Chapter 354

Rong Baoxing, Hu Xiaotian, Wen Ya, Wang Ren, Ma Liangpeng, Qiu Yan, Wutong, Baobao. Also maybe "Box No. 1" not a name.

Hu Xiaotian listlessly approached Wen Ya; Wen Ya glanced at him and said, "Tonight, you come with me."

Hu Xiaotian sighed inwardly, "Heavens, earth, is there anyone more miserable than me in this world? To send my woman to the Emperor's bed, I'm so ashamed my hairs turn green." Yet he said aloud, "Yes!"

Wen Ya said, "Little Mustache, you don't seem very enthusiastic, huh?"

Hu Xiaotian forced a smile and said, "Talented Person, I'm just wondering what you should wear to meet the Emperor."

Wen Ya said, "You sure have a lot on your mind."

Hu Xiaotian said, "I heard the Emperor likes red the most." After saying that he wanted to slap himself, what a jerk, am I not being a jerk?

Wen Ya said, "Speaking of this, I really do feel conflicted inside."

Hu Xiaotian thought, "What the hell are you conflicted about? What's the purpose of your foster father sending you to the palace? It's nothing but to get you into the Emperor's bed as soon as possible, to bewitch the Emperor, to consummate early, best to drive that perverted Emperor crazy with desire, so you bear him a little prince—that would be great. And now you're putting on an act in front of me?" Hu Xiaotian said, "Talented Person, what are you conflicted about?"

Wen Ya sighed and said, "Before entering the palace, I indeed wanted to see the Emperor sooner, but after truly arriving at this palace, I've become conflicted. Thinking that if the Emperor never sees me, spending a lifetime in this Bright Moon Palace wouldn't be so bad."

Hu Xiaotian couldn't believe it— which concubine in the harem doesn't day and night long to see the Emperor? To serve the Emperor's bed, they'd almost fight to the death. Wen Ya entered the palace, and the next day the Emperor turned over her tablet and summoned her to his bed; perhaps her heart was already blooming with joy. Yet now she's putting on airs with me. Fake purity! Green tea bitch! Hu Xiaotian felt intense resentment. Even the past deceit by Le Yao against him was now projected onto Wen Ya. Yet he hypocritically advised, "Talented Person, you'd better not think too much; all you need to do now is calm down, make yourself look beautiful, and if the Emperor is pleased, he might make you a Noble Consort." Hu Xiaotian spoke with a smiling brow, but felt his heart dripping blood inside.

Wen Ya said, "I have no lofty ambitions; I only wish to spend my life in peace and quiet in this palace."

Hu Xiaotian absolutely did not believe her words; although Wen Ya appeared calm and desireless, he intuitively sensed that beneath her tranquil, still-water facade lay a restless heart. If she were Le Yao, the depth of her scheming would have to be immense to achieve the state of not flinching even if Mount Tai collapsed before her; even I must admit I fall short. Hu Xiaotian said, "There's a saying; I don't know if I should ask it."

Wen Ya

(question) Talented person

Wen Ya shook her head: "You asked me about this yesterday. I've grown up in Jinling since childhood; I've never been to Xichuan."

"Do you, Talented Person, know a woman named Le Yao?"

Wen Ya looked bewildered and said, "Le Yao? I've never heard that name."

Now Hu Xiaotian felt puzzled and confused; from Wen Ya's reaction, she didn't seem to be feigning, otherwise when he mentioned the name Le Yao she would have shown at least some reaction.

Looking at Hu Xiaotian, Wen Ya's lips curled with a faint smile: "How come? Do you think I'm Le Yao?"

Hu Xiaotian

Wen Ya said, "Do I look like her?"

Hu Xiaotian said, "Not just similar; they're practically identical." He wasn't lying, nor did he need to.

Wen Ya said, "If what you say is true, I'd like to meet her; I've always thought there couldn't be two people in the world who look exactly alike." After saying that she smiled again and said, "You needn't doubt it—I'm not her. If I had met her earlier, perhaps I could ask her whether she'd be willing to enter the palace for me."

Hu Xiaotian said, "Serving the Emperor in the palace is everyone's dream; I'm sure she'd be willing." Observing Wen Ya's every subtle facial expression, with his expertise in psychology he actually couldn't tell whether she was lying.

The smile on Wen Ya's face suddenly vanished: "Is serving the Emperor in the palace also your dream?"

"Yes!" Hu Xiaotian replied without hesitation.

Wen Ya snorted coldly: "You can't even speak the truth, Hu Xiaotian, you disappoint me." She turned to leave, took two steps, then stopped and asked: "Who is that Le Yao to you?"

Hu Xiaotian hesitated, then replied softly: "She used to be my lover."

"A lover? Do eunuchs also have lovers?" Wen Ya's remark seemed to completely disregard Hu Xiaotian's self-esteem.

Hu Xiaotian said, "No one is born a eunuch; before entering the palace I was also a man, and I had feelings."

Wen Ya abruptly turned, her beautiful eyes locking onto Hu Xiaotian's: "You say one thing and do another, your words don't match your heart—you said serving the Emperor in the palace is your dream, so why are you still clinging to your former lover?"

Hu Xiaotian was left speechless by the question; in verbal sparring few are his match, yet Wen Ya before him is indeed formidable, skilled at seizing loopholes in his speech and delivering a powerful blow. Facing Wen Ya, Hu Xiaotian couldn't wrangle and quibble, after all she is his nominal master, so yielding is necessary.

This time Wen Ya didn't let Hu Xiaotian attend her bath; Hu Xiaotian alone came to the courtyard, staring blankly at the overcast sky. A person cannot completely become another in a short time; appearance can change, but temperament is hard to change. Since Wen Ya entered the palace, he has observed her every move, discovering that Wen Ya and Le Yao share nothing in temperament: Le Yao is gentle and alluring, indecisive; Wen Ya is noble and aloof, decisive. Could they really be two different people? Or has he never truly understood Le Yao in the past?

Behind him came light footsteps; without turning, Hu Xiaotian already judged from the rhythm that it was Baobao.

In broad daylight, Baobao didn't launch an attack recklessly as she had the previous night; instead she properly came to stand beside Hu Xiaotian, pretending to admire the sky just as he did—in fact the sky was overcast, thick with dark clouds, making one feel oppressed. Baobao whispered, "You seem to be feeling quite awful inside."

Hu Xiaotian laughed: "Zajia doesn't know how happy he is."

Baobao glanced at him and whispered, "Talented Person is truly beautiful; not to mention you, this fake eunuch, even I, a real woman, feel a bit stirred looking at you."

Hu Xiaotian snapped, "You should go to the Imperial Hospital for treatment; ignoring a perfectly fine man, you've changed your taste."

Baobao scoffed, "A man? I say you're a man—do you dare admit it?"

Hu Xiaotian looked at this wanton palace maid; since giving her the antidote, she seems to have healed her scar and forgotten the pain, showing a tendency to get cocky.

Baobao bit her lip: "What are you looking at? Believe it or not I'll expose all your dirty secrets." The threat was just a threat, but she said it without conviction. When she saw Hu Xiaotian pull out that jade whistle, her pretty face instantly changed color, and she trembled, "You dare……"

Hu Xiaotian laughed: "What does Zajia have to fear?"

Baobao immediately softened: "I… I was just joking with you."

Hu Xiaotian said, "Turn around!"

Baobao had no choice but to turn around; just as she turned her body, she felt a sudden sharp pain on her buttocks—Pa! —it was Hu Xiaotian landing a harsh slap on her rear, this slap held nothing back, making Baobao grit her teeth; Hu Xiaotian whispered behind her, "Next time you dare be rude to Zajia, I'll strip your pants and give you a sound thrashing!"

After the Emperor's dinner, it was time for the consorts to attend him; Rong Baoxing had already come at the si hour to fetch people. Wen Ya didn't let anyone else accompany her, not even her dummy palace maid Wutong; she only had Hu Xiaotian accompany her alone to the Xuanweigong. Hu Xiaotian didn't want to go from the bottom of his heart; he didn't see Wen Ya's action as a favor to him, but rather a disguised torment. Although he had already denied that Wen Ya was Le Yao, deep down he still felt the urge to send his woman to the Emperor's bed, a feeling he couldn't shake. Looking up, the sky hadn't darkened; the clouds in the air were all a grayish-green, as the saying goes, "green clouds press the top"—this green hat is indeed huge, and Hu Xiaotian felt pressed until he could barely breathe.

Although they were headed to the Xuanweigong to attend the Emperor, they didn't go directly; first they went to the Muyun Pavilion beside the Xuanweigong, where the consorts selected for imperial attendance still had to take a bath and incense before being sent to the Emperor's dragon bed.

Rong Baoxing always wore a smile, and said to Wen Ya, "Please, Talented Person, take a bath."

Wen Ya nodded, seeing two cosmetics palace maids, Tingting and Niaoniao, walking toward her gracefully; she reached out her hand, letting them support her, and she entered the Muyun Pavilion like a willow swaying in the wind.

Hu Xiaotian and Rong Baoxing waited outside; Rong Baoxing laughed, "Congratulations, Eunuch Hu; congratulations, Eunuch Hu."

Hu Xiaotian was in a foul mood, cursing inwardly, "Congratulate your mother's head? I'm about to be given such a huge green hat—what's there to celebrate?" He stretched his mouth wide, baring two rows of stark white teeth; his smile was broad but exaggerated and stiff: "Same congratulations, same congratulations……"

Rong Baoxing said, "If the Talented Person gains the Emperor's favor, Eunuch Hu will rise to prominence before long."

Hu Xiaotian gave a dry laugh: "Hahahaha……" He swallowed his broken teeth, who could know my sorrow?

At this moment a group of eunuchs entered the courtyard gate in single file; the leader was none other than the Supervisor of the Directorate of Eunuchs, Ji Feihua. Ji Feihua wore a scarlet long robe, a jade belt around his waist, and an outer black sable fur coat; his long eyebrows reached his temples, his phoenix eyes held menace. As soon as he stepped into the courtyard, the palace maids and little eunuchs were frightened and all knelt down. Rong Baoxing's smile vanished, and he hurried forward respectfully, saying, 'Director Ji has arrived.' (To be continued~^~)