Chapter 37: Shen Lang suppresses the whole scene, Tian Heng is shocked!

Tian Nin was certain that the mahjong had no markings; it was impossible to cheat.

But Shen Lang kept winning every time. What kind of luck was this?

He had just married into the Count's house, was he really that lucky?

The key point was, this little pretty boy didn't even look at the cards each time, he would straight up bet a thousand gold coins, occasionally acting wilfully to bet two thousand.

Who gave you the courage to do this?

How did you muster such bravery?

This is clearly my Tian Nin's casino, so why do you act like you're at home, closing your eyes and handing out money?

Of course, Shen Lang would win, because he could clearly see every card.

Winning effortlessly.

And the other gamblers were completely mesmerized!

Incredible, I have never seen such an exciting scene!

Of course, they had seen consecutive wins before, even a dozen or more wins in a row, because anything could happen in a casino.

But to win so casually like Shen Lang, eight wins in a row, and winning over ten thousand coins, unheard of!

He really is impressive!

Finally, when Shen Lang won the ninth time, Tian Nin was near collapse, sweating profusely, hands completely stiff.

How could this happen? I am the top gambling god in Xuanwu City, how could I possibly lose?

"I'm finished, I'm finished..." he kept muttering because Shen Lang had already won thirteen thousand coins, plus what he had won before, deducting the borrowed thousand coins, Shen Lang had won a total of sixteen thousand.

You are going too far, Shen Lang!

You leave with not even a single coin, and you win sixteen thousand from me!

This is a huge amount; his adoptive father will surely skin him alive.

"I, I suddenly feel dizzy, I must take my leave..." Tian Nin said trembling.

He really couldn’t afford to lose anymore.

Initially, he wouldn't have lost so much, but he couldn't accept it.

By the time he realized it, he had lost sixteen thousand coins, which was almost the net profit of this casino for a year.

If he continued to lose, someone would die!

After Tian Nin left, the casino disaster began.

Next, Shen Lang swept through every gambling table.

Every clerk, manager, and master at the casino was left pale and trembling.

And the gamblers were going crazy.

They had never seen such a grand show, it was too wild and exhilarating!

Shen Lang looked at them and said, "why are you all standing there like fools? Bet with me!"

The hundreds of gamblers were first stunned, then went completely crazy.

They all followed Shen Lang's bets.

Whatever Shen Lang bet, they also bet.

The end is nigh for Tian Hin's casino!

Previously, whether it was Tian Hin or the casino manager, they could have easily stopped all gambling activities, even temporarily closing the casino.

But Tian Nin was already scared out of his wits and ran to report to his adoptive father; he didn’t have the time to close the casino.

As a result, Shen Lang, along with hundreds of gamblers, went on to dominate the entire casino.

...

Inside the Xu family's courtyard, Tian Hin burst out laughing.

"Hahaha..." Tian Hin said, "do you know what happened? Yesterday Shen Lang pledged in front of me that he would have me cut off my arm and break Thirteen's legs, and even made an oath. Can you believe how funny that is?"

The head of the Xu family said, "Just him? After becoming the scion of the Earl's House, he no longer knows his place."

Tian Nin said, "After becoming part of the Earl's family, I indeed dare not act against him. Even if he came to extort me, I would have to make sacrifices. But wanting me to cut off my arm, that is just a pipe dream. The current situation is clear, the king wants to take power from the old nobility, the Earl of Xuanwu can't meddle in local affairs. As long as I don't commit any crimes within the Earl's territory, what can he do to me?"

He was being a bit daring in his words.

If it wasn’t for the City Lord's house and the Governor's house as his backers, he would have gone to apologize to Shen Lang long ago.

On the night that Shen Lang entered the Marquis's mansion through marriage, Tian Heng gave up substantial benefits to Zhang Jin to gain the protection of the Zhang family, and only then did he become fearless.

"Initially, after he entered the Marquis's mansion through marriage, we wouldn't dare to lay a finger on him, even if we wanted to kill him. We wouldn't even be able to touch a hair on his head," Tian Heng said. "But who would have thought that this waste would actually come to us seeking death, and actually ran into my gambling den."

Master Xu said, "He's become arrogant, showing his true colors."

Tian Heng remarked, "What is my gambling den? It's a den of vice! Even if Shen Lang were a master, he would still lose miserably. If I don't make him lose one or two thousand gold coins, I won't let him get away with it."

Master Xu added, "Once he loses over ten thousand gold coins, we won't need to act. Marquis Xuanwu will kick him out and sever ties with him."

Tian Heng said, "Or, beat him to death! In any case, Shen Lang is finished this time. He's courting death, making it effortless for us!"

Master Xu remarked, "A waste is always a waste and will never amount to anything respectable! Let's wait for Marquis Xuanwu to uphold justice and beat this wretched beast to death!"

At that moment, Tian 19, from the wealthy area, rushed in looking pale and without any color in his face. He almost collapsed and knelt before Tian Heng.

Tian Heng never particularly liked Tian 19 because he wasn't skilled and ruthless like his foster child Tian 13, who was his favorite. However, Tian 19 was skilled in gambling and thus useful in managing his gambling den, making him one of his foster children.

Seeing Tian 19 in such a disheveled state, Tian Heng grew irate and sternly shouted, "What's with the rash behavior? What's with the disorder? All you do is waste your life with women. With your body in such a state, coming over here and getting yourself so out of breath that you can't even speak properly, it's embarrassing!"

Tian 19, hearing this, immediately kowtowed vigorously to Tian Heng.

Master Xu chuckled and said, "Tian Heng, your foster son is truly filial."

Tian Heng retorted, "Who are you performing for? What about that wretch Shen Lang? Have you dealt with him? How much has he lost? If it's less than ten thousand gold coins, I'll skin you alive."

Tian Heng calculated that ten thousand gold coins were likely the Marquis's bottom line, as despite being an ancient noble house, their wealth had diminished significantly, and they needed to support a military force of nearly three thousand with only twenty percent of their original land.

Master Xu asked, "What if the Marquis's mansion refuses to acknowledge the debt?"

Tian Heng sneered, "Shen Lang gambled with my family's gold coins; it's clearly written in the IOU. Moreover, it was Shen Lang who voluntarily came to my gambling den to gamble, not because I forced or enticed him. Many can testify to that. Even if this lawsuit goes to the magistrate's office, I have a say in it."

Master Xu said, "In that case, you've completely offended the Marquis's mansion."

Tian Heng sighed inwardly, as he did not wish for this at all. After all, he was just a gang leader, even with the official rank of a military leader in the Xuanwu city. He was riddled with countless scandals.

It was only because of the new policies that the Marquis of Xuanwu, an old nobility, was retreating strategically and refraining from meddling in local affairs, that he dared to provoke the Marquis's mansion.

But there was no other choice. Shen Lang, this rotten scoundrel, was pushing him into a corner.

He couldn't possibly go and break the legs of his foster son, Tian 13. That would leave him with no face to show in Xuanwu city.

These internal struggles were something Tian Heng would never voice.

He said nonchalantly, "Now, the Lord's Manor, the Prefectural Governor's Mansion, and even the Governor's Mansion stand behind me."

"The whole country is implementing the new policies, suppressing the Earl's Manor is also for the sake of the new policies. This is the trend. What can the Earl's Manor do if it offends us? Once they lose their fief and military power, even the hundred-year-old aristocracy will be no better than a fallen phoenix."

Tian Heng’s words were spoken with conviction, giving off the appearance of a patriotic underworld figure.

"Exactly," Master Xu said with a smile. "Why can't our new policies be implemented in Xuanwu City? It's because we have the Earl's Manor as an obstacle. It just so happens that we can use Shen Lang, this wretched scion, as a breakthrough point, lure him into marriage, and count it as a stroke of bad luck for the Earl's Manor."

Tian Heng also smiled.

But only he knew how much it hurt.

Because of the rift with the Earl's Manor, in order to protect himself, Tian Heng had sought refuge in the Prefect Zhang Chong, paying an annual sum of gold coins, which exceeded more than half of his income.

Thirty-five percent of the annual net profit from the five gambling houses had to be handed over to the Prefect Zhang Chong.

And the person in charge of these gold coins was none other than the present Xu Guangyun.

Master Xu said, "Brother Tian, rest assured, Prefect Zhang Chong will definitely stand by your side in this matter. You can be at ease and use Shen Lang's promissory note to ask the Earl's Manor for money!"

Tian Heng certainly knew that he had become a pawn in the struggle between the Prefect's Mansion and the Xuanwu Earl's Manor, but he had no choice.

"Good!" Tian Heng laughed heartily. "I may not have any other skills, but I still have the guts. I will go to the Earl's Manor this afternoon with Shen Lang's promissory note and demand money. Let's see how splendid the Earl's reaction will be and how miserably that scion Shen Lang will die!"

"Hahaha..." Master Xu laughed heartily. "A clown is not worth mentioning."

Tian Heng said, "Nineteen, have you caught your breath? Tell me, how much money did Shen Lang lose? How much does he owe?"

After a few minutes, Tian Jiu finally managed to catch his breath and speak. Upon hearing Tian Heng's question, he couldn't help but answer directly, "Sixteen thousand gold coins."

"Hahaha..." Tian Heng laughed heartily. "Well done, well done!"

Master Xu was also overjoyed, "Sixteen thousand gold coins, he has lost so much, Shen Lang is doomed. The Earl really has no eyes, finding such a prodigal son-in-law, he deserves it!"

Tian Heng stood up and said, "Let's go, we will take the promissory note to the Earl's Manor."

Master Xu said, "Rest assured, the Lord's Manor will definitely send three officials to accompany you. If the Earl's Manor kills Shen Lang, then so be it. If they don't, we will step up our efforts, and have Prefect Zhang Chong send someone to suppress them. It's only right to repay debts."

Tian Heng said, "Nineteen, where is Shen Lang's promissory note?"

Nineteen's scalp tingled, it was a double-edged sword whether he spoke up or not at this time.

He violently knocked his head on the ground, causing blood to flow directly.

"Father, it's not that Shen Lang lost sixteen thousand gold coins, it's... it's us who lost sixteen thousand gold coins."

After saying this, Nineteen was almost completely exhausted.

While Tian Heng's face was still smiling, his gaze seemed vacant, as if he had turned to stone.

...

Note: Happy National Day, I wish our great motherland prosperity and flourishing.