The tradition of staging opera during the New Year was unique to the rural areas of Hancheng and the Dahongshan mountain range, featuring various regional opera forms like Han opera, Chu opera, and Huangmei opera.
From the first lunar month until before Guyu (Grain Rain), opera troupes enjoyed their busiest season. Rural folk, less occupied during this period, eagerly anticipated watching the grand performances, as they would soon be busy transplanting early rice after Guyu.
The performances in the first lunar month were the most vibrant. Those who had gone out to work returned home, and anyone within a ten-mile radius would flock to witness the spectacle if an opera was being staged.
In reality, the true patrons were those over forty, the middle-aged and elderly. Youngsters rarely understood the performances and showed little interest, yet they would still enthusiastically join the crowds.
This was because the opera grounds were bustling with vendors selling all sorts of local snacks, fruits, toys, kites, and even clothes and shoes. There were also entertainment activities like ring toss and balloon darts, making it more exciting than shopping in the town center, with immense foot traffic.
Capitalizing on this immense popularity, some gambling syndicates had recently extended their reach here. They used the opera performances as a cover to set up casinos, luring a large number of young people into gambling.
The opera performances were organized by village clans who pooled funds to hire troupes. The performances would last for over ten days and required reporting to the local police station.
This activity was considered a form of cultural outreach, thus receiving support and protection from local cultural, educational, publicity departments, and the police. As long as no fights broke out, the police would not interfere excessively.
It was within this context that gambling syndicates found it safe to operate casinos under the guise of opera performances.
Song Jianhao had persuaded the clan elders of Songjia Village to invite a local private Chu opera troupe to perform. He paid five thousand yuan daily, with the clan elders responsible for the opera arrangements.
This troupe was invited by Yu Feng, whose cousin was the owner. As one of the casino partners, she naturally looked out for her relative's business.
On the third day of the Lunar New Year, Yang Jian, after lunch, headed to Songjia Village with Liu Chao and San Pang. Liu Chao had returned on the first day of the Lunar New Year, and his father had taken over his duty of caring for Liu Yong in the hospital.
The opera venue was located at the village threshing ground. Due to the overwhelming crowd, a portion of the surrounding farmland was designated for vendors.
Vehicles were not allowed to enter and were parked uniformly at Yu Feng's concrete mixing station.
Yang Jian and his two companions walked to the village entrance and found several thousand people at the opera site. The performance had not yet begun, but the area in front of the large stage was already filled with people, mostly middle-aged, elderly, and children. The younger generation was on the periphery, shopping and enjoying themselves.
About thirty meters past the opera grounds was the Songjia Village ancestral hall, where the casino was set up at its entrance. The gambling tables were still being arranged by Song Jianhao, along with Sixi, Biaobiao, and others.
The gambling tables were larger this time, measuring ten meters long, still covered with red velvet cloth, divided in the middle by yellow tape, with a front double and back single setup.
Two rows of benches were placed around the gambling tables. The dealer's position had a chair with a sponge cushion, facing south. This setup could accommodate over a hundred people betting simultaneously.
"Xiao Yang, you're here. Come here, I need to brief you."
Song Jianhao greeted Yang Jian and his companions warmly upon seeing them and handed them three red envelopes.
"Brother Hao, Happy New Year."
The three of them cupped their fists and bowed to Song Jianhao simultaneously, a customary New Year greeting. Song Jianhao, nearing forty, was considered an elder.
"Xiao Yang, Jianmin and Sixi will arrange them. You come over here; I have some things to discuss with you."
Song Jianhao pulled Yang Jian to sit at the west end of the gambling table. In front of him was a square paper box, about a foot wide.
"Xiao Yang, after the show starts, you'll sit here and guard this box. If anyone gives a tip, put the money in the box. This income will not be included in the company's shares; it will be split equally among you, me, and Jianmin."
Yang Jian looked confused. "Tip?"
"It's when gamblers win, they'll offer a tip. It's mainly for friends in the business to support the house; they'll give tips out of respect for you and me."
"I don't know many people; who would give me respect?"
"Don't worry about that. Just sit here. If you need a break or have to use the restroom, have Jianmin take your place. Also, are you willing to take bets on dice rolls?"
Yang Jian was even more bewildered. "What does 'taking bets on dice rolls' mean?"
"It's when gamblers guess the dice combination. For example, if a gambler believes the upcoming roll will be three and five, they'll give you money. If they guess correctly, you have to pay them ten times the cash. Ten yuan pays a hundred, a hundred pays a thousand, a thousand pays ten thousand. We can accept bets up to two thousand; we can't afford to pay more."
"Whoa, that's a huge risk! A one-to-ten payout isn't worth it, is it? If one out of ten people guesses correctly, there's no profit."
"The probability of guessing correctly is very small. It's called a one-to-ten payout, but it's actually one-to-nine, as their principal is returned. Many people are eager to take on this job."
After Song Jianhao's explanation, Yang Jian pondered. With six possible outcomes on a single die, two dice can form twenty-one different combinations. The probability of guessing correctly is one in twenty-one, which isn't that small. If many people bet or one person bets on multiple combinations, the probability increases. It seemed not very profitable.
"Brother Hao, I won't participate in the dice roll betting. Honestly, I don't have the capital for it."
Yang Jian considered this another form of gambling. He currently lacked the capital for any risky ventures, regardless of how low the probability.
"Alright, then this business will go to Old Wu."
Song Jianhao said, waving to call over a slightly overweight man around sixty, with graying hair but a vigorous spirit.
"Old Wu, this is Yang Jian. Xiao Yang, this is Master Old Wu I mentioned to you. He's also from Xinqiao, just like you. Get acquainted; from now on, we're partners in the same team."
"Hello, Mr. Wu. I've heard Uncle Wangchun mention you. You're a seasoned veteran."
Yang Jian knew this elder was a master of cheating at games and Wu Wangchun's paternal uncle.
Old Wu was a jovial old man. "Xiao Yang, your name has long been renowned. Meeting you today, you truly are a fine young man. I also know your father; he's a master of traditional martial arts. We had many dealings when he was young, so we're old acquaintances. However, I've been living in the city center for a long time and rarely return to Xinqiao, so we've drifted apart. Just call me Old Wu; at my age, I'm not any kind of boss."
"Okay, then I'll have to learn a few tricks from you in the future."
"No, no, no. You're destined for great things. There's no need to waste your energy learning my crooked ways. Just understand them to avoid being cheated."
"Then can I arrange for someone to learn from you? He has some foundation."
Yang Jian wanted San Pang to learn from him. San Pang had learned mahjong and poker cheating techniques from Cat Brother but hadn't delved into dice cheating. Judging by San Pang's performance in Xichuan, he had some talent in cheating.
Since he had decided to operate within the casino world, Yang Jian also intended to gradually build his own team. After all, Biaobiao, Liangliang, San Pang, and Liu Chao were determined to follow him. Staying under Song Jianhao's command indefinitely was not a long-term plan.