Chapter Nineteen: Arson

Qin Muchuan followed Sun Ruosi to the eastern part of the city. He had expected a place bustling with people, but after Sun Ruosi led him through a labyrinth of twists and turns, they arrived at a secluded residence. Bamboo groves surrounded them, winding paths led deeper into the quiet, and a stone walkway guided them to a crimson wooden gate.

"This is a fine spot," Qin Muchuan remarked, surveying his surroundings. Though tranquil, the area was crisscrossed with roads—clearly designed for a swift escape if necessary. From here, one could go anywhere.

He was about to stride forward when Sun Ruosi suddenly grabbed his arm. Turning around, Qin Muchuan saw that Sun Ruosi had somehow acquired two masks. Sun Ruosi explained, "This gambling house masquerades as a teahouse. They don't wager money; stakes are set with objects, making each bet truly valuable. Among the guests are officials and nobles like us, as well as wealthy merchants from all corners of the country. It's a mix of all sorts, and everyone wears a mask." With that, he slipped one onto his face.

Qin Muchuan, though not initially interested, had grown curious after hearing Sun Ruosi's tales of this peculiar gambling den. "So we're just following local customs?" he chuckled, donning his own mask and walking alongside Sun Ruosi.

Outside, the gambling house was serene, but as soon as they entered, a wave of lively voices crashed over them. The interior was bright as day, crowded to the point of elbows brushing shoulders. Before Qin Muchuan could ask anything, Sun Ruosi was already heading upstairs.

It turned out there was more to the place than met the eye—upstairs, though still lively, was much quieter than the floor below. Qin Muchuan noted the arrangement resembled a private dining room, with no gamblers visible outside; presumably, they were inside the rooms.

A young attendant approached them with a cheerful smile. "Gentlemen, what would you like to play?"

Sun Ruosi waved his fan. "We'll play everything."

The attendant understood immediately—these two were the sort who wanted to try their hand at everything. Perfect clients for the house, he thought, and smiled again, "May I ask what stakes you’re offering?"

Qin Muchuan boldly pointed at Sun Ruosi. "Ask him." With the masks on, he had no qualms about Sun Ruosi's perpetually mournful expression.

Sun Ruosi sighed, seeing Qin Muchuan's tight-fisted demeanor, and rummaged through his purse. "A luminous pearl—is that enough?"

"Absolutely!" The attendant recognized its worth at once and led them to a premium private room.

As they followed, Qin Muchuan whispered, "You're doing well for yourself. Did you pilfer your mother's dowry again?"

"Don't talk nonsense! I’ve put up my entire marriage fund!"

"Tsk, tsk..." Qin Muchuan frowned. "You really are ruthless—not leaving yourself a way out."

"Who says I haven’t?" Sun Ruosi replied matter-of-factly. "If I ever end up on the streets, my first stop will be your Duke's Manor. Brother, remember to give me a bowl of rice then."

"Look at you! Such ambition!" Qin Muchuan shot him a disdainful glance. "With me here, I’ll win that jade back for you."

Soon, they reached their destination. Inside, two masked figures were already seated. One was notably burly. Qin Muchuan examined him closely, sizing up the situation.

The four played mahjong.

The clattering tiles were perfect for warming up the atmosphere.

"I win," Qin Muchuan yawned, pushing his tiles for the third time.

Were it not for the others present, Sun Ruosi would have laughed aloud. As long as Qin Muchuan could win back the jade for him, he’d gladly serve as Qin Muchuan’s errand boy, regardless of his status as the scion of a prestigious household!

After the fourth round, Qin Muchuan lazily asked, "Another round of mahjong?"

"No, no. This brother is hot-tempered, but he admits defeat." Qin Muchuan’s opponent replied in a refined voice; he was tall and slim.

The burly man sitting next to Qin Muchuan grumbled, his tone impatient. "Let’s switch to Pai Gow! I refuse to believe my luck is this bad!" He’d lost the most in the four rounds.

"Let’s clarify the rules first!" Qin Muchuan, mindful to win back Sun Ruosi’s mother’s dowry, said, "The rule here is object for object. But I also know that if someone loses and wants to win their item back, they can negotiate with the house, then wager four items to reclaim it. I won the mahjong round, so let’s settle accounts before starting Pai Gow."

"Are you afraid I’ll run?" The burly man suddenly stood up, shifting the entire mahjong table.

Qin Muchuan’s expression soured. "Accepting defeat gracefully is the mark of a true gambler."

The refined scholar quickly intervened, "It’s just a matter of putting up the items first—no big deal. We’re here to have fun, brothers, don’t spoil the mood. Harmony brings wealth, harmony brings wealth."

"Yes, yes," Sun Ruosi chimed in, "Step back and everything will be fine, let’s continue."

Though Qin Muchuan was annoyed, he knew he was here to help his brother win back what was lost. A man must learn patience!

Yet luck continued to elude the burly man. Even after switching to Pai Gow, he lost two more rounds in succession. He waved to the attendant and called out in dialect, "Full turn! This brat has met two sharks today—I need to recover!"

Qin Muchuan was baffled—where was that accent from? He couldn’t understand a word.

The game continued. As they were about to begin anew, Qin Muchuan pointed at Sun Ruosi. "My young brother here lacks fire—bring in a few braziers to boost his luck! Otherwise, his bad fortune might rub off on me."

"You—!" Sun Ruosi trembled with rage. Was this any way to talk? They were in the same trench now, and the burly man was sure to lose today. His luck was rotten, his cards were terrible, and he didn’t seem too bright either.

The attendant complied.

Gamblers often had their quirks—some carried lucky charms, others consulted fortune-tellers before every bet. Bringing in a brazier was nothing unusual; such requests were common in gambling houses.

Qin Muchuan was quick-witted. He wasn’t addicted to gambling, but his skills were exceptional. Within half an hour, he’d won back all four treasures. Just as he was about to hand them to Sun Ruosi to exchange for the jade, their opponent slammed the table. "You’re cheating!"

Qin Muchuan leapt to his feet. "Don’t slander me! If you can’t accept losing, don’t gamble!"

The burly man sneered, "You won’t cry until you see the coffin!" With that, he overturned the Pai Gow tiles, revealing a few extra cards hidden underneath. "What’s this?!"

"You’re framing us! You put those there yourself!" Sun Ruosi was shaking with fury. His prize was within reach, and now this vile trick had spoiled everything. As the son of a grand academician, he’d never suffered such humiliation. Just as he was about to retort, darkness descended—a fist swung toward him.

Qin Muchuan reacted swiftly, pulling Sun Ruosi aside, but Sun Ruosi couldn’t dodge in time and took a solid hit. Chaos erupted! Everyone who came here to gamble was no pushover. By chance, Sun Ruosi had run into Qin Muchuan today, who had snuck out of his manor; neither had brought any guards.

The scholar, who had spoken little before, quickly found a safe corner to hide in. The room was left with only Qin Muchuan and Sun Ruosi, being battered like helpless chicks by the burly man.

"Damn it!" Qin Muchuan kicked a chair aside. "Where is everyone? Doesn’t the owner have any guards? Someone’s wrecking the place!"

Yet no one came. Qin Muchuan suddenly recalled the burly man’s earlier incomprehensible dialect—there was something suspicious about it. He shouted a few more times, but the attendant had vanished too.

It was a setup!

Driven to desperation, Qin Muchuan seized the moment while Sun Ruosi was being pummeled and smashed a wine jar into the braziers. Flames leapt up, scorching Sun Ruosi’s coat. Terrified, Sun Ruosi screamed, and Qin Muchuan dragged him out. "Run!"

As the burly man gave chase, Qin Muchuan steeled himself and kicked a brazier toward him, igniting a wall of fire between them.

"Bastard! Get after them! If I don’t skin that Sun brat today, none of you will make it back alive!" The burly man tore off his mask, and the attendant reappeared as if from nowhere, some dousing the flames, others giving chase.

The burly man’s face twisted with a ferocious grin; only then did he realize the scholarly figure had slipped away as well.

Meanwhile, Qin Muchuan and Sun Ruosi fled, gasping for breath, their clothes scorched with holes, faces blackened and red, as wretched as could be.

"What…what just happened?" Qin Muchuan panted. "Does that man have a grudge against you?"

Sun Ruosi clung to a tree, shaken, unable to speak for a long while. Qin Muchuan, frustrated by his condition, wanted to give him a few punches.

"I…ow…I have no idea," Sun Ruosi muttered, rubbing his eye, which had nearly been fractured by the blow.

In the woods, a gentle breeze rustled the treetops, lending a moment of serenity.

Qin Muchuan leaned nearby; suddenly, in the corner of his eye, he caught sight of a horse. Looking closer, he saw a carriage parked beneath a tree, not far away. The horse was calmly grazing, suggesting it had been there for some time. An ominous premonition swept over him.

The carriage bore the Duke’s Manor insignia. Had his sneaking out been discovered? Qin Muchuan’s backside, only just healed, began to sting again. If the Duke learned of today’s escapade…last time he’d barely survived a visit to the brothel; this time, he’d set fire to a gambling house!

The best strategy was to flee. The carriage’s occupants hadn’t noticed him yet. Qin Muchuan was preparing to make his escape when the refined scholar appeared out of nowhere. Seeing Qin Muchuan and Sun Ruosi, he exclaimed with delight, "Brothers, you were hard to find! We’ve been through life and death together now!"

His voice was so loud that the horse nearby sneezed in surprise.

Qin Muchuan: …

His backside…was doomed once again.