Chapter 1848

Qiqi said: "You mean Wen Boyuan and Xue Daohong are colluding?"

Hu Xiaotian laughed: "I have no evidence."

Qiqi turned away, glared at him, and said: "Without evidence, you shouldn't speak recklessly. Although Wen Chenghuan opposes you at every turn, he is after all a senior statesman of three dynasties, and his loyalty to Dakang is beyond doubt."

Hu Xiaotian laughed: "Things can't be generalized. I didn't say Wen Chenghuan is a traitor; I merely said Wen Boyuan's conduct is highly suspicious."

"This person is dead, why bother about him?" Saying this, Qiqi suddenly realized that today's matter was brought up by herself; Wen Chenghuan's hatred for Hu Xiaotian to the bone is natural, as he blamed his son's death on Hu Xiaotian, this feud is irreconcilable.

Hu Xiaotian said: "But though the person is dead, the matter isn't over; Wen Chenghuan has repeatedly targeted me, so I also had people investigate him specially." As the saying goes, "To receive without returning is improper," Hu Xiaotian has never been one to passively endure insults.

Qiqi said: "What did you find?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "I discovered that this Grand Tutor Wen has always been a pacifist, especially regarding relations with Da Yong. When Dakang suffered the worst natural disasters, it was he who negotiated with Li Chen Zhou and successfully pushed for the purchase of grain from Da Yong at high prices."

Qiqi nodded; she naturally knew this.

Hu Xiaotian also said: "Grand Tutor Wen is also quite rare; for many years thereafter, in handling Sino-foreign relations he has remained steadfast, consistently friendly toward Da Yong. Da Yong has faced misfortune these past two years, with continual natural disasters; when they sought aid from us, his viewpoint you should know better than I."

Qiqi remained silent. On this matter, Wen Chenghuan proposed that grain should be sold to Da Yong, after all Da Yong had helped them before; although this suggestion was ultimately blocked here, Wen Chenghuan's attitude fully shows he is a steadfast pacifist. Qiqi sighed wearily: "I don't want to manage your personal grudges; from now on, restrain yourselves and stop badmouthing others behind their backs."

Hu Xiaotian said: "I haven't spoken ill of him; I'm just stating facts. Just now, wasn't it he who gathered a group of old officials to slander and impeach me?"

Qiqi said: "Do you think I'll believe him just because he said it? He says his piece; I'll judge what kind of person you are myself." After a pause she added: "But you should also keep a low profile in your actions. I'm entrusting you with handling the affairs of Da Yong and the Black Hu envoys; at least on the surface you must remain impartial, so as not to give others cause to talk."

Hu Xiaotian couldn't help laughing: "What did that old coot say about me? Is he saying I play favorites? That I'm overly close with the Black Hu envoys?"

Qiqi said: "You know everything."

Hu Xiaotian lowered his head and lightly kissed her flawless neck; Qiqi jumped up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, turning around with astonishing speed, her phoenix eyes wide, her lovely eyes more shy than angry, she stamped her foot and said: "You dare..."

Hu Xiaotian smiled narrowly: "Irresistible passion."

Qiqi bit her cherry lips, blush flying across her cheeks, after holding back a while she scolded: "Shameless!"

Hu Xiaotian took a step toward her; Qiqi stepped back. They advanced and retreated until Hu Xiaotian had Qiqi backed against the wall with no retreat. Their eyes met; Qiqi's heart pounded, her pretty face showing a flustered expression as she whispered: "What do you want? If I call out, countless palace guards will rush in and beat you to a pulp..." Before she finished, her cherry lips were blocked by Hu Xiaotian's mouth. She punched his shoulder hard, but didn't call for help, her blows growing lighter until she finally grabbed his shoulders voluntarily—then suddenly she reacted as if bitten by a snake, shoved Hu Xiaotian away, her pretty face flushed, wiping her mouth and spitting: "You're so disgusting, you actually...... actually......"

Hu Xiaotian smacked his lips, smiling narrowly: "Actually, you still have a lot to learn." He naturally referred to the kiss just now.

Qiqi lifted her leg to kick him; Hu Xiaotian grabbed her ankle in one swift move, stepping forward to help her easily perform a split; truly, this girl's flexibility is impressive.

Qiqi swung her hand to hit him, but he caught it with an outstretched hand; this posture had Hu Xiaotian pinning her against the wall, and Qiqi instantly lost her composure, her face flushed crimson as she asked: "What do you want?"

Hu Xiaotian smiled: "Can't say."

"Let go of me!"

Hu Xiaotian pursed his lips.

Qiqi understood his meaning, blushing as she moved close and kissed his lips; Hu Xiaotian then released her, he began to gradually grasp some tricks—conquering this wild horse Qiqi will still require effort.

Qiqi turned aside, quietly adjusted her dress, and whispered: "I've always seen Wen Chenghuan's conduct; his closeness to Da Yong is factual, but there's no solid evidence on that front; for now he seems merely a pacifist." After a pause she added: "On the contrary, you've been frequently contacting the Black Hu side lately—what are you up to behind the scenes?"

Hu Xiaotian laughed: "You don't trust me? If you don't trust me, you might as well hand the negotiations to someone else—I'd rather not suffer baseless suspicion."

Qiqi turned back; the flush on her pretty face had faded, her eyes cleared, she glared at Hu Xiaotian and said: "How come? I'm not allowed to say a word about you?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "You may speak, but you must not doubt me."

Qiqi said: "Have I ever doubted you?" She sighed: "Although you are the King of Zhenhai, you should still keep a low profile in everything; many matters still require caution."

Hu Xiaotian said: "It seems those impeaching me aren't just Wen Chenghuan and his group of old officials."

Qiqi said: "You should still handle the Black Hu and Da Yong affairs properly; even if there are personal grudges, they must never be brought into the negotiations."

Hu Xiaotian caught the implication in her words and countered: "What personal grudges do I have? I don't know of any."

Qiqi said: "You're really boring; you think you can hide your affair with Xue Lingjun from me?"

Hu Xiaotian laughed helplessly, shaking his head: "What thing do I have with Xue Lingjun?"

Qiqi said: "Anyway, you two are abnormal; if you want to keep it unknown, don't do it. Everyone knows Xue Lingjun is a woman who sleeps around, and you're no saint either—so some entanglement is normal. Now Xue Lingjun has tossed aside the old for the new, choosing Li Chen Zhou; you're naturally resentful, using public office for private revenge, repaying personal grudges with public authority—this too is understandable." Hearing this, Hu Xiaotian could neither laugh nor cry; he stepped toward Qiqi again, she visibly shrank back, retreating step by step until he had her against the wall once more, where Hu Xiaotian smirked and executed a domineering wall-slam.

Qiqi felt a bit nervous and shy, noticing this guy's aggression today; she tried to look more domineering, raising her eyebrows, widening her phoenix eyes: "Stay farther away; I don't like this way of speaking."

Hu Xiaotian burst out laughing: "Are you fantasizing, listening to slander, and pinning baseless things on me just to please yourself? Between me and Xue Lingjun everything is clear, nothing happened; you may insult my character, but you must not insult my taste."

Qiqi's face flushed again: "You still have taste?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "No taste, no guts—how could I have fallen for you?"

Although that was hard to hear, Qiqi felt her heart warm; she slowly reached out, intending to push Hu Xiaotian away, but upon nearing him she changed it to a single finger poking his chest to shove him back—this strength was clearly insufficient; her finger pressed against his chest, she clearly felt the elasticity of his pectoral muscles, and her face instantly reddened to the roots of her ears. She whispered: "I didn't say I don't trust you; could you step back a bit?" Even Qiqi herself couldn't believe she was backing down before Hu Xiaotian; seeing he still hadn't left, she whispered again: "I'm hot..."

Hu Xiaotian almost laughed out loud; he likes seeing Qiqi soften and yield before him; speaking of which, he does have a slight streak of deviance deep down, but he knows not to push too far—know when to stop. With a girl like Qiqi, one must simmer gently; suddenly he thought of Ji Feihua, who probably needs the same approach, except that in front of Ji Feihua it's usually him who yields, and his heart harbors an inexplicable reverence.

Qiqi lowered her head and slipped out from under his armpit, feeling a sense of relief; she also couldn't fathom why she felt apprehensive toward Hu Xiaotian.

Hu Xiaotian said: "The Black Hu side doesn't want us to interfere in their affairs with Da Yong; as long as we don't ally with Da Yong, they've already achieved their goal. As for Da Yong, they want to join forces with us to resist the Black Hu."

Qiqi said: "Dakang's vitality hasn't recovered yet; we're not ready to plunge into a war, and besides, the Heavenly Fragrance Kingdom eyes us covetously from behind—our main enemy now is them."

Hu Xiaotian said: "So I'm stalling them for now; I've already ascertained that the Black Hu and Da Yong's Prince Yan, Xue Shengjing, have long been colluding, and Xue Shengjing is likely hiding in the Black Hu."

Qiqi said: "If that's the case, then Da Yong's situation is worse than we realized?"

Hu Xiaotian nodded: "External threats aren't scary; the real danger is internal strife. Although Xue Shengjing has escaped, his influence permeates Da Yong's interior, and any shifts there cannot escape his notice. As for the current Da Yong, Li Chen Zhou and the Long Princess Xue Lingjun have joined forces to seize the nest; the Da Yong emperor, Xue Daoming, bears deep grudges against them, and it's uncertain whether this Long Princess Xue Lingjun's envoy to Dakang represents Li Chen Zhou's intent or Xue Daoming's."

Qiqi said: "I've also considered this question, so my meaning is to ally with no one." (To be continued~^~)