Rebirth of a Lost Nation: Princess, Please Respect Yourself

"What's wrong?"

"The road back to Beijing has collapsed. I'm afraid we won't be able to go today!"

Jiang Lige's face darkened. "Is there no other way?"

"That's it, there's nothing else."

The matchmaker shook her head awkwardly, worried that Jiang Lige would be unhappy and lose the business, so she quickly added.

"The terrain there is dangerous and steep, so only one road leading into the capital has been built. The government attaches great importance to this. They will send people to repair it tonight. I heard that the damage is not serious, so I think it will be open by tomorrow at the latest."

Jiang Lige sighed. It was really a situation where one problem after another arose.

The group had no choice but to give up the idea of returning to Beijing and settled down in a nearby temple.

The temple is called Jianshan Temple. It is not big, but very clean.

After the group paid a visit to the presiding abbot, they were arranged to stay in the guest room. Fengquan and Songyue had to take care of the house, so they drove Jiang Lige out. She had nothing to do, so she had to walk around.

After walking around three or two corridors, there is a small Buddhist temple. Since there is no one around, Jiang Lige wants to go in and worship.

Perhaps it was because she was reborn that she now had a little more reverence for the gods and Buddhas, which she had not believed in before.

Just as she was about to step inside, she heard a familiar voice accompanied by low sobs in the Buddhist hall.

"The truth that A Niang has been desperately seeking is so unbearable. He never told A Niang a single word of truth from the beginning and drew a clear line between us long ago.

That's right, he's a high-ranking official, and his interest in A Niang was just temporary, so how could he tell her the truth? Now he has a wife and children, and a noble status, while A Niang and I... are nothing!

Bodhisattva, tell me, should I tell my mother about this? I don't want to be the one to shatter her beautiful dream, but I also don't want her to be praying every day for the safety of such a heartless person.

As soon as he finished speaking, the tortoise shell used for divination fell to the ground, echoing in the empty room.

Before Dali could figure out what the hexagram meant, he saw a woman in gorgeous clothes slowly walk in. Her eyes fell on Dali, and there was a hint of sarcasm in her casual tone.

"Of course, I should have kept it a secret from her, letting her cling to her beautiful dream and die alone. As dusk fell, she would still complain about the injustice of heaven, which refused to allow lovers to reunite, and pray that she could be with her lover in the next life. And then, in the next life, she would be intoxicated by her own beautiful dream, suffering and struggling, but she didn't know that some endings were already determined from the beginning."

Dali was speechless. He called out "Princess" woodenly and then lowered his head.

"But my mother is dead. Her last wish was for me to find that heartless man."

"Then you should give him an explanation."

He nodded vigorously and said nothing more.

Jiang Lige's eyes darkened, and she said straight to the point: "Bai Fenglin is your father. If you are not Dali, who are you?"

"Da Li" was surprised at Jiang Li Ge's ability to see the big picture from the subtle details. He thought for a while before answering in a low voice: "My name is Feng Yu."

Jiang Lige raised his eyebrows but didn't respond.

Feng Yu knew that it was wrong for him to replace someone else's identity, not to mention that he was following Jiang Lige by relying on the relationship with Grandpa Dali, which would inevitably make him suspected of having "bad intentions".

Therefore, he couldn't help but sigh, and slowly told the dusty secret under Jiang Lige's cold eyes.

Feng Yu was born in Border Town, a small border town in Shengling, which is close to foreign countries.

More than ten years ago, Bai Fenglin, who had just entered the official career, went to the border town to take up a post, using the pseudonym Feng Lin from Jingzhou. He fell in love with Feng Yu's mother, Qiu, but he deceived her with sweet words because of her different family background and delayed giving her a proper status.

Not long after Bai Yu came into being, Bai Fenglin left the border town on the pretext of going to Beijing to take the imperial examination, but in fact he was transferred back to Beijing and never returned to the border town since then.

Qiu never lived to see the day of her reunion with Bai Fenglin. Before her death, she told Feng Yu the whole story.

After Qiu's death, Feng Yu embarked on a journey to find his father according to his mother's last wish. However, not only did he fail to find his father, he also nearly died of illness in Jingzhou.

Later, Feng Yu was rescued by Dali, and the two people of similar age became good friends who could talk about anything.

Three years ago, Dali died of illness. Old man Liu was in poor health and could not withstand any stimulation.

Feng Yu, mindful of his relationship with Dali, concealed his true feelings and pretended to be Dali, serving as a filial son to Old Man Liu.

What happened afterwards is what Jiang Lige knows.

"So, you haven't said anything because you're afraid that Old Man Liu will see through you."

Feng Yu nodded.

Although Jiang Lige guessed part of the story based on the clues he found, he never expected that Feng Yu's true life experience would be so tortuous.

"I lied to Grandpa, it was me who lied to me."

Seeing that Jiang Lige didn't respond, Feng Yu lowered his head dejectedly.

"I know the princess promised Grandpa to take care of her grandson Dali, not a fake like me. I won't put the princess in a difficult position. Once the road is repaired, I'll leave on my own."

Feng Yu's tact made Jiang Lige chuckle.

"The person I promised Old Man Liu to take care of is you, and your name has nothing to do with it. Besides, after three years together, do you think Old Man Liu really doesn't have the slightest doubt about your identity?"

Feng Yu seemed a little surprised. After a long pause, he replied stiffly, "What do you mean, Princess?"

"Old Liu has known your identity for a long time, but he didn't expose you because he didn't want to embarrass you. He's treated you like his own grandson for the past three years." Jiang Lige said, then took out the letter from his pocket and handed it to Feng Yu. "This is what I found in the thatched cottage in Jingzhou when I sent someone to investigate you. It must have been left for you by the old man."

After Feng Yu took the letter and read it, the usually rough man actually began to shed tears and whispered, "Grandpa."

Jiang Lige couldn't bear it and handed over a handkerchief.

"If you want to find your roots, I can help you."

No matter what, the Bai family is a family of officials. Even if he is a son born out of wedlock, he may have a better development than now.

Feng Yu rejected Jiang Lige without thinking.

"Why?" Jiang Lige asked.

"If the princess's father is not only not a good husband and father, but also persecutes the people, will the princess still firmly choose him?"

Jiang Lige didn't like this assumption.

Her father was the King of Southern Chu, with three thousand beauties in his harem and many children. He was indeed not a good husband or father.

But he was a good emperor who worked diligently and loved his people. He protected the people of Southern Chu for ten years.

So, she shook her head truthfully.

"I don't know, and I don't want to bother with hypotheticals."

At this time, Jiang Lige still didn't know that in the near future, Feng Yu's words today would come true. The world would have to make a choice between life and blood ties...

Feng Yu didn't seem surprised by Jiang Lige's answer and said in a muffled voice.

"I haven't read much, but I've experienced hardship and poverty, and I know better than anyone how difficult life is for them. I don't want to enjoy the benefits brought by the people's blood and sweat, and I don't want to be constrained by my family and become a dagger in their hands to hurt the people."