Chapter 108: Answering Questions

Ten days later, Zhu Yu met the idol from his youth in the imperial study.

The first time they met, Zhu Yu felt something peculiar. The man before him did not resemble any of the actors who had played Qiao Feng in his previous life, yet bore a subtle resemblance to them all. In an instant, Zhu Yu’s thoughts drifted back to his past life.

That was Zhu Yu’s state of mind at the moment. As for Qiao Feng—

After awkwardly performing a deep bow, Qiao Feng waited for Zhu Yu to return the courtesy, but hearing no response, he grew impatient, suspecting Zhu Yu intended to assert dominance over him. He asked loudly, “Does the Emperor wish for me to remain kneeling?”

“Of course not, please rise,” Zhu Yu came to his senses and dismissed the bow.

Upon hearing this, Qiao Feng promptly stood upright.

Qiao Feng was a man of average appearance and height, likely around 1.8 to 1.9 meters tall. Yet when he straightened his frame and fixed his gaze on Zhu Yu, his thick brows and broad eyes exuded an unintentional aura of authority. Zhu Yu felt as if he were standing before a towering mountain, its imposing presence overwhelming.

“Please be seated,” Zhu Yu, who had grown accustomed to being emperor these past few years, was not used to looking up to others.

Hearing this, a eunuch outside brought a chair from a side hall, which Qiao Feng accepted without hesitation.

Once Qiao Feng was seated, Zhu Yu couldn’t help but scrutinize him closely before praising, “What a man you are, truly worthy of the name Northern Qiao Feng.”

Hearing Zhu Yu’s praise, Qiao Feng quickly cupped his hands and said, “Your Majesty flatters me. I am but a beggar chief with some skill in martial arts. Moreover, now I am not even a beggar chief.”

At these words, Zhu Yu paused, then burst into laughter. “Everyone says Qiao Feng is straightforward and bold, but it seems even boldness varies from person to person.”

“That... this is only thanks to the kindness of friends in the martial world. Your Majesty, as the Son of Heaven, naturally cannot be compared with us mere martial vagabonds.”

Hearing this, Zhu Yu’s smile faltered, thinking to himself that if anyone else called Qiao Feng a rough brute in the future, he’d make sure to set them straight.

After all, Qiao Feng was straightforward by nature. Seeing Zhu Yu smile silently, Qiao Feng got straight to the point: “Your Majesty, I have many doubts. I heard that you can answer them for me. May I ask now?”

“What do you wish to know?” Zhu Yu asked in return.

“Who truly harmed my brother Ma Dayuan? Who is framing me? Am I really Khitan? And who is the elder brother that Elder Xu and Master Zhiguang risked their lives to protect?”

Qiao Feng poured out his questions all at once.

“As for Ma Dayuan, the culprits are Kang Min and Bai Shijing. Here’s an extra piece of news: Quan Qing and Kang Min’s relationship is quite ambiguous.”

*Crack!* The teacup Qiao Feng was holding suddenly shattered in his distracted grip.

Qiao Feng didn’t have time to apologize or explain, anxiously probing, “Kang Min? Such a venomous woman. Why would she kill her own husband? Your Majesty might not know, but my brother Ma Dayuan was utterly devoted to Kang Min. How could she do such a thing?”

“That’s your fault, really.”

“My fault? How so?”

“Kang Min had eyes for you long ago, but you ignored her. Then she caught you in a compromising position and had Ma Dayuan accuse you. When Ma Dayuan refused, he ended up dead.”

“Brother Dayuan...” Qiao Feng was stunned by Zhu Yu’s words. Ignoring the shards still in his palm, he clenched his fist until the splinters dug deep into his flesh.

The sting in his hand brought him back to his senses, and he realized another troubling matter.

“A compromising letter? So it was real? I really am Khitan?”

Seeing Qiao Feng’s desolation, Zhu Yu fixed his gaze on him and asked, “Does it matter? Though you hold no official title, you have bled and suffered wounds for our Jing dynasty. I say you belong to our Jing people—do the words of others matter?”

Hearing this again, Qiao Feng couldn’t help but feel moved. He rose, cupped his fists, and said with fervor, “Thank you, Your Majesty. With your words, the wounds I suffered in battles against Western Xia and Khitan were not in vain. Rest assured, I will always be Jing’s man, and will never betray the dynasty as long as I live.”

“Don’t be so emotional. Sit down and speak,” Zhu Yu soothed.

After sitting, Qiao Feng pondered a moment before saying, “Even so, I still want to know who the elder brother was back then. Though I never met my biological parents, the hatred for those who killed them is unfathomable. This is the only way I can repay their kindness.”

Qiao Feng’s words surprised Zhu Yu. He had thought the matter would end once avenging Ma Dayuan was done, and Qiao Feng would then fully serve him. But hearing this, Zhu Yu thought, indeed, this was truly Qiao Feng.

Zhu Yu’s mind raced, debating whether to reveal Master Xuanci ahead of time, when suddenly a flash of inspiration struck him.

Ah Zhu! How could he forget her? This pairing was destined!

No, he must first bring them together, then find a way to eliminate Xiao Yuanshan and Murong Bo, those two old foxes. Only then could Qiao Feng devote himself wholly to Jing.

With this in mind, Zhu Yu feigned reluctance, “I do know who the elder brother is, but I haven’t decided whether to tell you.”

“Why, Your Majesty?” Qiao Feng asked, puzzled and anxious.

“To be frank, although the Jing dynasty has four major agencies monitoring the realm, there are still limits. In your case, there’s one person whose identity I have never uncovered.”

“One person?”

“Yes. An unknown figure whose background remains a mystery. The only thing I know is that this person is a master of great skill.”

“This person has been hiding in your matter, and is preventing you from finding the elder brother.”

“A mere master, huh? How could Qiao Feng fear such a shadowy figure? Your Majesty need not worry—just speak plainly.”

“Of course, I’m not afraid. I’m only afraid for you,” Zhu Yu said deliberately.

“Me? Does Your Majesty underestimate Qiao Feng?” Though he stood before the emperor, Qiao Feng felt a touch of displeasure at being underestimated.

“Not at all. But I received secret intelligence tracking this person’s movements. I fear they might harm anyone who learns the elder brother’s identity.”

“Tan Gong, Tan Po, Zhao Qian Sun? Or who else? Whether those people live or die is none of my concern.”

Qiao Feng once had some camaraderie with these individuals, but after the incident at Xingzi Grove, that bond was severed completely.

Seeing Qiao Feng’s expression, Zhu Yu added, “Not only those, but also your revered teacher, the Shaolin monk Master Xuanku, and your parents, Qiao Sankui and his wife.”

— Daily Little Book House —