Chapter 1332

Hu Xiaotian also wore a chain; Quan De'an likely wanted extra insurance, putting handcuffs and leg irons on him, the material felt good, the weight substantial, likely containing black iron components; normally Hu Xiaotian could easily break free with Tendon Changing Bone Shifting, but Qiqi's cup of tea was like freezing his dantian, his internal energy seemed to solidify there—I was still careless in the end; Qiqi remains the same Qiqi as before, and did not show mercy because of their betrothal.

I thought Quan De'an would lock him and Xi Yan together, which would be a fortunate misfortune, but when Quan De'an threw him into the room, only then did he discover Xi Yan had vanished. Hu Xiaotian couldn't help but panic: "Where exactly did you take her?"

Quan De'an gave a sinister chuckle: "You think the princess would let you two live together?" He lifted his orchid finger: "Consider yourself lucky; Your Highness still doesn't want to kill you."

Hu Xiaotian sensed from his tone that something was off—could Xi Yan have met with misfortune? Qiqi is capable of anything; he said in a low voice: "Eunuch Quan, we have at least some acquaintance; why don't you tell me how you plan to deal with Xi Yan?"

Quan De'an said coldly: "Xi Yan? You think you can still hide it? Your Highness already knows she is Li Tianheng's daughter, your betrothed."

Hu Xiaotian hearing these words felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over his head, his whole body froze, motionless: "What? Xi Yan is actually Li Tianheng's daughter, my betrothed? She… she is Li Wuyou? No, I clearly saw Li Wuyou in Xizhou, and Li Wuyou is not like this…"

For a moment Hu Xiaotian's mind fell into chaos; Quan De'an shook his head, turned and left, locking the door from outside.

At this moment Hu Xiaotian's mind kept replaying Xi Yan's appearance, he felt extreme regret. Actually he should have realized earlier: if Xi Yan weren't a relative of Li Tianheng, why would she have entered Da Yong for the Li family's interests and cared so much about Li family affairs? It turns out she always knew he was her betrothed, no wonder they performed the wedding rites together. No wonder she several times showed mercy, no wonder she said the person who treats him best in this world is always her—Hu Xiaotian thought of this and hot tears welled up.

"I'm really foolish—why didn't I realize this earlier? He reminded himself to stay calm; Qiqi's behavior today is abnormal, her actions toward Xi Yan are understandable, but poisoning him cannot be explained by normal reasoning. Perhaps all this is something she had long planned."

The street assassination he staged himself originally aimed at Hong Beimo, but he didn't expect complications; Qiqi's accidental poisoning completely ruined his plan. His concern for Qiqi clearly affected his judgment; recalling that Qiqi had taken the Seven-Star Chain from him, Hu Xiaotian gradually deduced the problem. The Long Ling Shengjing beneath Miaomiao Mountain is a place Qiqi once brought him to. If after he and Xi Yan entered the Long Ling Shengjing, Qiqi entered again, it would be easy to notice someone had been there, making her think of him. After he used the Seven-Star Chain to open the upper secret chamber and took the chain, the chamber remained unsealed; seeing it, Qiqi would naturally infer the chain was in his hand.

Hu Xiaotian suddenly realized that, since he could stage an assassination himself, Qiqi might do the same. Her poisoning might be entirely a trap—he intended to scheme against Hong Beimo, but Qiqi was scheming against him.

A bitter smile appeared on Hu Xiaotian's lips; although Baobao had previously warned him, he still held hope for Qiqi, believing he could still persuade her to ally, but more frustratingly, his concern for Qiqi made him lax in his defenses; now looking back, Meng Zizai's so-called "palace exchange and blood change" was certainly not to detoxify Qiqi, but truly aimed at dealing with him.

Given Meng Zizai's medical skill and insight, examining his blood should reveal the oddities within his body; perhaps he used this method to poison him, which is why a cup of tea still controls him—this shows Qiqi and Meng Zizai are accomplices.

Now Hu Xiaotian is like frozen solid, his dantian qi sea like a dead pool, without ripples; even he himself is imprisoned, let alone talking about rescuing Xi Yan. Hu Xiaotian reminds himself to stay calm; only when his body gains freedom can there be hope to escape and hope to rescue Xi Yan.

Long Xuan'en fled in panic into the Storage Excellence Palace, but the palace was already empty of people; beside him remained two young eunuchs and three guards, while Long Tingzhen led over thirty palace guards who, after slaughtering the remaining palace folk, followed behind.

The Storage Excellence Palace is completely empty; this place is already deserted of people.

The young eunuch beside him, Yin Zheng, trembled: "Your Majesty, let's escape through the back door..."

Long Xuan'en nodded, and with Yin Zheng's support continued fleeing toward the back door.

But from behind came Long Tingzhen's angry shout: "Find that wretch Qiqi for me!"

Hu Xiaotian heard Long Tingzhen's loud shout clearly; his heart jolted—the voice unmistakably came from Long Tingzhen; even if Long Tingzhen hated Qiqi to the core, he shouldn't be shouting openly in the palace? What else could have changed? He knows nothing of outside events, only able to infer the situation from the sounds he hears.

Shrieks kept ringing out, likely more people were killed; wails and pleas filled his ears, the sounds drawing nearer to Hu Xiaotian; he silently prayed that they would just chase past this place, and hopefully not discover him.

Not long after, he heard Long Tingzhen laugh maniacally: "Search, find that little wretch!"

Hu Xiaotian silently thought, "Not good"—Long Tingzhen is clearly launching a palace coup; where have the people of the Storage Excellence Palace gone? If Quan De'an were present, with his martial skill he should be able to block Long Tingzhen's gang; it's strange that we hear no resistance from that side—could they have fled earlier? What about Hong Beimo and Mu Rongzhan and their people?

At this moment Hong Beimo was in the Lan Yun Pavilion, observing the palace's movements through a telescope; the twenty thousand Feather Forest Army had already seized all the gates of the imperial city, but for now they remain idle; inside the palace, Long Tingzhen leads over a hundred palace guards in a killing spree. Originally this succession struggle was set to unfold on the day of the Yongyang Princess's wedding, but developments have gradually deviated, forcing them to advance the plan.

The one who decided to carry out this plan early was not Hong Beimo, but Qiqi.

The leader of the Ying Organization of the Heavenly Secrets Bureau, Fu Yuhong, came to his side and whispered: "Your Highness has arrived!"

Hong Beimo nodded, turned to look, and saw Qiqi already walking up the steps to the Lan Yun Pavilion, with Quan De'an and Mu Rongzhan guarding her.

Seeing Mu Rongzhan, Hong Beimo fully understood that Qiqi is far beyond his imagination of relying only on him and the Heavenly Secrets Bureau; this little princess is truly unfathomable, as she herself said, she can recall far more than he knows; it appears the memories buried deep in her mind are beginning to slowly recover, and with them awakening is her cosmic, boundless wisdom, as well as her ever‑growing ambition.

Mu Rongzhan and Quan De'an, two top experts accompanying Qiqi, are still dimmed by her lofty aura.

Hong Beimo said respectfully: "Your Highness!"

Qiqi nodded, took the telescope from Hong Beimo's hand, surveyed the surroundings of the imperial city, and said softly: "Everything set up?"

Hong Beimo said quietly: "Just wait for Your Highness's order, then we will launch the operation."

Qiqi stepped forward, placed both hands on the railing, gazed at the distant horizon, her beautiful eyes looking somewhat unfocused: "Wait a little longer." She turned to Mu Rongzhan: "Have the external arrangements been made?"

Mu Rongzhan said: "We have already had people inform the officials of Long Tingzhen's treason."

Qiqi handed Hong Beimo a pre‑prepared list: "Long Tingzhen is guilty of monstrous crimes, plotting to usurp the throne, slaughtering court officials; once we find their bodies, we must give them a grand burial!"

Seeing the list, Hong Beimo's heart jolted—he had never heard of the deaths of those names; but he quickly realized it was not Long Tingzhen who killed them, but Qiqi who wanted them dead. During her regency, some people were loyal to her, yet there were also many dissenters; most on the list had once offended her or opposed her views. The Yongyang Princess intends to use this palace upheaval to eliminate them all, then push all blame onto Long Tingzhen. Despite her young age, she is ruthless and decisive—no wonder Hu Xiaotian fell into her hands.

Besides admiring her, Hong Beimo felt a deeper reverence for Qiqi, and said respectfully: "I will entrust this matter to your humble servant."

After Qiqi assigned the tasks, everyone dispersed; Quan De'an came to her side and said softly: "Your Highness, everything has been arranged."

Qiqi nodded, a hint of reluctance flickering in her beautiful eyes, and whispered: "Does he still have a chance to escape?"

Quan De'an said: "The medicine personally prepared by Mr. Ren has sealed his dantian qi sea; now he is like a cripple, and even with peerless divine arts he cannot exert the slightest strength."

Qiqi bit her cherry lips.

Quan De'an saw her hesitation and reluctance, and said softly: "Your Highness, if this person is not eliminated he will become a serious future threat; you must not hesitate."

Qiqi sighed: "I ultimately still owe him……" In her mind suddenly rose Hu Xiaotian's words before drinking the poisoned tea—"Let you regret for a lifetime"—and she felt a sudden emptiness.

Quan De'an said: "Leader Mu Rongzhan has already sent experts to Fengyi Shan Zhuang to eradicate his remnants."

Qiqi nodded: "And what about that demoness?"

"\"He has already been sent to Lingxiao Palace under escort. \""

Qiqi said: "For now, don't move her; she still has some use for me." (To be continued~^~)