Chapter 1023

Zhang Ziqian was about to answer when footsteps suddenly sounded outside. Someone came to the door and knocked lightly: "Sir Zhang, are you in?"

Hu Xiaotian heard it and his heart skipped a beat; the voice sounded exactly like Xiang Qin from Zhong Xiang Lou, to be precise it must be Xiang Qin. He glanced at Zhang Ziqian, having never heard that Xichuan's foremost strategist had a fondness for brothels, and even if he did, according to him he would never sink so low as to choose Xiang Qin; every appearance of Xiang Qin serves a clear purpose, and Hu Xiaotian could almost conclude that she and Xi Yan share a very close relationship.

Zhang Ziqian said: "Here!"

"Sir Zhang, haven't you eaten yet?"

Zhang Ziqian glanced at Hu Xiaotian and said: "I'm not hungry; I just want to be quiet."

Xiang Qin hummed: "Then I won't disturb you, Sir."

Hu Xiaotian secretly breathed a sigh of relief, thinking Xiang Qin had finally left, when the door was shoved open; Xiang Qin's bulky, obese frame loomed like a small mountain outside, her broad back blocking the morning light, she smiled at Hu Xiaotian and said: "Looks like we have an honored guest!"

Hu Xiaotian showed no panic, smiling at Xiang Qin: "What a coincidence, running into you here too? Your relationship with Sir Zhang is anything but ordinary."

Xiang Qin fixed her eyes on Hu Xiaotian and chuckled: "Sir Zhang is my benefactor; lately Xizhou has been unsettled, so I've been tasked with protecting his safety, but even the most careful plan can have a loophole that some exploit."

Hu Xiaotian smiled and nodded: "This is getting more interesting; do you think I'd harm Sir Zhang? If I really wanted to, do you think you could stop me?" The distance between him and Zhang Ziqian was less than one zhang, while Xiang Qin was over two zhang away; with Hu Xiaotian's current martial skill, he was confident he could strike Zhang Ziqian down before Xiang Qin could act.

Xiang Qin giggled: "You don't dare!" Her expression was full of confidence.

Hu Xiaotian said intriguingly: "Why are you so certain?"

Xiang Qin said: "If you dare to harm Sir Zhang, Zhou Wenju will not survive."

Hearing her mention Zhou Wenju's name, Hu Xiaotian's heart sank; although Xiang Qin appears foolish, she is actually very cunning, using Zhou Wenju to blackmail him, clearly having spotted his weakness—Zhou Wenju once saved his life—and he cannot let Zhou Wenju suffer because of him.

Hu Xiaotian nodded: "That reason is more than sufficient; in fact, I have never harbored any ill will toward Sir Zhang."

Xiang Qin said: "Where have you been hiding these past few days, Sir Hu? My young lady has been searching everywhere for you."

Hu Xiaotian asked, feigning ignorance: "Which young lady is yours?"

Xiang Qin said: "Sir Zhang, may I borrow your place for a private word with Sir Hu?"

Zhang Ziqian smiled: "You two are really stealing the show, but fine—I'll lend you this study; just one condition: under no circumstances damage my book collection."

Zhang Ziqian, too, is an old fox; at times like this, leaving is obviously the best move, and Hu Xiaotian's arrival today bodes ill—those who come are not good, and the good do not come.

However, Hu Xiaotian had no intention of stopping him; after Zhang Ziqian left, Hu Xiaotian calmly said: "Wuxian Sect, Huan Cai Ge, Zhong Xiang Lou, Li Tianheng—what exactly is the relationship among them?"

Xiang Qin said: "Huan Cai Ge and Zhong Xiang Lou both belong to the Wuxian Sect, and Li Tianheng shares a deep friendship with our sect leader; does that make it clearer?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "Most martial sects keep away from the court, so it's rare to find one as politically active as the Wuxian Sect."

Xiang Qin said: "My young lady wishes to see you."

Hu Xiaotian scoffed: "Why should I see her? I'm in a bad mood today. We'll talk another day!" He rose to leave, but Xiang Qin blocked his path, coldly saying: "You'd better not make things difficult for me."

Hu Xiaotian said: "What can you do to me?"

Xiang Qin suddenly threw a punch at Hu Xiaotian's chest, her strike swift and fierce, with no warning.

Hu Xiaotian, however, had anticipated her move; he slid his right foot outward, executing the Dog-Dodging Eighteen Steps. Xiang Qin's punch missed, and Hu Xiaotian had already retreated to the bookshelf. He snorted, took a big step forward, his footfall shattering the blue bricks beneath him inch by inch, like a tiger bursting from a gate; his hands turned into tiger claws, he lunged forward, ten gusts of force tearing the air, his short, thick fingers possessing the power to rend anything.

In the narrow study, Hu Xiaotian's agile movements like a monkey allowed him to dodge Xiang Qin's attack again; her claws missed their mark and struck the front bookshelf, leaving ten shocking claw marks; with a boom, the bookshelf split in half and the books above tumbled down.

As Zhang Ziqian had just stepped out of the study, he heard the earth-shaking roar; his face fell grim. He suddenly realized he had made a mistake: if he hadn't said that line when leaving, perhaps nothing would have happened, but Hu Xiaotian surely provoked Xiang Qin on purpose, wrecking his study just to make him feel the loss.

Few women practice hard external martial arts, and Xiang Qin is exactly one of them, her technique exceptionally domineering. Because Hu Xiaotian was injured last night by Guo Zhenhai, deputy commander of the Da Yong Golden Scale Guard, he did not meet her force with force today, but used his agile footwork to weave through the study; although Xiang Qin's assault came like a wave, fierce and tiger-like, she never so much as touched a corner of his clothing, instead mistakenly striking many targets, leaving the study in utter disarray.

Xiang Qin finally realized her footwork was far inferior to Hu Xiaotian's; she halted her attack, stood there panting—not from exhaustion but from anger at being toyed with—and through gritted teeth said: "If you've got the guts, don't run!"

Hu Xiaotian said: "If you don't chase me, I won't run; you said your young lady wants to see me—are you really going to use this method to summon me?" He glanced around the chaotic study: "Sis, it seems you've forgotten Mr. Zhang's instructions—these books are his dearest treasures."

Only then did Xiang Qin understand that Hu Xiaotian had deliberately provoked her; his true aim was to overturn the study and make a mess, thereby teasing Zhang Ziqian, and she had fallen for his scheme. She angrily nodded: "Come with me!"

Hu Xiaotian said: "Although I agreed to meet her, the venue must be chosen by me; in an hour I'll go to Zhong Xiang Lou to find her."

Xiang Qin said: "But—"

Hu Xiaotian cut her off: "No room for negotiation; tell her to stop scheming against me, or I won't be polite." Having spoken, he leapt up, burst through the latticed window, and rushed out of the study.

Xiang Qin did not pursue; at that moment Zhang Ziqian turned back and appeared at the study's door, gazing at the utterly ruined room, he beat his chest and stamped his feet: "How did you two turn my study into this…"

Xi Yan sat quietly in the back garden of Zhong Xiang Lou; the courtyard was empty save for her, a gentle breeze stirred her long black hair, flowing like silk, her clear eyes rippled slightly as she gazed toward the gate and said: "Since you've come, why not show yourself?"

Hu Xiaotian walked in through the gate without disguise, entering openly through the main door, which also shows that the Li clan of Xichuan has not launched a manhunt against him. Perhaps Li Tianheng, recalling past ties with the Hu family, has turned a blind eye, or perhaps in others' eyes he was never that important to begin with.

Xi Yan gazed at Hu Xiaotian, a knowing smile blooming on her lovely face, radiant as peach and plum; Hu Xiaotian, however, inwardly sighed: although she is beautiful, her heart is serpentine—this girl, true to her Wuxian Sect upbringing, acts without regard for means.

Xi Yan said: "I thought you were just deceiving me, too scared to come."

Hu Xiaotian said: "Is there any need for that?"

Xi Yan pointed to the pavilion: "Sit, I'll make you tea."

Hu Xiaotian smiled: "Thanks, but I'd rather not."

"Are you afraid I'll poison you?"

Hu Xiaotian openly nodded: "Yes!"

Xi Yan sighed: "You've known me this long—when have I ever harmed you?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "Anyway, I've never taken advantage of you."

At his remark, Xi Yan giggled and spat: "Annoying!" With a hint of playful anger and endless charm, she leaned closer to Hu Xiaotian and asked: "What do you want from me?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "Isn't it you who wanted to see me?"

Xi Yan said: "Could it be that you don't even have the slightest desire to see me?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "I can't spare the thought; my mind is full of how to leave this place of right and wrong."

Xi Yan said: "You can leave whenever you want; there's no plot against you, but if you go like this, you might regret it."

Hu Xiaotian said: "What regret?" He thought to himself: even if I never see you again in this lifetime, I won't have any regret.

Xi Yan said: "You should know Zhou Wenju, right?"

Hearing her mention Zhou Wenju, Hu Xiaotian's heart sank; he coldly said: "If you want to target me, come at me directly; if you dare involve the innocent, I will not…"

"How so?" Xi Yan thrust her prominent chest forward, showing no fear.

Hu Xiaotian swallowed and said: "Isn't using such tactics a bit underhanded?"

Xi Yan sneered: "Victors become kings, losers become bandits; as long as the goal is achieved, why quibble over methods? You've made it this far—do you dare claim you've always been upright? Do you dare say everything you've done is honorable and above board?"

Hu Xiaotian was left speechless by her question, he sighed and said, "What did you do to Mr. Zhou?" Zhou Wenju had once sacrificed himself to save him in Harmony Prefecture; Hu Xiaotian had always felt indebted to him; if he got into trouble, Hu Xiaotian would do everything possible to rescue him; Xi Yan had clearly figured this out, and just now used Zhou Wenju to blackmail him.

Xi Yan said: "It's not that I did something to him, but rather someone got injured and must be rescued by him; if he lacks the strength to save that person's life, then he must be buried with that person."

Hu Xiaotian was startled upon hearing this; could the person Xi Yan spoke of be Li Tianheng? (To be continued~^~)