Chapter 321: Chapter 61: Vicious Poisonous Woman! Lady Jii
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Fortune Gambling House.
One of the three major money-draining pits of the Changning Guard.
It is said that at the beginning of the development of Changning Guard, Fortune Gambling House already stood firmly on this land.
Some of the pioneers, after accumulating wealth, would often splurge thousands of gold at the gambling house, with the result being mostly tragic.
The hidden owner of Fortune Gambling House is very secretive, some say it is the Celestial Person Huangfu Family, some say it is the Celestial Human Lei Family, and others claim it is the first generation City Lord secretly controlling everything behind the scenes.
But none admit to it.
After all, making money through a gambling house could be considered a blemish for the noble families standing on high.
In any case, the background of this Fortune Gambling House is unfathomable. To this day, no one has been able to owe the gambling house money and not repay it.
At the gambling house entrance, Wang Zongwei’s carriage slowly came to a stop.
This is a three-story pavilion with a rather substantial footprint, adorned with carved beams and painted rafters, a scene of splendor. The tall vermilion-painted archway at the entrance is made quite grand, and at first glance, it resembles a restaurant more than a gambling house.
Only the fabric banner hanging under the archway, embroidered with the word "gambling," swaying slightly in the early autumn breeze, signifies its identity as a gambling house.
At the entrance of the gambling house, a few burly men in standard gambling house uniforms stood with their hands behind their backs at both sides of the threshold. They were Black Tortoise cultivators specially raised by the gambling house to oversee the place and deter troublemakers. Their cultivation seemed to be at the fifth or sixth layer of the Qi Refining Stage, quite strong indeed.
Before Wang Zongwei could get down from the carriage, a middle-aged man came out to greet him with a smiling face.
Following behind him were several personal attendants who were not weak in strength.
The middle-aged man had a small mustache, and his appearance gave off a vibe of amiability and wealth; he was none other than the second shopkeeper of the Fortune Gambling House, Ding Youde.
Just listening to his name and looking at his appearance, one might think he was a person of great virtue and prestige. However, only those familiar with him, or those who suffered losses because of him, would know how ruthless Ding Youde truly was.
"Young Master Zongwei." Ding Youde greeted him with a smile, personally helping Wang Zongwei down from the carriage, "It’s been about seven or eight days since you last visited, could it be you’re dissatisfied with the way Brother Youde has been hosting you?"
"Not at all, not at all."
At this time, Wang Zongwei was already in his thirties, sporting a small moustache, exuding the vibe of a mature man who has achieved success in his career.
He laughed, "I just won too much a few times back, and I feared that Elder Brother might dislike me, and wouldn’t welcome me anymore."
Ding Youde was taken aback, but then burst into hearty laughter, "Young Master Zongwei sure knows how to joke. In running a gambling house, winning and losing are purely matters of luck. How could there be a reason for us not to welcome a distinguished guest just because they won a bit of money?"
"Young Master Zongwei has been on an unstoppable winning streak recently, blessed with great fortune. Winning money is only natural. Even if you drive our gambling house to bankruptcy, that would be your skill."
"Just joking around, Brother Youde, don’t take it to heart." Wang Zongwei coolly smiled, then walked into the Fortune Gambling House with Ding Youde.
The Fortune Gambling House was as lively as ever, with the main hall crowded with male and female gamblers at each table.
No matter when, gamblers are never in shortage; there are always people addicted to the thrill of winning without working for it.
"Young Master Zongwei, would you like to warm up your hands in the main hall first, or should I arrange a private room for you?" Ding Youde asked warmly.
"A person’s luck is limited, how could one waste it on small games here?" Wang Zongwei swept a glance at the main hall with his hands behind his back, looking rather disinterested.
The bets in the main hall were generally small. Many tables were still calculating wagers in large copper units, and even at the more advanced tables, the wins and losses amounted to merely dozens of Qian Gold by day’s end.
Back when he was twenty and careless, he gambled outside at such games.
"That’s true." Ding Youde smilingly flattered, "Young Master Zongwei, someone of your stature, surely shouldn’t be playing with these peasants."
Having said that, he led Wang Zongwei upstairs to the private rooms.
The decor on the second floor was much more refined than on the first floor. Not only were the floors covered with thick carpets, but the small tables in the corridors were all made of Golden Rattan Wood, and exquisite calligraphy and paintings hung on the walls, making it much classier than the first floor.
Along both sides of the corridor was a row of private rooms.
These private rooms were clearly soundproofed, as standing in the corridor, one could only faintly hear the blurry sounds of shouting and laughter from inside the rooms, unable to discern any specific conversations.
The levels of the private rooms varied, with "Human" rooms starting at a hundred Qian Gold, and "Heaven" rooms starting at a thousand Qian Gold, to cater to customers of different levels.
These past two or three months, Wang Zongwei had been playing in the "Human" rooms, gradually winning a couple of thousand Qian Gold.
"This time, I’ll play in the ’Earth’ room." Wang Zongwei said, "I’ve already won quite a bit from your gambling house before; if luck is not on my side today, I’ll lose it all."
Yet, despite his words, a glint of greed flashed in his eyes.
Evidently, he had great confidence in his recent luck.
"Young Master Zongwei is indeed bold."
Ding Youde couldn’t wait for him to place larger bets, so naturally, he praised him fervently along with the personal attendants.
In conversation, they all walked into the "Earth" room.
Compared to the corridor, the decor inside the room was even more luxurious. Not only was the carpet craftsmanship more complex and exquisite, but the antique ornaments and paintings used for display were also of a higher grade. Setting up this single room, just from these antiques and paintings alone, might have cost no less than a couple of thousand Qian Gold.
A red copper incense burner stood on the tall stand by the wall, burning a seductive incense, filling the room with swirling smoke, giving it a mysterious and enticing atmosphere that elevated adrenaline levels.