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Chapter 1166 My Identity Revealed
After the sacrificial ceremony to Heaven, Lian Feihong officially became a feudal lord and then thought of granting Zhou You a marquisate.

Zhou You had already made many contributions during the previous dynasty, but his seniority was still shallow, and he was not granted a marquisate even after rising to the rank of Lord of Nanchen.

But things are different now. He has rendered meritorious service in 'following the dragon,' so he must be ennobled as a marquis, and a first-class hereditary marquis at that.

However, an unexpected turn of events disrupted the plan.

A manifesto was sent from Feiyun Prefecture, directly accusing Zhou Daqian of impersonation and revealing his background in detail.

"Zhou Shi, whose real name is Zhou You, was just a commoner boy in Beixuan..."

The news caused a global uproar.

Unexpectedly, Dongfang Daqian was able to find out Zhou You's background and origins, and not a single word was missing. He knew everything about Zhou You, from his birth in Beixuan Prefecture to his martial arts training and advancement to the rank of Qiangwu.

The proclamation clearly states that Zhou You's real name was Daqian, but rather he changed it later and impersonated someone else.

His current status and position are all due to his misappropriation of Dongfang Daqian's fortune.

The capital and the eight prefectures directly under the central government were thrown into chaos by this proclamation, and the Zhou family's western branch sent people to consult with them every day.

However, with Lian Feihong's ascension to the throne and Zhou You's position already secure, the impact of this incident was extremely limited.

Many people were amazed. While Zhou Nantang and Zhou Nanwang's promotion of Zhou You was certainly a factor, Zhou You's rise from a poor commoner to his current status was nothing short of legendary.

Inside the sacrificial palace...

"How have you been lately? Have any inconsiderate people taken the opportunity to harass you and disturb your peace of mind?"

Lian Feihong asked Zhou You with a smile.

Zhou You shook his head. "No, it's just that Dongfang Daqian has become smarter. Knowing he can't shake you, he's starting with me."

Anyone with discerning eyes can see that Dongfang Daqian's manifesto is a move to "trickle its wings".

"His days of pleasure are numbered. The day I bestow a marquisate upon you will be the day I send troops to conquer Feiyun Prefecture!"

Lian Feihong said in a deep voice, "How can we allow dissidents to exist under the very nose of the capital?"

He then smiled and said, "You must be busy lately. Do you want to go back to the North to take care of some things?"

"No need. I'm going to Maijing Prefecture. Next, we'll attack Feiyun Prefecture. The other seven prefectures must join forces!"

After chatting for a while, Zhou You noticed that the crowd waiting in line outside the hall was growing, so he got up to take his leave.

"I won't keep you any longer. Don't forget that I'm bringing in a new batch of concubines next month, so remember to come for a drink!"

After Lian Feihong ascended the throne, in addition to eliminating dissent and resuming his administration, the most important thing was to ensure the continuation of his lineage.

Sure enough, women selected from various regions and noble ladies sent by powerful families quickly rebuilt his newly established harem.

When Zhou You returned home, he noticed that the atmosphere was more tense than usual, knowing that everyone in the family was worried that he was in a bad mood.

After all, having one's secrets exposed and then publicly revealed is an insult that no one can tolerate.

During mealtimes, the family was completely silent.

This cannot continue.

Zhou You let out a sigh of relief. "I don't care what the outside world says, but my own people should know my character. A hero's origins don't matter. If Dongfang Daqian acts like a defeated dog and barks wildly, there's no need to let it affect my mood."

“If anyone brings this up again in the future, you can kill or beat them as you please. Don’t be so careful, or you won’t be able to enjoy your meal.”

The distant Northern Xuan Prefecture...

Overnight, news spread that the information Bei Xuan had kept hidden for years could no longer be concealed.

Hua Youxing, the matriarch of the Zhou family who remained in Beixuan Prefecture, gave birth to a legitimate son named Zhou Xin. Zhou Xin had rarely seen his father growing up, but he was highly respected both inside and outside the prefecture.

The level of martial prowess is something that many martial arts practitioners can never reach in their entire lives, and even the high and mighty Lord Dou has to take it seriously.

Although his father was away from home most of the year and he only met him once or twice when he was a child, his father's prized disciple, Qi Qingdi, a powerful martial arts master from Daqian Martial Arts School, took great care of their family.

It is said that the founder of Daqian Martial Arts School was his biological father, Zhou You.

Today, Daqian Martial Arts School is undoubtedly the largest martial arts school in the city and a first-class sect in this area, with a wealth of talented people.

Zhou Xin greatly admired Qi Qingdi and had been practicing boxing with him since childhood. He longed to become Qi Qingdi's disciple, but Qi Qingdi vehemently refused.

Although the two elderly members of the Zhou family are old and only one woman is in charge, their prestige remains undiminished. They are frequently invited by the Prefect and have even been invited to the Governor's banquets more than once.

Many people did not understand the reason behind this, and some even coveted the Zhou family's property.

As a result, without exception, all of these people died violent deaths, and no one even knew who had done it.

Therefore, some people speculated that the Zhou family was under the protection of Bei Xuanzhu and could live in peace in the six northern states.

"What?! Zhou Daqian, the most trusted minister of the newly appointed lord, the heir of the Zhou family, one of the top aristocratic families, who holds the dual positions of Governor of Qingchu Prefecture and Lord of Nanchen Prefecture, and is also a direct disciple of the Tiannan Sword Master, is actually from Beixuan... Zhou You!"

This news struck like a thunderbolt from a dry land, causing upheaval both inside and outside the city.

If it were just a rumor, that would be one thing, but this is a manifesto from the capital.

If it were false, the Zhu family of Beixuan would definitely be the first to come out and deny it, but the Zhu family has remained silent.

Suddenly someone realized that Zhou You's martial arts school was named Daqian Martial Arts School, so it couldn't be a coincidence that Zhou Daqian's real name was Zhou You.

Then, upon seeing the detailed account in the proclamation of how Zhou You was adopted and brought to the capital, rising rapidly through the ranks...

"That makes sense now. Zhou You was traveling around and rarely came home. It turns out he was working in the capital under a different identity."

"Ha, Zhou Daqian's legal wife is Zhu Qinghua, the legitimate daughter of the Bei Xuan Zhu family. The two families have been married off for a long time."

More importantly, Zhou Daqian's strength is at the Heavenly Sect level, the strongest level among the three realms of Heaven, Earth, and Man, which is perhaps the ceiling that many martial artists can only dream of and never reach in their entire lives.

"Your father is a governor and a close friend of a feudal lord. He is a disciple of the Heavenly Sect, the most outstanding successor in the world!"

The sheer volume of information left Zhou Xin feeling dizzy and disoriented, unsure how to get through these days.

"Mother, I want to go to the capital to see Father."

Hua Youxing sighed, "If you want to go, you might as well wait a while, and I'll prepare your luggage."

"The journey to the capital is long, and you are still young, so you must not be careless!"

Seeing that his mother did not refuse, Zhou Xin said with great confidence, "I knew long ago that Father is the greatest hero in the world. No wonder the master was unwilling to take me as his disciple. It turns out that Father is not just a strong martial artist, but a grandmaster!"

"I practice martial arts with my father, and I'm sure I'll become a powerful martial artist someday, maybe even a grandmaster!"

Hua Youxing gently stroked his fluffy head and sighed.

No matter how much she loved her son, she couldn't stop him from going out and making his own way in the world when he grew up.

Hua Youxing thought that the journey to the capital was more than a thousand miles away, and her husband had many enemies. She had to think things through carefully.

Qi Qingdi alone is not enough; although he is a powerful martial artist, his reputation is effective in the Northern Xuan Prefecture.

Well, Lianzi Xiu of the Wanli Swamp Sea has strong martial arts skills and is related to Zhou Xin by blood. We might as well ask him to come along as well.

(End of this chapter)