Nine Chapters of Mystery Chapter 134: Lotte Casino
The old man took out a dry cigarette from his lower back and lit it. After taking a few puffs, he said with a melancholy look on his face: "Little old man, I guard this shop to repay my kindness."
"Repay a favor?"
It turns out that the original owner of this shop was not an old man, but a mother and daughter who opened it twenty years ago.
But why did the mother and daughter choose to open a shop in this deserted place? Can they do business here?
The answer is yes.
And business is very good.
Because of this, there is a gambling house near this place called "Lotte Village". It is a gathering place for gamblers with a radius of hundreds of miles, including many celebrities and wealthy businessmen. The gambling house's business is very prosperous.
This Lotte Village is large in scale and extremely luxurious inside. It has gathered a group of famous chefs to provide gamblers with fine wine and food.
But these gamblers soon got tired of eating big fish and meat all day long, and they all wanted to eat some light and delicious farm food occasionally, so a mother and daughter who came from nowhere sniffed out the business opportunities and conveniently
This small shop opened next to the rural road.
Originally, this store only provided noodles, steamed buns, and rough home-cooked dishes such as tofu and vegetables. However, it was very popular with the gamblers. Many people came to this store every day to eat some light meals.
He went back and continued to try his luck. Over time, he became an example of the gamblers in Lotte Village. Therefore, the business of this small shop was unexpectedly good.
And this old man was originally a cook in Lotte Manor, named Zhao Bingliang. He was originally a cook in a large restaurant in Deyang City, and was hired by Lotte Manor with a lot of money.
Youdao, who often walks by the river, how can his shoes not get wet? How can he resist the temptation of the casino when he works as a cook in a gambling house every day, so Zhao Bingliang will play a few games when he has free time.
But his luck was very bad. He often lost all his monthly money and owed a lot of loan sharks to the casino.
One time, Zhao Bingliang was so angry that he overturned the gambling table and cursed the casino for eating people without spitting out their bones. He also said that he wanted to fight the casino to the death.
He said that if he won, not only would his previous debt be written off, but the casino would also give him one thousand taels of gold.
If he loses, he will immediately kill himself to pay off the debt with his life.
The owner of Lotte Manor didn't like the bad gambler cook early on, so he sent a very capable man in the manor to gamble with him in this life-and-death game.
A simple betting method, the banker rolls the dice and the player bets big or small.
The result was that three dice were rolled down, and Zhao Bingliang lost three times in a row.
Just when he was about to kill himself with a knife, he was stopped by a young girl.
The girl called her Chun Niang, and she was the daughter of the mother and daughter who owned a shop by the rural road. She was only sixteen years old at the time.
This spring girl often delivers farm food to the gamblers in the casino who are too lazy to leave. As time goes by, she becomes familiar with the people in the casino. Although Zhao Bingliang is a bad gambler, he has a good heart. Seeing this couple opening a shop
The mother and daughter were helpless, so they always took care of them and often introduced customers who wanted to eat light meals to their shop.
So Chun Niang has always had a good impression of Zhao Bingliang.
When the owner of the casino asked Chun Niang why she prevented Zhao Bingliang from committing suicide, Chun Niang only said that she wanted to make another bet for Zhao Bingliang. If she lost again, not only would Zhao Bingliang be killed, but she would also be a slave in Lotte Village for the rest of her life.
The wealthy Lotte Manor actually did not have to take Zhao Bingliang's life, but just wanted to take advantage of the situation to drive him away, and use this life-and-death situation to have fun and enhance the atmosphere of the casino.
Seeing that Chun Niang, an honest little village girl, dared to take on the life and death situation for others, the atmosphere in the casino became high again and again, and the owner of Lotte Village agreed.
It is still the most powerful person in the pie shop who should bet.
But Chun Niang brought the dice clock over and said that the bet was simpler, just comparing the size of the pips.
Shake three handfuls each.
In the end, after three games, Chun Niang won them all.
The other party was not convinced and insisted on playing three more times.
After three more rounds, Chun Niang still won.
The whole audience was shocked.
The owner of Lotte Village was very surprised by Chun Niang's skills, so he asked her to try Pai Gow, leaf cards and other gambling methods.
But in the end, Chun Niang still won.
The owner of Lotte Village was so happy that he offered an astonishingly high price and invited Chun Niang to stay at Lotte Villa. Whenever he met some gamblers with slightly more powerful tricks, he would ask Chun Niang to play, and without exception, the opponent would lose.
Everything is turned upside down.
Gradually, Chun Niang's name spread among gamblers. Many skilled gamblers from all over Kyushu came here to try her luck, but no one could shake Chun Niang.
Later, Lotte Village did not let Chun Niang come to the rescue anymore. It only asked Chun Niang to open one village every month, and each village only opened five games before ending.
It declared to the outside world that no matter who it was, no matter how high the bet was, as long as they could win the Chun Niang, Lotte Village would offer a hundred times the gambling capital.
This kind of marketing method is naturally extremely effective.
Because gamblers always take chances.
So every month when Chun Niang opens the bank, a large number of wealthy people gather and spend a lot of money to try it. Although Chun Niang still hasn't lost a game, it can't stop more and more gamblers from coming to give it a try.
.
Lotte Village made a lot of money from Chun Niang.
So of course, Chun Niang's status in Lotte Villa is now second only to the owner of the village. She is worshiped like a Bodhisattva and obeys everything she wants.
Even in order to stabilize this gambling god, the owner even gave her 30% of the casino's profits.
Shortly after Chun Niang rescued Zhao Bingliang, her mother fell seriously ill and passed away.
As a result, the small shop along the country road also stopped operating and gradually became deserted.
Chun Niang was very sentimental about this small shop that provided a living for her mother and daughter, so she asked Zhao Bingliang to take care of this small shop so that it would not fail, and she also told her to keep this small shop in its original state.
The appearance must not be changed at all.
Another instruction was that the small shop would no longer accept outsiders and would only prepare meals for themselves.
So sixteen years ago, Zhao Bingliang guarded this small shop and never left it again.
Su Wangting nodded slightly when he heard this: "I finally understand. Chun Niang keeps this shop actually to commemorate her mother."
Zhao Bingliang nodded in response, smoking a dry cigarette without saying another word.
"Chun Niang's gambling skills are really that superb?"
Zhao Bingliang smiled bitterly and said: "Indeed. A gambler with superb skills is nothing more than a very good gambler. As long as no one is caught, it is considered a skill. Chun Niang's methods are still unmatched by anyone.
I saw half of the clues and convinced many experts from all over Kyushu who came to challenge me."
"That's it." Su Wangting looked at the wooden wall that he kicked to pieces with an embarrassed look on his face, "It seems that I wrongly blamed you. That ingot of gold should be regarded as my compensation for the wall."
Zhao Bingliang spread his hands and said: "Where can I find the time to find a carpenter to repair the wall? I have to prepare food and drinks for Chun Niang in the evening. Hey, if Chun Niang learns that the shop wall has been destroyed, I don't know how distressed she will be."
Maybe, Lotte Village will send people to beat me to death."
Su Wangting touched the broken wall and said with a smile: "That's what I said. Well, I caused the trouble for you, so I will repair this wall. We are not far from Yangcheng, so I will go quickly to find the carpenter.
come over."
"It's up to you, it's up to you, hey..." Zhao Bingliang stood up, holding on to the table, and walked tremblingly towards the kitchen, "Just beat him to death. Anyway, my old life was sixteen years ago."
It should be gone.”
"this……"
Just when Su Wangting was scratching his head and wondering what to do, an inconspicuous place at the foot of the wall next to the hole suddenly caught his attention.
Looking closer, Su Wangting took a breath.
I saw a small word carved at the foot of the wall. Judging from the charred blackness filled in the indentation, it was obvious that it had been carved many years ago.
What word??
A word that Situ Kong once taught him to recognize!
Horizontal, horizontal, oblique, vertical.
The word "Qi"!!
It is the last name of the man who has been imprisoned on Prison Island for many years in Luoxiatan!!
And this man’s wife and daughter disappeared for thirty-two years with a piece of white jade from the Nine Chapters of Tianji!!
"Could it be..."
Su Wangting's pupils shrank, and he turned his head sharply to look at Zhao Bingliang's hunched back.
"Old man!!"
This sudden loud shout almost fainted Zhao Bingliang.
I saw him holding on to the kitchen door frame to keep from falling, and turned around in a panic: "You...what are you going to do..."
"Who carved this word!?"
"That...is a word??" Zhao Bingliang frowned and looked at the corner. He was stunned for a long time and shook his head, "I don't know. It was already there when I came to this store."
Su Wangting seemed to suddenly think of something, took a breath again, and asked urgently: "What's Chun Niang's last name??"
Zhao Bingliang scratched his head and pondered for a while, then shook his head again: "Not to mention, after so many years, no one really knows the surname of Chun Niang."
"Then how square is she now?"
Zhao Bingliang clapped his fingers and muttered: "She was sixteen years old when she saved me, and now it's another sixteen years... thirty-two years old."
"Snapped!"
Su Wangting clapped his hands, making Zhao Bingliang tremble again.
Right!
Thirty-two years old!
Qi Yuanchang was imprisoned for thirty-two years. His daughter was full moon when she disappeared. If she were alive, she would be thirty-two years old now!
Could it be that Chun Niang is the daughter of Qi Yuanchang?
So Su Wangting asked for the direction of Lotte Village, then hurriedly went out and mounted his horse.
Lotte Village is indeed as Zhao Bingliang said, not far away.
After leaving the store, I saw a fork in the rural road ahead. The rural road went west through a small bamboo forest, and a courtyard with white walls and blue tiles appeared in my sight.
When they arrived at the courtyard, they saw a large number of horse sedans parked in the open space in front of the door. At a glance, there were as many as fifty or so, not counting the single horses.
It can be seen that there are many people coming to gamble.
Just outside the door of each house, the driving boys gathered in several groups, chatting and laughing, chattering and lively as if they were going to a market, which seemed incompatible with the dead silence of the surrounding wilderness.
After finding a random tree and tying his horse, Su Wangting came to the gate of the courtyard.
While he was looking up at the two magnificent doors, a doorman came up to him with a smile.
"Sir... you look very unfamiliar, but are you here to try your luck?"
Su Wangting was stunned and nodded.
The boy smiled and said: "Hey, you are lucky when you come back here. I'm afraid you will be very lucky."
"What a coincidence??" Su Wangting frowned upon hearing this, "What do you mean by this?"
"Today happens to be the day when our Chun Niang of Lotte Village takes her place every month. This early in the morning, uncles from all over the place rush here. Hey, I say, since you are also a fan of this art, you should have heard of our Chun Niang of Lotte Village.
His name, right?"
Su Wangting scratched his head and smiled guiltily: "I heard that Chun Niang's gambling skills are amazing and she has never lost a game. So your village will let Chun Niang play five games every month. If you can win one of her games, your village will return a hundred times the money.
money for gambling."
The boy replied proudly: "That's right. Sir, do you also want to give it a try?"
Su Wangting touched his chin and thought for a moment, then asked: "This Chun Niang only sits in five houses every time, but so many people want to compete with her, how can five tables be enough?"
The boy laughed twice when he heard this and replied: "Of course it's not enough, so Chun Niang's five houses will ask for prices."
"Calling price?"
"That's right. Only the person who places the highest bet in each hand is qualified to bet against Chun Niang."
"It turns out that the one with the highest price gets it. Haha, you Zhuangzi really know how to find ways to get money." Su Wangting said, thanking him, and then raised his feet to cross the threshold and enter the courtyard.
But the boy stopped him.
Su Wangting frowned: "Why did you stop me?"
The young man said with a smile: "I'll give you a moment, please. We have a rule at Lotte Manor, that is, the first time a guest comes back, his gambling capital must be verified. Only those who have cash or more than three hundred taels of silver in their possessions can do so."
Come in. Hehe, I’m offended.”
Su Wangting said oh, took out the small silk bag from his arms and handed it over.
The boy opened it and saw that it was a gold ingot. He was startled at first, then he pulled it a few times with his hands, and his expression darkened again.
"One tael of gold, ten taels of silver. Sir, the gold ingots you have here have just been counted. They are only twenty-eight taels, which means they are worth two hundred and eighty taels of silver. Haha, it's a little short. Please forgive me for not letting go.
You come in."
"Ah? There are only twenty-eight taels left?"
Su Wangting took his pocket back and started to pull it out himself.
Sure enough, there were only twenty-eight taels left.
In his mind, this bag was still the same as when Bai Kui gave it to him, containing fifty taels of gold.
But I didn't expect that money would be spent so carelessly. I would be generous here and there, but I would have less than thirty taels left.
At this moment, Su Wangting suddenly recalled, didn't he just give Zhao Bingliang an ingot of gold and five taels of gold in that store just now?
Should we not go back and get the gold back?
But Su Wangting quickly rejected this plan.
He couldn't save face.
"Hey, how about this?"
As he spoke, Su Wangting took out a thick stack of paper from his arms and stuffed it in.
"There are some land deeds here. Can you see if I am qualified to enter?"
The boy hesitantly started to look through the pages, but as he looked, his eyes grew wider and wider, and his mouth grew bigger and bigger, his face full of shock.
"Good...good guy! If you take a quick look at this pile, you will see that there are five or six places in Zhuangzi alone, and...there are also these docks, escort offices, and fields..."
The boy handed the stack of papers back to Su Wangting with trembling hands, and asked in the same trembling voice: "Little...little one is blind. I don't know what kind of distinguished family you are from, sir?"
Su Wangting waved his hands impatiently and said: "What are you asking these nonsense people for? You just want to tell me whether I am qualified enough to get in!"
"Enough! Enough! Enough!" The young man nodded fiercely and hurriedly jumped over the threshold, preparing to lead the way. "Sir, please come inside quickly. I will send a message here. Sir, you have to pay for all the food and drinks in this village.
We will receive you according to the highest standards!! While the uncle is playing in the field, the younger one will be waiting beside him. If you want anything, just ask for it!"
Su Wangting suppressed his laughter and asked, "What is your name?"
"Uncle, please just call me Huang Si."
"Well, you're sensible!" Su Wangting casually threw a gold ingot to him, crossed the threshold, and entered the village confidently.
Huang Si held the gold ingot in both hands and happily rushed to the front to lead the way.