting. Instead, he got excited and placed a bet of a thousand silver on her.

Of course, he bet on Yu Xiaolian winning.

After Yu Xiaolian left, Zhao Biaotou told his fourth brother the truth, "Do you remember the plastic sheep I had you auction off earlier? Actually, that plastic sheep belonged to Teacher Yu."

Indeed, Zhao Zhixin controlled the gambling house and auction house in Luocheng, along with the underground black market.

When Zhao Biaotou mysteriously approached Zhao Zhixin to help sell something for a friend, he never revealed whose it was. Zhao Zhixin, adhering to trade rules, didn’t inquire further.

Now Zhao Biaotou couldn’t hold it in and told him, finally cluing Zhao Zhixin in.

"It seems that while the Yu family was in the Northern Land, they must have also been prominent!" Zhao Zhixin mused thoughtfully.

Zhao Biaotou chuckled, "Look at Teacher Yu’s parents. They don’t live in the city’s two four-entry courtyard houses but went to Taohua Village to farm. I suspect this whole family is just playing the fool to prey on the tiger."

Zhao Zhixin nodded in agreement. He thought his brash fifth brother had finally gotten one thing right.

Seeing Yu Xiaolian’s confident demeanor, Zhao Zhixin quickly stood up and waved at his steward from the second-floor railing.

The steward, responding to the summoning, hurried up the stairs.

After Zhao Zhixin whispered something to the shopkeeper, the shopkeeper’s eyes lit up, and after frequent nodding, he turned and left.

Though Zhixin spoke softly, Zhao Biaotou was a martial artist with exceptional hearing, especially since they were so close. So, he heard his fourth brother’s instructions to Steward Deng clearly.

He was puzzled why his fourth brother would want Steward Deng to spread the word that Teacher Yu was bound to lose.

Unable to contain his curiosity, Zhao Biaotou finally asked.

Zhao Zhixin, hands behind his back, declared decisively, "This Yu Xiaolian is arrogant and will certainly fail this time!"

Zhao Biaotou, suddenly worried, remembered he had just placed a bet of a thousand liang, "How so?"

Zhao Zhixin smiled meaningfully, "Do you know who ranked first in this autumn’s exam?"

Zhao Biaotou shook his head blankly, "Isn’t it not posted yet?"

"The results will be posted tomorrow, but who ranked first is no secret within the Government Office. Ma Xiyue wants the exam’s third question to be set by the top-ranked because she already knows the question setter is one of her own," Zhao Zhixin explained it plainly, knowing that only by being straightforward would his fifth brother understand.

Zhao Biaotou sprang up from his chair, "Oh my, why didn’t you say so earlier? Give me back my thousand liang!"

Zhao Zhixin dodged, "Stop fooling around. Once a bet is placed, there’s no reason to take it back."

"Oh, you sly Zhao Fourth! You trapped me. I was just having tea with you, and you tricked me out of a thousand silver notes. I’ll tell mother when I get home!" Zhao Biaotou resorted to threats, seeing that being unreasonable wasn’t working.