I'll steal Gao Qiu's life and lead the Song Dynasty to prosperity.

"Tingzhu Xiaozhu" is a secluded courtyard in the back garden of Prince Duan's Mansion, and few people come here on weekdays.

The outer hall was simply furnished with only a table and a few chairs.

Zhao Mingcheng sat in the main seat, Liang Shicheng stood beside him, and Gao Qiu stood at the lower end with his hands at his sides.

The door to the inner room was tightly closed, and Yang San was locked inside, while two expressionless guards with swords stood outside.

"Gao Qiu," Zhao Mingcheng began, his voice not loud, but clear enough to be heard in the quiet hall.

"You witnessed today's events firsthand. What's your impression of Yang San? In your opinion, was his action today a mere accident, or is there some other motive?"

Zhao Mingcheng didn't beat around the bush and directly asked Gao Qiu for his opinion.

Zhao Mingcheng knew that Gao Qiu was one of the few intelligent people in the mansion, quick-witted and good at reading people's expressions.

Furthermore, Gao Qiu himself was close to Yang San and other gamblers, so he might have seen things that others overlooked.

Upon hearing this, Gao Qiu immediately bowed, his attitude respectful, but his words were carefully considered.

"In reply to your question, young master, I work in the same household as Yang San. We sometimes play football together, and in private... we can exchange a few words. But as for friendship, it's not deep; it's just a colleague relationship."

Gao Qiu first distanced himself from Yang San before getting to the point.

"Yang San's ball skills are decent, especially his powerful footwork and fearless fighting spirit, which are his strengths. However... his temperament is a bit frivolous and not calm enough. Sometimes his words and actions are a bit... flippant."

Gao Qiu paused, seemingly recalling something, and lowered his voice even further.

"As for whether there are other hidden reasons for today's events... I dare not make a judgment. However, if you ask whether Yang San has been acting strangely lately, I recall something."

Zhao Mingcheng's gaze sharpened slightly, and Liang Shicheng also listened intently.

"A couple of days ago, during my afternoon rest, Yang San secretly sought me out," Gao Qiu said, his tone calm.

"He looked somewhat embarrassed and anxious, saying that his elderly mother at home was ill and he urgently needed money to buy medicine. He was short of cash and wanted to borrow two strings of cash from me for the time being. I... felt sorry for him and thought of our past as colleagues, so I lent him some loose silver."

"Oh? His mother is sick?" Zhao Mingcheng's tone was flat, revealing no emotion.

Gao Qiu shook his head slightly.

"That's what I thought too. But... when Yang San took the silver, he thanked me profusely and then left in a hurry. His demeanor didn't seem like that of someone going to get medicine for his mother."

He hesitated for a moment, but then spoke.

"Also, when I borrowed money from Yang San, I was close by and I vaguely smelled on him that, besides the smell of sweat, there was also... that murky, stuffy smell that's unique to gambling dens. I used to hang out in the streets in my younger days, so I'm quite familiar with that smell... and I've occasionally heard Yang San mention a thing or two about gambling."

Gao Qiu was meticulous and only hinted at the point. He didn't say it explicitly, but the meaning was crystal clear: Yang San probably didn't borrow money to buy medicine, but rather to gamble.

Zhao Mingcheng and Liang Shicheng exchanged a glance, both seeing the understanding in each other's eyes.

As the saying goes, nine out of ten gamblers lose, and Yang San had already gotten himself into a trap long ago.

"Who else did you mention this to?" Zhao Mingcheng asked.

"No," Gao Qiu answered readily. "I am new here and dare not speak ill of the affairs of the household. But with such a major event today, and since you have inquired, I dare not conceal anything."

Zhao Mingcheng nodded, gaining a new understanding of Gao Qiu's prudence and meticulousness.

It's no wonder that Gao Qiu rose from a mere courtesan to become the Grand Commandant of the Song Dynasty. With such a meticulous mind and the presence of an eccentric emperor like Zhao Ji, it would be strange if he hadn't risen to prominence.

"The information you provided is very useful," Zhao Mingcheng said. "Don't mention this to anyone else for now, and don't tell anyone when you get back. Alright, go and rest now, I'll contact you again if I need anything later."

"Understood, sir." Gao Qiu bowed and acknowledged, knowing that there was nothing more for him to do here. After bowing, he quietly withdrew.

Only Zhao Mingcheng and Liang Shicheng remained in the hall.

"Master Liang," Zhao Mingcheng turned to Liang Shicheng, his tone calm.

"One theory is that Yang San was likely exploited and coerced into becoming someone else's tool. This gambling debt is the thread that held him in place."

A cold look appeared on Liang Shicheng's face.

"Young master, you are wise. This traitor who betrayed his master and was manipulated into framing him deserves to die! However, we must pry open his mouth and find out who is behind this."

"Exactly." Zhao Mingcheng got up, walked to the window, looked at the swaying bamboo shadows in the courtyard, and turned around after a moment.

"By the way, when we interrogate Yang San later, we'll need you to put on a show for me. You're an old man from the palace, so you can keep things in check. I'll ask you to play the bad cop, speaking sternly and making a scene. I'll play the good cop and show him the right path."

Liang Shicheng understood immediately, and a smile appeared on his face.

"Don't worry, young master. This old servant knows that such spineless creatures will talk if you scare them a little and give them a chance."

The two whispered a few more words about the details and settled on a strategy.

Zhao Mingcheng took a deep breath, straightened his clothes, and regained his composure.

"Let's go, Master Liang."

……

The inner room of the small house was darker than the outer room, with only a small window high up letting in a bit of natural light, casting a blurry patch of light on the rough floor.

Yang San was tied to a sturdy wooden chair, the ropes digging into his flesh, rendering him unable to move.

His face was a mix of blue and purple, the blood from his nose had dried on his lips, his eye sockets were swollen, and his already sallow complexion was now as pale as paper, his body trembling.

Hearing the door open, he jumped like a startled rabbit and looked toward the door in terror.

Zhao Mingcheng and Liang Shicheng walked in one after the other.

Zhao Mingcheng sat down in a chair opposite Yang San, his posture composed.

Liang Shicheng stood with his hands behind his back, half a step behind Zhao Mingcheng, his face ashen.

Liang Shicheng spoke first, his voice sharp and cold.

"Yang San, how dare you!"

Yang San shuddered, and the chair shook.

"In the Prince Duan's residence, right under the Prince's nose, in full view of everyone!" Liang Shicheng took half a step forward, casting a shadow over the area.

"How dare you lay such a dirty trick on the Crown Prince! Elbow strike to the ribs, trip him up! Do you think you're too old for this, or do you think your whole family's necks aren't tough enough to be easily chopped off?! Huh?!"

The final "hmm" was spoken in a high-pitched tone, sounding extremely intimidating.

"Injustice! Lord Liang! I'm innocent!" Yang San cried out like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. Tears welled up in his eyes again, and he wailed in a hoarse voice.

"It was truly an accident! I couldn't stop myself and accidentally bumped into the young master! Even if I had the guts of a bear and the gall of a leopard, I wouldn't dare to deliberately offend such a noble person! Please, Your Excellency, have mercy! It was truly an accident!"

Yang San cried with such deep emotion, as if he had suffered a great injustice. He kept banging his head against his chest. If he hadn't been tied up, he probably would have been kowtowing like a pestle.

Zhao Mingcheng listened quietly, and only after the man had finished howling did he speak slowly and calmly.

"Yang San, if it was truly an accident, why did you collide with the Prince? There were so many people on the field, running and scrambling, why was it that the moment you collided with the Prince that was so 'coincidentally' ruthless and accurate, striking right at his vitals?"

Why did the collision immediately escalate into a violent fight and chaos? Do you think we're blind, stupid, or that everyone in the mansion and present is completely oblivious?

Zhao Mingcheng's voice was not loud, but each question was very targeted.

Yang San's cries choked in his throat, his eyes darting around, unable to meet Zhao Mingcheng's gaze.

"I...I really didn't mean to..."

Zhao Mingcheng stopped dwelling on the question of "whether it was intentional" and abruptly changed the subject, asking as if it were a casual conversation.

"Let me ask you, are you financially secure these days? Or have you incurred any debts that are difficult to manage?"

Yang San suddenly looked up, his eyes flashing with extreme panic, his lips trembling.

"No...no...my monthly allowance...is enough..."

"Snapped!"

Liang Shicheng slammed his hand on the table next to him, making a loud noise and kicking up dust.

He stepped forward, almost touching Yang San's face, his gaze as sinister as a venomous snake.

"No? Still dare to be stubborn! Did you feed the dog the money you borrowed from Gao Qiu?! You lose all your money every month, and you've racked up a mountain of debt in those shady gambling dens. The interest is so high it's almost crushing your worthless bones!"

Did you really think you could get away with it? Should we go and invite all your creditors to the palace right now, one by one, so they can confront you, you traitorous scoundrel, face to face?!

Liang Shicheng's words were half true and half false, but they were extremely effective, like a bolt from the blue, shattering Yang San's last shred of hope.

Yang San had no idea what Liang Shicheng knew.

He only knew that Liang Shicheng was an old man in the mansion and had considerable influence, and he assumed that Liang Shicheng had already found out about his debts outside.

After Liang Shicheng finished speaking.

Yang San opened his mouth, but couldn't make a sound. Only tears and cold sweat mixed together and streamed down his contorted face.

Seeing that the time was ripe, Zhao Mingcheng spoke at the opportune moment, each word striking at Yang San's crumbling defenses and guiding him to speak.

"Yang San, you're heavily in debt and desperate. Now someone's approaching you, offering you huge profits, or threatening the safety of your loved ones, forcing you to cause trouble here today, making things unbearable for us. Am I right?"

Yang San's body trembled violently, and his eyes glazed over, a sign that his psychological defenses had been precisely struck.

Zhao Mingcheng continued, his voice even softer, yet more deadly.

"Think about it carefully. The other party can easily control your gambling debts, knows exactly how you'll be playing today, and can instruct you to precisely target the prince..."

Do you think you, a mere retainer of the Prince's mansion, could possibly provoke or conceal such methods and schemes? Do you think that by doing someone a favor, you can rest easy and even escape to a distant land?

Then, Zhao Mingcheng leaned forward slightly, his eyes blazing, staring into Yang San's despairing eyes, and delivered the final and heaviest blow.

"Yang San, if I were the one who ordered you to do this, the first thing I would do after it's done would be to shut you up completely, you troublesome person who knows the inside story."

"Do you think the person behind you will be afraid to make a move against you just because you're a guest of the Prince's Palace?"

Upon hearing these words, Yang San's last remaining psychological support, which had been barely held on by the belief that "the other party might keep their promise," collapsed.

Zhao Mingcheng's description is not conjecture, but a bloody and highly likely reality.

The other party will not refrain from killing him just because he is a guest of the Prince's Palace, nor will they protect him. They will only kill him to silence him, and may even endanger his family.

"No...no...he said he would arrange for me to leave..." Yang San murmured unconsciously, his mind on the verge of collapse.

"Leave?" Liang Shicheng asked ominously.

"The road to the underworld is certainly wide! To plot against a member of the imperial family is a crime punishable by death! According to the law, nine generations of one's family should be implicated! I'd like to see whether your master's hands are faster, or the executioner's blade is faster!"

"Mother...Brother..." Yang San completely broke down, his last shred of reason being consumed by fear and despair.

He could no longer hold on, collapsing into the chair like a lump of mud, bursting into heart-wrenching howls, tears and snot streaming down his face, his whole body convulsing.

"I'll tell you! I'll tell you everything! It's... it's 'Bao Shun Hao' in the south of the city! It's Manager Wang of 'Bao Shun Hao'! He forced me to do this! I owe him two hundred strings of cash in gambling debts, and with the interest compounding, I'll never be able to pay it off in my lifetime!"

He threatened me with my mother's and my brother's lives! He told me to find an opportunity today to offend the important person and make a scene! He said that once things get out of hand and chaos ensues, no one will be able to clear their name!

He promised to forgive my debt after the deed was done, and even said he would arrange for me to work at the Suzhou River and Lake Management Office! I know nothing else! Really! Young Master Zhao! Attendant Liang! Spare me! I was forced into this! I don't want to die! I don't want to implicate my mother and my brother!"

Yang San cried out incoherently, but the key information "Baoshunhao" and "Manager Wang" were clearly revealed.

Yang San himself has confessed to all the inside stories.

Zhao Mingcheng and Liang Shicheng exchanged another glance.

A knowing look of "I knew it" flashed in Liang Shicheng's eyes, along with an unexpectedly serious expression of the situation.

Zhao Mingcheng, however, had only a cold, calm look in his eyes.

"How did he contact you? Do you have any proof?" Zhao Mingcheng pressed, his voice steady.

Yang San sobbed and shook his head.

"He didn't tell me to make any contact, he just told me to make a big scene. There's no... no proof. When I went to the gambling den that day, I was taken to the back room... Young Master Zhao, that's all I really know! I really don't know if he has anyone backing him! How could someone like him tell me that..."

Zhao Mingcheng asked no more questions; he had already achieved his goal.

Manager Wang of "Baoshunhao" has a clear and traceable lead in his hands.

"Master Liang," Zhao Mingcheng said to Liang Shicheng.

"Take Yang San into custody for now, keep him under solitary confinement, pay attention to his diet, and make sure nothing unexpected happens."

"Don't worry, young master, this old servant understands." Liang Shicheng bowed and replied, his gaze towards Yang San now as if he were looking at a dead man.

Zhao Mingcheng stopped looking at Yang San, who was slumped in the chair, only able to sob, and turned to walk out of the dark room filled with despair and a filthy smell.

Although Yang San only knew about Manager Wang of "Baoshunhao", how could a manager of a gambling den in the south of the city have such courage and power to accurately plot against the Prince and disrupt the Prince Duan's mansion?

Bao Shun Hao… Zhao Mingcheng murmured the name to himself.

Obtaining clues is just the beginning; the next step is to do something before the other side takes action.

Time is of the essence; there is only one day left.

Zhao Mingcheng suddenly thought of something, and he called out softly to Liang Shicheng, who had followed him out.

"Master Liang, there is an urgent matter that needs to be handled immediately..."

Liang Shicheng leaned closer to listen to Zhao Mingcheng's instructions, then his eyes sharpened and he nodded emphatically.

"Young master's insight is brilliant! This old servant will personally make the arrangements immediately, and I guarantee there will be no delays!"

Liang Shicheng left in a hurry, his figure quickly disappearing into the depths of the bamboo shadows.