Da Tang Shuang Long Zhuan Volume 3 Chapter 7 part3

So, nobody has the answer to my question yesterday?

Although the two boys dreamed about making a fortune all day long, it was due to the necessities of life, not because they were greedy for money or addicted to stuffs. They had been drifting along in the marketplace since childhood; they had deep understanding of the principle ‘no one has voracious desire of inexpensive thing'. Not to mention that they recently learned a valuable lesson from their mistake in dealing with their Beautiful Shifu. How could they easily trust this new acquaintance with evasive speech?

Xu Ziling cleared his throat and said, "We are not too interested in gambling; how about calling those two beauties just now to … hey! To … whatever! Is it alright?”

Not showing any concern, Xiang Yushan said, "Speaking about beauty, those two servant girls[1] have not made the cut yet; the most popular in our place are Cui Ning and Cui Zhi, two girls. But you can only see them in the noble guest room [i.e. VIP lounge]. Let us stroll around in here first, later I'll take you to have a drink and be merry with them! I guarantee gentlemen's trip would not be made in vain.”

Seeing that he did not pressure them to gamble, the two boys were somewhat relieved. Gladly they followed him passing through the left and squeezing through the right among the jam-packed gambling tables, toward the largest hall in the middle.

By way of introduction Xiang Yushan said, "Our gambling hall was meticulously designed by an expert in five-element principle. One big and eight small, nine gambling halls are positioned based on Nine-Palace formation. The biggest gambling hall in the middle joined together suppressing the eight points of the compass, as a result the color scheme rely mainly on bright yellow, because dark yellow is too heavy and sluggish. There are twenty-five tables, because five is the earth element, and twenty-five is the square of five, the meaning is that the profit will be doubled.”

It was only then did the two boys find out that opening a casino also involved certain knowledge; it was an eye-opener.

By nature the boys were inquisitive. Listening to this interesting topic, inevitably they asked left and right, and completely forgot about those beautiful waitresses who look at them with raised eyebrows and amused eyes.

Xiang Yushan led them toward a table where twenty, thirty people were crowding around it. They watched as the beautiful and alluring female dealer threw the giant dice made of bone into a square bowl, and after covering the bowl she raised it above her head and shook it vigorously. And then she put it down on the table and shouted tenderly, "Honorable guests, please place your bet!”

One after another the gamblers put their bets on the betting board.

Xiang Yushan said, "This is called ‘betting treasure'; if the bet matches the number of dots on the dice, the payment is three times the stake.”

Kou Zhong sighed and said, "The odd in winning is one in six, but to you, the casino, it is five of six. No wonder opening a casino can make a fortune.”

Xiang Yushan laughed and said, "You can also bet on the dice color; the odd is one to one, very even.”

Xu Ziling focused his attention to watch, most people bet on the number of dots, obviously they were all hoping to win triple their wager. That's why betting on the color of the dice was provided no more as lip service!

"Don't you want to play a hand or two?” Xiang Yushan prompted.

The two boys just shook their head.

Xiang Yushan simply brushed it aside and led them into the middle hall. Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling's eyes immediately brightened. They saw leaning against a gambling table to the left, a beautiful woman, like a red dot in the sea of obscurity, was gambling enthusiastically.

Not only she had picturesque facial feature, the most noticeable thing about her was that the opening of the flap of her gown was extremely low, exposing almost half of her jade breasts and her deep cleavage, so that she looked exceptionally tarty.

The two boys often heard that a lot of people from the northern part of the country have blood relationship with non-Han people, so that in general they were unrestrained by convention. Still it was the first time that they saw a woman openly dressed in such a low-cut dress in public place with numerous people; they could not help staring with mouth agape.

Xiang Yushan smiled wryly and said, "That woman must never be touched. Despite her coquettish charm, she is actually one of the Peng Liang Hui's [society] three masters, known as Sao Niang [coquettish lady], Ren Meimei. Her martial skill outstanding, she is adept at toying with men, from head to toe she is covered in thorns, and woe is men who run into her. Even I do not dare to mess with her.”

Kou Zhong swallowed a mouthful of saliva; he said in low voice, "What is Peng Liang Society?”

Xiang Yushan was surprised, "You have not even heard of Peng Liang Society?” he asked, "Peng is Pengcheng, Liang refers to Liang Jun [Liang county], sixty li northwest of Pengcheng. Peng Liang Society is one of ‘Eight Clans [bang] Ten Societies [hui]'. Wherever they go, Jianghu people will have to give them some face.”

Finished speaking, he was just about to pull the two boys away, who would have thought that Ren Meimei's eyes happened to leave the gambling table and look at their direction? Seeing Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling, two people, her beautiful eyes lit up, with coquettish laugh she called, "Yushan, what are you doing staring blankly like a fool over there? Why haven't you come over and hang out with nujia [again, ‘slave', a polite way a woman refers to herself]?”

While waving his hand in response, Xiang Yushan whispered, "No matter what she wants you to do, remember to push all the blame to me.” Finished speaking he promptly walked over to her.

As the two boys heard that she was another Bang Hui [clan and society] people, immediately they felt headache. Without any choice they braced themselves and followed Xiang Yushan toward Ren Meimei.

[1] Servant girl, orig. yatou - girl, can be used both deprecatingly and as a term of endearment.

Chapter end