“You can have tea or a favor, but before that, you have to beat me at gambling!”
Looking at Young Master Feng Yue who looked at her with provocation, Ye Li was slightly amused. Of course she knew Han Ming Yue wasn’t here at the moment. Besides, she even knew where he was. Though Han Ming Yue and Han Ming Xi were brothers, clearly, Han Ming Xi was easier to deal with. Because of various reasons, Ye Li didn’t want to meet Han Ming Yue.
“What do you want to gamble on?”
Han Ming Xi raised his brows with a smile: “I’m not going to take advantage of you. Weren’t you great at guessing big or small? Let's gamble on the big and small of dices.”
Lifting her brows, Ye Li didn't object. “All right.”
Han Ming Xi smiled happily and said: “Good. I like you for being so outright. If you win, I’ll do anything for you.”
Ye Li said with a smile: “There’s no need for that. I don’t like to ask an exorbitant price and won't let you get the worst of the deal even if I’m asking for a favor, Mr. Han. After all… a deal will only last when both parties benefit, right?”
“Interesting.” Han Ming Xi smiled. “What if you lose?”
Ye Li answered: “If I lose, forget what I’ve said. Besides, my bet is the 210,000 silver draft I’ve won here.”
“Just one round?” Han Ming Xi asked.
“Yes, please.” Ye Li lifted her hand as a signal.
With a flicker of his sleeve, the musical instrument on the table flew out horizontally and landed on a cupboard. Han Ming Xi took out a set of dices, putting it on the table, he said proudly: “You can check the dices first.”
Ye Li shook her head, pushed the dice cup back towards him with a smile and said: “I trust Cool Breeze Bright Moon House and you, Mr. Han. You first.”
Han Ming Xi curled his lips. “You want to compete for big or small?”
Ye Li thought for a second and answered: “Big.”
Han Ming Xi snorted slightly and took the dices under the dice cup smoothly then started to shake it unhurriedly. Ye Li admired Han Ming Xi's movement as he shook the dices which was very pleasing to the eyes. He was shaking the dice cup as if playing a magic trick, finally turning it upside down on the table heavily. Raising his brows at Ye Li, Han Ming Xi opened the cup without looking down at it. Ye Li looked at the dices calmly. With slanting cuts from corner to corner, the original three dices turned into six which looked like six little pyramids on the table.
“Mr. Han, you are superb with your internal energy. 33 points.”
Clearly, Han Ming Xi was in a very good mood, who looked at Ye Li smilingly. “Seems they are useless. Mr. Chu, you can have another set. I believe you won’t take advantage of what’s prepared by others, right?”
Ye Li took a new set of ivory dices from Han Ming Xi and put them into the dice cup. Unlike Han Ming Xi’s fancy shakes, she simply shook the cup at a normal speed without any tricks. The pavilion was quiet where the only remaining sound came from those shaking dices.
However, Han Ming Xi's bright smile grew heavy over time. He no longer sat lazily, instead, he straightened up, his eyes fixed on Ye Li, who was all calm. He didn’t know what points she was going to have at all! But he wasn't afraid that he was going to lose since 33 points was the highest one can get. Unless this boy copied his approach, he didn’t have a chance.
Pong! Ye Li put the cup upside down on the table. With a smile, she looked at Han Ming Xi and said: “Mr. Han, do you want to have a guess at my point?”
Han Ming Xi threw her a look with disdain and answered: “You won’t win no matter what you have there. Open it. Show me how good you really are, Mr. Chu.”
Ye Li smiled with her brows lifted: “Right.”
She opened the dice cup slowly. Three dices emerged complete and undamaged. However… all three dices stood on its corner, each with two sides leaning against the other two. Each dice had two sides up with three fives and three sixes which meant Ye Li got 33 points as well. She smiled slightly and said: “33 points. It’s a tie. What do you think, Mr. Han?”
Han Ming Xi stared at her fixedly and only spoke after a good while: “You win. Tell me what you want.” With a wave of his hand, the dice cup and three dices were sent to a nearby cabinet. Han Ming Xi raised his voice and said: “Tea.”
In the pavilion, Ye Li sipped premium tea which was just served. Cool Breeze Bright Moon House really deserved it reputation of being one of the best places to enjoy life. Even its tea was almost as good as that in the palace.
Han Ming Xi looked at Ye Li pensively: “Mr. Chu, now can you tell me what you want with the master of Tianyi Pavilion?”
Putting down the teacup, Ye Li smiled slightly: “Actually, it’s nothing big. I’m heading to Nan Zhao recently so I can use some information. Since Tianyi Pavilion claims to be the best intelligence agency in Great Chu, I have no choice but to come here.”
Having been fawned on by someone who was as good as he was in gambling, Han Ming Xi’s mood clearly lightened. He snorted slightly and said: “Mr. Chu, you are well-informed yourself knowing the relationship between Cool Breeze Bright Moon House and Tianyi Pavilion. I doubt if you need my help.”
Ye Li smiled, resigned and said: “Well… that was a mere coincidence. Please forgive me for that, Mr. Han. Sure enough, I’ll pay a good price since Tianyi Pavilion lives by selling information.”
Han Ming Yue's almond-shaped eyes narrowed a bit. He leaned back at leisure and watched Ye Li closely: “Oh? A good price… it seems you are very confident with yourself, Mr. Chu.”
Ye Li said with a smile: “I believe Tianyi Pavilion won't ask an exorbitant price since it opens for business.”
“Humph! Mr. Chu, you are not going to pay by what you’ve won here, are you?”
“I won’t dare to. I happen to own two shops in Guangling. Though they were opened only a short time ago, I believe you are going to like them, Mr. Han.” Ye Li sipped her tea calmly and said to Han Ming Xi smilingly.
Han Ming Xi frowned slightly. His slightly naughty yet handsome face was so tempting though he never intended to look like that. Ye Li who wasn’t affected by that had to admire him for his looks. He looked like Han Ming Yue a lot, yet with a completely different disposition.
“Mr. Chu, you are not talking about Grace Fume Pavilion on Xuanwu Street, that scent shop which started business half a year ago?” Han Ming Xi asked, clearly sounding her out.
Ye Li nodded in agreement. “Yes. I’m sure you are well aware of how profitable Grace Fume Pavilion is, Mr. Han. As long as your information meets my requirement, I’ll give you 20% of its profits every year.”
“Every year?” Han Ming Xi raised his brows and said: “Then, is it what I understand, a long-term partnership? Grace Fume Pavilion is indeed profitable, but not in a way that can make you a long-term partner of Tianyi Pavilion.” Of course he knew about Grace Fume Pavilion. In fact, the scent he was wearing now came exactly from that place. Besides, after he had a taste of its scent, he barely looked at other scent. It had only been half a year since Grace Fume Pavilion opened for business but it became more popular than all the old names in this business in Guangling. However, because of its price which was more than three times higher than that of other shops, it wasn’t as popular among ordinary folks. But Han Ming Xi was sure that at least over 70% n.o.ble ladies in Guangling used its scent. If it was willing to lower its price, he believed it would take over this industry in no time.
Ye Li shook her head with a smile: “Mr. Han, do you know the easiest target of business?”
Han Ming Xi frowned: “Wealthy merchants, of course.” Cool Breeze Bright Moon House owed its shocking profit to those loaded men.
Ye Li shook her hand that had her folding fan. She smiled and said: “No, it’s woman.”
“Woman?” Han Ming Xi gave a snort of contempt. Woman didn’t make money and was totally dependent on man which meant a woman can't spend as much money as she would like to as a man. Besides, few women were able to throw money away like dirt as generous as men.
Ye Li sighed slightly and played with her folding fan, absent-minded as she said with a smile: “There are… more women than men in this world. Besides… not all men like to lead a life of dissipation but all women want to stay young and beautiful.” Even in her previous incarnation, her fellow female soldiers who were as fierce as men would make clothing stores and make-up stores their priority when they were out shopping.
It struck a chord with Han Ming Xi. He wasn’t as talented or insightful as his brother was when it came to business. He didn't attach much importance to money, either. However, that didn’t mean he was a fool. With Ye Li’s explanation, he did realize something.