Chapter 26

Chapter 25: Entering the Prison Alone

Wanzhenshan secretly wiped a sweat, this young master was not much older than Guier, yet his experience in the world was so rich. However, he had already prepared his words: "At that time, my three fellow disciples and I attended the banquet with our master. Unfortunately, our martial arts were too weak to save our master. After Ling Tuisi killed our master, he thought we might know the secret of Liancheng Jue, so he kept us alive and spread rumors in the martial world, saying that the three of us had killed our master and taken Liancheng Jue, causing people in the martial world to constantly trouble us. He has been hiding behind the scenes, waiting to reap the benefits."

Wu Liuzhi found his explanation reasonable. Given the shocking nature of disciples killing their master, he subconsciously believed Wanzhenshan to be about seventy percent truthful. He coldly snorted, "Don't leak today's matter. Whether what you said is true or false, I will go to the prefecture office to investigate." After saying this, he stood up and left directly.

Watching his back, Wanzhenshan revealed a hint of a cold smile: "The city of Jingzhou has ten thousand armed soldiers. As the prefect, Ling Tuisi's residence is not easy to enter, and once you enter, you might not be able to leave."

"Is that person the great hero Wu Liuzhi that Uncle mentioned before?" Hu Furen asked curiously.

"Hmm~" Song Qingshu secretly pondered. Wu Liuzhi had clearly been deceived by the old fox Wanzhenshan, but exposing him now would not benefit him. He might still need Wu Liuzhi's help to deal with Ling Tuisi.

The next morning, at a roadside food stall, Hu Furen suddenly said to Song Qingshu, "Uncle, we have been thinking about breaking into the prison to save someone, but we have no clue. Now I think, if brute force doesn't work, can we try a softer approach?"

"How can we do that?" Song Qingshu felt a flash of inspiration in his mind but couldn't grasp the specific idea.

"According to what Uncle said, there is a prisoner in the prison who knows the Shenzhao Gong. We actually only need to be able to contact him. Why do we need to save him?" Hu Furen smiled faintly.

Song Qingshu suddenly saw the light and wished he could hug and kiss the beautiful woman in front of him: "Sister-in-law, you are truly a female Zhuge Liang." Indeed, if he can't get out, it doesn't mean he can't go in.

The more he thought about it, the more excited he became. The two of them went to a secluded place and continuously improved their plan.

At noon that day, a handsome young man appeared in front of the prefecture office, presenting a visiting card and requesting to meet Ling Tuisi. The gatekeeper, seeing his dignified appearance and enticed by silver, turned around to report.

Not long after, Song Qingshu was welcomed inside.

"What does young master Song want from this official?" Ling Tuisi glanced at Song Qingshu with some annoyance. He couldn't help but be annoyed; the front lines in Xiangyang were not going well, and as the official in charge of the rear, he was under great pressure. Moreover, the prisoner in the jail had never revealed the secret of Liancheng Jue...

"I am here to resolve a matter that has been troubling you, sir." Song Qingshu smiled mysteriously.

These scholars always love to play this kind of game, Ling Tuisi thought, immediately disliking it. If it weren't for the fact that he had almost finished his official business for the day, he would have already driven this person away. Hearing Song Qingshu's words, Ling Tuisi only faintly responded with an "Oh~" without any commitment.

"Sir, you must be wondering what a poor scholar like me can do to resolve your troubles," Song Qingshu smiled slightly, "Indeed, if it involves current national affairs, I am powerless. But if it's just a personal matter..." Song Qingshu suddenly stopped speaking.

Ling Tuisi's heart skipped a beat, and he carefully examined Song Qingshu, "I wonder what young master is referring to?"

Song Qingshu smiled faintly, "I have no other skills, but I am particularly good at making hard-core prisoners talk..."

Ling Tuisi's face instantly turned pale, and he asked fiercely, "How much do you know about the Liancheng Jue?"

Song Qingshu was startled but maintained his composure, "Not much, not little. I have a way to make the prisoner in the jail talk, but I need a fifty-fifty split of the proceeds afterward."

"Young man, you have a big appetite," Ling Tuisi sneered, "I'm afraid you'll get a stomachache." In his heart, he was puzzled, how did this person know so much?

"Being young means having a good appetite," Song Qingshu laughed, "So many years have passed, does Sir Ling think you can make him talk?"

Ling Tuisi thought to himself, so many years of torture have been in vain. Ding Dian probably won't say anything until he dies, and he can't really kill him. Recently, he has become increasingly impatient, and in the dead of night, he even came up with an extremely cruel plan, but he is unsure if it will work. If it fails, the lead on Ding Dian will be lost, so he has been hesitating.

"Can you really make him reveal the secret of Liancheng Jue?" Ling Tuisi looked at him suspiciously.

"Let me try, sir, it won't cost you anything. If it doesn't work, I will let you deal with me as you see fit." Song Qingshu said confidently.

"Alright," Ling Tuisi was delighted, "If you can make him reveal the secret and find the treasure, I will take seventy percent, and you will get thirty. Young man, don't be too greedy." In his heart, he was thinking, once the treasure is found, will I still let you live? This is just to lower your guard, making you think I am sincere about sharing the treasure.

Song Qingshu showed a look of struggle, and finally, he sighed, "Fine, thirty percent is enough. But this operation must be under my full control, and it might take some time, at least half a month, at most a month. Otherwise, if the prisoner notices something, our plan will fail."

"Agreed!" Ling Tuisi hesitated for a moment but nodded, "How you question him, I won't interfere, and I can have relevant personnel assist you. But if you get the information and try to keep it all for yourself, well..."

Song Qingshu bowed and smiled bitterly, "I don't want to end up like that man, being tortured in the prison for years."

Ling Tuisi's people secretly monitored Song Qingshu. Although he was free to move around within the residence, he could not leave.

Song Qingshu didn't mind and went straight to the cell where Ding Dian was held. He moved a stool and sat far away, not speaking, just quietly watching the two pitiful people in the cell.

Diyun had long been scared by Ding Dian and was quietly hiding in the corner, not making a sound. Ding Dian saw a stranger sitting opposite him, staring silently, and angrily said, "What are you looking at, huh?"

"I'm looking at two pitiful souls." Song Qingshu didn't get angry and smiled faintly.

Ding Dian didn't react much, but Diyin was reminded of his sad story and burst into tears. "Stop crying!" Ding Dian gave him a harsh beating. Diyin had learned that the more he cried, the harder he was hit, so he gritted his teeth and endured it.

"Stop hitting him, he's not a spy." Song Qingshu watched the two, who would later become good brothers, with amusement.

"You say he's not a spy, then he must be one. I'll beat him to death." Ding Dian's fists hit even harder.

Chapter 26: Being Manipulated

Song Qingshu was speechless, "Alright, then you can treat him as a spy."

"Sure enough, he's a spy!" Ding Dian's eyes lit up, and he gave Diyin another beating.

"Miss Ling is dying!" Seeing that his casual words led to Diyin being beaten, he felt a bit guilty and had to use his ultimate move.

"What!" Ding Dian indeed stopped, his face twisted in anger, "What did you say just now!"

"Would you have let him go if I didn't say that?" With the cell separating them, Song Qingshu wasn't afraid of him rushing out, "This poor boy is indeed a pitiful person. He was thrown here just to see if you might reveal your secrets to him, and then Ling Tuisi might think this poor boy is easier to deal with."

In fact, after years of interaction, Ding Dian had already understood this point. Seeing him call Ling Tuisi by name, he coldly snorted, "Who are you?"

"I am a great benefactor who can't bear to see you two suffer, and I have come to bring you some warmth." Song Qingshu looked at their miserable state, with their琵琶骨 (pectoralis major muscle) pierced and their bodies filthy... thinking of their fate, he sighed deeply.

"Hmph! What new trick is Ling Tuisi up to?" Ding Dian was now wary of everything.

"Ling Tuisi?" Song Qingshu smiled disdainfully, "Hero Ding, how about we make a deal?"

"Get lost!" Ding Dian ignored him, knowing Miss Ling was safe, and sat back down coldly.

"Do you really think I care about your Liancheng Jue?" Song Qingshu laughed, "To be honest, I already know the secret of Liancheng Jue that you and others have been fighting over."

"Heh, trying to fool a child?" Ding Dian laughed dryly.

"You don't believe me?" Song Qingshu stood up, "I can tell you the secret of Liancheng Jue. See if it matches what you know."

"Go on, tell me." Ding Dian looked at him suspiciously.

Song Qingshu smiled bitterly and lowered his voice, "Hero Ding, I know you haven't lost your martial arts. Please listen carefully, are there any others within a few dozen feet? If Ling Tuisi's people hear, I might suffer the same fate as you. My meridians are severed, and I have no martial arts left, so I need you to listen carefully."

Ding Dian was unsure, closed his eyes, and carefully checked, "Go on, there's no one else within ten feet except the three of us."

Song Qingshu glanced at Diyin, "Some things he doesn't know are to protect him." Ding Dian frowned but still pointedly put Diyin to sleep.

Song Qingshu finally breathed a sigh of relief and revealed the secret of Liancheng Jue. Ding Dian's face indeed changed dramatically, and he stared at him intently, "How do you know this?"

"That's none of your business," Song Qingshu shrugged, "Now, do you believe I'm not one of Ling Tuisi's people?"

"But why did you come to me?" Ding Dian was very puzzled.

"Didn't I say we should make a deal?" Song Qingshu was speechless, "Alright, then you can treat him as a spy."

"Sure enough, he's a spy!" Ding Dian's eyes lit up, and he gave Diyin another beating.

"Miss Ling is dying!" Seeing that his casual words led to Diyin being beaten, he felt a bit guilty and had to use his ultimate move.

"What!" Ding Dian indeed stopped, his face twisted in anger, "What did you say just now!"

"Would you have let him go if I didn't say that?" With the cell separating them, Song Qingshu wasn't afraid of him rushing out, "This poor boy is indeed a pitiful person. He was thrown here just to see if you might reveal your secrets to him, and then Ling Tuisi might think this poor boy is easier to deal with."

In fact, after years of interaction, Ding Dian had already understood this point. Seeing him call Ling Tuisi by name, he coldly snorted, "Who are you?"

"I am a great benefactor who can't bear to see you two suffer, and I have come to bring you some warmth." Song Qingshu looked at their miserable state, with their pectoralis major muscle pierced and their bodies filthy... thinking of their fate, he sighed deeply.

"Hmph! What new trick is Ling Tuisi up to?" Ding Dian was now wary of everything.

"Ling Tuisi?" Song Qingshu smiled disdainfully, "Hero Ding, how about we make a deal?"

"Get lost!" Ding Dian ignored him, knowing Miss Ling was safe, and sat back down coldly.

"Do you really think I care about your Liancheng Jue?" Song Qingshu laughed, "To be honest, I already know the secret of Liancheng Jue that you and others have been fighting over."

"Heh, trying to fool a child?" Ding Dian laughed dryly.

"You don't believe me?" Song Qingshu stood up, "I can tell you the secret of Liancheng Jue. See if it matches what you know."

"Go on, tell me." Ding Dian looked at him suspiciously.

Song Qingshu smiled bitterly and lowered his voice, "Hero Ding, I know you haven't lost your martial arts. Please listen carefully, are there any others within a few dozen feet? If Ling Tuisi's people hear, I might suffer the same fate as you. My meridians are severed, and I have no martial arts left, so I need you to listen carefully."

Ding Dian was unsure, closed his eyes, and carefully checked, "Go on, there's no one else within ten feet except the three of us."

Song Qingshu glanced at Diyin, "Some things he doesn't know are to protect him." Ding Dian frowned but still pointedly put Diyin to sleep.

Song Qingshu finally breathed a sigh of relief and revealed the secret of Liancheng Jue. Ding Dian's face indeed changed dramatically, and he stared at him intently, "How do you know this?"

"That's none of your business," Song Qingshu shrugged, "Now, do you believe I'm not one of Ling Tuisi's people?"

"But why did you come to me?" Ding Dian was very puzzled.

"Didn't I say we should make a deal?" Song Qingshu was speechless, "Alright, then you can treat him as a spy."

"Sure enough, he's a spy!" Ding Dian's eyes lit up, and he gave Diyin another beating.

"Miss Ling is dying!" Seeing that his casual words led to Diyin being beaten, he felt a bit guilty and had to use his ultimate move.

"What