Chapter 1903

Just as night fell, the sky began to dump goose-feather heavy snow; outside the north wind howled, but inside it was warm as spring. In such weather, apart from Hu Xiaotian, who had an appointment, no one would voluntarily go out to freeze. Hu Xiaotian had a date with his beloved; even if it were snowing, or even if knives were falling, he would still forge ahead, a promise worth a thousand gold! That's how a man should treat the woman he loves.

Gu Ying Bao originally had few inhabitants, and this heavy snow almost drove everyone back indoors. In such weather, walking the streets actually made it easier to attract outsiders' attention. Most buildings in Gu Ying Bao are flat-roofed houses; the tallest structure, Buddha Heart Pavilion, is only three stories high. Yet the houses are built very tightly, the lanes narrow. Hu Xiaotian leapt and bounded across the rooftops as if on level ground. When people encounter joy, their spirits rise; thinking of meeting his beloved soon, his steps were extraordinarily light, his mood exceptionally relaxed, every pore from head to toe exuding a big 'refresh'.

What biting wind, what goose-feather snow—none of it mattered. Hu Xiaotian quickly arrived at Buddha Heart Pavilion. Knowing Ji Feihua's habits, he expected she wouldn't appear too early, but tonight was somewhat unexpected. When he arrived, he saw a figure standing atop Buddha Heart Pavilion. Despite the wind and snow filling the sky, Hu Xiaotian still recognized from that outstanding silhouette that it was Ji Feihua.

Ji Feihua's silhouette always bore an indescribable loneliness; standing atop Buddha Heart Pavilion, it seemed as if she were the only one left between heaven and earth.

Hu Xiaotian first surveyed the surroundings of Buddha Heart Pavilion, then leapt into the air, drifting down like a falling leaf to lightly land beside Ji Feihua, smiling: 'Sorry to keep you waiting.'

Ji Feihua gave a faint smile: 'You're not late at all.' She pointed to the lit window of Buddha Heart Pavilion and said: 'That princess hasn't gone to sleep yet.'

Hu Xiaotian laughed: 'Whether she sleeps or not is **** business; I'm here to see you.'

Although the window was lit, one could not see inside. Hu Xiaotian mimicked Ji Feihua, pressing his ear to the wall to listen. Their hearing was extraordinarily sharp; the voices inside came through crystal clear. Even if Hu Xiaotian heard clearly, he didn't understand what they were saying, for he didn't understand the barbarian tongue. After a while, Ji Feihua shot upward first, returning to the top of Buddha Heart Pavilion. Hu Xiaotian followed, bewildered, and exclaimed: 'What are they saying?'

Although the window was lit, he could not see inside; Hu Xiaotian imitated Ji Feihua, pressing his ear to the wall to listen. Their hearing was extraordinarily sharp, and the voices within came through crystal clear. Even if Hu Xiaotian heard clearly, he did not know what they were saying, and he also did not understand the barbarian tongue. After a while, Ji Feihua took the lead, swooping up to return to the Buddha Heart Pavilion; Hu Xiaotian followed, bewildered, and exclaimed, "What are they saying?"

'About me?' Hu Xiaotian's face filled with astonishment.

Ji Feihua laughed: 'This princess has taken a liking to you.'

Hu Xiaotian laughed, somewhat embarrassed, yet inwardly he couldn't help feeling pleased—his charm really was no small thing; after just a few meetings, he had already hooked the Black Hu Princess's soul.

Hu Xiaotian smiled somewhat embarrassedly, yet inwardly he couldn't help feeling a bit pleased; his charm really was not simple, having only met a few times, he had already captured the Black Hu Princess's soul.

Hu Xiaotian nodded: 'Where do you live?'

Ji Feihua said: 'How about coming to your place?'

This exactly suited Hu Xiaotian's wishes; he happily nodded repeatedly, thinking that if he could share a room with Ji Feihua, he might just get his chance.

Ji Feihua, however, said: 'Never mind, with so many people about and eyes everywhere, we can't even talk properly…' Before he could react, she suddenly grabbed Hu Xiaotian and lifted him up. Hu Xiaotian had no defenses; indeed, even if he had been on guard, he would not have resisted, for he trusted Ji Feihua implicitly, believing she would never harm him. Ji Feihua activated her wing armor, and with Hu Xiaotian in tow, shot suddenly into the night sky filled with flying snow. The wings unfolded gradually as they rose. The wing armor Hu Xiaotian had given her proved quite effective. He recalled that he was always the one embracing others, never imagining that this time Ji Feihua would reverse the hold and embrace him. He secretly amused himself, yet resigned himself to being a lamb in her embrace. This rascal would not let such a fine opportunity slip; he slipped both arms around Ji Feihua's slender waist, lowered his head, and pressed it directly against her chest. Though he felt nothing, he could not stop his own imagination.

Just as he was lost in reverie, he felt Ji Feihua bring him into a sheer drop from high altitude. Hu Xiaotian startled, jumping with a jolt, thinking the wing armor had failed; they fell a distance, then Ji Feihua circled and climbed again. Knowing full well how clever she was, she naturally realized Hu Xiaotian was taking advantage to cop a feel. In the wind and snow she softly chided: 'Next time you won't be so lucky.'

Hu Xiaotian laughed: 'I'm not afraid at all; dying together with you, there's nothing to fear!'

'Fine! Then let's die together!' Ji Feihua brought him into a plunge; the previous time had been free fall, this time an accelerated dive. Hu Xiaotian said he wasn't afraid, but deep down he truly did not want to die, clutching Ji Feihua tightly: 'Ah… ah… better alive than dead…'

When they were still about five zhang above the ground, their downward momentum suddenly halted. Hu Xiaotian felt as if he were on a drop tower ride, his heart pounding thump-thump; in the past, when the wing armor was in his hands, he had never played like this.

Ji Feihua grabbed him and flung him outward; Hu Xiaotian pretended to lose balance, landing seated in the snow with a plop, his true intention being to earn a smile from the beauty.

Seeing his sorry state, Ji Feihua couldn't help but chuckle softly, then drifted down to the snow and folded her wings.

Hu Xiaotian gazed at Ji Feihua in the snow—her bearing spirited and graceful, her nobility beyond compare. The more he looked, the more he loved her, wishing he could throw her down in the snow and kiss her passionately, yet though he harbored the desire, he dared not act; the only woman who could inspire awe from the depths of his heart was the one before him.

Ji Feihua pointed ahead; Hu Xiaotian turned and saw, not far behind, a snowdrift concealing an entrance—no doubt this was Ji Feihua's dwelling.

Ji Feihua had already led the way; as Hu Xiaotian followed her into the snow cave, she had lit a bonfire. Though the cave was small, it was sufficient to shelter two people, while the wind and snow raged outside, inside it was warm as spring.

The two sat before the fire. Hu Xiaotian took in the humble scene, recalling how Ji Feihua had spent these years utterly alone, and a sudden, hard-to-describe sourness welled up in his heart. He silently gazed at Ji Feihua; though he spoke no words, his look said everything.

The two sat down before the campfire; Hu Xiaotian saw the modest scene before him, recalling that Ji Feihua had always been alone like this over the years, and a sudden, ineffable sourness welled up in his heart. He silently gazed at Ji Feihua; although he said nothing, his look already explained everything.

Hu Xiaotian replied: 'I don't know why, but I always feel a sense of freshness!'

Ji Feihua chuckled, rose to her full height, looked down at Hu Xiaotian, and said: 'Little whiskers, do you still remember the scene of our first meeting?'

Hu Xiaotian nodded: 'I remember—I was trembling with fear, too afraid to meet her gaze.'

'Was I really that frightening?'

Hu Xiaotian said: 'Back then, yes!'

'Why aren't you afraid now?'

Hu Xiaotian answered: 'Because I have love in my heart!' As he spoke, he himself dared not look Ji Feihua straight in the eye, as if he were a bashful young maiden confessing love to her beloved.

Ji Feihua said: 'You, you—always falling in love at first sight, little whiskers. Do you know what Xima said tonight?'

Hu Xiaotian realized Ji Feihua was dodging the main point, skillfully deflecting his confession; he opened his mouth to steer the conversation back.

Ji Feihua said: 'The Black Hu Khan Wanyan Luxisheng has fallen gravely ill; he has already passed the khanship to his third son, Wanyan Liezu. Upon inheriting the khanate, Wanyan Liezu's first act was to ally through marriage with Shajia, arranging for Xima to be betrothed to the twelfth prince of Shajia, Huoge.'

Hu Xiaotian exclaimed in astonishment: 'Black Hu and Shajia have had no dealings before—why would they choose a marriage alliance? Moreover, Huoge already has a wife, the daughter of Li Tianheng of Xichuan, Li Mocho—'

Ji Feihua said: 'Li Tianheng is dead; the Li family has lost influence in Xichuan, and Li Mocho holds no value in Shajia—let alone being Huoge's chief wife; even merely staying alive there would be extremely difficult.'

Hu Xiaotian sighed inwardly, never expecting the fate of Li Tianheng's children to be so tragic. After a moment's thought, he said: 'The greatest feud between the Black Hu and Shajia peoples has always centered on Yulan; they likely intend to join forces to seize Yulan, thereby opening a breakthrough in the northwest of the Central Plains and laying the foundation for future shared rule over the Central Plains.'

Hu Xiaotian secretly sighed, never expecting that Li Tianheng's children would have such a tragic fate. After a moment's thought he said: "The greatest conflict between the Black Hu and the Shajia people has always been the Lan Territory; they likely intend to join forces to take the Lan Territory, opening a breakthrough in the northwest of the Central Plains, laying the foundation for future shared rule of the Central Plains."

Hu Xiaotian's brows knitted tight; before coming to Bei Jiang, Yu Tianxing had already reported to him the detailed plan for attacking Yulan, now being put into action. If Shajia and the Black Hu truly succeeded in their marriage alliance, it would certainly be no good for him.

Ji Feihua said: 'Xima's true purpose in coming this time is actually to meet the Living Buddha and receive his blessing; she is extremely reluctant to marry into Shajia, blaming her third older brother for ruining her happiness, and the person she truly longs for is you.'

Hu Xiaotian gave a wry smile: 'You couldn't be bored enough to be playing matchmaker for me, could you? Or are you trying to persuade me to rescue her from fire and water?'

Ji Feihua said: 'Fan Yin Si is full of experts, but that's secondary; the true leader of Fan Yin Si is the Living Buddha Jialuo—a person who appears and disappears unpredictably. Even if we managed to storm Fan Yin Si, we might not necessarily see him, yet Xima can.'

Hu Xiaotian's eyes widened; he had grasped Ji Feihua's meaning: 'You mean I should sacrifice my looks, seduce Xima, and have her guide me to the Living Buddha Jialuo?'

Ji Feihua said: 'I'm merely making a suggestion; exactly how to proceed is up to you. However, this would likely mean the Black Hu Princess has to come with you, but you'd suffer no loss—in fact, you'd gain another beautiful princess as a wife.'

Hu Xiaotian flared: 'Ji Feihua, do you take me for such a casual person?'

Ji Feihua, however, was utterly unaffected by his agitation, and said lightly: 'From a public or private standpoint, this is certainly an excellent choice!' (To be continued~^~)

Ji Feihua was not in the slightest affected by his excited emotions, said indifferently: "From both public and private perspectives, it is certainly an excellent choice!" (To be continued~^~)