I knew the first two hands were just appetizers; the key to successfully sweeping the floor tonight... hinges on Shen Mengqing!
In the past, due to our similar identities and positions, Shen Mengqing might have held back some of her ultimate skills.
But now, it's different.
As the Lantern Keeper, Shen Mengqing is finally going to make her move against me!
The grand battle to sweep the floor is about to begin!
...
After separating all four decks of cards, Shen Mengqing fanned them out one by one and pushed them towards me, signaling me to inspect them.
I didn't inspect the cards, but waved my hand, telling her to shuffle directly.
Seeing this, Shen Mengqing decisively began to shuffle.
After shuffling, instead of cutting the cards herself like Li Sheng, she gestured for me to cut.
As expected of a Lantern Keeper, Shen Mengqing is truly meticulous.
Asking me to cut the cards has two implications.
First, it's for the benefit of the onlookers.
Given the malfunction of the card machine, manual shuffling usually involves a cutting step, and it's typically performed by someone other than the dealer.
This implication is intended to convey to the surrounding gamblers that Rui Chi is absolutely fair and just.
As for the second point, it's purely directed at me.
Cutting cards is one of the best ways to gauge the skill level of a cheat.
Even though I knew Shen Mengqing was testing me, setting a trap for me to fall into, I had no choice but to jump in.
Because this is one of the few opportunities I have to get a good touch of the cards.
So, my hands moved in unison, cutting the four decks of cards horizontally and continuously several times.
The horizontal cutting technique I just employed, on the surface, looks no different from how an ordinary person would cut cards. However...
There's a hidden complexity within it.
The so-called horizontal cutting technique refers to the fact that every time I pick up a stack of cards, I interleave and disrupt the top and bottom edges of that stack, and then place it back into the neat pile.
With my hands working together, my speed is very fast.
So fast that everyone subconsciously assumes I'm just performing a normal cross-cut.
Of course, Shen Mengqing can see the problem.
Because I exposed my left hand.
There was no way around it.
To horizontally cut four decks of cards with one hand, unless your fingers are 18 centimeters or longer.
The horizontal cutting technique I used actually combines the "Star Picking Hand" and the "Moon Embracing Hand" in a continuous horizontal motion.
The Star Picking Hand shuffles the cards, disrupting their order.
The Moon Embracing Hand secretly takes cards, hiding them for future use.
This is the first time I've demonstrated this in front of Shen Mengqing, and I didn't dare to steal too many cards.
I only stole two cards, one with each hand.
After cutting the cards, I saw Shen Mengqing's expression turn considerably gloomier.
I assume she realized I'm a cheat who uses both hands equally.
Without being able to see clearly and without certainty as to whether I had cheated, Shen Mengqing didn't make a rash move, but waited for me to place my bet before dealing.
However, she subtly altered her dealing action, flipping the first card directly and dealing it to me.
As I mentioned earlier, in card games like Blackjack, Baccarat, and Poker played in Wenzhou, when the dealer deals cards to the gambler, the gambler can flip the cards themselves.
In other words, there's a process to revealing the face-up cards.
But now, Shen Mengqing has directly skipped this process.
Can you say she's breaking the rules?
The answer is: no!
Because in most casinos outside of Zhejiang Province, it's the dealer who directly deals face-up cards to the gamblers.
Furthermore, the major casinos in Zhejiang Province have not established a unified regulation on this point.
Therefore, I could only suffer in silence.
Fortunately, I had stolen two cards in advance and kept them hidden; otherwise, Shen Mengqing's sudden change of tactic would have put me in a passive position.
After the face-up card was dealt, I received a single King, while Shen Mengqing received a single Ten.
The same point value.
Due to the dealer-player relationship in Blackjack, the dealer's second card must wait until the player's hand is set before it can be revealed.
So, this hand... is interesting!
In the first hand of my formal confrontation with Shen Mengqing, I didn't hold back and didn't dare to be careless.
When she dealt me the second hidden card, I decided to act when the opportunity arose.
As soon as the cards were dealt, I began to "dizzy" them with my hands.
At this moment, Shen Mengqing's beautiful eyes were fixed on my hands, unmoving.
After pretending to exhale and sliding the playing cards horizontally, preparing to lift an edge, I suddenly exclaimed, "Yo ho!"
"You've given me a Blackjack on the first hand!"
As soon as I spoke, I revealed my hidden card.
The Ace of Spades.
According to the rules of Blackjack, a Blackjack wins a 1.5 times payout (i.e., 2 to 3).
This means that if you bet one hundred thousand and have a Blackjack with two cards, you will receive an additional one hundred and fifty thousand in winnings on top of your principal.
If the dealer also has a Blackjack with two cards, it's a push, and the player gets their principal back.
If the dealer reaches 21 by drawing three or more cards, the player's Blackjack still wins, earning a 1.5 times payout.
When cutting the cards earlier, I stole an Ace and a face card precisely to be prepared for any eventuality.
After Shen Mengqing changed her tactic, I decisively drew my sword and counterattacked, intending to force her to make another move.
At this moment, Shen Mengqing was staring at me with a look of indecision.
I imagine she was unsure how my Blackjack came about. If it was cheating, how was it done so imperceptibly?
The card-swapping technique used this time was not the "Sleeve Sword" previously used, but Uncle Tuo's unique skill.
Before Shen Mengqing can figure it out, let me keep you in suspense.
After staring at me for a while, Shen Mengqing said meaningfully, "Esteemed guest, your luck is truly extraordinary!"
When she said the words "luck," Shen Mengqing deliberately emphasized her tone.
Upon hearing this, I replied with an unchanged expression, "Just so-so, beautiful! Hurry up and look at your cards!"
Ignoring my words, Shen Mengqing asked another ambiguous question, "Esteemed guest, could you tell me your name and where you work?"
Clearly, unable to decipher my cheating method, she had begun to guess my identity.
I was prepared for this, and replied in broken Cantonese, "So sorry, beautiful! I'm already taken!"
After saying this, I glanced at Jiang Xiaowan with feigned affection.
Jiang Xiaowan also responded with a delicate laugh and subtly tightened her arm around mine.
Since entering, Jiang Xiaowan's defined role was that of a decorative vase.
Her purpose in hiding her identity was to deal with any unexpected situations that might arise during the game, making it easier for me to transfer the stolen cards.
Seeing that she couldn't get any results, Shen Mengqing had no choice but to temporarily give up, reaching for the deck of cards to draw the crucial second face-up card...