Chapter 2, Brothels and Gambling Houses
The Eastern Abandon relied on his superb internal strength to listen to the sound of the dice as they landed. If the number was high, the dice would make a heavy sound upon hitting the table; if it was low, the sound would naturally be lighter. Such skill is rare in the entire martial world, and one might struggle to find a few who possess it. He then said, "Gambling is mostly deceitful; gambling is never a good thing." She scoffed and replied, "Hmph, yet you just helped me gamble, which is even more despicable than gambling yourself, and is utterly unforgivable." She pouted and raised an eyebrow at him.
Renchang Street in Lin'an City, by its name, suggests a place where poetry, literature, and etiquette flourish. However, it is, in fact, a well-known gambling street. Dozens of gambling houses, large and small, are all concentrated on this street, closely packed together, bustling with activity. The flow of gamblers coming and going is incessant, day and night, throughout the year. The largest and most luxurious gambling house on Renchang Street is the "Tianyi Gambling House," frequented by high-ranking officials and wealthy individuals, as well as royal relatives and nobles, all of whom are affluent and willing to spend lavishly.
Dongfang Qibiang said: "Yun'er, gambling is just a bit of fun, no need to take it seriously. Let's know when to stop and not push our luck too far." Yun'er stamped her foot and said: "I must go to the Tianyi Gambling House today to teach that doorman a lesson. Are you coming or not?" Without waiting for his response, she turned and walked away. He could only helplessly follow behind her.
The middle-aged man was taken aback upon hearing her words, and the copper plate he had extended retracted. Noticing her slender arms and legs, her frail body that seemed ready to topple with a gust of wind, her pale lips and ashen face in the sweltering heat, and her delicate features, he felt a pang of pity for the child who was so starved. Little did he know that she was frightened. Although he was a performer from the streets, he was also a man of generous spirit. Feeling sympathetic, he casually grabbed a few coins from the copper plate and said, "Buy yourself a bun to eat, and hurry home. Don't wander around outside, lest your parents worry." Although he was a performer from the streets, he was also a man of generous spirit. Feeling sympathetic, he casually grabbed a few coins from the copper plate and said, "Buy yourself a bun to eat, and hurry home. Don't wander around outside, lest your parents worry."
Two people huddled together, shrinking back in fear, hiding in a large water tank used for storing water behind the Tianyi Gambling House. In Lin'an City, every household has such a large water tank to meet their daily water needs. Yun'er quietly removed the wooden lid and whispered, "Have they left?" Dongfang Qi pulled her down, saying, "Shh—don't move, there’s another group coming behind." After a while, they indeed heard a rush of footsteps. The leader drew his long sword from his waist and commanded, "You team, go right; you team, go left; the rest follow me. If we don't catch anyone, be prepared to face the consequences." The guards and thugs of the gambling house were fierce as wolves, and they responded with a loud agreement, dispersing in different directions.
The city is shrouded in mist under the moonlight, as a person leans on a blue boat singing. I often recall our meeting on the banks of the Ruo Ye River, separated by the three rivers, gazing at the distant azure clouds with a sense of melancholy. The beauty smiles and says: "The lotus flower seems empty, yet the feelings are brief while the lotus roots are long."
The two of them arrived on the brightly lit street. Dongfang said while walking, "I have a friend who lives not far from here; we will be staying at his place for a while—hey, where are you going?" Yun'er, walking in the opposite direction, turned back and replied, "Of course, I am going to the Tianyi Gambling House."
Dongfang was protecting her, fending off the attacks from the casino guards while simultaneously defending against the continuous barrage of pastries, fruits, and tea thrown by numerous gamblers. Among these, there were even eggs that hit him on the head, sticky and oozing down his hair and into his neck, leaving a foul smell. The two of them huddled together, fleeing in a panic, looking quite disheveled.
Dongfang Qi felt a bit awkward and shrugged, saying, "It's not that we don't have money; occasionally indulging in such things is harmless. Even the heavens wouldn't mind it." He has always acted without concern for trivial matters and is easygoing. Because of this, he has been criticized by the upright and moralistic figures in the martial world, who speak of righteousness and propriety, leading to his extraordinary martial skills going unnoticed and his name remaining obscure. However, he himself does not care much about this.
Yun'er clapped her hands and laughed, saying: "The lotus flower is empty, yet the feelings are as long as the lotus threads—this song is quite fitting, very interesting." As she ascended the stairs, on the stage in mid-air, a graceful beauty danced with flowing sleeves, swaying her waist like a delicate willow in the breeze, morning flowers adorned with dew. Because of the distance, the details of her appearance were not clear, which instead added to the allure of many enchanting fantasies.
Yun Er started with a capital of three taels and eight coins of silver, betting all of it each time. After winning five rounds in a row, he caught the attention of the casino dealer. The dealer, sweating profusely, stepped back and whispered a few words to Leader Zhao. Leader Zhao nodded and replaced him with a somewhat older yet still charming woman to shake the dice, while he himself stood behind the dealer to monitor the situation
Yun'er hurriedly stuffed the money she had won into her pocket, saying, "I'm not playing anymore, I'm not playing anymore, let's go play somewhere else." Du Erniang, seeing that she wanted to slip away, sneered, "Winning money and then running off, it’s not that easy!" Yun'er placed her hands on her hips and shouted, "Who says that winning money means you can't leave? Do you think the Tianyi Gambling House can bully people just because of its power?"
In the distance, the sound of singing can be heard, it is a song "Little Peach Red"
The two of them could only walk back in frustration. Yun'er rolled up her sleeves and cursed loudly: "Hmph, a dog looks down on people, it makes me so angry!" Dongfang Qi then said: "What is there to be angry about? Dragons have their own paths, and snakes have their own doors. We can just change places."
She snorted, "If I were to casually steal a sheep or turn around to take a cow, rob the rich to help the poor, just to take a few coins? Am I being foolish? Hey, haven't you always wanted to drink 'Rouge Cold' from Hongyan Laibin? How can we drink it when we are penniless? We must think of a way to do so."
Yun'er was taken aback, not expecting that the other party not only did not want her money, but instead gave her money for food upon seeing her in tears. Holding the money in her hand, she was stunned for a while, and suddenly clasped her fists and said: "Thank you, you are truly a good person, and good people will surely be rewarded." After expressing her gratitude, she slipped away.
Yun'er then said: "It doesn't matter, having about seventy to eighty percent is enough, just do your best. Don't lose on purpose, I've worked hard to save this little bit of silver. We are like grasshoppers on the same string; if we live, we live together, if we die, we die together, we share glory and we share misfortune." Dongfang Qi gave her a light tap on the back of her head and whispered, "Place your bet, why do you have so much to say?"
Cheating is a major taboo in casinos. Upon hearing this, the crowd erupted in an uproar, immediately overturning the tables and shouting, "Catch him, catch him, beat him, beat him to death!" Some even yelled, "Chop off his hands, let’s see if he dares to come back to the gambling table again!" Seeing that he had incurred the wrath of the crowd and the situation was turning against him, Yun tightly grasped Dongfang Qi's sleeve, crying out, "Quick, escape, escape!"
Yun'er took advantage of the chaos to see a small door on the right, which she estimated was for the servants to come and go. She hurriedly said, "Over there, over there." All the while, she kicked over several tables to block the pursuers' path, desperately throwing things around, grabbing whatever she could and hurling it forward. The sounds of clattering and crashing mixed with the angry shouts of the guards, creating a continuous uproar. Everyone was bewildered, not knowing what had happened, panicking and shouting, pushing and shoving. In an instant, the entire Tianyi Gambling House was thrown into disarray.
Some were generous and contributed, while others turned away. Only Yun'er continued to clap her hands, standing there eagerly waiting to see the next act. The man approached her and said, "Young lady, did you enjoy the performance just now?" Yun'er nodded and replied, "It was great." The man then extended a copper plate towards her. She, puzzled, asked, "It was great, so what?" The man, thinking he had encountered a naive young girl, had to say, "Then please give a few coins as a reward."
Du Erniang raised her eyes and said to the crowd: "Everyone, take a good look. This person has violated the rules and cheated, so it is no wonder that the Tianyi Gambling House is being unmerciful!" Yun'er, steeling herself, replied: "Who among you has seen me cheat? Don't slander me!" Leader Zhao pointed at Dongfang Qi and coldly said: "Every time you place a bet, he gives you a signal. Are you not conspiring together to cheat?"
Yun'er looked at him, blinking her eyes innocently and said, "I have no money." The man puffed out his cheeks and glared at her, angrily saying, "Little brother, at such a young age, why be so stingy? You can't even spare a few coins." Yun'er took out her money pouch from her waist and turned it upside down, saying, "Look, look, I really have no money." Then, with a sorrowful face, she added, "I ran away from home and haven't eaten anything for a day and a night." As she spoke, she touched her stomach; she had not been full from the delicious dishes at the banquet, and now she was indeed feeling a bit hungry. "Look, look, I really have no money," she continued, her face still sorrowful, "I ran away from home and haven't eaten anything for a day and a night." As she spoke, she touched her stomach; she had not been full from the delicious dishes at the banquet, and now she was indeed feeling a bit hungry.
Whenever alcohol is mentioned, Dongfang Qi becomes animated. He chuckles a couple of times and says, "In the past, I had some acquaintance with Manager Chen from Hongyan Laibin, so I fear that borrowing a little might still be possible"
After she finished her bath, she came out, dried her hair, casually tied it up in a bun, feeling relaxed all over, and hummed a little tune as she made her way to the second floor to listen to the music. The doorman had no idea where he had sourced the clothes from; the sleeves were excessively long, and he wore a red waistband, looking like a servant from the Tianxiang Courtyard. It was said that tonight the top courtesan, Cai He, would come out to perform a dance and sing, and soon the place was filled with guests both upstairs and downstairs. She couldn't secure a seat and had to stand on the stairs to enjoy the view.
The leader Zhao, dressed in black and equipped with a long sword at his waist, approached with a smile and asked, "May I ask what the two of you would like to play?" Yun'er stood on her tiptoes and quickly scanned the crowd, noticing various games such as dice, Pai Gow, and other diverse gambling methods. Being inexperienced, she only recognized the points and said she wanted to play dice. The leader Zhao led them to a side hall, saying, "This area has dice and Pai Gow; young master can choose any table he wishes to play at."
Dongfang Qi carelessly wiped, "Is that so? No, not at all." Yun'er extended her sleeve, "Look, look, you've gotten my clothes all dirty." Dongfang Qi chuckled and said, "How can we dare to meet anyone like this? We need to find a place to clean up and then make our plans.
Dongfang Qi did not agree. Although he claimed not to care, Yun'er was after all a young lady. It was ultimately inappropriate for her to openly visit a brothel in such a disheveled state. Yun'er shook her money pouch and said, "If you don't want to go, then forget it, I will go by myself. Lying down comfortably to take a hot bath, listening to the girls sing, and experiencing the pleasure of being served by others, how delightful! This is the life of a wealthy young master. Besides, I am not afraid; why should you, a big man, be afraid of a girl? She can't eat you." Lying down comfortably to take a hot bath, listening to the girls sing, and experiencing the pleasure of being served by others, how delightful! This is the life of a wealthy young master. Besides, I am not afraid; why should you, a big man, be afraid of a girl? She can't eat you.
The woman laughed sweetly and said, "Gentlemen, don't just watch, hurry up and place your bets." The hairpin on her head clinked softly with her laughter, captivating the hearts of those present. The men at the table displayed infatuated expressions, staring at the large expanse of her fair skin exposed in front of them, swallowing hard. Their words began to take on a suggestive tone: "Du Erniang, with you standing here, everyone is doomed; what else is there to bet on? They all fall under your pomegranate skirt!" Du Erniang laughed heartily, pointing at him and giggling, "Liu Erye, you are bullying me!" Yet her hands moved swiftly and fiercely, darting left and right, up and down, as if performing. The sound of the dice clattering echoed, creating a cacophony like a sudden downpour.
In the world, the place where one can make a fortune overnight is naturally the gambling house
Yun'er was so angry that she stamped her feet, grabbing the clothes left by some unknown guest on the screen and throwing them at him, "Good for you! Dongfang Qi, I will remember this." She ran out like the wind, caught the doorman who had brought back the clothes, and forced him to change to a separate room to bathe, constantly complaining that the water was not hot enough
Yun'er touched the pouch at her waist, confirming that the silver was still there. She smiled broadly and patted her chest, saying, "No problem, I have plenty of money, my lord." Dongfang Qi then asked where they were going. She replied confidently, "In our situation, it would be strange for normal people not to ask questions. Only in brothels, where all sorts of bizarre things happen, does money speak; the wealthy are treated as lords, and no one would dare to say a word."
Dongfang Qi was peering around anxiously when he saw her and said irritably, "How is it that you disappeared in the blink of an eye!" She remained silent, grinning as she opened her palm. Dongfang Qi exclaimed, "Where did you get the money?" She shot him a glance and replied, "Why are you looking at me like that? Don't worry, it was obtained honestly, without theft or robbery." Dongfang Qi pressed on, "Then tell me how it was obtained honestly?"
After finally escaping from danger, Yun'er and Dongfang Qi strolled slowly through the crowded streets. Yun'er clenched her fists and said angrily, "If I do not avenge today's humiliation, I... I... will not be called Yun'er, hum!" Just thinking about that handsome young man shamelessly reaching towards her chest made her unable to contain her anger
The dealer shook the dice and shouted, "Those who want to place bets, hurry up! It will be too late to regret!" Yun'er squeezed her way in with all her might. Someone pushed her, saying, "What is a child doing here? Go away!" She took the money from her pocket and threw it onto the table, defiantly saying, "In a casino, it doesn't matter if you're big or small; it's all about the money, not the person." The dealer, seeing that she was just a half-grown child, paid her no mind and laughed, saying, "Alright, alright, just put it down. Don't cry if you lose. Are you betting on big or small?" Someone pushed her again, saying, "What is a child doing here? Go away!" She took the money from her pocket and threw it onto the table, defiantly saying, "In a casino, it doesn't matter if you're big or small; it's all about the money, not the person." The dealer, seeing that she was just a half-grown child, paid her no mind and laughed, saying, "Alright, alright, just put it down. Don't cry if you lose. Are you betting on big or small?"
She threw a couple of silver coins at the burly man from earlier, not even glancing at him, and huffed, "Those with money are the masters, quickly lead this young master." Her demeanor was quite arrogant. The burly man felt a surge of anger but, considering she was a guest, could only lift the curtain for her and lead the two to the opulent casino hall. Yun'er continued to mock, "In the future, keep your eyes open; if you blind your dog eyes, you won't even recognize your master." She looked at him with a provocative expression. The man was about to explode in anger, but upon seeing the casino's leader Zhao standing by with his hands behind his back, watching the scene, he had no choice but to suppress his anger and huffed heavily as he left.
Yun'er secretly stuck out her tongue, feeling relieved; if she were caught, she would not only face death but also suffer greatly, as the people in the casino were notoriously ruthless. She covered her nose and said, "Dongfang, you smell terrible!" She wondered what those people had thrown. As she spoke, she shifted to the side, but the water tank was only so big; with two people, it was already cramped, and any further movement would still result in shoulder-to-shoulder and hand-to-hand contact. Dongfang Qi retorted irritably, "You're not any better!" Due to his profound internal strength, he could see in the dark and noticed that her head was covered in pastry crumbs, so he reached out to remove them one by one.
Yun'er pointed at herself and Dongfang Qi, addressing the gatekeeper of the Tianxiang Courtyard, saying: "Prepare two sets of clean clothes for me, I am going to take a bath." She tossed a silver ingot, displaying a lavish demeanor. The gatekeeper nodded and bowed, leading them to the side room in the backyard, and with a forced smile said: "This is the bathhouse, please wait a moment, I will bring two sets of clothes for you right away."
Du Erniang smiled and asked, "Little brother, your luck is quite good. Are you betting on big or small this time?" Yun'er pushed all the silver he had won on the table forward and said with a smile, "I am betting on big." Du Erniang raised her eyebrows and smiled, saying, "Little brother, have you thought it through? It's not guaranteed that your luck will always be this good." In front of everyone, she slowly lifted the lid, looked down, and her charming face changed color, as it turned out to be big
She exclaimed, indeed, she is a courtesan. Not to mention her stunning beauty, even her myriad charms would make men across the world lose their minds and linger endlessly. While casually cracking the sunflower seeds she had picked up, she inadvertently looked up and was taken aback, stepping back two paces. The person sitting at the table by the top floor window was none other than the beautiful young man, as stunning as a celestial being yet as venomous as a snake, who had nearly taken her life during the day!
The two of them passed through a dark alley, and Dongfang Qi led her to the back door of the Tianyi Gambling House. Next to it stood a dilapidated abandoned temple, with the image of the door gods Qin Shubao and Yuchi Gong peeling off significantly. The red paper had faded to a grayish-white. In the center stood a statue of Guan Gong holding a knife, the blade somehow worn down by half, and the armor on it had a hole, filled with dust, under the dim light. Below, a group of ruffians surrounded a chipped Eight Immortals table, shouting and gambling with great enthusiasm. In the center stood a statue of Guan Gong holding a knife, the blade somehow worn down by half, and the armor on it had a hole, filled with dust, under the dim light. Below, a group of ruffians surrounded a chipped Eight Immortals table, shouting and gambling with great enthusiasm.
Yun'er whispered to Dongfang Qi: "Let's do it like this afternoon, you stand on my left. If you blink once, it means to bet big; if you blink twice, it means to bet small. If we win some money, we can go have some fun. After all, everyone who comes here is wealthy, and they are certainly not good people, so we might as well take advantage of the situation." Dongfang Qi could only sigh. Now that they were here, they couldn't leave empty-handed. He lowered his voice and said, "The people shaking the dice here are all professionally trained to confuse others. I don't have complete confidence either." He made it clear beforehand; if they lost, they shouldn't blame him.
She squeezed into the crowd to watch a broad-shouldered, bearded middle-aged man perform the family heirloom skill of "breaking stones with a palm." Before her eyes, a teenager lay on a wooden board covered with sharp knives, with a huge stone placed on his body. The man gathered his energy, shouted loudly, and struck downwards. The stone broke with a loud crack, and the boy was unharmed, springing up lively, which drew a round of applause from the onlookers. Yun'er also clapped her hands vigorously, cheering loudly. The middle-aged man then brought out a copper plate to collect tips, saying, "Ladies and gentlemen, brothers and sisters, if you think this little performance is worth it, please treat me to a meal."
The East seemed to disregard everything, as if nothing had happened. After offering a few words of comfort, they remarked that fortune is not misfortune, and misfortune cannot be avoided. They looked around here and there, and sighed, "Lin'an is still the same as before!" It was then that Yun'er noticed the shops lining both sides of the street, filled with silks and satins, cosmetics and powders, food and toys... everything one could wish for. There were also some people performing tricks and selling their skills by the roadside, with swordplay and other acts, creating a lively atmosphere.
Yun'er took advantage of the chaos to pull Dongfang Qi and swiftly escaped through the back door
It is indeed a narrow road for enemies
The eastern figure slightly gathered his eyebrows, channeling his internal energy to listen carefully. Just when he thought all the dice had stopped, the one in the middle rolled again—he almost missed it. He sensed that the people from the gambling house had grown suspicious, so he leaned in and whispered to Yun'er, "After this round, we should withdraw." Yun'er, noticing the sudden change in the person shaking the dice, felt a sense of alertness. Seeing his expression, she nodded in agreement, as they had already made enough profit tonight and it was wise to take their winnings.
Dongfang Qi extended both hands, placing them under her armpits, and with a strong lift, brought her up. She quickly wrapped her arms around his neck, and in the bright moonlight, she could see clearly, "Oh dear, you have something dirty on your face." She raised her sleeve and gently wiped it away, "It's sticky and utterly disgusting."
Yun'er let out a sound of "Hmm," waved her hand to signal him to go down, and turned her head to look around. Dongfang Qi, oblivious, was untying his belt and taking off his clothes. When Yun'er turned back and saw this, she exclaimed, "Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah!" and quickly turned around, covering her eyes, angrily saying, "Dongfang Qi, what are you doing?" Dongfang Qi teased her on purpose, saying, "Do I even need to ask? Of course, I'm taking a bath." After saying this, he deliberately splashed the water in the wooden tub and nodded, saying, "Hmm, not too cold, not too hot, just the right temperature."
Dongfang snorted and said: "A dog biting Lü Dongbin, unable to recognize a good person's heart, and you keep talking more and more vigorously. Since your uncle has plenty of money, I might as well tell you that the largest brothel in Lin'an City is the Tianxiang Courtyard"
She turned her head to glance at Dongfang Qi beside her, saw him blink once, and then patted her chest saying, "Of course, I bet on big!" She pushed all her possessions out. The dealer revealed the cards, showing 556, which indeed was big, and her capital doubled. If she had bet on small, Dongfang Qi would have blinked twice in succession. In this way, within the span of a meal, the two of them earned nearly one tael of silver, with astonishing profits. Seeing that she won every bet, some people turned green with envy and said, "Little brother, your luck is great today." She smiled cheerfully and replied, "The God of Wealth has arrived, the God of Wealth has arrived." However, she became cautious in her heart. To avoid arousing suspicion of cheating, she deliberately lost one tael of silver.
Yun'er frowned and said, "We have really lost face this time." We have become like street mice, everyone is shouting to beat us. Dongfang Qi laughed, "Let's see if you dare to cause trouble everywhere in the future." She made a face at him and ignored him. The two waited for a while, confirming that no one was around, then they removed the lid and stood up. Dongfang Qi, tall and strong, pushed against the edge of the vat and jumped out effortlessly. Yun'er was different; she was slender and petite, with the edge of the vat reaching her neck, leaving only her head exposed. With a pained expression, she looked at the large vat, grasped the edge, kicked her feet wildly, and desperately tried to climb out.
As Dongfang Qi and Yun'er arrived at the entrance of the "Tianyi Gambling House," they were stopped by someone, the reason being that they could not afford the entrance fee of one tael of silver. Yun'er, her face flushed with anger, shouted loudly, "This is outrageous! A guest should be welcomed, how can you refuse a guest at the door!" The burly man at the entrance, clearly a bouncer, glanced at her and said, "Young lady, your words are misplaced. Every guest entering the Tianyi Gambling House must first pay a deposit of one tael of silver; this is the rule. If you wish to enter, you must pay one tael of silver first." After saying this, he ignored her and turned to leave.
Yun'er shot him a glance and said, "You can't go on borrowing every day and not repay your debts, can you?" She emptied her pocket and counted the money, then raised her head and said, "In total, there are eighteen wen. If we want to make a fortune out of thin air, there is a place..."
Until the end of the event, the two of them earned a total of four taels and eight coins. As they walked out, the sky had already darkened, and the moon rose from the east, resembling a jade plate in the vast sea of clouds. Yun'er excitedly pulled Dongfang Qi and said, "Dongfang, Dongfang, look, ah, we have money now!" She carefully tucked the silver into her pocket and patted it, fearing it might disappear. She raised her face and said, "Dongfang, since you can hear the points of the dice, why are you still so poor?" If she had such skills, she would have been wealthy long ago, enjoying a life of luxury.