Heretic Apothecary Genius - Chapter 42

Chapter 42: What Do You Mean by Gambling?

“Haha…” When he saw that Chang Laosi did not know how to reply to him, Ren Jie suddenly burst out laughing and stood up, walked over, and gave him a pat on the shoulder. “Honestly, you’re far worse than those from the five family clans. They are definitely capable of singing the Emperor’s praises at the snap of a finger. But tell me, how many of them actually mean what they say? If the Emperor were to ask them if they mean it, all of them are sure to give him hundreds of reasons why they absolutely mean it, haha…”

Huh? Chang Laosi was confused by them, but when he heard Ren Jie speak of the Emperor this way he felt his heart lurch. He’s got guts… While they might speak ill of the Emperor secretly, nobody dares to speak of the Emperor like that so openly in the Jade Capital. Especially since Ren Jie is saying…

“These are the title deeds of the Chang Le Casino…” Ren Jie pulled the wooden box out of Fatty’s grasp and handed it to Chang Laosi. “Hold onto it. I helped treat the first miss of the Fang family with a precious medicine worth at least five million Jade coins, but they only gave me a few estates in return, which included the Chang Le Casino. The more I thought about it, the more uncomfortable I felt. Even though I may not be as much of a hero as my father was, there’s no reason for a family head like me to resort to blackmailing others for their assets. Hence, I’m here to ask you to ascertain that these items are yours and to return them.”

What?

Gao Ren nearly jumped up in shock when he heard that.

What are you trying to say? Don’t you want these things? And why are you acting like you’re such a saint and trying to be generous?

“Don’t get too worked up. Fang Yan is trying to get me to take the blame, and news like this is sure to spread. Wait and see, I’ll have them take the rap themselves for sure.” Ren Jie knew that the fatty would get worked up and reminded him using his divine sense.

Huh? Gao Ren knew that something was up the second he heard that. However, he soon realized something was wrong. Divine sense, Ren Jie was speaking to him using divine sense.

Heck, doesn’t that mean that he’s at the True Qi Realm? They were also a good few meters apart, didn’t that mean that he was at least at the sixth level of the True Qi Realm. How was that possible?

Fatty was left confused over Ren Jie’s actions and then shocked again by Ren Jie’s divine sense. Chang Laosi was also in a blur.

What’s going? Here to return my things? How is that possible?

Fang Yan had said that it was Ren Jie who had forced him to give him these things as he knew that the Fangs were behind the Chang Le Gang. If he did not do as they said, then he would not be able to protect the Chang Le Gang and the Rens would attack them immediately.

Chang Laosi had no idea that he had offended Ren Jie at all, and no matter what he told Fang Yan, it did not work. Besides paying tribute to the Fangs every year, he also gave Fang Yan another 50,000 Jade coins annually. Yet, this was what he got in return.

In the end, he still had to concede, which was why he felt exhausted and felt an urge to leave the Jade Capital.

Since when did things take such a turn? Could the Fangs have betrayed him?

Still, he was not a fool and knew that Ren Jie was an infamous spoilt kid in the Jade Capital. Even if the Fangs had done him wrong, how was he to know if Ren Jie would really return these things to him?

Wasn’t that even more unbelievable?

“Look at these…” Ren Jie said as he took out the Jade coins, middle-grade spiritual instrument, and the title deeds for Chang Laosi to look at. Surely you believe me now, he thought, and there’s more to come too. If this Chang Laosi was truly such a big fan of gambling, then he would be able to lure him into his trap completely.

This was only just laying down some preparation for what was to come, to make him lower his guard.

“This… this…” Chang Laosi took a look and realized that this was Fang Yan’s shop. When Fang Yan opened this shop he had even given Chang Laosi 5,000 Jade coins as a congratulatory gift. Then there were the one million Jade coins and the middle-grade spiritual instrument, these were the things that the Fangs had promised as reward earlier. There were Fang Qi’s silk manors too. That’s right, all of these.

Chang Laosi’s expression soured as he thought that Fang Yan and the Fangs were too despicable. He had given them more than a few million Jade coins in benefits and never asked anything of them, only hoping that they would step out to defend him when the time came.

Now they not only betrayed him but also tried to reap all they could from him.

Despicable.

You even had me get everyone to retreat and had me offend the Rens so deeply so as to start a new casino with you while you become the major shareholder. As if you were concerned for me.

Chang Laosi became even angrier the more he thought about it. This was worse than being oppressed or blackmailed, this was taking someone for a fool! He could fight and bleed or even die, but this was something he could not accept.

The whole Chang Le Gang had been betrayed by Fang Yan and the Fangs, yet they still wanted to make money off him. Seems like the Fangs had long wanted to take over the Chang Le Gang, but they could not find the right time, so now…

Chang Laosi was incredibly livid, but he did not dare say too much in front of Ren Jie as he did not know the relationship between the family clans well and was afraid of them now. He believed Ren Jie, however, as the middle-grade spiritual instrument still had the Fang’s seal and logo. Also, Fang Yan had been in such a rush that he could not have faked the title deeds and Fang Qi’s shops.

“I’m glad to solve this mystery. As for all the members of the Chang Le Gang, as well as the Chang Le Casino, I’ll keep all of them around for you, Ren Family Head. All of these belong to you now, I’ll not tell anyone of this…” Chang Laosi said as he pushed the box back to Ren Jie.

He did not believe that Ren Jie had good intentions. He must have something in mind for returning these to him. Thus, he was incredibly angry now.

I cannot allow myself to be taken for a fool by the Fangs even if I have to stop making a living in the Jade Capital.

“These are nothing much. Let’s not stand on formalities, I’ll call you Lao Si from now on. Lao Si, as you know, I’m someone who enjoys making merry and I love gambling as well. Hear me out…” Ren Jie put down the wooden box and had Chang Laosi take a seat before he started talking.

Gambling was already a trade in Ren Jie’s previous life, and it had been thoroughly analyzed and studied. This was what Ren Jie wanted to talk to Chang Laosi about. He was able to clearly remember whatever he saw and heard from films and conversations with others with his advancement in the Mighty Realm. Moreover, he could organize them well and use them to his advantage.

Ren Jie neatly sorted out all the information he had read on Macau and Las Vegas, and after some tweaking and exclusion on technology, this knowledge could be applied to the gambling scene of this world.

In his opinion, the gambling scene of this world was a far cry away from being a proper industry.

Ren Jie first shared a few new ways to gamble, and being the man he was, Chang Laosi immediately understood what these entailed, causing his eyes to shine with excitement.

These were unheard of ways and, according to Ren Jie, they were sure to attract tons of people and allow them to rake in fortunes.

Then, Ren Jie shared some knowledge on how to maintain customers and how to expand gambling into a proper industry. This was already different from a small casino, as he taught him how to classify customers into tiers, how to attract VIP clients, as well as how to come up with new ways to gamble…

The moment Ren Jie started speaking, even Gao Ren, who had spent some time gambling and helped Ren Jie win money in the past, started exclaiming in excitement, much less someone like Chang Laosi who gambled for a living.

Seeing how different Ren Jie seemed now, Gao Ren wondered if this was really the Ren Jie he knew.

Gambling was legal in the Jade Capital, but in the eyes of the five major family clans, this was not something with much potential to expand. However, as he listened to Ren Jie, he realized that this trade had untapped potential. Gambling was able to sustain a whole industry and even a city.

What’s more, it was not an immoral way that would only allow them to reap short-term benefits. It was a way in which all the citizens could participate and help them gain a good reputation. A way to truly earn money without harming anyone…

This was unbelievable. Gao Ren had the urge to tear Ren Jie’s head open to see what was inside.

What exactly in there made him think of something like that? It was amazing and so comprehensive too, he had thought about everything as though he had been running a business like that for hundreds of years using a sophisticated method that many people had came up with and modified.

Could he have been thinking of things like that even though he was making merry in the past?

Fatty Gao Ren was already shocked just listening. Chang Laosi, on the other hand, was way beyond emotional. He slapped his thigh at times and nodded his head like a woodpecker, and at one point in time, he was even moved to tears.

He never thought that gambling could be expanded to such a scale that everyone could participate in it. Furthermore, it would allow him to obtain reputation and status along with wealth.

No longer would he have to play the part of a loan shark to gain short-term benefits as the mention of a casino brought to mind negative connotations. There were methods to be used on the rich, and the lottery system targeted at the poor was even more impressive.

Chang Laosi had the urge to kneel down and beg him to take him as his disciple, as though he was an amateur Apothecary meeting a top-notch Alchemist.

This was because Ren Jie only went into details at some parts while briefly mentioning the rest, not allowing Chang Laosi the opportunity to relish in the details. It was akin to beauties fleeting past a man, not allowing him anything more than a glimpse, which only fueled his passion…

“This is only a very small part of gambling. People think of it as something simple, but it’s more than that. It’s human nature to gamble, but it depends on what perspectives we’re taking. Lao Si, you’re a smart person and you know that it’s not possible for me to return these things to you, but why do you think I’d come to you with them? It’s because I’m confident of convincing you. Come and work for me.” Ren Jie spoke for a good half an hour before he suddenly changed the topic.

Chang Laosi had been engrossed in Ren Jie’s words and took some time to react when Ren Jie suddenly stopped.

He slowly stood up and took a couple of steps back before he pulled back the sleeves that had been blocking his hands from others’ sight.

He rarely fought, and while people knew that he only had four fingers, only now did Ren Jie realize that both his pinkies were missing too.