Chapter 24: The Confrontation

Upon hearing this, the wealthy gentlemen all took their seats. Zhao Kai smiled slightly and instructed the dealer to begin. There were cheats at the gambling house, but he had no intention of intervening directly—doing so would only invite suspicion that he was manipulating things from behind the scenes.

The cleverest way to prevent trouble was to involve one of the major players who had suffered losses. By using their influence, he could resolve the issue without taking action himself. All he needed to do was set the stage, draw the culprit into the open, and let others deal with the troublemaker. In business, it was always best to avoid direct conflict.

“I’ll start with one hundred taels. Gentlemen, please,” said the young nobleman, laying down his wager. Naturally, the other gentlemen could not be outdone; five hundred, a thousand taels were soon placed on the table.

Zhao Kai remained silent, placing only fifty taels.

“You’re being a little stingy, Master Zhao,” one teased.

Zhao Kai replied with a modest smile, “It’s just for fun, after all. Win or lose, I’ll still get my share.”

“In that case, I won’t hold back,” said the young nobleman, swiftly laying down two cards. At first, the game proceeded normally, but as it went on, something began to feel off. The other gentlemen didn’t notice, but Zhao Kai, seasoned in the ways of the gambling house, quickly realized the young nobleman was slyly slipping extra cards into play.

Thrice already, pairs of twos had appeared in one-on-one hands. With so many people and cards, that might seem normal—except that Zhao Kai had only put two twos into play. That was suspicious.

Knowing exactly what was happening, Zhao Kai chose not to expose him immediately. If the young nobleman wanted to win, Zhao Kai would help him along. He deliberately fed the cheat a few cards, letting the major players suffer losses and allowing the young nobleman to accumulate a flush of victory.

“My luck is truly dreadful today. Losing every hand!” one gentleman grumbled.

“It’s normal to win some and lose some,” Zhao Kai said with feigned comfort. “It’s all in good fun—don’t take it to heart.”

Yet, under Zhao Kai’s subtle “assistance,” the young nobleman soon won every hand at the table.

“Congratulations, sir,” Zhao Kai said, pushing a pile of gleaming silver before him. “You’ve bested us all.”

“It’s just luck, nothing more…” the young nobleman murmured.

Zhao Kai could feign generosity, but the others could not. For all the major figures to lose—who would believe it was luck?

“Master Zhao, as I recall, you invented this game. We’ve all lost—don’t you find that odd?”

“Not at all,” Zhao Kai replied with innocent surprise. “Everything seems normal to me. Besides, with so many watching, how could anything be wrong with the cards?”

At his words, everyone turned their gaze to the table.

“Someone, check these cards for me. See if anything’s amiss.”

Sure enough, a search uncovered several forged cards. The once-cheerful young nobleman was now trembling with fear.

“Seize him! Give him a beating!” one of the men bellowed.

A group of toughs surged forward, pummeling him mercilessly. Seeing the beating was about to turn deadly, Zhao Kai hurried to intervene.

“Gentlemen, for my sake, let him go this once. Everyone makes mistakes. Have him return the money as an apology—what do you say?”

No one minded getting their money back, but their anger was not so easily appeased.

“Master Zhao may be merciful, but we are not. If anyone dares try such tricks in his house again, they’d best fear for their lives!”

Heads bobbed in agreement like pecking chickens. Zhao Kai was quite satisfied: without lifting a finger, he’d caught the culprit, issued a warning, and ensured that anyone wishing to cheat at his house in the future would have to think twice—not just of him, but of the others as well.

After seeing off the guests, Zhao Kai turned to the battered young nobleman and said earnestly, “Look at this mess you’ve brought upon yourself. Gambling should be for amusement, not for trouble. Judging by your fine clothes, you don’t seem to be in need of money.”

The young nobleman certainly was not short of funds. He had only come to the gambling house in a fit of pique, unable to swallow his pride. In the end, not only did he fail to win, but he was also soundly beaten. Had Zhao Kai not intervened, he might not have left alive.

“Brother Zhao, you’re truly loyal,” the young man said.

“There’s no need for thanks. Can you walk? Would you like someone to escort you home?”

Zhao Kai bore no grudge—this little punishment was enough. His actions touched the young nobleman deeply, leaving him teary-eyed.

“Brother Zhao, you’re a good man. I cheated so much money from you, and yet you don’t hold it against me.”

With all he possessed, what did this trifling sum matter?

“Brother Zhao, from today on, we’re friends. If ever you need help, come and find me.”

“Very well,” Zhao Kai replied noncommittally. “But how would I find you?”

“To be honest, I’m from the House of Two Worthies. My name is Zhou Chengwang. My father is the second master, and my uncle is the head of the house.”

The House of Two Worthies? So the young nobleman was from there.

The House of Two Worthies, famed for its weapons trade, stood near Jinghong County, its wealth rivaling that of nations. It rarely mingled with others in commerce, holding outsiders in contempt. Yet here was Zhou Chengwang, mixing in a gambling den?

“Would you like me to have someone escort you home, or inform your family?”

“No, please…” Zhou Chengwang shrank back in fear. “To tell the truth, I sneaked out.”

“And why sneak out?”

Zhou Chengwang’s face fell. Scratching his head, he confessed, “My father thinks I’m useless, and my uncle is disappointed in me too. I wanted to prove myself, so I ran away.”

So that was it—but to prove himself at a gambling house?

“Brother Zhao, I’ve heard how you took over the largest gambling house in Jinghong County in just a few days, and how your rouge business is second to none. Would you let me stay by your side and learn from you?”

It was possible, but having the nephew of the House of Two Worthies’ master working for him seemed a bit improper.

“Does your family know you’re here? Aren’t they worried?”

“They know. After finding out, they didn’t make me come home. They only told me to temper myself. Brother Zhao, I’m penniless now, with nowhere to go. I didn’t want to slink home in disgrace, so I tried cheating at cards. I promise I’ll never do it again.”

Zhao Kai did not blame him; seeing his pitiful state, he decided to let him stay.

“One condition—you must keep your identity secret.”

He had no desire for others to know that Zhou Chengwang was working in his house. If the masters of the House of Two Worthies found out, he’d pay dearly.

“Don’t worry, I won’t tell a soul. Brother Zhao, you’re truly a good man.”

Not so much a good man—just a small favor. Besides, the House of Two Worthies was not to be underestimated. It would not hurt to make their acquaintance.

“Brother, I heard there was trouble at the gambling house—was someone causing a disturbance?” Zhao Yan’er arrived, asking anxiously.