《Divine Usurper: Reborn from the Ashes》

Chapter 7 A Formidable Father

“You’re saying my father married my mother to save the Qin family? I doubt my mother had that kind of power!” Qin Mufeng couldn’t help blurting out as he listened to Xiaoya’s twist on what he’d hoped would be a romantic tale.

“Young Master’s right—Madam didn’t have that ability herself, but your grandfather did. He’s the mightiest ninth-rank powerhouse in our Frey Kingdom. When the master wed Madam, the Qin family—then the empire’s second-greatest clan—was reeling. They’d backed the eldest prince in a failed bid for the throne, and the old family head had been ambushed, his eighth-rank martial prowess completely stripped away. The whole Qin family teetered on the edge, at risk of being uprooted by King Frey XIII at any moment.”

“And then what happened?” Qin Mufeng obediently gulped down the last of the medicine in the silver bowl, then pressed eagerly.

Xiaoya glanced at the empty bowl, a faint smile crossing her face—her task of coaxing him to drink was done for the day. With a relieved chuckle, she said, “What else? The king, unwilling to cross the old master, merely confiscated most of the Qin family’s lands and banished them from the capital. You could say the Qin family owes its survival to Madam’s connection. But ever since something happened to the old master, the family’s attitude toward her…” She trailed off, her lips clamping shut in quiet indignation.

Learning he had a powerful martial artist as a backer thrilled Qin Mufeng—only for his spirits to sink when he heard that backer was in trouble. Wanting to ask what had happened but wary of exposing himself with a careless question, he shifted gears. “So my father married my mother to save the family. Did he take a second and third wife for the Qin family too?”

Over the past few days, Xiaoya’s chatter had given him a rough sketch of this household. His nominal father had three wives, and he seized the chance to probe about the other two. After all, from what he’d overheard when he first woke, that second madam seemed to have it out for him.

He paid extra attention to anyone who might threaten him.

“Young Master’s spot on. The master married the second and third madams for the Qin family’s sake too. With the family lacking strong allies in the capital, he wed the second madam, Liss Green, the second daughter of the Green family—Frey Empire’s third-greatest clan. And with the family facing financial ruin, he married the third madam, Yasti Tyrone, the only daughter of the empire’s famed tycoon Tyrone.”

Formidable, Qin Mufeng thought. His so-called father, Qin Yinghuan, was no ordinary man. Sacrificing his looks to marry three women who could bolster the family—and winning over such prized daughters—his charm must’ve been off the charts.

While secretly admiring his father, Qin Mufeng’s focus sharpened on the second madam, Liss Green. He knew this family wasn’t a haven of peace but a den of hidden dangers, with unseen threats lurking close by.

As he mulled over how to pry more useful tidbits from Xiaoya, a flurry of frantic footsteps echoed from outside.

“Xiaoya-jie, bad news! Just now… the master… the master sent word…” A small maid in a sheer goose-yellow gown stumbled in, her words tripping over each other.

Compared to Xiaoya, this girl was at least seven shades less striking, but her round face, adorned with big, fuzzy eyes like oversized transparent grapes, had its own charm. Seeing her struggle to speak, Xiaoya asked sternly, “Xiaoyu, what’s going on? Take it slow.”

The maid, Xiaoyu, steadied her nerves before blurting, “Xiaoya-jie, it’s big trouble! Just now, the master sent someone saying the young master—saying he has to attend the ancestral ceremony in three days! Madam was furious and stormed off to the front courtyard to confront the master!”

“Madam went to see the master? Xiaoyu, why didn’t you stop her? You know his temper—once he decides something, it’s set in stone. What can Madam do now but take his wrath?” Xiaoya shot up from her chair, flustered, scolding Xiaoyu.

Under Xiaoya’s reprimand, Xiaoyu’s round face crumpled with grievance. “Xiaoya-jie, I tried**** Madam, but she wouldn’t listen. She insisted on arguing with the master to retract his order. It’s too late to talk about that now—what do we do?”

“What do we do? I don’t know either! Xiaoyu, stay here and watch the young master. I’ll head to the front and check on Madam—hopefully I can intercept her before she reaches the master,” Xiaoya said after a moment’s thought, urgency lacing her voice.

Listening to the maids’ exchange, Qin Mufeng didn’t fully grasp what this ancestral ceremony was, but it didn’t sound like good news for him. Imagining the frail, kind madam fighting for him stirred a wave of warmth in his chest, a gratitude he couldn’t quite voice. “Xiaoya, I’ll go with you,” he said impulsively.

Already frazzled, Xiaoya grew even more frantic at his words. “Young Master, your illness hasn’t fully healed. Rest here—leave Madam to me. You don’t need to worry!” With that, she turned to dash out. But Qin Mufeng, set on his decision, wouldn’t be swayed by her pleas. He scrambled off the bed, slipped into his clumsy shoes, and made for the door.

“Young Master, Xiaoya-jie said to rest. You should… you should stay here,” Xiaoyu protested, spreading her short arms like a mother hen shielding her chick, blocking his path.

“Xiaoyu,” Qin Mufeng said, mimicking Xiaoya’s address to avoid slipping up. “Tell me, has my mother been good to you?” Facing the pure, adorable maid, he flashed a wolfish grin—though on the face of this child’s body, whose original soul he’d displaced, it came off more cute than cunning.

“Of course Madam’s been good to me, and Young Master, you’ve been kind too,” Xiaoyu replied earnestly, too innocent to spot the trap he’d laid. With a sly chuckle, Qin Mufeng pressed, “My mother’s in trouble now—don’t you want to help her?”

“I do, of course I do, but—”

“No buts! We’ll be too late—let’s go!” Cutting her off, he grabbed Xiaoyu’s hand and bolted outside.