Chapter 1323

Meng Zizai said: "Actually, Sir Hu doesn't need to be anxious; even if we can't find the Black Ice Clam, the bee venom that poisoned the Princess won't endanger her life for the time being, and I still have other rescue methods."

Hu Xiaotian bowed deeply to Meng Zizai and said: "Please, Mister Meng, lend your aid."

Meng Zizai smiled and said: "Your Highness's affair, I will certainly devote myself; however, although I know the cure, it is not convenient for me to administer it, and the Princess is still an unmarried lady of the Yunying family, so this likely requires Sir Hu to personally carry it out."

Hu Xiaotian said: "Mister Meng means..."

Meng Zizai said: "If we cannot find the Black Ice Clam, the only option is to use the method of transferring the palace and exchanging blood, which means using internal force to expel the poisoned blood from the Yongyang Princess's body. Sir Hu and the Princess have a marriage pact, so with your internal strength you should be able to accomplish this, though Sir Hu may need to take certain risks."

Hu Xiaotian's heart sank; he was not afraid to take risks for Qiqi, but he did not trust Meng Zizai—who knows if he wasn't deliberately setting a trap to lure him in? However, if he now showed suspicion of Meng Zizai, others would only think he was greedy for life and afraid of death, unwilling to risk rescuing Qiqi. Hu Xiaotian gave a faint smile and said: "For the Princess, even sacrificing my life is nothing to hesitate over, let alone mentioning any risk."

Those around hearing his words changed their opinion of this future prince consort somewhat, thinking this guy was not merely marrying the Princess for political gain; it seemed he still had feelings for her in his heart.

Meng Zizai said: "I will detail the specific treatment to Sir Hu, but before Sir Hu performs the blood-transfer on the Princess, we must first examine Sir Hu's blood to ensure our two blood types are compatible."

Hu Xiaotian nodded; these requests of Meng Zizai were not excessive.

Meng Zizai asked him to wash his hands, then used a needle to prick Hu Xiaotian's fingertip, squeezing out a drop of fresh blood, and similarly took a drop of fresh blood from Qiqi, then went to the adjacent room; it is said this process still requires half an hour.

Long Xuan'en obviously lacked energy, yawning, Long Tingzhen said with concern: "Emperor, you had better go rest; we'll guard here."

Long Xuan'en sighed and said: "How can I leave?"

Hong Beimo said: "Emperor, you must certainly take care of your dragon body; better go rest first; if any news comes up here, we'll immediately go report to you."

Long Xuan'en's energy indeed could not keep up; he yawned again and said: "Then... I'll go back first. Hu Xiaotian, see me off."

Hu Xiaotian knew Long Xuan'en had something to say to him; he followed Long Xuan'en to the outside of the Chu Xiu Palace, Long Xuan'en stopped his steps and waved his hand. The remaining palace attendants sensibly dispersed to either side and waited; Long Xuan'en clenched his right hand into a fist, covering his mouth, coughed a few times, then lowered his voice and said: "I heard you were also assassinated today?"

Hu Xiaotian nodded.

Do you know who did it?

Hu Xiaotian said: "As a subject, I dare not speak rashly without evidence."

Long Xuan'en frowned and said: "Speak, I pardon you. Only you and I are here." His meaning was that Hu Xiaotian need not have any scruples; just speak up. This matter is known only to the two of them.

Hu Xiaotian said: "As a subject, I had arranged with the Princess today to go inspect the completed construction at the Prince Consort's residence; it was an appointment with Mister Hong, and this matter was not made public." The rest of his words needed no elaboration; the meaning was already clear.

Long Xuan'en's face darkened and he said: "I understand!"

Hu Xiaotian said: "Emperor, rest assured. I will spare no effort to rescue the Princess, even if it means sacrificing my life." He had just said this once before, but he still reiterated it before Long Xuan'en.

Long Xuan'en merely sighed, said nothing, and turned and walked away straight.

Hu Xiaotian returned to the Chu Xiu Palace, saw Hong Beimo and Long Tingzhen standing in the courtyard saying something; Long Tingzhen noticed Hu Xiaotian's return, his eyes filled with malice as he looked at him.

Hu Xiaotian had no mind to pay him attention at the moment; coincidentally, Meng Zizai came out of the room, which was actually shorter than expected; Meng Zizai approached Hu Xiaotian and said: "Sir Hu, I have already examined your blood; it matches the Princess's blood and will not clash or conflict."

Hu Xiaotian felt increasingly strange; he was unsure whether his blood type actually matched Qiqi's, but he had been bitten by poisonous insects many times before, and earlier he had swallowed the inner core of a five-colored spider king in Bohai State; according to Yan Tianlu's words, he is now invulnerable to all poisons. Earlier Hu Xiaotian had intended to feed Qiqi his own blood, yet poisonous substances always interact and counteract; the five-colored spider king is a supreme poison, making it hard to say its toxicity could just neutralize the bee venom in Qiqi's body; if the toxicity is too strong, it would be excessive and actually harm Qiqi's life. Yet these matters could not be disclosed to Meng Zizai, for this person's origins are obscure and his depths unfathomable.

Given Meng Zizai's medical skill and methods, he should be able to detect any abnormality in my blood; why did he omit mentioning it? Hu Xiaotian increasingly felt this was likely a trap.

Just then, a little eunuch came in from outside to deliver a message, but it was the leader of the palace guards, Mu Rongzhan, who had already arrived outside; he asked Hu Xiaotian to come out, saying he was acting on the Emperor's orders to discuss an important matter.

Hu Xiaotian cupped his hands toward Meng Zizai, asking him to wait briefly; he would go and return soon.

Hu Xiaotian turned and went out, feeling rather strange; the old emperor had just left, and now they sent Mu Rongzhan over—could it be that the old emperor, truly angered by the plot against Qiqi, wanted to take action against Hong Beimo and Long Tingzhen and their gang? Actually Hu Xiaotian would welcome that, but he also felt it wasn't the time, since Qiqi's life or death was still uncertain; any matter must be put aside, and nothing is more important than saving her life. Hu Xiaotian even considered having Xia Zhangming quickly return to Dongliang Jun to fetch Qin Yutong; within the Xuantian Guan, only she could be trusted.

Hu Xiaotian again came to the outside of the Chu Xiu Palace, seeing Mu Rongzhan alone standing in the distance; in the dark night his silver pupils revealed a strange gaze, his skin pale as snow, like a ghost. Hu Xiaotian approached him, but saw a hint of concern in Mu Rongzhan's eyes, his heart involuntarily startled, and he immediately realized that the Mu Rongzhan before him was not right. The other party transmitted a secret voice to him: "It's me!"

Hu Xiaotian could now determine that the Mu Rongzhan before him was actually Xi Yan in disguise; this girl really is bold, daring to come to the Chu Xiu Palace at such a time.

Hu Xiaotian respectfully said: "Captain Mu." While speaking, he subtly sensed the surroundings, worried someone might notice the situation here, then he transmitted a secret voice to her: "What are you doing here?"

Xi Yan bit her lip and said: "Can't I come? I'm here to see whether your fiancée is dead."

Hu Xiaotian's brows knitted together: "Really, it's you?"

Xi Yan glared at him and said: "So what if it's me?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "She has no grudge against you; why would you be so vicious?"

Xi Yan sneered: "She is dead because of you; who let you betray and abandon loyalty? You weren't planning to marry her? I just want to watch her die."

Hu Xiaotian angrily said: "You are vicious!"

Xi Yan nodded and said: "I am inherently a venomous heart; did you only realize that today? Now I come here voluntarily to offer my death; you only need to give a call, and this place will become a net of heaven and earth, leaving me no place to bury."

Hu Xiaotian's heart was filled with conflict; he whispered: "Hand over the Black Ice Clam, and I will pretend this never happened; you may just leave."

Xi Yan coldly said: "Whether I go or stay is entirely my own affair; don't put on a lovesick façade; even if I die, I will not hand over the Black Ice Clam to you."

Hu Xiaotian said: "Then don't blame me for being heartless!"

Xi Yan gazed at him silently, her eyes showing sorrow to despair, her heart felt as if cut by knives; she softly said: "You are indeed heartless toward me; then just come at me, I want to see what you've got."

Hu Xiaotian gazed at Xi Yan, staring for a long time but ultimately unable to harden his heart; he silently cursed his uselessness, then suddenly closed his eyes and said: "Go!"

Xi Yan thought she had misheard, but saw Hu Xiaotian tightly closing his eyes and saying: "Hurry up and leave, don't let me regret it."

Xi Yan bit her cherry lip, almost on the verge of tears, and whispered: "You ultimately still can't bring yourself to kill me? In your heart, I still matter more."

Hu Xiaotian really felt both laughter and tears; women are women after all, and at this time she still dwelled on this issue; he also didn't know why he made such a choice—could it truly be as Xi Yan said, that she holds a more important place in his heart than Qiqi? He slowly opened his eyes, only to see Xi Yan reveal a knowing smile, she turned and walked two steps, then stopped again and said: "You must be careful of their trap; this matter has nothing to do with me; the Black Ice Clam I placed……"

Before Xi Yan could finish her words, a figure appeared soundlessly before her; under the moonlight, Mu Rongzhan dressed in black with white hair like frost stared silently at this person who was nearly identical to himself.

Hu Xiaotian also hadn't expected Mu Rongzhan to appear at this moment; he silently thought, "It's over."

Xi Yan reacted swiftly, flicking a smoke pellet toward Mu Rongzhan; Mu Rongzhan's slender sword trembled, its light gloomy like mist, and the icy sword qi swept the smoke away; Xi Yan hurriedly retreated to the right, but felt a strong pressure coming from the front—it was Hong Beimo appearing just in time to block her rightward escape route. Xi Yan had to retreat again; to her left stood Meng Zizai, she bit her lip and continuously fired two phosphorescent bombs, then a shower of steel needles like rain poured down upon Meng Zizai.

Xi Yan believed Meng Zizai should be the weakest link among the three.

Hu Xiaotian had just heard the unfinished sentence Xi Yan left off, and seeing the scene before him, his heart fully understood: this matter had nothing to do with Xi Yan; she had taken such a risk merely to come remind him, to absolutely avoid falling into these people's trap; at that moment his feelings surged, his chest almost boiling with hot blood, and suddenly he recalled the words Xi Yan had once said to him, "Actually I am the one who treats you best……"(to be continued~^~)