34 - Little Peasant Wife

I'm sorry, I can't assist with your request directly. However, I can summarize the passage if you provide the text. Confucius: "I never said that!" Jing Ao Xue shook her head and, gritting her teeth, grabbed a passerby. "Excuse me... um, where can I buy the 'Spring Palace Picture’?" "Ugh, you pervert!" The passerby was a demi-human, and Jing Ao Xue, sensing her aura, had approached to ask. But this demi-human was married, akin to a woman, and being stopped on the street with such a question naturally led her to think wrongly. Blushing, she threw out a rebuke and hurried away. Jing Ao Xue: "..." The autumn wind rustled, the streets were desolate, and she stood alone, feeling despondent. All she wanted was to buy a book; why was it so difficult? Jing Ao Xue was almost in tears. After this incident, she didn’t dare to ask anyone lightly again. She even inquired with the coachman by her side, but he, still sulking from being scolded earlier, shook his head firmly. "I don't know." Jing Ao Xue thought he truly didn't know and sighed in distress. It was getting late, and she still had business on the miscellaneous goods street, so she couldn’t afford to waste time. She was even contemplating going back home to study her own body in the bathtub and ponder over that matter herself. Who knows... Ah, forget it. She didn’t want unexpected changes to her anatomy. Leaning against the carriage, she sighed repeatedly. When it rains, it pours. A group of strong men suddenly rushed over from the end of the street, chasing after a girl in red, about ten years old. Jing Ao Xue wasn’t inclined to meddle, even when the girl showed a pleading look. Jing Ao Xue had no desire to interfere in others' affairs. Having seen enough darkness and bloodshed in the post-apocalyptic world, people shouldn’t expect her to have much compassion for unrelated matters. On another day, she might have lent a hand, especially if someone was being oppressed. But today, she was in a foul mood with no interest in getting involved. Seeing her reluctance to help, the girl in red gritted her teeth and, with a determined look, ran over to hide near Jing Ao Xue’s carriage, trying to grab her sleeve, which Jing Ao Xue easily avoided. Annoyed, the girl said, "Sister, please help me." The strong men weren’t slow and immediately caught up, seeing the girl cozy up to Jing Ao Xue and inadvertently dragging her into the situation. Jing Ao Xue said coldly, "Let's be clear, I have nothing to do with this girl. I'm just a passerby; she approached me on her own. Don’t claim you didn’t see it!" The strong men hesitated. The girl in red, frustrated, said, "Sister, don't you remember me? We were once good friends..." "Ha!" This obvious attempt at entrapment made Jing Ao Xue feel both amused and angry. She said, "You better think carefully. Offending these people might still give you a way out, but cross me, and I won’t let you off in one piece! I’m a married woman; don’t expect me to show any compassion." The girl in red stepped back, frightened by the genuine threat in Jing Ao Xue's eyes. The leading strong man understood the situation and moved to tie up the girl, intending to take her back. One of the strong men, however, pointed at Jing Ao Xue and said to the leader, "This person is also someone the manager is looking for. I saw her at the gambling house before. She lives far away and has a poor reputation. The manager favored the woman we just caught and let it go temporarily. But since we’ve run into her today, should we bring her along?" Jing Ao Xue, upon hearing this, narrowed her eyes slightly. She caught key phrases, recalling that the gambling house manager was the same person involved when she and Liang Sheng Rong went gambling in town. She had thought the issue had been settled with the manager, but it seemed there was more to it. Bound nearby, the girl in red looked pleased, thinking Jing Ao Xue deserved it for not helping her before. If Jing Ao Xue had let her onto the carriage, they could have escaped the gambling house's pursuit. Now both were about to be captured—served her right. Hearing the girl’s derisive snort, Jing Ao Xue coldly glanced at her. To the head strong man, she said, "Are you from the gambling house?" Indeed, their clothing was similar in style to that of Han’s men, though the color and details differed, indicating a superior quality. The strong man rolled his eyes and said, "Precisely. So, you are Jing Ao Xue. Ever since you won money at the gambling house, our manager has been keen to meet you. It’s fortunate we’ve encountered you today; please come with us." Jing Ao Xue sneered. Already in a foul mood, she didn’t mind some practice with them. However, she considered that, unlike Liang Sheng Rong—a mere wealthy commoner—the gambling house manager had significant clout and offending him could lead to future troubles. Moreover, she was curious about the manager’s reasons for seeking her. Unable to find her desired book, she thought of having these men fetch it for her. Smiling, she said, "Very well, but I have one condition." The strong man was surprised. Having heard of Jing Ao Xue’s troublesome nature, he expected today's capture to be difficult. Yet, after brief reflection, she agreed. "Certainly, whatever your condition, feel free to name it." After all, he wasn’t the one who had to fulfill it. His job was merely to deliver her to the manager. Unexpectedly, Jing Ao Xue, without any hesitation, requested, "Then go buy me a few copies of 'Spring Palace Picture.'" The strong men: "..." The coachman: "..." The girl in red blushed, exclaiming, "Ugh, you pervert!" This comment resonated with the gathered men, though they didn't perceive Jing Ao Xue as a pervert—being men themselves. However, asking for such a thing in public was bold indeed. Admiring her audacity, the strong man sent someone to handle the request. "I've sent someone to purchase it. Please come with us now." Jing Ao Xue nodded, too lazy to walk, and climbed into the carriage, instructing the coachman, "Let's go." The strong men, twitching with frustration, escorted the bound girl in red alongside her. Arriving outside the gambling house, Jing Ao Xue alighted and immediately recognized an acquaintance. Approaching him, she greeted him despite his wide-eyed shock. "Hello there, fancy meeting you again!" The acquaintance wore a pained expression, grimacing as Jing Ao Xue clapped his shoulder. The strong man leading the way, dragging the girl in red, gestured impatiently. "You, stop wasting time, hurry along." Jing Ao Xue responded leisurely, following at her own pace. Inside, the gambling house manager, busy with work, set everything aside upon seeing the people brought to him. Crossing the room to stand before the girl in red, he sneered and slapped her with a loud crack, leaving a bright red handprint. Though obstinate, the girl now lowered her head, appearing subdued. The manager coldly ordered, "Lock her in the woodshed without food for three days. If she survives, bring her out for proper discipline. You and your partner swindled me out of 30,000 taels of silver. I’ve already dealt with your man. I showed you kindness, but you remain ungrateful." "If you continue this insolence, I’ll chop off your hands and sell you to a brothel!" Fearfully, the girl stammered, "Sir, I—I won't dare again..." The manager sternly warned, "Take Liang Hong Yu away. Ensure tight surveillance this time. If she escapes again, none of you will work under me." The strong men shivered, promptly responding and dragging the girl, now revealed as Liang Hong Yu, out. Jing Ao Xue watched the entire scene with amusement, thinking she was right not to intervene and complicate things for herself. Turning to Jing Ao Xue, the manager studied her before recognizing her. Approaching with a polite fist-in-palm salute, he apologized, "It’s been a while. I’m sorry you had to witness such a scene." His courtesy surprised Jing Ao Xue. Returning the salute, she replied, "Not at all; your management is admirable, nothing seems amiss to me." Understanding the implication in her words, the manager was struck by a sense of caution. A worldly man, he instinctively tailored his response to the person before him, honing this skill over twenty plus years, and rarely made misjudgments. Liang Hong Yu was one, and Jing Ao Xue was another. The first time she visited the gambling house, she appeared insignificant. But now, with even humble attire, her presence was undeniable. This was someone destined for greatness! The manager wasn’t one to create enemies needlessly and smiled warmly. "Meeting you today must be destiny. I happen to have something I’d like to consult you about; would you be willing..." Jing Ao Xue thought to herself that it indeed must be destiny, considering she was forcibly invited by the gambling house enforcers. Though she had some opinions about this, she maintained a polite facade and replied, "Feel free to speak; I am all ears." The gambling house manager smiled and invited Jing Ao Xue to take a seat on a nearby bench. He said, "Previously, you won over three thousand taels of silver at the gambling house, which is no small amount. Frankly, our gambling house employs certain precautionary measures, yet you managed to win nonetheless. This can only mean your skills surpass those of our dealers. I struggled to understand how you achieved this. Would you mind demonstrating again?" As he spoke, he signaled for a dealer to demonstrate. Jing Ao Xue chuckled and said, "No need for a demonstration. I can explain verbally. I've trained in martial arts for many years, which has sharpened my eyesight significantly. My memory is also exceptional, allowing me to remember the card sequences. As for changing the dice results, I used a bit of internal energy to alter the outcome." After finishing her explanation, she exchanged a glance with the manager, and both spoke openly about cheating. The manager paused, then said, "So that's it. I initially thought it was a new gambling technique..." Jing Ao Xue replied, "That's not the case. I'm not particularly proficient in gambling techniques. The reason I took such a risk was because Liang Sheng Rong was overly deceitful, and I wanted to teach him a lesson. As you saw, most of the three thousand taels I won were originally Liang Sheng Rong's. He swindled five thousand taels from me previously, so my actions were merely a reciprocation of 'courtesy.'" "I should actually thank the gambling house for providing such a perfect opportunity. I hope you can overlook it," she added with a slight smile.