Chapter 335

Baobao thought, "Can you be any more shameless? You're a eunuch!" But she knew in her heart that this guy was just a fake eunuch, silently cursing him as a lecherous thief, and seeing Hu Xiaotian standing there with an expectant look, waiting for her to throw herself into his arms, she wished she could punch his nose out of shape.

Baobao said: "The thing I asked you for."

Hu Xiaotian chuckled: "Just a small effort."

Baobao nodded, walked over, saw Hu Xiaotian staring at her with wide eyes, blushing furiously: "Close your eyes."

Hu Xiaotian obediently closed his eyes; Baobao rushed over, opened her arms and hastily hugged him, then immediately pulled away: "All right!"

Hu Xiaotian said: "Is that what you call throwing yourself into someone's arms? Please show some sincerity." He spread his arms; Baobao, helpless, closed her eyes and flung herself into his embrace, her heart pounding. Originally she thought he was forcing her to throw herself into his arms, she hated him intensely, thinking she would feel nauseous and want to vomit, but actually lying in his embrace she felt warm and reassured, not only without aversion, but also a hint of nervousness and shyness.

Hu Xiaotian still had his arms open, you hug me, I didn't move, he whispered: "I don't know this Talented Person at all; you want me to kill her, which really makes me reluctant."

Baobao said: "Help me get this done; once it's successful, I will surely reward you handsomely."

Hu Xiaotian hehe laughed: "How will you thank me?"

Baobao said: "Whatever you want, I'll do it." Anyway, promises need not be kept; dealing with the cunning Hu Xiaotian requires appeasement. As long as we can persuade him to do things for us, we'll tentatively promise him.

Hu Xiaotian wouldn't be so easily fooled: "Empty words aren't proof; if I help you get this done, you'll just pat your butt and leave, then who will I go to to collect on the promise?"

Baobao said: "We've known each other so long, you don't even trust me this much?"

Hu Xiaotian laughed: "To be honest, I really don't; nowadays even one's own parents might sell you out, let alone us two."

Baobao said: "I won't betray you."

Hu Xiaotian said: "I'm very pragmatic. We have no relationship right now; you're speaking more sweetly than singing, but once we step out that door who knows what you'll think. Helping you with this is fine, but we need to deepen trust a bit, and you should give me some benefit."

"What benefit do you want?" Baobao had already prepared to turn against him; if this bastard really made an excessive demand, she'd rather fight to the death, holding his leverage. She wasn't afraid he wouldn't yield.

Hu Xiaotian said: "How about you be my wife?"

Baobao blinked, then her pretty face flushed red: "Hu Xiaotian, you're a eunuch!"

Hu Xiaotian said: "So what if I'm a eunuch? Being a eunuch now doesn't mean I'll always be one; you want me to help you, you ought to give me a reason. If you were my wife, this would naturally be different; a husband helping his wife is a matter of course."

Baobao bit her lip, thinking it's just to appease him; agreeing tentatively won't cost her anything, she nodded: "Fine, if you get this done, I'll agree to marry you."

Hu Xiaotian saw her unwilling expression, secretly amused, thinking you don't want to marry me, I might not even want to marry you; once I make it big, women wanting to marry me will probably have to fight over it. He said: "Let's consider this my betrothal gift. But you ought to give me something in return."

Baobao thought and said: "I'll give you a box of Mo Jade Regenerating Ointment."

"What's so special about that? Are you hoping I get hurt?"

Baobao said: "What do you want?"

Hu Xiaotian gave a lecherous smile: "How about you kiss me?"

Baobao's beautiful eyes widened: "You..."

"That shows no sincerity? If I get this done, you'll be my wife; a kiss is nothing, it won't cost you any flesh."

Baobao said: "Close your eyes."

Hu Xiaotian closed his eyes; Baobao placed her finger on her lips and then pressed it to his lips, unexpectedly Hu Xiaotian opened his eyes again: "I say you're really not being fair."

Baobao said: "Who told you to open your eyes?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "Or you close yours and I'll come!"

Baobao steeled herself; faced with this rascal, she really had no recourse; it seemed if she didn't let him take advantage today, he wouldn't do things for her. She bargained: "Can I just kiss your forehead?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "It doesn't matter where you kiss; what matters is sincerity." Actually, when they first met, this girl had kissed his forehead, but then she thought he was a little eunuch, gave him a sweet treat and then slapped the back of his neck—a typical "give a candy then a slap" role.

Baobao tiptoed to kiss Hu Xiaotian's forehead, just about to reach it, when he suddenly lifted his head and their lips met squarely; she felt his lips unusually hot, surely premeditated, the suction was unusually strong, their cherry lips almost swallowed by him into his stomach—*pop! *—Baobao flushed red, broke free of his strong suction, surprisingly didn't get angry, turned and fled; after a few steps she remembered the most important thing she hadn't done: she placed the prepared packet of powder on the wine barrel, not daring to look at Hu Xiaotian: "A man must keep his word."

Hu Xiaotian, upon hearing that, involuntarily puffed out his chest; speaking of which, since entering the palace this is the first time anyone has called him a "man." He picked up the packet of powder, carefully put it away, not knowing where this newly promoted Talented Person came from, that she would make Baobao want to kill her? It should be said that the one who wants to kill her is Hong Beimo.

Hu Xiaotian pondered back and forth, inevitably becoming a bit confused; according to common sense, Wen Taishi sending his foster daughter into the palace aims to divert the Emperor's interest; if his foster daughter truly is as legendary, a beauty that could topple nations, she might indeed win Long Yelin's favor, and if the Emperor favored her he would naturally neglect Ji Feihua. For Hong Beimo this seems not harmful? Yet why would he act rashly? Hu Xiaotian couldn't figure it out; perhaps the one most affected is Ji Feihua, but he doesn't know how she would react.

Ji Feihua sat before the bronze mirror, quietly drawing her eyebrows; her sword-brows reaching her temples added vigorous heroism, her pair of beautiful eyes like spring water, gentle and alluring; his complexion white with a hint of red, like fine imperial porcelain, eyebrows and eyes picturesque, flawless. His slender jade hand picked up lip rouge, held it between his cherry lips, lightly pursed, gazing at his reflection in the mirror, a hint of melancholy that makes one pity him appeared between his brows.

He had not yet tied his hair up; his long hair fell like a black waterfall to his waist, his waist slender enough to encircle with one hand; looking at his back alone, no one would guess he is a eunuch.

Outside the door, He Mu's voice rang out: "Commander!"

Ji Feihua grunted, flipped the bronze mirror face-down on the table, and softly said: "Come in!"

He Mu pushed open the door, entered the room, then turned and shut the door; through the thin gold gauze curtain one could see Ji Feihua's vague background, He Mu respectfully said: "Commander, the matter you had me investigate has been cleared up."

"Speak!"

He Mu said: "This time it's indeed the Empress who personally arranged this; the daughter of Wen Taishi truly is as rumored, a peerless beauty rare in the world."

Ji Feihua snorted coldly, then sprang to her feet.

He Mu hurriedly stopped speaking, not daring to make a sound.

Ji Feihua said: "Wen Chenghuan's two daughters are already married; where does he get this daughter? This old man is clearly deceiving the sovereign!"

He Mu said: "I inquired; this girl is called Wen Ya, originally the daughter of Wen Taishi's sworn brother; her parents died when she was young, so Wen Taishi took her in as an adopted daughter, she lived with the old lady in Wen Taishi's hometown; after the old lady passed away three years ago, she observed mourning at the old lady's grave for three years on Wen Taishi's behalf, and coming to the capital has only been two months."

Ji Feihua slowly walked two steps and said: "Indeed?"

"Your humble servant has already investigated; it's all true."

Ji Feihua chuckled: "Heh, Wen Chenghuan truly hides his talents well; such a lovely foster daughter could stay hidden this long."

He Mu said: "This matter was first brought up by the Empress to the Emperor; the Emperor originally had no interest, but when the Empress showed him Wen Ya's portrait, the Emperor..."

Ji Feihua said: "Your saying makes Zajia a bit curious—just how beautiful is Wen Taishi's foster daughter? Hearing is not seeing; it seems Zajia will have to go see for herself."

"I heard the Empress has had people prepare the Mingyue Palace; soon they will welcome the Talented Person into the palace."

"Talented Person?" Ji Feihua said, full of doubt.

"That's right; the Emperor has ennobled Wen Ya as a Talented Person."

Ji Feihua hehe laughed: "Indeed not simple; Zajia is actually looking forward to it."

Since it was the Empress Jian who personally gave the order, Hu Xiaotian naturally didn't dare delay; he personally went to Mingyue Palace to direct, gathering the palace's finest gardeners and horticulturists, making the palace gardens look brand new. As for the packet of medicine Baobao gave him, Hu Xiaotian still hasn't decided whether to follow her instructions.

The task of purchasing outside the palace was temporarily assigned to Shi Xuedong; after entering the palace, Shi Xuedong gradually shed his former aristocratic playboy temperament, learned to keep a low profile, easing Hu Xiaotian's worries considerably; although he often accompanied Hu Xiaotian on shopping trips, he observed the rules, never voluntarily visiting his parents; as things stand he still sees the situation clearly—even if Hu Xiaotian has become a junior supervisor of the Bureau of Gardens, he still dares not casually meet his parents, let alone him; they entered the palace as eunuchs to atone for their fathers, and behind the scenes who knows how many eyes are watching them; if someone were to make a story out of their visiting parents, it would surely be a huge trouble.

While Hu Xiaotian was directing at Mingyue Palace, a little eunuch came to deliver a message, but it was actually Zhang Fuquan of the Imperial Stables' Ox and Horse Hall under the Bureau of Imperial Meals seeking him; Hu Xiaotian knew full well that the person seeking him definitely wasn't Zhang Fuquan. It had been days since he last contacted Quan De'an; Zhang Defu is Quan De'an's man; originally it was he who rescued Hu Xiaotian from the predicament of the physical examination. (To be continued~^~)