Chapter 50

"Come, come, come, bet big for big, bet small for small... If you don't place a bet, scram and don't delay others from betting..."

"Place your bets... Four, five, six, big... The house wins..."

In the smoky and stuffy hall, heads were crammed everywhere, and the shiny foreheads of the men gleamed under the candlelight. On the large kang bed in the corner, four or five opium addicts lay on their sides, while a few half-closed-door prostitutes were busy lighting their pipes for them.

This was the most famous gambling den in Yixian County, and the overseer, known as Leopard Head, had a fiery temper. However, today he stood by the large kang bed with a smile, being very polite to one of the opium addicts.

"Oh, Lord Zheng, it's an honor for you to come here to play. Whether you win or lose, it's all up to you to decide. Even if you don't win anything, we still get to bask in your noble aura, right? ... Someone, light another pipe for Lord Zheng..."

The one lying on the kang bed was Lord Zheng, who had been beaten up. After three days of rest, he was finally able to go out. The bruises on his face from Xiao Letian's beating had mostly faded, leaving only a faint mark under his left eye.

Lord Zheng loved gambling, which was no secret. In the Forbidden City, he was a notorious gambler, losing all his monthly salary within a few days. However, the Imperial City had its rules, and even if he played, he couldn't play to his heart's content. This time, he bribed the chief steward to get this beautiful assignment outside the palace, and he couldn't wait to have a good time.

"Leopard Head, in these past ten days, I've lost a lot of money here. I've exchanged no less than two hundred silver dollars with you... Damn, I don't know where you got so much foreign money, more extravagant than Beijing itself..."

"Are you still asking me to play? Trying to empty my pockets? You're really heartless..."

Leopard Head smiled like a flower, bowing deeply, "Look at what you're saying, Lord. Who doesn't know that Lord Zheng is a big tycoon in the capital? A few losses are nothing to you. I have a keen eye, and tonight I see your forehead shining, indicating that the God of Wealth is with you. If you play a few more rounds, you'll surely win big..."

Lord Zheng couldn't resist Leopard Head's flattery and slapped his thigh, "Alright! After I finish this pipe, bring me another hundred silver dollars, and I'll try my luck again..."

Throughout history, gambling, prostitution, and drugs have always been intertwined. Eunuchs, without their manhood, couldn't indulge in women, so they were particularly fond of gambling and opium. In the late Qing Dynasty, eunuchs were more prone to gambling and smoking opium than officials and the general public. After two pipes, Lord Zheng forgot about his bad luck.

Sure enough, the lies in the casino shouldn't be believed. In less than an hour, the hundred silver dollars Lord Zheng borrowed were lost again. Sighing and groaning, Lord Zheng knew his luck was bad today and no longer listened to Leopard Head's lies. With the help of a young eunuch, he prepared to return to his inn.

But at this moment, Leopard Head wasn't as polite as before, "Lord Zheng, you owe me three hundred silver dollars in total. Although I'm not in a hurry for the interest, you should at least pay me the principal, right?"

"Hey! You little brat, you lend me money and then want it back right away? There's no such rule in any casino in the world. Just wait, when I have some money..."

"Hey, Lord Zheng, you can skip the hundred dollars today, but what about the two hundred from a few days ago? We need to settle this..."

Before Leopard Head could finish, there was a loud slap, and the old eunuch slapped him hard, making the entire casino fall silent. "Want money? I'll give it to you, you lowlife. Do you really think I have no money? Come to my inn tomorrow... But let me tell you, if you push me too far, you won't have a good end. I'll have the authorities raid your den..."

The old eunuch looked down on these country bumpkins. In Beijing, even the three major casinos didn't dare to ask for money from him. Each of them treated him with respect. In this small, backward place, these ignorant peasants really thought they could bully a palace eunuch?

Watching the old eunuch leave, Leopard Head's face turned purple with anger. He gave a signal to the door, and in the darkness, four or five figures quietly followed.

"I'm on the city wall watching the mountain scenery, hearing the noise outside the city... I am a recluse from the Dragon Ridge, able to control the world with my wisdom... " Lord Zheng, supported by a young eunuch, walked and sang a tune, scaring many stray cats and dogs along the way, making the night less peaceful.

Just as they turned the corner under the dim lantern light, several figures pounced like tigers. The weak young eunuch didn't even have time to shout before his mouth was stuffed with a rag, and his hands were tightly bound.

As the old eunuch made frightened grunts, two figures, one tall and one short, emerged from the darkness. Lord Zheng recognized them as Xiao Letian and Ermao.

The old eunuch was so scared that his back was drenched in sweat. He struggled and made whimpering sounds, begging for mercy. Although he was arrogant, he wasn't stupid. He knew that this was a life-or-death situation, and he was already so scared that he wet his pants.

"Ermao, look, this is the old dog you were afraid of. He was so fierce when he beat you the other day. Now, look at him, his eyes are full of fear. He's afraid, he's afraid of you..." Xiao Letian didn't even look at the two dead bodies on the ground, just staring kindly at the fourteen-year-old Ermao.

"He's afraid of me?" Ermao's legs were trembling, and his wound still hurt. The scenes of being beaten the other day were still fresh in his mind. After all, he was just a child, and such severe injuries would inevitably leave psychological scars.

"Of course he's afraid of you, because you now have the power to decide his fate..." Xiao Letian pulled out a one-meter-long, thick wooden stick from his back, heavy and solid.

Xiao Letian handed the stick to Ermao, "Here! This is the power he fears..."

Jujube wood, a common hard wood in northern China, is often used for furniture. When used as a club, it can cause severe injuries when it hits someone.

The old eunuch was already crying, his urine flowing uncontrollably. He struggled to his knees in front of Ermao, making low moans, seemingly begging for mercy.

"Good child, think about it. Your mother almost died because of this scoundrel, and you were beaten by this old dog. Did he listen to your pleas? Did he show any mercy?"

"Think about it. If your mother had an accident the other day, could your bedridden father have survived? Your whole family would have been ruined..."

Xiao Letian had transformed into a devil, planting the seeds of hatred in the young Ermao's heart.

"Child, you must face reality. You've been castrated by Little Knife Liu, and you can't live in your hometown anymore. Your friends will shun you, your relatives will dislike you, and even your neighbors will consider you an omen. You can't even enter the ancestral hall, let alone study..."

"The only path left for you is to enter the palace, start as a young eunuch, and gradually rise to the top. I will protect you from behind, take care of your family, and provide you with all kinds of support..."

"But you must understand, this old dog is the first obstacle in your life. If you fall into his hands in the palace, he will surely torture you to death. Do you really want him to torture you to death?"

The more Xiao Letian spoke, the more afraid Ermao became. He couldn't imagine facing Lord Zheng alone, and he was terrified. Xiao Letian wanted to slap himself, feeling guilty and evil.

But Xiao Letian didn't regret his actions. He knew that the environment Ermao would face in the future was a hell where people ate each other. Eunuchs