As soon as these words came out, not only the bean juice seller was surprised, but even the old man was surprised. I think he has lost even the money to buy rice, who else will help him at this time? He couldn't help but turn his head to look, yo, isn't this his neighbor Liu Qing, why is he here? Do you still have such an ingot of silver in your hand?

Liu Qing threw the silver on the table and said angrily: "Is this silver enough for you to eat a bowl of bean juice?" ”

When the bean juice seller sees that he has silver, where can he dare to talk so much nonsense? With a smile on his face, he said: "The master misunderstood, it's not that the little ones don't believe in the masters, it's just that these days there are some nonsense ruffians who eat white food." Naturally, you are not such a person, but you can't do it if you are small, it is all a small business, so you can be considerate. ”

Liu Qing ignored him, sat down with the old man, and asked, "Why is Brother Kong Peng here?" ”

This old man's name is Kong Peng. He was very grateful to Liu Qing for his righteous donation, and hugged his hands and said, "Thank you, brother!" I really don't hide it from my brother, my brother doesn't have half a penny in his arms, and I don't know how to pay for bean juice for a while? ”

Liu Qing grinned and said nonchalantly: "What is a bowl of bean juice worth?" ”

When Kong Peng saw him, he was very suspicious. Liu Qing's family background is very clear to him, there is no overnight food at home, and he can be regarded as a gambling brother and gambling brother on weekdays. The two often sit together and discuss, where the casino wins more money, where the casino loses more money, as long as there is some money in hand, you always have to find a place to gamble and lose. Seeing so much silver in his hand today, isn't he rich?

So, Kong Peng asked in a low voice, "Did my brother get rich somewhere?" It's good to bring a brother. You can't hide this relationship between our brothers. ”

Liu Qing shook his head and said, "Where does Brother Kong want to go?" My brother is going to make a fortune. Can I not tell you that I can't? ”

It's pretty much a fool. Kong Peng smiled coldly and said, "Brother doesn't want half a penny, why be so stingy?" ”

Liu Qing didn't care, and turned his head to ask for a bowl of bean juice. Two fritters to eat with a good taste. Kong Peng continued to drink the remaining bowl of bean juice, and the fritters had already thrown away, so he had to eat the remaining one. In an instant, the bean juice was drunk, the fritters were eaten, and the two wiped their mouths with their sleeves. Let the bean juice seller settle the accounts. Fortunately, Liu Qing is still righteous, and Kong Peng's is also counted.

After eating and drinking, Liu Qing took Kong Peng's hand and said, "Let's go." Dude, I'll take you to a good place and get you back all your lost money. ”

Kong Peng hurriedly shook his head and said, "No, no, what are you kidding?" Casinos can be casually entered? Dude has no money on him. As soon as you enter, you will be beaten out. Forget it. It's better to go home and get some sleep. ”

Liu Qing said: "You just come with me, the casino I mentioned is newly opened." If you don't have the capital, you will send the capital, and if you win, you will return it. You think that the money in my hand is mine, but it was given to me by a gambler. How, this casino is okay? I've heard that casinos are splendid. Didn't the elder brother say, Jinxiulan really has a big business, and there is a dealer to pay the capital, what are we afraid of? ”

Kong Peng's eyes widened. He asked, "Is there such a good thing?" ”

Liu Qing took his hand and walked straight forward: "You'll know when you get there." ”

Liu Qing said that the casino is in the alley behind Jushui Street, and the location is remote. The neighborhood is all farmland, and there are very few people coming and going. Liu Qing and Kong Peng were full of food and drink, Xingtoutou hired two lame donkeys, and staggered all the way to this newly opened casino.

The casino looks not much different from other villages from the outside, the same blue bricks and red tiles, and a plaque hangs on the porch, which reads the two words "and house" of Douda. Outside quietly, only a small servant stood in front of the door, and when he saw someone arriving, he didn't say anything, pointing to a small road behind him and saying, "Go from behind, another door opens." ”

Liu Qing nodded and said okay, sent the donkey man with the money, and then led Kong Peng through the path, and sure enough, he saw a small door that had been opened. The door was not big, but the front of the door was crowded with cars, and I faintly heard the noise from inside. Liu Qing and Kong Peng looked at each other and smiled, and finally found a place where they could gamble again.

Here stood five or six five big and three thick men, all fat and strong, each holding a thick stick in their hands, and asked menacingly, "What are you two doing here?" ”

Kong Peng was taken aback, does this fight have to be fought? Liu Qing smiled and said, "A few masters, we are here to gamble, really, gambling money." ”

The big man at the head looked them up and down, pointed at Kong Peng and asked, "He is also here to gamble?" ”

Liu Qing said: "Yes, yes, he is my gambling friend, we have been gambling together for many years, and we are all here to gamble." ”

Another big man shouted, "Search them!" If you are a messenger or a member of the government, we will only let you come and go. ”

Liu Qing hurriedly said: "I just went out from here last night, how many masters can I fool?" Don't believe me, you're all searched. ”

The two big men next to him stepped forward, carried Liu Qing and Kong Peng in front of them like chickens, touched them from top to bottom, and then shook their heads at the big man who was the leader. The big man at the head glared at them fiercely with his eyes and said, "If we find out that you are not here to gamble, be careful of your little life." Walk! ”

The two big men in the middle get out of the way and let them in. Kong Peng almost didn't pee out of fright, he had been to the casino many times before, but this was the first time he had encountered this situation. Kong Peng whispered to Liu Qing: "Is this a casino?" How do I feel like I'm going to kill a pig farm? ”

Liu Qing said: "Brother, I don't want to think about it, who is the master of Jinxiulan?" If you are sued to the emperor, will you pay it back? People are also just in case. We are serious gamblers, and we are not here to inform, so you can rest assured. ”

As he got closer, he heard the noise getting louder and louder, and Kong Peng raised his eyes to see that there was a hall in front of him. There was no door in front of the hall, and when I looked through the door, a group of people were gathered together, or rolling dice, or playing pai gow, or punching. Looking at it again, nine out of ten of these gamblers actually know each other.

Kong Peng only believed Liu Qing's words at this time, it turned out that this place was really a casino. He walked in quickly and found that this place was a little different from other casinos, and there were small servants waiting for refreshments in the hall. Some gamblers are tired, and there are collapses on the east and west sides of the hall. Right in front of the hall was the counter, and there was a guy with short bean-eyed bills. Those who win money must pay dividends over the counter, and those who lose money can borrow money from here to dozens of dollars. But this kind of borrowing can only be done once, and if you lose money again, you will be kicked out.

Kong Peng was happy that he could finally win back the money he lost today. He asked Liu Qing and said, "Shall I go directly to the counter to get the money?" ”

Liu Qing shook his head and said, "No, is it that everyone has borrowed money to pay it back?" ”

Kong Peng seemed to have been poured a basin of cold water on his head, and suddenly froze in place, and asked blankly, "Then how can I borrow it?" ”

Liu Qing said: "You come with me!" ”

Kong Peng followed Liu Qing to the counter. Liu Qing smiled and said to the guy: "Where is the third master?" ”

That guy was Random Butterfly, glanced at the mung bean and saw that it was Liu Qing, and snorted and said, "Why is your uncle here again?" Didn't you win ten taels of silver this morning? ”

Liu Qing said: "The third master has a good memory! The little one did win ten taels of silver last night. No, on the way home, I met an old guy who said that he was bad luck losing money and wanted to borrow some capital to win it back. Third master, look at how much you give him! ”

Random Butterfly glanced at Kong Peng again. An old man in his fifties and sixties, hunched over his waist, looked at himself with a look of obscurity and smiled. Chaotic Butterfly said in his heart, and he is a gambler who doesn't want to die, this kind of person will not take back the original even if he lends him money. But Gege clearly said that in order to save Hongcui, he had to borrow if he didn't borrow. Randie thought about Hongcui, and asked with patience, "How much do you want?" ”

Kong Peng was overjoyed, and hurriedly stretched out a finger and said, "One, consistent money?" ”

Randie took out five pieces of money from under the counter, threw it on the table and said, "If you win money, you will get a bonus of three out of ten for each money; If you lose money, it's bad luck in this field, so you can get the money and come in again after you go out. ”

Kong Peng didn't expect that the guy would be five times the money as soon as he made a move, and said several thanks in a row. Butterflies waved their hands disdainfully and told them to go away.

In this way, once there is any news, it can spread throughout the four major gates of Beijing within half a day. A new casino was opened in Houhutong, and all kinds of gamblers gathered, and the Chen family's business, which had originally opened an underground casino, suddenly became cold. At the beginning, the old man of the Chen family didn't take it seriously, and went to the street to walk the birds as usual.

He carried a pair of golden green parrots in his hand, and came to Xizhi Gate as usual. When I met someone I knew, I knew that he was the chief shopkeeper of the Chen family's pawnshop, so I naturally complimented him constantly. Chen Kairen modestly coped with two sentences, and then walked away.

Soon after, he came to his pawnshop, entered the pawnshop hall, and the business still seemed to be very deserted. When the men saw that it was the shopkeeper who had come in, they all came to say goodbye. Chen Kairen asked nonchalantly, "How many strokes have you made today?" ”

The guy whispered, "Not a single one." ”

Chen Kairen nodded slightly and said, "That's nothing." What's next? ”

The man's head hung lower, and his voice was like a mosquito humming, "There are about three or five people down there." ”

Chen Kairen thought he had misheard, and asked loudly, "What do you say next?" ”

The guy replied again: "If you go back to the master, there are only four or five people below who often come, such as Li Er, Liu San, and Sun Wu. They said that a new casino had recently opened in Houhutong, and the dealer was in charge of rice and tea and on credit, so most of the people went there. ”

Chen Kairen threw the bird cage in his hand heavily on the ground and said angrily: "Is this worth it?" Who opened this casino? Dare to sing against our Chen family, dare you don't want to live anymore? ”

The man replied in a low voice, "I heard that the little one is splendid and open." ”

Chen Kairen was stunned for a moment, and then asked, "What about your master?" Is this here? ”

The guy said: "The master and Mr. Lai have just gone to check on the street, and I'm afraid that they will come back at this time." ”

As soon as the words fell, I heard Chen Lan enter the door to greet Chen Kairen and say, "Father is here, I am trying to discuss something with my father." ”

Chen Kairen knew that he must have come for the Houhutong Casino, so he nodded and said, "Let's go, follow me to the back room." (To be continued......)