As the two entered the inner hall, a crowd of sixth-grade or above supernaturalists from the Cheng family swarmed out under the leadership of the family head, Cheng Qingxin.
Everyone wore a stern expression, silently staring at them, giving Cheng Jinyang a feeling of being "Lin Chong entering the White Tiger Hall."
However, Cheng Xinnan just smiled and let go of the scared kid in her hand, then pushed forward forcefully.
Two people beside Cheng Qingxin quickly stepped forward to catch him, then swiftly carried him to the back hall.
"Your Highness," Cheng Qingxin said slowly, "when a distinguished guest arrives, why not inform us in advance?"
Ha, Your Highness? Cheng Jinyang was stunned: who's Your Highness?
"Inform in advance?" Cheng Xinnan's smile remained unchanged. "Very well. I'll immediately send someone to deliver an official letter through the front gate. Will the Cheng family dare to accept it?"
Cheng Qingxin didn't answer, his gaze slightly lowered, falling on Cheng Jinyang.
Cheng Jinyang keenly sensed that the family head's look towards him was very complex: scrutiny, wariness, rejection, disgust, and a vague, indescribable sense of strangeness.
Seemingly... guilt?
"Your Highness suddenly disappeared, causing a stir throughout the city. It seems there's a big plan behind it. But why choose to appear in our Cheng family of Shendu?" Cheng Qingxin smiled faintly, waving his hand.
"Take a seat!"
The chair placed against the wall immediately slid over, dazzling Cheng Jinyang with envy: Using gravitational force for showing off... That's quite impressive!
Cheng Xinnan calmly sat down on the chair, while Cheng Qingxin gestured with his hand: "Tea!"
So the tea bowl floated over.
Cheng Xinnan shook his head: "No need. The tea is good, but I'm afraid it won't be served to unwelcome guests."
So the tea bowl floated back.
Cheng Jinyang: ???
"Cheng Qingxin, I came here just to ask you one thing." Cheng Xinnan sat on the chair, arms crossed, and asked in a condescending tone, "In your Cheng family of Shendu, do you still recognize Cheng Boxiu as your ancestor?"
With this statement, although no one spoke, the atmosphere suddenly turned hostile.
Cheng Jinyang silently looked at everyone, noticing subtle changes in almost everyone's expressions.
"Why do you say that?" Cheng Qingxin asked, slightly puzzled.
"In ancient times, Cheng Boxiu, the Grand Marshal of King Xuan of Zhou, had descendants who split into two branches. One took the surname of their fiefdom, becoming the Cheng family; the other took the surname of their official position, becoming the Sima family."
Cheng Xinnan said indifferently, "However, in the past, your elder brother Cheng Qinghe was expelled from the Cheng family's door because he married Professor Xie Guyan from the Imperial Academy of Sciences, and his son was slandered as a 'Jinu.' What is the reason for this?"
"The two veins originate from the same source, but now they seem like strangers. At the slightest connection, one fears to avoid it, even expelling Cheng Qinghe from the family to 'draw a clear boundary.' Today, on behalf of the Sima royal family, I ask: what does the Cheng family mean? Do they intend to expel the descendants of Cheng Boxiu's father from the family lineage, or do they refuse to acknowledge Cheng Boxiu's father as an ancestor anymore?"
"The words of Your Highness are mistaken," Cheng Qingxin replied calmly. "The Cheng and Sima families share the same origin, being blood brothers, but they split into separate lineages thousands of years ago. Cheng Qinghe was expelled from the family not because of any connection with the Sima family, but because he defied the family's wishes by marrying a commoner woman."
"Good!" Cheng Xinnan said with anger turning to laughter, clapping his hands.
"Since it was Cheng Qinghe who defied the family's wishes by marrying against their will, it's not your fault. May I ask, what marriage were you originally planning for him?"
Cheng Qingxin was momentarily speechless. The so-called 'defying the family' and 'marrying against their will' were just excuses. It's just that the princess Sima was sitting here, confronting them face to face, and he couldn't admit it.
He couldn't answer, and immediately an elder from the clan spoke up:
"Children should obey their parents' orders and follow the matchmaker's arrangements. How can there be room for him to make his own decisions? Since he was born into a prestigious family and enjoys the resources of the clan, he must fulfill the obligations of the family. If the family doesn't arrange his marriage, can he just marry anyone he wants?"
"Alright!" Cheng Xinnan sneered and turned her head, "May I ask this elder, Cheng Qinghe was already twenty-eight years old and was already at the seventh grade realm. With a guaranteed promotion to the sixth grade in the future and the potential to reach the fifth grade, which talent in your Cheng family could compare to him? With such talent, in an ordinary prestigious family, who wouldn't arrange for him to have one wife and four concubines to proliferate the bloodline vigorously?"
"It's your Cheng family that not only delayed his marriage but also refused to allow him to take concubines. Are you afraid that his offspring will become too prosperous and snatch the position of family head from Cheng Qingxin, the patriarch of your Cheng family?"
With these words, the people present changed their expressions, Cheng Qingxin frowned, and angrily said:
"Be cautious with your words, Your Highness!"
Cheng Jinyang stood by and observed the reactions of the crowd, roughly inferring the outline of the events from that year.
"Be cautious?" Cheng Xinnan said fiercely, "When Cheng Qinghe and his wife were expelled and retreated to Wujiang Town, did this palace openly accuse your Cheng family of saying even a word?"
"It's your Cheng family that turned a blind eye to the plight of Cheng Qinghe and his wife. Three years ago, when demons crossed the Laoshan area and attacked Wujiang Town, did you send a single soldier to support?"
"When Cheng Qinghe and his wife passed away, leaving their son Cheng Jinyang trapped in an old house, suffering from a heart condition, did you inquire about it at all? You're quick to tell others to be cautious with their words, yet you call your own blood relatives 'Jinu(adopted slaves).' Isn't that a filthy word from your Cheng family?"
"Your Highness!" Cheng Qingxin had calmed down and answered Cheng Xinnan's accusations and sarcasm with a solemn tone, "Cheng Qinghe has already established his own branch. According to the rules of the noble clans, our Cheng family of Shendu will not interfere in his affairs, which is also reasonable. As for his son, Cheng Jinyang..."
His gaze fell on Cheng Jinyang: "The term 'Jinu' is indeed derogatory, but it has never come from my mouth, nor is it the consensus of the family. I reckon it stems from Cheng Qinghe's refusal of genetic testing initially, which has left some doubts among certain members of the clan, hence the unwarranted speculation."
"So, are you still suspecting Jinyang's lineage?" Cheng Xinnan asked coldly.
"Yes," Cheng Qingxin answered calmly.
Hmm, something doesn't add up here? Seeing the head of the Cheng family answer so decisively, Cheng Jinyang immediately became suspicious.
Last time, when Cheng Yizhou had a conflict with him at the hospital, he should have reported it to the elders of the family. That means Cheng Qingxin should know that he possesses the gravitational manipulation ability and is truly a member of the Cheng family by blood.
How could he admit to still suspecting my lineage now? Wait a minute, could it be...
Cheng Jinyang suddenly realized, his father refused to have a genetic test done for him back then, and this matter has been widely spread within the Cheng family in Shendu, to the extent that it led to suspicions about his lineage, earning him the derogatory nickname of "Jinu."
So, solely based on Cheng Yizhou's words, it's definitely not convincing. If Cheng Qingxin publicly claims to have "no doubts at all," then that would be truly astonishing.
On the other hand, the real motive behind the family's reluctance to accept him definitely isn't about bloodline affiliation; the father carries the genuine Cheng family bloodline, so how can being expelled from the family equate to being expelled? The true reason must be the fear of the mother's royal background!
Thus, Miss Xinnan intentionally used the excuse of forgetting one's ancestors to pressure the family head, forcing him to admit that "the Cheng family and the Sima family share the same origin," so that the mother's royal background wouldn't directly implicate him.
So, the only obstacle to returning to the family is whether he, as a commoner, truly possesses enough "universal gravitational force" in bloodline concentration.
With this in mind, people heard Cheng Xinnan's hearty voice saying: "Good! Since that's the case, as long as his bloodline affiliation is proven, this matter will be clarified and confirmed, and no Cheng family member shall slander him again in the future, right?"
"That's right!" Cheng Qingxin also showed a solemn expression, "But if it can't be proven, he will never set foot in the Cheng family in Shendu again, or have any relationship with the Cheng family, understood?"
With the last "understood," he looked towards Cheng Jinyang.
Cheng Jinyang smiled faintly and calmly agreed: "Alright!"