The two of them went to the study.

Ning Chen turned to Feng Qizheng. "Whatever it is, spit it out. It's freezing in here."

Nobody slept in the study at night, so no brazier had been lit.

Feng Qizheng opened his mouth, then stopped.

Ning Chen gave him a strange look. The guy was usually so easygoing — it was rare to see him this cagey.

He asked, "Did you get yourself into trouble?"

Feng Qizheng hesitated, then gave a slight nod.

Ning Chen was amused. "What kind of trouble? Beat up some rich family's son? Knock up some girl?"

Feng Qizheng was silent a moment. Then he gritted his teeth. "I know who robbed the imperial tombs."

Ning Chen stopped short. "The Underworld Thieves' Sect. Everybody knows that!"

"No, I mean..." Feng Qizheng paused. "I mean I know the people who robbed the imperial tombs."

Ning Chen gave a start. "You know them?"

Feng Qizheng nodded. "Ning Chen, there's a good chance I'm a descendant of Prince Qi."

Ning Chen was stunned. "What are you talking about?"

"There really is a chance I'm Prince Qi's descendant."

Ning Chen's face turned grave. "What's this all about?"

Feng Qizheng said, "About a year ago, the Underworld Thieves' Sect started coming after me, over and over. They said I'm Prince Qi's grandson, and they wanted me to come back to the Underworld Thieves' Sect.

They said my father was Prince Qi's illegitimate son. When Prince Qi's household was wiped out, nobody traced it to my father, so he got lucky and escaped.

Later my father married and had a child. My mother died giving birth to me, and not long after, my father died of grief. That left me an orphan, and my adoptive parents took me in... Anyway, they swear up and down I'm Prince Qi's descendant."

Ning Chen frowned slightly. "Words are cheap. Do they have any hard proof?"

"Prince Qi was born with superhuman strength, same as me. And there's this..." As he spoke, Feng Qizheng took a jade pendant out of his robe. "I've worn this around my…