Adding Flowers to Brocade

"Little Miss, go to sleep."

Dong Shuangshuang held her daughter, her face calm and still, even somewhat numb.

The husband Lu Rong, came in, looking at his wife and daughter guiltily. He quickly became impatient. "I'm thirsty. Get me a glass of water."

Dong Shuangshuang held the child and continued to soothe him.

The daughter clung to her neck, not daring to let go or look at her father.

Lu Rong pretended not to see it and scolded his wife, "Are you deaf?"

The maid came in and brought in tea.

Dong Shuangshuang stopped the maid and said gently, "Take the Little Miss out."

"Yes."

The maid took the child and left. Dong Shuangshuang poured her husband a glass of water, then took out something she had kept hidden away: a pure gold necklace.

"What are you holding? Let me see!"

Lu Rong took a sip of water, his eyes lighting up as he looked at the gold.

Dong Shuangshuang hid the necklace behind her back and shook her head, saying, "This is the dowry my mother left me before she died! My Little Miss... Little Miss's already been betrothed to someone by you, and her birthday is coming up soon. This is the dowry I saved for her, don't even think about it!"

Lu Rong chuckled, "How can you talk like that? It's my daughter's stuff, I just want to take a look."

He walked over and forcibly snatched it, saying only, "I just wanted to take a look at what it was. It was left to you by your mother, why would I want it?"

Dong Shuangshuang refused to let go, but her husband had already pried her fingers apart one by one.

Lu Rong held the gold necklace, beaming with delight. "This necklace is so rich in gold!"

Not only is the gold heavy, but it also has a piece of Hetian jade inlaid in the middle, carved with Dong Shuangshuang's zodiac animal, and the carving is very exquisite.

Dong Shuangshuang said, "... My mother gave me this when I was just born, and with this jade, it cost more than two thousand taels."

Lu Rong clicked his tongue and said, "It's worth more than that now."

He has pawned many things and has become quite experienced in it. He can easily get four thousand taels of silver as collateral when he takes them to a pawnshop.

Why haven't I seen you wearing it before?

Lu Rong smiled broadly.

Dong Shuangshuang reached out to snatch it. "It's too precious, I usually can't bear to wear it. Give it back to me!"

Lu Rong dodged the gold necklace and hid it, saying, "Good Shuang'er, I need to discuss something with you. Our daughter is still young, you can save up her dowry for later, but I can borrow this for now."

"You, you... what do you want to do!"

Dong Shuangshuang trembled with anger. She was a very gentle person, never one to argue or curse. When she was furious, she would only grab her husband's arm and cry, "This is what my mother left me!"

Lu Rong's expression changed.

"You slut! You won't listen to me, will you?!"

He casually slapped himself across the face, feeling no remorse whatsoever.

She's his woman; he can hit her if he wants, and take what belongs to her if he wants. Nobody can say anything about it.

Dong Shuangshuang refused to let go this time, even at the cost of her life.

The couple struggled for a while, Dong Shuangshuang, realizing she couldn't get the things back, said, "... I'll give them to you. I'll give them to you. But you're not allowed to use them for gambling again!"

My arm is bleeding from being scratched by this Matron!

Lu Rong had no choice but to say, "Okay, okay. I won't gamble anymore."

Dong Shuangshuang discussed with him, "Li Laosan has come to collect the debt again. The Old Madam has already told him to go and sue the authorities. If you don't want to lose face in the yamen, you should pawn this bracelet and pay off that debt first!"

If the collar is used like that, then it's essentially being used on his own head.

Lu Rong then said, "I'll go pawn it right now."

Dong Shuangshuang glared at him. "I don't believe you! I'll go find someone to pawn it... I'll get more money than you. Come back this afternoon to collect it."

"Otherwise, if you walk out this door today... I... I'll take you down with me!"

She picked up a pair of scissors.

Lu Rong was terrified, clutching the gold necklace and saying, "What... what's wrong with you!"

He knew his wife well; she had said she would give him the money, and she definitely would. After thinking for a moment, he compromised. "Here you go! I'll be back before sunset. If I don't see the money, I won't let you off the hook."

Dong Shuangshuang retrieved the gold necklace, but was already exhausted.

She sat on the bed and bit the gold necklace, leaving a black mark.

"This isn't gold at all..."

It's fake.

But it doesn't matter, as long as Lu Rong believes it.

Dong Shuangshuang put away the necklace, sent someone out to pretend to pawn it, and returned with a bag of silver. She then had her maid ask Lu Rong's servant, "Where has the master gone?"

The Madam was gentle by nature and knew that the servants couldn't control their master, so she never punished them.

The servant told the truth, "... at the gambling den."

Dong Shuangshuang whispered, "Take this to the old man and tell him it's to pay off his debts, and that he should stop gambling."

The servant, holding the silver, bowed his head and said, "Yes."

He thought to himself, "This money is like throwing a meat bun to a dog—gone and never to be returned."

Lu Rong was gambling away his life at the gambling den. When the servant came to find him, he had just lost a hand and was furious.

"You blind bastard, can't you see I'm placing a bet?"

The servant said with a pained expression, "... Look at this."

He opened a bag of silver, revealing a corner that gleamed.

Lu Rong's eyes lit up, and he asked with a smile, "Where did you come from?"

The servant replied, "Madam sent it." He also felt sorry for his Madam, who was now with the master, and added, "Master, Madam said you should take it to pay off your gambling debts. Don't gamble anymore."

"It's your turn to lecture me, you brat."

Lu Rong kicked the servant in the butt, then turned and went into the gambling den with the silver in his hand. In front of him was a tavern, and behind him was the hidden gambling den.

"Let's play a few more rounds of Pai Gow today, hehe."

Lu Rong returned to the gambling table. He had plenty of money in his hand, but suddenly didn't know which table to squeeze into.

He frowned and looked at a few tables, muttering, "No good, the location is bad. It'll affect my gambling luck."

After thinking for a long time, I suddenly remembered my wife's instructions... Should I pay off part of the gambling debts first?

Lu Rong called over his servant and said, "Take these five hundred taels and return them to Li Laosan. Tell him I'll return the rest to him immediately after I won the bet today."

"... yes."

The servant took the silver and left.

Less than half an hour later, trouble broke out at the gambling den.

"The doors are closed today, everyone get out!"

"Let's go up ahead and have a drink. The host is treating everyone."

After a period of commotion, the gamblers, blinded by greed, refused to leave.

Those outside had no idea what was happening inside; they only heard a commotion and a man's scream, "Ah—you dare hit me! Do you know who I am?! I didn't use counterfeit silver! How could my silver be fake! Ah!"

"Mom, I'm rested. Let's go home."

In the teahouse across from the gambling den, Lin Yunwan was putting on her veil and talking to the Stewardess of the Lin Residence's Eldest Branch.

The Stewardess heard the commotion downstairs. She glanced outside, frowned, and said, "Miss, something's happened downstairs. You can't go down now; it would be troublesome if you got hurt."

"What happened?"

Lin Yunwan also glanced outside. The street was packed with people, but there were more than three times as many pedestrians as when she first arrived.

The Stewardess said, "I don't know either. Young lady, stay put, we'll go down and check."

He left with two maids.

Lin Yunwan looked down at the chaos below and smiled faintly.

Will Lu Rong be able to escape this time?

She had just looked away when she saw a man staring at her from the second floor of the tavern across the street. They were looking at each other from across the street.

... Who else could it be but Qi Lingheng!

"Your Prince?"

Lin Yunwan was very surprised and called out silently.

Qi Lingheng nodded slightly in response, then whispered to A Fu beside him, "The guards are coming soon, go and see them."

To add the finishing touch to her already splendid life.