Casino 19

Inside the Liyuan Casino, the light was dim, with cheers and curses weaving through the air. Jing Chen entered, accompanied by Shi Qian, Zhang Meng, and Zhao Hu.

A lackey approached them, as thin as a monkey with a sharp, pointed face, his small eyes darting around the group. With a smirk that didn't reach his eyes, he said, "Yo, gentlemen, you look like unfamiliar faces. First time here, I presume?" As he spoke, he patted Jing Chen on the shoulder, his hand sliding downward as he sensed a "fat lamb" had arrived.

Zhang Meng and Zhao Hu knitted their brows, casting a glance at Jing Chen. Seeing him give a slight shake of his head, they suppressed their intent to kill. Jing Chen’s lips curled into a faint smile. He reached out, pulled out five hundred taels of silver, and handed them to Shi Qian. "Go ahead and play with confidence," he whispered. "I will back you up."

Shi Qian nodded firmly. "Understood, Your Highness." He took the silver notes and walked calmly toward the gambling table.

The dealer was a woman in her early twenties, heavily made up and exceptionally alluring. Her figure was curvaceous, draped in a red robe that clung tightly to her ample chest. A black leather whip hung at her waist, and one of her jade-like legs was propped up on a bench, the red fabric revealing skin as white and delicate as snow. The men around the table could only swallow hard, occasionally stealing a glance but never daring to stare. The reason was simple: this woman held a formidable status—she was Qian Jiaojiao, the daughter of Qian Sheng, the head of the Qian family.

She was naturally mischievous and unconventional, uninterested in the arts, but fond of gambling, drinking, and violence. It was said that once, a man had tried to touch her leg under the table in the dark, and his arm had been chopped off on the spot.

When she saw Jing Chen, Qian Jiaojiao felt no ripple of interest. She had seen all types of men in this casino; after a single glance, she lost interest. She flicked her wrist and slammed the dice cup onto the table.

"Alright, everyone, place your bets! Large or small, no more adjustments!"

Shi Qian didn't hesitate, throwing all five hundred taels onto "small."

"Oh?" Qian Jiaojiao raised an eyebrow, her beautiful eyes dancing. "This helper of yours is quite bold. Aren't you afraid of losing everything in one go, forcing your master to sell himself to pay off the debt?"

The lackey standing nearby chuckled, "We accept treasures as collateral, but selling yourself is out of the question. You'd better leave that to Miss Jiaojiao herself." The surrounding crowd burst into laughter. Qian Jiaojiao giggled, her chest trembling beneath her red robes.

"Open it," Jing Chen said.

The cup was lifted. "One, two, four—small!"

Qian Jiaojiao glanced at them and remarked, "The young master has good luck..."

"Then Miss Jiaojiao should take this seriously. Don't go losing yourself to me tonight," Jing Chen said calmly. Qian Jiaojiao stared at him, momentarily stunned.

She sneered, "I'm only afraid the young master doesn't have the skill for that!" She began to shake the dice again.

*Clack.*

Shi Qian threw a thousand taels on the same spot. "Still small."

"Two, two, three—it really is small!" The crowd gasped in surprise.

Qian Jiaojiao remained composed and began to shake again. "Betting on large."

The capital had reached two thousand taels, and Shi Qian went all-in again. "Five, five, six—large!" The capital grew to four thousand taels.

This time, Qian Jiaojiao’s willow-leaf brows furrowed, and she shook the dice with a loud rattling sound. The noise was overwhelming, but Shi Qian remained steady. "Betting on large."

"Four, five, six—large!"

Now, shouts of amazement erupted throughout the casino. Many had won four times in a row, but who dared to go all-in four times? And win every time! The five hundred taels had turned into eight thousand in the blink of an eye.

"This guy is a pro."
"Did he listen to the dice?"
"Should we follow his next bet?"
"Be careful, what if he's a plant?"

The crowd whispered. There were many tricks in the casino; if you followed the heat and believed too easily, you’d end up penniless.

*Clack!*

Qian Jiaojiao finished shaking and narrowed her phoenix eyes. "Place your bets!"

Shi Qian pushed all his chips into the center. "I'm betting on a triple!"

The entire room was in an uproar! Everyone crowded around. Eight thousand taels, all on a triple—the audacity was staggering! A flash of shock crossed Qian Jiaojiao’s beautiful eyes. The leg she had been resting on the chair started to move toward the table, aiming for the hidden switch.

Suddenly, a large hand grabbed her leg.

"Miss Jiaojiao's legs are white and delicate, neither too thick nor too thin, plump and long—truly a masterpiece." Jing Chen looked at her with a smile, his hand caressing her leg.

Caught red-handed, Qian Jiaojiao was both embarrassed and anxious. She reached for her whip, but Jing Chen grabbed it. A cold glint flashed in his eyes as he shouted, "Open it."

With a snap, Zhang Meng flipped the dice cover.

"Six, six, six—it really is a triple."

The casino exploded into chaos; screams and shouts echoed one after another! A triple paid thirty to one; the eight thousand taels had turned into two hundred and forty thousand.

Qian Jiaojiao cried out, "I didn't open the cup, this round doesn't count!"

Jing Chen laughed, "If you can't afford to lose, why run a casino? If Miss Jiaojiao can't pay the silver, then just pay with yourself!"

Qian Jiaojiao was shocked, furious, and humiliated. After her initial panic, a vicious look appeared in her eyes. She sneered, "I advise the young master to stop while you're ahead. Don't take this too seriously—this is the Qian family's territory!"

"What do you mean? This... young master doesn't understand," Jing Chen feigned ignorance.

She leaned in close, whispering into his ear. The two were almost embracing, causing the surrounding crowd to jeer even louder. Jing Chen caught a whiff of a heady peony scent.

"Without the Qian family's permission, no one takes money out of here," she hissed. "The Qian family has connections in the imperial court. You are harassing a woman in public; even if you beat me, you are in the wrong, and you will be the one humiliated!"

Hearing the threat from this beautiful viper, Jing Chen laughed. "Connections in the court? Bring them over and let me see."

Qian Jiaojiao snapped, "You're choosing the path to hell instead of the one to paradise. If you won't drink the toast of friendship, you'll drink the forfeit of punishment!"

Just then, a commotion erupted in the crowd. Qian Sheng, the head of the Qian family, arrived with over a dozen burly men in tight-fitting clothes. These men were strong and imposing—the hired muscle of the Qian family. Known as "Tiger Qian," his reputation was formidable, and the room fell silent as he appeared. He waved a large hand, and his men quickly formed a circle, pushing the others away.

"Oh?" Jing Chen raised an eyebrow. "Does the head of the Qian family mean to say that you can't afford to lose and are going to welch on my debt?"

Seeing the others isolated, Qian Sheng’s eyes glinted with malice. He looked defiantly at Jing Chen and nodded. "Yes." He continued, "This is my territory. Here, who dares to cause me trouble?"

A fierce-looking thug pointed to the door. "Young master, please."

Jing Chen’s eyes turned cold, but he wasn't in a hurry to get angry. "I haven't had my fill yet. Your daughter seems to have lost everything; you should take over for her!"

"Shi Qian, continue."

Qian Sheng was enraged. "Boy, you really are asking for a beating! Men, take that Shi Qian down!"

"Yes!"

Several figures lunged from the crowd, aiming directly at Shi Qian. Cold steel flickered in their hands—they were going for the kill!

Before Jing Chen could even give the order, Zhang Meng struck. His sword flashed, blood splattered, and several severed arms fell to the floor.

"Ah!" The thugs fell to the ground, howling in pain.

Qian Sheng’s expression changed instantly. "You brought a master with you? Kill him too!"

The group swarmed forward...