Chapter 1045

Hu Xiaotian calmly said: "Your Majesty ordered this subject to go to Xichuan to congratulate Li Tianheng on his birthday; I obeyed the edict. Your Majesty ordered this subject to personally deliver the edict and appoint Li Tianheng as king; I also did so. Regarding the two matters Your Majesty entrusted to me, I dare not say I have fully satisfied Your Majesty, but I ask myself whether I have been diligent and without defiance; as for the outcome, it is not within my control. If Your Majesty blames me for this, I have nothing to say."

"You disagree?"

Hu Xiaotian frankly said: "I disagree!"

Long Xuan'en walked down a few steps, stood in the middle of the stairs, looking down at Hu Xiaotian kneeling below. Hu Xiaotian's peripheral vision swept to where Long Xuan'en stood; the old emperor had entered his killing range—if he hardened his heart, he could certainly make this country‑ruining, people‑harming old turtle spill blood five paces away and die. Hu Xiaotian for the first time conceived the idea of killing Long Xuan'en, but reason told him that killing Long Xuan'en now would bring him no benefit.

Long Xuan'en said: "Good, then I ask you, you went to Xichuan to confer kingship, why did you not publicly read the edict at Li Tianheng's birthday banquet?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "Your Majesty only ordered this subject to go to Xichuan to confer kingship, and did not order me to definitely read the edict at the birthday banquet; I had not yet reached Xichuan when the conferral of kingship was already noisily spread, I do not know the content of the edict, nor would I leak the purpose of this trip; may I ask Your Majesty, who exactly leaked the content of the edict?"

Long Xuan'en angrily said: "Are you suspecting that I leaked this matter?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "I dare not suspect Your Majesty; Your Majesty would certainly not stoop to such petty tricks, but those around Your Majesty may not all be reliable." His remark caused the palace attendants beside Long Xuan'en to glance sideways, secretly cursing Hu Xiaotian for dragging them in as well.

Long Xuan'en said: "Alright, let this matter rest for now; I also ask you, after Li Tianheng was assassinated and his life hung in the balance, why did you intervene to save him?"

Hu Xiaotian's heart skipped a beat; he had clearly saved the Prince of Zhou, not Li Tianheng, so why would the old emperor ask this? To plot a frame‑up, to add a crime—there is no lack of excuses. Hu Xiaotian said: "I do not know where this rumor came from. When I was sent as an envoy to Da Yong, people already said I had rescued the emperor of Da Yong; now, on my way to Xichuan, others say I rescued Li Tianheng. I have no such ability; in others' descriptions I have practically become a living bodhisattva who saves the suffering."

Long Xuan'en coldly said: "My information will not be wrong."

"Originally Your Majesty does not trust this subject; if so, why entrust me with such an important task?"

Long Xuan'en said: "I had high hopes for you. I never expected you to obey outwardly but defy inwardly; what you have done truly disappoints me to the utmost!" He took another step forward: "And your father, Hu Buwei, under the pretense of opening the sea route, has now taken the fleet and fled without a trace—are you father and son playing me?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "I dare not. I believe my father would not dare either; we serve Your Majesty with loyal, fervent hearts. If we harbored any disloyalty, let alone disappointing Your Majesty's favor, we would also shame the loyal and heroic Hu clan, generations of brilliance. If I had any disloyalty, why return to the capital? Staying in Xichuan as Li Tianheng's son‑in‑law would be better."

"You!" Long Xuan'en was left somewhat speechless by this fellow's glib retort.

Hu Xiaotian said: "Your Majesty, before I left Xichuan, Li Tianheng repeatedly brought up our former marriage pact, urging me to stay in Xichuan; I righteously refused his terms, for I could not betray Your Majesty's kindness to our Hu clan; yet I never expected Your Majesty to suspect me in every way, my heart feels like a knife cut; I beg Your Majesty to grant me death, and I can only prove my innocence by dying."

Long Xuan'en coldly snorted: "Do you think I really dare not kill you?"

Hu Xiaotian's heart sank; Long Xuan'en had wanted to kill him in Xichuan, and now back in Kangdu, it cannot be ruled out that he, enraged and ashamed, might kill Hu Xiaotian to vent his anger. Hu Xiaotian secretly thought, "If you dare give the order, I'll stop at nothing—I'll kill you, this old turtle, first." He quietly gathered his strength, poised to strike.

Outside the palace gate suddenly came an angry voice: "Get lost! Let me in!" It was Qiqi, who had received the news and rushed over.

Hu Xiaotian breathed a sigh of relief from the bottom of his heart; fortunately Qiqi arrived in time, otherwise he and the old emperor might have been forced to show their swords. Although he was confident he could kill Long Xuan'en, he did not have enough confidence to escape the palace; Mu Rongzhan's martial arts are unfathomable, and together with the palace experts around him, though his inner strength is strong, he still lacks practical combat experience; facing many with few, his chances of victory are slim.

Qiqi rushed in from outside, followed by a group of palace guards stationed at the gate; Long Xuan'en's face darkened, he fiercely glared at Mu Rongzhan, who lowered his head somewhat ashamedly. In fact, with their strength they could easily stop the little princess, but they were clearly intimidated by Qiqi's aura, so they did not dare to truly block her; of course, it is also possible that Mu Rongzhan deliberately gave Hu Xiaotian a favor.

Qiqi came before Long Xuan'en and angrily said: "Your Majesty, why is this?"

Long Xuan'en rarely lost his temper with Qiqi, shouting: "Without my order, you actually barged into Xuanweigong; do you still have me in your eyes, you girl?"

Qiqi showed no fear on her face, refusing to yield: "Hu Xiaotian is my fiancé; if you want to kill him, kill me together with him, only then can you truly be a lonely widow."

"Impudent!" Long Xuan'en flew into a rage, his beard and hair bristling with anger; his imperial wrath was indeed formidable, terrifying the palace attendants into trembling fear, each one dropping to their knees in panic.

Long Xuan'en looked at Qiqi, but pointed his finger at Hu Xiaotian and said: "Do you know that Hu Buwei leading the fleet never went to Luo Song; after three months at sea, Luo Song has received no news of their arrival?"

Qiqi's expression showed astonishment; although Hu Xiaotian had long been prepared for all this, he still felt a jolt in his heart—his father had not gone to Luo Song, so where had he gone? Even if he had made plans early, there were still Xiao Tianmu, Zhan Peng, and Murong Feiyan on the ship; no one says it, but his second brother Xiao Tianmu is a man of profound learning, extraordinarily wise—how could he be easily controlled by his father? Where exactly did they go? What exactly happened among them?

Qiqi said: "Is this really true?"

Long Xuan'en slowly nodded: "The information will not be wrong."

Qiqi said: "Even so, what does this have to do with Hu Xiaotian?"

Long Xuan'en said: "They father and son are clearly colluding, intending harm to Dakang."

Qiqi said: "If Hu Xiaotian truly knew the details, why would he still return from Xichuan? Your Majesty, you must never listen to slander; I, Qiqi, am willing to stake my life to guarantee Hu Xiaotian's loyalty—if he harbors the slightest disloyalty, I am ready to die together with him in apology!" She knelt beside Hu Xiaotian.

Although Hu Xiaotian knew Qiqi's defense of him had her own motives, his heart still felt moved; Qiqi, Qiqi, my engagement to you was not in vain—at the crucial moment you still know how to protect one's own kin.

Long Xuan'en's gaze lingered on Qiqi for a long while before he said: "Hope he is worth your protection." He wearily waved his hand: "Step back; I am tired."

Hu Xiaotian followed Qiqi out of Xuanweigong; outside, seeing no one around, he respectfully said: "Thank you, Princess, for saving my life."

Qiqi looked at Hu Xiaotian, sighed, and said: "I will send you back."

Sitting in Qiqi's carriage leaving the palace, Hu Xiaotian's heart was uneasy—not only because he had just escaped death, but also because he worried about his mother's illness. A soft, warm small hand covered the back of his; it was Qiqi holding his hand, comforting him: "You need not worry; Lady Hu will be fine."

Hu Xiaotian forced a smile, whispered: "There is something I must tell you—my mother's illness may be related to my father."

Qiqi said: "Has Official Hu not returned?" She, sharp as ice and snow, already guessed the implication from Hu Xiaotian's words.

Hu Xiaotian shook his head: "I don't know either; I hope nothing happens at sea." The fleet has had no news so far; there are two possibilities: either Hu Buwei led the fleet to change course for another destination, or the fleet encountered a storm at sea; compared, Hu Xiaotian would prefer the former.

Qiqi said: "If this sea route cannot be opened, Dakang may be doomed..." This was the first time she had shown such pessimism in front of Hu Xiaotian.

Gazing at Qiqi's suddenly pallid face, her sorrowful, helpless eyes, Hu Xiaotian felt a sudden pang of pity from the depths of his heart; he whispered: "The emperor's order for me to go to Xichuan and confer kingship on Li Tianheng is actually a trap."

Qiqi nodded: "I guessed as much!"

"Then why didn't you stop it?"

Qiqi said: "I thought he treated me decently; I could not be sure whether he would plot such a scheme behind my back, and furthermore…" She paused, her hand leaving the back of Hu Xiaotian's hand, fingers intertwining, showing some guilt: "At that time I also believed that only by retaking Xichuan could Dakang be saved, so… so…"

"So you just let this happen without warning me?" Hu Xiaotian's tone was very calm.

Qiqi nodded, bit her cherry lips, and said: "Will you blame me?"

Hu Xiaotian shook his head: "You are thinking of Dakang; remember you once said that for Dakang even sacrificing your own life would not be too much, let alone my life?"

In Qiqi's beautiful eyes appeared an expression of deep remorse; she quietly glanced at Hu Xiaotian's complexion: "Actually, after you left I regretted it, but I could not convince myself; whether you believe it or not, deep down I hope you return safe and sound."

Hu Xiaotian said: "Believe!"

His answer left Qiqi astonished; she lifted her lovely eyes, half‑believing, half‑doubting, and gazed at him: "You believe?"

Hu Xiaotian nodded: "Because in this world, aside from me, you hardly have any friends."

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