Nine out of ten gamblers lose; I've run into a jerk!

Chapter 158 Hidden Front

Women are truly unreasonable, Li Sheng thought to herself.

The wealthy idler thought he was a playboy, the ambitious thought he was too busy with his own affairs, the well-educated thought he was too rigid and boring, and the unconventional thought he sought a unique and exciting relationship. He remained unmarried until he was quite old, while his stepmother was already a month old and his elder sister was finally getting married... a tragic love affair.

To be fair, that person is indeed extraordinary and hard not to be captivated by, but how can such a person be controlled?

However, back then, the Li family was powerful, and no matter how outrageous her elder sister's behavior was, as long as it wasn't brought to the forefront, they had the ability to protect her. Therefore, her father chose Shen Huai'an for her.

Father's insight was indeed remarkable. As the saying goes, fortunes change every thirty years. The Li family declined while the Shen family rose to prominence. However, Shen Huai'an did not neglect the Li family because of this and maintained his respect for them for sixteen years.

In Li Sheng's view, Shen Huai'an was flawless as a subject, a husband, a father, and a clan leader.

His older sister is mostly intelligent, but she's prone to making mistakes when she's stubborn, which is why she came to advise him and prevent things from getting messed up.

“Sister, think carefully about what I’m saying. When a general is away from home, he is most afraid of instability at home. He still needs his brother-in-law and Chengming to mediate for him in the court.”

Li Su pursed her lips, her feelings were very complicated.

Seeing that he had clearly taken the words to heart even though he hadn't said anything, Li Sheng said no more and got up to prepare for the next round of ideological work.

Cuiwei Palace —

Consort Rong requested permission to meet with her family, and only then did the Grand Marshal enter the palace to see her.

"Brother, are you really planning to marry Shen San Niangzi into the Xie family?" Consort Rong frowned slightly. Marrying such a capable young lady might not be a good thing.

The Grand Marshal raised his eyelids slightly: "It was just a casual move, merely to take advantage of the fact that those noble families were eager to make their move. If Shen Shi has other ideas, the Xie family is his best choice. If he insists on his original plan, it won't benefit other families. We can also put a little poison on him to the king. Either way, we won't lose out."

Hearing the Grand Marshal's words, Consort Rong felt somewhat disappointed. "So, we really won't do anything?"

“It’s not the right time yet,” the Grand Marshal glanced at Consort Rong. “Stop those petty tricks. They’re not helpful to the overall situation and will only give people something to talk about.”

Consort Rong pouted, "I know~ So when exactly is the right time?"

The Grand Marshal didn't speak, but looked outside the hall, towards the direction of the Eastern Palace.

Du Mansion —

The Grand Master of Ceremonies, dressed in loose clothing, leisurely practiced his health-preserving boxing in the courtyard.

"Father, how can you still have the mind to do such trivial things at a time like this?"

Du Jie was very worried, as his faction was becoming increasingly marginalized in terms of official transfers.

"Nothing matters more than life and death; sometimes, surviving longer than your opponent is a victory in itself," Du Jijiu said calmly, without stopping his actions.

"...Father, I'm being serious with you!"

"Do you think your father is joking?" Du Jijiu gazed towards the palace. "The king is wise, the crown prince is intelligent, and the various forces are holding each other back. There is no chance for us to turn the tide for the time being. We can only wait."

"Wait for what?"

"Wait for the day the balance is broken."

·

Shen Mansion —

The Shen and Li families are closely related by marriage, and Li Sheng can move freely within the mansion.

"Clarity".

Shen Che was admiring the scenery in the garden, or perhaps he wasn't really admiring the scenery, but just looking for a place to focus his gaze. When he heard a familiar voice, he turned around and quickly stood up to greet the person.

"grown ups……"

Li Sheng waved his hand, "Don't be so formal at home, just call me Uncle."

"……uncle."

Li Sheng walked up to Shen Che and asked, "Are you angry with your father and sister?"

Shen Che countered, "Uncle isn't angry?"

Li Sheng laughed heartily: "Since you have such ability, I am willing to give you a piece of land."

Shen Che pursed his lips and remained silent. Li Sheng comforted him, "The rise and fall of aristocratic families over the past thousand years is like the ebb and flow of the tide. There is no need to compete for momentary glory. You are still young, so keep a low profile and wait for the right time."

After saying that, Li Sheng patted Shen Che on the shoulder, "You and Qingxi are blood-related siblings, you should help each other and not fight each other so that others can laugh at you."

"..." Shen Che's gaze fell on Li Sheng's face and subtly examined him for a moment before he raised his hand in a bow, "Che, I have learned a lot."