Chapter 306

Yunxiang covered her mouth and laughed, "I've remembered it!"

Wang Decai glared fiercely at Hu Xiaotian, thinking, "This bastard has so much nonsense."

When Hu Xiaotian spoke, he looked left and right, discovering that Qiqi still hadn't come over, feeling something was off. Just now he had clearly told Shi Xuedong to hurry over and find someone, and moreover, he and Zhao Jinxi had deliberately wasted a lot of time on their way to the Xining Palace, so Shi Xuedong should have arrived long ago; could it be that this bastard didn't find Qiqi?

Now that things have come to this, I can only grit my teeth and go see Empress Jian.

Following Wang Decai into the Xining Palace, the palace chambers were lavishly luxurious, but Hu Xiaotian had no mind to admire them, letting his head droop, his eyes furtively glancing left and right, his heart indeed somewhat uneasy.

A golden bead curtain blocked the rear chambers ahead; through it a vague silhouette could be seen behind. Wang Decai had him wait in place, then slowly approached the curtain and respectfully said, "Reporting to the Empress, Hu Xiaotian of the Bureau of Imperial Gardens has arrived."

From behind the curtain came a cold reply: "En!"

Hu Xiaotian hurriedly knelt on the ground and loudly said, "Hu Xiaotian kowtows to the Empress, may you live a thousand years, a thousand years, ten thousand years!"

"Hu Xiaotian! How long have you been in the palace?"

Hu Xiaotian respectfully replied, "Replying to the Empress, all in all it's been about two months or so."

"I've heard that Liu Yuzhang handed over all the authority of the Bureau of Imperial Gardens to you; now within the Bureau, your power is the greatest. To have flourished in the Bureau in just over two months is truly impressive."

Just from this sentence Hu Xiaotian could tell Empress Jian bore him ill will; he smiled and said, "Your Highness, there's nothing of the sort—it's just that Eunuch Liu accidentally sprained his ankle, so he delegated some tasks to me; in fact, I'm merely running errands, and all decisions are still made by Eunuch Liu."

Empress Jian gave a cold snort: "Are you saying this palace is lying?"

Hu Xiaotian knelt on the ground for a long time without being allowed to rise, silently cursing, "What have I done to provoke you? As a high and mighty empress, why do you pick on a lowly little eunuch like me?" Actually Hu Xiaotian understood that Empress Jian seeking him out was almost certainly due to Wang Decai's instigation. Hu Xiaotian kowtowed and said, "Empress, your virtue encompasses heaven and earth, your peerless grace, all look up to you; my reverence for you is already insufficient—how could I harbor such disrespect?"

Empress Jian said, "Indeed, you have a silver tongue; I've heard you've been speaking behind my back about my poor parenting."

Hu Xiaotian broke out in a cold sweat, "When did I ever say that? It's just adding guilt without cause; Empress Jian clearly wants to frame me." He hurriedly explained, "Empress, I have never said such a thing."

Empress Jian sneered, "Just looking at your oily head and slick talk shows you're not honest; I doubt you'll admit it—tell me, did you go to the Ruxiu Palace a few days ago?"

Hu Xiaotian said, "Indeed, that happened."

Empress Jian then asked, "What happened after you went to the Ruxiu Palace?"

"Er... this..." Hu Xiaotian secretly calculated, since she asked like that, she must already know some things; should he tell the truth or lie?

Empress Jian said, "You don't need to think how to respond to me; I summoned you not intending to wrong you—was it Qiqi who had a group of eunuchs tie you up?"

Hu Xiaotian secretly thought, it seems this old woman knows everything; that day it was clearly I who suffered a loss at the Ruxiu Palace, but if I speak the truth, it's tantamount to selling out Qiqi; if I don't speak the truth, this old woman almost certainly will take the opportunity to charge me with deceiving superiors and concealing from subordinates. Now things have come to this, Hu Xiaotian could only respectfully say, "Empress, your perceptiveness is impeccable; my reverence for you flows like the endless Yangtze River."

Empress Jian said, "Well spoken, although Qiqi provoked you first, if you have any grievances, just tell me directly—why did you speak behind my back about my poor parenting, saying Qiqi is spoiled, willful, and utterly incorrigible?"

Hu Xiaotian shouted, "Empress, I'm wronged!" He glanced at Wang Decai beside him, seeing a hint of a smug smile at the corner of his mouth, and inwardly concluded almost certainly that this grandson was twisting black and white behind his back, deliberately framing him.

Empress Jian said, "You, this gossip-spreading slave who spreads rumors recklessly, if I don't punish you, I fear it will be hard to convince everyone thereafter—guards!"

Wang Decai stepped forward and said, "I'm here!"

Hu Xiaotian however said, "Empress, I refuse to accept this!"

Empress Jian angrily said, "You slave, dare you talk back!"

Hu Xiaotian said, "Originally the Empress intended to discipline me; no matter what, I shouldn't utter even half a 'no'. But the Empress has given so many reasons, claiming I slandered her behind her back; even if the Empress later wants to beat me to death, I must clarify this matter—accept the beating, but the reasoning must be stated. Wronging me is fine, but if someday it's proven the Empress was deceived, wouldn't that damage her dignity?"

"You..."

Wang Decai angrily shouted, "Bold! Seize this arrogant fool and drag him out, give him thirty blows of the rod!"

Hu Xiaotian said, "The bold one is you; the Empress hasn't even said to punish me, what are you? Do you think you're the one calling the shots in the Xining Palace?"

Wang Decai, furious from shame, rushed forward and kicked Hu Xiaotian in the chest. Hu Xiaotian's intention was to provoke him; seeing Wang Decai's kick coming, he retracted his chest, thus dissipating much of the force; but to onlookers it looked like Wang Decai landed a solid kick, and Hu Xiaotian's body proceeded to roll several times on the ground, arms spread, legs kicked, eyes rolled white, his whole body twitching uncontrollably. To say he was feigning death, ordinary people really couldn't act like that.

Wang Decai thought to himself, "How could my kick be so powerful, reducing this guy to such a state?"

Several eunuchs also rushed in upon hearing the news, among them Zhao Jinxi who had brought Hu Xiaotian here; seeing the scene, Zhao Jinxi panicked and said, "Oh no, we must avoid any loss of life!"

Wang Decai gave a cold snort and said, "This kid is always full of tricks; I'd say almost certainly he's feigning."

From behind the curtain came the Empress's voice: "What happened to him?"

Wang Decai said, "Reporting to the Empress, he's pretending to be mad and foolish."

At that moment the palace gates swung open, and little Princess Qiqi strode in angrily, saying, "I dare anyone to move him!"

Hu Xiaotian hearing Qiqi's words felt his heart warm with gratitude; the savior had finally arrived in time, Qiqi ah Qiqi, it wasn't in vain that I risked life and limb to send you to Xiezhou—you still have some conscience.

Seeing Qiqi arrive, the eunuchs all hurriedly paid respects: "Greetings, Princess!"

Empress Jian also lifted the curtain and stepped out with light lotus steps; she was in her thirties, dignified and graceful, though a hint of worry lingered in her brows; seeing her daughter rush in, she softly said, "Qiqi, how did you come here?"

Qiqi pointed at Hu Xiaotian on the ground and asked, "What's going on? Who grabbed him? Ah? Didn't I tell you, Hu Xiaotian is my lifesaver; even if you don't help me, you shouldn't repay kindness with enmity!"

Hu Xiaotian felt relieved inside; since Qiqi had come, he considered himself to have escaped disaster, and there was no need to continue the exaggerated act; he closed his eyes and lay straight on the ground, feigning death.

Empress Jian said, "Qiqi, you child, how can you be so unaware? I summoned him because he spoke behind my back about my poor parenting, so——"

Qiqi said, "Isn't that poor parenting? From childhood you've never managed me; in fact you're not my birth mother, so there's no need for you to manage me!"

"This..."

"Your Majesty, as the mistress of the harem, your esteemed status—is it worth squabbling with a lowly eunuch? If this gets out, won't you fear being laughed at?" Qiqi pressed aggressively, giving the Empress no face.

Hu Xiaotian heard clearly, his heart blooming with joy; this Qiqi is definitely not Empress Jian's biological daughter; yet given her status she is a junior, how dare she openly rebuke the Empress before so many people? Moreover, it seems the Empress treats her with considerable apprehension, not even losing her temper. How strange—by rights Empress Jian is the head of the harem, Qiqi merely a little princess, not her biological daughter, so why such audacity? Could it be that the Emperor holds Qiqi far more important than the Empress in his heart?

Empress Jian sighed and said, "How is this child speaking to me? Forget it, I'm being meddlesome—Little Zhao, take him back." She obviously had no desire to quarrel with Qiqi.

Zhao Jinxi responded with an assent, but seeing Hu Xiaotian still lying motionless on the ground, he couldn't help but show a troubled expression.

Qiqi, who knew Hu Xiaotian quite well, knew he was definitely pretending; she lifted her foot and kicked him, reminding him to know when to stop.

Hu Xiaotian deliberately let out a long sigh, rubbed his chest and feigned pain, saying, "I'm in agony..."

Qiqi said, "Still haven't thanked the Empress for sparing your life."

Hu Xiaotian sprang up and hastily kowtowed, saying, "Little Tian thanks the Empress for sparing his life."

Empress Jian coldly said, "When did I ever say I wanted to kill you? If I truly wanted to kill you, do you think Qiqi could protect you?" Gazing at Hu Xiaotian, she hated him to the point her teeth itched.

Hu Xiaotian said, "Empress, your heart is benevolent, your magnanimity vast; if there's ever a use for me, I'll go through blades and fire, ten thousand deaths without hesitation——" Before he finished, Qiqi grabbed his ear: "Enough talk, let's go."

Watching Hu Xiaotian and Qiqi's retreating backs, Wang Decai's eyes nearly blazed with fire as he said to the Empress, "Your Highness, this fellow is sly and deceitful, bewitching the princess; I hope you see clearly."

Empress Jian angrily said, "Wang Decai, everything you say is your own words; you think I can't see through it? Today you're just using me to vent your personal grudges!"

Wang Decai, frightened, fell to his knees with a thud and said, "Empress, I absolutely did not mean that."

Empress Jian, furious, flicked her sleeves and turned to leave, not even bothering to glance at him again. r1152