Chapter 1884: Still Water Tea House (Lower)

Still Water Tea House in Kangdu wasn't particularly famous, tucked among ordinary residential houses; its plain white banner with black characters bore a large embroidered "tea" character. If one had to say how it differed from other tea houses, it was the unique platform of Still Water Tea House, half of which extended over the winding Wang Kong Creek in front of the door; the sunlight was splendid, the autumn air crisp and clear, only a couple of white clouds lazily drifting in the deep blue sky, and only when one lowered his head to gaze at the creek could he clearly see the clouds drifting.

Because it was just past afternoon, there were hardly any customers; on the empty platform sat a solitary old man, his beard and hair all white, he glanced at Hu Xiaotian and the corner of his mouth revealed a smile as deep as it was mysterious.

Hu Xiaotian recognized that familiar smile as Liu Yuzhang's, smiled, walked over, sat opposite him, and said softly, "Your beard isn't bad!"

Liu Yuzhang gave an embarrassed dry cough; this fellow simply brought up whatever pot wasn't boiling, and even if his beard wasn't bad it was false—he was reminding himself that he was a eunuch? Liu Yuzhang certainly wouldn't be angry; his withered fingers lifted a cup of tea and gently placed it before Hu Xiaotian: "Please have some tea!"

Hu Xiaotian lifted the cup, smelled the fragrance, took a sip, then slumped his tall frame into the rattan chair in an extremely languid posture, his bright eyes also narrowed, like a sleepy cat: "I thought you wouldn't come looking for me again."

Liu Yuzhang chuckled: "Why?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "You people are all strange!" That wasn't the real reason; earlier, the Ghost Medicine Talisman Fu Luo had appeared and vanished just as mysteriously.

Liu Yuzhang said: "It seems you still can't hold your breath; I need to go verify some matters."

Hu Xiaotian asked: "How did the investigation go?"

Liu Yuzhang said: "I came to tell you that in three months we'll meet at Fan Yin Si."

Hu Xiaotian frowned: "You mean they sent the skull to Fan Yin Si?"

Liu Yuzhang said: "Eight or nine out of ten."

Hu Xiaotian chuckled: "If your information is wrong, won't I be making a wasted trip?"

Liu Yuzhang shook his head: "It won't be wasted; retrieving the skull is only one of our goals—we must also follow the vine to uncover the secrets of Wuji Guan and even Wuji Dong."

Hu Xiaotian said: "Do you think everyone's curiosity is as strong as yours?"

Liu Yuzhang said: "I've learned that Hu Buwei and Xue Shengjing have already formed an alliance; if Black Hu and the Xiang Guo join forces, the first to be threatened will be the Central Plains territory."

Hu Xiaotian frowned; this wasn't good news for him. He lowered his voice: "Does Old Lady Xu also harbor ambitions to unify the world?"

Liu Yuzhang said: "She doesn't want the world."

Hu Xiaotian keenly sensed the meaning in Liu Yuzhang's words; Old Lady Xu probably doesn't know about the alliance between Hu Buwei and Xue Shengjing, and he whispered: "What does she want then?"

Liu Yuzhang smiled: "The greatest desire in a person's heart is the urge to control, to believe everything is within one's grasp, to hope things develop as one wishes; yet reality often defies wishes—know that in this world the most complex animal is humanity itself, each person possesses independent consciousness, and over time their mindsets change: some develop ambition, some laziness and fatigue, and some hatred."

Hu Xiaotian secretly mused: It seems Hu Buwei has long been calculating his grand enterprise; Liu Yuzhang helps him, but his ultimate aim is to aid Hu Buwei in strengthening his wings and breaking free from Old Lady Xu's control; he couldn't help but think of Chu Yuanhai and Hong Beimo—they too had escaped Old Lady Xu's control, yet their fates were utterly different.

Liu Yuzhang said: "The proper way to take revenge on someone isn't to let her die, but to make her lose the hope and will to live."

Hu Xiaotian secretly sighed: Liu Yuzhang's hatred for Old Lady Xu is as deep as the sea, able to endure decades of silent plotting for revenge—what a bone‑deep grudge this must be.

Liu Yuzhang asked: "Do you look down on me in your heart?"

Hu Xiaotian shook his head: "No; I believe you must have your reasons for doing this." A hateful person must have a pitiable side; Liu Yuzhang surely suffered greatly at Old Lady Xu's hands.

Liu Yuzhang said: "You only need remember that most people want to destroy this world, while I only wish to destroy the Xu clan; the so-called Empty Space Plan is merely a pleasant pretext for a colonization scheme—once the world's spacetime coordinates leak out, this place will no longer be tranquil."

Hu Xiaotian nodded, feeling deeply resonant.

Liu Yuzhang said: "I chose to cooperate with you not only because you alone have the ability to open the underground palace, but also for a more important reason—I have no intention of changing anything here; my purpose in living is revenge!"

Hu Xiaotian secretly pondered: What exactly lies in the underground palace? Why must Liu Yuzhang open it to take revenge on Old Lady Xu? How are these two things connected?

Liu Yuzhang said: "Remember, in three months I'll be waiting for you at Black Hu Gu Ying Bao."

Before departing, Hu Xiaotian went to see Qiqi; Qiqi didn't wait for him to speak and already guessed his purpose, saying softly: "Getting ready to go back?"

Hu Xiaotian nodded: "I won't stay long back there; I've received news that the skull may have been sent to Fan Yin Si, and I'm preparing to go there to retrieve it."

Qiqi bit her cherry lip, rose, and slowly walked to his face, her beautiful eyes gazing at Hu Xiaotian's countenance, revealing a tenderness she could hardly conceal, she whispered: "Can you not go?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "Some hidden dangers must be eliminated; who knows what trouble that skull will cause if it falls into others' hands?"

Qiqi understood Hu Xiaotian's meaning; in this world it isn't only she who can sense the skull's secret, as Hu Xiaotian said, if the information and secrets hidden in the skull were deciphered by others, the consequences would be unthinkable—though she also didn't know the skull is actually the key to unlocking the underground palace of the Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda: "Be careful!"

Hu Xiaotian smiled and nodded: "Take good care of yourself, and take good care of Xi Yue."

Qiqi always felt his latter sentence was the point; she wanted to argue with him in her heart, but thinking of the imminent parting she dismissed the notion: "When will you come back?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "Not long!" He and Liu Yuzhang had an agreement; after retrieving the skull, the next step would be to open the underground palace, the preliminary date set for the seventh day of the seventh month next year. He reached out, gently stroking Qiqi's lovely face; Qiqi held his big hand, pressing her lovely face against his palm.

Hu Xiaotian said: "You must remember, before I return you must not go to the Seven Treasures Exquisite Pagoda again."

Qiqi nodded.

Upon returning to the mansion, Long Xi Yue was in Baobao's room chatting with her; Baobao had first recovered her speech and now could speak freely; hearing their laughter and chatter outside the door, Hu Xiaotian felt a warm surge in his heart; he understood why Long Xi Yue insisted on coming to Kangdu—though at first he thought her move was merely a meaningless adventure, he now realized her journey was of vital importance to stabilizing the situation.

Long Xi Yue may be kind, but that doesn't mean she lacks wisdom; her grasp of the bigger picture is not much inferior to his own, her ability to overcome strength with softness even surpasses his; his ability to set down his burdens and go into battle lightly is thanks to Long Xi Yue's coming to the capital to coordinate; aside from feeling moved and gratified, he also admired his own judgment in choosing a wife.

While eavesdropping outside, he heard the two women actually discussing child‑rearing; Hu Xiaotian felt his cheeks burn—his infertility had become a knot in his heart; if he truly couldn't make these beauties bear children, that would be the greatest regret of his life; he dismissed the idea of going in now, turned around, and saw a figure standing on the Bohua Lou, looking down at him; he was extremely familiar with that silhouette—at a glance he recognized it as Ji Feihua.

Ji Feihua nodded at him, turned and flew off into the distance; Hu Xiaotian leapt into the air, following Ji Feihua's steps, arriving at the Bao Ping Lou on the southeast corner of the Zhenhai Wang Fu; Ji Feihua sat on the roof ridge, her expression as aloof and cold as ever; she took a wine pouch from her waist, unscrewed the wooden stopper, took a sip, then tossed the pouch to Hu Xiaotian.

Hu Xiaotian caught it, gulped down several large mouthfuls—not to show off, but because he had just heard Long Xi Yue and Baobao's conversation; Baobao had already prepared to nurture her body in order to bear children for him, and drowning his sorrows in wine only made his sorrow deeper.

Ji Feihua saw he had something on his mind and said lightly: "You're not happy?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "I'm about to leave Kangdu; there will inevitably be some disappointment."

"Are you reluctant to part with Long Xi Yue or with Qiqi?"

Hu Xiaotian laughed: "I'm reluctant to part with you!"

Ji Feihua reached over, took the wine pouch from him, drank a mouthful, then handed it back, rose to her full height, moonlight wrapping around her unruly back; Hu Xiaotian gazed at her back and felt a pang of pity welling up from his heart—he seemed able to sense the loneliness and solitude deep within Ji Feihua's soul, a strong urge to hold her close and cherish her welled up inside him.

"Have you seen Liu Yuzhang?"

Hu Xiaotian nodded: "He and I have agreed to meet in three months at Black Hu Gu Ying Bao, then go together to Fan Yin Si to retrieve the skull." In his heart he hoped Ji Feihua would accompany him, but he felt the likelihood was slim—Ji Feihua and Liu Yuzhang harbor deep grudges, making cooperation between them almost impossible.

Ji Feihua said: "I'll go there too!"

Hu Xiaotian's heart leapt with joy; with him, Liu Yuzhang, and now Ji Feihua joining forces, who could rival them under heaven? He eagerly proposed: "How about tomorrow you and I return to Dongliang Jun together?"

Ji Feihua shook her head: "I still have other matters to attend to!"

On the first day of the month, readers who hold monthly tickets are asked to vote for Medical Union—not for the rankings, just so the final month's placement isn't too ugly! (~^~)