Chapter 1301: [Magic High One Chi] (Lower)

Hu Xiaotian secretly thought that Liu Yuzhang might indeed be collaborating with Hong Beimo as Li Yuncong said, but Li Yuncong himself was no different.

Li Yuncong said: "It was only after Liu Yuzhang shed his golden cicada shell that our family finally understood everything; the purpose of the ghost doctor Fu Luo back then was to steal the Heart Sutra of Prajnaparamita, and the book Heaven-Man Myriad Phenomenon Diagram he left behind was merely a lure. Later Meng Zizai found our family, and by borrowing to read the Heaven-Man Myriad Phenomenon Diagram he should have found clues to the Heart Sutra. Xuantian Guan, the Heavenly Secrets Bureau, and Liu Yuzhang cooperated, together completing this matter, and Liu Yuzhang probably distrusted them all, so he finally chose to disappear mysteriously with these two things."

Hu Xiaotian said: "Since you can discover his secret, others can too."

Li Yuncong whispered: "Even if they discover it, what can they do? Liu Yuzhang has already gained enough time to flee; with his wisdom, he will not easily show up now, unless..."

"Unless what?"

Li Yuncong said: "Hong Beimo's imperial mausoleum must have a secret; I see he still lacks something to fulfill his wish, and that something should be in Liu Yuzhang's hands."

Hu Xiaotian asked: "What role does Meng Zizai play in this?"

Li Yuncong chuckled eerily: "Actually, the person who came to the Cangshuge to borrow the Heaven-Man Myriad Phenomenon Diagram back then was not Meng Zizai."

Hu Xiaotian exclaimed in shock: "Could it be Ren Tianqing?"

Li Yuncong nodded: "Kid, you finally understand; we have long suspected Ren Tianqing and Hong Beimo of colluding, but they should be wary of each other. When you drew those few diagrams and Qin Yutong took them to show him, we realized Ren Tianqing has been posing as Meng Zizai all along. After Liu Yuzhang disappeared, Ren Tianqing has been wandering outside, as we see. He is not wandering; he is searching for Liu Yuzhang's whereabouts."

At this moment Hu Xiaotian gradually grasped the tangled relationships, only wondering why Li Yuncong would collaborate with Hong Beimo.

Li Yuncong walked slowly to the bookshelf, pulled out a book, and said: "After Gong Wuxin copied the Heaven-Man Myriad Phenomenon Diagram, he discussed with me destroying the original, and I agreed. In his presence I burned the original drawn by the ghost doctor Fu Luo, but I also kept a spare eye, secretly retaining two pages and tucking them in here."

Li Yuncong opened the book, took out two pages, Hu Xiaotian received them, stared intently. The Heaven-Man Myriad Phenomenon Diagram drawn by the ghost doctor Fu Luo is an anatomical illustration of the human body; he could even conclude that this ghost doctor Fu Luo is nine out of ten from modern times like himself, but the symbols marked on it he does not recognize, exceeding his prior knowledge. Suddenly realizing he is not a solitary individual coming here, Hu Xiaotian's heart also surged with excitement. He tried to keep himself calm: "Can you give me these two pages?"

Li Yuncong said: "They are of no use to our family either; since you can draw the Heaven-Man Myriad Phenomenon Diagram, perhaps you can find some clues from it."

Hu Xiaotian said: "I heard the ghost doctor Fu Luo is buried on Hei Tuo Mountain outside Yongdu; perhaps his tomb may yield some clues."

Li Yuncong said: "Our family is old; perhaps in this life we will never find the answer."

Hu Xiaotian secretly mused. Li Yuncong certainly will not tell us everything he knows, and his known secrets are not limited to these. From his proposal to cooperate with us we can tell he still wants the imperial mausoleum, and he must have some understanding of what Hong Beimo is doing.

Hu Xiaotian said: "I think Hong Beimo intends to use Long Tingzhen to replace the emperor."

Li Yuncong said: "The emperor should have grown suspicious of Hong Beimo, or perhaps they disagreed on the construction of the imperial mausoleum. So Hong Beimo had to choose a more reliable partner."

Hu Xiaotian fully agreed, then suddenly asked: "Lord Li, whose martial arts is higher, yours or Hong Beimo's?"

Li Yuncong was stunned, not expecting Hu Xiaotian to ask such a question; he sighed: "Hong Beimo is the most unfathomable person I have ever seen. When we, Mu Rongzhan, and he ambushed Ji Feihua, I discovered he did not exert his full strength. At that time he was also injured, yet his recovery can be described as miraculous."

The two had just left the library when the emperor's close attendant Yin Zheng arrived, bearing the emperor's order to fetch a set of Qiankun Kaiwu. Li Yuncong personally retrieved that set; Qiankun Kaiwu consists of eighteen volumes, filling a whole wooden box. Yin Zheng did not expect so many, frowned, looked up and saw Hu Xiaotian, then suddenly thought of something, pointing at Hu Xiaotian and asked: "What is your name?"

Hu Xiaotian respectfully replied: "Call me Xiao Dezi, sir."

Yin Zheng smiled: "You seem sensible; then help our family send this set to the Yangxin Hall, and later there will be a generous reward."

Hu Xiaotian silently cursed this lazybones; if he knew my true identity, lending him a gallbladder he would not dare. Hu Xiaotian smiled: "Thank you, sir." He then lifted the box and followed Yin Zheng outward.

Li Yuncong knew Hu Xiaotian wanted to take the opportunity to check on the old emperor's situation, but did not expose him, only meaningfully said: "Xiao Dezi, serve Yin Gong well; Yin Gong is a favorite beside the emperor."

Yin Zheng chuckled: "No matter how favored, one cannot compare to Li Gong."

Hu Xiaotian followed Yin Zheng toward the Yangxin Hall, deliberately saying: "I really envy Yin Gong, being able to serve beside the emperor."

Yin Zheng thought: You don't know what it's like to serve a ruler like a tiger; I constantly tremble beside the emperor, not knowing when my head will roll. He said softly: "Each has his own fate; you are new to the palace, as long as you are down-to-earth and willing to work, there will be plenty of opportunities later."

Seeing no one around, Hu Xiaotian deliberately lowered his voice: "I heard Yin Gong and the prince consort are as close as brothers."

Yin Zheng startled at the words, stopped, looked around, confirmed no one nearby, then said to Hu Xiaotian: "You must not talk nonsense; what nonsense are you spouting?"

Hu Xiaotian laughed: "It seems Yin Gong has forgotten the prince consort."

Yin Zheng sucked in a cold breath, finally realizing this little eunuch is no ordinary person, and whispered: "Who exactly are you?"

Hu Xiaotian transmitted via secret sound: "I have come to the palace on the orders of Lord Hu to investigate the situation." He did not reveal his true identity, thinking Yin Zheng would not recognize his current appearance.

Yin Zheng eyed him suspiciously.

Hu Xiaotian asked: "Is the emperor still able to enjoy two women in one night these days?"

Yin Zheng widened his mouth in surprise; this was exactly what Hu Xiaotian had told him before leaving the capital. Although Hu Xiaotian had let him have any news to contact Shi Xuedong, Yin Zheng, for his own safety, had never contacted Shi Xuedong alone. Now hearing this, he was certain Hu Xiaotian was sent by Hu Xiaotian without doubt.

Yin Zheng said: "This is not the place to speak." He then quickened his pace.

Hu Xiaotian followed Yin Zheng to the Yangxin Hall, set down the wooden box full of books, and Yin Zheng ordered other palace attendants to organize the books for delivery to the emperor, then said deliberately: "Xiao Dezi, come in with our family for a drink."

Hu Xiaotian entered Yin Zheng's room; Yin Zheng glanced outside, then closed the doors and windows. Hu Xiaotian knew he was cautious, but actually there was no need for such trouble; two eunuchs alone in a room, outsiders would not know what mischief they are up to, and with Hu Xiaotian's hearing, any movement around would not escape him.

Yin Zheng lowered his voice: "You have great gall..."

Hu Xiaotian smiled: "Compared to Yin Gong, I am still lacking."

Yin Zheng asked: "What do you want to know?"

"How is the emperor's recent relationship with Hong Beimo?"

Yin Zheng said: "The emperor's mood has been poor lately, he kills at the drop of a hat; a few days ago when Hong Beimo came, he even flew into a rage, throwing away the elixirs Hong Beimo sent. I only learned of this after picking them up."

Hu Xiaotian nodded; it seemed Long Xuan'en had already lost patience.

Yin Zheng said: "The emperor has not approached women for a long time."

Hu Xiaotian recalled that before his departure, Long Xuan'en had enjoyed two women; it seems this was a final flicker.

Yin Zheng said: "Every day when I tidy the emperor's bedding, I find he has shed a lot of hair; the emperor's dragon body has obviously weakened considerably." While speaking, Yin Zheng still felt uneasy, peered through the window crack to confirm no one was eavesdropping, then added: "These days the emperor does not want to see anyone; even the Prime Minister Zhou and the Grand Tutor Wen have been turned away."

Hu Xiaotian secretly thought: It should be that the medicine Hong Beimo prepared for the old emperor is gradually losing effect, so he began to suspect Hong Beimo. Long Xuan'en's long-standing willingness to heed Hong Beimo's words, pouring so much manpower and wealth into the imperial mausoleum, was likely due to being hoodwinked by Hong Beimo's propaganda of immortality. Now as Long Xuan'en's health deteriorates day by day, he begins to doubt Hong Beimo, even losing patience. Hong Beimo probably cannot fulfill his promise to Long Xuan'en, so he plays the card of Long Tingzhen, putting Long Tingzhen on the throne to exchange continued support for his mausoleum construction from the new ruler.

Yin Zheng said: "That's all I know; you had better hurry away, lest anyone suspect you."

Hu Xiaotian smiled, lowered his voice: "Help me watch for any abnormality around the emperor; if anything happens, come to the Cangshuge to inform me immediately."

Yin Zheng nodded repeatedly, half-pushing, half-sending him to the door.

Just as Hu Xiaotian was about to leave, he heard someone outside report: "The Yongyang Princess has arrived!"

Hu Xiaotian's heart jolted; he did not expect to meet Qiqi here. At this moment Qiqi, accompanied by two palace maids, had already entered from outside; Yin Zheng panicked, rushed forward, knelt on the ground and said: "Your servant pays respects to the Princess, thousand years, thousand thousand years!"

The surrounding palace attendants all knelt; if Hu Xiaotian continued to loiter there, he would be conspicuous, so he also knelt, secretly observing Qiqi with the corner of his eye.

Two updates delivered, stomach ache, going to sleep! (To be continued~^~)