Real Empress from a noble family

Qiu Feng arrived in Shazhou without any trouble. It wasn't because Qiu Jinglan's subordinates completely hid it from Sir Jibei's scouts. The real reason was that Sir Jibei's top priority was to make Prince of Cai the culprit of killing his two grandnephews. Although he was furious when he knew that Qiu Feng was about to come, he decided to keep pretending not to know after weighing his options. After all, he really didn't have the time.

Besides, what could he do when he saw Qiu Feng? Beating him up wasn't enough and Jiang Qizheng might be upset about it. Killing him would make his grandniece a widow and his grand grandnephew a fatherless child. Sir Jibei couldn't do things like that. So, he might as well not see him.

However, not seeing Qiu Feng didn't make Sir Jibei feel happy. So, he didn't mention sending Jiang Qizheng and others to Shazhou to rest, "Does that man rush here to find Zheng'er? I won't let him see her."

He wanted to torture Qiu Feng. So, he didn't tell Jiang Qizheng and others about it. Jiang Qizheng didn't feel any different since she didn't know.

Qiu Feng came to Shazhou for two reasons. First, he wanted to take his wife back. Since he knew that his wife was safe and things between them were complicated, he didn't know he was relieved or disappointed about Sir Jibei refusing to let him see Jiang Qizheng.

Second, he wanted to investigate the matter of his master, the Oldman from Lingnan.

He thought Qiu Jinglan surely could help him with that matter. So, he was eager to see Qiu Jinglan when he arrived at Qiu Jinglan's home. However, a scholar in blue stopped him in the back hall, "We haven't seen each other for years. You look a lot withered."

"Ren!" Qiu Feng looked at Ren Ziyong with a complicated expression, "I know you're Qiu Jinglan's subordinate. If I were here for something else, I would stay and chat with you. But…"

Ren Ziyong also looked at him with a complicated expression, "You deserve to be called Master Qiu. So generous! You and I hit it off right away back then and became friends. We were like brothers! And then I faked my death and discarded my Kungfu to help my young master get his revenge. I came here and joined the Kuang's side as a hermit. I didn't say a word to you during that time. However, I left a note to my young master telling him to use our relationship to trick you into doing his bids."

Speaking of which, he laughed at himself. But he didn't look guilty. He looked sad instead, "Now we meet here. How can't you scold me? I wonder if you want to cut ties with me and so you don't need to say a word to me, or you have another agenda?"

Qiu Feng shook his head, "As Qiu Jinglan's subordinate, it's your duty to make plans for him. You didn't tell me because you didn't want me to be implicated. Your behaviour showed that you treated me as an outsider which was regrettable. But how couldn't I know that you did it out of kindness?" He pondered for a bit, "As for Qiu Jinglan using me, it seemed heartless back then. But when I thought about it after I found out that you were still alive, I was suddenly enlightened. Although he forced me to stay with him and often ordered me to do things, he was afraid that I would be framed by others if I joined Jianghu again."

He met Ren Ziyong when he just left his master. They met because he suffered great losses due to his lack of experience. If Ren Ziyong hadn't happened to be there and given him some advice to clear his name because he cherished his talent and personality, he would have died there."

Ren Ziyong uncovered many plots against him so that he could come to the fore and get the name, Master Qiu. It was fair to say that Ren Ziyong should take the credit for most of his success.

If Ren Ziyong hadn't insisted on making friends with him as equals, Qiu Feng would have regarded him at least as a superior as in Qiu Feng's eyes Ren Ziyong was only inferior to the Oldman from Lingnan who raised Qiu Feng. Otherwise, he wouldn't have abandoned everything and followed Qiu Jinglan to Jing City to investigate Ren Ziyong's death.

"Since you have seen through everything, I'll cut to the chase." Ren Ziyong sighed after hearing what he said, "Sometimes it's better to be ignorant. Especially, you have a wife and a son now. Besides, it's said that Chunfu Princess indulges you despite her noble status. Isn't it a good life? Why cause trouble? The Oldman from Lingnan is already dead. A lot of things have gone by. I truly don't think it's necessary to expose them."

He paused and then continued, "I asked my young master to reveal to you how to get out of the Oldman from Lingnan's graveyard. It was just a precaution. I didn't expect that he did leave me such trouble before he died. He was indeed unreasonable."

"You and my master know each other?" Qiu Feng was a little surprised, "Why did you insist on making friends with me as equals?"

"If you're willing to stop asking about it now, I'll lead you to my young master right away and discuss how to appease the Jiang Family's anger towards you," Ren Ziyong looked at him, hands crossing, and said seriously, "You probably know that Jiang Yayue and Jiang Yaqing are dead. Although the Jiang Family always treats human life lightly, they think highly of their offspring. Although you didn't kill them, you're still involved when getting to the bottom of it. So, Jiang Yashuang's men don't dare to let Sir Jibei know that you're here. They're afraid that they can't deal with Chunfu Princess if Sir Jibei kills you out of rage."

Qiu Feng asked calmly, "What will happen if I demand an answer?"

"The Oldman from Lingnan has already started it. Who knows how you'll investigate if I don't tell you?" Ren Ziyong said flatly, "I should tell you directly instead of letting you cause trouble. Didn't you ask me why I made friends with you as equals? Because we're really equals."

Seeing that Qiu Feng was stunned, Ren Ziyong continued, giving him no chance to ask, "It was one evening more than 30 years ago. My aunt who was also your mother and I escaped Jing City together. I was luckier than her that Old Princess Lian saved me at a crucial moment. Knowing that my identity was suspicious, Old Princess Lian was afraid that taking me in might bring disaster to the Prince's Mansion of Xihe. But she didn't have the heart to send me to the feudal official as I was so young. The Left Dharma Protector of Tianya happened to be nearby. So, she gave me to him. That was how I joined Tianya."

"Although my aunt survived, she became a prostitute because no one took care of her. More than ten years ago, just after you were born, I found her under Tianya's help. She was seriously ill and didn't have much time left. She entrusted you to me after we met and then died."

"After I buried her, I wanted to find a rich foster home for you so that you could live in peace and wealth. But I saw a rich family getting murdered by robbers when I was looking for a foster home for you. It made me worried. I happened to meet your master when I was in a dilemma. He thought you were built for learning Kungfu. So, I gave you to him."

Ren Ziyong sounded like it was nothing and then continued flatly, "So, do you know why my young master let you get married even though he didn't want you to? Because the Jiang Family is powerful. If your origin gets exposed, as the son-in-law of the Jiang Family, you may have some protection. Otherwise, given my young master's means, he could make Chunfu Princess give up since she was so innocent and gullible."

"Did my mother have something to do with the dethroned prince of the Dezong Dynasty?" They escaped 30 years ago. And as noble as the Prince's Mansion of Xihe back then, even they would be in big trouble if they took Ren Ziyong in. The reason was obvious.

The crown prince of Dezong Dynasty was accused of killing the emperor with the poison Youmianxiang. After it happened, everyone in the East Palace was sentenced to death, except for Prince Qiyang who was born mentally retarded. No one survived.

"My aunt's title was Muyang. She was the youngest daughter of one of the dethroned prince's concubines. So, she was just a County Princess. Also, outsiders were unfamiliar with her since she lived in seclusion for years because the dethroned prince's wife didn't like her as she was a concubine's daughter. So, her trusted maid pretended to be her and fooled the eunuch who announced the decree, which gave her a chance to get out and escape with me."

Ren Ziyong laughed at himself, "I wasn't a royal member and I was also young. My father and brothers drew most of the attention so that I got to escape. Of course, I also need to thank Old Princess Lian for being so kind."

Qiu Feng looked pale in a flash. He grew up in the countryside and drifted about. Although he married a princess, he still felt out of place in the royal court. He never thought that one day someone would tell him that he came from one of Darui's noblest bloodlines.

However, years had passed since that happened. Qiu Feng wasn't taught that way. He found it unbelievable when he just heard it. But he calmed down not long after he lost his mind. He asked in a low voice, "Why did my master trap me near his graveyard?"

"Was he unhappy about your marriage?" Ren Ziyong asked calmly.

"Yes…" Qiu Feng muttered to himself, "Is it the reason that my master trapped me near his graveyard to kill me? How is it possible?" The Oldman from Lingnan raised him. He knew him very well. The Oldman from Lingnan treated him like his own son. He didn't bear to scold or beat Qiu Feng when Qiu Feng was lazy in practicing Kungfu as a child. How could he bear to kill Qiu Feng as he was forced to get married without knowing his master's preference?

The Oldman from Lingnan might scold him. But Qiu Feng could never believe that he wanted to kill him because of that.

"Who says that he wanted to kill you by trapping you near his graveyard?" Ren Ziyong sneered, "If he wanted to kill you, why did he leave you water and food? Starving you to death is more efficient, isn't it? How could you get out?"

Qiu Feng was confused, "If he didn't want to trap me, why didn't he give a hint about the trap when he told me about the graveyard?"

"I said that your master didn't mean to trap and kill you. I didn't mean that he didn't want to trap you." Ren Ziyong shook his head, "Your master knew about your origin. He didn't agree with me on your marriage. I think your marriage is one way to be proactive. But he thought your origin was more likely to be exposed after you got married. Especially, the former emperor was able to become the emperor because Gu framed your grandfather. The Jiang Family also benefitted from that. How can they protect you for Jiang Qizheng?"

"He called you back when he was dying so that you couldn't have time to tell Chunfu Princess. In that case, Chunfu Princess may find another man if he can trap you for over a year." Ren Ziyong sighed, "However, he didn't anticipate that Chunfu Princess was pregnant and had never complained to her family about you. Otherwise, even though she is pregnant with your baby, as dominant as the Jiang Family, they'll be furious and find her another husband."

He continued, "Don't think that you managed to get out of the trap because my young master revealed the solution to you on purpose. You would not have been able to get out until the specified time even if you had remembered the solution."

Qiu Feng was silent for a while, "So, my master set the trap around his graveyard for me, didn't he?"

"Not entirely. He did a lot of dirty work for the Tao Family when he was young. Naturally, he was afraid of others digging up his grave for revenge," Qiu Jinglan and Qiu Nie revealed the solution to Qiu Feng while pretending to be chatting. Qiu Feng hadn't met Chunfu Princess at that moment.

Ren Ziyong wouldn't make a mistake like that. He sneered, "So, he asked me to set a trap around the graveyard he chose. Since he didn't have kids, his funeral arrangements surely were your responsibility. Of course, he ought to tell you the solution. However, he didn't want you to know those things he did when he was young. So, he didn't know how to tell you. He had to let you know via my young master."

He paused, "That's the whole story. Do you have any other questions? If not, you can stay in the guest house for now. My young master is busy with work today. He only has time to see you tomorrow."

He looked a bit tired at that moment, "As you know, the current situation here can't be neglected at all."

"…" Qiu Feng was silent for a while and then left.

Knowing that he was the grandson of the dethroned prince of the Dezong Dynasty meant nothing to him. He didn't want to avenge his grandfather at all who he just knew about. He didn't want to take advantage of his origin to do great things either. But he still needed time to calm down and sort it out after knowing such a big secret.

Besides, his intuition told him, "How much of what Ren said is true and how much of that is false?"

"Other than my grandmother saving you and the Oldman from Lingnan setting the trap to separate Qiu Feng and Chunfu Princess…" Not long after Qiu Feng left, Qiu Jinglan who was busy as Ren Ziyong claimed walked in. He sighed, "You lied to him about the rest. Why? I think he really doesn't care about his origin. Even if we tell him that he is the dethroned prince's trueborn grandson, I don't think he'll ask us to help him to fight for the throne, am I right?"

Ren Ziyong smiled bitterly, "The Oldman from Lingnan deliberately raised him to be a pure swordsman in hoping that he would keep being a swordsman and living a carefree life instead of starting a riot when he knew about his origin someday. Isn't it what the Oldman from Lingnan wanted? We let him marry Chunfu Princess because we wanted to get him some security. After all, no one will doubt his origin after the Jiang Family investigated him. The Oldman from Lingnan wasn't satisfied even so. He used his last trick before his death, trying to break him up with his wife. Of course, I know that Qiu Feng won't have any ambitions after knowing his origin."

He heaved a deep sigh, "I just feel, in that case, I may as well change his identity from the trueborn grandson to a maternal grandson. A maternal grandson is an outsider. He should feel at ease when he cast aside his identity."