Tome of Troubled Times-Chapter 739: A Tangled Mess

The stall owner did not linger to chat idly with Zhao Changhe for long, soon turning to attend to other customers.

Zhao Changhe slowly ate his paomo, musing that the dish seemed more suited to being military rations than a simple snack.

Damn it. Now even while eating, I’m thinking of military supplies.

He was contemplating how to approach Young Master Dai and strike up a conversation when he suddenly noticed the man slipping out of the temple alone, darting down a side street at an impressive speed.

Zhao Changhe quickly tossed a small piece of silver onto the table and followed without hesitation.

He trailed Young Master Dai through a series of twists and turns, only to see him sneak into a dimly lit residential building. Upon closer inspection, he realized that it was... a gambling house.

Zhao Changhe was speechless.

And here I thought you were at the temple for religious devotion. Turns out you just couldn’t sit still and snuck out to gamble instead. Alright, fair enough. This is basically the ancient equivalent of skipping class to hit up an internet cafe. The only difference is... I have a personal vendetta against gambling and drugs.

The gambling house was dimly lit but not particularly well-guarded. Zhao Changhe had no trouble slipping inside.

At the center of the room, a woman who seemed to be the proprietress greeted Young Master Dai with a warm smile. “Young Master Dai, you’re a bit late today.”

Unlike the usual flirtatious madams who ran these places, this woman carried herself with a refined air. Her attire and demeanor gave off an intellectual charm, and her ever-present smile made her seem quite approachable.

Young Master Dai appeared to be quite familiar with her and chuckled. “My uncle insisted on visiting the temple. Who has the patience to listen to a bunch of bald men chanting scriptures? Just looking at them feels like bad luck. It makes me think I’ll end up shaved bald at the gambling table.”

The proprietress laughed. “With your luck, Young Master Dai, how could some bad luck faze you? But I must admit, it’s curious. After the Buddhists lost their debate to Daoist Yuxu, the nobles stopped frequenting the temple. What changed today?”

Young Master Dai waved dismissively. “That new Buddha they brought in is something else. Seriously, a few words from him almost had me ready to take the vows myself. I suppose this is what they call a glib tongue.”

The proprietress’ eyes narrowed slightly and she tilted her head for a moment before chuckling. “And yet, here you are.”

Young Master Dai replied with complete confidence, “The moment I heard them preach about abstaining from lust and gambling, I was out. What kind of life is that? I, Dai Qingge, am in my prime! If I can’t drink, can’t gamble, can’t enjoy myself, what’s the point of living? What, was I supposed to sit there and wait for the new year to roll around?”

The proprietress let out a peal of laughter. “Indeed, what joy is there in asceticism? A man like you should be savoring life’s pleasures. Will you be joining the main hall for some lively betting, or would you prefer a private game in the VIP room?”

Dai Qingge waved her off. “What fun is there in playing privately? And I’m not playing with you—I’d just lose. I’m going to bet on the dice.”

Zhao Changhe nearly spat out a mouthful of air.

This... This isn’t how the script was supposed to go. Isn’t there supposed to be some kind of private, intimate encounter with the proprietress? Something beyond just gambling? And what do you mean, “I’m not playing with you”? Come on, man. What kind of gambler prioritizes games over women? You should’ve been born in the modern world as a gamer instead. Boys drop IDs, girls can play on their own[1].

The proprietress chuckled, amused. “It’s not like I’m the only one you can gamble with. We have plenty of skilled players here. Do none of them interest you, Young Master Dai? Or perhaps you’d prefer to play with other guests? Squeezing into the main hall hardly suits someone of your status.”

Zhao Changhe glanced at her, his instincts flaring.

Why is she so insistent on him going to a private room? Is she trying to extract information from him?

It made sense if that were the case. After all, she had already been probing earlier, subtly steering the conversation. Now, she likely wanted to dig deeper into the details pertaining to the new Buddha.

At first, he had dismissed the idea that this place might be connected to Ying Five. It seemed a bit too convenient. But looking at it now, the odds were high. After all, with someone on the Ranking of Heaven supporting the organization, it was hardly surprising that they would be running the most prestigious gambling house in town. A wealthy young master like Dai Qingge would naturally gravitate toward the best.

Chang’an’s political landscape was already a tangled mess. If Ying Five was in the mix, things were about to become outright chaotic.

Dai Qingge scoffed. “I’ve played against your so-called experts plenty of times. They’re nothing special.”

The proprietress chuckled. “But Young Master, aren’t you one of the hidden dragons? Skills like sound-based perception and trick-reading aren’t exactly common. Not many could match you, that’s true...”

Before she could continue, Zhao Changhe suddenly spoke up.

“Oh? This young master has impressive gambling skills? I find that hard to believe. How about a match?”

The proprietress blinked, momentarily surprised, while Dai Qingge’s eyes gleamed with excitement. “Is this a new expert your gambling house recruited?”

Zhao Changhe shook his head. “I’m just passing through. But isn’t this place open for guests to challenge each other? Or do I have to be a house player to play a game with you?”

Dai Qingge grinned. “Newcomers shouldn’t be too cocky. Lose everything, and Li Eight here will strip you to your underpants and toss you onto the street. Not a great look, I’d say.”

Li Eight. Well, that clears it up alright. They aren’t even trying to hide it.

The thought crossed Zhao Changhe’s mind in an instant, but he kept his expression relaxed. He casually replied, “So be it if I lose. Losing and winning are merely a single aspect of gambling. It’s the thrill of the process that matters most, don’t you think?”

Dai Qingge clapped his hands, laughing. “Well said! Alright, I’ll play with you.”

Li Eight gave Zhao Changhe a measured glance, suspicion flickering in her gaze before she smiled. “This way, gentlemen.”

She led them to a side hall. The noise and bustle of the main hall faded behind them. The bustle was replaced by an elegant, quiet atmosphere, faintly scented with flowers.

Li Eight smiled. “What will it be? Pai Gow? Dice?”

Zhao Changhe swept his gaze over her and smirked. “Can’t I just play privately with Young Master Dai? Why do we need a dealer? No offense, but for a woman as refined as yourself, being a dealer seems rather... unbecoming.”

Li Eight’s lips curved in a subtle, knowing smile. “Our establishment doesn’t rely on such distractions to keep guests entertained. If you insist on playing privately, that’s fine, but all bets must be exchanged for chips. We don’t allow direct wagers of gold and silver. If no one from our house is present, how else would we collect our commission?”

Zhao Changhe handed over a piece of silver. “Exchange this for some chips for me.”

Li Eight gave him a deep, scrutinizing look before taking the silver and walking away. “Please wait a moment, sir.”

Clearly, she had sensed something was off about him. The only one still oblivious was Dai Qingge, who was grinning as he asked, “Brother, what game do you want to play?”

Zhao Changhe lowered his voice and said, “The game where your father sent me to drag you home.”

Dai Qingge nearly jumped out of his chair. “You motherf—”

Zhao Changhe waved a hand dismissively. “No need to panic, Young Master. I mean, look at me, do I look like someone who has any fondness for those monks? I’m willing to help cover for you.”

Dai Qingge let out a sigh of relief, glanced around, and then lowered his voice as well. “So you think there’s something off about those monks, too? I’m ranked on the Ranking of Hidden Dragons, I’m at the seventh layer of the Profound Gate, and I’ve even fought Zhao Changhe and Xia Chichi, as well as drank with them. I’m far more streetwise than the average man! If I say something’s off about those monks, I have my reasons! But my father just won’t believe me!”

Zhao Changhe nearly laughed out loud. Oh, sure. You fought Zhao Changhe? Funny, I don’t recall that. Drinking? Well, sure, I mean... everyone at the banquet back at Langya was drinking. If that counts, then I suppose you’re not entirely wrong.

Out loud, however, he simply said, “These things require evidence. Gut feelings don’t count for much. Master Yuan Cheng built a strong foundation of trust. That’s why people believe in him.”

“Who the hell has evidence?” Dai Qingge stomped his foot in frustration. “When Master Yuan Cheng preached, I didn’t always agree with him, but at least he made sense. The key point was that his teachings emphasized self-awareness, enlightenment, and that everyone could attain Buddhahood through introspection. It was grounded, not some lofty, unattainable ideal. That’s why so many people followed him. But this new one...”

“What do you mean? Doesn’t this one teach the same thing?”

“He does! He also preaches Buddhahood for everyone, but he somehow makes it about martial arts cultivation. What the hell? Since when were Buddhist martial arts meant for anything other than defending the faith? Achieving enlightenment through martial strength is literally the Maitreya Cult’s ideology! If they start preaching enlightenment through slaughter, or bliss through indulgence, then aren’t we just going to have another Maitreya Cult in Chang’an?

“Anyway, I told my father all that, but he just said that I was overanalyzing. ‘They haven’t said anything about enlightenment through slaughter or bliss through indulgence, so don’t jump to conclusions,’ he says. But something seriously feels off about them! If they’ve already twisted the doctrine in such a short time, what’s stopping them from going all out in a year or two?”

Zhao Changhe’s mind stirred.

For all his recklessness, this guy’s instincts are razor-sharp. He might be dumb in some aspects, but there’s clearly a reason he’s among the hidden dragons. Blindie didn’t just randomly throw him into the rankings.

There was no doubt. Ever since Master Yuan Cheng had left Chang’an for Xiangyang, the so-called new Buddha who took his place was highly likely to be... Heavenly Demon Papiyas, or at the very least, one of its subordinates.

Dai Qingge grumbled, “If you really are one of my father’s men, put in a word for me. I’d sooner trust Yuxu than this bizarre new Buddha.”

Zhao Changhe tested him. “You haven’t had much contact with Daoism before, have you?”

Dai Qingge shrugged and said, “Well, I know Xuan Chong fairly well, so I wouldn’t say I haven’t had contact with them. Besides, Yuxu is the most revered figure in all of the divine land right now. His prestige is unmatched. Even if I openly side with him, my father won’t have much to say about it.”

Zhao Changhe nodded. “Then why not head straight to Louguantai? Even if it’s just for show, your father won’t be able to force you to keep attending these Buddhist sermons. If you really must choose a side, at least wait until the debate has reached a conclusion.”

Dai Qingge hesitated for a moment, then said, “Let’s finish this round first.”

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Zhao Changhe nearly smacked him upside the head. He sighed, shaking his head. “Fine, fine. I’ll play with you.”

Meanwhile, in a hidden chamber within the gambling house, Li Eight listened intently through a sound tube. After a long silence, she furrowed her brow slightly and muttered, “Where did this outsider come from?”

1. This is a modern and fairly sexist phrase referring to how guys are more willing to play with other guys, specifically in competitive games, than with girls. ☜