Chapter 63: Liang Xiaolong Confesses

Once outside the imperial palace, Hua Ruxue felt like a bird returning to the forest, chattering incessantly all the way.

Ever since entering the palace three years ago, she had never once stepped foot outside.

Three years—neither long nor short in the grand scheme of things.

A naive and innocent young maiden had now grown into the reigning Dowager Empress of the Great Zhou.

Because Hua Ruxue wore no disguise, coupled with her lavish attire, she was far too eye-catching.

On the street, a butcher slicing meat accidentally cut his hand with his cleaver, yet he remained frozen, staring fixedly at Hua Ruxue.

A coachman driving a carriage from the opposite direction stared just as blankly, completely unaware that his horses had drifted far off course.

Even the matrons and young ladies on the street were captivated by Hua Ruxue’s beauty, standing rooted to the spot in a daze.

Refined scholars, dashing swordsmen, and debonair playboys—several men suddenly stepped forward to block the paths of the young women, all of them attempting to strike up a conversation.

Li Hongyi stepped forward, placing herself before the Dowager Empress. Her presence was overwhelmingly formidable, startling the surrounding crowd into taking a collective step backward.

Yet, one scholar in green robes, entirely self-assured, offered a scholarly bow and said, "I am Zhou Liu of the Yunlu Academy. We harbor no ill intentions; we simply wish to make the acquaintance of the young lady!"

As soon as these words fell, gasps of astonishment erupted from the crowd. "It's Zhou Liu! His father is none other than the Junior Minister of Rites, a high-ranking official of the third rank!"

"Zhou Liu is also a renowned scholar of Yunlu Academy!"

Hearing the murmurs around him, Zhou Liu tilted his chin slightly upward, cupping his fists in a salute to all directions with a triumphant air.

Crack...

The whip in Li Hongyi’s hand snapped sharply through the air, frightening the young gallants blocking the way into retreating yet another step.

Encircled by the other women, Hua Ruxue observed the aspiring gallants before her with keen interest, eager to try her hand at something and seeming to have much to say.

Having served by the Dowager Empress's side for many years, Yuanchun knew precisely what Hua Ruxue was thinking the moment she stirred, and hurriedly grabbed her by the sleeve. "Your Majesty, everyone is watching!"

Hua Ruxue first cast a discontented, sideways glance at Yuanchun, then pulled her close in excitement. "This Zhou Liu looks rather handsome, but he seems a bit frail!"

"That swordsman over there looks decent, but isn't he terribly ugly? How can someone so hideous even have the nerve to practice swordsmanship?"

As if sensing Hua Ruxue’s gaze upon him, the ugly swordsman cupped his fists from afar in a polite salute.

"Oh, goodness, he doesn't think I've taken a fancy to him, does he?" Hua Ruxue quickly averted her eyes and turned toward a saber-wielder on the other side. The man was burly and rugged, and as he grinned foolishly, a row of large, yellow teeth was fully exposed!

After scanning the crowd without finding a single person to her satisfaction, she declared, "Let's go, let's go! Hurry to the market so we can play!"

Li Hongyi marched coldly at the front, snapping her whip to clear the way and intimidate the onlookers, carving out a spacious path.

"Your Majesty, if you truly wish to enjoy yourself, it would be best to don a disguise," Liu Yifei suddenly suggested.

The three female bodyguards were all dressed in martial attire; while they looked heroic and spirited, they lacked a certain feminine gentleness.

And naturally, they would not draw gazes quite like Hua Ruxue!

"Must we wear martial attire like you do?" Faced with Liu Yifei's suggestion, Hua Ruxue showed no displeasure; if anything, she seemed rather intrigued by the idea of wearing armor!

Liu Yifei shook her head. "That won't be necessary. Wearing a veil will suffice."

"Hehe, are you complimenting my beauty?" Hua Ruxue looked at the bodyguard whose beauty did not pale compared to her own, wondering yet again where the Empress had managed to recruit such stunning guards.

"Your Majesty's beauty has long since been verified by the Beauties' Roll; there is no need for us to lavish further praise."

"There is a draper's shop over there. Let's go in and take a look!"

The three women exchanged knowing glances, finding the situation somewhat amusing. Accustomed to being tightly guarded by their own retinues of bodyguards and assistants, they never expected that they would one day play the role of bodyguards themselves.

The experience was surprisingly novel.

Following his capture, Liang Xiaolong faced the formidable array of torture instruments in the Seven Star Tower; before they could even be put to use, he confessed to everything.

This left the executioners, who had been fully prepared to carry out the interrogation, thoroughly disappointed.

"Bah, spineless wretch!"

The interrogators glared resentfully at Liang Xiaolong, deeply regretful that they had been denied a proper opportunity to ply their trade.

The secret tunnel had been dug by the demons a year prior. The demon responsible for the excavation was named Duan Tianlang—the very burly man who frequently carried a thick, broad sword, and the murderer who had killed Zhao Mingjian.

At the time, Liang Xiaolong had been tasked with disposing of the excavated earth. He mixed the dirt into nightsoil collected by nightsoil workers, smuggling it out of the city without arousing the slightest suspicion.

In this manner, the demons secured a covert route capable of bypassing the surveillance of the Great Zhou.

Once the deed was done, Duan Tianlang secretly took Liang Xiaolong as his disciple, teaching him high-tier cultivation techniques that allowed his realm to leap from the Qi Condensation stage to the mid-stage of the Qi Sea realm within a single year.

Having rushed back in haste, Feng Ge and Gao Wu, responsible for interrogating Liang Xiaolong, had never imagined the process would go so smoothly.

"Where is that Duan Tianlang hiding?"

"On the day Duan Tianlang botched his attempt and killed Zhao Mingjian, he knew he could no longer remain at the Wanyi Tower. He hurried back to pack his belongings, informed the demon ambassador of the truth, and prepared to flee."

"However, you all moved far too quickly. Not daring to leave the Wanyi Mansion through normal channels, he escaped via the secret tunnel and met with me briefly, telling me to run as well."

"I... I harbored illusions of luck, thinking I could escape disaster..."

At this point, Liang Xiaolong was consumed by regret. Had he fled right then and there, he would not now be bound in the dungeons of the Seven Star Tower.

Gao Wu sneered. Regretful now? Did he still harbor thoughts of escape?

"What about the Black and White Fiends? Why were they hiding in the secret tunnel?"

This coward Liang Xiaolong truly could not withstand any pressure. Pouring out his knowledge like beans spilling from a broken bamboo tube, he recounted everything he knew.

"The Black and White Fiends had long since colluded with the demons. Not only did they gather intelligence for them, but they also acted as hired assassins!"

"They had hidden inside that dry well long ago. When the capital was placed under strict martial law after the incident, they found themselves unable to escape the city, so they hid in the well once more."

"Knowing that I was aiding the demons, they forced me to deliver food and water to them every single night."

Cheng Qingfeng was already so enraged that smoke was practically venting from the top of his head. "Colluding with demons and shielding wanted criminals! Liang Xiaolong, who gave you the audacity? Who gave you the courage?"

"Hmph, Liang Dahai is considered a man of some standing in the capital. How on earth did he raise such a wasteful good-for-nothing!"

"Just how much of your wrongdoing was Liang Dahai aware of?"

"My lord, my father knows nothing of this! My lord, this was entirely driven by my own greed and carried out in secret!"

Liang Xiaolong wailed in bitter tears. Unfortunately, it was entirely useless; Liang Dahai would find it difficult to shirk his responsibility either, and the entire Liang family might even face execution of the entire clan!

Listening to Liang Xiaolong's confession from the adjacent cell, Liang Dahai had already gone weak in the knees, muttering repeatedly, "It's over, everything is over. You unfilial wretch!"

Had Liang Dahai known of Liang Xiaolong's actions all along?
Or had Liang Xiaolong acted under Liang Dahai's direct instructions to collude with the demons?