Chapter 4, Digging Pits

At the first sight of Mu Lan, Lin Shiba was momentarily taken aback

Standing silently behind Mu Lan and observing two rounds, Lin Shiba felt a surge of alarm. The young man did not cheat; the cards in his hand were sometimes good and sometimes bad. Yet, he seemed to know the dealer's hole card, calmly tormenting the dealer to the point of sweating profusely, even with a good hand, he dared not place a bet. After watching two rounds, Mu Lan had won an additional four thousand taels of silver.

Mu Lan carefully lifted the two cards slightly, peeking at them. A flicker of excitement brightened his eyes.

"Go ahead!" Mu Lan casually replied, and then secretly squeezed the young lady's hand.

The dealer rolls the dice, and the player can cut the cards. Lin Eighteen nodded and said, "Of course."

It seems that the hand he has is quite good. Lin Shiba smiled slightly. It is not that he fears his hand being good, but rather that he fears his hand being poor, which would lead him to stop playing.

Alcohol emboldens the timid, and Mu Lan was no exception. Fueled by drink, he stared at the pile of silver in front of Lin Shiba, wearing an expression that suggested he wanted to win back the thirty thousand taels he had lost: "Let's gamble one last time!"

Good! Show your cards! Mu Lan pushed all the silver out.

Mu Lan seemed not to understand his words, muttering in dissatisfaction: "This is really strange. Ever since I met you, I've been losing continuously. I've already lost 30,000 taels."

The牌 was in hand. The Pai Gow made of ebony felt excellent, with a slightly heavy material that shimmered with a muted luster. Lin Shiba did not look at the牌, but directly counted out 10,000 taels and pushed it forward.

Wait! Mu Lan called out, taking a deep breath, and said, "I think I can cut the card!"

That is all. The Lin family is compassionate and never likes to engage in ruthless actions. Borrowing money from the casino, I fear that the young master may not be able to repay it. Lin Shiba intends to collect all the silver that Mu Lan has won.

Indeed, Mu Lan also counted out ten thousand taels: "I will follow."

Young master, you may go to the nearby Ninghua Tower. The young ladies there...

The final hand? Lin Shiba felt a twinge of regret. He did not know how many people he had seen, all their possessions lost in the final hand, resulting in endless remorse. The little sympathy Lin Shiba had in his heart vanished completely. The youth, unaware of the vastness of the world, slightly provoked his anger. He decided to teach the other party a lesson.

There are twenty-six gambling tables downstairs. He only received his reward when he reached table sixteen. According to the recollections of the staff, at that time he should have won a stake of one thousand taels.

Zizunbao? Mu Lan stood up from the chair, staring blankly at the Zizunbao on the table

Lin Shiba placed a bet of thirty thousand taels this time

Although he only lost 26,000 taels to Mu Lan, Lin Shiba felt as if he had been slapped in the face, his old face burning with embarrassment, and his hands clenched into fists hidden in his sleeves. He exchanged a glance with his assistant and, striving to control his anger, said: "Would it be acceptable to exchange for silver notes from Heshun Silver Bank for the young master?"

"Young Master, shall we continue playing Pai Gow?" Lin Shiba gently handed the purple clay teapot to the attendant beside him and inquired kindly

Neither the dice nor the Pai Gow has ever been lost. However, he seems to be more confident with the dice. The staff at table six have a particularly deep impression of him. It seems he can 'hear'.

After Lin Shiba sat down, Mu Lan's good fortune seemed to have come to an end. He kept losing, and the more than 80,000 taels he had won were quickly reduced by 30,000 taels, leaving him with only 56,000 taels. The attendants peeking at the door collectively let out a sigh of relief

Lin Shiba also stood up, holding his beloved purple clay teapot, and said softly: "Young master, no one in the casino can have good luck all the time. Sometimes, even if you get a pair of aces, it doesn't guarantee a win"

"Bring the wine!" Mu Lan called out, taking the wine that the young lady had just sent over. Without waiting to pour it into a cup, he lifted the jug and drank directly from it

Perhaps this impoverished youth encountered difficulties and urgently needed money, thinking of trying his luck at the Liuxiang Casino. Maybe recalling his own youthful experiences, Lin Shiba felt a twinge of compassion for the boy

"My stake is insufficient..." Mu Lan said in a choked voice. He only had 26,000 taels left, which was not enough to participate. However, he immediately added, "Can I borrow money from the casino?"

Upon hearing this, Mu Lan hesitated instead. If he did not follow, he could still take away the twenty-six thousand taels in front of him. If he did follow, in case of losing, he would only have the two taels of silver in his pocket.

Lin Shiba gestured for the attendant to leave and sat down opposite Mu Lan

Ten thousand taels have already been put out, and if we stop here, we will have won another ten thousand taels less. Mu Lan indeed followed.

Are you willing to compete?

Fifty-six thousand taels is not considered a large sum in Lin Shiba's eyes. His authority extends to five hundred thousand taels

The ten of clubs is eaten by the Supreme Treasure. What a coincidence! Lin Shiba suddenly realized that the young man had cheated while cutting the cards. However, his eyes were fixed on the dealer, and the dealer's eyes were also fixed on him. Neither of them noticed any signs. He had cheated, yet he himself did not realize it

When the silver note was delivered, Lin Shiba heard the final sound of the gong signaling the closing of the workshop gate. He gave the attendant a smile, the timing was just right. He politely informed Mu Lan: "The workshop gate has been closed."

When one has dug a deep pit for oneself to jump into! The thirty thousand taels lost earlier were merely to let oneself lower their guard. Yet, one remained completely unaware of it.

"Who said I lost?" Mu Lan asked in surprise.

Having obtained a good hand that he was reluctant to let go, Lin Shiba thought to himself, having retrieved 4,000 taels of silver notes from the stakes: "The young master has already said this is the last round. I will wager all the silver in front of you."

Accommodation and meals are free, but calling a girl to listen to a tune still requires spending money. Lin Shiba took his own waist token and instructed someone to take Mu Lan to Ninghua Tower

Lin Shiba almost spat out a mouthful of old blood. If he had guessed, he might as well have thrown himself into the lake. His voice turned cold: "If I were to raise the stakes again, would the young master still be willing to continue?"

Lin Shiba did not urge him. He admired the struggling expression on Mu Lan's face. He knew that a gambler is a gambler, unwilling to give up even the slightest chance of winning.

The young man had a slender physique, with delicate and handsome features, and a shy smile on his face. He was wearing a cheap cloth shirt that cost 400 wen. He looked like a scholar from a poor family.

A poor young man who has never seen the world can easily become infatuated with a maidservant who serves tea. Lin Shiba understands this very well. At the age of fifteen or sixteen, one is at the age of youthful admiration.

"You, you are betting ten thousand taels without looking at the cards?" Mu Lan's astonished expression delighted Lin Shiba

"I bet all the silver in front of me... Can I see the cards now?" Mu Lan seemed to have made up her mind

Lin Shiba chuckled lightly, subtly setting a trap for Mu Lan: "The esteemed guests recommended by the casino manager are not charged a single cent for accommodation and meals." I don't believe this little lecher wouldn't be tempted

Before the words were finished, Mu Lan was seen clutching his purse tightly like a miser, shaking his head like a wave drum: "I haven't even warmed up the silver yet. I heard that staying a night at Ninghua Tower costs a thousand taels of silver."

The young man no longer lingered on the beauty of the young woman, his gaze becoming anxious. Lin Shiba slowly sipped his tea. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of the admiring looks from the casino staff, and the corners of his mouth slightly lifted.

Mu Lan rubbed her hands together and switched the cards three times

Mu Lan blinked and said: "I guessed. I am so lucky tonight to actually get a ten of spades. I believe it cannot be the worst card. As expected, it not only helped me win back the thirty thousand taels I lost, but also earned an additional twenty-six thousand taels!"

He was very nervous. Lin Shiba suddenly lost the desire to play. Starting with a stake of two taels, he managed to win over fifty thousand taels through his gambling skills and good fortune. Why should he be brought back to his original state, leaving with only the two taels of silver in his pocket? A lesson should be given, and let today be the end of it. With such gambling skills, giving him fifty thousand taels could be considered a good deed. Lin Shiba's interest in Mu Lan gradually faded: "It seems that your luck has run out today, young master"

At this moment, Lin Shiba suddenly felt a sense of unease. The shy expression that had been on the other person's face had completely vanished. A pair of eyes shone brightly, almost blindingly. It was merely the bravado of one facing imminent death; even if they obtained a pair of heavenly cards, they were destined to lose everything.

The light from the lantern perfectly illuminated the gambling table covered in black velvet. The young man's hands trembled slightly as he held the cards. His fingers unconsciously tapped gently on the surface of the table

Zizunbao can only suffer losses when encountering Bishi, right? Mu Lan, like a novice learning to play Pai Gow, cautiously sought confirmation from Lin Shiba. He felt as amused as a fox. Yes, he was deliberately trying to provoke Lin Shiba.

Gambler is just like this. They cannot see their own winnings, only fixate on the money they have won

Suddenly realizing that the dealer had changed, Mu Lan was momentarily taken aback. Although she did not show it on her face, she felt a sense of relief in her heart. Lin Shiba had finally arrived

Look at my cards!" Mu Lan laughed heartily as he revealed his cards. At that moment, his smile was particularly radiant, illuminating the entire room with his laughter

The atrium felt as if it had been struck heavily, and Lin Shiba's blood surged to his head, his throat parched: "Broke ten." Having spent fifteen years in the Liuxiang gambling house without ever losing, he was thus granted the family name by the young master. He had never encountered a situation where he lost to a royal flush.

Calmly flipping over the cards in front of him, he smiled and said: "Two four pairs with a one two. Young master, I am quite lucky tonight, having drawn a supreme treasure. You have lost"

Twenty-six thousand taels is still considered a small win? Cheating and being so brazen about it? Do you really think the Lin family is easy to bully? Lin Shiba was so angry that he pressed his lips tightly together

The silver shop that allows for nationwide deposit and exchange is simply the best Mu Lan smiled and nodded in agreement

Lin Shiba signaled the dealer to continue dealing the cards

Lin Shiba thought fiercely that his silver was not so easily taken away

Lin Shiba was taken aback

Ah, if I had known earlier, I wouldn't have gambled on the last hand. Just a little less winning.

The jade dice were thrown by Lin Shiba, spinning crisply in the white porcelain plate before gradually coming to a stop

Furthermore, the old Zhou who rows the boat brought him here. He is most concerned about the reputation of our family's gambling house. He is somewhat afraid that if he wins money, he will be stopped by the casino

Two taels of gambling capital won fifty-six thousand taels, how many people in a lifetime could not earn so much silver

Really? Mu Lan not only felt a stir in her heart, but her heartbeat also quickened. Throughout the entire day, she racked her brains and finally managed to have Lin Shiba voluntarily take her to Ninghua Tower. The next person to find is the woman in blue. What kind of woman will she be?

Eighteen Master. He won 2 taels of silver on his first bet and immediately pocketed his capital. A colleague quietly informed Lin Eighteen about Mu Lan's performance.

Mu Lan threw back what Lin Shiba had just said, full of sarcasm: "The Lin family is kind-hearted and the steward is merciful. The chips thrown out are precisely all the silver on the table. There is no thought of selling myself into slavery. Winning or losing is just that one bet"

The cards were dealt again. Lin Shiba looked at the cards. A slight crease formed between his brows, then smoothed out. This time he counted out twenty thousand taels of silver

"Do you conclude that the cards in my hand are the Supreme Treasure?" Lin Shiba suddenly asked

The steward on the second floor remarked that at a glance, the way he handled the Pai Gow tiles indicated he was not someone accustomed to a life of luxury and ease

Watching Mu Lan leave in high spirits, Lin Shiba coldly instructed, "Call two more expensive girls for him. Let him spend all his money before he leaves! Not a single coin left!"

Mu Lan took a silver note worth one hundred taels and placed it in the young lady's hand, reluctantly caressing her small hand as he said: "The brothel is closed, I will go to the inn in the town to stay for a night"