Chapter 41: Gamble
Translator: Transn Editor: Transn
Gu Shenwei learned quickly in his study of the cracking movements. Now he could guess the moves correctly about seven or eight times for every 10 moves that Maid Lotus made.
Still, he was unsatisfied with himself because he sometimes made mistakes, especially when Maid Lotus made a move other than the five basic moves, which he could not predict, not least because he had only prepared the 15 moves Mama Xue had created. As a result, his mind became muddled in confusion, and he was incapable of fighting back.
Mama Xue, however, praised him unexpectedly, “It’s a pity that you cannot enter East Castle. With your perceptiveness, you could finish your apprenticeship and become a real killer within few years. It is truly a pity.”
But she became more and more worried about Slave Huan’s plan. “What are the chances of the girl using these five moves first?”
Gu Shenwei was worried about this as well. If his opponent were Shangguan Ru, he was 60 to 70 percent sure that he could predict the moves correctly, but when facing Shangguan Yushi’s Kung Fu, he could not. He could only presume that she had learned the same things as the Ninth Young Master had, including her last resort.
“She will use them. I know she wants me to make a fool of myself in public, possibly even kill me. She will choose the strongest move to begin with.”
Every time Mama Xue asked, Gu Shenwei was just as certain. He acted like a gambler now, throwing it all-in on one hand. This way, he would not only force himself to believe that he would win, but those who watched would believe it as well.
On the 13th day of the first month of the lunar year, Gu Shenwei made it clear to Shangguan Hongye.
He might have guessed Slave Huan’s purpose, so when he took up an oblate silver piece, instead of leaving, he waited for him to speak with his arms crossed.
“Master Hong, do you like to gamble?”
“What? Do you want to win these pieces back? Actually, they do not even belong to me anymore.”
“No, I want you to organize a gambling event.”
Shangguan Hongye was silent. Not just anyone could be the banker for a gambling event. Normally, Shangguan Yushi was the banker in the hall.
“I could find others, too. But I must say, it seems that the two of us have a lot in common.”
Shangguan Hongye did not speak at first, until suddenly his face warped and he blurted out, “Watch your mouth. Slave Qing said you don’t know the rules. Remember, I’m a master, and you’re a slave. What could we possibly have in common?”
“We share a burning hatred for the same person.”
Shangguan Hongye knew who was he talking about. It was well-known in the hall that Shangguan Yushi had been teaching an impervious slave, not to mention that Slave Huan’s scarred face was still recovering.
“How dare you hate a master? You bold, nasty slave.”
“Of course I don’t have the right. But she is not my real master. My true master is the Eighth Young Master.”
Gu Shenwei stopped, letting this sink in for Shangguan Hongye.
Shangguan Hongye thought for a while, and his hatred toward Master Yu won out. “Your gambling event is related to her?”
“Yes. I want you to incite her to compete with me. You can be the banker, and together, we’ll rip her off.”
“Haha, first of all, you might not win. It would be easier to ride up into the sky on a cloud than to take a single coin from her.”
“Don’t worry about that. I have my ways, all you need to do is organize it.”
“What do you want to gamble for anyway? Just to see who wins?”
“No, I want you to bet on me taking her down in three moves.”
Shangguan Hongye held his mouth open for a while. He was becoming more confused by the minute about this slave. “Are you serious? I’d bet she can beat you in three moves.”
Gu Shenwei shook his head. “She knows how capable I am, she won’t bet you on it. Just bet on me.”
Now Shangguan Hongye was shaking his head. “Impossible. I don’t know if you can beat her or what, but I don’t want to risk it. You may have run out of silver pieces, but I want to keep some.”
“That I can assure you. Just organize it. You win, you take all the money; you lose, you can get it back from me.”
This was a deal that he could not lose. Shangguan Hongye was very interested, but he still could not make up his mind. Though he hated Shangguan Yushi deeply, he feared her as well.
Gu Shenwei did not want to push him too hard. “Think about it. I’m always ready.”
The next three days were holidays again. Gu Shenwei focused on practicing Kung Fu, acting very confident before Mama Xue. Yet when he went back to the stone house, his mind was still perturbed. All of his information came from the gossip of the slave boys. How could he know which part was true?
But he had to clear the hinderance that Shangguan Yushi had brought upon him. He had been unprepared for the humiliation before the spring festival, but now it was his turn to choose his formation and let the little devil take it.
On the 17th day of the first lunar month, classes started again. The twins and Shangguan Yushi finally showed themselves.
After nearly a month’s separation, Shangguan Ru seemed to have forgotten her “apprentice” as she laughed and talked with her cousin. At the door of the hall, the teenagers arrived and sent their regards to the twins. As the eight sparring-slaves kneeled, she did not even give a glance toward Slave Huan.
Her New Year had been colorful. Shangguan Yushi thought of the many tricks they had pulled. They nearly overturned the roof of the Inner Residence. The “Moonhold School” killers and apprenticeship was beginning to feel quite old and she lost all interest.
Shangguan Hongye sent his regards as well, and then he went to the hall, following Shangguan Fei without glancing at Slave Huan, seemingly having already forgotten his suggestion.
Gu Shenwei looked calm and collected, while in fact, he was quite anxious. As time crept slowly by, in the interval between classes, the masters asked for some sparring, and Slave Qing did not pick Slave Huan.
Near noontime, the pupils dispersed. Gu Shenwei wasted his time waiting for a reply.
Even Shangguan Hongye dodged Gu Shenwei, leading the young attendant and running so fast that Gu Shenwei could not even catch up with him.
It happened again on the second day. Mama Xue started to demand information about the progress, but he could only answer her with, “It’s underway,” while he was actually less confident now. If Shangguan Hongye was afraid to manage it, it would all be impossible.
For three days, things remained the same. Just as Gu Shenwei decided that he would intercept Shangguan Hongye, regardless of the results, what he had been looking forward to finally arrived.
In the interval between lessons when the masters in the school asked for another sparring, and after Slave Qing selected a boy, another order came: “Send Slave Huan in.”
Slave Qing was astonished. Reluctantly, he pointed to Slave Huan. “You, go.”
Gu Shenwei pretended that he was surprised, lowered his head, and went to the hall. He heard Slave Qing whispering to him as he passed by, “Don’t risk your neck.”
Gu Shenwei said nothing.
Now the hall was more crowded than anytime before. As expected, his opponent was Shangguan Yushi, who was surrounded by a visibly larger audience. Shangguan Ru was their leader.
However, on the other side, Shangguan Fei, instead of Shangguan Hongye, was the leader.
Shangguan Hongye must have been too chicken-livered to organize the gambling event, so he had to incite the little master to do it.
“Well, isn’t he my apprentice?”
Shangguan Yushi suddenly thought of the game she had played last month as Slave Huan was walking into the crowd to face her.
“That was a joke, please forgive Slave Huan for being so loose-lipped, my Ninth Master,” Gu Shenwei said after he bowed. Shangguan Yushi sneered inconspicuously.
Every young pupil had heard of her punishing Slave Huan except Shangguan Ru.
Shangguan Ru contorted her mouth, “Hmph, you think you’re so great? Teach him a lesson for me, Master Yu.”
“Well, your brother thought the slave could beat me within 10 moves,” Shangguan Yushi said with contempt.
“10 moves?”
Gu Shenwei was astonished at first, but he understood very soon. Shangguan Hongye and Shangguan Fei were too conservative to believe he could do it in three moves, so they added seven moves, which could destroy his plan now. If Shangguan Yushi was not infuriated enough, she would reserve her last resort, hence the cracking moves that he had learned from arduous practice would be useless.
“10 moves are still too many!” Shangguan Fei shouted. Though he was a yesman with Shangguan Ru, he wanted to show that he too was great.
Gu Shenwei spoke in advance before the twins started to quarrel,
“I yield, we don’t need to fight.”
Hearing this sentence, the pupils were shocked. A slave, whose main responsibility was sparing, refused to spar with the masters? Where did he get his courage?
Shangguan Fei was more agitated now. “How do you know you will lose even before your fight? I’ve bet plenty of silver on you, don’t you yield now!”
Shangguan Hongye hid himself behind the young master and flushed with anger, shouting, “Are you kidding? You want to rebel?”
Shangguan Yushi did not care and stayed silent with her arms akimbo. But Shangguan Ru was disappointed. “Your Kung Fu is good, you might win!” She was worried that she had forgotten on which side she stood.
Gu Shenwei waited for their voices to settle down and said, “10 moves are too many, I’d like to yield directly. If it were fewer moves, it might be worthwhile to compete.”
The pupils were even more shocked. After a brief silence, they all burst into laughter together.
“This nasty slave is mad,” they thought.
Shangguan Fei turned his head to look at Shangguan Hongye, confused. “What?”
Shangguan Hongye’s face was turning purple now. “Slave Huan, will you fight or not? Get out if you can’t.”
Shangguan Yushi was not laughing. With her eyebrows raised, she stopped Shangguan Ru from speaking and said, “Well then, you’re keeping your own counsel. In that case, in how many moves do you expect to beat me in?”
“Master Yu is excellent, Slave Huan respects that. But I’ve heard someone explaining martial arts…”
“Save your nonsense. How many moves?”
“Three moves. No more, no less.”
Shangguan Yushi was angry. Before, she had been ready to accept, but now Shangguan Fei was unwilling. “No. I won’t bet three moves. It should be 10.”
Hearing their leader’s words, the pupils behind him wanted out as well. Just before the whole event began to fall apart, someone stepped forward.
“I’ll bet on Slave Huan.”
It was Shangguan Ru who made the declaration. Seeing her cousin’s face, she added, “I don’t trust him, I just want to see what tricks he’s playing.”
Shangguan Ru was more influential than Shangguan Fei. Some pupils immediately “betrayed” Shangguan Yushi, and so did Shangguan Fei. After a while, the bets were reorganized.
Shangguan Yushi smiled once her anger had boiled over. Warming up her legs, she said, “Come on, you bastard. Let me see your three moves.”
Gu Shenwei had made it happen. He had infuriated Shangguan Yushi and aroused Shangguan Ru’s interest. Altogether, it was going better than he had predicted.
Now, it depended on whether his and Mama Xue’s judgment was right.
