Did he trick the young marshal into becoming sworn brothers and then go south to Huangpu Military Ac

For the next hour.

This card game turned into a scam orchestrated by Lin Qi.

He would sometimes use language to provoke the British, causing them to lose their minds and place crazy bets.

Sometimes, he would use extremely subtle gestures and eye contact to signal the young man of the Ping family to fold and cut his losses.

He himself won and lost, maintaining an inconspicuous level, yet he inadvertently helped the two Japanese devils empty the pockets of several British merchants.

The atmosphere at the club had reached its peak, with passengers gathered around to watch the spectacle.

However, just as the game reached its most intense point, a crisis occurred.

This is the decisive game.

The chips in the pot, along with the drafts and cash, have accumulated to an extremely terrifying number, equivalent to a full 100,000 dollars!

In an attempt to salvage the situation, Rosacea even mortgaged the land deed to one of his warehouses in Dalian.

His hand was excellent, with four face-up cards: 10, J, Q, and K of hearts—a straight flush!

Fujiwara Seishin's face-up hand consisted of four spades, also a flush.

"I'm all in! Including this land title, it's a total of £100,000!"

With a bulbous nose and bloodshot eyes, he roared like a gambler, "Your turn! Yellow-skinned monkeys!"

All eyes were on the young Fujiwara.

Fine beads of sweat appeared on Fujiwara's forehead.

His hole card is an Ace of Spades, which gives him a flush of spades. If his opponent doesn't have a straight flush, he will win!

But he had no money left.

Although Fujiwara no Seishin was a top-tier nobleman, he had come to Kanto Province to visit his former comrades. In the previous rounds of tug-of-war, he had already staked out all the cash and drafts he had brought with him.

Now, facing the British's final £100,000 short squeeze, he's short of cash.

In Japan, £100,000 might be a lot, but it's just a matter of a word from him. However, on this cruise ship, if he can't come up with the money, he has no choice but to fold and admit defeat.

For a Japanese soldier who valued family honor more than his own life, being silenced by a foreigner's money was worse than being killed!

"What? Out of money? If you're broke, just fold and get back to the hold!"

Upon seeing this, the person with the red nose immediately let out a harsh laugh.

Fujiwara's young man gripped the edge of the table so tightly that his fingernails almost dug into the wood. Taira, standing beside him, was also extremely anxious, his face flushed. He had already lent out all his money and was now helpless.

At this embarrassing moment, when the two Japanese soldiers were about to break through their defenses, they were in dire straits.

"Snapped!"

A thick stack of things, accompanied by a sharp whistling sound, slammed heavily onto the center of the gambling table, pressing down on the colorful chips.

The entire audience was stunned.

Everyone stared intently.

It was a stack of special bank drafts from HSBC and Bank of Communications, all of them in large denominations!

Lin Qi leaned back lazily in his chair, exhaling a smoke ring. He didn't even glance at the astonished foreigner, but instead turned his head and patted Fujiwara's shoulder.

"Fujiwara-kun, since we're brothers, how can I stand idly by?"

Lin Qi's voice resonated loudly in the quiet club, like a great bell.

"We brothers, how can we let these arrogant foreign devils laugh at us?"

He pointed to the huge stack of promissory notes on the table, exuding an air of extravagance and making grand promises.

"This money is on me, Lin!"

"You won today; it's a combination of luck and skill. You can take the money!"

"We lost, and it's all my fault!"

"Open his hand! Today we're going to slaughter these arrogant white pigs, leaving not a single one alive!"

boom!

These words, this spirit of regarding money as dirt and fighting for one's brother's honor, struck the hearts of Fujiwara and Heiji, two naive Japanese soldiers, like a heavy hammer!

Where had they ever seen anything like this?!

Within their circle, it's all about scheming, backstabbing, and calculating exchanges of interests.

"Lin Jun..."

Fujiwara's voice even trembled slightly, his eyes welled up with tears, and the way he looked at Lin Qi had completely changed from his initial aloofness and wariness to the emotion and fervor of a scholar willing to die for a friend.

"Open the cards!"

Fujiwara suddenly stood up and revealed his trump card.

A flush of spades!

With trembling hands, the man with the bulbous nose turned over his cards; it was just a five of hearts, not enough to make a straight flush.

"No!!!"

Desperate wails echoed through the club, and the crowd erupted in thunderous applause and cheers.

Big win.

Completely destroying everything in its path.

The atmosphere then became extremely harmonious.

Fujiwara no Heiji abandoned his aristocratic airs and pulled Lin Qi to drink champagne glass after glass.

For them, the money they won was insignificant, but the sense of satisfaction they felt today—of proudly standing tall in front of the foreigners and defending their family's dignity—was irreplaceable.

Lin Qi, who bestowed this sense of satisfaction upon them, has become their most loyal and devoted friend.

"Lin-kun! From now on, when you arrive in Tokyo, you will be the most honored guest of the Fujiwara family! With just one word from you, no one in all of Japan will dare to touch you!"

The young Fujiwara, his face flushed from drinking, patted his chest and assured Lin Qi.

Lin Qi swirled the crystal goblet in his hand, a gentle smile playing on his lips.

He knew the time was right.

Lin Qiwei moved slightly closer to the two of them, his eyes revealing a deep depth amidst his slight intoxication.

He seemingly unintentionally, yet with remarkable precision, posed the question he had been laying out all night.

"My brothers, I have something to say, but I'm not sure if I should ask it."

Lin Qi lowered his voice: "Given your status, why would you abandon the comforts of Tokyo and condescend to run to that money-grubbing quagmire of Shanghai? What grand business are you planning?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the noisy table fell silent for a fraction of a second.

The young Fujiwara and Heiji exchanged a glance; their minds, numbed by alcohol, had clearly lost their guard.

Fujiwara no Kounari hiccuped, opened his mouth, and chuckled, "To be honest, Lin-kun, we originally came to Kanto Province to visit a friend, but then we learned..."

"Crack!"

At the critical moment.

Suddenly, a piercing sound of shattering glass came from the shadows not far away.

The fat man who had been staring at them like a ghost suddenly smashed the wine glass in his hand!

He then rushed over without regard for anything else and forced his way between the three of them.

His once fawning face was now twisted and deformed, filled with fear and despair.

"Mr. Lin!"

Tu Feiyuan rudely interrupted the conversation.

"You've had quite a bit to drink! And both gentlemen must be tired; it's time to go back to your rooms and rest!"

Lin Qi sat on the sofa, looking at the fat man who was desperately blocking the table like a trapped beast.

He didn't get angry, nor did he press the matter further.

He simply raised his wine glass slowly and gently touched the air to Tu Feiyuan's chubby face.

"Tanaka, you're disobeying again, you've overstepped your bounds."