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

Chapter 161 Showdown

On the day of the ancestral worship ceremony, more than a dozen elders of the Shen clan gathered together. Shen Shi summoned Shen Qing to the study. Then, the door was closed, and the younger generation who were peeking in from outside could no longer see what was happening inside, nor did they know what they were saying.

All Shen Qing knew was that when the door opened again, the elders who had looked displeased and were about to interrogate her suddenly became kind and amiable, and Shen Qing saw them off one by one with a polite smile.

Soon, Shen Qing's dowry list grew even thicker.

Shen Qing was very busy, with too many things to prepare, and the selection of personal guards was of paramount importance.

"What skills do you have?"

"Young lady, I am skilled with a spear!"

After saying that, he wielded a red-tasseled spear with great skill and grace. Shen Qing remained calm, and Wen Ying, understanding his meaning, drew a circle with her brush, "Next."

"Besides swordsmanship, spear fighting, archery, and hand-to-hand combat, do you have any other skills?"

Zhang San asked somewhat hesitantly, "Does blacksmithing count?"

“Great!” Shen Qing’s eyes lit up.

Zhang San was somewhat flattered and walked down in a daze.

When it was Tian Da's turn, he scratched his head somewhat embarrassedly, "Besides martial arts, all I know how to do is farm."

"Food is the most important thing for the people, this is truly wonderful!"

"what?"

Combat prowess isn't the primary consideration; it's mainly for show in normal times. In a real fight, who would protect whom is anyone's guess. So, the main focus is on special talents. They may not be exceptionally outstanding, but they are loyal and dare not easily reveal things that cannot be told to outsiders.

With this start, the family retainers began to sign up enthusiastically. Parents, your children's chance to make something of themselves has arrived!

"I can do carpentry!"

"I have some knowledge of medicine!"

Those who say these things are all from the professions their elders have worked in. They learned some of it from a young age through exposure to the industry. As for why they don't inherit the family business?

Firstly, the social status of skilled workers was not high due to the class division of scholars, farmers, artisans and merchants. Secondly, if a family had many children, only one would be chosen to inherit the family business, and the others would have to find other ways to make a living. For example, you can't have an entire street selling tofu, can you?

·

On the way back to Yilan Academy from the training ground, I passed Wensi Pavilion and saw a slightly familiar figure standing under the corridor. Upon closer inspection, I realized it was Song Yuan!

Shen Qing's eyelids twitched. Could it be that this fellow also believed the nonsense about the Shen family's collection of books in order to broaden his horizons?

Regardless of the Song family's status or the relationship between the two families, since they had bumped into each other, they should still exchange greetings.

"Brother, what a coincidence!"

"unfortunately."

Shen Qing jumped, "Don't say it!"

"It was me waiting for you."

"..." In the past, it was always his words!

Song Yuan was unaware of Shen Qing's churning stomach and interpreted her complex expression as something else entirely, his brows furrowing with heartache and guilt.

"Qingxi, I love Lingyue, not the female general."

Shen Qing looked completely bewildered. Who do you care? Why are you jumping in front of me and saying you have some serious illness?

Wait a minute! Shen Qing's eyes widened. Could this guy really believe that "Shen Qingxi" had undergone a drastic personality change, transforming from a gentle and refined lady into a fierce female warrior to cater to his preferences?!

Shen Qing's fist hardened beneath his wide sleeves. He silently chanted "quality, quality" in his mind. "Brother, you are overthinking it. I just think it's better to rely on yourself than on others. Only with a sharp weapon on hand can one stand firm in this chaotic world."

Song Yuan frowned and gently advised, "It's my fault, but there are so many good men in this world, why demean yourself by marrying a dead man?"

"Song Ziyan, watch your words! Prince Lu is a martyr who sacrificed his life for his country!"

Song Yuan choked, "I'm sorry, I misspoke. I just didn't want you to lose faith in men because of me. Before the wedding is finalized, everything can still be turned back. In the end, I owe you. If there's anything I can help you with, I will do my best."

Shen Qing is about to get pregnant. It turns out that a man's excessive narcissism is so disgusting. Did he always appear like this in other people's eyes?

Enough is enough; Shen Qing will not tolerate anyone stepping on him to show off their masculine charm.

"Song Ziyan, even after being reborn, how come your perspective is still so narrow?"

“Qingxi…” Song Yuan didn’t know what to say for a moment. This was the first time they had openly discussed their rebirth.

"I originally thought we should keep to ourselves, but since you've brought this up today, I'll have a proper talk with you."

"you……"

"Tell me, how many times have you been reborn?"

"How...how many times?" Song Yuan stared at Shen Qing in astonishment. Could it be...?

"Looking at you like this, just once is fine, but I've already lived three lifetimes. Do you think I'd fall into the same trap twice? That's why I chose you in my second life, and the result..." Shen Qing clicked her tongue, "wasn't as good as the last one~"

Song Yuan's face turned ashen. No wonder Qingxi in his previous life was always so prescient, and everything seemed to have a clue.

"Who was the first incarnation...?"

Shen Qing sneered inwardly, but on the surface he wore a look of reminiscence. "He was Qingxi's most beloved person, but unfortunately he already had someone else in his heart. Qingxi accepts the bitter consequences of forcing him."

Song Yuan's expression grew even more grim, as if he had guessed something.

"You say you owe me, but that's not right. It was because of the betrayal in the first life that the second life began. You should repay me in the last life, and we are even now."

Hearing Shen Qing say this, Song Yuan felt no sense of relief whatsoever.

"Why?"

The words of Qingxi from my past life still echoed in my ears; so this was what they meant.

"Ha~ We're even, we're even!" Song Yuan laughed self-deprecatingly. No wonder she was so calm back then, no wonder he had never seen the fiery love and admiration in her eyes in their ten years of marriage.

I see, I see...

"Who is he?"

Shen Qing smiled and turned away leisurely, "You don't need to know that."

"Go ahead and guess!" Shen Qing finally released her pent-up frustration; now it was Song Yuan's turn to have a heart attack.

Shen Haiwang teaches online how to control a man for life with just one sentence.