# 224. Suicide to Escape Punishment
In the Nightwatchers Constabulary, the one in charge of interrogations was Nangong Qianrou. This sinister femboy was exceptionally cruel and has invented hundreds of inhumane torture methods, with over a hundred new torture devices crafted by artisans.
These methods had greatly enriched the torture techniques of the Great Feng.
One such method was called the Standing Punishment. A large iron weight was hung around the prisoner's neck, and over time, the prisoner's neck gradually becomes sore and painful, unable to bear the weight.
Yet the prisoner was not allowed to rest and is forced to remain standing, making life unbearable. Within two days, the prisoner usually dies in unending agony.
There was a torture method too similar to Xu Qi’an’s pushing of himself to his limit in cultivating immortality, supposedly inspired by the process of achieving Refining Spirit. The excruciating pain of this method was something Xu Qi’an could sorely relate to.
He only barely managed to endure it through meditation and focus, but the suffering for an ordinary person would be unimaginable.
In Nangong Qianrou's authored *Compendium of Torture Techniques,* there were over a hundred such slow and excruciating methods.
Though Jiang Lyuzhong was not an interrogation expert like Nangong Qianrou, who was well-versed in a hundred and eight torture positions, he was familiar with several techniques from mere observation.
Liang Youping silently met Jiang Lyuzhong's gaze. Both men's eyes were sharp as eagles, but Liang Youping, who lacked significant cultivation, quickly looked away.
He averted his gaze and smiled self-deprecatingly, "It seems I have no other choice."
Inspector Zhang and Jiang Lyuzhong remained silent, staring at him expressionlessly. Since he had fallen into their hands, even if he were as stubborn as a rock, they would make him talk.
Liang Youping glanced at Xu Qi'an and, patting his crippled leg, said slowly, “I wasn't lying when I said this leg was broken by someone, but the person who saved me was not Zhou Min.
“I was born in Yunzhou, and from as far back as I can remember, I knew Yunzhou was plagued by bandits, and the people suffered greatly. As a child, my dream was to learn martial arts and become a hero wielding a sword to kill bandits.
"But martial arts training is expensive, and my poor family couldn't afford it, so I turned to studying. After failing the imperial exam twice, I abandoned my studies and joined the army."
*Dreams crushed by reality before they even began... Fortunately, I had my second uncle supporting me with hundreds of taels of silver every year. Otherwise, I'd have ended up like Erlang, studying endlessly... It's understandable that Aunt dislikes me.*
Xu Qi'an sighed inwardly.
And given Xu Qi’an's talents, what could he achieve by studying? Probably not much more than Xu Lingyin.
“One year, in Baidi City, I saw a bureaucrat's son bullying a woman in the street. Enraged, I intervened, but I was outnumbered and his bodyguards broke my leg. Feeling annoyed, the bureaucrat's son ordered that I be taken out of the city and buried alive. It was then...
"That lord appeared. He ordered his guards to save me, arrested the bureaucrat's son, and gave me justice."
Xu Qi'an and the others realised that this “lord” was likely the one Liang Youping served, most probably the mastermind behind everything.
Liang Youping lifted his head and, meeting Inspector Zhang's gaze, said clearly, "The Governor of Yunzhou, Song Changfu."
"......"
The room fell silent.
Inspector Zhang's expression was quite peculiar—both surprised and unsurprised. After all, in Baidi City, any official above the fourth rank could be the mastermind.
The Inspector had mentally prepared for this, so there was no reaction of "great shock."
"It's him...."
However, Inspector Zhang's heart was still heavy. The Director Yang Chuannan was already implicated. Now, there's another official, the Governor, involved.
The Yunzhou bureaucracy is rotten to the core.
"Who captured you?" Xu Qi'an took the opportunity to ask.
"I don't know," Liang Youping shook his head, his face bewildered. "That day, after you left, I let go of the private prostitutes in my shop, locked up, and left. Just as I walked out of Huangbo Street, someone knocked me out.
"When I woke up, I found myself locked in a small dark room with a sack over my head, unable to call for help.... Eating, drinking, and relieving myself all in that small dark room, with someone delivering food at regular intervals. Later, I was taken to the escort agency and sent to you."
"You didn't see the person's face?" Xu Qi'an asked again.
Liang Youping shook his head.
*... Liang Youping disappeared after we left, and three days later, the Church of the Warlock God interrogated him in a dream to check if he had fallen into the Nightwatcher's hands... Because during those three days, Governor Song accompanied Inspector Zhang on an inspection tour, he didn't notice Liang Youping's disappearance until they returned to Baidi City and found him missing... I understand now.*
Xu Qi'an had a sudden realisation.
Inspector Zhang tapped his fingers on the table. "Continue."
"Since then, I've been following Governor Song. At that time, he wasn't yet the governor of an entire province..." Liang Youping's eyes reflected nostalgia as he spoke of the past:
“As Song Changfu's career advanced, I, a cripple, also rose in ranks, eventually becoming a Supervising Clerk, a sixth-rank official.
“It was also through Song Changfu's recommendation that I joined the Qi Clique. But this identity was hidden; Zhou Min was the Nightwatcher's undercover agent, while I was the Qi Clique's.
"The Qi Clique supplied military provisions to the mountain bandits, which had to pass through the Supervision Office. Over the years, I have been working for Song Changfu, falsifying records and embezzling military supplies..."
"Earlier, you kept saying your dream was to become a hero and kill bandits. Now, you've become an accomplice to evil." Xu Qi'an couldn't help but sneer.
Liang Youping had become the very person he once despised.
Liang Youping chose to remain silent in response to Xu Qi'an's mockery.
Inspector Zhang squinted his eyes and asked, "What about Yang Chuannan? He's also part of the Qi Clique. Why did you frame him?"
Liang Youping shook his head. "I don't know the details. I only know that he was not closely connected to the Qi Clique. Song Changfu hinted that Yang Chuannan was a pawn for the Qi Clique, one that could be discarded at any time."
*A scapegoat...* Xu Qi'an silently categorised Yang Chuannan as such.
"If it weren't for Zhou Min, Yunzhou's conspiracy would have continued unnoticed." Liang Youping laughed bitterly. “This might be the heavens' way of ensuring justice. I had a good relationship with Zhou Min, and we often drank together after our shifts.
"I just never thought he was an agent for the Nightwatchers, while I was the Qi Clique's agent. It just goes to show how unpredictable people's hearts are."
Liang Youping seemed to have opened a floodgate, and without needing further questioning from Inspector Zhang, he started revealing everything he knew.
"Zhou Min was a very clever person, extremely sensitive to numbers. When we noticed he had discovered discrepancies in the accounts, I personally tried to recruit him with substantial promises..."
Jiang Lyuzhong leaned comfortably in his chair. "Did he refuse?"
"No," Liang Youping chuckled. "He readily agreed to join us. But he didn't realise that the recruitment was just a façade, a test to see what he had discovered.
"Zhou Min's agreement was merely a delaying tactic. He immediately wrote a secret report exposing the issue."
*Now, this is how a smart undercover agent should act... In TV dramas, the agent would have righteously refused...* Xu Qi'an, trying to keep his mind sharp through sarcasm, couldn't help but say:
"He probably sensed that you would kill him to silence him."
"Smart people naturally have smart instincts. He could have tried to escape, though it wouldn't have worked." Liang Youping raised his chin.
These words seemed to refer to himself as well. He was also someone who foresaw his fate and, knowing he couldn't escape, didn't bother trying.
"After the plan was exposed, Song Changfu followed the predetermined strategy, using Yang Chuannan as a scapegoat. While secretly making arrangements, he waited for Inspector Zhang's arrival."
Inspector Zhang, hearing this, questioned, "Then why did you personally stay at the Ding No. 15 Dogmeat Shop? There must be incriminating evidence against Song Changfu in the accounts, right?"
"Yes, there are records of several military provisions being transferred from the Governor's Office to the Commander-in-Chief's Office. As for why I stayed at Ding No. 15, that was the order I received," Liang Youping answered.
*...This doesn't make sense!*
Xu Qi'an frowned and looked at the three white-clad arcanists. "Can we trust what he's saying?"
The three white-clad arcanists shook their heads. "We can't tell. His qi is obscured, and our techniques can't see through it."
Our techniques can't see through it... Xu Qi'an was initially surprised, then realised that someone had tampered with Liang Youping, obscuring his energy.
Number Four mentioned that arcanists have ways to counter warlocks. This obscuration must be what protected Liang Youping from curses and divination.
"Ningyan, do you have anything to say?"
Despite Xu Qi'an's reduced mental acuity, Inspector Zhang still wanted to hear his opinion.
"Having Liang Youping stay at the dogmeat shop was a mistake. I think someone as cunning as Song Changfu wouldn't make such a basic error." Xu Qi'an spoke confidently:
“Of course, it's possible this was a provocation. After all, if that mysterious expert hadn't abducted Liang Youping midway, even if we knew something was wrong, we wouldn't have found anything.
"In the end, we would have only had solid evidence to bring Yang Chuannan back to the capital."
Whether it's provocation or something else remains uncertain for now. The only way to know for sure is to confront Song Changfu directly.
As for that mysterious expert, Xu Qi'an suspected it was none other than the Master of Posturing, Yang Qianhuan. First, he only knew of this one high-ranking arcanist. Second, while there were rogue arcanists out there, few had the ability to obscure qi and fate and evade Jiang Lyuzhong's detection. Such skill wasn't something an ordinary wandering cultivator could possess.
It's like in the previous world; those who could enter the Chinese Academy of Sciences were highly educated talents, and there were no self-taught wild geniuses.
As for why he suspected Yang Qianhuan, it was simply because he could only think of him.
*Hmm, this guess still needs confirmation...*
"Finding out the reason isn't difficult," Inspector Zhang sneered. "Issue orders immediately, mobilise all forces, and arrest Governor Song Changfu. Remember, speed is crucial!"
Using the same tactic as with Yang Chuannan, but it works well. A surprise action can catch the enemy off guard, leaving them no time to respond.
Before long, the Huben Guards were fully mobilised. Inspector Zhang took only Jiang Lyuzhong and a few Nightwatchers with him, leaving the other Gold and Bronze Gongs to guard the post and watch over Yang Chuannan.
Xu Qi'an also stayed at the post, citing rest and recovery as the reason.
He had just fought valiantly outside the city and was now physically weakened, unsuitable for action.
…
Bang!
The main gate of the Governor's residence crashed open, and Jiang Lyuzhong led the Huben Guards into the mansion, subduing the resisting guards one by one.
Unexpectedly, Governor Song wasn't found like Yang Chuannan. Instead, the Huben Guards found him dead in his bedroom.
Governor Song was lying on the ground with a dagger in his chest. Blood had pooled around him, soaking his clothes and half his face.
"Inspector, he's dead."
After checking, the Huben Guards reported respectfully.
"Did he commit suicide to escape punishment?" Inspector Zhang walked to the corpse, his face stern.
Song Changfu was really dead?
He pondered for a moment and ordered, "Send someone to the prefecture constabulary and summon an experienced coroner to conduct an autopsy."
...
The coroner arrived quickly, accompanied by the Prefect of Yunzhou. The Prefect was visibly anxious and, upon seeing Governor Song's corpse in the bedroom, he fell to the ground in shock.
"Inspector, this, this..." The Prefect's face was pale, and his lips trembled, unable to form a complete sentence.
"Calm down." Inspector Zhang glanced at Song Changfu's corpse and then led the Prefect to the study, explaining the reversal of the case.
"So, Governor Song was the real culprit, colluding with the Church of the Warlock God and supplying military provisions to the mountain bandits?"
The Prefect was stunned, struggling to digest this shocking news.
"This matter should be announced as soon as possible to prevent unrest among the officials in Yunzhou."
Thinking from his position, Inspector Zhang was focused on stabilising the officials and maintaining order.
If Xu Qi'an were here, his priority would be to scrutinise the body and the case until there were no loose ends.
As they were speaking, a Huben Guard came in to report, "Sir, the coroner has finished the autopsy."
"Bring him in," Inspector Zhang ordered.
The coroner hurried in, head lowered.
"Report."
"Yes!" The coroner began to speak, "The deceased is Song Changfu, aged forty-five, six feet one inch tall. The head, skin, and bones show no injuries. Apart from the knife wound in the chest, there are no other injuries on the limbs and torso.
"The mouth and throat show no unusual color or smell, indicating no poisoning. The cause of death is the chest knife wound, which is self-inflicted."
Inspector Zhang nodded, "Preserve the body properly." Then he turned to the Prefect and said, "Summon all officials of rank six and above in Baidi City to the Governor's Office. I have something to announce."
After making the arrangements, Inspector Zhang frowned in thought for a long time before calling a Bronze Gong and instructing:
"Return to the post station immediately and report everything that happened here to Xu Qi'an, including the coroner's autopsy report, and get his opinion."
...
At the post station.
"What? Governor Song is dead?!"
Xu Qi'an was shocked, his eyes wide open.
"The Inspector wants to hear your opinion," the Bronze Gong who delivered the message said, sitting casually at the table, feet on a stool, sipping tea. "That Song fellow knew he was doomed when he heard us breaking in and committed suicide out of guilt. The Inspector sent me back to ask for your thoughts on this."
*Yuanfang, what do you think...* Xu Qi'an's mind reflexively recalled this famous line.[^1]
Song Changfu's suicide to escape punishment was unexpected. He had hoped for a chance to confront Song Changfu in court with Liang Youping.
Xu Qi'an, feeling extremely fatigued, tried to think things through one by one:
*Was it the Inspector's "speed is of the essence" strategy that made Song Changfu feel the game was up and choose suicide?*
*But normally, shouldn't he wait until the last moment to give up... This isn't a game where you give up just because you're at a disadvantage... His death seemed too impulsive. It could also be the mysterious Warlock of Dreams silencing him.*
*No, the Warlock of Dreams silencing him would require the exposure of the plot... But how would he know the plot was exposed?*
Suddenly, it was as if a bolt of lightning struck Xu Qi'an's mind.
"There must be spies around the station, monitoring our every move. It could even be the fourth-rank Warlock of Dreams. When the escorts from Fushun Escort Agency brought Liang Youping in, despite being in a sack, his limp would have been obvious."
"Song Changfu must have known that Liang Youping had been captured..." Xu Qi'an concluded. He realised what was wrong.
They had been interrogating Liang Youping at the post station for over half an hour. Then, the Inspector led a team to the Governor's residence. Even with the Huben Guards' speed, it would take at least forty minutes from the post station to the Governor's residence. Would Song Changfu really sit at home and wait for death during that long period?
But Song Changfu was indeed dead, and the coroner had confirmed it... Damn it!
"Shit! It's a trap!"
Xu Qi'an blurted out.
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[^1]: From *Master Detective Di Renjie*