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Hai Dafu's mysterious disappearance did not cause the expected ripples in the vast Imperial Kitchen of the Qing Dynasty.

This may be attributed to Hai Dafu's gloomy, aloof, and sociable nature.

Although Hai Dafu was the deputy chief steward of the Imperial Kitchen, he was more like a figurehead "official".

Normally, they are only responsible for certain specific medicinal cuisines and secret tasks for the Empress Dowager and nobles. The usual purchasing, scheduling, and meal arrangements are handled by a mature team below.

So when Hai Dafu disappeared, the stewards and eunuchs who had been suppressed by his power for years secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

I felt as if the oppressive dark cloud above my head had dissipated, and I felt much more at ease doing things.

However, beneath the surface calm, the necessary procedures are still in place.

Three days after Hai Dafu "disappeared," a middle-aged eunuch dressed in a dark blue steward's robe, with a fair complexion, arrived at the secluded courtyard where Hai Dafu lived, accompanied by two young attendants.

At this moment, Su Ning was holding a broom, sweeping the already very clean stone steps of the courtyard in a haphazard manner.

Upon seeing the newcomer, his heart tightened slightly, but he immediately put on the smile characteristic of a young eunuch—a smile tinged with both obsequiousness and fear. He quickly put down his broom, trotted forward to greet him, and bowed respectfully.
"This humble servant...this humble servant greets Eunuch Zhang."

Zhang Gonggong was one of the stewards in charge of documents, archives, and personnel attendance at the Imperial Kitchen. He was not a high-ranking official, but he was well-informed.

Eunuch Zhang grunted in his distinctive, slightly nasal tone, then glanced around the empty courtyard before slowly asking, "Little Gui! I've come to ask if Eunuch Hai has been feeling unwell these past few days. Why haven't I seen him going to roll call? There are a few forms that need his approval and stamp."

Su Ning had already prepared her answer in her mind. Upon hearing this, she perfectly displayed a look of bewilderment and helplessness, and still stammered as she replied, "Replying to...replying to Eunuch Zhang, a few days ago in the evening, he...he said he was going to leave the palace to take care of...take care of some private matters. As for where he was going, and when he would return, he...he didn't instruct me, and I...I didn't dare to ask any more questions."

As he spoke, he carefully observed Zhang Gonggong's expression.

Upon hearing this, Eunuch Zhang frowned slightly, but did not show any particular surprise.

Hai Dafu was known for his secretive behavior and frequent disappearances. It was also common for him to occasionally leave the palace under the pretext of purchasing medicinal herbs or carrying out secret errands.

He only came today as a routine inquiry. "That Eunuch Hai is really something... leaving the palace without even letting us know beforehand. Oh well, since he's not here, we'll hold off on those lists for now. Xiao Gui, Eunuch Hai is back. Come and inform us immediately, understand?"

"Yes, yes! I...I understand! As soon as you return, I...I will immediately go and report to Eunuch Zhang!" Su Ning nodded and bowed repeatedly, his attitude extremely respectful.

Zhang Gonggong nodded in satisfaction, then casually glanced around. Seeing that the courtyard was tidy and there was nothing amiss, he didn't linger any longer and turned to leave with his men.

Watching Eunuch Zhang's departing figure, Su Ning's tense nerves slowly relaxed.

This was the third wave of people who had come to inquire. The first two waves were a young eunuch from the Imperial Household Department who came to check the records and an elderly imperial physician who had some connection with Hai Dafu. He dealt with both of them with the same excuse.

It seems that Hai Dafu's reason for "leaving the palace on his own" is still quite sound at this stage.

With the crisis temporarily averted, Suning dares not slack off in the slightest.

Because he knew all too well that the imperial palace was a den of dragons and tigers, and the longer he, the imposter, stayed, the greater the danger he would face.

We must familiarize ourselves with the environment as soon as possible and find a safe way out.

In the days that followed, Su Ning, under the alias "Xiao Guizi," cautiously began his "Palace Terrain Survey Plan."

As Hai Dafu's nominal "personal eunuch," he naturally had the authority to move within a certain range.

So Su Ning began to purposefully move around the Imperial Kitchen and its surrounding areas under various pretexts such as "cleaning the courtyard for the eunuch", "collecting his allowance from the storeroom" and "being ordered to inquire about medicinal materials at the Imperial Pharmacy".

Fortunately, Suning has an excellent memory and a good sense of direction.

While walking with his head down, displaying a cautious demeanor, he used the corner of his eye, like a scanner, to imprint the names of the palaces he passed, the directions of the alleys, the patterns of the guards' patrols, and the activity range of various people into his mind.

Soon, Su Ning figured out the main route from the Imperial Kitchen to the inner palace, and noted down several abandoned side halls and rockery clusters nearby that could be used for hiding.

By observing the changing of the guards' shifts and their routes, they could also discern which areas had eunuchs and palace maids who moved in a hurry and were strictly managed, and which areas were relatively loose and easy to take advantage of.

They even took advantage of a "misdelivery" incident to catch a glimpse of the long passage leading to the Shenwu Gate outside the palace, and the heavily guarded personnel.

Every day, Suning plays the role of Xiao Guizi, who is stuttering, timid, and inconspicuous.

Every day, when he returned to that cold courtyard where he was the only one left, he would repeatedly sketch and refine the increasingly clear "escape map of the Forbidden City" in his mind.

On the surface, Su Ning was just a dutiful little eunuch waiting for his master to return.

But beneath Suning's calm exterior, the urge to escape surged like a raging fire.

"It'll be soon... After observing for a few more days and figuring out the loopholes in the night patrols, we can find an opportunity to take action."

In the stillness of the night, Su Ning gazed at the sky outside the window, divided into four sections by the palace walls, and silently pondered in her heart.

The Imperial Kitchen continued to operate as usual, as if Hai Dafu had never existed.

Meanwhile, Su Ning, lurking within, was like a silent ghost, patiently searching for a glimmer of hope in this magnificent cage.

……

After sending the Wen brothers away that day, Su Ning enjoyed a few days of peace and quiet.

Su Ning thought the other party was just saying it casually, but unexpectedly, just after noon that day, Wen Youfang and Wen Youdao came to his door again, and without saying a word, they grabbed his arms on the left and right and dragged him out.

"Xiao Gui, hurry up! We've gathered enough people today, you can't back out anymore!"

"That's right, with Grandpa Hai away, what are you doing hiding away so leisurely? The brothers are all waiting for you!"

Su Ning felt a sense of helplessness, knowing that simply refusing would only arouse suspicion.

However, he thought again that rather than letting them harass him from time to time, it would be better to "solve" the problem once and for all, so that they would stay away from him on their own in the future.

And so, a plan instantly took shape in his mind.

Su Ning immediately put on his signature smile, tinged with timidity and stuttering: "Two...two brothers, be gentle! I...I'll go with you. It's just...it's just that I have bad luck, please...please don't take offense."

"Haha, no problem! Let's go!" The Wen brothers were even happier to see him agree, and they pulled him through a maze of turns to a quiet corner behind a secluded storeroom.

There were already three or four equally idle eunuchs squatting there, with a coarse cloth spread out in front of them, with a few strings of copper coins and some loose silver scattered on it, indicating that the gambling had been going on for some time.

"Here he comes! Little Gui is here! Quickly make room for him!" Wen Youfang shouted.

Seeing that it was a familiar face, the crowd didn't pay much attention and simply made way for him with some laughter.

The bet was a simple one, guessing whether it was big or small. The dealer was a young eunuch with an unfamiliar face, whose methods seemed quite skilled.

Su Ning squatted down, deliberately appearing clumsy, and pulled out a small string of copper coins he had prepared beforehand. These were among the "relics" he had collected from Hai Dafu's house. He imitated others, hesitated for a long time, and then stammered as he placed a copper coin on the "small" coin.

"Place your bets! Place your bets now!" the dealer shouted, lifting the dice cup—four, five, six, fifteen points!
"Sigh!" Su Ning sighed in agreement, a look of annoyance on his face, as he slowly watched the copper coin being swiped away.

In the following rounds, Suning continued to lose more than he won, his coins dwindling until Wen Youfang couldn't help but laugh, "Little Gui, your luck is worse than a rock in a latrine! Looks like I'm going to make sure you lose your underwear here today!"

The other eunuchs joined in the commotion, creating a lively atmosphere.

Su Ning just smiled sheepishly, muttering "bad luck," but his eyes gradually sharpened.

It should be noted that he had studied probability and some techniques in his spare time in other dungeons. In addition, his perception seemed to be more acute after transmigrating. After several rounds, Su Ning had roughly figured out the weight of the dice and the slight patterns of the dealer's shaking of the cup.

it's time.

Another round began, and the dealer vigorously shook the dice cup, which then slammed to the ground with a "thud".

People placed their bets, mostly on "big".

Su Ning narrowed his eyes, and with a "snap," placed the remaining copper coins in his hand, along with the small piece of silver he had left after deliberately losing earlier, onto the seemingly unpopular "small" card.

This action surprised everyone.

Wen Youdao asked in surprise, "Xiao Guizi, are you...are you sure? This one sounds a bit louder!"

Su Ning still stammered, but there was a newfound certainty in his voice: "I...I'll bet on small! I'll...I'll lose everything!"

The dealer glanced at him and shouted, "Place your bet now!"

Then the dice cup was opened—one, two, three, six points, small!

"Whoa!" Everyone exclaimed in surprise.

The bookmaker didn't look too happy, but still paid out the money according to the rules.

The stakes in front of Suning more than doubled instantly.

Then, the situation began to reverse.

Suning stopped betting recklessly; every bet he made seemed casual, yet he always hit the mark.

His bets also started to increase, from copper coins to broken silver, and later even a small piece of silver coin.

"Bet on Big!" — Four, four, six, fourteen points!
"Still...bet on small!" — 224, small at eight!

"This...this is a bet on a leopard!"—Three threes, a guaranteed win!

Suning not only won against the bookmaker, but also won a considerable amount of money from the other eunuchs who bet on the wrong side.

At first, everyone was just surprised and envious, but as the pile of money in front of Su Ning grew higher and higher, their expressions gradually changed.

Wen Youfang's smile vanished, and he nudged Su Ning: "Little Gui, what kind of incredible luck did you have today?"

Suning pretended not to hear and once again pushed most of his winnings onto the "big" bet.

The result was as expected; he won again.

The dealer's forehead began to sweat, and his eyes looked at Su Ning with surprise and suspicion.

The other eunuchs also began to whisper among themselves, and their gazes toward Su Ning were no longer as casual and mocking as before, but rather filled with jealousy and dissatisfaction.

The originally lively atmosphere became somewhat stagnant.

After Suning once again swept the entire field with a substantial silver coin, a young eunuch, his eyes bloodshot from losing, couldn't help but say sarcastically, "Little Gui, your luck... did Old Man Hai teach you some secret technique? This is too ruthless, leaving no way for the brothers to survive!"

These words immediately resonated with others.

"Yeah, I've never seen you this good before!"

"That was an incredibly lucky win..."

Wen Youdao tugged at Su Ning's sleeve and whispered, "Little Gui, know when to stop! We're all brothers."

In fact, this is exactly the effect that Suning wanted!
He was secretly delighted, but on the surface he put on an expression of "I'm helpless too," and stammered, "Luck...luck, it's all...luck! I...I don't know what's wrong with me today."

As Su Ning spoke, he slowly and methodically rummaged through the copper and silver coins he had won into his pocket, the clinking sound further arousing the nerves of the losers.

Ultimately, the betting game ended abruptly in a dull and unpleasant atmosphere.

The Wen brothers looked dejected and had lost their initial enthusiasm. They simply greeted him and quickly left with the others, not even bothering to glance at Su Ning.

"Honestly! I should have known better than to call him Xiao Guizi."

"Brother, wasn't it you who suggested calling him?"

"He used to only know how to lose money, right? Who would have thought he would suddenly become so good?"

"Oh no! We brothers are really in trouble now, we've gambled away our entire monthly allowance."

"..."

Suning walked back slowly, alone, with his bulging "trophies" in his pocket.

The moonlight shone on his face, and all traces of the "fierce aura" he had at the gambling table and the stuttering cowardice from before were gone, leaving only the calmness of someone whose scheme had succeeded.

Sure enough, after that, the Wen brothers never came to him to gamble again.

Occasionally, when they met in the palace, the two brothers and several other eunuchs who had participated in the gambling would usually avoid them from a distance, or simply nod expressionlessly and walk away in a hurry, as if he were some kind of plague god.

Quiet and peaceful – that's exactly what Suning wants.

Suning's resounding victory successfully made it an "unpopular figure" in this small circle, using real "losses" to sever those "friendships" that could have caused trouble.

With no one to disturb him, he could focus more intently on planning his next move...

How to leave the seemingly magnificent but actually dangerous Forbidden City quietly.

...(End of chapter)