Chapter 1870

Hu Xiaotian said: "I'm leaving too."

"What?" Qiqi exclaimed in surprise.

Hu Xiaotian said: "If I keep staying here, where can I go to help you find the skull?"

Qiqi, although she knew Hu Xiaotian indeed should leave, felt reluctant in her heart; perhaps only at the moment of parting would she realize her feelings for him. She whispered, "Where are you planning to go?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "To go find the skull, right?"

Qiqi sighed, bit her cherry lips, after a moment lifted her eyes to Hu Xiaotian and said: "I still can't trust you."

Hu Xiaotian never expected her to say that; he couldn't help laughing: "Are you worried I'll leave and never return?"

Qiqi said: "I can't rule out that possibility."

Hu Xiaotian said: "If you don't trust me, then come with me."

Qiqi shook her head: "You know it's impossible."

Hu Xiaotian took a step forward, approaching Qiqi; her heart fluttered inexplicably. He extended his arm, hooked her slender waist, and pressed her delicate body against his chest.

Qiqi, blushing, spat: "Bold rascal, aren't you afraid I'll have you executed by slow slicing?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "I'm afraid you'll be reluctant." He lowered his head and fiercely kissed her luscious cherry lips, then released Qiqi and said: "I have a suggestion—how about we reconcile?"

Qiqi, feeling a bit embarrassed, wrinkled her nose: "I don't even know what you're talking about."

Hu Xiaotian said: "Why don't we renew our marriage pact to increase trust between us?"

Qiqi spat: "What do you take me for? You wanted to annul the marriage pact, so you did; now you say you want to renew it. You're a married man—what face do I have left before the world?"

Hu Xiaotian laughed: "If you won't, then forget it."

Qiqi, however, said: "Unless you have Long Xi Yue come speak to me herself."

Hu Xiaotian gazed at Qiqi with deep meaning: "You wouldn't be thinking of using Yue as a hostage, would you?"

Qiqi showed no weakness: "You said we need mutual trust; if you dare not let Long Xi Yue see me, it proves you have ulterior motives and don't trust me at all."

Hu Xiaotian said: "Even if I were willing to tell her, Yue might not come." Yet he understood deep down that once Yue heard of this, she would certainly come to Kangdu; this girl is kind-hearted at heart and will do anything for her own good.

Qiqi smiled: "How do you know she won't come? She's already on the road; at most three days, she'll arrive in Kangdu."

Now Hu Xiaotian was astonished; he hadn't known Yue was coming to Kangdu, and half-believing, half-doubting, he said: "Are you lying to me?"

Qiqi said: "It seems you still don't understand my aunt. After you revealed your identity, she had someone send me a letter, asking me to treat you well and speak many good words for you. Seeing her sincerity, I casually mentioned inviting her over; I never expected her to agree. She also told me not to tell you, saying she wants to give you a surprise."

Hu Xiaotian's forehead began to sweat; it seemed this was true. Yue, Yue, you've handled this rather clumsily—how could you keep such a big thing from me? And this girl Qiqi is no easy opponent; her fickle mind might turn against me, which would be trouble.

Qiqi looked at Hu Xiaotian with some disdain: "You're not as open as Long Xi Yue!"

Hu Xiaotian chuckled: "Looks like you still have plenty you're hiding from me."

Qiqi said: "Every woman should have her own secrets."

As Hu Xiaotian left Zilan Palace, he saw Yinzheng making furtive glances at him, so he walked over and smiled: "Little Yin, is something up?"

Yinzheng nodded hurriedly, lowering his voice: "Your Highness, haven't you heard what happened in the palace?"

Hu Xiaotian asked: "What happened?" He had been busy these two days investigating the theft of the Seven Ingenious Pavilion, so he naturally had no time for other matters; however, even after seeing Qiqi just now, he hadn't heard of anything major.

Yinzheng whispered mysteriously: "Someone died in the palace—a palace maid and a eunuch."

"When did this happen?"

Yinzheng said: "They were discovered this morning at dawn, their naked bodies floating on the surface of Jade Pond; it's said they died for love."

Hu Xiaotian couldn't help frowning: "Absurd, why would a eunuch and a palace maid die for love?"

Yinzheng said: "I'm only repeating what I heard; I don't really know the details. But that eunuch, Your Highness, you should know him—he's called Fugui. When Eunuch Quan was alive, he was also a close aide of Quan."

Upon hearing the name Fugui, Hu Xiaotian started; Fugui was familiar to him—he had once followed Quan De'an, and later, thanks to that connection, was promoted to work at the Imperial Stables. After that, Hu Xiaotian had little contact with him, and if Yinzheng hadn't mentioned him, he would have almost forgotten the man. He whispered: "Does the Princess know?"

Yinzheng shook his head: "Leader Mu Rong says we shouldn't alarm the Princess; I still think it's better to tell Your Highness."

Hu Xiaotian gave a slight smile, patted Yinzheng's shoulder: "You did well."

A couple of deaths in the palace aren't a big deal; Mu Rongzhan's choice to conceal it is quite normal—it's impossible to alarm the Princess over every matter, or he may have other considerations, wanting to wait until the results are in before reporting.

After leaving Zilan Palace, Hu Xiaotian went on his way to the Imperial Gardens Bureau, since he was about to leave Kangdu; before departing, he still wanted to bid farewell to his sworn brother Shi Xuedong and, by the way, ask about this palace incident.

Shi Xuedong, hearing Hu Xiaotian ask about this, couldn't help sighing: "That Fugui was also an old acquaintance of mine; I never expected him to die so mysteriously—everyone says he died for love."

Hu Xiaotian said: "You also believe such a boring story? He's a eunuch."

Shi Xuedong said: "But it's possible; earlier he came to me, saying he wanted a certain medicine."

Hu Xiaotian asked: "What medicine?"

"Black Tiger Whip!"

Mentioning the Black Tiger Whip, Hu Xiaotian couldn't help thinking of Liu Yuzhang; when he first entered the palace, Liu Yuzhang had once kept a Black Tiger Whip. At that time, Liu Yuzhang had treated him quite well, and Hu Xiaotian had once believed Liu Yuzhang was killed by Ji Feihua, even vowing to avenge him—only later did he learn Liu Yuzhang had merely faked his death. That Black Tiger Whip was of no use to him, yet Liu Yuzhang could give him something so important, showing his loyalty.

Because that Black Tiger Whip also triggered a bloodbath, Senior Eunuch Rong Baoxing was eliminated by Ji Feihua for stealing it; of course, the real reason behind it was power struggles.

As for that Black Tiger Whip, it actually isn't that miraculous; Hu Xiaotian inquired specifically and found that even if a eunuch swallowed it, he couldn't become a man again. Later he took the whip out of the palace for storage; now it lies in the armory of Fengyi Shan Zhuang, mixed among dozens of other tiger whips, indistinguishable from the outside unless one knows its location beforehand.

Hu Xiaotian said: "When did this happen?"

Shi Xuedong thought carefully, then said softly: "Probably about a month ago; I recall the medicine store didn't have such a thing." He inventories the store every year and knows its contents well; in fact, given his temperament, if there were a Black Tiger Whip, he would have already swallowed it—useful or not, one must try. A eunuch's life really can't compare to the carefree, flirtatious days of being a man.

Hu Xiaotian said: "Come on, take me to the medicine store to have a look."

Shi Xuedong nodded, leading Hu Xiaotian to the medicine store's exterior; the copper lock on the door was fastened tightly, for the Imperial Gardens Bureau's medicine store mostly holds medicinal materials selected from the palace's own store, so it isn't given much attention; many of the materials have already expired and spoiled. The Bureau does a quarterly inventory, conducting four cleanups a year; come to think of it, Shi Xuedong hasn't been there for over two months.

Opening the medicine store's door, a musty smell rushed out; Shi Xuedong covered his nose with one hand and held a lantern with the other, speaking in a muffled tone: "It reeks; the stuff in here needs cleaning again."

Hu Xiaotian entered the medicine store; having been in charge there before, he'd visited many times and was very familiar with the layout. Although many years had passed, the arrangement hadn't changed much. He walked straight to the rack holding tiger whips; Shi Xuedong held up a lantern to light his way, but saw many wooden boxes on the rack. Hu Xiaotian picked one at random, opened it, and found it empty. Shi Xuedong gave an embarrassed smile: "I also heard there might be a Black Tiger Whip here, so I soaked a few in wine—too bad they had no effect."

Hu Xiaotian chuckled, saying lowly: "Even though 'you are what you eat,' eating a tiger whip—do you really think it can make something grow?"

Shi Xuedong said: "Even if it grew a tiger whip, that would be good."

Hu Xiaotian shook his head, inhaled, wrinkled his nose, and continued forward; Shi Xuedong followed closely behind, arriving at the wooden rack in the northeast corner. Hu Xiaotian looked down and saw a puddle of liquid on the ground. Shi Xuedong bent to sniff it; the foul odor almost made him vomit. He turned his head, gulping out the foul air from his chest, and cursed: "Damn it, which bastard came here to piss? If I catch him, I'll beat him to death with a stick."

Hu Xiaotian crouched, pulled out a pair of deerskin gloves from his waist, put them on, and pinched something from under the wooden rack. Shi Xuedong blinked, seeing the blackish, thumb-thick object, and exclaimed in astonishment: "A tiger whip…" Then he realized there couldn't be such a tiny tiger whip; borrowing the lantern's light, he examined it closely and finally recognized that what Hu Xiaotian was pinching was not a tiger whip at all, but a finger—having lain for a long time, it had rotted and turned black.

Shi Xuedong could no longer hold back; he turned and vomited.

Hu Xiaotian said: "Someone died here, and then the murderer wanted to use bone-dissolving water to melt his corpse clean, but unfortunately he still was negligent, leaving this finger." (To be continued~^~)