Chapter 1270

Hu Xiaotian said: "I don't really know what she's thinking, and as for whether she wanted to kill Li Chen Zhou at the banquet, we never discussed it beforehand; I thought she wanted to get rid of me by using someone else's hands." Everything Hu Xiaotian said was true; whether he or Li Chen Zhou was injured or killed, Xue Lingjun would suffer no loss.

Yan Dongsheng sighed and said: "Now I finally understand; this matter was originally my mistake."

Hu Xiaotian said: "I, a commoner, have a friend who entrusted me to deliver a letter to the Prince." He then handed over the letter that Yan Tianlu had asked him to forward to Yan Dongsheng.

Yan Dongsheng opened the letter, read it by the lamp, and upon finishing could not help but let out a long, lonely sigh. For years he had regarded Yan Tianlu as a bone‑deep parasite, a thorn in his flesh, wanting to be rid of him quickly, even sacrificing his own interests to seek aid from Da Yong; yet this time he had almost invited a wolf into his house and made a grave mistake.

Although Yan Dongsheng was not a capable ruler, he was not foolish. As the ruler of a small state, his first concern was survival, then other matters. All along his greatest worry had been Yan Tianlu overthrowing his throne, but now he finally understood that the true danger was Da Yong.

Yan Dongsheng said: "Help me reply to him; I agree to his request."

Hu Xiaotian smiled and said: "Prince, you are truly a wise ruler of the age."

Yan Dongsheng shook his head and said: "Although I am not a sage ruler, I also know that Bohai's survival to this day is no easy feat; this incident has made me understand one principle: a nation's survival and prosperity must never rely on external forces. The greediest thing under heaven is the human heart—if one has no ulterior motive, who would help you?"

Hu Xiaotian laughed and said: "It's best if the Prince thinks that way."

Yan Dongsheng said: "Why are you getting involved in this matter?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "Does the Prince wish to see a chaotic Da Yong or a stable Da Yong?"

Yan Dongsheng smiled, but did not answer Hu Xiaotian's question; however, an answer immediately came to mind. He naturally hoped that Da Yong would be as chaotic as possible, for only a turbulent Da Yong posed no threat to Bohai. Initially Bohai had submitted to Dakang, but after Dakang's decline, Bohai had completely freed itself from Dakang's control.

Hu Xiaotian said: "The Central Plains are not far from the day of great turmoil!"

Yan Dongsheng's eyes lit up; to him this was good news.

Hu Xiaotian said: "Bohai is far from the Central Plains. Although its territory is limited and its population small, it has stood by the Eastern Sea for hundreds of years, benefiting from the fact that the Central Plains plunge into war every few years, while Bohai, being distant from the mainland, rarely suffers from the flames of war. If the Prince harbors ambitions of hegemony, the present moment is an excellent opportunity."

Yan Dongsheng gave a wry smile and said: "I have never thought of contending for all under heaven, nor of chasing the deer in the Central Plains; as long as I can keep my people safe and content, my heart is already satisfied."

Hu Xiaotian said: "The Prince should know that a single log cannot support a bridge."

Yan Dongsheng said: "Seeking help from others, one fears ultimately being designed by them."

Hu Xiaotian smiled and said: "A great disparity in strength can only make one a vassal of others; but if the strengths are comparable, we can join forces to resist the powerful, not seeking to dominate the world, only to survive in troubled times."

Yan Dongsheng said: "You mean!"

Hu Xiaotian said: "Has the Prince considered forming an alliance with Dongliang Jun, to be friendly states?"

Yan Dongsheng naturally knew that the person before him was Hu Xiaotian. Hu Xiaotian had already taken the initiative to extend an olive branch. He pondered and then raised a realistic, mundane question: "What benefit could I gain?"

Hu Xiaotian smiled and said: "It could bring peace to the maritime region. You and the Python Flood Dragon Island also need someone to mediate between you; for now, only Dongliang Jun can maintain that balance, which would be beneficial to both Bohai and Python Flood Dragon Island."

Yan Dongsheng said: "How can I know that you won't join forces against me in the future?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "Who knows what the future holds? Before I came here, I never imagined that you and I would talk in this way. Only a partnership built on comparable strength and mutual complementarity can endure. Your Highness, think carefully: if you still wish to rely on Da Yong's protection of Bohai, then pretend I never said these words."

Yan Dongsheng didn't wait for Hu Xiaotian to finish; he already reached out his hand.

Hu Xiaotian was slightly taken aback, not expecting such a swift response; he smiled and grasped Yan Dongsheng's right hand.

Yan Dongsheng said: "Are you Hu Xiaotian?"

Hu Xiaotian slowly removed the mask from his face.

Yan Dongsheng saw him finally reveal his true visage, and a smile appeared on his face: "I have long heard of your name, and I greatly admire your courage and bearing."

Hu Xiaotian said: "Your Highness, you flatter me!"

Yan Dongsheng said: "I hope Sir Hu will remember our agreement today; if you keep your word, I will certainly not act treacherously."

Li Chen Zhou had already left Bohai that night; Hu Xiaotian heard the news and was not surprised. For someone as clever as Li Chen Zhou, once he sensed the situation turning unfavorable, he would withdraw immediately.

Hu Xiaotian suffered no loss, nor did the Python Flood Dragon Island, and even Bohai incurred little damage.

The case of Yuan Tianzhao, which had originally caused a huge sensation nationwide, ended with Yuan Tianzhao being reduced to commoner status; even he received a lenient punishment, so others naturally were not heavily implicated. Ling Saniang also walked out of the great prison intact, but as soon as she left she was intercepted by someone, and thereafter she could no longer lurk in Bohai to gather intelligence.

Upon learning that Li Chen Zhou had withdrawn overnight, Xue Lingjun still felt some regret, thinking that Hu Xiaotian should have used the plan against him and killed Li Chen Zhou then. But when Xue Lingjun returned to Zhichunyuan the next day, intending to give Hu Xiaotian a good scolding, she found the place deserted—Hu Xiaotian had gone, and not a single person remained in the grand Zhichunyuan. Gazing at the empty courtyard, Xue Lingjun felt a sudden void in her heart; with her intellect, she naturally understood that Hu Xiaotian was expressing his dissatisfaction and protest through this silence. Some men cannot be used, and Xue Lingjun even began to doubt whether she had done something foolish.

While Xue Lingjun stood in Zhichunyuan, feeling lost and wandering, Hu Xiaotian was drinking at Xiankelai, with Li Mingju as the host.

Brother Hu, are you leaving today?

Hu Xiaotian nodded.

Li Mingju had not yet emerged from the shadow of his father's death; if it weren't for seeing Hu Xiaotian off, he would still be keeping vigil at his father's grave. Li Mingju said: "I never expected time to pass so quickly; I haven't even had a chance to properly catch up with Brother Hu, and already it's time to part."

Hu Xiaotian smiled and said: "I and Brother Mingju hit it off at first sight; Bohai's customs are simple and its scenery pleasant, and I would like to stay a few more days, but my family affairs are complicated, and having been away too long I must return to check on them."

Li Mingju nodded and said: "Seeing a friend off a thousand miles still ends in farewell; burdened by filial duty, I cannot accompany you far, so I offer this cup of light wine as a send‑off for Brother Hu."

After thanking him, Hu Xiaotian drank the cup and softly asked: "Brother Mingju, what are your plans for the future?"

Li Mingju sighed and said: "No particular plans; I'll take things step by step." For now he only wants to finish his mourning period; other matters have not yet been considered. After Hu Xiaotian's question, he began to think, perhaps the next step should be to avenge his father—but as a frail scholar, what could he use to take revenge?

Hu Xiaotian said: "With Brother Mingju's talent, securing a minor official post in the court is not difficult, and his future achievements will be limitless."

Li Mingju shook his head and said: "My father did not die directly at the hands of the court, but if it weren't for the Prince's sake, my father would not have——" He choked up at that point.

Hu Xiaotian comforted him: "Sir Li has passed away; even if he knows in the afterlife, he would not want you to be overly grief‑stricken. I believe Sir Li certainly wishes to see you display your talents and bring honor to your ancestors."

Li Mingju said: "Let things take their course!"

Seeing Li Mingju so dejected, Hu Xiaotian felt a sudden stir and whispered: "If Brother Mingju does not despise me, would he be willing to come to the Central Plains to start anew?"

Li Mingju's eyes lit up; the Central Plains was a place he had long wanted to go, and if it weren't for worrying about his father being alone, he would already have set foot there—Bohai's territory is simply too narrow to allow him to expand his ambitions and aspirations.

Hu Xiaotian said: "If Brother Mingju comes to the Central Plains, he can seek me out in Dongliang Jun."

Li Mingju said: "After I finish my mourning period……"

Hu Xiaotian said: "Actually, some things need not be mere formalities; what matters most is keeping them in the heart."

Yongdu's largest Juobaozhai also began an inventory and reorganization; Prince Yan Xue Shengjing stood outside the gate, gazing at the signboard of Juobaozhai, his small eyes revealing a faint sorrow. Witnessing the fruits of his years of labor suddenly change hands, he felt as if his very blood had been drained—saying he felt no loss would obviously be false.

Although Xue Shengjing had successfully weathered the crisis this time, he was ultimately played by Empress Dowager Jiang—his own mother. Whenever he thought of it, his heart felt as if whipped, a pain that pierced to the marrow.

Eunuch Dong appeared outside the gate of Juobaozhai; this takeover of Juobaozhai was Empress Dowager Jiang's idea, so she specially assigned him to oversee it. Upon seeing Xue Shengjing, Eunuch Dong approached, swaying with each step.

Xue Shengjing's small eyes immediately narrowed, and he put on a beaming smile: "Eunuch Dong!"

Eunuch Dong gave a hehe laugh and said: "Prince Yan!"

The two stood together, their gazes simultaneously fixed on the sign of Juobaozhai; Eunuch Dong gave Xue Shengjing a meaningful glance and said: "Prince, are you perhaps reluctant to part with it?"

Xue Shengjing said: "Wealth to me is merely an external thing—what is there to be reluctant about?" Though he put on a brave front, his face clearly showed the ache.

Eunuch Dong laughed and said: "That's right, gold, silver, and jewels—you can't bring them when you're born, you can't take them when you die; they're not as solid as a steamed bun."

Xue Shengjing silently cursed this guy for talking while standing without a backache, and whispered: "What does the Empress Mother say?"

Eunuch Dong said: "I'm praising you for understanding the big picture and looking after the overall situation."

Xue Shengjing let out an "oh". (To be continued~^~)