Chapter 47: Chapter 47: Family Background (Part 4)_1
He had thought that the worst possible scenario involving the sudden arrival of these people was the exposure of his incident with Wang Shuai, and that Wang's family had come for him. However, these events turned out to be unrelated.
"This humble one is named Lin Bozhong, your father's steward. After Shang Han left, he dispatched me to protect you." The old man bowed slightly as he spoke, "As for these two, they were sent by those in a conflict of interest with your father to take your life."
"Father?"
Fang Ren's frown deepened, "What father are you talking about?"
"This is a matter I must explain slowly. Let me first check on her injuries," Lin Bozhong approached, channeling True Qi in his hand to take Mu Huanqing's pulse.
"There's no need for you to check; I can handle it myself."
As Fang Ren spoke, he hoisted Mu Huanqing onto his back, his expression still wary as he looked at the kind-faced old man.
"But Young Master, in her condition..."
"I've already stabilized her injuries. If there's anything, just talk to me directly," Fang Ren said.
"You know medical skills?"
"My specialty is medicine."
"All right, it seems the Young Master still doesn't trust me," Lin Bozhong said with a resigned smile, "Then let me tell you about your origins."
"Speak directly."
"Tianjiang, the Fang Family, you should know about them, right?"
"What does that have to do with me? Could I be from that clan?" Fang Ren couldn't believe this—it sounded absurd to him. He had grown up as an orphan raised by Uncle Han.
It was hard for him to accept that suddenly someone was telling him he had a connection to one of the largest families within the Tianjiang.
"Please, hear me out," the elder shook his head and smiled. "It all began twenty-two years ago, on a certain day, when the child of the Old Master of the Fang Family and his wife was born."
"Then you're going to tell me that child was me? Do you think this is a soap opera?" Fang Ren frowned and commented.
"This... Young Master, please let me finish," the elder said, looking helpless.
"Continue."
"This... this child is indeed you," the elder continued. "On the very day you were born, the Bai Family of Tianjiang—the most powerful emperor family at the time—also had a child.
But that child was born covered in blood, with an immense amount of energy within, so much so that the child's body couldn't withstand it, and it wouldn't survive long. The Old Master of the Fang Family and the head of the Bai Family had always been like brothers through life and death—a deep bond.
Their children were born in the same hospital. Seeing the Bai Family's child on the brink of death, an Alchemist said that the Fang Family child had a unique Spiritual Root that could suppress the attributes of other Spiritual Roots.
He suggested that if the Spiritual Root could be transplanted from the Fang Family child to the Bai Family's, their child could be saved."
"So they just went and cut out my Spiritual Root?" Fang Ren commented.
"Young Master, please listen to me..." Lin Bozhong reached the peak of his helplessness. How could the Young Master have guessed the entire plot correctly? Although, isn't it normal... with all the melodramatic TV dramas nowadays?
"Ahem." Lin Bozhong continued, "You're right, at that time, when the Alchemist proposed this drastic measure, the head of the Bai Family, in deep sorrow, pleaded with the Old Master of the Fang Family.
As they were brothers bound by life and death, the Fang Family's patriarch couldn't bear to let his close friend's child die, so he chose to give his own child's Spiritual Root to the child of the Bai Family.
And thus, from the beginning of the Cultivation Era to this day, the only human being with two Spiritual Roots was born. In gratitude, the whole Bai Family owed a great debt to the Old Master of the Fang Family.
Since the child of the Bai Family was a girl, a marriage was arranged—a baby betrothal—and according to the Family Head of the Bai Family, no matter how high the girl's future achievements, she must marry the son of the Fang Family's Old Master and be beneath him in status, unless the boy committed some immoral act first."
Lin Bozhong continued, "Back to our discussion, though the boy's Spiritual Root was transplanted, his life wasn't endangered. He could still live as a normal person. However, he would never be able to cultivate, and he could only live as a mortal.
The Fang Family was a great clan, too vast, and its Old Master and his wife couldn't bear to see their child bullied or looked down upon within the clan. So they entrusted their most trusted brother to take their child far away to live the life of an ordinary person.
They planned to reveal everything to him after twenty-two years because exposing him to such matters too early could bring about immense pressure and ostracism from the upper echelons, which could crush him."
After hearing all this, Fang Ren sighed, "Your story is even more thrilling than a soap opera, but you still haven't said a word about why these people want to kill me."
"Young Master, I was just about to get to that," Lin Bozhong said. "Originally, it was thought that everything would proceed smoothly, and after twenty-two years, the two children would marry and live happily ever after.
But unexpectedly, within these twenty-two years, too many changes took place within the Fang Family. The Second Master of the Fang Family, your biological uncle, felt that the Family Head could not lead the family to its peak.
He wanted the Fang Family to surpass the Bai Family and take the place of the Tianjiang Emperor. So, he sought to unseat the Family Head. However, the Family Head didn't believe that the family's status was all that important.
What was more critical was strengthening humanity's defense against the Void, ensuring the safety of the entire human race. He and the current Family Head of the Bai Family were brothers in life and death.
There were no major conflicts of interest between the Fang and Bai families; furthermore, with the planned marriage alliance, they would work together to resist the Void."
"The Family Head had good intentions, but the Fang Family, being a large clan, was characterized by weak familial ties. The Old Master of the Fang Family believed that the head of the family should be the most capable, and therefore did not oppose the rivalry between his two sons.
The Family Head did not want the Second Master to vie for position within the clan, as it might provoke a war between the two great families. The immediate enemy of humanity was the Void species, and our focus should be clear.
The Second Master believed the Fang Family should rise above the Bai Family in status and lead all of Tianjiang before contributing to human society. Their ideological differences led the Fang Family to split into two factions. Now, in pursuit of his goal, the Second Master has become quite deranged.
He wishes for his son to marry the Bai Family's princess, to consolidate his power after the marriage and take the Family Head's place. Then, gradually, with the Bai Family's support, strengthen the Fang Family and secretly surpass the Bai Family to lead the Tianjiang.
However, the Bai Family princess has been betrothed to the Family Head's son—that's you, Young Master."
After hearing everything, Fang Ren felt overwhelmed. If what the old man said was true, the events in his life were incredibly melodramatic.
"So, the two guys in the yard are sent by my what... my Uncle Han to kill me?" Fang Ren faced him with a complex expression.
"That's absolutely correct," the old man nodded.
"And I have an arranged marriage with the Tianjiang princess?" Fang Ren's expression grew even more complex.
"That's also absolutely true, it was arranged since you were young."
"So I didn't do anything, and misfortune just fell from the sky?" Fang Ren frowned.
"That... seems to be absolutely true as well."
"Why would such shitty things happen to me?"
"That... this old man has no solution."
"Are you sure what you're telling me is true?" Fang Ren still held a skeptical attitude.
"What this old man says is indeed true," Lin Bozhong spoke up: "If you still don't believe it, the letter from Shang Han should reach here in two days. He will explain everything to you."
"Why didn't that old fart tell me everything?" Fang Ren said.
"Old fart... Shang Han?" Lin Bozhong's face was full of helplessness: "Isn't it because he wanted you to enjoy a few more happy days? After all, you and Miss Mu have just gotten together recently, he definitely wouldn't want other things to disturb your mind."
"That old fart! He pushed his daughter on me but didn't even help me cancel that damn marriage agreement, is he sick?" Fang Ren cursed out loud, looking at the haggard-faced Mu Huanqing on his shoulder.
Well, anyway, he cursed every day, this once or twice didn't make a difference...
"Erm, Young Master, it's better if I take a look at Miss Mu's injuries. This old man knows a bit of Alchemy, maybe I could help treat her," Lin Bozhong said.
"No need, right now I just want to know how to cancel that marriage agreement, do I need to make a trip to Tianjiang to do it?" Fang Ren said.
"That... cancelling the marriage agreement wouldn't be a good thing for the Old Master...," Lin Bozhong said with some difficulty: "But for you, Young Master, it's definitely a good thing, at least it will be safer."
"Then hurry up and cancel the marriage agreement, quickly, I don't want to hear any bullshit from the Fang Family. I only know that if anyone disturbs my life or hurts Qing'er in the future, just wait until I have the ability, I definitely won't let anyone off!"
Fang Ren said this and directly turned around, carrying Mu Huanqing on his back, heading toward the rooftop.
Qing... Qing'er?
Lin Bozhong was stunned. The revered Madame Xuan, she really was being pampered as a dear wife...
He wondered what would Young Master's reaction be when he learned of Madame Xuan's true identity, a genuine Earth's peak warrior!
Putting away the complaints in his mind, Lin Bozhong spoke again: "Young Master, if you want to cancel this marriage agreement, you just need to marry Miss Mu. I'll handle the rest."
"Then we'll marry tomorrow," Fang Ren said spontaneously.
"Ah? Didn't Shang Han say it should be on the twentieth of May?"
"What if I'm killed by someone before that?" Fang Ren said.
"As long as this old man is here, no one will be able to kill the Young Master, I dare stake my life on it!" Lin Bozhong declared solemnly.
When Fang Ren arrived at the rooftop and looked back at his serious face, he paused for a while and then said, "If that's the case, then I'll still get married on the twentieth of May. After all, it will have a special commemorative meaning for the future with Qing'er."
"Whatever day you choose is fine, Young Master, but it must be completed within this year. After a year, that's the deadline for fulfilling the marriage contract," Lin Bozhong said.
"I will."