Chapter 1431

Hu Xiaotian said: "He uttered some nonsensical words; in short, I don't like them! The Xu family are indeed heartless and unrighteous!" This remark also included Hu Buwei, but one cannot overgeneralize; at least my mother Xu Fengyi is a good person—her kindness and affection let Hu Xiaotian remember her forever, impossible to forget.

Hu Buwei laughed, raised his wine cup, took a sip but didn't finish: "She looks like your mother, but her temperament is completely different; the Xu family have always been domineering."

Hu Xiaotian deliberately said: "She even thinks that Yang Longjing's disappearance is my doing!"

Hu Buwei gave an "oh", set down the unfinished cup: "Who would be foolish enough to use such a method to blackmail Tianxiang Kingdom into betrothing Princess Yingyue to him? Even if the blackmail succeeded then, who knows Tianxiang Kingdom won't go back on its word afterward and bring double retaliation?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "But she still suspects me."

Hu Buwei said: "Suspect you of what? Suspect you of using this matter to take revenge on me?"

Hu Xiaotian chuckled: "Why would I take revenge on you? What relation do you have with Yang Longjing? Could the outside rumors all be true?" A son being able to ask his father such a question already shows he has lost even the most basic respect for him.

Hu Buwei silently stared at Hu Xiaotian, who actually nodded, then picked up the wine jug and proactively filled Hu Xiaotian's cup—father pouring wine for son, this lowering of posture obviously signals weakness, and also shows he likewise has fixed his suspicions on Hu Xiaotian; although he suspects, there is no evidence, yet he still suspects—what a contradictory state of mind.

Hu Buwei said: "Actually there is no conflict between us; even if our father-son ties are severed, we should still have a possibility of cooperation."

Hu Xiaotian said: "Anyone can cooperate, as long as the terms are tempting enough—even enemies can become friends. Moreover, we were once father and son." By using those two words "once", he indicated that he and Hu Buwei have already severed kindness and righteousness, cut off father-son ties.

Hu Buwei chuckled, Hu Xiaotian is a sensible person, but he thinks he truly has the capital to sit on equal footing and negotiate terms with me? Hu Buwei whispered: "Can you help me rescue Longjing?" Knowing Hu Xiaotian is the biggest suspect, yet he still cannot pierce this layer of pretense. Human nature is inherently such hypocrisy.

Hu Xiaotian said: "Since he is my half-brother sharing the same father, I ought to do my utmost." Hu Xiaotian isn't afraid to lay things bare—anyway, Old Hu has no shame, so why should I save him face?

Hu Buwei's expression turned slightly embarrassed: "As long as we can rescue Longjing, I will see to it that your marriage with Princess Yingyue is arranged."

Hu Xiaotian said: "It seems you already promised me this!" The price for returning the Blue Skull is Hu Buwei helping him bring this about; Hu Buwei is adept at fishing in troubled waters.

Hu Buwei said: "Then you might as well propose other conditions."

Hu Xiaotian said: "I have no conditions, because I have no monetary involvement in this matter from start to finish. Tonight I came merely out of sentiment for our past ties to have a look at you—after all, your mood surely isn't good, yet you appear stronger than I imagined!" He finished the wine in his cup, stood up: "It's late. I should go!"

Hu Buwei stared in astonishment at his retreating back, having thought an agreement was near, but Hu Xiaotian suddenly left, clearly mocking him. Hu Buwei finally could not suppress his inner anger, seized the table and overturned all the food and drink onto the floor.

For Piaoxiang City, tonight is destined to be a sleepless night; while the city was on alert searching for Yang Longjing's whereabouts, another unexpected event occurred: Prince Fu Yang Longying was assassinated during a night patrol. Struck by a cold arrow, an arrow pierced his throat, shocking the court and populace—first the king disappeared, then Prince Fu was slain; within a single day and night, Tianxiang Kingdom suffered two major events affecting the nation's fate.

Hu Xiaotian hadn't expected Prince Fu to die so suddenly; early that morning, Zhan Peng woke him and told him the news of the prince's assassination.

Hu Xiaotian's first reaction was that Long Xuanjiao was behind it; Yang Longjing's disappearance, among the many princes of Tianxiang Kingdom, the one most likely to succeed the throne was Prince Fu Yang Longying, and Yang Longying himself had begun to stir, so Long Xuanjiao, to prevent court upheaval, struck first to eliminate Yang Longying. At such a time, most people would not suspect her, mistakenly thinking the assassin of Prince Fu and the kidnapper of the king are the same force; Long Xuanjiao posing as a victim can both dispel suspicion and remove the threat of Prince Fu.

Hu Xiaotian secretly sighed; Yang Longying had plotted for so long yet still came to nothing— as the saying goes, the Dao rises a foot, the demon rises ten feet; Long Xuanjiao's preemptive measures were swift and decisive, something even I had not anticipated. Political struggle boils down to who is more ruthless, whose means are more vicious, who acts more decisively; Yang Longying's hesitation in this regard caused him to miss the opportunity, and in this life he has no chance to turn things around.

Zhan Peng saw Hu Xiaotian silent for a long while and quietly reminded him: "Are we still going to the Prince Fu's side?"

Hu Xiaotian nodded: "Go, of course we must!" He and Prince Fu Yang Longying were sworn brothers; although their starting point was mutual benefit, they ultimately had a friendship, and without Yang Longying's help, I could not have so smoothly abducted Yang Longjing from the summer villa unbeknownst to gods and ghosts; emotionally and rationally, I should pay a visit.

Arriving at the Prince Fu mansion, few came to mourn; while Prince Fu was alive, everyone knew the Empress Dowager disliked him, and in public they avoided suspicion; now that Prince Fu is dead, no one wants to be seen by the court as his close friend or accomplice, for Piaoxiang City is full of the Empress Dowager's spies, and nobody wishes to invite trouble at this time.

The one handling Prince Fu's funeral is Prince Jing Yang Longxiu, also a prince of Tianxiang Kingdom, but he is unambitious and talentless; surviving in the imperial household for long, he exemplifies the saying "no talent is virtue"; aside from the Emperor, the more incompetent and mediocre a person, the longer they live. Precisely because he lacks ability, he poses no threat to the Emperor; precisely because he lacks ambition for power and profit, he instead lives peacefully and securely.

At the Prince Fu mansion, Hu Xiaotian also encountered a few acquaintances: Minister of Rites Wang Quezhi, commander of the Fengying Guard Rong Feiyan; they had no particular friendship with Prince Fu, merely coming under orders.

Hu Xiaotian offered a wreath, after incense and kneeling in the memorial hall, he also felt gloomy; Yang Longying too was a man of unfulfilled ambition who died young; court intrigue is not only about seizing opportunities, but more importantly about possessing a cold, ruthless heart, never hesitating at critical moments; Long Xuanjiao precisely seized the initiative, eliminating Yang Longying before the crisis erupted.

After paying respects, Hu Xiaotian asked to take another look at Yang Longying's appearance, approaching the corpse; Murong Feiyan stood to one side, beside her a investigating official was examining the body.

Hu Xiaotian stepped closer and saw that Yang Longying's neck had been pierced by an arrow; the arrow's force was extraordinary, penetrating his throat, the tip shattering his cervical vertebrae—such power is rare. Hu Xiaotian's first thought was Luoying Palace; in his impression, they excel at long-range archery assassinations. Examining the arrow meant to kill Yang Longying, he was surprised to find, from its craftsmanship, that it came from Luoying Palace, and the markings had been deliberately erased—quite a case of "hiding nothing but revealing everything."

Hu Xiaotian immediately realized: if it were Luoying Palace, they would not be foolish enough to use their own craft to make the arrow; after all, their fletching technique is distinctive, and anyone with a little knowledge of Luoying Palace could tell. Erasing the markings, trying to cover up, only proves the opposite—this has little to do with Luoying Palace; it's merely to confuse the eye and complicate the situation.

Hu Xiaotian said nothing; after viewing Prince Fu's last aspect, he went to greet his family. Prince Fu had four wives and concubines, seven children. Seeing his relatives weeping uncontrollably, Hu Xiaotian also felt sorrowful; the victor becomes king, the loser becomes bandit; if one cannot control one's fate, then one's kin will suffer a tragic destiny.

Upon hearing Hu Xiaotian had come, the Princess Consort Fu, tears in her eyes, called him aside, wiped her tears, red-eyed, and said: "Prince Fu once said that if he ever met with misfortune, Master Hu is someone to whom he could entrust matters."

Hu Xiaotian nodded: "Princess Consort, just tell me directly whatever you have."

The Princess Consort Fu said: "Since my son was young, I had him fostered abroad, hoping one day to bring him back; but now it seems hopeless. I have already sent him to Dongliang Jun to rely on you, Master, and I hope you will thereafter look after him and help him reach adulthood."

Even before his downfall, Prince Fu had prepared a fallback: he sent his eldest son out of Tianxiang Kingdom from childhood to be fostered elsewhere, in case his uprising failed, at least the family line could be preserved. After Prince Fu's mishap, the Princess Consort sensed their house might not survive, so she turned to Hu Xiaotian for help.

Hu Xiaotian said: "Princess Consort, rest assured, I will do my utmost." He indeed owed something to Prince Fu Yang Longying; raising the prince's son to adulthood also counts as compensation for this sworn brother.

Stepping out of the memorial hall, encountering Murong Feiyan, Hu Xiaotian said: "We meet again—fate is something you cannot disbelieve!"

Murong Feiyan said: "When people leave, the tea grows cold; today only a few came to mourn."

Hu Xiaotian turned to glance at the memorial hall, sighed, and said: "Worldly sentiments shift, human warmth and coldness have always been thus; therefore we must cherish the present, cherish each other—life is but a short hundred years, why miss a splendid match over a fit of pique?" (To be continued~^~)