"You think you can win back your losses with ten million? Even if you bring in a hundred billion, you're still doomed to lose."
Zhuang Rui sneered inwardly. Today, he was going to make this arrogant guy feel the pinch. He wouldn't stop until he had completely crushed him. This was the first time in Zhuang Rui's life that he had acted so decisively, leaving no way out for anyone. Even when facing Xu's Jewelry, Zhuang Rui had never had such a ruthless intention.
This kind of gambling game, which requires no skill, proceeds very quickly. After a few minutes, the dice have been drawn eight or nine times. Niu Hong's luck wasn't too bad; with a 25% chance, he actually guessed correctly five or six times. In addition, Zhuang Rui deliberately let him win, and the chips in front of Niu Hong rose to 15 million.
"Spit it out the way you ate it!"
The excited young master Niu completely forgot that he had also won first and then lost, and he also forgot that the other party had only put up a mere one million in bets so far.
Chapter 392 Always Winning at Gambling
As before, after Niu Hong won several rounds in a row, the tide began to turn, and the chips in front of Niu Hong dwindled one by one. The smile on Niu Hong's face slowly stiffened.
It wasn't that Zhuang Rui didn't want to leave any room for maneuver; it was just that Niu Hong was too annoying. He was like a piece of chewing gum, once you got on him, you couldn't get rid of him. If he didn't win all the money he had on him, this betting game wouldn't end.
More than ten million chips were used in just twenty or thirty rounds of betting. In just over half an hour, Niu Dashao's account was empty again. He couldn't accept this blow and sat blankly at the gambling table with his eyes glazed over.
You have to understand, the cash and antiques he spent today are worth hundreds of millions! Even if he were to hire one of Hong Kong's top actresses, it would only cost him two or three million a night. This hundred million Hong Kong dollars is enough for him to sleep with dozens of them. Young Master Niu's view of money has always been tied to women.
Not to mention Young Master Niu, even the onlookers were stunned. This gambling ship has been on the water for over a year and has seen many high rollers betting against each other. People from the Middle East often come to gamble on the ship, and there have been many games with wins and losses of over 100 million yuan. However, most of them are all-in bets, and a single game can last for more than ten hours or even several days. This is the first time that Zhuang Rui and Niu Hong have settled their score in just a few hours.
"Alright, Xuanbing, let's go eat..."
Zhuang Rui tossed a chip he had been fiddling with to Ji Yi, saying, "President Ji, take this money and share it with them. Thank you all for your hard work..."
A one million Hong Kong dollar tip isn't high for this kind of bet. You know, on a gambling ship, if you win the jackpot, you have to give a third of it to the casino as tips. But this is a bet between two people, so it doesn't have much to do with the casino. A one million Hong Kong dollar tip is just so-so.
"Thank you, thank you Mr. Zhuang..."
Ji Yi was surprised that Zhuang Rui, a mainland Chinese, was so well-mannered. For a moment, everyone in the gambling hall wore a happy expression. In just one afternoon, each person could earn tens of thousands of yuan, and they were quite satisfied.
"It's alright. Have someone take these things to my room. As for these chips, have them issued as bearer drafts from a Swiss bank..."
Zhuang Rui smiled and waved his hand. His biggest gain today was not actually winning money, but acquiring these antiques. These four pieces of official kiln porcelain and that painting of concubines by Lang Shining were rare items that money couldn't buy. They would fill the treasure room in the basement of his house in Beijing.
"Wait a minute, you cheated, you definitely cheated, otherwise how could you win every single game?"
Just as Zhuang Rui stood up with Qin Xuanbing in his arms, preparing to leave, Niu Hong suddenly jumped up from his chair and shouted loudly. At this moment, Niu Hong's face was covered in cold sweat, and his hair was wet and hanging over his forehead. He looked nothing like a rich young master. He was not much different from those gamblers who lost their children in the casino.
"Win every single game?"
The people in the gambling hall found Niu Hong's words amusing. Zhuang Rui didn't win every hand; he just won a few more times than Niu Hong. In addition, he had more draws than losses, so naturally he would be the final winner. Niu Hong's words were not convincing at all.
As for cheating, no one believed it even more. The main way to cheat by rolling dice is to listen to the dice, but Zhuang Rui is always talking when he rolls dice, so it's impossible for him to listen to the numbers. Unless he can see through the dice cup and know the numbers inside, of course, such eyes are what everyone dreams of. Well, it's something you can only think about in your dreams.
"Young Master Niu, what evidence do you have to prove that Mr. Zhuang cheated?"
Ji Yi's words stunned Niu Hong. Empty words are useless; to accuse someone of cheating, you need to provide evidence.
"I don't care, that's your business. Anyway, he cheated, and this waiter was in cahoots with him."
Unable to produce any evidence, Niu Hong resorted to thuggish behavior. It's rare to find someone with a net worth of over a billion who would say something like that in Hong Kong. Only Niu Hong could pull that off.
"Enough, haven't you made enough of a scene yet?"
Suddenly, the casino door was pushed open from the outside, and four or five people walked in.
Surprisingly, the usually arrogant Young Master Niu shrank back and sat back down in his chair after hearing this.
Zhuang Rui had his back to the casino entrance. He didn't understand what Niu Hong meant, but judging from Niu Hong's expression, he was being reprimanded. He turned his head to look back.
"foreigner?"
The person walking in front was a foreigner with a high nose and blue eyes, silver hair, and wearing a sharp sky-blue suit. Although the foreigner's complexion was ruddy, Zhuang Rui could tell that he was probably over sixty years old.
"This must be Mr. Zhuang? I'm so sorry, my nephew is so ignorant and made you laugh at him..."
At this moment, the foreigner surrounded by four or five people had walked up to Zhuang Rui. His fluent Mandarin left Zhuang Rui somewhat stunned, and from the voice, Zhuang Rui recognized it as the same foreigner who had just reprimanded Niu Hong.
When Zheng Hua and the others saw this person arrive, they all breathed a sigh of relief. If Niu Hong had continued to cause trouble like this, they really didn't know how things would have ended today.
"And you are?"
Zhuang Rui extended his hand and shook hands with the foreigner, feeling quite confused. Nephew? How did this relationship work? Although Niu Hong was a good-for-nothing, he looked exactly like a Chinese person. Could he have a foreign uncle?
"Zhuang Rui, this is Dr. Shu, the current chairman of Worldwide Shipping. He is also the chairman of the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce and the son-in-law of the old shipping magnate..."
Zhuang Rui didn't recognize the foreigner, but Qin Xuanbing did, and quietly introduced him to Zhuang Rui.
"Hey, could it be that the big guy came out to retaliate after the small fry was beaten up?"
Zhuang Rui's eyes narrowed slightly. He knew this Dr. Shu, but he always thought that this person who inherited the old shipping magnate's business was Chinese. He didn't expect that he was actually a foreigner.
Zhuang Rui was unaware that Shu Wen was actually Austrian, a graduate of the Faculty of Law at the University of Vienna, and later earned a doctorate in comparative law, international law, and corporate law from the University of Chicago. He was a practicing lawyer and had previously served as legal counsel for the Royal Bank of Canada.
Schwarzman joined Worldwide Shipping Group in 1970. Before that, he was a lawyer in Canada. He met and married the eldest daughter of the shipping magnate, and after much nagging from the magnate, Schwarzman finally joined the company. After the shipping magnate retired in 1986, Schwarzman took over the shipping business, at a time when the shipping industry was at its worst.
After Shu Wen took over Global Shipping, he transformed it from an old-fashioned company that operated as the private domain of the old shipping magnate into a modern enterprise group that focuses on liquefied natural gas transportation while also operating crude oil tankers, dry bulk carriers, and oil drilling platforms.
After the reorganization, Shu Wen felt that the shipping business had begun to recover in recent years. So in 2000, he bought a Swedish tanker shipping company, and in 2003 he bought Bengersen, a natural gas and dry bulk shipping company listed in Oslo, thus regaining the glory of the old shipping magnate and world shipping king.
It can be said that without Shu Wen's efforts, the business empire built by the old shipping magnate would have long since fallen apart. Therefore, Niu Hong is fearless at home, except for his foreign uncle. In recent years, he has often hidden on gambling ships, which is also a way of keeping away from this strict parent.
"Uncle-in-law. He cheated at gambling and won nearly a hundred million from me. We can't let him get away with this..."
Niu Hong sat in the chair, his eyes darting around. He wiped his eyes, putting on a pitiful look, and decided to play the victim.
He wanted to get some of the money he'd spun out back; otherwise, he'd be penniless for a while. No money meant no women, and those female celebrities wouldn't sleep with him just because he was handsome. That was what Niu Hong found most unbearable. "Shut up! Haven't you embarrassed yourself enough? Get on the helicopter right now and wait for me. Your aunt is waiting for you at home..."
Shu Wen interrupted Niu Hong's sobbing in fluent Mandarin. He had dropped a very important meeting after receiving a call from Zheng Hua and rushed over by helicopter. He had already learned the cause of the matter over the phone and did not believe a word his nephew, who was still incorrigible, said.
As for Zhuang Rui winning 100 million, Shu Wen didn't care much. In his opinion, while hard work is necessary for success, luck is even more important. Just like his father-in-law, the old shipping magnate, if he hadn't entered the market during the revival of the shipping industry, he wouldn't have been able to make a name for himself as the world's shipping magnate with nothing but his bare hands.
Although Niu Hong was arrogant, he did not dare to disobey the head of the family. He glared at Zhuang Rui and stormed out of the gambling hall, followed by two people.
"This junior is incompetent and has made Mr. Zhuang laugh at me. But Mr. Zhuang's luck is really good..."
Although Shu Wen reprimanded his nephew, he didn't have a good impression of Zhuang Rui either. You have to understand, this was a win or loss of 100 million Hong Kong dollars, which was so much that even one person couldn't carry it in a sack.
"Hehe, I've met with a Living Buddha in Tibet, and even he said I'm quite lucky, always winning at gambling. But I don't really like gambling. If it weren't for Young Master Niu's interest, this wouldn't have happened..."
Zhuang Rui smiled and gently touched the dzi bead on his wrist. His words, however, were uncompromising, clearly stating that it was his nephew who was being unreasonable. Although Zhuang Rui didn't like to cause trouble, he was never afraid of trouble once he did.
Chapter 393 Stud
Upon hearing Zhuang Rui's words, Shu Wen was taken aback and began to re-examine the young man before him.
Although he was a foreigner, Shu Wen had been living in Hong Kong since the 1970s and had a thorough understanding of traditional Chinese culture; he was a true China expert.
Shu Wen knew that Chinese people are reserved, polite, and humble. For example, in the Hong Kong tycoon circle, even though that Superman was very satisfied with his son, he would often use words like "good-for-nothing" or "my son" to refer to his son.
Shu Wen is considered a senior figure in Hong Kong's wealthy circles. The second and third generation of wealthy businessmen treat him with utmost respect. This is something that has never happened before, as Zhuang Rui has made a sarcastic remark with a veiled barb.
However, given Shu Wen's status, even if he wasn't entirely satisfied with Zhuang Rui, he wouldn't argue with him. He simply smiled, looked at the cardboard boxes next to Zhuang Rui, and said, "I heard that Niu Hong lost several items left by the old man. Those items were gifts I gave to my father-in-law and are family heirlooms. They have great sentimental value, and I hope Mr. Zhuang can part with them so I can buy them back. Is that alright?"
"Are these items passed down from Dr. Shu's family? That can't be right. These items were passed down from our ancestors. I wonder what their connection is to Dr. Shu's family?"
Zhuang Rui frowned after hearing Shu Wen's words.
There was no way he would return these things. Moreover, after hearing Shu Wen's words, Zhuang Rui understood the true origin of these items. He sneered and said, "Can I interpret Dr. Shu's words as some robbers breaking into someone's house, stealing what belongs to them, and then claiming it as their family heirloom?"
Shu Wen is Austrian, and the catastrophe that Beijing experienced more than a hundred years ago was also caused by the participation of Austrians. The Old Summer Palace was destroyed, all the homes of princes and ministers in Beijing were looted, and millions of treasures belonging to the Chinese nation were transported abroad. This caused everyone in the domestic antique industry to feel heartbroken, and Zhuang Rui was no exception.
"this……"
Shu Wen was speechless after Zhuang Rui's words. His grandfather had indeed participated in the Eight-Nation Alliance and had come to China in the early 20th century. These items were looted from the Old Summer Palace by Shu Wen's grandfather. Later, Shu Wen learned that the old shipping magnate liked these antiques, so he took them from his own home and gave them to the shipping magnate. He was extremely knowledgeable about that period of history, so he couldn't find any words to refute it.
However, like the Germans, Austrians are able to face their past history squarely. They admit their mistakes and don't resort to the despicable and shameless attempts to rewrite history like some isolated island nation. Therefore, Shu Wen was not angry at Zhuang Rui's words, but said, "I'm sorry, Mr. Zhuang, I misspoke."
Seeing that the foreign old man readily admitted his mistake, Zhuang Rui felt a bit more favorably disposed towards him. He smiled and waved his hand, saying, "Those past events have nothing to do with you, Dr. Shu. However, I think it would be better if I took these things back to China."
Hong Kong is a free port. Although it has returned to China, it still has its own laws and regulations. There is no so-called crime of smuggling cultural relics. Cultural relics that are prohibited from leaving the mainland are not subject to any restrictions in Hong Kong. Zhuang Rui does not want these precious national treasures to flow abroad again from his hands.
"this……"
Shu Wen was surprised by Zhuang Rui's response. He had no idea that Niu Hong had brought these items to the gambling ship. He had a deep affection for the old shipping magnate and naturally didn't want his belongings to fall into the wrong hands. However, the items were legally owned by Zhuang Rui, as there was a written agreement in black and white. This gave Shu Wen a real headache.
"How about this, Mr. Zhuang, you bought these things for ten million, and I'll buy them back for twenty million, is that alright?"
Left with no other choice, Shu Wen made a suggestion that even he himself didn't quite believe Zhuang Rui would agree to.
"Hehe, I'm sorry, Dr. Shu. These things are national treasures. I will definitely bring them back to China if I have the ability. It's not about money. I hope you can understand my feelings."
As expected, Zhuang Rui righteously rejected Shu Wen's suggestion. Not to mention 20 million, even 50 million, Zhuang Rui would not sell it. 100 million? Uh, maybe he would consider it, but that foreigner would not be able to offer such a high price.
"Xiao Zheng. Look..."
Shu Wen turned her gaze to Zheng Hua, hoping he would say a few words of advice.
"Uncle Shu, this is all Niu Hong's fault for being too impulsive..."
Zheng Hua wasn't unwilling to help Shu Wen, but he had specifically inquired about Zhuang Rui's background over the past few days and learned that he had participated in a private appraisal activity for cultural relics in China and was considered a person in the antique business. Zheng Hua figured he didn't have that much influence to persuade him to give up these things.
Shu Wen frowned upon hearing this. This was the first time he had ever asked for a favor since he took over Global Shipping, and he was repeatedly refused. His impression of Zhuang Rui worsened. After thinking for a moment, he said, "I remember there's a rule in China, right? That is, if you lose money gambling, you can win it back at the same table, right?"
"Damn it, in the end, isn't it all about getting revenge?"
Zhuang Rui cursed inwardly, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. He never complained about getting more money for free, so he nodded and said, "That's right. Dr. Shu, are you perhaps as skilled in gambling as Young Master Niu?"
"No, no, no, I've only been to a casino once, for the ribbon-cutting ceremony, and I've hardly ever been to one in my life. What I'm thinking is this: since these antiques were all lost in the casino, I'll act as a representative and gamble against Mr. Zhuang. If I win, Mr. Zhuang will return these antiques to me; if I lose, then we won't have to talk about it anymore. Of course, I'll offer an amount of money equivalent to these antiques."
Shu Wen had an excellent relationship with the Macau gambling king. He knew that the gambling king had a person with extremely high gambling skills, and he wanted to borrow that person to gamble against Zhuang Rui. In his opinion, although Zhuang Rui was lucky, when he really met a master, the outcome would not be determined by luck.
Zhuang Rui gave Shu Wen a rather amused look and said, "Oh? I wonder how much money Dr. Shu thinks is equivalent to the value of these antiques?"
Thirty million Hong Kong dollars!
As soon as Shu Wen learned from Zheng Hua what kind of antiques these were, he immediately called to have them appraised for their market value. He had only offered 20 million to save money and buy them back earlier, but now, offering another 20 million would make him seem petty.
“Dr. Shu, I personally have plenty of money. If you're going to use money as a wager, then forget it…”
Zhuang Rui slightly curled the corners of his mouth. The painting by Lang Shining alone was estimated to fetch around 25 million, and the price of the two pairs of porcelain pieces would not be less than 15 million. Shu Wen's offer was not fair, and he really didn't want to gamble anymore. Having too much money was a waste of his time, especially money earned in this way, which made Zhuang Rui feel uneasy.
"How about this? I'll take out three more pieces of porcelain and two ancient paintings to wager with Mr. Zhuang. What do you think?"
Shu Wen's goal was not only to retrieve those antiques, but also to salvage the reputation of the Niu family. That's why he decided to use his own collection to gamble with Zhuang Rui.
"Oh? That's fine, but I need to inspect what you brought first. If they are of equal value, then the bet you just proposed can proceed."
Zhuang Rui's eyes lit up. It seemed this foreigner had quite a few good things. He guessed correctly; Shu Wen's grandfather had been a commander in the Austrian army during the invasion of China. The things they looted were transported by cart. Although much of it had been lost over the past century, some had been preserved in Shu Wen's possession.