Gambling House Master

"Mm, got it."

Zhang Lingshan nodded. Too lazy to listen to him weep and complain, he took the twenty taels from him and returned to the courtyard. He woke Shi Lei and said, "Senior Brother Shi, Li Fu brought the money. Please go save his son."

Shi Lei had still been grumpy from being woken up, but the sight of the silver instantly dispelled his anger. After counting it, he snorted. "Such a huge pile of loose bits and pieces—it'd be embarrassing to take it out. But I'll let it slide for Junior Brother Shan's sake. After we finish afternoon dinner, we'll head to Three Rivers Gambling House."

"Alright."

Having said that, Zhang Lingshan did not want to listen to Li Fu's wailing any longer, so he had an apprentice from the outer courtyard pass on the message and tell him to wait.

He himself continued calmly cultivating the Primal Chaos Righteous Yang Posture.

In truth, he did not want to waste time with Li Fu at Three Rivers Gambling House, but according to Shi Lei, if he did not go, Shi Lei would not go either.

So he could only see his good deed through to the end.

It was also a good chance to see how Shi Lei handled matters. He could observe and learn, broadening his horizons in the process.

Soon, afternoon dinner was over.

Shi Lei strolled out of the martial hall with a wooden toothpick between his teeth. Glancing at the uneasy Li Fu waiting nearby, he snorted. "You're the one asking me for help?"

"Yes, yes. I beg Young Master Shi to help save my son."

Li Fu hurriedly dropped to his knees.

Shi Lei said, "For twenty taels of silver, I'm doing this for Junior Brother Shan's sake. I'm not helping you—I'm helping Junior Brother Shan. Understand?"

"I understand, I understand. Xiao Shan is a good man. Thank you, Xiao Shan."

"Let's go. Whimpering and sniveling—what kind of man are you?" Shi Lei snorted disdainfully.

Li Fu nodded and bowed. Though he was being scolded by someone a whole generation younger than him, he did not dare refute a word, merely following close behind the two of them.

They crossed several streets and turned through several intersections.

Finally.

They arrived at Three Rivers Gambling House.

Night was when the gambling house truly came alive.

And because filthy things roamed Jin City at night, anyone who came to the gambling house intended to spend the night here.

Many gambling addicts even simply lived here day and night, until they ran out of money and were thrown out, or grew desperate from losing and caused trouble, got caught cheating, and had their families come redeem them.

Li Dong had, with great honor, become one of them.

"Junior Brother Shan, have you ever been to a gambling house?" Shi Lei asked with a smile.

Zhang Lingshan shook his head.

Shi Lei spoke in the tone of someone who had been there before. "If you're going to gamble, you should come to a big place like this. That's the only way to have fun. At small gambling houses, you only win or lose a few taels of silver—it's boring. This neighbor of yours has a son who knows quality goods, haha."

Li Fu smiled sheepishly along with him. Though he was being mocked, he did not dare show the slightest displeasure.

Zhang Lingshan remained silent.

He knew nothing of the ways of this place. He had only come with Shi Lei to broaden his horizons, so whatever Shi Lei said went.

"Oh, Brother Shi is here! Come in, come in."

The guard at the gambling house entrance spotted Shi Lei and immediately greeted him warmly. Then he looked at Zhang Lingshan beside him and asked in confusion, "And this is?"

"This is my junior brother, Zhang Lingshan. He's my master's current favorite. Treat him well!"

Shi Lei called out loudly.

Zhang Lingshan was speechless. This guy really could brag. How had he become a favorite?

He was only a nobody who had not even mastered the Standing Posture. Even though Hong Zhengdao appreciated his talent, he had never personally instructed him. All along, he had still been left under Shi Lei's guidance.

What kind of favorite was that?

How could the guard know all that? He immediately said respectfully, "So you are Hall Master Hong's newly accepted genius disciple. Forgive my disrespect, forgive my disrespect. Please come in, please come in."

As he spoke, he glanced at Li Fu, and his expression immediately changed. Snorting, he said, "Why has this old thing come again? Have you prepared the money?"

Li Fu hurriedly looked toward Shi Lei.

Shi Lei coughed and said, "Feng Zai, this old man came with me. Let's talk inside."

Feng Zai gave Li Fu a surprised look, then let out a chuckle and gestured for them to enter. "Please, please, please. All three of you, come in."

As he spoke, he gave his companion behind him a meaningful look.

That companion swiftly slipped back into the gambling house.

Feng Zai led Zhang Lingshan and the other two inside, smiling as he said, "Brother Shi, aren't you going to play a few rounds?"

"Of course I am. If I don't play, then I came for nothing!"

The moment Shi Lei heard the sound of dice rattling, his gambling itch flared up, as though he had completely forgotten what they had come here for.

Zhang Lingshan hurriedly tugged at him and whispered, "Senior Brother, I still have to go home later. It'll be troublesome if it gets dark."

"Right, right, right. Business first. Ahem, Feng Zai, we'll play later. Take me to see this old man's son first."

"Sure thing, Brother Shi. This way, please."

Feng Zai led the three through a passageway in the gambling house and into the backyard.

The moment they entered, they heard a hearty laugh. "Brother Shi, you're here to support your little brother's business again?"

"Oh, Old Fourth, when did you get back? Long time no see. It's even better that you're here. Hurry and release this old man's son, Li Dong. Then we can go out and have some fun—call a few girls, throw back dozens of cups of dice and dozens of cups of wine, and we won't go home until we're drunk!"

Shi Lei was overjoyed and linked arms with the young man called Old Fourth.

It had not been any great matter to begin with. At most, he would need to waste a few more words and bring out the prestige of Hong Clan Martial Hall to pressure them.

But now that there was someone he knew here, he would not even need to waste his breath. On Shi Lei's reputation alone, the matter could be settled smoothly. It was simply perfect!

"Brother Shi."

Yet Old Fourth's smile faded, and a troubled expression appeared on his face.

Shi Lei's face darkened. "What is it? Does your big brother not even have this much face here? Li Dong is only half-grown. What kind of cheating could he have dared pull? I'll speak on his behalf. Just show mercy, alright?"

"Brother Shi, it's not that I don't want to show mercy. It's that this hand of mine isn't mine to command right now." Old Fourth gave a bitter smile.

Shi Lei sneered. "It isn't yours to command? Is your hand not attached to your body?"

"It is attached to my body, but you came at an unfortunate time today, Brother Shi. Our Gambling House Master has returned. Everything is now decided by him. I'm powerless to help with this matter."

Shi Lei snorted. "What Gambling House Master? Why haven't I heard of him? Call him out and let me meet him. If he won't give me face, will he not even give Hong Clan Martial Hall face?"

Old Fourth advised, "Our Gambling House Master has always focused on martial arts and only recently emerged from seclusion. Brother Shi, are you sure you want to meet him? I think it's best not to. Otherwise, it may be hard to end things peacefully. Our Gambling House Master does not have a good temper."

"Meet him? Why wouldn't I meet him? I'd like to see just how bad his temper is!"

Shi Lei shouted.

He did not believe it. He felt this was no longer a matter of whether he would act as Li Fu's mediator. The issue now was that he had been slapped in the face.

Junior Brother Zhang Lingshan was watching from behind him.

As the senior brother, he had already taken the money. If he slunk away with his tail between his legs now, how could he continue getting by? How could he ever face Zhang Lingshan again?

Even if Zhang Lingshan was not embarrassed, he was.

So he absolutely had to meet this Gambling House Master he had never even heard of.

Was he really that formidable?

No matter how formidable he was, did he dare oppose Hong Clan Martial Hall?