Gambling is harmful; never touch it again. Only those who share the same ideals can gather

Ruan Xiaowu was taken aback, and said blankly, "How could I owe so much money?"

The man laughed and said, "The other day, Fifth Brother brought three qian of silver, lost it all, then borrowed seven qian, and lost that too. Yesterday, Fifth Brother had bad luck and borrowed nine qian, but still lost to me. Today, Fifth Brother didn't play for long, but still borrowed five qian, so in total, including interest, it's two taels, four qian, and three fen of silver! Fifth Brother is an old acquaintance, and his gambling character is straightforward, so consider the three fen as a thank you gift. Five taels and four qian will suffice!"

Song Jiang sneered inwardly. These loan shark interest rates were outrageously high! How could Ruan Xiao Wu possibly repay them? It was probably a deliberate scheme targeting Ruan Xiao Wu!

Ignoring the crowd around him, Ruan Xiao'er angrily said, "How did you lose so much money? How many fish will we have to catch to pay it all back!"

Ruan Xiaoqi just sighed and didn't say anything! Now that things had come to this, he couldn't possibly blame his brother!

Ruan Xiaowu thought for a moment, then patted his chest and said, "I have important business to attend to today. I will return every single penny in three days!"

The gambling den owner laughed and said, "I naturally trust Fifth Brother's character. Three days is fine, but my interest rate is not low. Fifth Brother will have to pay back three taels of silver in three days! Fifth Brother, do you think that's unreasonable?"

Ruan Xiaowu flew into a rage and cursed, "You scoundrel, you're truly ruthless!"

The gambling den owner chuckled, then his expression changed. "I know Fifth Brother definitely can't afford it. But if you three brothers are willing to do me a favor, this money can be forgiven! I'll even give you three brothers five taels of silver as a bonus, how about that?"

Sure enough, this person had set a trap to target the three Nguyen brothers.

Before Ruan Xiaoer could speak, Song Jiang preemptively said, "A bet is a bet! I'll pay for Fifth Brother's money!" He then took out five taels of silver and threw it on the table!

The gambling den owner's expression was a mix of anger and uncertainty, but he had no choice. Gritting his teeth, he picked up the money and said, "Sir, you have quite the spending power. In that case, my debt with Fifth Brother is settled!"

Ruan Xiaoer hurriedly said, "Here's five taels of silver!"

Song Jiang chuckled and patted Ruan Xiao'er on the shoulder, saying, "The extra can be left for Fifth Brother to use when he comes back. Put it on his tab for now!"

The three Ruan brothers were all passionate men. Hearing Song Jiang say this, they almost burst into tears, but they quickly composed themselves and looked at Song Jiang with deep emotion!

All three men possessed passion and courage, but no one recognized them. They could only spend their days fishing in the lake, wasting their lives. Today, upon meeting Song Jiang, they found that his demeanor and conversation were far beyond what ordinary people could achieve. However, not knowing Song Jiang's background, they could not immediately express their loyalty. They could only wait and see what Wu Yong would say next!

Although Wu Yong didn't know what the three men were thinking, he could guess from their expressions. He smiled slightly, fanning himself, and said, "You three brothers have met a distinguished guest today; you must drink until you're completely drunk!"

As he was leaving, Song Jiang suddenly turned around and glanced back. The gambling den owner was looking at Song Jiang and his men with a gloomy face. Song Jiang gave him a meaningful smile, turned around, and left!

The gambling den owner was also surprised that Song Jiang would turn around. His expression froze for a moment, then turned to anger!

He had originally set up a scheme to lure Ruan Xiao Wu into a trap and then use the three Ruan brothers to do something, but he didn't expect Song Jiang to ruin it!

In Song Jiang's view, gambling is a scam, and since the casino dares to operate, they're not afraid of you coming to gamble! If you can actually win money from the casino, that's a skill in itself!

Although gambling dens are considered shady businesses, gambling has existed since ancient times. Since they exist, they are a legitimate industry. Therefore, Song Jiang would not forcibly dismantle someone else's gambling den just because Ruan Xiao Wu or others lost money. Although Song Jiang was not afraid of causing trouble, doing so would not make much sense.

Since the gamble has been made, one should accept the consequences and return the money. In Song Jiang's view, anything that can be solved with money is not a problem; on the contrary, things that cannot be solved with money are a bit tricky!

Song Jiang could sense that the gambling den owner was cunning and not a good person. He was likely trying to use the three Ruan brothers to do something shady, which is why Song Jiang stopped him in time. Of course, even if he hadn't plotted against Ruan Xiao Wu, Song Jiang would have settled the gambling debt for Ruan Xiao Wu without a doubt!

However, the fact that Ruan Xiaowu almost fell into the trap shows that gambling can really be harmful. Song Jiang later established a rule for Liangshan: anyone who joins Liangshan must not gamble. Anyone who violates this rule will be severely punished with thirty strokes of the military rod for the first offense, sixty strokes for the second offense, and expelled from Liangshan for the third offense!

As for the boss, Song Jiang didn't take him seriously, but he still planned to investigate. There's no such thing as being ruthless without a reason. Song Jiang was always cautious, and since they had already made enemies, he definitely wanted to take precautions to avoid being plotted against without even knowing it!

The incident quickly passed, and the group reached the shore. Only then did Song Jiang get a clear look at Ruan Xiao Wu's appearance. He had long brown hair, wore linen shorts, and his face was not as fierce as Ruan Xiao Er and Ruan Xiao Qi's. In fact, he looked much kinder. He was also shirtless, and his muscles, like Ruan Xiao Er and Ruan Xiao Qi's, were extremely well-developed, suggesting considerable strength! It seems the saying that everyone in ancient times was a fitness coach was not without merit!

Ruan Xiaowu also rowed his own boat, so the three brothers each took a boat, while Song Jiang and Wu Yong sat on Ruan Xiaowu's boat. The three boats sailed side by side toward the Yishuige Hotel in the middle of the lake!

A poem reads: The tavern sits in the middle of the water, lotus blossoms yet to open, lotus leaves sway wildly, the emerald waves ripple gently, a waterside pavilion with beaded curtains welcomes guests. Past events linger in my heart, shining like stars in the night. Let me urge you to drink another cup of wine, and return to our hometown to meet again!

The three boats were then moored in the lotus pond below the pavilion, and the five people entered the hotel.

Song Jiang looked at the hotel and saw that business wasn't very good. It was a pity that such a good location was wasted. It was a lakeside hotel surrounded by water. Perhaps the villagers weren't wealthy and were too short of money to afford the hotel.

The five men walked to a set of chairs. The three Ruan brothers invited Song Jiang and Wu Yong to sit in the seat of honor, but Wu Yong declined and only sat in the guest seat. The three Ruan brothers sat in the lower seat, while Song Jiang sat in the seat of honor!

After they were seated, Ruan Xiaoer called for the bartender to bring over a large barrel of wine!

The bartender brought out several plates of cooked dishes, and then took five large cups, lined them up in a row, and placed five pairs of chopsticks in front of the group. He then filled each cup with wine!

Ruan Xiaoer picked up the cup and drank it all in one gulp, exclaiming how delightful it was.

Song Jiang asked the waiter, "What kind of meat do you have?"

The bartender said, "The pigs and lambs were just slaughtered today! Absolutely delicious!"

Song Jiang nodded and smiled, "One leg of lamb, ten catties of pork, ten catties of mutton, and forty steamed buns!"

The bartender clicked his tongue in surprise: "Sir, so much?"

Song Jiang smiled and pointed to the three Ruan brothers, saying, "These brothers of mine all have enormous appetites. Come on up, and if you can't finish, I'll take it with me!"

The bartender turned around, stuck out his tongue, and went to the kitchen to prepare the dishes!

Ruan Xiaowu said to Song Jiang and Wu Yong, "This is a small inn in the village, so we can't offer much service. Please forgive us!"

Ruan Xiaoer also spoke up, "What is this valiant hero's name? Professor, why don't you tell us?"

Song Jiang laughed and said, "I won't hide it from you three brothers. My surname is Song, and my given name is Jiang!"

Ruan Xiaoqi exclaimed happily, "So it's Brother Gongming! No wonder he's so loyal and treats us like this!"

Ruan Xiaoer knelt on the ground and said, "Brother, you are righteous, please accept my bow!" Ruan Xiaowu and Ruan Xiaoqi also knelt on the ground in the same way!

Song Jiang quickly helped the three up, saying, "Please don't perform such a grand ceremony; it's too much of an honor for Song Jiang!" These words were not against his conscience. Song Jiang believed that brotherhood was based on the heart and valued sincerity, and he truly disliked others bowing to him! It was also a sign of disrespect!

Moved, Ruan Xiao'er said, "Never before have my two brothers and I been so highly regarded. My elder brother is so kind and righteous; from now on, his affairs are my affairs!"

Ruan Xiaowu also said, "Count me in!"

Ruan Xiaoqi quickly added, "Don't forget me either!"

Song Jiang said happily, "Thank you for not abandoning me, brothers. I will certainly not let you down!"

Heroes come from all walks of life, but what matters is recognizing and valuing them. Otherwise, they may end up unknown and destitute.

Soon, the bartender brought out a large tray filled with pork, mutton, lamb leg, steamed buns, and a big dish of minced garlic. The aroma was irresistible, and the food was piping hot, making one's mouth water!

The three Nguyen brothers lived a very frugal life and hadn't eaten meat in a long time. After exchanging pleasantries, they started eating with their hands!

Song Jiang and Wu Yong each ate a steamed bun and a piece of mutton, while the rest went into the stomachs of the three Ruan brothers!

Of course, there were still about five or six pounds of meat left. Song Jiang would have been truly surprised if they had eaten it all!

After the three brothers finished eating, Song Jiang called the waiter to settle the bill!

The three men were a little embarrassed, as the meal would surely cost a lot. They had promised to treat Song Jiang and Wu Yong to drinks, but unfortunately, they were short of money!

Song Jiang smiled nonchalantly and said, "It would be nice to have some delicious fish soup!"

Ruan Xiaoqi exclaimed with delight, "I still have some fish in my boat, I'll give them to you to have with your drinks later!"

Song Jiang laughed and said, "Later! I'm full now!"

Ruan Xiaoer knew perfectly well that Song Jiang's words were actually a way of telling them not to worry about paying the bill and to just treat the fish to a meal. This was a great show of respect to the three brothers!

The bartender stepped forward, and Song Jiang said to him, "Give me two lamb legs, fifty catties of pork, twenty catties of mutton, five fat chickens, twenty catties of liquor, one hundred steamed buns, and as many seasonal vegetables and fruits as you can get!" After saying that, he took out ten taels of silver and put it on the table!

Anyway, with the three Ruan brothers doing all the moving and carrying, Song Jiang only needs to buy, buy, buy!

After leaving the hotel, the five of them boarded the boat with wine and meat and headed to Ruan Xiaoer's house!

Inside the courtyard, the three Ruan brothers, Song Jiang, and Wu Yong sat on chairs, eating fruit, enjoying the lake breeze, and sipping wine, feeling quite content!

After taking another sip of wine, Ruan Xiaoer asked, "Brother and Professor came to see the three of us for something, right? Although the three of you are straightforward, you are not fools. Song Jiang and Wu Yong would not come to see us for no reason, not to pay off gambling debts and to drink!"

Wu Yong laughed and said, "Do you think I don't know the skills of you three brothers, even if others don't? Are you really willing to spend your whole lives fishing in this small village?"

Ruan Xiaoer sighed and said, "Since we have no one to help us and we refuse to be lackeys of bullies, what else can we do besides fishing!"

Ruan Xiaoqi asked, "The professor must have something to ask us. Whether it's good or bad, we will do our best to help as long as it's within our power!"

Ruan Xiaowu also said, "Qilang's meaning is the same as the meaning of the three of us brothers!"

Song Jiang suddenly said in a low voice, "What if this matter ruins your reputation or even leads to your deaths? Would you still be willing?"