TGWM Ch. 15

Chapter 15: The Convict

Cold sweat broke out on Liang Hui’s back. Overwhelmed by terror and the desperate will to survive, he broke free from Zhou Liang’s grip and bolted out of the stable. In his frantic struggle, however, the nameplate he carried fell to the ground.

He had neither the time nor the energy to pick it up. He fled the stable at top speed. Zhou Liang did not chase after him, but Liang Hui could still feel his chilling, snake-like gaze locked onto him.

With what had just happened—and his nameplate left behind—Zhou Liang would undoubtedly find a way to pin the murder on him. Coupled with the fact that he had been the one leading the horse today, there was no way he could clear his name, even if he threw himself into the Xingbei River.

He had considered going to the grand general and coming clean about everything, but doing so would also expose his secret dealings with Zhou Liang. Moreover, there was no telling whether Beichen Long would even believe him. The immense pressure and fear shattered Liang Hui’s resolve, leading him to instinctively choose escape.

He left the military camp, not returning home either, fleeing aimlessly in panic.

However, he had barely gotten far when he was captured by men sent by the grand general and dragged back. The moment he saw Beichen Long, he knew that if he didn’t tell the truth now, he would really die.

Faced with the certainty of a senseless execution, Liang Hui chose to struggle for his life. He broke down in tears, sobbing uncontrollably as he spilled everything, recounting the truth between gasping sobs.

The more Beichen Long and the others listened, the deeper their frowns became. Lin Aoxue was also greatly astonished—no one had expected a mere horse-riding accident to unravel such a web of conspiracy.

If Zhou Liang had truly orchestrated everything, then he was indeed a man of exceptional cunning and deep scheming. Had his plan gone smoothly, he could have avenged his wife, Chen-shi, while shifting all the blame onto Liang Hui, making him the scapegoat. Meanwhile, Zhou Liang himself would have walked away completely unscathed, leaving no trace of his involvement.

(T/N: -shi is an affix for “clan”. So here it means the wife is from clan Chen, having Chen as her surname)

By the time Liang Hui finished his detailed account, Beichen Long was shaking with fury. He had never imagined that such a thing could happen right under his nose. His rage erupted as he slammed his palm onto the wooden desk, causing the solid wood to crack with a sharp sound.

“Go! Bring me Zhou Liang and Chen Er’s sister!”

Lin Aoxue’s gaze flickered slightly. As expected of the grand general—his inner strength was truly formidable.

The guards acknowledged the order and left. Beichen Long then spoke a few extra words to Yang Jin, who nodded before stepping out of the tent to relay the command.

Before long, Zhou Liang and his wife, Chen-shi, were brought before Beichen Long. Unlike the flustered Chen-shi, Zhou Liang remained unnervingly calm. Even as he was escorted into the tent, he showed no signs of guilt or fear.

Upon seeing him, Liang Hui immediately sprang up, his face twisted with rage and despair as he roared, “Zhou Liang! You beast worse than a pig or a dog! I’ve already confessed everything! Don’t think you can wash your hands of this!”

Zhou Liang cast him an indifferent glance. “I don’t understand what you’re talking about.”

Liang Hui burst into a fit of maniacal laughter, his eyes burning with resentment as he glared at Zhou Liang. “You’re still trying to deny it at this point?!”

“You’re nothing but a rabid dog, biting people at random,” Zhou Liang replied coldly, his face devoid of emotion.

“Enough!”

Beichen Long’s sharp reprimand cut through the air, silencing both men at once.

At that moment, Yang Jin lifted the tent’s curtain and stepped inside. He cast a glance at Liang Hui before fixing his gaze on Zhou Liang and questioning him sternly, “One hour after Lu Sheng’s fall this afternoon—where were you, and what were you doing?”

Zhou Liang didn’t hesitate, responding concisely, “Reporting to the field marshal—I was in the military pharmacy, taking inventory of the medicine.”

“You’re lying!” Liang Hui interjected, furious and anxious.

Beichen Long shot him a glare and snapped, “Shut up!”

Intimidated by the grand general’s authority, Liang Hui dared not act out any further. Though seething with anger and frustration, he clamped his mouth shut.

Beichen Long cast a cold glance at Zhou Liang and asked in a deep voice, “Do you know Guo Wu?”

Guo Wu was the slain guard.

Hearing the name, Zhou Liang was momentarily stunned before replying, “I do. We’ve interacted a few times. Just last month, I even drank with him.” His response was calm and unruffled.

“And did you see him today?” Beichen Long continued his questioning.

“No, I haven’t seen him since we drank together last month.”

Liang Hui’s face contorted with rage. He looked like he was about to speak again, but a sharp glare from Yang Jin forced him to grit his teeth and hold back.

Although Lin Aoxue, Beichen Long, and the others strongly suspected Zhou Liang of orchestrating everything, he firmly clung to the fact that there was no direct evidence placing him at the crime scene. Every incriminating clue instead pointed to Liang Hui. As a result, Zhou Liang feigned ignorance, refusing to confess.

A storm brewed in Beichen Long’s eyes. Suddenly, he shifted his gaze to Chen-shi, who stood beside Zhou Liang.

“Chen-shi, I have questions for you!”

His expression was stern, and the immense authority accumulated over years on the battlefield sent a chill through Chen-shi, a woman unaccustomed to such pressure. Her face turned pale as she instinctively glanced at Zhou Liang before tremblingly answering, “Wh-what would my lord like to ask?”

“Hmph!” Beichen Long’s voice turned even sharper. “Did you, out of anger over your brother’s death in battle, seek to take it out on others?!” His final words came out thunderously. 

Startled, Chen-shi trembled violently before dropping to her knees with a thud. Yet, she sobbed and protested, “My lord, what are you saying? How could a humble woman like me fail to distinguish right from wrong?” She wailed, but Beichen Long’s expression grew darker. It was clear that mere questioning would not get these two to talk. They were the kind of people who would only confess when faced with undeniable proof.

At that moment, a guard’s voice rang out from outside the tent—Yang Jin’s men had returned.

“Let them in!”

Beichen Long waved his arm, and Yang Jin acknowledged the order. A group of guards entered the tent. One of them carried a bundle in his hands. Zhou Liang only took a quick glance at it before his expression changed drastically.

The guard unwrapped the bundle, revealing several pouches of medicinal herbs commonly used in the military camp, along with some pieces of silver. The distribution of medicine in the camp was strictly controlled, with clear regulations stating that unless a soldier had exhausted their supply due to injuries and reapplied through the military doctors, each person was allowed to possess only one pouch of medicine at a time.

A single pouch contained enough medicine for emergencies in battle. However, the guards had discovered three pouches in Guo Wu’s quarters. The implications of how he acquired them and why they were in his possession were clear.

Beichen Long turned his gaze to Zhou Liang. The latter was now drenched in cold sweat, his earlier composure entirely gone. Even so, he stubbornly pressed his lips together, forcing himself to stay calm.

Beichen Long weighed the medicine in his hand slightly before letting out a cold chuckle. “Zhou Liang, do you have anything to say for yourself?”

Zhou Liang’s face was grim, yet he still refused to change his stance. Instead, he put on a pretense of confusion and asked, “I don’t understand what you mean by this, sir.”

The medicine alone was not enough to convict him. He could easily argue that Guo Wu had secretly hoarded unused medicine from previous allocations. While the military doctors kept meticulous records of when and how much medicine each soldier received, searching through the numerous account books would take significant time and effort.

Besides, even if Guo Wu’s supply of medicine was not recorded in the military’s ledger, that alone did not prove that Zhou Liang had given it to him.

And so, Zhou Liang remained stubborn, refusing to confess.

Lin Aoxue had been a target in the beginning, yet she now found herself a mere spectator. Standing calmly to the side, she watched Beichen Long interrogate Zhou Liang, Liang Hui, and the others. The general’s unwavering determination to get to the bottom of the matter and his seriousness toward the case made her thoughtful.

The internal scheming within the camp enraged Beichen Long even more than an invasion by the barbarians. It was also a far more egregious crime. For despicable men who dared to defy military discipline and harm their own comrades, only ironclad evidence could crush them completely, ensuring they received the severe punishment they deserved!

Seeing that the medicine alone was not enough to make Zhou Liang confess, Beichen Long signaled Yang Jin to bring in the people waiting outside the tent.

The entrance flap was lifted, and a nervous young waiter from a tavern was ushered in. At first, Zhou Liang was puzzled, but he quickly realized what was happening. His carefully maintained composure instantly shattered, and panic spread across his face. His breathing became rapid and unsteady.

Beichen Long’s deep and commanding voice rang out, carrying unquestionable authority, “I ask you—have you seen these two men before?” He gestured toward Liang Hui and Zhou Liang.

The waiter cautiously glanced back. When the guards had fetched him, they had already informed him that the grand general himself was summoning him for questioning. Having never been subjected to such intimidation before, he was naturally terrified. Now, standing before the general, he dared not conceal anything. After a brief look, he hurriedly answered, “R-reporting to the general, I have seen these two men before.”

“Oh?” Beichen Long let out a slow, knowing chuckle before continuing, “And when did you see them?”

The waiter carefully recalled the details. Though he had little skill or status, years of working in the tavern had trained him to recognize faces well, and his memory was rather sharp.

“It was on the fifth of this month. These two sirs came to our tavern to drink and drank until late into the night. They only left when we closed at the third watch. That night, they were the only two soldiers who remained in the tavern, so I remember them.”

As soon as the waiter finished speaking, Zhou Liang’s face turned deathly pale.

“Did you overhear anything they said that night?”

The waiter furrowed his brows in thought. Beichen Long did not rush him. After a long pause, the waiter finally replied, “General, I am just a lowly worker. I would never dare eavesdrop on the guests’ conversations. However, that night, I happened to be clearing the tables nearby and did catch a few words.”

Beichen Long’s lips curled into a cold, sharp smile. “Tell me everything you heard,” he commanded.

The waiter did not hesitate or try to hide anything. He immediately recounted the fragments of conversation he could remember from that night. Though his recollection was incomplete, just the mention of words like “Chen Er,” “medicine,” and “collusion” was enough to seal Zhou Liang’s fate.

When Beichen Long turned his gaze back to Zhou Liang and Chen-shi, both of them were trembling like leaves in the wind. Zhou Liang, in particular, was filled with overwhelming regret and fury. He had meticulously plotted against Liang Hui, treating him as his mortal enemy, yet he had overlooked the presence of a simple tavern worker who had overheard their drunken conversation.

With a single command from Beichen Long, Zhou Liang and Chen-shi were subjected to the harshest military punishment. Zhou Liang was found guilty of harming his fellow soldiers, illegally taking medicine from the military supply, colluding with outsiders, murdering to silence witnesses, and framing his own kin. For these crimes, he was sentenced to death. Chen-shi, on the other hand, was condemned to servitude as a prostitute.

As for Liang Hui, though he was not the mastermind and had no intention of harming others, he had still concealed the truth and engaged in private disputes within the camp. Moreover, he had sought personal gain during the grand military competition. For these offenses, he was punished with twenty lashes of the military cane. The beating left him bedridden for months.