Since Xia De was required to defeat his opponents in the rhode cards game, there was no time to play one by one.
After consulting with the Prophet Association staff, a multi-player game was adopted this time.
Such a game usually only appears in very formal rhode cards tournaments.
Xia De returned to the second floor one step ahead, allowing the Prophet Association staff to check his deck.
He naturally saw Luvia among them; Dorothy had already met up with her.
Marquis Graselli, who was eager to try his hand, stated that no one would go easy on Xia De in the upcoming game:
“This is founding·darkness!”
The Marquis, with his hair slicked back, raised his eyebrows.
He was genuinely excited, unable to control the smile on his face:
“If Duke Lucas knew about this, he wouldn’t have missed the banquet due to the flu for anything.
Ha, he might carry this regret until he enters his coffin.
Although even if we win against you, we won’t be able to get this card.
But since you want to obtain a card from the Founding series, Mr. Hamilton, you must undergo this test!”
He probably regarded founding·darkness as a treasure, and Xia De as the knight seeking it.
“Of course, but how exactly will this game be played?
I’ve never played a multi-player game before.”
This was what Xia De was actually worried about.
“No problem, it’s very simple.”
The Marquis smiled and put an arm around Xia De’s shoulder:
“You’ll enjoy the upcoming game.”
It wasn't until the Prophet Association arranged the game rules and selected the other four people to participate in the game with Xia De that the servants went upstairs to invite Queen Diana down.
With such an interesting event happening at the Queen’s birthday banquet, the invited newspaper reporters were even more excited than those who were about to participate in the game.
When the Queen arrived to observe, Xia De and his opponents—Marquis Graselli, Earl Tarankang, Viscount Fodelman, and Mr. Spears—all sat down.
As the surrounding crowd began to predict the outcome of the match, the flashes of light were almost brighter than when Queen Diana first appeared earlier.
Around the card table were a knight, a marquis, an earl, and a viscount.
Mr. Spears, who held no noble title, was the First Permanent Secretary of the Kingdom’s Parliament.
According to regulations, anyone holding this position would immediately receive a non-hereditary baronetcy upon retirement or death in office.
“Everyone, please pay attention, I will be the referee for this game, and the dealer is Mr. Sicconi from the Association.”
Vice President Mark’s voice attracted everyone’s attention; he was leading the team to Yodel Palace tonight:
“There are five players in total today.
After our discussion, we will adopt the following rules: Each person has ten gold stars!”
The Prophet Association staff placed fifty pure gold five-pointed star buttons, provided by Queen Diana, into brass boxes and distributed them to the five people around the card table.
Next to Xia De was Luvia.
“Mr. Hamilton, please keep them safe.”
She pretended not to know Xia De and leaned in to whisper to him as she placed the box.
“After receiving the first face-down card in each round, you can choose to bet with a gold star.
After each person stands, except for the last person to stand, everyone can choose to make an additional bet with a gold star.
After each round ends, the winner takes back from the table gold stars equal to their first bet multiplied by 2, and gold stars equal to their second bet multiplied by 1.5, with decimals rounded up.
If there are remaining bets in the current round, they are kept by the referee; if the bets in the current round are insufficient, they are obtained from the referee; if both the bets on the table and those held by the referee are insufficient, then only all bets on the table can be obtained.”
Mr. Mark said, asking the five people in turn if they understood the rules, and only after everyone nodded did he announce:
“Losing all gold stars automatically results in withdrawal.
When only one person remains at the table, the last winner wins the game.
If anyone in the game holds 25 or more gold stars, they also automatically become the winner.”
Many of the guests attending the banquet were rhode cards enthusiasts.
Hearing these rules, they discussed among themselves, and some even asked if this was the final game rule for this year’s “Great City Player” tournament.
Xia De, on the other hand, calculated that with this gameplay, if everyone remained rational and only bet one gold star per round, then even if someone could win consecutively, they would need at least 10 consecutive wins to achieve victory.
And in a scenario where no one wins consecutively and everyone chooses one gold star per round, this game would be even longer.
“But it is indeed very interesting.”
Xia De thought to himself, picking up a star from the box beside him, ready to throw it into the center of the round table.
For the first round, he decided to observe the situation first.
There was only one dealer, but everyone had their own deck, so Mr. Sicconi of the Prophet Association had to deal cards from five decks.
Although this was a bit time-consuming, it also gave others a chance to think.
Xia De had added all his special cards to the deck, but none of the nine special cards appeared as the first card.
The first card was Moon 6.
Throwing a star to the center of the card table, similar to Xia De’s idea, his other three opponents, except for Earl Tarankang, also coincidentally chose to throw one star as a trial in the first round.
Earl Tarankang was the youngest person at the card table besides Xia De, appearing to be only about thirty years old.
He feigned looking at the expressions of the others, and after a slight hesitation, surprisingly threw out two stars.
“Did you draw a King or a Queen?”
Marquis Graselli asked.
“Marquis, why can’t it be that I’m confident I can win the first round?”
“Come on, you played cards with me at the Lucky Club before you were even an adult.
I know you’re not the type to gamble on luck.”
Marquis Graselli said, stroking his chin, then looked at the dealer:
“After drawing a King or Queen, you can’t ask for more cards, so do you want this dealer to continue dealing cards?”
“I can honestly say I didn’t draw a King, but I still won’t ask for more cards, and of course, I won’t raise the bet.”
Earl Tarankang said with a smile, then asked the other four:
“What about you?”
If the face-down card in his hand was indeed a Queen, then not asking for more cards was to comply with the rules.
But if it wasn’t, and the other four thought it was, they would definitely try to hit 21 points.
Once the other four busted, and the Earl’s face-down card wasn’t a Queen, he, being the only one who didn’t bust, would be the winner of the first round.
“I don’t believe your luck is that good.”
Viscount Fodelman laughed:
“I’ll ask for more cards.”
“Me too.”
Mr. Spears also said.
This First Permanent Secretary of the Parliament, 43 years old, with sunken eyes and thinning hair, was the kind of person who looked obviously intelligent.
“I don’t want more cards, nor will I raise the bet.”
Marquis Graselli said, becoming the second player to stand.
But he also didn’t reveal his face-down card, as giving up asking for more cards wasn’t an admission of defeat.
“I’ll ask for more cards.”
Xia De said, observing his opponents’ expressions, listening to the discussions of the bystanders around him, and pondering under the crystal chandelier:
“In this kind of multi-player game, you not only have to consider opponents who continue to ask for cards, but also the points of those who have stood, to prevent both sides from fighting and letting others win.
In this situation, if one had the ability to read minds, they would surely be invincible.”
Then, would you specifically learn mind-reading for rhode cards?
The voice by his ear whispered.
“What kind of person do you think I am?”
Xia De retorted.
Someone who swaps other people’s face-down cards to make opponents cheat.
She murmured in his ear, with a hint of laughter in her tone.
For the second card, Xia De received a Flower 6, totaling 12 points.
Just as he was considering whether to stand, Mr. Spears was the first to announce he was standing without raising the bet, while Viscount Fodelman continued to ask for cards.
Xia De thought for a moment, then glanced at the Earl, who was suspected of having drawn a “Queen.”
The latter smiled at him, showing no sign of nervousness.
“I’ll also ask for more cards.”
Xia De said.
So, only Viscount Fodelman and Xia De received a third card.
“I stand.”
The Viscount looked at his third card, then revealed his face-down card as well;
“8+2+9, 19 points.
Tarankang, I don’t believe you have a Queen!
Raise the bet by one gold star.”
Seeing that someone finally revealed their face-down card, Marquis Graselli and Mr. Spears, who had already stood, also revealed their face-down cards, because they couldn’t possibly win.
The former had 13 points, which was why he stood in the first round, and the latter had 17 points.
“It doesn’t matter if you believe it or not.”
Earl Tarankang said, still not revealing his face-down card, but instead asked Xia De:
“So, Knight, do you want to ask for a fourth card?”
Each card was dealt face down, but except for the first card, they all needed to be revealed before other opponents and oneself chose whether to continue asking for cards.
Since there were no other opponents asking for cards, Xia De’s third card had not yet been revealed.
“Earl Tarankang, no matter what your face-down card is, you’re destined to lose.”
He said hesitantly.
“Oh? Did you draw a King?”
The Earl was very surprised, but Xia De shook his head:
“Earl, I guess your face-down card is a King, and my third card is Flower 8, Old Continent Eastern Scenery · Tis Lake.”
Seeing the Earl stunned there, Xia De continued to explain:
“After drawing this card, if you correctly guess the number of an opponent’s unrevealed card, you can choose whether to forcibly add one to the opponent’s card number after they reveal their card.
If the opponent reveals their card first, there is no effect.
Now your face-down card is unknown, and I guess it’s a Queen.”
He revealed his face-down card:
“6+6+8, I have 20 points.
Earl, please reveal your card.”
There was a moment of silence at the card table, then Marquis Graselli couldn’t help but burst out laughing, and the other two gentlemen also tried hard to control their laughter:
“Haha, Tarankang, you’d better not have a Queen.
Although you’ll lose either way, if you have a Queen with this hand, we’ll mock you for months.”
“A wonderful game.”
Queen Diana, observing behind Xia De, also understood and said with a smile, and the surrounding guests also smiled.
If the Earl, who only had one card, didn’t have a Queen, then Xia De won; if he did, according to the special card’s rule, a Queen plus one would result in a bust.
Earl Tarankang’s face instantly turned red.
He breathed heavily, looking at Xia De, and after a long while, finally said:
“After playing rhode cards for so many years, this is the first time I’ve encountered such an annoying situation.
Oh, it’s truly annoying.
I heard someone won a King’s Decree in the Lower City last week, Mr. Hamilton, it seems that wasn’t luck.”
He revealed his face-down card, and it was indeed a Queen.
Polite laughter erupted from the surrounding crowd.
The Earl pressed his right hand to his forehead, shaking his head repeatedly.
Marquis Graselli tried hard to control his laughter, shaking in his seat:
“This is the charm of rhode cards.”
