About slow or fast update, I checked Grundle's original thread, Xlandhenry finished Book 4 Chapter 2. But I seem to remember somebody somewhere (not in Grundle's thread for sure) said that he/she was going to continue. Does anybody know what's going on? Did he/she completed the next chapter?
Here's my plan: chapters 8, 9 and 10 are comparatively longer than the earlier chapters. Let's say one chapter per week, plus another week or so for Book 4, chapters 1 and 2, so I should be able to catch up in about a month, right in time for our moving date. We'll see after that, but I will try my best to update regularly, about once every 2-3 days.
After pondering for half a day, he said seriously, "Zhang Xiong and Li Xiong please forgive Xiaodi [little brother, referring to self] for bringing up deep subject to a comparative stranger, after all, what we, men, seek after in the world is nothing more than wealth and women. I see that two renxiong [dear friends] are men of character, and what you carry is top-quality blade; you are definitely not a nobody. I wonder if two renxiong have any plan for the future?”
Kou Zhong laughed and said, "We are living in the moment [as before, the original was ‘have wine now, get drunk now']. Right now we only have plan for tonight. As for what will happen tomorrow, we will think about it when we get out of bed. Ha …”
Xiang Yushan laughed a perfunctory laughter and then said, "Turns out you have bottomless money purse, hence you have no worry about tomorrow. Xiaodi is really envious.”
Xu Ziling matter-of-factly replied, "Xiang Xiong is definitely much richer than we are; we just recently made a business deal, so the cash in hand is rather abundant. After the money is gone, we must start earning money again!”
Xiang Yushan revealed a mysterious smile. "I wonder which line of business the two gentleman do?” he asked.
The two boys were dumbstruck. And then Kou Zhong lowered his voice as he said proudly, "I really don't want to conceal anything from you, our business is salt. Hey! The kind that does not need to pay taxes.”
"I see,” Xiang Yushan happily said, "No wonder as soon as we met I got a feeling that we are kindred spirits. Perhaps there are more possibilities of cooperation between us later on?”
"Is Xiang Xiong also in transporting salt business?” Xu Ziling asked in astonishment.
"Compared to salt business, it is more ‘small capital, huge profit', easy-to-get-rich kind of business,” Xiang Yushan calmly said, "But please forgive Xiaodi for temporarily keeping the climax of the story to myself. I'll wait until two gentlemen enjoy all kinds of pleasure my Cuibi Lou has to offer, I will examine the grand plan to get rich with Zhang Xiong and Li Xiong.”
"So there is a business that is more lucrative than sea sand?” Kou Zhong happily asked, "We will definitely listen with respectful attention.”
Xiang Yushan nonchalantly replied, "Xiaodi still has something I'd like to inquire, and then Xiaodi will take gentlemen to broaden your horizon.”
The two boys were greatly delighted; they nodded their heads ready to answer his question.
This Xiang Yushan was at most only two, three years older than the two boys, but his demeanor was just like a lot older man who had deep experience of the ways of the world, in just a few words he had played down the information the two boys wanted to know more.
Xiang Yushan said with a smile, "Right now the world is in chaos, heroes and warriors arose, and gentlemen are definitely Wulin characters who understands the compass and set square of Wulin world. Right now Xiaodi is dying to make friends with gentlemen, I do wish you would inform Xiaodi about your martial school or sect origin, so that we can deal with each other candidly.”
Kou Zhong exchanged an eye signal with Xu Ziling first before answering, "Our martial art skill is actually handed down in a family. Xiao Min's [little Min] and my dad were escort masters with an office in Yangzhou, but they served far away places, and they were also sworn brothers. Hey! But in one expedition they encountered thieves and thus lost their lives. Hence we went out to roam the world.”
How could Xiang Yushan know that Kou Zhong was simply spouting nonsense? He laughed aloud and stood up, "Gentlemen, please follow Xiaodi!” he said.
Recalling that they were about to receive the most important lesson in their lives, the two boys followed him delightedly.
Both nervous and happy, Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling followed Xiang Yushan stepping out of the main building, and only then did they know that the beyond the rear courtyard there were other buildings that look like residence buildings. A gravel path, lined with well-maintained flower gardens on both sides, led them from the main building's rear door to another big door. This moment there were a lot of people walking back and forth on the path connecting the two doors; it was a very busy path indeed.
Kou Zhong could hear noises coming from the inside, it sounded that there were hundreds of people inside the building. "What kind of place is that?” he wondered aloud.
Immensely proud, Xiang Yushan replied, "This is the biggest casino in Pengcheng.”
Xu Ziling jumped in fright, "But we don't want to gamble!” he said.
Xiang Yushan laughed and said, "Naturally Xiaodi understood, but throughout the ages brothel and casino are always inseparable. Any place without brothel and casino will not thrive. The reason our Cuibi Lou can dominate Pengcheng is precisely because of the combination of these two businesses, and thus the whole Pengcheng is flourishing. Don't you want to broaden your horizon? Just relax and follow Xiaodi to increase your knowledge.”
The two boys looked at each other. They began to feel that this ‘yiqi Shan' was not as simple as he was on the surface. Just like in Yangzhou, the biggest casino was owned by Zhuhua Bang [bamboo flower clan/gang]. Without a strong background, who would dare to touch this kind of big, lucrative business?
As soon as the three of them entered the casino's main gate, Xiang Yushan loudly said, "These two gentlemen are my friends, you must take care of them well.”
The several big men guarding the door immediately voiced their compliance respectfully.
As they stepped into the casino, a fat man, whose entire body was covered in copper stench, and looked unbearably vulgar, came out to meet them. "Would you like Xiaoren to prepare guest rooms for three Shaoye?”
Xiang Yushan waved his hand and said, "We are just looking around, you go take care of other guests.”
The fat man complied and withdrew.
But Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling were just staring agape. It was the first time that they were inside a casino. They saw the gambling tables, the gambling equipment, down to the furniture and furnishing, none was not gorgeous or exquisite. Moreover, the place was very large. Not only it was divided into three sections, front, middle and rear, each section had halls on the left and right, joined together. Therefore, although there were about four, five hundred people there, these gambling halls did not feel crowded at all.
Most striking was that all dealers, down to the women pouring tea and offering tobacco in each hall were all young, alluring girls with jade countenance. And their clothes were sexy; they wore only moxiong [old feminine garment, covering chest and abdomen, similar to modern day tube top] and dudou [lit. belly cover; apron-like undergarment, also only covering chest and abdomen] like red upper garment, and skin-tight green short skirt, so that their jade, lotus root like upper arms and their fair, slender jade legs were completely exposed. When they walked back and forth among the gambling tables, their breasts and buttocks swayed like rippling water, graceful and beautiful, so that the two boys who watched them had their soul shaken and their mind swept away, they were completely stunned.
Funny thing was that Xiang Yushan and the other gamblers seemed to turn a blind eye to these women.
Right this moment two waitresses, whose smile was as beautiful as a flower, came over, offering fragrant tea and some pastries, while also helping Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling to remove their outer clothing.
Not only they were very attentive, their alluring flesh constantly touching and bumping onto the two boys' body.
Seeing the two boys' powerfully built body, their fitting leather vest, their broad shoulders and narrow waist, their out of the ordinary might, Xiang Yushan's eyes lit up. He sighed and said, "Gentlemen's figure is indeed shapely, certainly it is rarely seen.”
The two waitresses were also staring blankly at the two boys; they looked even more fiery with passion. One of them even embraced Xu Ziling from behind before laughing tenderly and then picked their outer garments and left with the other waitress.
It was the first time that the two boys received such a generous treatment; momentarily their soul melted and their mind turned soft; as for their body, who knows where they went?
Xiang Yushan reached out to stroke Kou Zhong's leather vest; he said in astonishment, "This is the finest quality bear hide, is only produced in the land of the north, and is pricier than gold. Xiaodi had to suffer untold hardships before obtaining one; I wonder where did Zhang Xiong buy it?”
How could Kou Zhong tell him that it was a gift from Li Shimin? Cooking up some nonsense he said, "Xiang Xiong certainly knows good product. We exchanged salt for these two leather vests with a traveling merchant; indeed they cost more than gold.”
By this time the two waitresses returned, each one pulled the boys' arms to press them bodies against their prominent and silky breasts with a very enthusiastic attitude.
Xiang Yushan introduced these two women to them, one was called Cui Xiang, the other Cui Yu; and then he said, "Zhang Gongzi and Li Gongzi do not need your service for the time being, they will call you when they need anything!”
Clearly disappointed, the two women went back to work.
Kou Zhong delightedly said, "Now I understand why brothel and casino are inseparable, Xiang Xiong's Ol' Die is really business-savvy.”
Xiang Yushan laughed proudly.
Xu Ziling asked, "Do these beauties have Cui as their surname? I wonder what is the history of the Cuibi, two characters, in the name Cuibi Lou?”
Xiang Yushan's eyes revealed an adoring look as he spoke tenderly, "That was the fragrant name of a ‘thousand-tender, hundred-charm' beauty; but she is already taken [orig. famous flower has its master/owner], she is our Clan's dragon head [i.e. boss] Laoda's most favored concubine.”
Kou Zhong asked in surprise, "Turns out Xiang Xiong is a member of a Clan; I wonder what's your precious Clan's great name …”
Xiang Yushan cut him off, "We'll talk about it later. Come! Why don't you play a game or two? If you win you can keep it, if you lose I'll settle the account. Gentlemen, this way please.”
Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling were greatly dismayed by Xiang Yushan's ‘yiqi'; for the first time they started to get suspicious.