Chapter 451: Jin Yang's Anomaly (2)
The next morning, Hua Zhi waited for Yu Mu.
"Last night, we all took turns trying our luck. I pretended to lose all the silver on me and tried to borrow from the gambling den, but they told me that since I'm not a local, by their rules, they couldn't lend me any silver. After I made a scene, their manager stepped in and allowed me to borrow two hundred taels of silver using a piece of jade as collateral. They informed me that if I redeemed the jade within two days with two hundred taels, there would be no interest charged. If I failed to redeem it within ten days, the jade would belong to them."
After a pause, Yu Mu continued, "This morning, I went to exchange the silver notes for the jade, and I actually got it back."
"No interest charged?"
"No."
"How much is that piece of jade worth?"
"About four hundred taels."
Hua Zhi lowered her head, gently smoothing the curled corners of the local gazetteer. As she organized her thoughts, she spoke unhurriedly, "Jin Yang is right next to the capital, and the official language has always been spoken here. There's no way they could tell you're an outsider from your accent. That means they had us under surveillance the moment we entered the city—or rather, every outsider who comes to Jin Yang is under their watch. To put it more broadly, the entire city of Jin Yang is under their control. Because you're an outsider, they wouldn't lend you silver, but after you offered collateral, they lent you half its value without charging interest."
Hua Zhi looked up and smiled. "A gambling den, yet more regulated than many legitimate businesses. Their actions seem quite ethical and conscientious. If I didn't know it was a gambling den, I'd think it was a clean operation."
"It is indeed very clean. I feel..." Yu Mu searched for a fitting analogy, "they're like an open-door business—no credit, but they don't strip people bare either."
"Always welcoming you to come back next time?"
Yu Mu did have that exact feeling. He hadn't thought much of it before, but upon reflection, something felt off everywhere.
Hua Zhi asked again, "Were the other gambling dens the same?"
"Yes."
"Including the four they suppress?"
"Yes, though those four gave an extra chip."
An industry, and not exactly an upright one, yet even its competitors follow identical rules. No need to worry about being cheated, no fear of entering and not being able to leave. The only difference is the promotional activities inside each establishment—whichever offers a more attractive deal, you simply go there. It's like visiting Macau, where you can freely enter any casino...
Hua Zhi suddenly stood up!
"Sister Hua!" Little Six hurried forward to support her as she swayed. "Are you unwell? Dizzy? Fetch a doctor—Wang Cheng, go get a doctor now!"
His voice cracked toward the end, his eyes filled with panic.
"I'm fine. I just stood up too quickly after thinking of something. No need for a doctor." Hua Zhi patted his hand and sat back down. She closed her eyes to steady herself, then opened them and smiled reassuringly at Little Six.
"Are you really alright?" Little Six stared intently at her face. Seeing that she didn't look too pale, his heart settled slightly. He took the tea from Nian Qiu, removed the lid, and brought it to her lips.
Hua Zhi chuckled softly—it wasn't that serious. She took the tea and drank a few sips herself. Noticing he was still standing in front of her, she pulled him down to sit beside her. Looking up, she instructed Yu Mu, who had drawn closer, "Go find out who set the rules for the gambling dens and when they were established."
Yu Mu turned to leave, but Hua Zhi called him back.Looking at the several local gazetteers she hadn't finished reading, Hua Zhi said, "Let's further investigate what makes Jin Yang different. Record everything that distinguishes it from other places."
"Yes."
After Yu Mu left, Hua Zhi opened the gazetteer intending to continue reading, but the mere thought of that possibility made her too restless to focus. She decided to set the book aside and stepped outside, pacing around the small courtyard, unaware that Little Six was following her at a leisurely pace.
Suppose, just suppose, someone wanted to turn Jin Yang into a gambling city—a place free from bullying, without loan sharks that could ruin lives forever, where no one would be forced to sell their children. If you won, it was by your own skill; if you lost, you could always try again. If such a place gained momentum, not only gambling enthusiasts but anyone with spare cash would likely be eager to visit.
In an era without smartphones, computers, or diverse entertainment options, such a place couldn't possibly be unpopular.
Indeed, Jin Yang was bustling—its liveliness even rivaled that of the capital at the heart of the nation. Such vibrancy couldn't be achieved without something extraordinary.
Reaching this level must have taken some time, but not too long. If it had been established for ages, even in this era of inconvenient communication and transportation, its reputation would have spread far and wide.
Or perhaps it already had some renown, but gambling was considered disreputable. Even if people knew of such a place, they wouldn't openly discuss it unless they were enthusiasts themselves.
Just then, Chen Si entered the courtyard and stood at a distance to report, "Miss, Young Master Zeng requests an audience."
Hua Zhi looked up, "Where's Little Six?"
"Sister Hua, I'm right here!" Little Six's voice came from not far behind her. Seeing her turn, he waved cheerfully.
"You go meet him," Hua Zhi approached and lowered her voice, "Try to get him to agree to take me there tomorrow."
Little Six nodded and strode out. He didn't know what Sister Hua had deduced, but since she proposed visiting the horse racing track, it must be related. He needed to figure out how to persuade Zeng Xiangyan.
Letting Nian Qiu support her as she sat on a stone stool cushioned with a soft pad, Hua Zhi sighed. She missed Yan Xi. If he were here, he would surely help her untangle this mess and find the thread—sparing her such effort and shock.
She didn't know the exact profits of Jin Yang's nascent gambling city, but she vaguely recalled that Macau's annual gambling tax revenue amounted to tens of billions. Here, gambling houses paid no taxes; even if officials needed appeasing, the cost was a drop in the bucket compared to the profits.
If the Chao Li Tribe's silver came from here... Hua Zhi didn't dare dwell on the thought.
A short while later, Little Six returned, "He's sobered up and came to apologize. Young Master Zeng asked me to convey his regrets to you."
Outwardly reckless and arrogant, yet inwardly principled and disciplined—this suggested the Zeng family couldn't be too flawed. Pity he was in Jin Yang; if he were in the capital, Little Six could have associated with him more.
Hua Zhi turned to enter the room and asked quietly, "Did he agree?"
"Yes, he'll pick us up at the inn tomorrow at 7 a.m. to go together." Little Six leaned closer and asked, "Is the Zeng family suspicious?"Hua Zhi smiled faintly. "Present-day Jin Yang is like the sun in the sky—from afar, it appears radiant and flawless, just as Young Master Zeng described, even surpassing the capital in splendor. But the sun remains the sun; if you get too close, it can burn you to ashes. I cannot speak for the rest of the Zeng family, but this Young Master Zeng Xiangyan seems to observe from a distance, never granted the chance to draw nearer."
Whether he truly lacked the opportunity or was deliberately shielded by the Zeng family remained unclear.
"Is Jin Yang’s predicament that severe?"
"Hard to say." Meeting Little Six’s surprised gaze, Hua Zhi smiled again. "If the Chao Li Tribe is behind this, then it is indeed a grave matter."
Even if the Chao Li Tribe were uninvolved, Da Qing could not afford to harbor a gambling city. Da Qing was far from the vast China of later eras—whether in territory, population, or productivity, it fell drastically short, incapable of sustaining its own Macau.
PS: The ending of Chapter 447 has been revised. Thanks to the reader "This Is a Bought Account" from the review section for pointing out that the Fourth Prince was unaware the head of the Seven Constellation Bureau was the Heir.
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