There is no such thing as a free lunch. Yang Jian knew that the ten percent stake Song Jianhao gave him wouldn't be easy to take. Without money or connections, he would have to work for it; otherwise, why would they share profits with him?
"Brother Hao, rest assured. Since I'm a shareholder, I'm duty-bound to maintain order and protect the casino's interests."
At this point, Yang Jian had to step up and make his stance clear.
"Good, your word is enough. My family has dinner ready, let's all go over. Meeting adjourned."
"I won't be joining. The roads are icy, and it'll be too late and difficult to travel back."
Yang Jian glanced outside. It was already dark, and the cars might slip on the road, so he couldn't drive too fast. It would take at least an hour to get home from here, so he had to leave early.
Yu Feng and Old Wu also stated they wouldn't be staying for dinner and left first.
After Song Hui, Sixi, Biao Biao, and the others had left, Yang Jian handed the paper box to Song Jianhao. It contained eleven thousand two hundred yuan.
"Little Yang, Jianmin and I each took three thousand five hundred. The rest is all yours. After all, this money was earned through your connections, and you're the one in the most difficult situation right now."
"No need, Brother Hao, let's stick to the rules."
Before Yang Jian could refuse, Song Jianmin had already counted the money and put it into his pocket.
Today's earnings were a full six thousand yuan. Yang Jian felt a little excited. This was only the first day, and there weren't many high-stakes gamblers yet. This income was already quite good.
In a couple of days, once the news spread that there was a casino here, more people would come to play, and the income should increase. If he stayed here for ten days, he should be able to save tens of thousands of yuan, which would be enough to buy into Emperor's shares in Hancheng.
On the way home, Yang Jian sent three hundred yuan to San Pang and Liu Chao respectively. He also gave Liu Chao an additional six hundred yuan to distribute privately to Biao Biao and Liang Liang the next day. These few were his loyal brothers and deserved special treatment. They might go solo in the future, and these guys would be the core members.
"San Pang, do you know Wu Changshun?"
Yang Jian remembered asking him to learn the art of cheating from Old Wu.
"I don't know him, but I've heard of him. Wu Changshun, like Brother Mao, is a very skilled veteran cheater, known as the Nine-Fingered Cheat King."
San Pang knew more about industry insiders than Yang Jian.
"Nine-Fingered Cheat King?"
"Didn't you notice Old Wu only has nine fingers? Legend has it that when he was young, he messed up while cheating and had one finger chopped off. He specializes in dice and various gambling equipment. He's a legendary figure, famous since the 1980s. He once went to Hongzhou alone and bankrupted two casinos, truly stuffing money into sacks and getting away scot-free. That's why he moved from his rural hometown to the county seat to settle down very early on. He then went into seclusion for many years, got married and had children. It wasn't until his grandson started making a name for himself that he came out in recent years, but he remains very low-key. Not many young people know about him; I heard it from Brother Mao."
Yang Jian recalled, he hadn't paid attention to Old Wu's fingers. He never expected this amiable old man to have such an incredible past. This was the first person he had heard of who got rich through gambling and then retired successfully. Although Wu Wangchun had earned millions, he hadn't yet "come ashore," so he couldn't be considered a true winner.
"San Pang, did Brother Mao ever say who was more skilled between him and Old Wu?"
"They're not in the same league, so they can't be compared. Brother Mao excels at Mahjong and Poker, while Old Wu specializes in dice and equipment."
"Don't TV shows portray cheaters as knowing everything?"
"That's all bragging. Each skill has its own specialization. It's most detrimental to learn too many things in the art of cheating. Take me, for example. I'm decent at Mahjong and Pai Gow, but I can never get the hang of Poker because each skill requires a long period of relentless and arduous training to achieve mastery. Brother Mao has good talent, and he can handle both Poker and Mahjong, but he's actually best at Poker. Playing dice, however, requires a special talent: extremely acute hearing. Not everyone has this gift."
"You mean Old Wu can tell the numbers on the dice by listening?"
Yang Jian found it incredible. In his understanding, this was impossible.
"I don't understand the specifics, but when you get to know Old Wu better, you can ask him about it."
"So, if you had the chance to learn dice from him, would you be willing?"
San Pang paused. "It's not about whether I'm willing or not; it depends on Old Wu's consent. This industry is very particular about taking apprentices. They usually don't accept them easily, either because of talent or a good relationship. You've only met him for the first time today, right?"
Yang Jian chuckled. "Although it's my first time meeting him, I asked my dad. Old Wu learned some self-defense moves from my dad when he was young. Otherwise, how would he dare to cheat out there? Once I get to know him better, I'll ask him, and he probably won't refuse."
"That's possible. However, I don't need to learn how to listen to dice. I don't think I have that talent. If you want to form the Emperor Company, I think you only need to learn the art of cheating with equipment from him. That way, it'll be much easier to get started."
San Pang understood Yang Jian's intention in asking him to learn the art of cheating. In Xichuan, money was made by being the dealer and playing Emperor. The profits from operating casinos were actually a small proportion. When they returned to Hancheng, if they wanted to make big money, being the dealer and playing Emperor would be faster.
Yang Jian nodded while driving. "Yes, your idea is correct. I've basically figured out the matters in casinos. The dealer doesn't need the skill of listening to dice. They can't possibly know where the gamblers will bet next. To put it bluntly, they're at the mercy of others. Without cheating, it's all about luck."
"That's right. Brother Mao told me that playing dice now is different from before. The dealer's initiative has been greatly reduced. So, cheating with dice now doesn't rely on skill or technique; it mainly relies on cheating equipment."
"Then you should learn the equipment from him. We might go solo in the future, and we need someone knowledgeable to follow. Brother Hao and the others suffered from not having a cheating master last year; not only did they not make money, but they also lost several hundred thousand yuan."
Yang Jian already had a preliminary plan in mind. Working for Brother Hao was just a temporary measure because his debts were too high. Working under him wouldn't allow him to turn his life around in a short period. He himself hadn't earned a million yuan after being in Hancheng for so long, let alone the people under him.
To achieve his goal of paying off all his debts within a year, he had to find a way to start anew. Cooperating with Wu Wangchun was also not an option for him. Wu Wangchun's team members were all from the same family, and as an outsider, it would be difficult for him to truly integrate. Most importantly, Yang Jian was stubborn and independent. He didn't like being subordinate for long. Sometimes, when his temper flared, he wouldn't spare anyone. Over time, neither Song Jianhao nor Wu Wangchun might be able to tolerate him. Just like Yu Feng, she was unmoved by the excellent conditions offered. Leading his own team and going solo might be the best choice.