Chronicles of the Lazy Sovereign Novel - Chapter 82

Chapter 82

“Keuuuuuu.”

Jin So-ah grabbed the back of his neck.

This was a sign of danger.

Quickly putting his hand in his chest, Jin So-ah shoved a pill of vitality into his mouth and staggered as he rose from his seat again.

Was it a dream?

Or had he seen something bad?

He rubbed his eyes several times and looked back at the board, but what he saw was the same number.

One, one, one, one, one, one.

“Oh, my God.”

Jin So-ah just couldn’t believe this situation.

A six-one!

In a game of chance where you compete by throwing six dice, a six-one!

I was sure that even if I threw the dice with my foot, I’d get a bigger number.

“Really extraordinary.”

“Think I’d watch a dice game where six-one and six-six came out at the same time in my life.”

“What a spectacle for sore eyes!”

The eyes of the noisy crowd contained a mixture of mockery and pity.

There was pity for Wei Yan-ho, who had incurred a debt of ten nyang gold, but neither could they hide their mockery of Wei Yan-ho for creating such a tremendous losing hand from six to one with the dice.

And six to one at such a crucial moment, no less.

“You had bad luck.”

Dok-bi had already recovered his initial inexpressive face, as if all the emotions he had shown so far had been lies.

“Keung.”

Wei Yan-ho stretched out his hand as if he were frustrated, grabbed some cold water and drank it out of a drink.

I should’ve gone six-six.

– Damn you, you crazy bastard!

Jin So-ah lost his mind and jumped, but Wei Yan-ho kicked him with a deaf blow. He bowed his head as he looked at the board. In his eyes he could also see six dice clearly, with their one-point faces pointing upwards.

It can be disappointing, but a loss is a loss. That’s the game at its origin. Winning feels natural, but the game is something that never lets you win.

“Mmm…”

Wei Yan-ho scratched his cheek.

“So… how much is my debt?”

When the money problem arose, Kang Cheon-rip, who was jumping in the back, rushed and shouted.

Since you don’t have money to bet, you just have to return the ten gold nyang we loan you initially. How will you do it?

“But don’t I have money?”

“Tsk tsk tsk tsk.”

Kang Cheon-rip looked at Wei Yan-ho as if he were looking at a pitiful person, then smiled and said.

If you can’t afford it, your family should. Joint guarantees are fine too. Don’t worry. Our Geumhwa-jang has the policy of recovering capital without fail, no matter what.

“Tsk.”

Wei Yan-ho snapped his lips.

“Then I guess I have no choice but to return it…”

“Do you have money at home?”

“Of course there’s a lot of money at home.”

It was the Guangdong Wei family that offered a reward of a hundred nyang of gold to the Hao clan to find Wei Yan-ho. It was impossible for the Guangdong Wei family, considered a prestigious Guangdong family, to lack the money to pay ten nyang of gold.

But that wasn’t the problem.

“I will return the money, but there is a great risk that my life will end.”

If there was a word that the son who had returned five years later had played ten gold nyang, Wei Jeong-han would shout, “Since you left home, go forever!” and erase him from the family record, and Wei San-ho would devour him while giving him a sermon on the principles of a gentleman.

‘That can’t happen in any way!’

Wei Yan-ho shivered.

He had barely escaped from his master and had achieved a new life; he could not return to a life of eating humble cake again.

And then what will you do? Even if you work as a worker all your life, you won’t be able to return all that money.

“…this is quite a hitch.”

As Wei Yan-ho collapsed, Jin So-ah slowly approached and placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Ah, I’m sorry.”

“No, young master.”

“Huh?”

I’m sorry I ruined your life because of me, young master, I have no face to show you.

It’s not like you.

I’ll definitely pay this debt, even if it cost me my whole life if you’d given up earlier, you’d have gotten rich, but because of my debt…

Jin So-ah lowered his head and sobbing in silence.

“Tsk.”

Wei Yan-ho scratched his face and sighed.

Why are you so serious, you’re embarrassing me.

Kang Cheon-rip bowed his head.

‘Do they not seem to have a master-serving relationship?’

Kang Cheon-rip, who had been silently observing Jin So-ah’s face, applauded and nodded.

Now I see you’re the young master of the Sacred Hand Hall.

“Evil scoundrels!”

Tsk tsk, there’s nothing dumber than losing money in a gambling house and blaming others. I came to beg you to bet? You came here on your own foot. Your father was the same.

“Uuuu…”

Why fight? We do not reject anyone. As long as there is money to bet, whether emperor or beggar, anyone can play; that is the law of Geumhwa-jang. Of course, the results are unfortunate.

Kang Cheon-rip rubbed his hands and asked Wei Yan-ho.

It seems that someone with a wealthy family was bragging, but gambling houses aren’t such easy places. Now, if you could decide how you’d give me back the money, I’d appreciate it.

“Can I ask something?”

“Of course.”

“From what I heard, your father also lost a lot of money here, didn’t he?”

“That’s right. He lost thirty nyang of gold. We collected ten nyangs confiscating his building and his property, and we took twenty nyang.

“How can someone who doesn’t have thirty nyang lose thirty nyang?”

He borrowed thirty nyang to play and lost them all.

“Mmm…”

Wei Yan-ho raised his head and said.

“So can I borrow money too?”

“That won’t work.”

“Yes, your father could have done it, why couldn’t I?”

The Master of Sacred Hand Hall could borrow thirty nyang because he had the Sacred Hand Hall as a guarantee. But you have no guarantee, right? If you reveal your identity and status, we will consider it.

– Then I’m dead.

If rumors spread that the second son of Guangdong’s Wei family bet forty gold nyang on Hubei… whether he won or lost, he’d be dead.

It was absolutely impossible.

“Umm…”

Wei Yan-ho alternately looked at the game table, Jin So-ah and Kang Cheon-rip, then asked.

“Hey… how much do I need to play the next round?”

“Forty nyang.”

“It was twenty nyang a moment ago…”

“You have to bet twice as much, so it’s forty nyang.”

“Forty nyang of gold…”

This was an amount that even a high – ranking official would need to completely empty his fortune to obtain it. Even if the entire Middle Kingdom were plundered, there would not be many who could provide such money.

“So, if I bring forty nyang of gold, can I play the next round?”

“Of course. But we can’t wait indefinitely. If you can’t get the money right now, you’ll have to write a document inside that guarantees the return of the remaining ten nyang of gold.

“Mmm…”

Wei Yan-ho asked once again.

“So you’re saying that if I only have the money, even a game of forty nyang is possible?”

“Of course.”

“Are games even bigger possible?”

Haha, that would be breaking the rules, wouldn’t it? But we will. The next round will be for the amount you bring. But where would you get that money?

Kang Cheon-rip trusted that Wei Yan-ho would not be able to contribute money. And even if he did, he also trusted that he would definitely win.

So, what was there to worry about?

“Promise me.”

I promised you, didn’t I? A gambling house is a place that can’t survive without trust. With all these people looking at me, if I missed my word, who would trust me and spend money on the gambling house?

“Good!”

That’s right, that’s right!

Wei Yan-ho nodded as the atmosphere matured.

“Then-ah.”

“Yes, young hero.”

Jin So-ah seemed to feel that there was nothing left to hide and changed his way of addressing him.

Do you have any value at home?

“Please sell me.”

“…I guess not.”

“That’s pretty much true.”

“Your sister…”

“Do I cut off your tongue?”

“Look at it, you don’t have medical wood, you’re perfect for a wasteer or a scoundrel.”

Wei Yan-ho shook his head and looked at Kang Cheon-rip.

“Remember those words.”

“Hahaha, but what will you do? If you can’t get the money right away, you’ll have to write the document now.”

“I have money.”

“Are you saying you have more money, young master?”

“No.”

Wei Yan-ho shook his hand.

I don’t have any money, but there’s a lot of money in the world, I just need to borrow it.

“borrowing?”

Kang Cheon-rip openly mocked.

You’re saying there’s someone in the world who’d lend you forty nyang of gold?

“That’s not necessary.”

A triumphant smile spread through Wei Yan-ho’s lips.

Seeing that expression, Dok-bi’s eyes slightly wavered.

‘That’s it.’

A smile full of inexplicable trust.

That smile was precisely what had kept Dok-bi tense throughout the fight. What did it mean to be able to smile like that even as he fell into the abyss?

Perhaps Wei Yan-ho had really prepared something; Dok-bi was the only one in this place who thought those thoughts.

“Length of time will not change anything.”

“What I hate most is lengthening the time.”

Wei Yan-ho turned his head without delay and raised his voice.

“Go ahead.”

The crowd gaze turned to the door that Wei Yan-ho was looking at.

“The game is ready, so get in.”

Everyone looked at the door with slightly tense faces.

…

But in the end no one came in.

“Huh?”

Wei Yan-ho screamed out several times, saying they would come in now and stop fooling around, but no one came in.

“…what are you doing?”

When Kang Cheon-rip mocked, anxiety reflected on Wei Yan-ho’s face for the first time. Jin So-ah watched the scene and just sat on the floor.

Should they come when I do this?

“We can no longer play with your clowns, so please get up.”

“Is this not right?”

Just as Wei Yan-ho, feeling that his life was going to the fret, he was restless, a loud voice was heard from behind.

“Can’t you move a bit?”

“No.”

“People are really ruthless.”

The gambling houses are, in their origin, ruthless. And…

Kang Cheon-rip turned his head to look at Jin So-ah.

I’ll tell Heukji-jubang to pay you fast, you have to pay the price for your mischief.

Jin So-ah’s face began to pale.

They say you don’t have to touch sleeping dogs, so why did you create such a situation when it would inevitably end like this?

“You, you even make scary threats.”

When Wei Yan-ho spoke with sadness, Kang Cheon-rip gestured for the documents to be brought to him without response.

“Shouldn’t you first worry about yourself?”

You’re right. What do I do?

Why are you asking me that?

Wei Yan-ho let a deep sigh escape and muttered.

“This old man… should I get rid of him?”

At that time, an urgent voice was heard from the front door.

I’m a little late, young master!

The large curtain hanging on the door opened to the left and right, and a middle-aged man, of imposing complexion, entered.

“Who, who is that person?”