As a mafia leader, of course, Jin Qiu stained his hands with the blood of others before. And even though the person he killed wasn't a good person, he's still a murderer and he's carrying the guilt and the weight of what he did. That's why he can't completely accept someone who pretends to be innocent while his hands have been stained with a lot of blood.
He hates it. And it turns out that the original Jin Qiu is that kind of person.
More and more thing strayed from the story he read in the novel. Jin Qiu is an evil person and Ren Zhengsheng simply wanting to have revenge towards the person who murdered his mother. Then everything would make sense. It's not Ren Zhengsheng being a bastard, but the original Jin Qiu deserved it. He wondered what the Emperor thought when he told the man that he is not the original Jin Qiu.
Thinking about that made Jin Qiu felt upset. He grabbed the small glass in front of him and pouring whatever inside the small bottle beside it.
The strong liquor from before coming down to his throat, but he didn't even flinch and instead, started to drink more until Xiao Changming grabbed his hand. Jin Qiu looked at the man who say nothing and just shaking his head. He knew. He shouldn't think too much about this matter, but the more he knew, the more things became messed up.
"Let's.."
"There's a way for you to go back. Personally, I think it's better for you to go back because the original Jin Qiu has too many enemies. If the Emperor knew everything, then you will die."
"Know what? Know about what the original Jin Qiu did?" Jin Qiu scoffed. "I bet he has already known about it and that was why he chooses to treat the original so coldly. Not to mention, when I helped him at the border before, there's a spy saying that I betrayed his princess and that I would regret about it. I know what kind of person Ren Zhengsheng is, so I revealed everything to him. I mean…the fact that I'm not the original Jin Qiu."
"Did he believe you?"
"I don't know. But I guess he trust me since he let two warlords to accompany me here."
"That was brave of you. But that still won't solve your problem. The body you have now is Jin Qiu's body. When everything revealed, there's a chance you will be dragged down. The life in this world is harsh and you…have already become a target of someone."
"Is it Zhang Ai?"
In the book, Ren Zhengsheng and Zhang Ai fell in love at first sight, but that first love didn't happen because he caught Ren Zhengsheng's interest. Instead of love, the two became enemy instead. It's quite understandable that Zhang Ai would try to target him. "This world and everyone here, I know about it from a novel called 'Beautiful Empress'. In that story, Zhang Ai became the Empress here and she was the cause of the original Jin Qiu's death. I was trying to avoid that but things completely changed now."
"If you followed the story line, then nothing will change, but that's not life, right? You're not some characters written inside a book."
That's right. The reason why he chooses to approach the Emperor and make that deal was so everything will change, so that he won't end up dying.
What the original did won't really matter as long as he did the right thing from now on. He gained Ren Zhengsheng's trust and slowly, gained the trust of the people who served the man. Once he found a way to go back, he will leave and forget about everything that happened here, thinking that everything is just a dream.
"You said you know the reason why I came here."
"This is just my guess, so no one else knows about this, and no one can really prove it." Xiao Changming replied. "Before entering the palace, Jin Qiu is known to be quite close with a princess from Southern Continent. Just like Jin Qiu, she's also a very beautiful person with so much people who loved her. But one day, she suddenly fell into coma. At the same time Jin Qiu tried to drown himself. Not long after that incident, the princess opened her eyes, but people said that her personality slightly changed. She's no longer like to walk around the town and no longer fond of talking with commoners, which she always do before she fell into coma. The most interesting thing, a week after that, you came to this place with a very different personality as well."
Southern Continent has no problem with this Empire, so it won't be weird for the original to be close with a princess there. But considering the original who seemed to be so in love with Ren Zhengsheng, there's no way he would be so close with a girl.
Jin Qiu looked at the man who sat in front of him. "You can't be thinking that the original do some kind of evil practice or something like that and taking over the princess body while I got summoned to be sacrificed and died in his place?"
"That's what I was thinking the moment I know you are not the original Jin Qiu. He still wants to get close to Ren Zhengsheng."
The First Concubine never gives up. Knowing that he would never get the love and attention he want in this body, he cast it away and stole someone else body, becoming a princess with higher chance to become the Empress.
He started to laugh then. He felt funny and ridiculed. Someone called his soul to this world just to die for some kind of pathetic reason.
If the original Jin Qiu really living as a princess now, then he really want to meet with the princess. He wants to meet and beat her.
"The matter I'm investigating right now, do you think he has something to do with it?" Jin Qiu suddenly asked.
"You're not thinking that His Majesty was the one who supported Zhou Huizhong?"
"Not now, but since he's supporting Zhang Ai, he might end up supporting Zhou Huizhong as well. That's why he wants to prevent that. He wants to use me to make sure that he won't have the need to support Zhou Huizhong."
Xiao Changming started to understand why Ren Zhengsheng likes the current Jin Qiu. It's not only Ren Zhengsheng because he knew that Meng Chen started to have interest towards Jin Qiu.
He smiled for a bit. "Both of your step- No, Jin Rong and Zhou Huizhong has been supported by the same person, by the Princess of Southern Continent, while Jin Xiang is supported by Meng Chen. Between the two, Zhou Huizhong is the braver one. He wouldn't hesitate harming anyone who gets in his way. And also… I want to apologize for what Meng Chen and Jingfei did to you and the two warlords. Meng Chen wanted to get your attention."
"Figured. Though if I didn't stop Zhiqiang, then that girl would die."
"I don't think you need to worry about something like that because Meng Chen is as strong as Ren Zhengsheng. True that Ren Zhengsheng is called a genius when it comes to fighting, but Meng Chen also tried his best since he received his position as the Emperor of Western Continent. He wouldn't let his subordinate die without a reason."
An unconditional loyalty.
"If I want to go back, then I will need to try to meet that princess, right? I will need to confirm whether what we think is true or not."
Though Jin Qiu doubt that the original will admit anything. When he decided to leave this body and living inside someone else's body, when he decided that this body, that someone else need to die in his place, means that he doesn't care whatever happen to this body. But even so, he still needs to get some more information regarding the matter.
"Your name is Xiao Changming, right? You seem to know more about it, so can you find a little bit more information? Of course, without Meng Chen's knowledge. I don't want too much people know about this matter since it might become a weapon to attack me." Jin Qiu continued and asking a favor at the same time. "As exchange, I will make sure that Zhengsheng won't do anything to harm him or all of you in this restaurant."
"I can do that. And you don't need to do anything as exchange. We share almost similar fate, so just think of it as some kind of present." Xiao Changming replied. This is the first time he met someone who experienced the same thing as him after all. "Then what are you going to do about this poisoning case?"
Jin Qiu didn't say anything about it, but he did have a way to handle things.
Putting himself in danger and taking the risk would sometimes give him the best result, so he planned to do that. Though he might need a little bit effort since Song Yun and Pan Zhiqiang won't let him do something like that.
"Zheng Sheng promised me that he will assist me to investigate about everything, and even the way for me to go back to my world." Jin Qiu started again. He stood up and walked to the door. "I choose to trust him, just like you choose to trust Meng Chen, I also choose to trust Zheng Sheng. I just hope that we wouldn't end up as enemy. I would feel bad knowing that someone who came from the same world as me is my enemy."
Without looking back again, Jin Qiu walked out of the room and greeted by two curious gaze from Song Yun and Pan Zhiqiang.
Walking further, Jin Qiu would then see Meng Chen still sitting on the same spot and enjoying his tea while the twin tailed girl complained about something to him. "I don't know why he choose to approach me, but I don't think he have something to do with this incident." Jin Qiu started, turn around to look at the two warlords who stared at him. "He have some information, but I don't want to rely on his information. So let's go."
"You can't just walk away without explaining it to us, Jin Qiu."
Pan Zhiqiang, becoming more and more brave, grabbed Jin Qiu's hand.
"What did you talk about with-"
"This is something that I can't tell you, or even Song Yun." Jin Qiu replied even before Pan Zhiqiang finished his question. "If you really want to question me like some kind of criminal, go ask Zhengsheng for permission first. If he gave you the permission to do that, then I will comply."
Pan Zhiqiang doesn't look like someone who will accept such a simple answer, but not with Song Yun. He is an advisor, as well as someone who would often think of strategy in the middle of war to assist the Emperor, so he can read the situation. "Zhiqiang, it is not our job to question about what he do."
"What did you say?"
"I believe Jin Qiu is someone who wouldn't harm His Majesty, and I'm sure His Majesty knew about this matter and thus, giving him the permission to do something like this. So rather than making a fuss about this matter, we better assist him in the investigation."
When Song Yun said it like that, Pan Zhiqiang have no choice but to follow.
He let go of the other's hand and followed the man as he walked back to the front. Though now he didn't become as hostile as before when he first met Meng Chen.
"Young master Jin, looking from your expression, can I guess that you got the information you want from my subordinate?" Meng Chen asked.
Jin Qiu got the information he want from Meng Chen's subordinate, then what about the information about Zhou Huizong? Hearing what Xiao Changming said before is enough to tell Jin Qiu about what this man want. "What you know about Zhou Huizong is the same like what I know, so why do I need to waste more of my time here? Though.. I'm thankful to your subordinate. I hope we won't need to meet again in the future, because I won't be able to give you what you want." He continued before walking out of the building.
As the group walked away, Meng Chen started to chuckle. He never sees someone with such a strong gaze like Jin Qiu.
"How arrogant." The twin tailed girl, Qin Jingfei, complained as she watched Jin Qiu walked out along with Song Yun and Pan Zhiqiang.
"Arrogant? I don't think so. He's quite charming. I like him more and more."
Qin Jingfei looked to her master with disbelief. She knew that the man is weird, but now, she can't help but shaking her head. Her master just fell in love with someone who will bring destruction to everything.
❖
Like before, now the three started to walk around the town just as if they came out to take a simple walk.
Wherever he goes, people would stare at him, especially because Song Yun and Pan Zhiqiang followed him. The three are quite famous after all. One is the kind hearted advisor while the other is the charming commander. Jin Qiu himself is the famous First Concubine. Everyone knew his face and his heartbreaking story.
"You two should go back to the palace." Jin Qiu finally said.
"Song Yun can go back since you're the one who asked him to assist you in this matter, but I can't." Pan Zhiqiang replied. "I was ordered by His Majesty to accompany you in case something unexpected happen, so I can't go back and leave you alone here. If you want to, I will-" The words stuck in his throat. Jin Qiu pointed a sword to his throat.
"Do I look like someone who will get attacked easily? Did you forget who am I before I came to the palace?"
Jin Qiu and Pan Zhiqiang stared to each other until Song Yun moved Jin Qiu's sword away and now standing between them. He looked at Pan Zhiqiang and smiled. "Let's follow what he want for now."
"Song Yun!"
"But you know that if something did happen to you, His Majesty would never allow you to go out alone again. Right, Your Highness?"
When Song Yun gave him that smile and that kind of question, Jin Qiu can't help but felt a slight shiver, it remind him with a certain someone who tend to smile when threatening someone. He knew that Song Yun is angry even though the man didn't really showing it. The reason? He doesn't even need to ask for the reason.
"I know."
"Then it's settled." Song Yun said again. He grabbed Pan Zhiqiang. "We will go back to the palace and report about what just happened to His Majesty. Please stay safe and please go back to the palace before it gets too dark. I hope you can find some information about this matter."
Without waiting for what Pan Zhiqiang want to say, Song Yun has already dragged the man away.
Now Jin Qiu knew why Song Yun became Ren Zhengsheng's right hand man. The man looked tender and kind, but he has something else that made people fear him and obey him just like they obeyed the Emperor.
After his two bodyguards gone, Jin Qiu started to walk around the capital, just like what he did when he first opened his eyes in this world. He would sometimes stop by an accessories stand, or he would look through some weapon shop even though he didn't buy any of it.
After one hour passed, someone approached him.
The person wears guard attire, but it doesn't belong to the Imperial Guards or Jin Troop. The guard bowed his head towards Jin Qiu. "Greetings, Your Highness." Said the guard. "My master has been waiting for you at the usual place, but since you never come back since that day, he became anxious and thinks of this way. Please follow me. I will show you the safe path."
Jin Qiu was just thinking the easiest way to get to the bottom of it and became a bait, and the target really bit the bait so he followed the guard without saying anything.
From the crowded path, they now walked to an emptier path until they reached a small house by the side of a large lake surrounded by forest.
This place has never been explained in the novel, it means this is something that related to the original Jin Qiu. Not to mention, Xiao Changming said before that the original Jin Qiu is an evil person pretending to be good. More and more secret will be revealed, but he doesn't think this is a secret he wants to know since it made him disliking the original Jin Qiu.
"Commander Zhou is waiting there. I will inform you two if there's some weird movement around here."
Commander Zhou that the guard mentioned is no doubt, Zhou Huizhong. Jin Qiu then just nodded his head and walked towards the small house. He takes a deep breath before he walk into the house and all of sudden; someone jumps on him and hugged him quite tightly. The man was a little bit taller than him.
"Qiu er.. I know that you're angry because of that lowly prostitute, but I've found a way to get revenge." Said the man who's still hugging Jin Qiu quite tightly. "I found out that lately, the one who supported Xiang Ru inside the palace is Luo Hai, so I make sure to make him suffer through his son. Soon, Luo Hai will have no heir."
Jin Qiu pushed the man away and looked at him. "Zhou Huizhong?"
"You…you must be still angry with me… Usually, you would call me Zhong er and you would give me a kiss. I'm really sorry. I didn't think through. I was so jealous because you showed that kind of expression towards the Emperor."
Jin Qiu stared at the other man.
Now he really wants to curse the original Jin Qiu. And he can understand why the original Jin Qiu got that kind of treatment from the Emperor. He was the one who started it after all.
"I didn't come here to hear your apologize." Jin Qiu started. He should be getting at it before Zhou Huizhong changed his mind. "What exactly did you do? Madam Luo came to the palace to meet His Majesty to discuss about this matter."
"Hmm? I thought you already know about this." Zhou Huizhong replied. "I didn't do anything dangerous; I just give the young master of Luo Family a satchel that mixed with telosma cordata. It's not a poisonous flower, but it will definitely cause some trouble for someone as young as Young Master Luo. He won't die right away, but he will eventually fall sick and getting more and more weak before he die. It will surely serve as punishment for that Luo Hai."
What kind of person would harm a young child like that?
A trash kind of person.
Zhou Huizhong moved to the table and pouring the steamed tea into the small cup. "There's a rumor saying that His Majesty adored you now and that you two started to get along very well." He started again. "And I also heard that both Song Yun and Pan Zhiqiang have been following you for the whole day today. Is there something that I don't know about what happen in the palace?"
"Do you need to know about everything that happened in the palace?" Jin Qiu asked back.
"Of course I need to know. We have been building this plan for so long. The princess of Southern Continent has been asking me about what you plan to do. Even before, you helped the Emperor solving the problem at the border. She became displeased because of that."
Then he can guess that everything happened at the border is something that the Southern Princess planned. She is the mastermind.
Though until the moment, he still have no idea about who exactly is the Southern Princess. The one who send that spy to them and forced him to reveal his situation to Ren Zhengsheng. Even now, the matter regarding Luo Hai is also tied to that Southern Princess. He can only think that Jin Qiu is very close with the rebels and is planning to stab Ren Zhengsheng from the back. But why would he do that to the person he loves? That just doesn't make sense.
"Can we meet her now?" Jin Qiu suddenly asked.
"You want to meet Her Highness?" Zhou Huizhong asked again, just as if he heard it wrongly.
"Yes. There's something that I need to discuss with her personally. That's why I need to meet her as soon as possible."
Zhou Huizhong stared at the other man for a moment before a smile formed on his face. He shoved the small cup towards Jin Qiu. "Meeting her is hard, but still possible. Just make sure you receive my news when I get the time."
"If that's all, I will take my leave now. The Emperor has been watching me lately, so I can't wander around here for too long."
Without touching the tea served by Zhou Huizhong, Jin Qiu stood up and was about to walk away when several man wearing black clothes surrounded him.
He's not stupid enough to not know what this mean. He turns around and looked at Zhou Huizhong who still calmly drinking tea with a smile on his face.
"Jin Qiu… Jin Qiu…" The man started. "I was doubtful when Her Highness told me that the soul inside your body is different soul, but you've proven me that she is right. You are Jin Qiu, but at the same time, also not Jin Qiu."
Jin Qiu remained silent for a moment before he started to laugh. He was very careful, but that was what gave him out.
He watched as Zhou Huizhong stood up from his seat. The people wearing black clothes also moving closer, closing the way to escape. "Her Highness told me that you shouldn't get along with the Emperor or else, you will ruin all of her plan. It's true that I love Jin Qiu, but he would never look at me. Her Highness promised me that I will get to own you if I can do this right. Don't you think that's amazing?"
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