Chapter 6, The Great Sin of Conspiracy

Liu Yi's face twitched slightly; he was a member of the Nine Dragons Division and understood that the dungeons of his own office were far more terrifying than ordinary prisons.

The young man did not wait for others to continue asking questions and directly said: "Feng Xixi, apart from having a few money spots, is nothing remarkable; there are countless little ghosts like him in the world. However, this Feng Xixi has another identity. Three hundred years ago, he was once the ghost servant of Lord Liang Yidi. Now he serves you as his master, and you also bear the surname Liang, being a criminal household. Haha, how could I not guess that you are a descendant of Lord Liang?"

Liang Xin did not fully understand, but he could grasp the meaning of Qian Hu: "Feng Xixi said that his skills are very high, and you also said that he has great power. If this is truly a wrongful case, even if we cannot defeat him, is it not possible to escape?"

Of course, those matters are not my concern, and I am not very familiar with them. Qu Qingshi added, "I was initially unaware of your identity, but later, upon seeing Feng Xixi and checking your household registration, everything became clear.

The young man gently squinted his eyes and said: "If he truly intends to rebel, what is there for us to investigate? With Lord Liang's martial prowess and strategic acumen, if he wished to become emperor, he would certainly not wait until the Great Hong dynasty was firmly established to act!"

The cave fell silent for a moment. Qu Qingshi patted Liang Xin on the shoulder and said, "It's too early for you to think about these things now; first, let's find a way to survive and get out of here!"

The young man suddenly burst into laughter: "However, those with the surname Qu are not fools! When Lord Liang was sentenced to death, my ancestor suddenly realized! After the establishment of the Nine Dragons Division, Liang Yier must have been plotting a monumental affair. If this matter were to fail, everyone associated with him would likely be implicated, which is why he first sought a pretext to drive away all his old subordinates from back then. This scheme of self-harm managed to deceive everyone! At that time, my ancestor swore a deadly oath, vowing to exhaust his wealth and life to clear Lord Liang's name, in gratitude for his heartfelt kindness!"

A hint of mocking cold laughter appeared at the corner of the young man's mouth: "After its establishment, the first cases handled by the Jiulong Division were those involving the old subordinates of Liang Yizhong. These individuals all came from military backgrounds, having engaged in warfare and conquest for decades; how could their backgrounds be entirely clean? Upon investigation, everyone was found guilty! They were all dismissed from their official positions and sent back to the countryside to farm. Hehe, my ancestors bore particularly heavy sins and were imprisoned in the Jiulong Division's dungeon! From that time on, my forebears swore a deadly oath to kill Liang Yizhong."

The young man remained expressionless and continued, "A few years later, when Liang Yier's rebellion was exposed, he was executed. My family's ancestors were finally vindicated, restored to their official positions, and from then on, our Qu family has enjoyed smooth sailing up to this day"

The two individuals were quite self-disciplined, jumping to the left and right behind Qu Qingshi without needing any instructions

"Not bad, it is our first commander of the Jiulong Division, Lord Liang!" The young man's expression became serious as he nodded and said, "In those years, my ancestor from the Qu family also followed Lord Liang through life and death, deeply indebted to his great kindness... However, later on, when the world became peaceful, this Lord Liang's heart turned dark. Do you know what the first cases were that Liang Yi and Er handled after establishing the Jiulong Division?"

The young man slowly shook his head and said, "These matters are truly royal secrets. The documents from that time have long been destroyed, with the charge being treason. However, what exactly the offense was, no one knows."

Every word from Liu Yi sounded like a thunderclap, resonating fiercely in Liang Xin's ears. He had previously learned from Feng Xixi that his ancestors were high officials, but he had never imagined that his forebear, Liang Yier, was actually a founding minister.

Liang Xin let out a sound of surprise and asked, "How did you know?"

Liu Yi swallowed hard and softly echoed, "Congratulations, Master Tu Shu..."

Qu Qianshu placed Liang Xin beside him: "My name is Qu Qingshi, from now on, we shall call each other brothers!" After hesitating for a moment, he smiled at Liu Yi and added, "When it's just us, there's no need to keep addressing me as 'Qianhu' or 'Sir.'"

Skinny and bony, with a shifty gaze, timid and fearful, always compliant. The pale-faced man coldly remarked: "There is such a large patch of chloasma on his face that it would be difficult not to recognize him." When they were still outside the mountain, the pale-faced man not only recognized Feng Xixi but also discerned that Liang Xin was the master of the little ghost.

Qu Qingshi laughed heartily: "Not bad! However, I haven't paid much attention, not that I haven't been attentive. My family left a descendant in Changping City three hundred years ago. Although we haven't achieved great things, we have always provided some support in minor matters. Over these three hundred years, when finding suitable brides for the descendants of the Liang family, we have always chosen those who are good at bearing children and have auspicious traits for future generations, thus ensuring the continuation of the Liang family's bloodline..."

Ah!

Qu Qingshi snorted: "Lord Liang enjoys considerable prestige both in the court and among the people, and he is also a founding hero of the nation. The court wishes to preserve a portion of his bloodline, firstly to demonstrate the grace and magnanimity of the heavens; secondly, to soothe the hearts of the people"

Furthermore, there is one more thing I need to clarify for you. Qu Qingshi seemed to have some regrets; before the two brothers could call out "Brother Qingshi," he changed the subject: "For many years, my family has been investigating cases, yet we have not taken much care of Lord Liang's descendants. Do you know why?"

Liang Xin blinked, feeling somewhat at a loss for words

The willow nearby nodded and smiled, saying: "The descendants of Commander Liang certainly possess a certain cleverness!"

Liang Xin was completely dumbfounded, and the corners of his eyes began to search around, trying to find an escape route for his life

The Qu family has been investigating the case of Liang Yier in secret for generations. They have connections in the court, and their family has served in official positions for generations, holding roles in the Censorate, the Supreme Court, and the Ministry of Justice, as well as in the Nine Dragons Office and the Hanlin Academy. There was even an elder from the Qu family who, after falling ill, resorted to self-castration to enter the palace and become a eunuch. However, they have been unable to uncover anything at all.

Liang Xin had not yet spoken, but the green-clad Liu beside him exclaimed in surprise, asking in rapid succession: "Liang Yi Er? The esteemed Lord Liang who assisted Emperor Taizu in conquering the world? The Lord Liang who single-handedly established the Nine Dragons Division? The Lord Liang who was ultimately sentenced to the extreme punishment of being sawed in half for the crime of treason?"

As he spoke, his words began to sound off, and both Liang Xin and Liu Yi dared not respond

Before he finished speaking, the torches and oil lamps that had just been lit in the mine suddenly extinguished with a loud bang. Liang Xin and Liu Yi simultaneously stamped their feet and exclaimed, "Here it comes again!"

Liang Xin finally breathed a sigh of relief, pondering over mhetushu.com. This ancestor with the surname Qu seems to have had a penchant for making solemn oaths: "What great scheme did my ancestor plot? Was it truly rebellion? And why rebel?"

As Qu Qianhu was speaking, Liang Xin took half a step forward, straightened his upper body, and earnestly knelt down before him. However, before he could say anything, he was lifted up by the other party as if he were a small chick, who chuckled and said: "In the past, the ancestors of our two families were loyal to each other. Now, we descendants need not adhere to these mundane formalities. To speak frankly, although the Qu family has worked hard over the years, we have not accomplished anything significant."

Liang Xin sighed softly: "Because paying attention is of no use, the sins of the Liang family are too great. Being an ordinary criminal family is already the best outcome. Apart from seeking a retrial, there is no other way to absolve us of our crimes. If you pay too much attention to my family, it will attract the attention of the court. At that time, not only will you be in danger, but it will also implicate my family."

Liang Xin and Liu Yi exchanged a glance, each filled with great joy in their expressions

Adult ... ... elder brother ... ... let's stick with adult, this matter is still suspicious!" Liu Yi pondered while speaking: "Although the laws against criminals are harsh, they only apply to those guilty of murder, robbery, banditry, and other civil crimes. Lord Liang's identity, qualifications, and influence are all evident. If he were to be punished, it should be a complete eradication, so why would they leave behind his bloodline?"