Chapter 1294

Inside Yongyang Prince's mansion, Qiqi was examining the model of the Prince Consort's residence sent by the Heavenly Secrets Bureau, Quan De'an followed at her side, smiling, saying: "Hong Beimo is truly unmatched in architecture."

Qiqi said: "Who knows if he won't tamper with it?"

Quan De'an said, puzzled: "Since Your Highness worries he might be detrimental to you, why then agree to let him remodel the Prince Consort's residence?"

Qiqi said: "The Emperor has decided this; how could I oppose?"

Quan De'an said: "I've heard that the Emperor's mood has been erratic lately; in the past half month, two consorts and six palace maids have died at his hands."

Qiqi said offhandedly: "I haven't seen him in a while."

Quan De'an said: "There's a rumor in the palace that the Emperor became like this after consuming the elixir Hong Beimo prepared for him."

Qiqi said: "He only trusts Hong Beimo; if I go advise him, he'll think I'm harming him instead."

Quan De'an sighed: "The Emperor has been wise all his life; who would have thought he'd be deceived in his old age?"

Qiqi said: "Eunuch Quan, how much do you know about Hong Beimo?"

Quan De'an said: "I hold nothing back; I have already told Your Highness everything I know about him."

Qiqi's finger lightly flicked the two bronze lions placed before the Prince Consort's residence gate, shifting their position, then she said: "The Heavenly Secrets Bureau is powerful; with Hong Beimo's current reputation and strength, he surpasses even Ji Feihua of the past; if he wanted to control the court, he could easily do so. Yet he has no interest in court affairs, even keeping away from the court. You say he painstakingly devoted himself to helping the Emperor rise again and regain the throne—what for? Could it be merely loyalty?"

Quan De'an shook his head: "He may not be loyal to the Emperor; in my view, he seeks something from the Emperor. Their relationship is likely one of mutual exploitation."

Qiqi said: "There's something I've never asked you: why did my mother die at the Great Xiangguo Temple?"

Quan De'an sighed: "I really don't know. Since the mistress gave birth to the princess, she became depressed and withdrawn; this is actually common among women after childbirth. At that time she proposed to go to the Great Xiangguo Temple to offer incense. After the crown prince agreed, she went to the Great Xiangguo Temple, offered incense, but then proposed to go to the pagoda forest to have a look, saying she wanted to pay respects to an eminent monk who had once enlightened her. Who would have thought she harbored a death wish? By the time it was realized, it was already too late."

Qiqi said: "What was that eminent monk's dharma name?"

Quan De'an said: "She never mentioned it."

Qiqi said: "I recall that the Buddhist pagoda buries an unnamed monk; I go to pay respects before it every first day of the lunar year. I have also asked the monks at the Great Xiangguo Temple, but they don't know who is buried beneath that pagoda."

Quan De'an said: "Behind the Great Xiangguo Temple there are thousands of pagodas; with the passage of years, many have lost records of their occupants' names, so this is not surprising."

Qiqi said: "But lately I've heard that the monk buried beneath that pagoda is supposedly named Minghuai. Have you heard of him?"

Quan De'an furrowed his brow, looking somewhat perplexed, thought carefully for a while, then still shook his head: "I have never heard of him."

Qiqi thought to herself. Quan De'an should have no reason to deceive her—is he truly ignorant, or is he deliberately concealing? Or perhaps Hong Beimo is deliberately deceiving her. Fabricating a nonexistent person to win her trust, recalling that conversation with Hong Beimo, Qiqi felt a chill; Hong Beimo clearly understands her. As she ages, she experiences strange revelations in her dreams, most of which have come true; could it be that her mother truly passed her memories to her, and over time these memories have gradually resurfaced in her mind? Yet why didn't she leave her the truth of her death? Could it be that she never thought of having her daughter avenge her?

Quan De'an said: "Your Highness, do you need me to investigate this matter thoroughly?"

Qiqi shook her head: "Never mind, I was just asking casually."

Quan De'an said: "Actually, the mistress has been dead for many years; if she could see Your Highness's achievements today, she would surely smile even in the grave."

Qiqi gave a faint smile: "I haven't done much, Eunuch Quan. Where did my mother come from before she married my father? Why is it that every time I ask you, you always say you don't know?"

Quan De'an said respectfully: "I'm not making excuses; I truly don't know. I only entered service after the mistress married the crown prince, when the then empress dispatched me to attend her; I am unaware of her past."

Qiqi nodded, did not press further, and said softly: "Go attend to your duties."

Quan De'an acknowledged, and Qiqi said: "Huang Feihong should have arrived; go see and let him in to meet me."

Not long after, Huo Shengnan arrived before Qiqi, having joined the Divine Strategy Corps under the alias Huang Feihong, she had been disguising herself as a man all along, concealing her identity well, and even today showed no flaw.

Huo Shengnan clasped her fists: "Subordinate pays respects to the Princess!"

Qiqi asked: "What news is there?" Much of Hu Xiaotian's news is conveyed through Huo Shengnan, and Qiqi has always regarded her as Hu Xiaotian's person.

Huo Shengnan said: "Reporting to the Princess, we have received the young master's reply; he will arrive in Kangdu in early May!"

Qiqi nodded, feeling a hint of comfort; previously she had even thought Hu Xiaotian would refuse to return, but since he is willing to come back to Kangdu to marry her, it shows he still holds a place for her in his heart.

Huo Shengnan said: "Your Highness, I have something to say, but I don't know whether I should speak it or not."

Qiqi slightly lifted her chin, indicating she should speak.

Huo Shengnan said: "This matter is actually a trap; the court likely intends more than just a simple marriage between the Princess and the Prince Consort."

Qiqi coldly said: "What is your status? How dare you presume to guess the Emperor's intentions!"

Huo Shengnan hastily lowered her head: "Subordinate acknowledges guilt!"

Qiqi said: "Never mind." She glanced at Huo Shengnan and said: "You've been in charge of the Divine Strategy Corps for quite some time, yet it has shown no progress."

Huo Shengnan said: "I am incompetent!"

Qiqi sighed: "It's not incompetence, it's lack of will; in your hearts there is only one master, and I understand that!"

Huo Shengnan said: "In my heart, the Princess and the Prince Consort were originally a family, with absolutely no bias."

Qiqi gave a faint smile, rose, paced a few steps in the room, and said: "The Divine Strategy Corps is already in name only; I have expended so much effort, yet in the end it remains a laughingstock. When he returns, let him decide what to do."

Huo Shengnan sensed there was more to Qiqi's words; could she intend to disband the Divine Strategy Corps?

Qiqi said: "I summoned you here so that you would personally go to Dongliang Jun."

Huo Shengnan blinked, blurted: "What?" Hu Xiaotian had just arrived in Kangdu, yet Qiqi already wants to send her to Dongliang Jun—truly leaving Huo Shengnan laughing and crying.

Fortunately Qiqi didn't notice her startled expression, and handed her a prepared letter, saying: "I trust no one else; you must deliver this letter directly to Hu Xiaotian, handing it to him in person."

Huo Shengnan certainly could not reveal the truth to her, stepped forward and took the letter.

As Huo Shengnan left the Yongyang Prince's mansion, she happened to see Hong Beimo approaching, with two people behind him: Fu Yuhong of the Eagle Squad and Baobao of the Fox Squad. Huo Shengnan had never directly confronted Hong Beimo, so she quietly stepped aside. Hong Beimo strode in head high, and told Fu Yuhong and Baobao: "You two wait outside for me."

As Hong Beimo entered the inner courtyard, Huo Shengnan had just lifted her foot to leave. She departed the mansion, saw the torrential rain outside, secured the letter Qiqi had entrusted her to deliver to Hu Xiaotian, put on a raincoat, donned a bamboo hat, mounted her horse; as she mounted, she felt a sudden pain in her lower body, recalling the previous absurdity, her face flushed involuntarily, yet thinking of Hu Xiaotian waiting for her at home, her heart felt sweet.

Huo Shengnan spurred her horse into the long street, eager to return to Shui Jing'er Hutong to meet her lover sooner, but she suddenly sensed someone might be following her from behind.

Ahead was Heavenly Street; Huo Shengnan eased her pace, turned to look, and saw a black-clad woman wearing tight black leather clothing, overlaid with a black shark-skin cape, riding a black horse, trailing her by about ten zhang; through the dense rain, she could barely make out that the beautiful pretty face belonged to Baobao.

Baobao is Hong Beimo's adopted daughter, still commanding the Fox Squad in the Heavenly Secrets Bureau, and is one of its core members. One of Huo Shengnan's purposes in staying in Kangdu is to investigate the Heavenly Secrets Bureau; she already understands its internal structure. As for Baobao, Hu Xiaotian had specifically instructed her before leaving Kangdu, not because Hu Xiaotian is particularly candid, but because he feared that, in his absence from the capital, they might encounter each other; since the Divine Strategy Corps and the Heavenly Secrets Bureau are opposing sides, any clash would be troublesome—whether Baobao hurts Huo Shengnan or Huo Shengnan hurts Baobao, neither would be good.

It should be said that Hu Xiaotian still had foresight; for a period Huo Shengnan had consistently avoided contact with Baobao, yet she never expected that on the day Hu Xiaotian returned to the capital, Baobao would actually be tailing her.

Huo Shengnan clamped her legs around her steed; the horse let out a long neigh and surged forward. Baobao also quickened her pace, but unexpectedly Huo Shengnan reined in her horse ahead; the steed raised its front hooves, and as they came down again, the horse's body lay sideways across the street.

Baobao also hastily reined in her horse, silently gazing at the distant Huo Shengnan.

Rain kept falling on Huo Shengnan's bamboo hat, sliding off its brim; her clear eyes steadily fixed on Baobao ten zhang away, she said calmly: "Baobao, what advice do you have?"

Baobao laughed: "Nothing at all!"

Huo Shengnan said: "If there's nothing, why are you following me?" (To be continued~^~)