Li Mancang nodded. When he heard someone outside asking if he was ready, Li Mancang answered yes, took the bag handed to him by Xiao Xizi, put it on his back and walked out of the west courtyard.
After exiting the back door and boarding the carriage, Li Mancang lifted the curtain and watched the carriage slowly drive away from the palace's back street. He suddenly felt that his gains outweighed his losses. If he had stayed with Prince Rui, he would have never lacked status or money. Why did he succumb to that person's bet and place his bet on Prince Cheng?
Li Mancang carefully recalled the news he had spread over the past two years. Which of them would cause substantial harm or loss to Prince Rui? If this trip was really what he had imagined, what would he do next? Or how would he defend himself?
Li Mancang lowered the car curtain and thought about all sorts of things as the car swayed. He didn't know how much time had passed before he felt the car stop and the door was pushed open. Dong Hai's glacial face, which had remained unchanged for thousands of years, appeared in front of him.
"Master Dong? Are we here yet? How come we're so fast? Shouldn't we go directly to Tongzhou? Where are the other two?"
Dong Hai motioned him to get off and said, "Change the car."
Li Mancang understood and hurriedly turned around to get his bag. As soon as he turned around, he felt someone following him. Before he could say anything, a handkerchief was covered over his nose, and then he knew nothing.
Li Mancang opened his eyes dimly. The room was empty, like a basement. There was a table in front of him with an oil lamp on it. His hands were handcuffed behind his back on a chair, but his mouth was not sealed.
Li Mancang closed his eyes. It was clear what was going on. He must have been discovered. It must have been the birthday gift he had sent to Prince Cheng's mansion. He deeply regretted sending Xiao Xizi, who everyone knew was his most trusted confidant. It would have been much better if he had sent someone less prominent, but how could he have gotten his way with someone else?
There were voices coming from the door. Li Mancang looked over there with his tense body. With a creak, the door was pushed open and Dong Hai came in holding an oil lamp, followed by Song Chengze.
"Your Highness? What do you mean?" Li Mancang still had a glimmer of hope.
"What do you mean? Manager Li, you really are pretending to be ignorant even though you know the truth." Zhang Decheng followed Song Chengze into the house and closed the door behind him.
Song Chengze sat across from him with a blank expression. Li Mancang couldn't tell what he meant. He spoke for a long time, "Did your Highness misunderstand something? Or was someone gossiping in front of your Highness? You know, I've been in the inner palace for so many years and have offended many people, especially after the princess married in..."
Song Chengze raised his hand and asked, "When did it happen?"
"Huh? When what?"
Dong Hai received Song Chengze's signal, stepped forward to untie Li Mancang, pulled up his right arm, and exerted force. There was a "click" sound, accompanied by Li Mancang's pig-slaughtering howl.
"When did you become a spy for Lao Wu? Was it when you first opened your mansion or when you were in the palace?"
Sweat dripped down Li Mancang's forehead. He used his left hand to support his right arm, fearing that it might be dislocated.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, Your Servant..."
"Master Li, think it over before you report back to His Highness. Lord Dong was just practicing just now; who knows what will happen next time." Zhang Decheng walked up to Li Mancang with a smile. "Besides, Your Highness is very busy, and he came here in person just now, perhaps out of consideration for our friendship. Considering we've been together for so many years, please tell us what you have to say. Don't waste His Highness's time, and don't suffer this physical pain." After speaking, he leaned forward and whispered in Li Mancang's ear, "If Your Highness didn't have evidence, would he have done this?"
Li Mancang watched Zhang Decheng walk back to Song Chengze and said, "Your Highness, there is only one stick of incense left."
Song Chengze nodded, stood up and walked to Li Mancang, "When did it happen?"
Li Mancang felt the full sense of oppression from Song Chengze, looked up at him, and trembled his lips, "Your Majesty, this servant is really...ah...Your Majesty, spare my life."
Zhang Decheng watched as Song Chengze stretched out his hand to press on the right arm that had just been dislocated by Dong Haila, and said, "Speak, tell me everything you did without leaving out a word." After saying that, he exerted force on his hand again, and Li Mancang felt like he was about to faint.
He had been with Song Chengze for so many years, but he had never seen him like this. His face was still gentle, and there was even a faint smile on the corner of his mouth, but his eyes looked at him fiercely without any warmth.
However, the severe pain in his right arm made Li Mancang realize that he probably didn't understand this prince for so many years.
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