Si Pavilion Casino wasn’t considered large within Bianjing City. Compared to other particularly bustling establishments, its business was considerably slower. Yet its ability to persist here indicated it possessed unique capabilities of its own.
Most gambling houses would employ every means to lure patrons into betting. Once gamblers became intoxicated by the game, every other player at the table would transform into a cheat, leaving them as lambs for slaughter.
This world contained too many gamblers who would wager until they lost everything – selling their children, losing their spouses, and ending with broken families. Si Pavilion Casino operated no differently.
Yi Zichuan had arranged for Chenguang to be dressed in clean attire before personally sending him to Si Pavilion Casino.
“This pouch contains one hundred taels of silver we’ve prepared for you,” Qin Cang said, placing the bag in Chenguang’s hands while enunciating each word clearly. “Your task is to go to this casino and gamble away every last coin. Don’t worry about being targeted – our people will remain by your side throughout. Just gamble openly and without restraint!”
Chenguang couldn’t comprehend why someone would give him money specifically to gamble, but he had no desire to question these matters now. He only wanted to complete this task quickly and escape the hell that was Dali Temple permanently. “Understood!”
Without the slightest hesitation, Chenguang took the pouch of silver pieces and strode directly into Si Pavilion Casino.
Yi Zichuan’s operatives had already infiltrated the establishment beforehand, positioned throughout various corners of the gambling hall while carefully observing every individual present.
Just as anticipated, from the moment Chenguang stepped inside, the casino manager hiding behind the screen partition grew noticeably agitated. Soon several suspicious-looking individuals quietly emerged to surround Chenguang.
“Truthfully, I don’t quite understand why Wang Ye specifically arranged for Chenguang’s release,” Qin Cang voiced his confusion. “We could have simply raided this casino directly. Why waste so much time? And why did it have to be him?”
“Do you recall what Assistant Minister told us?” Yi Zichuan said leisurely from within the carriage, pouring himself a cup of hot tea.
Qin Cang remained silent, simply watching Yi Zichuan before him.
“He mentioned that certain parties remain deeply concerned about Yuting’s survival,” Yi Zichuan narrowed his eyes. “As long as she lives, those pulling the strings will always fear she might reveal crucial information. After all, nothing keeps secrets better than the dead. Unfortunately, her resilience proves formidable – extracting further information from her seems nearly impossible.”
Yi Zichuan glanced at Qin Cang’s still-bewildered expression and chuckled softly. “Consider this: someone implicated by Yuting, abandoned by everyone, suddenly emerges from Dali Temple with a substantial sum of money. Wouldn’t the mastermind suspect betrayal? Particularly from Yuting, who was taken away alongside Chenguang!”
Qin Cang’s eyes suddenly brightened with understanding. “So Wang Ye intends to lure out the mastermind! That explains why you instructed us to deploy additional personnel. You anticipate they’ll attempt to eliminate witnesses!”
“Xia Jianxi is far too self-serving!” Yi Zichuan murmured, his gaze fixed on the tea leaves floating in his bowl. “We cannot take her words at face value. She claims this gambling den has ties to the Marquis Yongchang Estate, but we’ve no way of verifying her claims. Some matters cannot be trusted to hearsay—they require personal investigation. Xia Jianxi is no simple woman!”
Qin Cang suddenly understood.
Yi Zichuan had always been suspicious by nature. Though Xia Jianxi had informed him about the gambling den’s backing from the Marquis Yongchang Estate, Yi Zichuan wasn’t one to readily believe others.
His current actions were merely bait to lure out the venomous snake hiding in the shadows, testing whether Xia Jianxi’s claims held truth. After all, he had no intention of becoming someone else’s pawn.
A hundred taels of silver—neither too much nor too little—was lost within a little over two hours, leaving Chenguang stripped down to his trousers!
Emerging from the gambling den, he cursed and grumbled, his face flushed crimson with fury.
Hidden in the shadows, Qin Cang immediately spotted several faint figures lurking in a nearby corner—clearly tailing Chenguang.
Chenguang continued his tirade as he walked, completely unaware he was being followed.
Just as he turned into a narrow alley, two men who had been trailing him suddenly sprang forward, brandishing broadswords.
But as the blades were about to strike Chenguang’s back, Qin Cang appeared out of nowhere, raising his own sharp blade to forcefully block the two deadly swords.
In the next moment, a squad of guards rushed out from the other end of the alley.
Trembling, the rescued Chenguang pointed at one fleeing brute and stammered, “Those two are enforcers from the gambling den! When Yuting brought me here last time, I gambled with that very man!”
As the saying goes, two fists are no match for four hands. The two men were quickly overpowered. One suddenly charged forward: “I’ll cover you! Go alert the others!”
With Yi Zichuan’s men assisting covertly, the guards swiftly captured one assailant. The other, however—a smaller, more agile figure—darted away with a few nimble movements.
Qin Cang immediately gave chase.
To avoid detection, Qin Cang maintained considerable distance. The rogue proved extremely cautious, winding through nearly half the city before finally heading west after confirming no one was following.
After running a great distance, the small man ducked into a secluded villa. Two red lanterns hung at its gate, and a plaque boldly displayed the character “Fang.”
Lights soon flickered on inside, and shortly after, a woman emerged from the side chamber.
The howling wind fragmented her words: “His Lordship says it’s nothing urgent. Just a personal attendant—what does it matter if he’s taken by the authorities? There isn’t a soul in Bianjing City who’d dare move against His Lordship!”
“But…”
“No buts! His Lordship is occupied with important matters. Disturb his leisure, and we’ll both pay dearly!” With that, the woman shoved the man out.
No sooner had the small man left the villa than Qin Cang apprehended him—caught red-handed.
When Qin Cang returned to the Prince’s Mansion, Yi Zichuan was secluded in his study practicing calligraphy. His brushwork, taught hand-in-hand by the Late Emperor, though not matching master calligraphers, was undoubtedly first-rate.
“That man did indeed enter the Fang residence!” Qin Cang paused briefly before continuing, “The Si Pavilion Casino is undeniably connected to the Marquis Yongchang Estate!”
Upon hearing this, Yi Zichuan showed no surprise whatsoever. After all, he never truly believed Xia Jianxi would dare deceive him. Setting down the brush in his hand, he looked up at Qin Cang: “In that case, there’s no need to wait any longer. Draw the net!”
“Yes, Wang Ye!” Qin Cang acknowledged, then exited the study and lit the signal flare.
The moment the firework exploded, guards surrounding the casino drew their blades. At the command, they stormed into the Si Pavilion Casino.
Inside the casino, the noise was deafening. The moment everyone saw the officers rushing in, their instinct was to flee. But just then, someone naturally made a dash toward the inner chambers.
Zhiyue immediately spotted this suspicious person and pushed through the crowd to restrain him: “What are you trying to do?”
The man’s face stiffened, then he struggled desperately. However, their team had come prepared – all the enforcers were subdued immediately, while the remaining accountants and ordinary civilians posed no threat to them, practically incapable of harming a fly.
The seemingly impregnable Si Pavilion Casino was seized by the officers in an instant.
By the time Yi Zichuan arrived on horseback, the Assistant Minister had been waiting for some time.
“Wang Ye, all personnel have been detained, but we’ve searched everywhere and found no account books!” The Assistant Minister approached Yi Zichuan and reported quietly.
“No account books?” Yi Zichuan frowned. “Have you searched every possible place?”
“We’ve looked everywhere!” The Assistant Minister sounded somewhat helpless. “We practically dug three feet underground!”
Without another word, Yi Zichuan dismounted and entered the casino himself.
The gambling den wasn’t particularly large, but like a sparrow small yet complete with all vital organs, with just a few tables set up and dice and playing cards laid out, it became a gold mine earning fortunes daily.
Yi Zichuan walked into the storeroom, where everything had been cleared out. At first glance, only a single table remained in the empty space. He scanned the surroundings but found the room showed no signs of hiding places.
Just as Yi Zichuan thought this operation might come up empty, Qin Cang suddenly entered: “Wang Ye!”
Yi Zichuan turned instinctively to see someone clad in a black cloak standing behind Qin Cang.
Soon, the person stepped forward, removing her veiled hat to reveal her face: “Wang Ye!”
“Miss Xia?” Yi Zichuan raised an eyebrow slightly. “What brings you here?”
Without answering, Xia Jianxi simply drew a small silver hammer from her bosom: “Perhaps I can find what you’re looking for!”
Yi Zichuan frowned, then looked at Xia Jianxi: “What do you mean?”
Xia Jianxi remained silent, instead walking to the wall with the small hammer. Pressing her ear against the surface while gently tapping, she explained: “Most merchants in this line of business like to install hidden compartments in their storerooms. By tapping like this, we might find what you seek.”
The room’s layout was somewhat peculiar, with stones and bricks covering nearly every inch of the walls.
Sure enough, when Xia Jianxi tapped the brick near the bookshelf, it produced a sound different from all the others.
Xia Jianxi stepped back, then stared coldly at the brick: “Break it open!”
Qin Cang immediately stepped forward and pried open the brick.