The second floor was a bit better than the first. In the same area, only three Pai Gow tables, two "Fan Tan" tables, and four "thirteen-card" tables were set up. There was still some space around the perimeter to place a dozen or so rattan chairs, along with some cheap snacks and tea for the gamblers to rest. However, those gamblers who were already engrossed in their games often left the tea and snacks untouched all day, completely focused on their cards and the betting on the table. Meanwhile, a dozen or so burly men with dragon and phoenix tattoos sat in the rattan chairs, rubbing their leather shoes and chatting idly. Seeing Gu Tiancheng and Li Angju come up to the second floor, the leader, a man who looked no more than twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, holding a Yixing teapot, grinned at Gu Tiancheng: "Ah Shing, I heard you've been sick for a few days? Are you better yet? Uncle Xiang is waiting for you on the third floor."
"Thank you for your concern, Brother Shan. I'll go see Uncle Xiang first, and I'll come back to have tea with you when I'm done." Gu Tiancheng said politely to the burly man called Brother Shan, then turned and continued walking towards the third floor.
These dozen or so burly men were the fourth level of the thirteen-level Gambling den, responsible for maintaining order. They were essentially the casino's enforcers. Whether it was gamblers cheating and causing trouble, or other casinos or rivals coming to cause trouble, these men would handle any fights involving violence. The one Gu Tiancheng called Brother Shan was the leader of these burly men, He Yong Yi Red Pole Che Qi Shan.
Gu Tiancheng went up to the third floor, while Li Angju walked over to Brother Shan and the others with a fawning smile. He took out four packs of Ho Choi cigarettes from his pocket, stacked them together respectfully, and placed them on the small table in front of Brother Shan: "Brother Shan, Brother Dong, Brother Wen, and other Big Brother, have a cigarette, have a cigarette."
Brother Shan looked at Li Angju with a half-smile, "Hey, Ah Ju, Ah Shing has been sick these past few days, and you've been stuck at the stall the whole time. You've spent at least two hundred dollars on it. You treated us to tea and snacks in the morning, and delivered cigarettes in the afternoon. Ah Shing wasn't worried at all, so why are you? You should learn from Ah Shing. He acts like nothing happened when something happens. He's so calm."
"I don't know if Brother Shing's brain is rusted now. When Uncle Xiang asked me to go to the Charity School to call him to the stall, he was reading English newspaper. He's out of his mind, so of course I have to run errands for him. That's all for tonight, Big Brother. Brother Shing is treating at Fung Yu Restaurant in Mong Kok. Please come and support him. If you don't come, Ah Shing will be so embarrassed." Li Angju tore open a pack of cigarettes and handed them to the dozen or so burly men one by one, lighting them and saying politely.
"Alright, alright, you've been running around these past few days, putting all that effort into your work. You'd be Silver Head like Ah Shing by now. You're good at fighting, loyal, and always ready to help your brothers. You'll definitely make it big. It's just a shame your sworn Big Brother is locked up in Xiaogan Prison." Brother Shan, with a cigarette dangling from his lips, exhaled a puff of smoke and said to Li Angju, "Don't worry, Ah Shing. You two brothers have always been obedient. Of course I'll go if you invite me to dinner. Although Ah Shing hasn't sworn Big Brother yet, we've always considered him one of our own. As for those guys in Shek Tong Tsui, if we don't get along, we won't hold back."
"Thank you, Brother Shan, thank you all, Big Brother." After lighting everyone's cigarettes, Li Angju thanked them with a beaming smile.
The third floor of the casino was even more luxurious than the second floor. In addition to rattan chairs, snacks, and tea for gamblers to rest, there were also several opium couches, complete with opium lamps, pipes, and opium paste. A demure young woman served each opium couch, helping guests light the lamps and roll their opium. The third floor didn't have as many tables, only two blackjack tables, which were divided into two private rooms by a large screen.
Gu Tiancheng did not enter the private room, but went to a partitioned room in the corner of the third floor. Although it was only about 20 square meters in size, it was full of wealth and luxury. There were antique calligraphy and paintings, old-fashioned rosewood tables and chairs. At this moment, a middle-aged man of about 40 years old, wearing a silk robe and with his slightly balding hair neatly combed with hair wax, was sitting in a grand chair with his legs crossed, listening to an old-fashioned radio on the table next to him.
This middle-aged man is the second-level socialite among the thirteen levels of people in Xiangshun Mahjong School. He is the senior He Yong Yi White Paper Fan Smiling-Faced Xiang. According to seniority, Li Angju, the fourth-year student, is Smiling-Faced Xiang's grand-disciple.
The term "big thirteen levels" in the underworld refers to Gambling dens. However, not all Gambling dens are considered "big thirteen levels." While there are no hard and fast rules, those in the underworld know that Gambling den must meet five conditions to be considered a "big thirteen level": large capital, influential people, powerful background, large venue, and large stakes. Only after meeting these five conditions can Gambling den be considered a "big thirteen level."
As for the thirteenth level, it refers to the different people in the gang who have different roles. The first level is the shareholders, that is, the casino owners. The rules of the casino are that only people from the underworld can open it and only people from the underworld can use it. In Hong Kong in the 1940s and 1950s, those who opened casinos must be well-known figures from various gangs. The owner of Xiangshun Mahjong School was the previous boss of He Yong Yi, Guli Qiang.
The second layer is the social connections, which is the Smiling-Faced Xiang in front of Gu Tiancheng at this moment. Casino owners can't watch the business all day long, so they naturally need someone to manage it. The person responsible for managing the casino on his behalf is the social connections. In the entire Gambling den, the social connections are second only to the boss. The person in the social connections position must be sharp-minded, shrewd, have a wide circle of friends, be influential, and have strong power. Whether it's the police coming to check the Gambling den, underworld figures coming to pick up money, or even bribing superiors and subordinates during holidays, the social connections are responsible for all the arrangements and deployments of the Gambling den's staff. Moreover, the social connections don't need to stay in the casino all day watching the business. Below him, there is a third layer.
The third level is called the manager, who is actually the executor of the intermediary's duties. They spend all day in the casino carrying out the tasks assigned by the intermediary and managing the casino business. This position is usually held by the intermediary's trusted confidants.
The fourth floor consists of the patrol officers on the second floor who are always ready to fight and brawl. The fifth floor is where the Silver Heads are, which is Gu Tiancheng's position. They are equivalent to the financial managers of a casino, and there are usually three to five Silver Heads.
In a casino, the fifth floor is considered the upper level, holding the reins of power and wealth. Below that are the cashiers on the sixth floor, responsible for the various gambling tables; the cashiers on the seventh floor, who help the cashiers urge customers to place bets; the clerks on the eighth floor, responsible for running errands and relaying messages; the gatekeepers on the ninth floor, responsible for guarding the door; the female assistants on the tenth floor, responsible for making tea, serving water, and handling miscellaneous tasks; the Observatory on the eleventh floor, responsible for keeping watch; the patrons on the twelfth floor, responsible for introducing customers to gamble; and the scapegoats on the thirteenth floor, responsible for taking the blame when something goes wrong at the Gambling den.