Volume Two: The Great and the Small Chapter Sixty-Two: The Number One Gambler Under Heaven (Part Two)

Gamblers.

Throughout history, they have been viewed as a hopeless lot of degenerates. Their existence brings ruin to themselves and others, deceiving family and betraying friends until they have lost everything, yet they still believe the next hand will be their turning point.

Yang Shen.

One of the few true prodigies of the Ming Dynasty’s two-hundred-year history, scion of a distinguished family, son of the Senior Grand Secretary, and a top-ranking scholar—his future was limitless. Almost no one would ever associate a gambler with Yang Shen; they were as different as clouds and mud, as unrelated as wind and horse.

But in Huang Ming’s eyes, Yang Shen was precisely a gambler—the number-one gambler of the Great Ming. The only difference was that while others wagered on the outcome of a table, betting visible silver and copper, Yang Shen wagered on the invisible: the tides of the future and the very fate of the nation.

This could already be glimpsed in his performance at the Imperial Lectures last year. His assertions that day were merely a collaborative bet with his father, gambling that the Jiajing Emperor, coerced by public opinion, would eventually yield, purge the eunuchs around him, and thereby grant the civil officials greater power.

If that were not obvious enough, the actions he took a year or two later, when the Great Rites Controversy reached its boiling point, could be described as a desperate, all-in gamble. As the situation grew increasingly uncontrollable and the Emperor began to seize the initiative, what did Yang Shen, the son of Senior Grand Secretary Yang Tinghe, do?

He gathered a crowd of scholars and brazenly stood before the Left Glorious Gate of the Imperial Palace, shouting, "The state has nurtured scholars for a hundred and fifty years; the time to die for righteousness is now!"

This was, in effect, a coup. He was using this method to force the Emperor’s hand. Ultimately, it was just another form of gambling—a bet that the Emperor would retreat.

But this time, Yang Shen lost—and he lost big. From that moment on, he forfeited everything: his career, his official position, and all the achievements he might have attained. Compared to the average gambler, his stakes were higher, and the consequences far more devastating. Thus, to Huang Ming, it was entirely logical that such a gambler, at a critical juncture, would make an even more insane, all-in wager.

For instance, upon realizing that the Zhengde Emperor was beyond control and would bring irreparable damage to his father and the Ming Dynasty he envisioned, he would dare to use the most unexpected means to change the course of events—regicide.

When Huang Ming returned to his senses, he found the room deathly silent. During his contemplation, the other three had stood there as if struck by a paralysis spell, not a word spoken. Clearly, the answer had dealt them such a shock that Huang Bingkun and Qi Changfeng could not recover for a long time.

"So, it was him? It stands to reason, I suppose..." Huang Ming said calmly. "Physician Meng, I imagine you are still in possession of some piece of evidence, are you not?"

Under his gaze, Meng Chuyao shuddered. "What... what do you want? I will never give that to you!" He had been so intimidated by Huang Ming’s presence and his previous words that he dared not even lie.

Huang Ming merely smiled. "Centurion Huang!"

Huang Bingkun did not react at all, until Huang Ming walked over and waved a hand vigorously in front of his face. "Centurion Huang, come back to your senses!"

He jolted, his face turning deathly pale. His words came out in a stutter: "Young Master Huang... what... what are we to do about this?"

The impact of this truth was too great for him to bear. He was just an ordinary centurion in the Embroidered Uniform Guard, holding no real power and harboring no ambition; he had only wanted to curry favor with Huang Ming to make his life easier. How did he end up in such a life-threatening situation?

Wasn't last night just about catching a prison guard who had designs against the Young Master? How did it suddenly turn into a murder case, and then involve a court secret—the truth of the late Emperor’s death—that was enough to scare him to death? And before that shock had even faded, a new one arrived: the murderer was Yang Shen, son of the Senior Grand Secretary!

Was this something he was meant to know? How could a mere centurion of the Guard shoulder such a massive case? Not just him—even the Commander, the entire Metropolitan Guard, and the entire secret police apparatus could not bear the weight of such a matter!

He was trembling, his eyes pleading with the Young Master, hoping for a word that he need not concern himself with this, that he could just pretend he knew nothing. But that wish was denied. Huang Ming looked at him with a grave expression. "Centurion Huang, this matter is of the utmost importance. You are the only one I can trust, and I must rely on you."

"Young Master Huang, what... what are you trying to do?" The question was strangled from Huang Bingkun’s throat.

Ignoring his fear, Huang Ming ordered, "I am entrusting this physician to you. You must watch him closely; he must not come to any harm, nor can he escape. Furthermore, the conclusive evidence of this matter must be dug out of him by you!"

Huang Bingkun felt like a lowly errand boy being ordered to confront a formidable foe. He was bewildered. Did he have the capability for this?

Huang Ming added, "Rest assured, I will not stand on the sidelines. Once the evidence is in hand, you will never have to worry about your future again."

Indeed. If the task were accomplished and the truth revealed, he would naturally have a great merit and a limitless future. But if things went wrong, he would certainly die—and then he truly would not have to worry about his future anymore.

Huang Bingkun thought this over and finally gave a reluctant nod. "This subordinate will do his utmost to fulfill the order..."

Huang Ming patted his shoulder. "You and your men have worked hard tonight. I leave the rest to you. I will go back and consider carefully how to proceed with this case."

Having said this, he woke the still-stunned Qi Changfeng and prepared to leave. It was now midday, and the outside world was already bustling; leaving now would not draw too much attention.

Watching Huang Ming leave, Huang Bingkun struggled with his conscience before finally issuing the order: "Bring the physician to the carriage and take him to the C-grade contact point outside the city. Not a word of today's events is to be revealed to anyone!"

Having stepped out of the courtyard, Huang Ming heard these words and felt a sense of relief; his confidence grew. He did not realize that while he viewed Yang Shen as the ultimate gambler, he himself was also a gambler, one who dared to place everything on the table.