Chapter 324

Hu Xiaotian

Ji Feihua said: "Liu Yuzhang, Liu Yuzhang, you are truly rash, daring to pass off fish eyes as pearls, deceiving the emperor, thinking you can do it without anyone knowing—hehehe, if you want no one to know, then don't do it at all."

Liu Yuzhang said: "I can give you whatever you want, but you must not harm my grandson..."

Ji Feihua smiled and said: "You lively child, how could Zajia bear to hurt him? But you, a eunuch, what family do you still have? For your sake in begging me, Zajia will spare his life; however, he is just a little child, all alone in the world—how can he survive? Rather than let him suffer, I will have him inherit your business. What do you think?"

Liu Yuzhang, furious, let out a bitter laugh: "Very good… very good, it's rare that you consider him so thoroughly. He suddenly grabbed the crutch on the ground and viciously jabbed at Ji Feihua's abdomen. Although he knew his action could not possibly harm Ji Feihua's life, his hatred for the person before him had reached its peak; even striking him once would vent some of this hatred."

Ji Feihua lifted her right foot and kicked the crutch away, then waved her right palm in the empty air; the air trembled, an invisible wind blade slashed across Liu Yuzhang's right arm—crack! —his right arm bones broke. The usually kind Liu Yuzhang seemed to have become another person; he roared and lunged at Ji Feihua.

Ji Feihua lightly stamped her left foot on the ground; Liu Yuzhang felt the earth shake violently, his withered body actually lifted off the ground. Ji Feihua raised her right hand, fingers hooked, and grasped in the void. A strong pulling force dragged Liu Yuzhang's body toward her, still about a zhang away. He suddenly spread his fingers. His palm did not touch Liu Yuzhang's body, but Liu Yuzhang's chest was struck hard by the compressing air—boom! —a loud bang, his front ribs all shattered, blood gushed from his mouth, and he fell straight down to the ground, his body trembling uncontrollably. His eyes remained fixed on Ji Feihua, hatred burning so fiercely he wished to devour her flesh.

Ji Feihua's hand, white as jade and warm, brushed her cheek like an orchid, lifting a stray lock of hair at her temple, and she sighed softly: "Do not think the emperor will pity you, relying on your age to sell your old self; in Zajia's eyes, you are nothing but an ant."

Liu Yuzhang wanted to speak but could not utter a word; blood continued to spurt from his mouth.

Emperor

At that moment, Hu Xiaotian entered the courtyard of the Imperial Eunuch Bureau and saw this scene. Overwhelmed with grief, he shouted: "Grand Eunuch Liu..."

Liu Yuzhang's hair was disheveled, his body covered in blood, still trembling on the ground. Hu Xiaotian rushed forward and lifted his withered body from the earth; Liu Yuzhang looked at him, wanting to say something, but could not speak.

Ji Feihua added: "Forgot to tell you one thing. Actually, Xiaotian is also a member of Zajia."

Imperial Palace

Hu Xiaotian's anger reached its peak; his mind held only one thought—he would spare no effort to kill Ji Feihua. His arm was weakly grasped by Liu Yuzhang's hand, trembling slightly. Liu Yuzhang's eyes flickered from pain, yet the corner of his mouth clearly bore a faint smile; he did not blame Hu Xiaotian, nor would he believe Ji Feihua's words sowing discord.

Ji Feihua threw a dagger beside Hu Xiaotian: "He has been struck by Zajia's Heartbreak Palm; he must be tormented for three hours before he can die. It would be better for you to give him a quick death."

Liu Yuzhang trembled constantly in Hu Xiaotian's embrace. The blood spraying stained Hu Xiaotian's lapels red. Hu Xiaotian slowly picked up the dagger, his eyes reddened with hatred and brimming with hot tears. Since entering the palace, it had been Liu Yuzhang who gave him meticulous care; in his heart he had long regarded Liu Yuzhang as an elder. Witnessing Liu Yuzhang in such a wretched state, Hu Xiaotian was overcome with grief to the point of despair.

Liu Yuzhang's eyes blinked, a line of turbid tears slowly sliding down the corners of his eyes. Hu Xiaotian's lips had been bitten through; he raised the dagger, clenched his eyes shut, and thrust it fiercely into Liu Yuzhang's chest. He could not let this old man continue to suffer before death; the only way was to personally grant him release, and only this could lessen Liu Yuzhang's pain.

Liu Yuzhang's body jerked violently once, then stilled, lying in Hu Xiaotian's arms as if asleep.

Hu Xiaotian held Liu Yuzhang's body, lifted his head as if to let out a cry, but finally held back; tears streamed forth like a burst river.

Ji Feihua looked at Hu Xiaotian's state, then suddenly sighed: "Utmost devotion and sincerity—Liu Yuzhang's care for you was not in vain."

Hu Xiaotian hoarsely shouted: "Why kill him? He already decided to retire... He already packed his things... He didn't hinder anyone..."

Ji Feihua made a gesture, and everyone around retreated. Looking at the grief-stricken Hu Xiaotian, he softly said: "He allied with a group of people to slander me before the Emperor, wanting to kill me! How intolerable!"

Hu Xiaotian looked at him with red eyes, and he did not believe Ji Feihua's words.

Ji Feihua said: "If he had no selfish motives, I would admire him; even if I wanted to kill him, I could find no excuse. But he has selfish motives, and someone has sent evidence to my hands. Do you want to know who gave me the evidence?"

Hu Xiaotian remained silent.

Ji Feihua said: "Quan De'an!"

Hu Xiaotian's eyes revealed an incredulous light.

Ji Feihua said: "Zajia has no need to lie to you; all this news was leaked by Quan De'an to me. He wants to make a bet, to see if I dare kill Liu Yuzhang, and he wants to bet, and Zajia will accompany him in the bet!"

"Liu Yuzhang is surely in more misfortune than DuoJi less!" Quan De'an stood at the highest point of Chengen Manor, gazing silently toward the Imperial Palace. Beside him stood a handsome, tall young man, about twenty-four or twenty-five years old, with a handsome appearance and an expression full of composure that did not match his actual age. This was Wen Boyuan, son of the current dynasty's Grand Tutor Wen Chenghuan, and also the public organizer of the Divine Strategy Bureau.

Wen Boyuan whispered: "Why does Eunuch Quan want to tell Ji Feihua about Liu Yuzhang's affair?"

Quan De'an sighed: "Zajia merely wants to verify how far the Emperor's favor toward him has gone."

Wen Boyuan said: "Has the purpose been achieved?"

Quan De'an said nothing, placed his hands on the battlements and patted them heavily, then said softly: "It's night; you go back first."

Wen Boyuan respectfully took his leave.

Before departing, Quan De'an instructed: "Eunuch Liu's family must be sent to a safe place."

After Wen Boyuan left, Quan De'an gazed long at the ink-black night sky, tears glimmering in his cloudy eyes; after a long silence, he suddenly said: "Yuzhang... why again... the Emperor is no longer the former Emperor; do you think your death can awaken him?"

Hu Xiaotian slowly placed Liu Yuzhang's corpse on the ground, slowly rose, the cold night wind letting him become completely calm; Ji Feihua obviously intentionally let him see this scene, its purpose being both intimidation and warning.

Ji Feihua glanced at Hu Xiaotian, softly sighed and said: "Do you hate me a lot?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "Yes!"

Ji Feihua laughed: "You are very honest; Liu Yuzhang treated you so well, you still have some conscience." His gaze swept over Liu Yuzhang's lifeless body and said: "You will later understand that to live well, you cannot allow any hesitation."

Hu Xiaotian said: "I want to bury him."

Ji Feihua nodded: "Good, it seems this is the first time you've asked me; Zajia also cannot bear to refuse you, Zajia will make arrangements for this."

"Thank you!"

Ji Feihua smiled: "You wish in your heart that you could kill me!"

Hu Xiaotian however shook his head: "I don't have such thoughts." Even if he had such thoughts, he couldn't say them; moreover, he basically has no chance at all.

Ji Feihua's expression was unfathomable; Hu Xiaotian's grief came from the heart. At the moment Hu Xiaotian stabbed Liu Yuzhang to death with one blow, he actually clearly sensed the killing intent emanating from Hu Xiaotian, though it vanished instantly; before his eyes, Hu Xiaotian again became calm and composed, to be able to control one's emotions in such a short time is truly rare. Ji Feihua did not worry about Hu Xiaotian taking revenge; at this moment, in his eyes, Hu Xiaotian was no different from an ant; as long as he wanted to kill him, he could take his life anytime. He developed great interest in Hu Xiaotian: a person who, in such a situation, could decisively end Liu Yuzhang's life, and a person who could control his own emotions—what would his future development be?

Ji Feihua said softly: "You seem to have promised me some things before."

Hu Xiaotian nodded; last time Ji Feihua summoned him, he had once asked him to help investigate the liquor cellar of the Si Yuan Bureau. Facing Ji Feihua, Hu Xiaotian must muster all his spirit; this person's terror even surpasses Quan De'an, being both cruel and sinister. Hu Xiaotian said: "There is a secret passage beneath the liquor cellar."

Ji Feihua laughed, her beauty like a May flower, her charming demeanor even making women feel jealous: "Secret passage? Where does it lead?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "Three secret passages: one leads to Yaochi, one leads to Cangshuge, and one leads to Zilan Palace." He concealed nothing; looking back, these three secret passages are far less important than imagined, otherwise Quan De'an would not have let him reveal the truth to Ji Feihua in exchange for trust.

Ji Feihua raised her head, a bewitching red moon broke through the clouds and appeared in the tranquil deepLan night sky, red as if soaked in blood; her beautiful eyes likewise flickered with bewitching allure: "Who else knows about this?"

"Eunuch Quan!"

A sharp cold light suddenly flashed in Ji Feihua's eyes: "Quan De'an!"

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