In the gambling houses, cheating and using sleight of hand are considered gambling skills.
However, gambling skills are not purely about cheating.
In this era, a gifted gambler, possessing astonishing techniques, could, by merely listening to the sounds of dice colliding within a dice cup, roughly ascertain the numbers on their faces!
Of course, this form of gambling was also quite pure, nothing more than betting on high or low.
Eighteen points or less for the dice were considered low, while exceeding eighteen points was high.
Yang Xiu and Gan Ning’s game was a bit more peculiar; they bet on the total sum of the dice. This meant that six sixes, totaling thirty-six, was the highest, and six ones, totaling six, was the lowest.
According to Gan Ning’s thinking, those skilled in such gambling techniques were usually over thirty years old. Listening to the dice by sound was already difficult and required immense experience.
It was like in later times, where an honest person could never win against the ladies in KTV lounges; they were all masters!
It was also like in the Han Dynasty, where the highest gambling skill belonged to Emperor Gaozu of Han, Liu Bang!
He associated with friends of similar inclinations, and a considerable amount of money was won from these circles. Of course, in the gambling houses, Liu Bang’s age and presence alone made him exude an aura of “master”!
And… Yang Xiu’s age seemed a bit too young.
He looked like a noble scion, but by no means a gambling master!
“The dice I’ve rolled this round are not small at all. I’ll gladly accept this large sack of gold from you, hahaha…”
Gan Ning placed his hand on the dice cup, not rushing to reveal it, and let out a hearty laugh.
Yang Xiu clicked his tongue, appearing uncertain. He also took a dice cup, filled it with dice, shook it a couple of times casually, and placed it on the gambling table.
At this moment, the gambling house was already surrounded by people…
Among them were those skilled in shaking dice. They could hear Gan Ning’s roll, which was at least three sixes, but they were a bit confused about the young man on the other side. He hadn’t shaken the dice much at all.
The technique of shaking dice involved shaking them more times; through subtle changes in sound, one could arrange the corresponding dice into desired positions.
In other words…
Yang Xiu’s casual shake meant very little room for manipulation, making it purely a gamble on luck.
*Dong…*
As Yang Xiu also placed his hand on the dice cup.
Gan Ning narrowed his eyes.
“Kid… you’ve lost!”
“You’re just too arrogant, just like those rich young masters, too trusting of so-called luck.”
“But, haha… in the face of absolute skill, luck plays too small a part.”
“Hahahaha…”
Boisterous laughter followed. Gan Ning uncovered his dice cup. Indeed, it was a high roll… a very high roll. Five sixes and one five, totaling thirty-five points. To roll such a number, even for Gan Ning, who had gambled for so many years, required immense luck.
Clearly, today… luck was on his side.
It must be known…
This was incredibly difficult!
A slight error in the forces applied could cause this “thirty-five” points to be ruined!
“Hahaha…”
Arrogant laughter erupted again. Gan Ning propped himself on the table, leaning forward, his eyes narrowed in a playful, mocking expression.
“I don’t believe that with just two shakes, you could roll six sixes!”
As he spoke…
Gan Ning even stuck out his tongue. He was already coveting this “fat lamb’s” gold. Even as a River Crossing Pirate, living by the blade… he had never seen such a large sack of gold before.
Not only Gan Ning.
At this moment… all of Gan Ning’s subordinates were beaming. They seemed to be envisioning their lives for the next half month: revelry every night, visiting every famous pleasure house and brothel in Jingzhou, drinking the strongest wine, eating the most expensive meat, and sleeping with the most alluring women!
Some were already drooling!
Yang Xiu’s followers looked grim…
Most of them were from the Dragon Soaring Camp and the Directorate of Vigilance. It wasn’t that they cared about the money. The Dragon Soaring Camp was a wealthy organization; they could afford to lose a hundred sacks of gold, let alone one. It was just… they felt the loss was unfair!
Was this not like coming to their door to deliver money?
Was the money of the Dragon Soaring Camp and the Directorate of Vigilance like it was blown in by the wind?
“Hahaha…”
Gan Ning saw Yang Xiu still hadn’t lifted his dice cup, thinking he was scared. He continued to taunt, “This young master is so generous with his出手, he must be from a wealthy family with a large fortune. Losing this little bit of money probably won’t make him angry!”
As he spoke, Gan Ning even patted Yang Xiu on the shoulder…
Clearly, he looked like he had victory in his grasp.
Finally…
Yang Xiu spoke.
“Are you finished speaking? Now it’s my turn!”
Yang Xiu, who had been leaning against the bamboo stool with his arms crossed, finally spoke. He smiled at Gan Ning.
“Haha!” Gan Ning was amused. He leaned his face close to Yang Xiu’s. “Come, come, let me see your six sixes!”
“Then… apologies!” Yang Xiu sat up straight, placed his elbows on the table, lifted one dice cup, and without looking himself, let everyone see clearly.
One six, two sixes… a total of… six sixes!
Six six six, six six six.
“Apologies, I have indeed rolled six sixes this time!”
“Just that cool!”
Yang Xiu’s slightly arrogant tone followed.
*Pa…*
Yang Xiu directly tossed the dice cup aside. Under the shocked and disbelieving gazes of the crowd, he waved his hand slightly. “I’ll gladly accept this money!”
“You…” Gan Ning’s pupils contracted violently. His face instantly lost all color…
You… you…
This…
He felt as if he were dreaming.
Some of the surrounding subordinates were about to draw their swords, but after drawing halfway, they seemed to realize they were within Jiangling City and immediately sheathed them.
Even so…
They still couldn’t believe that their boss, the River Crossing Pirate Gan Ning, Gan Xingba…
He… he had lost?
And lost so much!
“So much money? How should I spend it?” Yang Xiu casually tossed a bag of coins to the gambling house owner. “Everyone gets a share…”
“Thank you, sir!” The gambling house owner quickly said.
Yang Xiu then waved his hand slightly. “Work’s done, let’s go! Tonight, I’ve booked all the pleasure houses in Jiangling City! Haha…”
A very smug, very irritating laugh echoed through the gambling house.
Yang Xiu put on an extremely irritating demeanor.
And seeing him lead his men away with all the money from the gambling table, Gan Ning gritted his teeth, his molars grinding audibly. So much money, gone in an instant… just like that!
Unwillingness…
Unwillingness indeed!
“Brother… shall we…”
Seeing Yang Xiu and his men leave, his subordinates quickly reminded Gan Ning…
Gan Ning met their eyes, and they understood each other.
“Damn it, all of you, chase them!”
“I don’t believe this kid won’t leave the city!”
The River Crossing Pirate might have been unlucky at the gambling table, but that didn’t mean he would accept this “misfortune.” They were pirates… if they lost at gambling, couldn’t they just rob him?
…
…
In the borderlands, amidst the vast yellow sand and the boundless desert.
A group of Hu people set out from the royal court, traveling westward. They passed through the vast desert, heading towards a place called the “Khorchin Desert.”
Speaking of which, the Hexi Corridor they were traversing was essentially a corridor, almost following the chaotic Yellow River, passing through canyons.
On both sides were continuous mountains, which seemed to have no end. One valley after another, eventually converging into the crucial strategic point that secured the Guanzhong region.
“According to the map, we still have to travel over five hundred li to reach this Khorchin Desert…”
On a short, sturdy black warhorse, Zhang Xiu frowned.
To be precise, he was not Zhang Xiu. His current identity was the Left Virtuous King, “Modu,” and he had to admit that the mask of the Left Virtuous King was truly effective.
Within the royal court of the Left Virtuous King, he possessed almost supreme authority. He replaced all his confidantes with soldiers from the Dragon Soaring Camp and all the physicians with people from the Medical Office.
Even though he had staged the pretense of being plundered by the Yuan clan and the Wuhuan, suffering significant injuries, no one could see through his identity.
Coupled with the strategic advice of the Left Virtuous King’s consort, He Yan…
This position of Left Virtuous King was as solid as a rock.
Of course, there were still some issues, such as… the former Left Virtuous King’s Que clan!
These were women who had shared the bed with the Left Virtuous King. Zhang Xiu didn’t know how to face them. Ultimately, He Yan was more ruthless, secretly plotting and eliminating them!
Because of this, it was widely rumored in the Left Virtuous King’s royal court that the Left Virtuous King doted solely on the Cao Wei princess!
And was willing to slaughter all the Que clan for her!
Of course, such matters were happily accepted in the Southern Xiongnu.
After securing the throne, the next step for He Yan and Zhang Xiu was to follow the map to find desert areas suitable for growing grain and to locate the gold veins beneath the Hexi Corridor!
*Hoo…*
He Yan had underestimated the harshness of the borderlands.
As the group set off towards the Khorchin Desert, they encountered constant wind and sand. A dust storm almost caused him to fall behind.
However… precisely when he thought of his mother, and of achieving “Feng Lang Ju Xu” in a different way, He Yan gritted his teeth and pressed forward!
“Fortunately, it rained a few days ago, otherwise, I don’t know how dry and hot it would have been.”
As He Yan said…
It had rained a bit in this area recently. The rain was not heavy, but it caused the barren yellow earth, which had been piled up for countless years, to suddenly sprout a bit of green. Tenacious weeds pushed through the cracks in the soil, forming clusters, a unique vitality.
Speaking of which…
The Hexi region was not desolate in the past. It was once the crucial passage for the Western Regions to enter the passes. Many Western Region empires wishing to pay tribute had to pass through here, and merchants from the Han Empire would also come here to sell silk and porcelain.
At that time, merchants from the Western Regions, leading herds of camels and carrying various goods, traversed this Hexi Corridor, bustling with activity. It was also known as the Silk Road.
However… now, due to the decline of the Han Empire, the Western Regions Protectorate had lost contact with the Central Plains, and the gates of the Hexi Corridor and the Silk Road city had been closed.
The prosperity of yesteryears had now completely vanished!
As they spoke…
The sky suddenly began to rain again. A cold wind whistled. He Yan felt the cold wind, and an immeasurable sense of desolation filled him, making his heart turn cold.
Could planting ten thousand mu of rice and fertile land in the desert, in the borderlands, truly be achieved?
And… were the mountain ranges hidden among the mountains in the Hexi Corridor, as marked on Master Lu’s map, also… real?
He Yan frowned. He looked at the pouring rain, breathing out white mist.
He suddenly realized that to truly achieve the so-called “Feng Lang Ju Xu,” he would likely have to endure countless hardships.
“Shall we continue?”
Zhang Xiu’s words had two meanings. One was whether the cavalry should rest in the rain?
The other meaning was… should they continue their relentless search for the “Khorchin” Desert and the “gold veins”?
“Let’s not move for now!”
He Yan paused. Dressed as a consort, facing the wind and sand… his resolute face was more beautiful than any Southern Xiongnu woman!
“The map indicates that the gold vein is nearby…”
“Khorchin is far away, but the gold vein is already under our feet!”
Upon hearing this…
Zhang Xiu suddenly thought of something. “You mean?”
“Precisely!” Zhang Xiu immediately understood He Yan’s intention, and He Yan knew what he wanted to say.
The cooperation between this pair of partners was becoming increasingly close. “We need support. We need someone to rebuild fortresses, establish markets here in the Hexi Corridor… to open up trade! Only when this place prospers will we have more support to continue searching for the Khorchin Desert!”
Because they were in Hu territory…
Zhang Xiu and He Yan didn’t have many people they could trust. This time, he only brought troops from the Dragon Soaring Camp.
But these few people were too few!
He needed more help from the Han people!
He needed more Han people to flock to the Hexi Corridor, driven by greed for gold and the desire for the immense profits of border trade… He Yan needed their help.
“We must first find a gold mine here to attract some Han people… otherwise, even if you are the Left Virtuous King of the Southern Xiongnu, you still have too few helpers around you. This place is also on the border of the Southern Xiongnu, and we need more help from the Han people!”
He Yan emphasized repeatedly.
Zhang Xiu seemed to understand and nodded firmly.
He sighed, “What we are about to do this time is truly crazy!”
…
…
Jingzhou, outside Jiangling City!
The scenery here was pleasant and picturesque. Since Dong Zhuo entered the capital, the empire had fallen into chaos, with lords rising everywhere. Many cities were severely damaged, and even the official roads outside the cities were abandoned.
However, the various prefectures of Jingzhou seemed completely unaffected by the turmoil in the land!
The streams still flowed, weeds grew everywhere, and wild flowers bloomed unattended.
Yang Xiu, accompanied by his confidantes, was traveling north in a carriage!
Around them, farmers diligently swung their hoes, tilling the soil and diverting water to dig irrigation channels. Rocks were dug up, and clear springs emerged.
“Young Master Yang…”
A confidant asked Yang Xiu, “It seems you don’t understand gambling, Master. How did you manage to roll six sixes?”
“Haha…”
Upon hearing this, Yang Xiu laughed. He waved his hand. “Master Lu once said, what appears black before your eyes is not necessarily black, and what you see as white may not be white!”
Saying this… Yang Xiu paused, then continued with a smile. “You only saw me roll six sixes, but you don’t know that the five gambling houses in Jiangling City were all acquired by the Northern Alliance a month and a half ago. Haha, who would have thought, these gambling houses are our own people, and these dice are also our own dice!”
“In this way, even if I don’t understand any gambling techniques, with the right time, place, and people, it’s incredibly easy to win against a ‘River Crossing Pirate’!”
*Hoo…*
As these words left his mouth, his confidant gasped.
This…
Even he, a mid-level figure in the Directorate of Military Intelligence and an absolute confidant of Young Master Yang, was unaware of the Northern Alliance’s private acquisition of the Jiangling gambling houses.
What a secret…
Of course, this confidant didn’t know that in the letter from Lu Yu, marked “For Civilian Use,” a secret plan had already been laid out!
They had already proceeded along two lines: one was Yang Xiu going south to Jiangling, and the other was the Northern Alliance secretly acquiring gambling houses…
In this day and age, money makes the world go round…
Therefore, everyone in the gambling houses, from top to bottom, was their own person.
Yang Xiu himself didn’t know what tricks had been played with the dice cups, but he was certain he could roll six sixes!
“Hahaha…”
Thinking of this, Yang Xiu burst into laughter again.
But…
The confidant guard slapped his forehead. “Young Master Yang, the task received by the Directorate of Military Intelligence was not to win Gan Ning’s money, but rather…”
“Hahaha…” Hearing this, Yang Xiu laughed again, this time with a hint of melancholy. He spoke cryptically, “Master Lu said that Jiang Taigong fishing also requires the willing fish to take the bait!”
“We want to catch the River Crossing Pirate, we want to catch Gan Xingba, don’t we need to prepare a generous bait?”
As these words were spoken…
The confidant guard remained bewildered.
But…
Around them, footsteps could be heard.
“Shashashasha!”
Faint sounds emerged from the surrounding bushes. Immediately following, a large group of burly men in black blocked the caravan.
Before these black-clad men could speak, Yang Xiu’s lips curled slightly, and he murmured a sentence.
“They’ve arrived…”
“The fish have taken the bait!”
…
…