Chapter 279

Murong Feiyan and Zhan Peng have successfully been selected for the Divine Strategy Manor; recently, they have all entered the Divine Strategy Manor for newcomer training, and Hu Xiaotian's wish to see them can only be temporarily unfulfilled.

Returning to the Imperial Gardens Bureau, I first went to Liu Yuzhang's room to visit and delivered the tonics I had bought when going out. These tonics don't cost Hu Xiaotian anything; he only needs to mention it to Cao Qianshan, and the goods will be prepared eagerly. Hu Xiaotian certainly wouldn't say these were the goodwill of those fruit merchants; once they reached his hands, they all became his own goodwill. It's a pity such good days won't last many days; tomorrow Wei Hualin will come over, and once he takes over the Imperial Gardens Bureau, I'm afraid I won't be as carefree as I am now.

Inside the room, two young eunuchs were tidying up; Liu Yuzhang had already decided to leave the palace to recuperate. In the capital he owns a residence, and in fact, eunuchs with certain influence and official posts in the palace all have their own mansions outside. Although the palace is fine, here one is ultimately a servant, and only in one's own mansion can one truly feel the happiness of a serf who has stood up and sings.

Hu Xiaotian placed the tonics on the rosewood tea table beside Eunuch Liu's couch and respectfully said, "Eunuch Liu, what are you doing?"

Liu Yuzhang said, "Xiao Huzi, Zajia has already submitted his resignation to the Emperor; I will leave the palace to recuperate tomorrow."

Hu Xiaotian actually already knew this news, but he deliberately put on a look of astonishment: "Eunuch, why must you leave? If you stayed in the Imperial Gardens Bureau, someone would look after you; if you worry they aren't thorough enough, I am willing to hand over the purchasing duties to others and serve you myself."

Hearing Hu Xiaotian's sincere declaration, Liu Yuzhang felt somewhat moved. He slowly nodded and said, "Xiao Huzi, I appreciate your feelings, but Zajia's decision to leave is firm." He reached out to grasp Hu Xiaotian's arm, sighed, and said, "Since the Emperor was young, Zajia has served by his side; after the Emperor fell into hardship, Zajia remained in the palace, day and night hoping, finally seeing the clouds part and the moon shine, awaiting the day the Emperor ascended the throne. I thought this old body could still hold on a while longer, serve the Emperor a few more years, but today's accident has made me realize that old age is old age, strength fails!"

Hu Xiaotian, however, knew things weren't that simple. Just now, when meeting Quan De'an, Quan De'an revealed that the reason Liu Yuzhang requested resignation wasn't so simple; in fact, someone had long been eyeing his position, and this accident merely gave those people a perfect excuse.

Liu Yuzhang said, "Tomorrow, the one who will replace me is Vice Director Wei Hualin of the Imperial Eunuch Bureau; this person may not be easy to get along with."

Hu Xiaotian said, "Whoever comes, I will always carry out my duties honestly and diligently."

Liu Yuzhang nodded, wanting to say something, but he held back, sighing inwardly. He had spent most of his life in the palace, and naturally he saw the warmth and coldness of human relations and the vicissitudes of the world with great clarity. He had already anticipated that after his departure, Hu Xiaotian's days would be difficult; previously he had been extremely kind to Hu Xiaotian. Although his original intention was merely to repay Hu Buwei's past help, in most people's eyes Hu Xiaotian is undoubtedly his confidant, and Wei Hualin would never entrust Hu Xiaotian with important responsibilities. Regarding Hu Xiaotian's future, Liu Yuzhang felt helpless to help; he thought that this bright and clever child might be able to rely on his own abilities to manage the Imperial Gardens Bureau well.

Hu Xiaotian could sense that Liu Yuzhang's mood was also unpleasant; he respectfully said, "Eunuch Liu, please rest first; I'll go see if today's tasks are finished."

Liu Yuzhang nodded, and as Hu Xiaotian walked to the door he suddenly remembered: "Have you found Wang Desheng?"

Hu Xiaotian said, "I've had people look for him, but I don't know why he still hasn't been found."

Liu Yuzhang said, "Keep people looking for him; how could someone just vanish out of the blue?"

Hu Xiaotian answered and went outside.

Shi Xuedong mysteriously came up to Hu Xiaotian and said, "Xiao Tian, things seem a bit off."

"What's wrong?"

Shi Xuedong leaned close to Hu Xiaotian's ear and said, "I've heard people say that Eunuch Liu will go home to recuperate tomorrow; do you think the Imperial Gardens Bureau will send someone else to take charge?"

Hu Xiaotian said, "It's already decided that Vice Director Wei Hualin of the Imperial Eunuch Bureau will come to replace Eunuch Liu."

Shi Xuedong said, "Are you acquainted with Wei Hualin?"

Hu Xiaotian shook his head; Shi Xuedong couldn't help but feel anxious, and he pulled Hu Xiaotian to one side, saying, "Xiao Tian, will Eunuch Wei treat you as kindly as Eunuch Liu did?"

Hu Xiaotian said, "Who knows what the future holds? Why are you worrying so much?"

Shi Xuedong said, "Aren't we brothers? If I don't worry for you, who will?" But what he really worries about is that if Hu Xiaotian loses influence, he himself won't have good days either.

Hu Xiaotian recalled Quan De'an's instructions and told Shi Xuedong, "I have some matters to attend to in the wine cellar; please help me guard the outside properly, no one is allowed to enter without permission."

Shi Xuedong nodded, followed Hu Xiaotian to the wine cellar entrance, Hu Xiaotian took out the key and opened the wine cellar's big door; just as he was about to go in, he heard a bell-like voice from behind say: "Lord Hu!"

Hu Xiaotian turned and looked; the one calling him was the little princess Qiqi. Hu Xiaotian's head buzzed and suddenly swelled. This Qiqi really is a persistent ghost, actually came here to find him. He slowly turned around, only to see Qiqi dressed in a little eunuch's attire; she is still young, her breasts undeveloped, looking exactly like a handsome little eunuch, with no flaw. Hu Xiaotian noticed no one else behind her, and then relaxed. As long as she didn't come in a crowd to accuse him, he had nothing to fear.

Shi Xuedong had never seen Qiqi before; he just thought this little eunuch was very handsome, as if he had never seen him in the Imperial Gardens Bureau.

Qiqi said: "Lord Hu, hello."

Hu Xiaotian said: "What do you want with me?"

Qiqi stepped forward and grabbed his arm in one go: "Let's go inside and talk!"

Hu Xiaotian said: "We can talk here..." His arm had already been pinched hard by Qiqi, who then pulled and dragged him into the wine cellar.

Shi Xuedong also felt rather bewildered—where did this little eunuch come from? He seems quite familiar with Hu Xiaotian, but Hu Xiaotian just said not to let anyone in; could it be just to see him? The wine cellar door was closed from inside, and Hu Xiaotian's voice was heard saying: "Don't let anyone in."

Qiqi dragged Hu Xiaotian into the wine cellar; Hu Xiaotian felt no pain from her pinching and twisting, he forcefully shook off her arm and said: "Let go, let go of me, if you pinch me again I'll fall out with you!"

Qiqi's dark, sparkling eyes stared at him as she said: "Fall out with me? Go ahead, want me to help? I'll flip your whole face over."

Hu Xiaotian said: "Your Highness the Princess, you are of noble birth, there's no need to stoop to my level as a little eunuch; perhaps I offended you before, but now it's all past—just treat me as a fart and let me go, okay?"

Qiqi heard his words, felt disgusted, furrowed her brows and said: "Hu Xiaotian, your speech is truly disgusting, you have no cultivation at all."

Hu Xiaotian said: "I'm already in this miserable state—what use is cultivation?"

Qiqi said: "Don't look at me like that, as if we have a deep grudge; I've long stopped blaming you—if I blamed you, I'd have killed you already."

Hu Xiaotian said: "You might as well kill me—was it your idea to let me enter the palace as a eunuch?"

Qiqi said: "I don't know; by the time I found out you had already entered the palace, Hu Xiaotian. I didn't come today to settle scores with you—I want to discuss something: how about I petition Father Emperor to transfer you to serve in my palace?"

Hu Xiaotian thought: "Spare me, you're basically an indecisive child, moody and unpredictable—you might snap and kill me on a whim; serving you there, unless I think my life is too long."

Seeing Hu Xiaotian ignore her, Qiqi rolled her beautiful eyes and said: "Don't put on airs with me; I'm mindful of our past affection—I'm not an ungrateful person."

Hu Xiaotian said: "I appreciate the princess's intentions, but I never intended to save you originally; if you hadn't secretly shot me with the Seven-Day Soul-Severing Needle, I would have left you at the Lanruo Temple. I've never been a good person, so don't regard me as your benefactor, and don't think you owe me anything."

Qiqi nodded, turned and walked toward the stairs.

Hu Xiaotian hurriedly followed: "Princess, it's pitch black and filthy down here; you are of noble birth—please don't soil your clothes."

Qiqi glanced at him, her eyes shifting; she is naturally suspicious—if Hu Xiaotian hadn't stopped her, she might not have been interested in going down, but his remark only sparked her curiosity, and she continued toward the stairs.

Hu Xiaotian could only follow while holding a lantern; Qiqi walked all the way to the bottom, gazing at rows of wine barrels, she muttered: "I never expected there to be such a large wine cellar besides the imperial one." Her nostrils flared: "Huh, why is there a smell of blood?"

Hu Xiaotian's heart jolted—"Holy shit, is this kid a dog? How can her nose be so sharp?" He looked around; he should have cleaned up the murder scene spotlessly, so logically there should be no trace, but just in case he still advised her to leave as soon as possible.

Hu Xiaotian said: "Princess, let's go; the air here is foul and really unsuitable for lingering, lest it affect your health—you are delicate and precious, if anything happens I couldn't bear the responsibility."

Qiqi snorted: "What's the big deal, let's go!" As she turned to leave, she heard footsteps coming from above.

Hu Xiaotian couldn't help but be a little surprised—he had clearly instructed Shi Xuedong to guard the door well and not let anyone in, yet he hadn't done so.

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