Chapter 1059: Re‑exploring the Waters (Part I)

Li Yuncong chuckled: "Lord Hu, you are indeed exceptionally clever."

Hu Xiaotian silently cursed: "Everyone's saying this so obviously, I'm not an idiot—how could I not hear it?"

Li Yuncong said: "Although the Miscellaneous School's medical skills aren't superb, I'm still quite confident in pulse diagnosis; the Eldest Princess should be recently pregnant, something the Miscellaneous School naturally wouldn't disclose, and at the time I was puzzled as to who the culprit really was."

Hu Xiaotian thought bitterly: "Why bother pretending? Just say it's my old man."

Li Yuncong said: "After I returned to Dakang and gradually forgot this matter, later I heard the Eldest Princess had given Tianxiang Kingdom a little prince; learning the child's birth date, I calculated back and discovered the prince was actually born after nine months, supposedly premature."

Hu Xiaotian felt like thunder rolling, a melodramatic mess—even adding up his past life he'd never encountered such a dog‑blood story; nearly every absurd thing under heaven seemed to happen to him alone—was this fortune or misfortune? Definitely misfortune; suddenly he was struck from the register of only children, and after all this he still had a half‑brother sharing the same father.

Li Yuncong said: "Royal affairs, the Miscellaneous School couldn't care less; as for that Eldest Princess, she's also a remarkably clever person, yet I don't know how she concealed this so flawlessly—not only did she give birth to this son smoothly, but she also made the Tianxiang Kingdom's crown prince dote on her extra; later the crown prince naturally inherited the throne, and she became Tianxiang Kingdom's empress. The Tianxiang Kingdom emperor reigned six years before dying of a sudden illness; the crown prince Yang Longjing was then seven, too young to hold real power, and at the time a clique of royal relatives coveted the throne, but Long Xuanjiao forcibly overruled opposition, letting her son Yang Longjing ascend. She then ruled from behind the curtain, and to this day Tianxiang Kingdom's power remains in her hands."

Hu Xiaotian nodded: "Tianxiang Kingdom is just a small state; back then they surely yielded to Dakang's strength, which is why they treated mother and son so well."

Li Yuncong laughed: "You're wrong—the emperor doesn't care about her affairs; Long Xuanjiao's position today rests entirely on her own abilities."

Hu Xiaotian finally understood somewhat: his father and Long Xuanjiao were old lovers, they had a healthy son together, and for all these years his mother had been kept in the dark; his father never thought of doing anything for them, truly wanting only to protect his other family, and with Li Tianheng preparing to rise up and overthrow the Dakang Court, also to expand territory for himself and Long Xuanjiao's son. Thinking this, Hu Xiaotian felt a sour pang—not for himself, but for his mother's wasted life.

Li Yuncong sighed: "In this world, eight or nine out of ten things go against your wishes; you needn't take it too much to heart."

Hu Xiaotian said: "You just said my father's zither skill is superb—how come I've never heard him play?"

Li Yuncong said: "When my father escorted the bride back, he never played the zither again; he played only for a kindred spirit, perhaps he felt there was no kindred spirit left around him, so he stopped playing altogether."

Hu Xiaotian poured a bowl of wine, drank it all in one go, laughed loudly, stood up, and after listening to Li Yuncong's words his heart suddenly opened wide. Since his father had long ceased to care for him or this household, why should he still care? You aren't trying to reunite with Long Xuanjiao and your precious son to live happily ever after—I won't let you have your way; I'll make you taste the bitter wine you brewed. A man should stand on his own; aside from this body, I and my Hu surname originally had no relation to you.

Relying on the Five-Colored Coiling Dragon Gold Plaque in his hand, Hu Xiaotian moved freely in the palace; leaving the Cangshuge, he saw Quan De'an waiting at the crossroads and smiled: "Eunuch Quan, you're waiting for me?"

Quan De'an nodded: "The Princess awaits you in the Zilan Palace." His gaze flicked toward the Cangshuge, full of inquiry.

Hu Xiaotian said: "I'm coming to say farewell to Eunuch Li—he has shown me kindness."

Quan De'an walked forward silently.

Hu Xiaotian noticed Quan De'an's legs becoming increasingly agile; if not for having personally cut off his right leg, he could hardly believe this was a man missing a leg, and couldn't help but say: "Eunuch Quan, your legs are getting nimbler."

Quan De'an said: "Mr. Hong gave me a prosthetic leg, much lighter than before."

Hu Xiaotian nodded, setting aside Mr. Hong's position—this man truly is a rare talent; recalling that Mr. Hong's current abilities all came from Chu Fufeng, who in life could truly be called a scholar of heaven and man, such a remarkable figure—could he too have crossed over like me?

As Hu Xiaotian was wandering in thought, Quan De'an asked: "Will you still come back?"

Hu Xiaotian smiled: "As long as I'm alive, I'll definitely return."

Quan De'an said: "The Princess cares deeply for you!" He usually speaks little, gets straight to the point, but has already expressed what he meant.

Hu Xiaotian secretly mused: Qiqi truly cares only about power; this little girl is ambitious, always wanting to become Dakang's empress; this time the old emperor sent me away from her side to weaken her influence—she must be feeling terribly disappointed.

Arriving at the Zilan Palace, I actually heard a clear, pleasant zither melody; within the tune I sensed the flavor of flowing waters and high mountains. Hu Xiaotian entered the chamber and saw Qiqi sitting there playing the zither; moreover, the girl played quite well. Hu Xiaotian didn't rush to disturb her, stood behind her listening to her finish a piece, then broke into applause.

Qiqi didn't turn around but already knew Hu Xiaotian had arrived, and softly said: "Does it feel like flying out of a cage? Surely your heart is blossoming now?"

Hu Xiaotian smiled: "I really have nothing to be happy about; the sovereign orders a minister to die, the minister cannot disobey, and I dare not defy the emperor's command."

Qiqi suddenly turned, glaring at Hu Xiaotian: "He tells you to eat dung—do you go eat it?"

Hu Xiaotian sighed: "Your Highness, mind your image."

Qiqi snapped: "I spit on your image—I finally figured it out: you deliberately had me raise the fief‑division plan before him, actually just to make him suspicious of me."

Hu Xiaotian said: "You're overthinking it; women sometimes are too clever for their own good, and besides you're still just a girl." His gaze swept over Qiqi's flat chest.

Qiqi's phoenix eyes widened: "Don't think a beard lets you pose as an elder before me! Come on! Someone shave his beard off!"

Immediately several palace maids and eunuchs rushed in from outside, each staring at Hu Xiaotian with tiger‑like eyes.

Hu Xiaotian really didn't know whether to laugh or cry: "Come on, why play this childish game?"

Qiqi said: "If you don't obediently follow my orders, I'll have them shave your hair, eyebrows, and every strand of body hair clean off."

Hu Xiaotian shrank his neck, startled: "That's ruthless—fine, I agree to your demand; I'll do it myself, no need for them to lift a finger."

Qiqi waved her hand; a little eunuch brought a tray holding a razor—clearly she'd prepared this in advance.

Hu Xiaotian said: "At least give me a basin of hot water!"

Qiqi held up a mirror; Hu Xiaotian quickly shaved his beard clean off in front of the mirror, felt his smooth chin, and clicked his tongue in praise: "Not bad, really—much more handsome."

"A horse doesn't know its own face!" Qiqi remarked from the side, though she seemed to have calmed down.

Hu Xiaotian washed his face, took the handkerchief Qiqi handed him, and felt truly honored to be attended by the reigning princess.

Qiqi asked: "Did you go drink with Li Yuncong?"

Hu Xiaotian nodded: "This trip to Dongliang Jun—short term a year and a half, long term three to five years—I need to bid farewell to some old acquaintances in the palace; I've mixed here so long, I still have a few friends."

Qiqi said: "You're saying I have no friends?"

Hu Xiaotian gave a wry smile: "Your Highness, too many schemes aren't a good thing either."

Qiqi said: "You won't be returning tonight."

Hu Xiaotian felt his scalp tingle upon hearing this—apparently royal bloodlines are rather open; Qiqi, how old are you, to actually propose I stay the night? He coughed dryly: "Isn't that improper? Though we're engaged, you haven't yet crossed the threshold..."

Qiqi glared at him: "What are you thinking? I'm asking you to stay because there's business." Her cheeks flushed; she was now at the age of blossoming, just beginning to grasp matters between men and women, and hearing Hu Xiaotian say this made her blush uncontrollably.

Hu Xiaotian said: "What business?"

Qiqi said: "Do you remember when we went together to the bottom of Piaomiao Mountain?"

Hu Xiaotian nodded repeatedly.

Qiqi said: "I want you to accompany me there again."

Hu Xiaotian said: "Haven't we already searched it thoroughly?"

Qiqi said: "Don't worry about that—just come with me again."

Hu Xiaotian nodded: "Since the Princess commands, I must obey, even at the cost of my life—but having me stay overnight in the Zilan Palace seems improper; word would get out and damage your reputation."

Qiqi said: "Who said you're staying here? Get lost to the Office of the Imperial Gardens and rest there; at midnight, come to this dry well to meet me."

Hu Xiaotian said: "Going there would more easily arouse suspicion—after all I'm no longer in the Office of the Imperial Gardens; better I just stay in the Zilan Palace."

Qiqi snapped: "Get lost—I don't want you lingering here; you don't care about your reputation, but I still do."

Hu Xiaotian was just teasing her, chuckling: "Fine, you tell me to go, so I go."

Qiqi again called out to him, saying: "Hey, don't forget!"

Hu Xiaotian nodded and said: "I know!"

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