North America 1773: Do Britain and America even deserve to be called great powers?

Chapter 15 Proof of Absence

The Royal Oaks Club at night is completely out of place in Boston's rugged atmosphere.

Mr. Boyle stood in the doorway, constantly tugging at his silk bow tie, which was soaked with sweat and felt sticky. He felt as if he had come to the guillotine not for a banquet, but to be beheaded, and the two men beside him were expressionless executioners.

Li Wei wore a well-fitting oriental silk robe, the dark blue fabric shimmering softly in the glow of the gas lamp by the door. He stood there quietly, seemingly separated from the salty, cold wind blowing from the docks and the drunken shouts from the street corner—all within a different world.

Fiona changed into a simple yet appropriate dark blue dress, and her hair was tied into a neat bun at the back of her head.

Her face was expressionless, showing neither the awkwardness of someone new to high society nor the nervousness of someone about to face important figures. She was like Li Wei's shadow on the ground, silent yet omnipresent.

The clothes the two of them were wearing were rented from a tailor shop by Fiona for ten shillings two days ago at Levi's request, and they didn't expect them to come in handy so soon.

Boyle, standing nearby, swallowed hard and urged in a low voice, "Master... Master, we should go in."

Li Wei didn't look at him, but simply started walking.

The club doors were pushed open, and a rich aroma of fine cigars, aged whiskey, and whale oil candles wafted out.

The hall was covered with a thick carpet, making it feel completely silent when you stepped on it.

Groups of two or three men huddled together, talking in hushed tones. Most of them wore scarlet British uniforms, their gleaming brass buttons and silver hilts of swords reflecting the blazing firelight from the fireplace.

When Li Wei walked in, the conversation in the hall became noticeably quieter.

All eyes turned to them, filled with scrutiny, curiosity, and a hint of barely perceptible arrogance.

They didn't recognize the Asian man, but his distinctive clothing and the aloof-looking girl beside him suggested that he wasn't some lowly person who had accidentally wandered in.

Boyle bent over at almost a ninety-degree angle, bowing and scraping as he led the way, trying to use his humility to counteract Li Wei's overly conspicuous composure.

Li Wei ignored the stares and walked straight through the hall, following Boyle up the stairs to the second floor.

They met Andrew Gage in a private card room on the second floor.

Quartermaster Sir Thomas Gage's nephew looked more haggard than rumored.

He was young, with slightly disheveled blond hair and a pale complexion as if he hadn't seen the sun in a long time. He was slumped in a large leather armchair, his eyes sunken, his blue eyes filled with lingering restlessness and weariness.

He merely raised his eyelids lazily at Boyle's arrival, and only when he saw Levi did a tiny bit of curiosity manage to squeeze out from his weariness.

"Boyle, is this the Eastern friend you were talking about, the one who can bring you fun?" Gage's voice was hoarse, revealing a weakness from lack of sleep.

"Yes, yes, Lieutenant Gage," Boyle quickly replied. "This is Mr. Li, a distinguished guest from the Far East."

Before Boyle could finish his introduction, Li Wei walked to the card table, took out a cloth bag from his pocket, and untied it.

As he moved, decks of cards, polished from animal bones, were poured onto the dark green velvet tablecloth.

The dominoes collided with each other, producing a crisp, clean sound that clashed with the somber atmosphere of the room.

"Whistle Cards is too noisy."

When Li Wei spoke, his English had an accent that didn't belong to any colony, clear and steady.

"I brought a game from my hometown. The rules are simple, but it relies more on luck and decisiveness."

Gage leaned forward slightly, and a glimmer of light finally appeared in his lifeless eyes.

He was tired of all the games in Boston clubs, but this novel Oriental dominoes successfully piqued his last bit of interest.

The card game has begun.

Li Wei didn't use any fancy techniques; his actions of pushing and stacking cards were simple and direct, yet they carried a sense of rhythm.

He explained the rules of Pai Gow concisely, and Gage quickly understood.

The pace of the game was very slow.

Li Wei always made his decisions at the last minute, and when he lost, he showed no sign of frustration.

When you win, you simply gently place your chips in front of you.

He wasn't like a gambler, but more like an accountant calculating data, calmly assessing the gains and losses of each round.

This extreme composure contrasted sharply with Gage's inner anxiety.

Gage quickly lost a significant portion of his chips. His breathing became rapid, and his betting became increasingly aggressive. He desperately wanted to win back his chips and use the thrill of victory to counteract the tension in his mind.

Midway through the game, Li Wei suddenly stopped and gave instructions to Fiona, who was standing behind him.

"Pour everyone a cup of hot tea to refresh them." His voice wasn't loud, but it was just loud enough for everyone at the table to hear clearly.

"Concentrating for extended periods of time is extremely taxing on the mind, especially at night."

This statement successfully touched Andrew Gage's most sensitive nerve.

Insomnia, lethargy, and restless nights.

Gage suddenly raised his head and, for the first time, truly looked at the Asian man in front of him.

After several rounds of cards, only a thin stack of chips remained in front of Gage. His eyes were bloodshot as he grabbed the last pile of chips, preparing to go all in.

Just then, Li Wei reached out and pushed all the chips, which looked like a small mountain in front of him, back to the center of the card table.

A faint smile appeared on his face. "Mr. Gage, money is just a means to enhance the experience. It is my greatest honor in Boston to spend a pleasant evening with you."

He then gestured to Fiona, who took out two exquisite little boxes wrapped in brocade from her small bag and gently placed them on the table in front of Gage.

Gage was stunned.

He frequented various poker games in Boston and had never seen anyone win money and then voluntarily give it back.

This is illogical and contrary to the nature of a gambler.

"I'm just a newcomer to this business. I've run into a little trouble lately. Some clueless 'competitors' are trying to steal my goods." Li Wei's voice was calm and unhurried, as if he were explaining a trivial matter.

"I came here tonight simply to make friends with Mr. Gage. I hope that in the future, if any bad rumors about me reach the ears of the authorities, you can help verify that Levi has been here all night, enjoying playing cards with you."

Gage finally understood.

This is neither extortion nor bribery.

Instead of trying to bribe him with money, the other party adopted a candid approach, purchasing an alibi and a potential friendship from him.

This Easterner was smarter than any other businessman he had ever met.

"Hahaha...hahahaha!" Gage suddenly burst into laughter, the sound dispelling the fatigue on his face, his chest heaving violently. "Interesting! Absolutely hilarious!"

He picked up a brocade box from the table, opened it, and a refreshing and invigorating fragrance immediately filled the air.

Without the slightest hesitation, he picked up a little powder with his little finger and put it in his mouth.

A moment later, he let out a long sigh of relief, feeling that the restlessness that had been plaguing his mind had really dissipated a lot.

"I've granted this 'trivial' request." Gage looked at Levi with admiration in his eyes.

He suddenly took off the pistol from his waist and slammed it on the table with a "bang".

It was a small flintlock smoothbore pistol with a walnut wood grip inlaid with silver wire. The workmanship was extremely exquisite, and it was clearly a valuable item for self-defense.

"Here, friend." Gage pushed the gun toward Levi.

"In Boston, sometimes this thing works better than you think."

Without any hesitation, Li Wei reached out and picked up the gun. The gun felt slightly heavy in his hand, carrying the warmth of Gage's body.

This was not just a weapon, but also a token, a token of informal protection handed to him by the quartermaster's nephew.

Boyle, standing to the side, was completely dumbfounded.

He had gone to great lengths, sending bread for three years without ever getting a smile in return. But Li Wei only needed a card game and a few words to get a handgun and a promise of "friendship."

He looked at Li Wei and felt that the person in front of him was no longer someone he could understand. He also regretted not listening to his wife Martha's advice: "Since you've knelt down, then stand firmly on one side."

"Perhaps I should treat Martha better! I shouldn't always be so ridiculously interested in those rich ladies."

At this moment, Li Wei stood up and neatly tucked the pistol into his pocket.

"It's getting late, I won't disturb Mr. Gage's rest any longer." He nodded slightly to Gage. "I hope my medicine will give you sweet dreams tonight."

After saying that, he turned and left, with Fiona following closely behind.

Boyle seemed to snap out of his daze and hurriedly followed.

As they walked out of the Royal Oak club and back onto the cold streets, Levi stopped and said to Boyle, who was almost collapsing to the ground:

"Go home. Don't tell anyone a word about what happened tonight."