Chronicles of the Lazy Sovereign

Chapter 81: The Slacker, Runs Wild (2)

“Ggghhh…”

Jin Soa clutched the back of his neck.

This was a danger signal.

Swiftly slipping his hand into his robe, he shoved a Vitality Pill into his mouth. Jin Soa staggered, then pushed himself back to his feet.

Was this a dream?

Or had he seen something wrong?

He rubbed his eyes over and over and looked back at the board, but what he saw remained unchanged.

One. One. One. One. One. One.

“My god…”

Jin Soa simply couldn’t believe the situation.

All ones?

In a gambling game where six dice were rolled to compete in numbers—all ones?

He was confident he could’ve rolled a better score even if he had thrown the dice with his foot.

“That’s truly incredible.”

“Never thought I’d live to see a roll of one-one and six ones come up all at once.”

“A rare sight, truly.”

Laughter and pity mingled in the rowdy gazes of the onlookers.

There was a tinge of sympathy for Wi Yeonho, now saddled with a debt of ten taels of silver. But even that couldn’t hide the ridicule they felt for someone who had managed to roll a ridiculous one-one combo with six dice.

And in such a crucial game, no less.

“Unlucky fellow.”

Dokbi had already returned to his original blank expression, as though the earlier display of emotion had been nothing but a lie.

“Ghh…”

Wi Yeonho, clearly frustrated, reached for a cup of cold water and gulped it down in one go.

“That’s odd. I was supposed to roll all sixes.”

“You lunatic!”

Jin Soa lost his temper and lunged at him, but Wi Yeonho nonchalantly kicked him away and tilted his head as he looked at the board. His eyes, too, clearly saw the six dice standing proudly with the face of ‘one’ pointed upward.

“Unfortunate, but a loss is a loss. That’s how gambling is. It always feels like the win is within reach, but it never really is.”

“Hmm…”

Wi Yeonho scratched his cheek.

“So… what’s my total debt then?”

The moment money came up, Kang Cheonrip, who had been pacing and fretting in the back, rushed forward with a shout.

“You didn’t place a bet, so you only owe the original ten taels of silver we loaned you. How would you like to repay it?”

“I don’t have any money.”

“Tsk tsk tsk.”

Looking at him as if he were pitiful, Kang Cheonrip smiled and said,

“If you can’t repay it yourself, then your family must. Joint liability is perfectly acceptable. Don’t worry. At Golden Flower Manor, we always recover our principal—no matter what.”

“Hmm.”

Wi Yeonho clicked his tongue.

“Then I suppose I’ll have to pay it back somehow…”

“Do you have any money at home?”

“Of course, there’s plenty of money at home.”

After all, it was the Grand House of Wi in Guangdong that had posted a bounty of one hundred taels of silver just to find Wi Yeonho. There was no way a renowned household like that couldn’t afford ten taels.

But that wasn’t the problem.

“They would pay it, but it would probably mean the end of my life.”

If his father, Wi Jeonghan, heard that his son—missing for five years—had returned only to blow ten taels of silver on gambling, he’d scream, ‘If you left home, then stay gone forever!’ and strike him from the family registry. As for Wi Sanho, he’d likely go on about moral conduct and try to eat him alive.

‘That can’t happen!’

Wi Yeonho trembled.

He had only just escaped his master and started a new life. He couldn’t return to a life of watching his every move and walking on eggshells.

“So what are you going to do? Even if you worked the rest of your life, you couldn’t repay that kind of debt.”

“…That’s quite the dilemma.”

When Wi Yeonho sagged helplessly, Jin Soa quietly approached and placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Ah, I’m sorry.”

“No, Young Master.”

“Huh?”

“I’m the one who should apologize. Because of me, your life’s been dragged into this mess. I don’t know how I’ll ever face you again.”

“What’s with you? This isn’t like you.”

“I’ll repay this favor, even if it takes me my whole life. If you’d just quit earlier, you could’ve become rich, but because of my debt…”

Jin Soa hung his head low and let out a soft sob.

“Geez.”

Wi Yeonho scratched his face and sighed.

“Don’t be so serious. You’re making this awkward.”

Kang Cheonrip tilted his head.

‘Doesn’t seem like a master-servant relationship.’

Staring at Jin Soa’s face in silence, Kang Cheonrip clapped his hands together and nodded.

“So that’s how it is—you’re the Young Master of Sacred Hand Grounds. I suppose you started gambling to pay off your debt. A foolish move.”

“You despicable bastards!”

“Tsk tsk. There’s nothing more pathetic than losing money at a gambling den and blaming others. Did I beg you to come here and gamble? You came of your own free will. Just like your father.”

“Ugh…”

“Why even bother with a disguise? We don’t turn anyone away. Whether it’s the emperor or a beggar, as long as they have a tael, they’re welcome at Golden Flower Manor. Of course, the results may be unfortunate. Heh.”

Rubbing his hands together, Kang Cheonrip turned to Wi Yeonho and asked,

“You acted all bold, like someone from a well-off family. But gambling dens aren’t such easy places. So, how would you like to repay the debt?”

“Can I ask something?”

“Of course.”

“From what I heard, his father also lost a lot of money here, right?”

“Correct. That man lost thirty taels of silver. Ten taels were recovered by confiscating his property, and twenty taels remain.”

“How does someone who doesn’t have thirty taels lose thirty taels?”

“Same as your case. He borrowed thirty taels and gambled them away.”

“Hmmm…”

Wi Yeonho lifted his head and spoke.

“Then can I borrow some too?”

“You may not.”

“What the—his father could borrow, so why can’t I?”

“The Head of Sacred Hand Grounds was able to borrow thirty taels because he had collateral—Sacred Hand itself. But you, Young Master, have no collateral. If you’re willing to reveal your identity and background, we might consider it.”

‘Then I’m dead.’

If word spread from Hubei that the second son of the Grand House of Wi in Guangdong had gambled forty taels of silver on a dice game… he'd be dead whether he won or lost.

It was something that could never happen.

“Ugh…”

Wi Yeonho looked between the gambling table, Jin Soa, and Kang Cheonrip, then asked,

“Uh, how much do I need to join the next round?”

“Forty taels.”

“It was twenty just a moment ago…”

“You’re doubling your stake, so that makes it forty taels.”

“Forty taels of silver…”

That amount would require even high-ranking officials to empty their coffers. Not many in all of the Central Plains could produce that kind of money.

“So if I pay forty taels, I can join the next round?”

“Of course. But we can’t wait forever. If you can’t bring the money right now, you’ll have to sign a contract promising to repay the ten taels you already owe.”

“Hmmm…”

Wi Yeonho asked again.

“So, as long as I have the money, I can enter the forty-tael game?”

“Naturally.”

“Can I join with more than that?”

“Hahaha, that would break the rules, wouldn’t it? But we’ll allow it. We’ll match the amount you bring for the next round. That is, if you can even get that kind of money.”

Kang Cheonrip was certain that Wi Yeonho couldn’t possibly bring the funds. And even if he did, Kang Cheonrip had no doubt he would still win.

So what was there to fear?

“Promise me.”

“I’ve already promised. A gambling house lives and dies by its credibility. If I went back on my word in front of all these witnesses, who would ever trust this place again?”

“Exactly!”

“Well said!”

As the atmosphere reached a fever pitch, Wi Yeonho nodded.

“Soa.”

“Yes, Young Hero.”

Jin Soa, apparently done with hiding anything, had even changed how he addressed him.

“Do we have anything valuable at home?”

“You could sell me.”

“…So that’s a no.”

“In a manner of speaking.”

“Your sister then…”

“Shall I cut your tongue off?”

“You’re clearly not cut out to be a physician. A scoundrel or a good-for-nothing suits you far better.”

Wi Yeonho shook his head and looked at Kang Cheonrip.

“Remember what you just said.”

“Hahaha, but what now? If you can’t produce the money right away, I’ll have to ask you to sign the document.”

“Oh, I have money.”

“You’re saying you have more money on you?”

“No.”

Wi Yeonho waved his hand.

“I don’t have any money. But the world does. I’ll just borrow it.”

“You’ll borrow it?”

Kang Cheonrip didn’t bother hiding his laugh.

“You’re saying there’s someone in this world who would lend you forty taels of silver? Even if such a person exists, they certainly aren’t here. And you’re not allowed to leave this place before signing the document.”

“No need for that.”

A confident smile crept onto Wi Yeonho’s face.

Dokbi’s eyes wavered slightly when he saw that expression.

‘That’s it.’

A smile full of inexplicable confidence.

It was that very smile that had kept Dokbi on edge throughout the entire gamble. The fact that Wi Yeonho could still smile like that after hitting rock bottom—what did that mean?

Only Dokbi, among everyone present, entertained the possibility that Wi Yeonho might still have something up his sleeve.

“Stalling won’t change anything.”

“I hate dragging things out.”

Without hesitation, Wi Yeonho turned and raised his voice.

“Come in.”

The crowd turned their eyes toward the door he was looking at.

“The table’s ready. Come in already.”

With faces slightly tense, everyone stared at the entrance.

…

But no one came in.

“Huh?”

Wi Yeonho called out several more times, shouting that they could come in now, to stop playing around—but still, no one entered.

“What… are you doing?”

As Kang Cheonrip sneered, a trace of anxiety finally appeared on Wi Yeonho’s face. Jin Soa, watching the scene unfold, simply plopped down on the floor.

“That’s strange. This should’ve been the part where they come in…”

“We can’t keep playing along, Young Master. Get up now.”

“This isn’t how it was supposed to go…”

Just as Wi Yeonho began to squirm, sensing his life spiraling into disaster, a loud voice came from behind.

“Mind if I squeeze through?”

“No, you may not.”

“You people are so cold.”

“Gambling dens are cold places by nature. And…”

Kang Cheonrip turned his head sharply and glared at Jin Soa.

“You refuse to repay your debt and instead resort to gambling. You must be doing well for yourself. I’ll inform Black Land Manor to collect your money immediately. There will be a price for playing games.”

Jin Soa’s face began to pale.

He had only made things worse by scratching at a festering wound. Why had he set this situation up in the first place?

“Wow, talk about threats.”

When Wi Yeonho grumbled, Kang Cheonrip gestured for someone to bring the contract without answering.

“You should worry about yourself first, shouldn’t you?”

“That’s fair. What should I do now?”

“Why are you asking me that?”

Wi Yeonho sighed deeply and muttered,

“This guy… should I gut him?”

At that moment, a hurried voice rang out from the front gate.

“Ah, sorry! I’m a bit late, Young Master!”

The large curtain hanging across the gate parted left and right, and a well-built middle-aged man strode confidently inside.

“Wh-Who is that man?”