Chapter 1286

Shi Xuedong said: "Brother, you look unhappy. The Yongyang Princess has now become a peerless beauty, no longer the naive little girl she once was; your blessings are boundless, making me envy you to death." Only when discussing this topic does Shi Xuedong reveal his lewd true nature, and Hu Xiaotian therefore believes that his undescended testis should still have some function.

Hu Xiaotian said: "Marriage is naturally a good thing, but the Emperor's motive is not merely to let us marry."

Shi Xuedong said in a low voice: "You mean the Emperor is using the pretext of your marriage to lure you back to Kangdu?"

Hu Xiaotian smiled without speaking; even a three-year-old could see this, and he didn't believe Shi Xuedong couldn't see through it.

Shi Xuedong said: "So you're just not going back, then?"

Hu Xiaotian lifted his teacup and took a sip of tea.

Shi Xuedong said: "Not returning is defying the imperial decree, equivalent to openly tearing up the marriage pact, giving the Emperor a reason to reclaim your military authority and territory."

Hu Xiaotian said: "Did I say I wouldn't go back?"

Shi Xuedong said: "But if you do go back, what if the Emperor truly intends harm to you?"

Hu Xiaotian smiled narrowly: "Big brother, don't worry; help me reply to the Emperor—I will return to Kangdu before the wedding date on May sixteenth."

Shi Xuedong never expected Hu Xiaotian to agree so readily; he sighed and said: "Brother, you must think carefully before acting!"

Hu Xiaotian said: "I ask myself, I have done nothing wrong to the court; the Emperor arranging my marriage is a good thing. If I refuse to go, I would lose face before the world. I believe the Emperor would not use this to harm me, for he is the ruler of a nation; if he truly did such a thing, wouldn't he be laughed at by all under heaven?"

Seeing Hu Xiaotian speak so firmly, Shi Xuedong could only sigh; he knew Hu Xiaotian somewhat, aware that once he made a decision, it would not be changed.

"Are you really going to Kangdu?" Zhuge Guanqi said, his tone light and calm, his expression not at all surprised, as if he had long anticipated Hu Xiaotian would make this choice.

Hu Xiaotian said: "It seems I have no other choice."

Zhuge Guanqi smiled: "My lord, do you already have a plan?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "It's not really a plan; I merely think that even if the Emperor wants to use this opportunity against me, I should be able to withdraw completely."

Zhuge Guanqi said: "My lord, when do you intend to set out?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "Soon, I only need to appear in Kangdu on May 16th, and there are still nearly a hundred days; during this time I should be able to arrange everything properly." If there were no flying eagle, then Hu Xiaotian would need to spend one and a half months even for a round trip, but after having the flying eagle. One day and night to reach Kangdu has become possible. Moreover, he has the ability of Tendon Changing Bone Shifting, wanting to sneak into the city and conceal his tracks is very easy.

Zhuge Guanqi said: "Although the Emperor wants to be unfavorable to you, when he does this he must certainly weigh it carefully. Before the lord's grand wedding, we can train troops in Cloud Marsh. Nominally it's training, but actually it's to intimidate the court."

Hu Xiaotian nodded, he said in a low voice: "Long Xuan'en is obsessed with the path of longevity; he doesn't care about Dakang's realm. Originally I thought he was prepared to stay put and not interfere with me, but unexpectedly he suddenly wants to stir up trouble."

Zhuge Guanqi said: "Perhaps he is betting that the lord dare not return."

Hu Xiaotian laughed and said: "If I don't go back, he will surely take all the justification."

Zhuge Guanqi said: "After the lord marries the Yongyang Princess, he becomes a prince consort of Dakang; even if he wanted to harm you, he wouldn't dare act openly."

Hu Xiaotian said: "Don't hide it, Brother Guanqi, what I worry about most is still the princess. During the days I left Kangdu, she did many things for me and also bore considerable pressure."

Zhuge Guanqi said: "The lord also has deep affection and righteousness for the Princess!"

Hu Xiaotian said: "But I don't know how to face her."

Zhuge Guanqi didn't quite understand Hu Xiaotian's remark, he smiled and said: "Why does the lord dare not face her?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "She is not an ordinary girl; her heart is great, and she doesn't even think that the throne must necessarily be occupied by a man."

Zhuge Guanqi only now understood what Hu Xiaotian meant; his eyes flickered, his heart sank involuntarily. He didn't really know the Yongyang Princess, only heard that she was exceptionally intelligent. Hu Xiaotian's words clearly indicated that the Yongyang Princess harbors ambitions to take over Dakang. If that is truly the case, Hu Xiaotian's trip to Kangdu is truly uncertain in its outcome. Zhuge Guanqi whispered: "If a person cares too much about power, then she will sacrifice everything else she deems unimportant. Since ancient times, royal family affection has been thin; the lord needs to figure out one thing on this trip: whether he goes for love or for profit."

Going for love means Hu Xiaotian, for the sake of the Yongyang Princess, does not hesitate to risk himself alone; going for profit means to clear away obstacles in the court, through this marriage to consolidate his position in the court, allowing his power in Dakang to rise another level. Love often leads to blindness, while profit may allow one to keep a clear mind. This issue seems simple, but is extremely important.

Hu Xiaotian pondered for a moment, then answered: "I don't like overly domineering women." But he still had half unsaid in his heart: I like conquering strong women.

Zhuge Guanqi said: "What if the Yongyang Princess proposes that the lord assist her in ascending the throne?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "Her being on the throne would be much more favorable to me than Long Xuan'en."

Zhuge Guanqi slowly shook his head and said: "Whether man or woman, once one sits in that position, their disposition will change. If the lord regards her as a wife, then he must eliminate her ambition and make her submit to him; if the lord regards her as an empress, then between them there will be only a relationship of mutual use, she will not develop feelings for him, and the lord had better also maintain proper boundaries."

Hu Xiaotian, how could he not understand this principle? He somewhat wearily closed his eyes and said in a low voice: "I don't know what she thinks; perhaps everything will only be known when I see her."

Zhuge Guanqi looked at Hu Xiaotian with some sympathy, knowing that this is a difficult decision for anyone, he said in a low voice: "Lord, just remember that the present situation is entirely built up by your own efforts bit by bit; the troops under your command follow you, they are convinced by you; each of your decisions concerns the life and death of the soldiers, and concerns the survival of the people in this region."

Hu Xiaotian's heart trembled; Zhuge Guanqi's words made his heart suddenly feel heavy. He began to realize that his trip to Kangdu is not simply a matter of whether he can escape unharmed; his marriage with Qiqi concerns the future pattern of Dakang, and may even affect the situation of the world. He recalled Zhuge Guanqi's recent question: whether he goes for love or for profit? Should he treat Qiqi as his wife or as a partner on the road to hegemony? Perhaps the latter is the wiser choice.

"Master! This time I want to go with you!" Weisa, since following Hu Xiaotian, has never before made any request.

Hu Xiaotian laughed, looking at the worried Weisa, a feeling of pity arose in his heart; he reached out to take Weisa's tender hand and said: "How come? Don't you want me to get married?"

Weisa pouted her cherry lips and said: "Master, marrying the princess, Weisa is naturally happy; you and the Princess are a perfect match, talented man and beautiful woman……" Saying this, Weisa's nose tinged, her ice-blue beautiful eyes glistened with tears; worry is indeed worry, but to say there is no sense of loss in her heart would also be impossible.

Hu Xiaotian laughed and said: "What's wrong?"

Weisa, with tears, said: "Everyone knows that the foolish emperor wants to harm you through the marriage affair; why do you, knowing there is a tiger in the mountain, still head straight toward the tiger's mountain?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "Many people in the world want to harm me, but after all this time, see who could succeed? Whoever wants to deal with me will not have a good ending."

Weisa said: "But I am still worried; Weisa may not have much ability, but by staying at your side I can at least attend to your food and daily life."

Hu Xiaotian hehe laughed and said: "What I want is not merely as simple as food and daily life."

Weisa's pretty face blushed crimson, her voice like a mosquito's whisper: "As long as it is something Weisa can do, she will certainly not refuse the master."

Hu Xiaotian, hearing her confession of heart, felt his heart heat up involuntarily; facing such a beautiful maiden, how could any man restrain himself? Hu Xiaotian gave a light tug, pulling Weisa off balance so she sat slumped on his legs; Hu Xiaotian embraced Weisa's delicate body and whispered: "Then let me see how my obedient Weisa will act."

"Master……" Weisa coquettishly said.

Hu Xiaotian was just about to take the next step when suddenly he felt a strange itch all over his body; the side effects of the Five-Colored Spider King's inner elixir, which usually neither appear early nor late, have now appeared at this moment.

Weisa saw his strange expression and asked with concern: "Master, what's wrong?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "Oh no, itchy! So itchy! It must be the toxin of the inner elixir acting up again."

Weisa hurriedly got up from his body: "I'll go summon Sister Yutong."

Hu Xiaotian shook his head and said: "No, no! I'm going to the ice cellar……" But this strange itch comes as soon as it is mentioned; Hu Xiaotian's speech began to tremble.

Weisa said: "I'll go to the ice cellar to get you some ice blocks!" She hurriedly turned and left.

Not long after, Weisa returned holding two ice blocks; although the weather had warmed, holding the ice blocks bare-handed still made her feel intensely cold.

Hu Xiaotian had already taken off his upper garment, bare-chested; Weisa handed him the ice blocks, then got up again to fetch more ice blocks.

Hu Xiaotian hadn't had an outbreak for a long time; he thought he had fully recovered, but unexpectedly, after half a month this strange itch returned with a vengeance, and this time it was unusually severe, as if tens of millions of ants were crawling in his meridians; although the ice blocks in his embrace were gradually melting, the itchy sensation gathered from the meridians to the dantian, as if the Dantian Qi Sea were being bitten by tens of millions of ants, scorching turbulent currents surged everywhere, with danger of explosion at any moment; the more Hu Xiaotian exercised his internal energy, the more alarmed he became. (To be continued~^~)