https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-614-Go-Find-Chu-Liuxiang-and-Make-Him-Kneel/12580222/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-616-Slandering-Chu-Liuxiang-in-Front-of-Chu-Liuxiang-Himself/12583849/
Chapter 615: A First Encounter in the Hall of Merriment
Chapter 615: A First Encounter in the Hall of Merriment
"Young Master, where are we headed?"
"Ji'nan!"
Jin Banhua urged his horse forward with a flick of his whip, his thoughts turning to Shen Bijun.
Ji'nan, by the shores of Daming Lake, was Shen Bijun's hometown. This beautiful, gentle, pure, and kind-hearted woman had traveled with him across the country, from the great rivers to the southern lands.
Together, they had explored the Jiangnan region, ventured into the vast desert, felt the sea breeze, and roamed the grasslands. They had avenged Xiao Yao Hou and taken revenge for their parents. They had witnessed Feng Siniang's love triangle and outwitted Ge Shu Bing, their days filled with excitement and joy.
"When the time comes for all the rivers to flow back to the sea, I hope they won't bully Bijun."
"Don't worry, Bingbing will lend a helping hand."
Jin Banhua shivered involuntarily, pushing aside a vague sense of foreboding. With a hearty laugh, he said, "I've heard that there's a rather famous place in Ji'nan called the Hall of Merriment?"
"The Hall of Merriment in Ji'nan belongs to the Zhu Sha Sect and is managed by Leng Qiuhun, the top disciple of the sect leader. In recent years, it has thrived and become the largest casino in Ji'nan," Ye Jin replied promptly.
"The leader of the Zhu Sha Sect is the assassin scholar, Xi Men Qian. However, he hasn't been involved in the sect's affairs for a long time. For the past two to three years, Leng Qiuhun has been the one in charge," Liao Gang added.
Although these two men weren't highly skilled in martial arts, they were well-versed in the ways of the martial arts world and had many friends, keeping them informed about the latest gossip. They could provide some insight into the more common knowledge within the northern martial arts world.
"However, while the Hall of Merriment is large, it still pales in comparison to places like the Courtyard of Leisure, the Pavilion of Freedom, and the Hall of Cheer in the capital," Ye Jin said. "And while Ji'nan is prosperous, it's still far less glamorous than the capital."
"That's fine. I'm already bored of the capital. Let's go and experience something different!" Jin Banhua laughed.
...
The trio rode their horses along the official road and soon arrived at the Ji'nan Prefecture.
The Ji'nan Prefecture in the world of Chu Liuxiang was different from the one in Xiao Shiyilang's world. Here, there was no Shen family village, nor the legend of the Shen family's golden needles.
However, the Guanhe Tower still stood. Jin Banhua toured Daming Lake, and without Yang Kaitai's interruption, he finally bought the local Taishan Qing and Ganquan Brew from the large boat of the Guanhe Tower.
"Hmm..." Jin Banhua sipped the brew and smacked his lips, "It's slightly sour, no wonder it's not as famous as the Lanling Spring."
Liao Gang looked a little embarrassed. Glancing at the sky, he said to Jin Banhua, "The sun is setting. The Hall of Merriment should be opening soon."
Jin Banhua's eyes lit up, and he shook off his melancholy mood. "Let's go! Time to try our luck!"
Ye Jin advised, "Young Master, let's just have some fun. The Hall of Merriment may be Ji'nan's largest casino, but it's filled with all sorts of people, and there might be experts among them."
"Don't worry!" Jin Banhua patted Ye Jin's shoulder and chuckled. "Don't forget, the master who taught me those small grappling techniques is also an expert in this field. I've learned quite a few tricks from him!"
Ye Jin smiled bitterly but didn't dare to dissuade him further.
Let him gamble if he wants to, he thought. After all, the Jin family in the capital has been wealthy for generations. Even if he loses a few hundred thousand taels of silver, it won't make much of a dent.
With that, the three of them arrived at the Hall of Merriment.
As the evening lights came on, the three golden characters of "Hall of Merriment" shone brilliantly, each stroke of the calligraphy resembling flying dragons and dancing phoenixes.
Upon entering the hall, loud and boisterous voices filled the air, along with the smells of alcohol, tobacco, and perfume. The main hall was bustling with people, and even the side halls across the courtyard and corridors were brightly lit.
As Jin Banhua, Liao Gang, and Ye Jin walked in, Jin Banhua immediately furrowed his brows and waved his sleeve in front of his face to fan away the smells.
Immediately, a man with greasy hair and a powdered face approached them. "May I ask how we should address you, sir? Is this your first time visiting the Hall of Merriment?"
Jin Banhua glanced at the man disdainfully. "Why, do you need to know my identity just to gamble here?"
"No, no, it's just that judging from your demeanor, you're definitely not the type to mingle with the common ruffians in the main hall. However, the flower hall is reserved for renowned local spendthrifts..." The man smiled obsequiously.
But Jin Banhua scoffed, "So, you're saying there are no experts keeping order in this place?"
"The largest gambling den in Ji'nan turns out to be of such low quality. It's far inferior to the Courtyard of Leisure and the Pavilion of Freedom in the capital," Jin Banhua remarked with a sneer.
Jin Banhua shook his head, then glanced warily from side to side. "The lady's quality is also lacking."
The man's eyes lit up. "Are you from the capital, sir?"
Liao Gang snorted. "Our young master is from a wealthy and influential family in the capital. It's an honor for us to visit your establishment."
"Since you're a wealthy young master from the capital, you must not hesitate to tell me..."
Jin Banhua interrupted the man's flattery with a wave of his hand and a cheerful smile. "If you can guess my identity, I'll stay and play. But if you can't, I won't mind finding another place."
The man was taken aback by his words, and cold sweat broke out on his temples.
He had approached them on his own initiative. If he let a big fish slip away, the consequences would be dire.
"Hahaha!"
A loud laugh echoed through the hall as two burly men in black pushed aside the door curtain. A pale-faced young man in a verdant green robe strode forward. "I've long heard of the handsome and generous Jin young master from the capital. It's an honor to meet you today!"
Jin Banhua turned to the newcomer, raising an eyebrow. "How did you recognize me?"
The young man bowed. "Young Master Jin rarely leaves the capital, but your companion, Brother Ye, is known as Iron Leg Shakes Yanshan. I had the fortune of encountering him once in the capital, and I heard he works for the Jin Manor. That's how I knew."
Jin Banhua looked at Ye Jin in surprise. "Quite an impressive nickname you have there."
Ye Jin replied with a mix of humility and pride. "It's all thanks to my friends in the jianghu. They gave me that name after I killed a few bandits from Yanshan."
"Your actions are heroic and righteous. No amount of praise is excessive," Jin Banhua nodded, then turned to the young man in front of him. "You must be the eldest disciple of the Zhu Sha Sect, Master Leng?"
"You flatter me, Master Jin. Even this main hall and the flower hall are not worthy of your presence," Cold Autumn Soul replied, taking a step back and gesturing forward. "There are a few wealthy gentlemen from Ji'nan inside. Please join them."
"After you," Jin Banhua said with a hearty laugh, taking the lead without hesitation and following Cold Autumn Soul into the innermost room.
This was indeed the most tranquil and luxurious inner hall. There were only seven or eight gamblers, but over a dozen enchanting girls. Unlike the main hall, large denomination silver notes worth a thousand taels or more were exchanged here instead of gold and silver coins.
Cold Autumn Soul introduced Jin Banhua to the wealthy guests, who were either owners of joint-venture rice shops or the largest silk shops in Ji'nan. Each of them had a net worth of at least a million taels.
As Jin Banhua sat down, he casually embraced the two girls who snuggled up to him. He declined the first girl's offer of green tea and took a sip of the fine wine offered by the second girl before casually tossing out a stack of silver notes.
His demeanor exuded generosity and flamboyance!
...
Jin Banhua casually gambled with the other guests, winning some and losing some, while wondering when Chu Liuxiang would arrive.
The first story of the "Legend of Chu Liuxiang" revolves around Chu Liuxiang unraveling Wu Hua's scheme and becoming a great benefactor to the Beggar Gang and Shaolin Temple.
Indeed, a brilliant summary!
In the original novel, Chu Liuxiang stumbled upon the corpses of Left Zuo Zhen from the Celestial Star Gang, Xi Men Qian from the Zhu Sha Sect, Ling Jiuzi from the Hainan Sword Sect, and Zhamuhe, the Desert King. He was then falsely accused by Gong Nanyan of stealing the Heavenly Deity Water, prompting him to investigate the truth behind these incidents.
The first person he approached was Cold Autumn Soul of the Zhu Sha Sect in Ji'nan Prefecture.
As Jin Banhua was deep in thought, he saw Cold Autumn Soul hurrying out, only to return shortly after with a purple-faced, short-bearded man. The newcomer had a dignified appearance and was holding two large iron balls in his hands. "This is Zhang Xiaolin, the biggest ginseng and herb merchant in the Changbai Mountain area!" Cold Autumn Soul introduced him to the group. "Brother Zhang rarely ventures into the pass, but today he's in Ji'nan and would like to try his hand at gambling."
Jin Banhua rubbed his hands together, pleased that his luck seemed to be holding up today.
(End of Chapter)
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