"Clack!" "Clack!" "Clack!"
Old Yu shook the dice cup once again, while Jiang Ning listened intently to the sound. As soon as he set the cup down, she unhesitatingly placed her bet on "Big" once more.
Most people were still eyeing Jiang Ning's silver piece enviously and chose to bet on "Small," though this time more people joined Jiang Ning's side.
"Open!"
With Old Yu's loud call, the lid was lifted, and everyone saw: "One, five, five—eleven points, Big!"
"Sigh, it's Big again..."
"Damn it! I'm about to lose all the money I've won..."
Sighs, wails, and curses echoed through the crowd. Jiang Ning had guessed correctly again and received seventy-eight copper coins from Old Yu.
"Miss, would you like to continue?" Old Yu asked.
Jiang Ning placed her silver piece on the table, her intention clear without words.
"Clack!" "Clack!" "Clack!"
The dice cup rattled again. After the dice settled, Jiang Ning was the first to place her silver on "Small."
The nearby gamblers began to hesitate. Was this woman betting so decisively because she truly understood the game, or because she had enough money to afford losses?
After a moment of indecision, half the people followed Jiang Ning's bet on "Small," while the other half, still skeptical, bet against her.
The lid was opened: two, three, five—ten points, Small!
Jiang Ning won another twenty-three copper coins.
"It's bewitched! Damn it!"
"This doesn't seem like blind luck..."
"Can she really hear whether it's big or small?"
After winning three consecutive rounds, the crowd's gaze on Jiang Ning changed. Even people from neighboring tables playing Fan-Tan and roulette gathered to watch the excitement. The crowd pressed in, layer upon layer, surrounding the Big-Small betting table so tightly that not even water could trickle through.
Old Yu's eyes were also filled with curiosity. He was a native of Lingshan Town and had been at the Gold Jade Hall for nearly twenty years. While he might not recognize every gambler in town, he was at least familiar with most faces. When did this skilled young woman arrive?
Houzi, standing behind, had been watching Jiang Ning intently. He realized that she wasn't relying on luck; she was confident in her bets.
The ability to discern numbers by sound—this person was a master of the gambling table.
Houzi rubbed his chin thoughtfully, then turned and headed upstairs to a private room.
"Clack!" "Clack!" "Clack!"
This time, after Old Yu set down the dice cup, no one made a move. All eyes were on Jiang Ning.
Seemingly oblivious, Jiang Ning placed her silver on "Big."
Immediately after, nearly everyone put their money on "Big." Only a few scattered copper coins remained on "Small." If "Big" won, there wouldn't be enough money to distribute.
Old Yu glanced at the table and sighed, addressing Jiang Ning, "Miss, thanks to you, we can't continue this round."
An imbalance in bets forcing the game to end—this was a rule everyone understood.
But the crowd was more interested in knowing if Jiang Ning had guessed correctly this time.
"Old Yu, open the lid and let's see the numbers," several people called out.
Others chimed in, urging, "Yes, open it, open it!"
Old Yu repeatedly agreed, "Alright," his hand touching the lid. But then, as if struck by a thought, he looked up at Jiang Ning with a half-smile and said, "Miss, why don't you guess the numbers?"
The crowd immediately picked up on this, clamoring, "Yes, guess the numbers, guess the numbers!"
Jiang Ning gazed calmly at Old Yu and countered, "Why should I guess?"
"Haha, it's just for fun, right everyone?" Old Yu laughed, rallying the crowd. The others joined in, responding loudly, trying to put Jiang Ning in a difficult position and persuade her to play along.
Unfortunately for them, the concept of "unable to refuse" didn't exist for someone with Jiang Ning's cool temperament.
"I came to gamble, not to entertain. If the game can't continue, then I should leave," Jiang Ning said impassively, turning to leave.
"Hey! How boring, and here we thought she was some kind of expert..."
"Exactly, looks like it was just luck after all, a blind cat catching a dead mouse, just guessed right three times..."
People around her engaged in a back-and-forth, clearly trying to provoke Jiang Ning into staying. But their taunts were equally ineffective; Jiang Ning didn't even pause her steps.
"Wait a moment!"
Suddenly, a deep, slightly hoarse voice called out from behind. Then, two tall, athletic men in tight-fitting clothes emerged from the crowd in front, each extending an arm to block Jiang Ning's path.
Jiang Ning narrowed her eyes and turned to look in the direction of the voice.
An old man with graying hair was slowly descending from the second floor, followed by the grinning Houzi. Other bodyguards stood at attention at the top of the stairs, hands behind their backs.
"Oh my! Six Master!" someone in the crowd exclaimed, recognizing the old man.
"Who's Six Master?" several people nearby asked, curious about the old man's grand entrance.
"You don't know Six Master? He's the owner of the Gold Jade Hall! His surname is Hu, and he calls himself Old Six Hu. Everyone respectfully calls him Six Master!"
Upon hearing this, someone sneered dismissively, "Oh, just the owner of a gambling house. Acting like he's such a big deal."
"You little brat, what do you know? Years ago, there were over a dozen gambling houses in Lingshan Town, big and small. The Gold Jade Hall was just a minor establishment, nearly swallowed up. Do you know how it became the only one left standing? It was Six Master's unparalleled gambling skills. He bet everything he had against the other gambling houses. If he won, the Gold Jade Hall would establish itself here, and the others would have to leave him alone. If he lost, Six Master himself would pack up and leave, never to set foot in Lingshan Town again..."
"I remember, I remember!" another person excitedly chimed in. "That was over twenty years ago. Six Master single-handedly challenged more than a dozen gambling houses in Lingshan Town, big and small, and never lost a single game! That's how he established the Gold Jade Hall. Later, many people came to challenge him—from Spirit Water Town, Spirit Cloud Town, all sorts of people—but he never lost. He's a true legend in the gambling world! Anyone who mentions him can't help but show some respect..."
Jiang Ning listened to the chatter around her, quickly grasping the essentials of the old man's identity.
This Old Six Hu appeared to be nearly sixty years old, yet he showed no signs of fatigue common in the elderly. His hair, beard, and clothes were clean and tidy, and he looked more vibrant than many of the younger people present.
His weather-beaten face bore a pair of sharp eyes, keen as a wolf's or an eagle's, seeming to pierce through to one's very soul when they gazed upon you. One hand in front of him clenched a fist, fidgeting with a ring, while the other remained hidden behind his back. He walked at a measured pace, eyes looking up and chin tilted high, clearly not considering anyone present worthy of his attention.
Hah! Such posturing.
Jiang Ning inwardly scoffed. She had seen plenty of his type in her previous life.
Soon, Old Six Hu stopped a few steps in front of Jiang Ning and spoke leisurely, "Since you can't continue your game with Old Yu, why not play a round with me, Old Six Hu? What do you say, young lady?"
Though his words seemed like a suggestion, they were clearly a command.
Two more bodyguards had appeared behind her, joining the previous two to form a square around Jiang Ning—north, south, east, and west. The situation left no room for her to say "no."