Chapter 117: Saving Lives and Explanations (Combined)

Hearing Zhu Yu’s words, Qiao Feng was momentarily stunned, then laughed, saying, "Surely you haven't met Duan Zhengchun? He stated himself yesterday that he is the Prince of Zhennan of Dali."

Behind Qiao Feng, out of his field of vision, 'Duan Zhengchun' turned slightly pale at Zhu Yu's remark. He raised his arms and then lowered them, appearing quite flustered and at a loss for what to do.

Initially, Zhu Yu had been feeling a bit uncertain, wondering if his own presence as a variable might have somehow turned this 'Duan Zhengchun' into the real one. But as his gaze drifted past Qiao Feng to observe the various telltale behaviors of the imposter, his mind was put at ease.

"You, go over and take a closer look."

Although Zhu Yu had only just gained confidence, he acted as if everything was under his control, subtly showing off in a way only he could appreciate. Qiao Feng had always been a man of firm convictions; if anyone else had spoken to him this way, Qiao Feng would not have resorted to violence, but he certainly would not have offered a pleasant expression. But Zhu Yu was different; due to his status, even his most outrageous words carried a degree of credibility.

And so, Qiao Feng walked toward 'Duan Zhengchun' with a look of confusion, turning back to seek confirmation from Zhu Yu every few steps. However, the bridge was only so long, and even with his hesitation, it took only a few breaths before he stood before the imposter.

Qiao Feng was a renowned figure; regardless of his internal doubts about Zhu Yu’s words, now that he had reached the man, why continue to act so indecisively? He cleared his mind, cast aside all distracting thoughts, and began to carefully observe this important figure he had met just the day before: the Prince of Zhennan of Dali, Duan Zhengchun.

A closer look revealed the truth. If nothing else, the man's eyes were shifty and avoidant. When Qiao Feng’s gaze drifted downward, what he saw made his expression change instantly. The 'Duan Zhengchun' before him had his hands hanging down, his two index fingers hooked tightly together and twisting incessantly—a posture belonging to a young, shy girl!

This sight shocked Qiao Feng, but at the same time, it made him believe Zhu Yu’s words. Although he had only met Duan Zhengchun once, that single encounter was enough to prove that the legendary demeanor of the Dali Duan clan was no myth. The real Duan Zhengchun would never engage in such behavior, which would bring shame upon his family name.

In other words, the 'Duan Zhengchun' before him was a fake.

How could a fake look exactly like the real one? As this question arose in Qiao Feng’s mind, he instantly recalled how A'Zhu had once taught him a simple method to identify the art of disguise. He stopped looking at the man's face and shifted his gaze toward the edges of his ears and hairline. Sure enough, within two seconds, he spotted a ridge near the person’s ear.

Without hesitation, Qiao Feng reached out to tear it off, simultaneously gathering his internal energy to guard against any sudden attack. Surprisingly, as he reached out, the person made no move to retaliate, instead turning their face aside in a symbolic gesture of refusal.

Though puzzled, Qiao Feng did not hesitate.

"Riiip." With a soft sound, the human-skin mask was peeled away, revealing A'Zhu’s stunning, peerless face in the flicker of lightning.

"A'Zhu? You! This... why?"

Seeing the face of his beloved suddenly revealed, Qiao Feng’s first reaction was one of bewilderment. But before he could finish the sentence, he was engulfed by a wave of immense terror. *If it hadn't been for the Emperor just now, I...*

Qiao Feng looked down at his own hands, feeling an inexplicable, soul-crushing grief, as if he had already struck A'Zhu dead. Seeing his expression, A'Zhu felt a pang of heartache and said softly, "Brother Qiao, please, don't be like this."

"How can I not be! Do you know? Just a moment ago, by a hair's breadth, you would have died under my palm! Why?"

Qiao Feng was overcome with agitation. He gripped A'Zhu’s shoulders like iron clamps, his fingers digging in unconsciously, as if he might crush her delicate frame. Seeing her wince in pain, he snapped out of it and hurriedly loosened his grip, his expression a complex mix of pain, apology, and the anger of being deceived.

"I'm sorry, A'Zhu. This... I... what on earth is going on?" Qiao Feng stammered, eventually unable to contain a roar of frustration.

"Brother Qiao, do you remember when I helped you investigate and we finally concluded that Duan Zhengchun was the one who killed your father?"

"Yes, we found that together. But what does that have to do with this? Why would you throw your life away? Wait—did Duan Zhengchun find out? Did he threaten you into doing this?"

Initially, Qiao Feng was filled with endless questions, but halfway through, he jumped to his own conclusion. His face turned ferocious, as if he were ready to charge off and fight Duan Zhengchun to the death.

"No, it's not like that."

"Then? I don't understand. A'Zhu, why are you doing this?"

"Brother Qiao, do you remember that yesterday Duan Zhengchun found the daughter he had been separated from for many years? Did he not mention that the child he had back then was one of a pair of twins?"

"This... yes, I remember. But..."

Qiao Feng's question was interrupted.

"Brother Qiao, let me finish. The young girl named A'Zi, who was with him yesterday—I have an identical token to the one she carries."

"This... could it be?"

Hearing A'Zhu’s words, an absurd thought crossed Qiao Feng’s mind.

"That's right. I, too, am a daughter of Duan Zhengchun! I am the older sister of that girl, A'Zi. Brother Qiao, isn't fate a cruel jester? I had just made up my mind to spend my life with you, only to find that my biological father is the man who killed yours. We cannot be together, yet I have already given my heart to you; this is more painful to me than death."

"Last night, I tried to persuade you not to seek revenge, but it was useless. On one side is the man to whom I have entrusted my life; on the other is the biological father I have just found. Two of the most important men in my life, and only one can live? Ha! Isn't it ridiculous? I don't know what evil deeds I committed in my past life for the heavens to punish me like this."

"I have given you my heart, but we cannot be together. Living like this is no better than being a walking corpse. It would be better to trade my life for both of yours to survive. Brother Qiao, your martial arts are great, but he is the Prince of Zhennan, a member of the royal family. If you kill him, how will you survive in the days to come? In the future..."

Before A'Zhu could finish, Qiao Feng pulled her into a tight embrace, holding her with such force that he seemed to want to merge her into his very being.

At that moment, only two thoughts filled Qiao Feng's mind. First, how could there be a woman as wonderful as A'Zhu in this world? What virtue did he possess to deserve her affection? How could he be worthy of such a sacrifice? Second, why hadn't she told him of her pain? If he had known sooner, this quest for vengeance would not have mattered—A'Zhu was far more important than any debt of blood. This so-called revenge was merely for peace of mind, to silence the insults of the martial arts world; he had never even met his biological parents, so how could they compare to her?

Qiao Feng truly felt this, but when he opened his mouth, he found he could not utter a word.

Thunder began to rumble, and a heavy rain was imminent. Zhu Yu, having had his fill of this romantic display, stepped forward to break the awkward and saccharine atmosphere.

"Well, it's about to pour. Why don't you two let go for a moment? You can continue hugging once you find shelter. Also, where did you get the information that Duan Zhengchun was the 'leading brother' from back then?"

Hearing this, Qiao Feng and A'Zhu sprang apart as if electrocuted. Before they could think of how to explain, Qiao Feng was caught by the second part of Zhu Yu's question.

"This? The fact that Duan Zhengchun was the leader was information we obtained only after great difficulty. Is it not true?"

"True? It's nonsense! Qiao Feng, you've led the Beggar Sect for so many years; your brain isn't stupid. Have you really been blinded by hatred? According to the descriptions given by those so-called 'elders' at Xingzi Forest, that Khitan couple was heading for the Jing Dynasty, and the rumors spread were also targeted at the Jing Dynasty."

"Setting that aside, even if the imperial court knew, why would Duan Zhengchun, a Prince of Zhennan of Dali, go to such lengths—expending time, effort, and favors—to help the Jing Dynasty solve its problems? Yes, Dali is a vassal state of the Jing, so you could argue he was flattering them, but do you honestly believe he would do such a good deed without taking credit? In diplomacy between nations, unless it's a state secret, they want the whole world to know. Use your head—does this sound reliable?"

Hearing this, Qiao Feng and A'Zhu exchanged a look, and the atmosphere became inexplicably awkward. A'Zhu did not know who this man was. Hearing him debunk the results she and Brother Qiao had worked so hard to uncover, she felt a mix of satisfaction and joy, but her stubbornness got the better of her.

"What you say makes sense, but this information was something Brother Qiao and I painstakingly extracted from Kang Min. It couldn't possibly be fake."

Qiao Feng, also finding A'Zhu's logic sound, looked at Zhu Yu with hope, wanting him to say more so A'Zhu wouldn't be put on the spot.

Kang Min? Zhu Yu raised an eyebrow, thinking to himself, *Surely not?*

"How did you extract the information? Let's hear it."

"About seven days ago, Brother Qiao and I used disguises to..."

As A'Zhu described the events, Zhu Yu’s expression grew strange. Was this the self-correction of the plot? What A'Zhu described was identical to the original story: disguising themselves as Bai Shijing to lure the information out. It was... somewhat laughable.

Though he thought this, Zhu Yu asked one more confirming question: "When you were disguised as Bai Shijing, was Kang Min particularly well-behaved?"

"Yes, is there something wrong with that? Shouldn't she be?" A'Zhu looked puzzled.

Receiving her answer, Zhu Yu's good mood vanished. He turned away, annoyed, and looked at Qiao Feng.

"Qiao Feng, you... sigh, forget it. I have a few questions for you; can you answer them for me?"

Seeing Zhu Yu’s sudden shift in tone, Qiao Feng was confused but replied, "Please ask. Qiao Feng will tell you everything he knows."

"Ha! Let's start with the first question: Kang Min was the one who killed Ma Dayuan. I told you that before, right? How is she doing now?"

"Qiao feels guilty about this. Although I know that vicious woman Kang Min killed Ma Dayuan, I am currently suffering from a lack of evidence. I cannot move against her, or the brothers in the sect will fall into chaos. If it were just me, I wouldn't care—a man should be quick to avenge his friends—but now it is different. A'Zhu is by my side, and I cannot let any harm come to her."

A'Zhu hadn't known about this, and now, seeing the thoughts in Qiao Feng's heart, her eyes were filled with tenderness. Once again, Zhu Yu was fed a mouthful of their affection, and he quickly interrupted.

"So, you *do* believe what I said?"

"Of course. Given your status, you would naturally not speak falsely."

"Then I really must ask: this Lady A'Zhu just said that Kang Min treated her—disguised as Bai Shijing—with great respect. You heard that?"

"I heard it. Not only did I hear it, I was there."

*Oh, for heaven's sake!* This remark made Zhu Yu’s stomach ache with frustration.

"Did I or did I not tell you that Bai Shijing and Kang Min were having an affair? They treated each other with 'great respect'—does that seem reasonable to you?"

A'Zhu looked at Qiao Feng in surprise. She truly hadn't known this. If what this man said was true, then not a single word from Kang Min could be trusted.

"This..."

"This what? Speak!"

Zhu Yu was truly furious. The good mood he had felt from saving someone was completely gone.

"You don't understand. So many things have happened to Qiao recently, one after another, that I simply forgot some things. Besides, when I was at the Juluxian Villa, I saw Elder Bai, and he was just as he always was. He... he doesn't seem like the person you described. Furthermore, Elder Bai's relationship with Deputy Chief Ma was deeper than even my own. This... could there be some mistake?"

Zhu Yu finally understood. Qiao Feng said he believed him, but deep down, he was still skeptical. It seemed A'Zhu’s disguise as Bai Shijing hadn't just been to get information—Qiao Feng had wanted to test their relationship as well.

"Fine. Since that's the case, I have nothing more to say. Do as you see fit. But remember what I said: if you ever need anything, you can come to me. And don't forget your word—I still have a position waiting for you."

With that, Zhu Yu couldn't be bothered to linger. He turned and left, intending to reunite with Cao Zhengchun and return to the inn to hang out with Jiang Yuyan. Unlike Qiao Feng, these two were far more sensible. Since transmigrating into this world, this was the first time Zhu Yu had been this infuriated.

And yet, perhaps it was only because he had invested genuine sincerity that he could be angered to this extent.

Watching Zhu Yu’s hurried back as he left, Qiao Feng didn't fully understand everything, but he could sense that Zhu Yu was sincere and had a good heart.

To A'Zhu's astonishment, Qiao Feng knelt on one knee toward Zhu Yu’s retreating figure, his hands clasped to his chest, and shouted loudly: "Rest assured! Once these matters are settled, Qiao Feng will bring his family to serve you with loyalty!"

The voice came from behind. Zhu Yu, knowing Qiao Feng's character, initially thought perhaps someone had forced him. He turned around instinctively, and seeing Qiao Feng kneeling to him, he felt quite awkward. He turned back without expression and continued on his way.

However, where no one could see, the corners of Zhu Yu’s mouth curled up slightly, and he whispered with a playful, mocking laugh:

"Damn it... Qiao Feng truly is Qiao Feng!"