Period drama: Old Cao's carefree life

Chapter 253 I am a citizen of the Great Japanese Empire

During this time, Kawakita Seisho was living a very comfortable life.

Because Little Ears had given prior notice, everyone would lose money to Kawakami Seishu whenever he came.

Of course, there are times when we lose.

One day, he lost a sum of money gambling and was in a bad mood. Just then, Little Ears came to see him. Seeing that he was unhappy, she asked him why and then said to him with great distress, "You beastly lord, you are so foolish!"

"Who are you? You're a Japanese officer!"

"With your status, you'll take the money if you win, but refuse to admit it when you lose!"

"With your distinguished status, if you simply show your power, who would dare to bare their teeth at you? Who would dare to put your money in their pocket?"

Kawake Kōshū initially had some reservations and was hesitant to do it.

After all, he was still quite afraid of those thugs if they got really tough.

However, after the little ears kept trying, he took the risk and gave it a shot.

He had intended to give up decisively if the other party showed hostility.

But to his surprise, he actually won back all the money he had lost.

Once it happened, it happened again and again. After this happened several times, Kawakami Seishu completely let loose and won even more money.

With money, he lived a carefree and happy life.

The pleasure of smoking opium, the pleasure of winning money, and the pleasure of having two beautiful women at once brought him to the peak of happiness!
When he got home, his wife kept complaining about this and that, asking for money every day, as if the Chuan family was a money-printing machine.

That's fine, but the service itself didn't interest him at all, so how could he not feel annoyed?
So these past few days, whenever his wife mentions money to him, he beats her up.

Compared to his wife, who didn't interest him, the woman in the secret room, who was all smiles and dressed to please him, made him realize the true pleasure of being a man.

He had completely succumbed to the allure of the secret passage and opium.

That day, he woke up yawning, wiped his nose, and got up feeling weak all over.

"That's all? Just cornmeal porridge and pickled vegetables? How are we supposed to eat this?!"

Ever since he met Xiao Erduo, Kawakami Seishu has been eating much better than before, basically eating out every day.

Although the food wasn't the most luxurious delicacies, it was still quite delicious and satisfying.

Now, he absolutely doesn't want to eat cornmeal or pickled vegetables anymore.

The beastly wife was also feeling frustrated. She wanted to cook something delicious, but what did she have at home?

Kawakita Kōshū used to be a carefree, irresponsible person who didn't have any profitable jobs. Later, he went out and messed around and was able to bring back some money. Although it wasn't much, it was enough to make a living.

But after only a few days, they stopped giving it to me.

Not only will they not give it to you, but if you ask for it, you'll get beaten up!
She lowered her head and mumbled, "We don't have much money left at home, so this is all we can do."

"Also, we don't have much cornmeal left. Could you give me some for household use, or you could buy some yourself?"

Upon hearing that money was required, Chuan Jiaqing got up and slapped his wife several times.

That smug look of him didn't seem like he'd just woken up at all.

"You want money, you want money, all you ever do is ask for money! I already said I'd give it to you, stop bothering me!"

It's not that he doesn't want to give it, it's just that he doesn't have much money left in his pocket.

Although he didn't lose much at the casino, Little Ears wasn't stupid. Even if he won, how could he possibly win too much?
Eating out every meal, plus Little Ear leading him to visit shady places and smoke opium—both of these things cost money.

He's already spent most of the money he won.

He still had two coins left in his pocket, but that was his capital for smoking opium and gambling tonight, so how could he possibly give it away!
He didn't want to take the money, and that nagging woman kept nagging him. What could he do but hit her?

After beating his wife, he lost his appetite and left the courtyard while yawning.

I easily found my way to a tobacco stall, and after a comfortable smoke of a pipe, I finally felt refreshed.

Once he regained his spirits, he went to the familiar little casino.

When the casino staff saw him arrive, they immediately rushed forward to fawn over him:
"Sir, why are you here again? This is just a small business, I really can't serve you properly. Why don't you go somewhere else?"

If it weren't for Little Ear's arrangements, given Kawaie Seisho's actions, the casino would have already put him in a sack.

Do you really think you're so great just because you're Japanese? We'll find a secluded corner to beat you up, or even kill you if we're really serious, and then bury you somewhere.
There's no need to go through the trouble of digging a pit to bury people; just tie a stone to it, throw it into any river, and nobody will be able to find it!
These past few days, Kawakami Seishu, who already considered himself superior, was very dissatisfied and threatened, "What, you run a casino, are you going to kick out your customers?"

"Let me tell you, if you do this, I'm going to report you to the police!"

These small casinos have absolutely no legality and no powerful backing.

If you are reported, there's a high chance the patrol officers will come and cause trouble.

The casino staff gritted their teeth inwardly, thinking, "Someone like you who takes all the winnings and doesn't acknowledge the losses, dares to call himself a customer?!"
For a fleeting moment, he really wanted to secretly kill this guy!
But remembering Master Lian's instructions, he broke into a fawning smile and flattered him, saying:

"Sir, you've misunderstood me. Think about it, what is your status? You're a Japanese officer, a person of high status! In our terms, you're an aristocrat!"

As the saying goes, the more you lack something, the more you like to show it off.

Kawakita Kōshū was just a farmer's son in the island nation, with no real skills, making him a nobody and an object of contempt wherever he went. Such people crave respect and flattery, and are extremely concerned with saving face.

Upon hearing this, he immediately puffed out his chest and said smugly, "Good to know, then hurry up and let me in?"

The casino owner thought to himself with a sneer, "I'm flattering you, and you actually believed me? What a fucking idiot!"

Forget it, he won't understand if I try to explain things in a roundabout way, so I'll just be direct.

"Sir, someone of your status, spending all your time gambling with these peasants, isn't that lowering your own standing?"

"When have you ever seen upper-class gentlemen and peasants hanging out together all the time?"

"You're an upper-class person, a VIP, so naturally you have to hang out with big shots. At the very least, you should associate with small business owners or small merchants!"

"If your fellow countrymen knew you were hanging out with us peasants all the time, they'd laugh at you!"

Kawakita Kōshū, whose confidence had already inflated, thought there was some truth to it.

Although we may not be considered true nobles, aren't we superior to the inferior Chinese?
How can I hang out with these people every day? If my fellow countrymen found out, they'd laugh at me to death!

But if he's not here, where should he go?
He doesn't know either!
"There are plenty of places! How about I recommend one to you?" the casino owner tentatively suggested. "They play for higher stakes than here, so you can win more. What do you think?"

And so, Kawake Seishu was tricked and lured to a rather high-class casino.

After entering, Kawake Kōshū clearly sensed the difference.

No one here cares that he is Japanese, because there are more than just one or two Japanese people here, and we even saw a few Westerners.

After playing a few rounds, Kawakami Kōshū tried to use the same trick to renege on his debt and extort money, but this time he failed.

"Sir, are you having some financial difficulties? Come, come, please come with me. This is a small matter, I'll help you solve it!"

Kawakami Kōshū assumed the other party was afraid of him, so he followed with his head held high and an arrogant air.

Upon entering, I saw several burly men standing inside; they looked like the kind of men you shouldn't mess with.

Kawakita Seishu suddenly felt a little uneasy and shouted, "What are you doing? I am a citizen of the Great Japanese Empire! If you dare to touch me, the officers of the Great Japanese Empire will not let you get away with it!"

"Hahaha~~ Sir, you're joking. We're just in business, why would we harm you? May I ask your name, sir?"

When Kawakita Seisho heard the loan shark's words about "borrowing power from others," he sneered inwardly. "What nonsense about Japanese people? Just look at his cowardly appearance, he's just an ordinary Japanese."

It's one thing to scare the lower classes in China, but to actually scare him?
Grandma!

"Loan sharks" is a term used to refer to people who specialize in lending money to casinos.

"My name is Kawakami Kyosuke. He just said he could help me solve my funding problem. What does that mean?"

A whole family of beasts?

The loan shark was stunned for a moment, clearly not expecting the Japanese to be so blunt in revealing his character.

But he immediately realized that it was someone else's name.

He couldn't help but laugh to himself. Damn it, these Japanese devils' parents are really something. They even managed to insult their whole family when they chose a name.

He smiled and said, "Funding is no problem, no problem. It seems that you didn't have a good time tonight, Mr. Kawake Seishu. It's our fault, but it's okay, we can lend you some money."

"How about this, one thousand silver coins? Is that enough?"

One thousand Lianyin coupons?

Money comes so easily?
Kawakami's eyes lit up. Although the value of the Union Silver Notes had depreciated rapidly, now a thousand Union Silver Notes were only worth about two silver dollars.

However, an ocean is already a lot for ordinary people!
Even if you "win" from those peasants for three or four days, you'll only get two or three hundred silver notes.

This place is even better; it charges a thousand at a time!
However, he did not agree immediately. Since the other party could take out a thousand so easily, their bottom line could not be that low!

He decisively said, "A thousand is too little!"

"What about 2000?"

"Add more!"

"."

"4000?"

"."

"5000, that's the most I can get, no more!"

"Okay, 5000 it is!"

"Great! Come on, prepare for that beastly Japanese lord!"

Just as Kawakita Seishu was wondering what was being prepared, a person carrying a tray walked up and put it down. On the tray was a stack of money, a piece of paper, a pen, and a box of inkpad.

Kawakami Seishu acted as if he hadn't seen anything else, simply picked up the money, stuffed it into his pocket, and turned to leave.

(End of this chapter)