"Why didn't I know you could roll dice?" Jing Li asked curiously as he threw the clothes Qin Zhao had changed into the barrel.

"Once you get it in your hand, you'll be able to do it naturally." Qin Zhao said, "I've probably played it before."

Jing Li looked at him suspiciously.

Qin Zhao smiled and explained: "The imperial court could not help but play games, throw pots, horse racing and dice. These pastimes were extremely popular among the princes of aristocratic families in the capital in the early years, and these prefectures only followed closely behind."

Jing Li muttered in a low voice: "It seems that you were not a serious person before."

Qin Zhao glanced at him and said leisurely: "I heard that the reason why the imperial court cannot prohibit gambling is because the regent prefers this way, especially horse racing and betting. He often disguises himself and goes to gambling houses to spend a lot of money."

Jing Li knew who Qin Zhao was talking about and snorted coldly: "He is not a serious person who uses power for personal gain."

Qin Zhao: "..."

Jing Li thought of something again, and his eyes lit up: "You said you won that young master two hundred taels today?"

"Don't be stupid." Qin Zhao tapped his forehead lightly, "Betting can only be used as a pastime, not a way to make money. If you gamble for a long time, you will lose, and it will be the same with you."

Qin Zhao was able to win so many games in a row today, not only because he knew the techniques, but also because of the blessing of the koi.

But that was because he only wanted to win Gu Heng and take him home instead of seeking money.

He never wanted to use koi as a way to obtain ill-gotten gains.

In this way, what is the difference between those who want to reward koi with huge sums of money and keep them in captivity for good luck?

He doesn't want to take advantage of him.

"I know." Jing Li whispered, "I should at least get those two hundred taels back..."

With that money back, they can pay off Fang Tianying and buy some more things for their family.

"There will be other ways to make money." Qin Zhao said, "Obey little fish, this is not the same thing as finding herbs or meeting noble people to help. By relying on this method to make money, you are seeking other people's property and robbing others.

Due to our luck, we can’t do this.”

He paused and smiled: "But you can't do that."

"...someone is unlucky."

Jing Li: "..."

Jing Li: "Humph."

Qin Zhao laughed and said, "I'm going to cook."

Jing Li: "Then I'll do the laundry."

"No." Qin Zhao stopped him, "Just put these there. I'll wash them at night."

"No need." Jing Li picked up the wooden tub filled with dirty clothes and blinked, "You still have to make money outside to support your family. How can I let you do everything? I'll just do this little thing."

After saying that, he carried the wooden basin and went to the yard.

Qin Zhao looked at his back, slightly lost in thought, and then smiled softly.

There was a sound of water beside him, Qin Zhao turned around, and the little fish splashed on the water, causing water to splash everywhere.

It seems that the protest has been ignored.

"Yeah, I know, there's still your dinner." Qin Zhao touched his head and whispered, "Dad didn't forget, let's do it now."

The little fish cub raised its tail with satisfaction.

The next day, Qin Zhao arrived at Gu Mansion before Chen hour as promised.

He was also led to the small study room to wait. To his surprise, not long after, Gu Heng actually appeared.

The young master of the Gu family had dark eyes and a depressed look. He staggered into the room and sat down on the chair at his hand without Qin Zhao saying anything.

Qin Zhao said calmly: "You are a quarter of an hour late."

Gu Heng's voice was weak: "Do you know that I haven't gotten up so early in many years? I didn't even have time to eat breakfast!"

"Then you have to get up earlier." Qin Zhao said, "Open the book and start reading from "Xue Er Pian"."

Gu Heng didn't even have the energy left to confront Qin Zhao, so he opened the book and asked, "How much should you read?"

Qin Zhao: "All."

Gu Heng: "..."

Gu Heng glanced at Qin Zhao in disbelief. The latter ignored him and found the book he had not finished yesterday from the bookshelf behind him and continued to read.

Gu Heng had no choice but to lower his head and read: "Learn and practice from time to time..."

He had learned some of "The Analects" from his previous teacher. Although he had not memorized most of it, it was not a big problem to read through it.

Occasionally, if he read a wrong sentence, Qin Zhao would whisper a reminder and ask him to read it again.

The feeble sound of reading came from the study room, and the servants waiting in the yard heard it, and they all curiously leaned on the corner to peek.

Their young master has never worked so hard, and this new gentleman really has some tricks up his sleeve.

Everyone was talking quietly until Mrs. Gu's voice sounded behind them: "What are you doing?"

All the servants hurriedly turned around: "Husband——"

"Shh." Mrs. Gu put her fingertips to her lips, walked over quietly, and looked into the room.

Gu Heng sat upright, stumbling, but still read the book in front of him seriously.

Mrs. Gu burst into tears for a moment.

A young man about the same age as Gu Heng said: "Madam, the young master came to study today without even eating breakfast. He worked very hard. Do you want to go in and see him?"

"No need." Mrs. Gu said, "Go to the kitchen and I will make him something to eat myself."

Inside the house, Qin Zhao said: "They left."

Gu Heng's body immediately relaxed and he lay on the table: "I am so exhausted, young master."

Qin Zhao reminded: "You still haven't finished reading half of the book."

"I want to rest for a while, just for a while!" Gu Heng said angrily, "I'm going to die of thirst, and I'm still very hungry!"

Qin Zhao poured him a cup of tea: "Your mother has made breakfast for you, just wait."

Gu Heng took a sip of tea and felt a little better. He turned his head and looked at him: "Actually, you're not bad either."

Qin Zhao: "What do you mean?"

"All the gentlemen who come to the house regard me as hopeless and only want to use those big principles to control me, but you are not like that." Gu Heng said.

"What's wrong with me?"

"You knew that I just did it deliberately to show my mother, but you didn't expose it."

Qin Zhao: "It is good for me to make Mrs. Gu feel at ease."

"If I take you to a place like that, you don't think I'm naughty?"

"Stubbornness is stubbornness, but it is not irreversible."

Gu Heng let out a "cut" sound and said: "Don't think that I will convince you. I'm here today just because of the bet. I don't want to break my promise."

Qin Zhao said quietly: "Have you rested enough? Continue reading."

Not long after, the servants brought food, and even Qin Zhao's portion was properly prepared. However, Qin Zhao had breakfast at home in the morning and did not touch anything, leaving everything to Gu Heng.

Gu Heng was so hungry that his chest pressed against his back. He couldn't care about anything else and just immersed himself in eating.

Qin Zhao quietly sipped tea, then moved his eyes to the calligraphy and painting on the wall next to him, and asked: "Who wrote that calligraphy and why is it hung there?"

Gu Heng glanced back and said: "It seems to have been given to my father by a big shot in the capital. It was still hanging in my father's study in the front yard a few years ago. A few years ago, for some unknown reason, my father suddenly moved it.

When I got here, I was told not to touch it randomly."

"I don't understand. If he is so precious, why would he put it here?"

Qin Zhao said leisurely: "Because if someone sees this thing, it will cause trouble. If you put it in your study, no one will come."

"Are you in trouble?" Gu Heng looked back at the calligraphy again and asked, "Do you know who wrote that calligraphy?"

Qin Zhao: "I know."

"who?"

Qin Zhao did not answer.

He withdrew his gaze and said softly: "Eat quickly, and read the rest after eating. Class will end after today's lecture on "Xueer". If you delay until the end and don't have lunch, you will be the one who suffers."

"No, I'm going to read it right now!"

Gu Heng hurriedly stuffed the last bun into his mouth, wiped his hands with a handkerchief, and then picked up the book again.

Qin Zhao glanced at the two plates of pastries that he had not touched from beginning to end, and asked, "You don't want these?"

Gu Heng shook his head: "It's too sweet. My mother always forgets that I don't like cakes. If you want to eat them, you have a share anyway."

"Can I take them away?" Qin Zhao asked, "My husband likes to eat these."

"Of course." Gu Heng became more interested and leaned over to ask, "I wanted to ask you yesterday, how can you, the head of the case, marry a husband and treat him so well? Is your husband good-looking?
To be continued...