FID – Chapter 564

Chapter 564: This Is Simply Life-Threatening

That afternoon, the lively atmosphere in the Liu courtyard lasted until the evening.

For some time, the courtyard really had been far too quiet.

Ever since their trip to the capital, more than half of the family had been away, leaving only Liu Erlin’s family and Wei Hong behind.

It wasn’t just Liu Erlin who felt out of place—the entire village did.

Two familiar figures were missing from beneath the ancient pagoda tree, and whenever people gathered for idle chats, they would often bring them up.

It always felt like something was missing.

Now that everyone was back, everything felt whole again. How could they not celebrate properly?

“Nannan, is it true that you’re really married to the King of Nanling?” Besides Zhixia’s marriage, this was the thing the villagers were most curious about.

The King of Nanling—the regent of Nanling—was the one who had personally helped the current emperor ascend the throne. What kind of person was he?

The villagers were simple folks with little exposure to the outside world. They really couldn’t describe him, but they felt he was an incredibly lofty figure, one whose status was so high they couldn’t even look up to him.

Without a warning, it was suddenly rumored that the Blessed Nannan of Xinghua Village was engaged to him.

Liu Yusheng exchanged glances with her family, nodded, then burst out laughing. “Uncles and aunts, when we talk about the King of Nanling, you actually know him quite well, and you’re familiar with him too.”

“We know,” one of the uncles said. “He came to your house last year and stayed in the big courtyard. He was with a young boy at the time, a boy named Xiao Feng.”

The moment that person appeared, it was clear he was someone of great wealth. Later, many villagers secretly inquired about him from the Liu family and learned his true identity.

When they first heard the news, they nearly got scared to death. However, as they watched this dignified king actually help with farm work and pick fruits from the mountains, acting as if he were approachable, the Liu family treated him no differently. The villagers’ sense of awe gradually faded.

“Yes, it’s Feng Qingbai, but he has another identity,” Liu Yusheng smiled lightly, her almond eyes sparkling. “He’s Axiu, the Axiu who used to live at the foot of Luofu Mountain near our village.”

“…” The entire room fell silent. After a long pause, an exclamation filled the air.

“Oh my heavens! Axiu? Feng Qingbai is Axiu? No, wait—does that mean the King of Nanling is Axiu?”

“Oh my goodness! Axiu is actually the King of Nanling, Feng Qingbai…”

“Now it makes sense! No wonder the king liked sticking with Nannan when he was in our village. Axiu was just like that when he was little, only sticking to Nannan, no one else!”

Thinking about it this way, what seemed odd suddenly felt logical.

Considering how A Xiu always stuck to Nannan when they were children, no one found it strange that they ended up together. It was almost inevitable!

The Liu family really was something—such big news, and the entire family managed to keep it a secret in the village without anyone letting on!

“Are you surprised by this?” Grandpa Liu asked, holding his nourishing tea cup, sipping slowly with satisfaction. Returning to the village made him feel completely relaxed. After months of holding everything in while in the capital, he was now happily chatting away with these old folks.

“Lao Liu, are you hiding an even bigger secret? Hurry up and spill it! We’re all waiting!” The crowd sat up straight, ears perked.

The Liu family elders had just returned from the capital—the imperial city! The very heart of all gossip about the emperor!

Ordinary folks like them loved hearing palace secrets.

Later, they could brag about it to their grandchildren, telling stories like old legends!

Grandpa Liu leisurely took another sip of tea, letting the suspense build before finally speaking. “Do you all remember Xiao Feng’er who came to our village with Axiu? Do you know who he really is?”

Some people shook their heads, while others froze in confusion before suddenly widening their eyes in shock.

“N-no way… it can’t be…”

“That’s right! Xiao Feng’er—he’s the current emperor! The one sitting on the dragon throne in the palace!”

Thud!

Someone fell off their stool.

Grandpa Liu was satisfied. This was exactly the reaction he wanted.

He knew that once he revealed the truth, these old folks wouldn’t be able to keep it together.

They’d be scared out of their wits!

“Brother Liu, that’s just not fair! How could you keep such a big secret from us until now?!”

“Oh my goodness! Does the Emperor hold grudges? Back then, when my boy played with him, he took him to pick up cow dung! …Oh heavens!”

“…My kid went fishing in the river with him and even shoved his head underwater, practically sitting on top of him.”

If you asked for stories about being ‘disrespectful’ to the Emperor, any family with children of a similar age could casually list a dozen incidents.

This was terrifying! 

“Pfft!” Liu Yusheng hid behind her grandparents, watching the villagers’ horrified expressions, laughing until she bent over.

Even Fu Yuzheng, who had been quietly listening, couldn’t help but turn her face away to stifle her laughter.

The villagers really had no filter when talking!

If they hadn’t mentioned it themselves, who would have ever known what their kids had done to the young Emperor?

“Look at how scared you all are!” Grandma Liu scolded them playfully. “If Xiao Feng’er was the type to hold grudges, do you think you’d still be standing here safe and sound? That child isn’t petty. When he came to Xinghua Village, he never acted like the Emperor. Otherwise, would he have climbed the mountains to hunt birds, gone fishing in the river, or picked up cow dung? Back then, even your Grandpa Liu and I spanked his little butt a couple of times!”

“…”

The Xinghua villagers finally felt at ease.

Compared to actually spanking the Emperor’s butt, their little offenses were nothing at all.

Even if the Emperor did hold grudges, he’d go after the Liu family first—hahaha!

“It wasn’t that we deliberately hid it from you,” Grandpa Liu explained with a smile. “Our entire village is like one big family—what’s there to keep secret, right? But the timing wasn’t right. Things were complicated back then, and their identities couldn’t be revealed. Even your grandma and I, along with Liu Dalin and Xiulan, only found out about Xiao Feng’er’s true identity after we arrived in the capital. We were just as shocked as you are now.”

He sighed and added with a smile, “But honestly, no matter what their status is, the best thing we ever did was treat them normally. What we see as ‘ordinary’ is exactly what they lack in their lives.”

“That’s true,” one villager agreed. “With identities like Xiao Feng’er and Axiu, living in the capital—surrounded by high-ranking officials and nobles, caught up in endless schemes and political games—they probably never get a moment to truly relax.”

The others all nodded. After the initial shock wore off, they couldn’t help but feel a bit emotional.

Their village might not be as wealthy or powerful as those noble families, but life here was simple, and people treated each other with genuine kindness. There were no hidden agendas, no backstabbing, no dark plots—no need to constantly be on guard. That’s why they lived happily and at ease.

But Axiu and the young Emperor? That was another story entirely.

That was probably why the two of them were so happy during their time in Xinghua Village.

Take the young Emperor, for example—once he got familiar with the village kids, he would run around and play wildly with them almost every day.

When he grows up, those days might just become some of his most cherished memories.