Phi-Fic Chapter 19 Your Highness is trying to steal our money!
Chapter 19 Your Highness is trying to steal our money!
As they spoke, Li Mao secretly sized up the middle-aged man.
This man had deep-set eyes and brows, and even when facing him, he showed little respect. The jade ornaments hanging from his waist were not the kind that were popular in Chang'an.
"Oh? Betting has always been entirely a matter of luck. Does Your Highness expect us to win every time?"
Noticing Li Mao's gaze, the middle-aged man smiled, his words betraying his disbelief.
Since the racecourse opened, he has been betting almost every day, and even though he has put a lot of effort into studying it, he often loses. How could there possibly be a sure-win method!
Li Mao shook his head, adopting a profound expression, and said, "Winning is impossible, but it will definitely make you all very wealthy!"
"Does Your Highness mean that you can win even if you lose? How is that possible!"
Everyone frowned, curious yet hesitant, their eyes glancing vaguely at the middle-aged man who had spoken earlier.
“My lord, my method is entirely beneficial to you.”
Seeing this, Li Mao stopped trying to persuade the crowd and instead turned his attention to the middle-aged man.
He didn't know who this person was, but the crowd's attitude was quite respectful, so he figured he must hold a high-ranking official position.
Upon hearing Li Mao's words, the middle-aged man pondered inwardly how credible the Prince of Shou's words were.
But what if I could actually make more money?
Thinking of this, the middle-aged man pretended to be reluctant: "In that case, I will respectfully comply. Please lead the way, Your Highness."
Seeing that he believed Li Mao, everyone's attitude immediately changed.
"We also want to know the method Your Highness mentioned."
Meanwhile, not far away, a young man in brocade robes was watching the crowd.
He squinted and sized up the man. Once he saw the middle-aged man's face clearly, he changed his pace from casually strolling around to walking towards Li Mao and the others.
"Eighteenth Brother, I never expected to meet you here."
Li Mao turned around and saw a man dressed in purple brocade robes, with a high nose, small mouth, sharp eyes, and a small black mole on the corner of his mouth. He looked gentle and refined, and walked over with a smile.
The young man was none other than Li Longji's twelfth son, Prince Yi, Li Sui!
He is currently the governor of Henan and holds the title of Grand Master of the Three Departments.
"Twelfth Brother, do you have any horses you like at the horse farm?"
Li Sui looked helpless: "I just came to take a look because I heard others talking about the racecourse. I don't understand the rules of today's horse race. Could you please explain them to me, Eighteenth Brother?"
"Of course, I also need to discuss horse racing with a few gentlemen, so let's go together."
Li Mao immediately agreed, then turned to the side and looked at everyone, saying, "Please, everyone."
The group followed Li Mao all the way to the secret chamber that had been prepared beforehand.
……
Inside the secret room, Li Mao took his seat at the head of the table. After the servants served him tea, he gestured for them to leave.
As everyone took their seats, they felt a little uneasy seeing Li Mao's mysterious demeanor.
Among the crowd, one person stood with his hands behind his back, his expression calm, and slowly spoke: "Your Highness, shouldn't we be able to speak now?"
Li Mao nodded and then said, "Gentlemen, you should all know that the Ferghana horses of the Tang Dynasty come from the Hu breeds of the Western Regions."
"To become a consistently victorious general, the horse's pedigree is the most important factor, followed by the horse's temperament and the trainer's ability."
"I personally selected twenty Hu horses a few days ago. After training, they are no different from warhorses. When the time is right, they can be put into the racecourse for competition."
"Warhorses?!"
Everyone gasped in surprise.
None of the princes in the capital held military power, and as warhorses were military property, they might not be able to obtain the best ones.
Therefore, Li Mao's ability to train warhorses, once revealed, became a handle for those with ulterior motives!
But Li Mao had to say it at that very moment.
For a moment, everyone had different expressions.
The man who had just stood in the crowd, exuding an extraordinary air, frowned slightly: "I suppose His Highness has something he hasn't told me yet."
He was somewhat displeased. If Prince Shou could say it in public, he must be confident that no one present could reveal it.
This means that from the moment they stepped into the secret room, they only had two choices left.
Either break ties with Prince Shou and take it to the Emperor.
Either obey Prince Shou's wishes.
He wanted to see what other tricks Prince Shou had up his sleeve!
Upon hearing this, Li Mao smiled and said, "What this gentleman says is correct; there are many intricacies involved in winning or losing in horse racing."
"If you lose, you pay out three times the amount; if you win, the racecourse takes 30% of the winnings."
This is also why the racecourse has been able to stand the test of time!
With such a deceptive rule, no matter how much the bettors win, the racecourse will never lose money.
One sentence left everyone in the secret room stunned.
They were willing to come with Prince Shou because they wanted to win more money.
But now he's saying such things? Is Prince Shou trying to fool them?!
boom!
The middle-aged man slammed his fist on the table and stood up, his eyes dark and angry, demanding, "What does Your Highness mean by this?"
"Does he intend to steal our money?!"
The others also looked unhappy.
Nobody wants to do a business that loses money.
Prince Yi, Li Sui, sneered inwardly, sitting calmly and watching the show. If Li Mao offended everyone present, it wouldn't be a bad thing.
"Please be patient, everyone. Since I have asked you to move here, it is so that we can all benefit from this."
Despite the crowd's outrage, Li Mao remained calm and spoke up to appease them.
The middle-aged man was the most upset; he felt he had been played for a fool.
"If Your Highness Prince Shou cannot give me an explanation today, I will certainly go to the palace and petition the Emperor to shut down your racecourse!"
"My lord, why be in such a hurry? What I am about to say will surely entice you all."
Li Mao looked around, his words filled with certainty.
The people invited to the escape room this time were all handpicked by him; they were the most suitable people!
"You all hold high positions, and you must have a lot of gold in your homes that you can't let see the light of day. The reason I've brought you all here today is to resolve this matter for you."
"If you take the gold that you can't see the light of day to the racetrack and lose first and then win, the gold will naturally shine again."
"What do you think?"
Li Sui's eyelids twitched violently, and he looked at Li Mao with a deep gaze.
He couldn't figure out what Li Mao was really up to.
Few of the Tang Dynasty's princes, nobles, and high-ranking officials relied on their official salaries for a living; the amount of money they embezzled was considerable.
Even he himself had some gold hidden underground that he dared not take out.
But who dares to admit it!
If the Emperor finds out, the consequences will certainly not be good.
For a moment, the secret room was silent. Li Sui spoke coldly, a mocking look in his eyes, "Eighteenth Brother, what nonsense are you spouting? How could the lords possess gold that cannot be seen in the light of day?"
Everyone snapped out of their daze and laughed it off.
"Your Highness must be joking. We all live on our salaries, where would we get gold?"
Li Mao was well aware of their concerns and distrust, and he did not expect to persuade them easily.
"I understand your concerns. Rest assured, your wins and losses are against me, and this money will only go through my hands."
"Moreover, everyone present who participated in the competition and placed bets will serve as witnesses for you. They can vouch for your wins and losses, and your takeout will be perfectly legitimate."
"Why are you all so hesitant? If you miss this opportunity, you may not get another chance!"