Chapter 1476

Hu Xiaotian knows he is still sad and upset about Xiao Rou's matter, he sighs inwardly, and does not continue to press him, smiling: "Everyone, for now just stay put and feel at ease. I heard the Red Yi people take the fasting day very seriously; during this period they absolutely forbid killing. Even if the Red Yi chieftain Baheer has ill intentions toward us, he won't make any moves in these three days, so we can rest easy. Liang Yinghao, you and Xia Zhangming are responsible for guarding the Butterfly Garden."

"Yes!" Liang Yinghao said, then noticed Xia Zhangming had zoned out again, quietly poked him with his elbow, and Xia Zhangming came to his senses, hurriedly replying: "Subordinate obeys orders."

Hu Xiaotian also said to Zhan Peng: "You are responsible for the perimeter; investigate the situation of the surrounding blockhouses clearly, find out if there are any troops and their exact numbers."

Hu Xiaotian had everyone leave, kept Qiao Fangzheng alone, and whispered: "Senior Qiao, it looks like you're going to attend this Red Sea Assembly?"

Qiao Fangzheng nodded and said: "I must go; it concerns the life and death of the Beggars' Sect—how could I stand by idly?" His expression showed a hint of sorrow, his heart already tinged with the desolation of facing death willingly. He certainly remembered his prior cooperation agreement with Hu Xiaotian, but Qiao Fangzheng's innate pride prevented him from lowering his head to bring this up; if Hu Xiaotian didn't take the initiative to offer help, he certainly wouldn't mention it.

Hu Xiaotian sighed and said: "Senior, please reconsider." He actually did not propose to go together with Qiao Fangzheng.

Qiao Fangzheng felt even more gloomy inside, perhaps this Red Sea journey of his was destined to be a one-way trip.

Fire Tree City's lord Baheer stood on the Lingyun blockhouse; this blockhouse sat at the center of Fire Tree City and was its highest point. Standing there, the whole city lay before him, and Baheer looked down toward the Butterfly Garden, whispering: "They really have come!"

Jiang Shao Yang respectfully said: "Reporting to the lord, following your orders I have already arranged for them to stay at the Butterfly Garden; their party totals fifteen people, including an elderly blind person and a six- or seven-year-old child."

Jiang Shao Yang added: "Our archers have been positioned in the blockhouses surrounding the Butterfly Garden; the entire garden is within range. As soon as the lord gives the order, we can wipe them all out."

Baheer asked: "Have they raised the matter of taking over Red Wood River?"

Jiang Shao Yang said: "They didn't mention it; they only said they wanted to see the lord, perhaps they'd bring it up after meeting him."

A flicker of cold killing intent crossed Baheer's eyes.

Jiang Shao Yang, observant to the finest detail, saw everything clearly and whispered: "My lord, I think we should act decisively. Eliminate them early to avoid future complications."

Baheer glared at Jiang Shao Yang with some displeasure; Jiang Shao Yang startled and hastily lowered his head. Baheer said: "On a fasting day you dare to propose slaughter—do you not fear divine punishment? If you dare bring this up again before me, don't blame me for being ruthless!"

Jiang Shao Yang, terrified out of his wits, trembled: "My lord, please calm your anger. My lord, please calm your anger."

Baheer snorted angrily, turned and descended the blockhouse, went down the stairs to a room on the sixth floor, only to see a woman kneeling before the deity statue. Her forehead touched the ground, her hands spread open toward the sky, murmuring words as she prayed for something.

Baheer stood behind her, silently gazing at her, his eyes showing a painful light. He stared for a long time, then finally couldn't help but say: "You still have him in your heart!"

The woman seemed not to have heard his words, continuing to pray silently.

Baheer, enraged by her demeanor, lunged forward a step, grabbed the woman and hauled her up from the ground, roaring: "Ganuo, look at me—you are now my wife, my elder brother is dead! He's dead!"

That woman was his wife Ganuo; Ganuo gazed at him blankly and softly said: "Let me go—aren't you afraid of divine punishment?"

Baheer snapped: "Ganuo, I've treated you so well—why won't you show me even a hint of joy? Why do you still refuse to accept me? He's dead……"

"He's dead because of you!" Ganuo stared at Baheer, her eyes devoid of hatred, only coldness—cold as a statue devoid of any life or feeling.

Baheer said: "I didn't……"

Ganuo shook her head: "Since you dared to do it, why won't you admit it? You killed my elder brother, framed the Tianxiang Kingdom, and you also killed my daughter…… my innocent Jiaou……" As she spoke of her daughter, Ganuo's tears could not help but fall.

Baheer shoved her to the ground and roared: "Why do you cling to the shadows of the past? Why do you live in hatred? Have you forgotten how we first fell in love? It was my elder brother, relying on his status as chief, who snatched you from my hands; it was he who tore us apart. I am merely taking back what rightfully belongs to me—why must you change? We can forget the past; we can be happy."

Ganuo endured the pain, crawled up from the ground, then knelt again before the deity statue and continued praying.

Baheer's face twisted with pain: "We can be happy; we can have another child."

Hu Xiaotian and Long Xi Yue went together to Jiangnan Street for a leisurely stroll; Xiao Ou suggested joining them, and Long Xi Yue readily agreed, bringing along this little light bulb. Arriving at Jiangnan Street, after just a few steps they could see beggars; it seemed the Beggars' Sect assembly five days later was drawing various figures of the sect to gather here, and because the Red Yi tribe was observing the fasting day, other tribes mostly congregated on Jiangnan Street, making it especially crowded.

Long Xi Yue held Xiao Ou's hand and walked ahead, while Hu Xiaotian followed behind them, making sure they stayed within his sight so they wouldn't get separated; only then did he notice that Xiao Ou's neck actually bore a colored tattoo.

Hu Xiaotian asked curiously: "Xiao Ou, what is tattooed on the back of your neck?"

Xiao Ou said: "A bird!" She pulled down her collar to let Hu Xiaotian see more clearly; it was a bird flying amid flames, definitely not a phoenix. Judging by the tattoo's skill, it was absolutely top-notch; Hu Xiaotian secretly thought that perhaps the pattern could reveal Xiao Ou's background secret.

Hu Xiaotian said: "Xiao Ou, what is your surname?"

Xiao Ou shook her head: "I don't remember; I only recall that they called me Xiao Ou."

Long Xi Yue said: "Why bother asking her? I've already asked; Xiao Ou has told me everything she can remember."

Xiao Ou pointed ahead and laughed: "Monkey show!" Being a child at heart, she ran over to watch the excitement, and Hu Xiaotian and Long Xi Yue hurried to follow.

Seeing the monkey perform various actions under the monkey handler's direction, Xiao Ou laughed with unbounded joy.

Hu Xiaotian wasn't particularly interested in this, he looked around for a place to eat, but in the distance he saw a familiar face passing by—it was the Sixth Prince of Nan Yue, Hong Yingtai. It seemed he was also passing through on his way back to Nan Yue, and Hu Xiaotian called out loudly: "Brother Yingtai!"

Hong Yingtai heard someone calling his name, turned toward the sound, and saw Hu Xiaotian standing not far away; he was overjoyed, having met Hu Xiaotian several times before and always held a good impression of him. He hastily dismounted, tossed the reins to his attendant, came before Hu Xiaotian and clasped his fists: "I never expected to meet Master Hu here—what a fortunate encounter!" His gaze fell on Long Xi Yue, and he was momentarily stunned, then quickly recalled the propriety of not looking at what is improper, lowering his eyes and saying: "This must be Princess Yingyue." He belonged to the group that retreats when facing difficulty and had left early; the reason he lingered until now was that he had spent a few days playing in the Tianxiang Kingdom.

Long Xi Yue, after hearing Hu Xiaotian introduce his identity, softly said: "I have met Your Highness, the Prince."

Hong Yingtai secretly admired Long Xi Yue's peerless beauty, though lamenting he lacked such fortune; still, only a hero like Hu Xiaotian deserved such a peerless beauty, and he felt no great loss. Being a man of utmost sincerity, Hong Yingtai smiled: "An arranged meeting is no match for a chance encounter; I have seen Master Hu many times, yet we have never had the chance to drink alone. I wonder if Master Hu and the Princess would grant me a modest favor?"

From the side came Xiao Ou's childish voice: "And me too!"

Hong Yingtai then noticed they were also bringing along a little girl, and he felt bewildered—could they really have had a child so quickly? Surely there was no possibility.

Hu Xiaotian laughed: "Great, I was thinking the same thing."

Hong Yingtai had been to Fire Tree City before and knew the situation well; he brought them to Jiangnan Street's Show Water Pavilion, an establishment opened by a Kang person, the busiest eatery on the whole Jiangnan Street, usually packed with customers—especially on fasting days when this was the only place operating normally; without Hong Yingtai's prior reservation, finding a place to eat would have been impossible.

Together they went up to the fifth floor; although it still retained the Jiangnan style with flying eaves and glazed tiles, it also adapted to local customs, blending in regional architectural features—such five-story-or-higher buildings are rare in the Central Plains. Hong Yingtai generously rented out the entire fifth floor, having the surrounding bamboo blinds rolled up so that breezes from all sides swept in and the surrounding scenery filled their view.

Hu Xiaotian looked around, but his gaze locked onto the due west; his eyesight was naturally sharper than average; to the due west stood an imposing structure that, judging by its architectural style, appeared to be a temple. What caught Hu Xiaotian's attention wasn't the temple itself, but the two marble pillars before it, carved with two birds poised to spread their wings—and the shape of those birds matched exactly the tattoo on Xiao Ou's neck.

Hu Xiaotian inwardly wondered; although Long Xi Yue stood beside him gazing into the distance, her eyesight could not reach that far.

Hong Yingtai invited everyone to be seated, then followed Hu Xiaotian's gaze and said: "That is the Red Yi tribe's divine temple; the area is under martial lockdown, and outsiders are not permitted to enter."

After three rounds of wine, the two talked about their experiences since parting. Hong Yingtai said, "I heard that the King of Tianxiang gave Redwood River as a dowry to Young Master Hu."

Hu Xiaotian did not deny it, smiling, "What do you think, Brother Yingtai?"

Wish everyone a happy Valentine's Day; those with wives, stop blindly joining the fun, stay home honestly and live your life; those without wives, go ahead and have fun, remember to bring your ID; today is the seventh, I wish everyone good health, health is the capital of revolution, without good health what's the point of celebrating Valentine's? Even Lao Zhangyu, in good health, is nothing but this foreign festival; I devote my strength to typing, those who liked, hurry up and cast your Monthly Ticket! (To be continued~^~)