Chapter 365

Hu Xiaotian gazed at her pretty face, suddenly feeling that Baobao at this moment appeared helpless and alone, his heart involuntarily stirred with a protective feeling; although Baobao had schemed against him many times, this girl was always forced by circumstances, thinking of her being poisoned with the Ten Thousand Insects Bone-Eroding Pill, he feared she had no ability to resist her fate. Hu Xiaotian said: "Actually, some things you should think about well; you don't need to be manipulated by others."

"I know!" Baobao's eye rims suddenly turned red, her nose felt sour and she almost shed tears; it's not a parting of life and death, how could such feeling arise? Seeing Hu Xiaotian walk over to her, her heart suddenly became a little panicked, hesitating whether she should leave, but Hu Xiaotian extended his arms from her shoulders, closed the door behind her, then lowered his head and lightly kissed her forehead.

Baobao's tears could no longer be held back, flowing like a breached river; Hu Xiaotian reached out his hand to wipe the tears from her face, softly saying: "Don't cry, no matter where you go, if you suffer any injustice, come find me."

That sentence exactly hit the softest part of Baobao's heart; she didn't know why, but in her eyes Hu Xiaotian suddenly became adorable, unprecedentedly adorable; her delicate body flung into Hu Xiaotian's embrace, silently shedding tears.

Hu Xiaotian gently stroked her shoulders and back, believing that at this moment Baobao was completely expressing genuine emotion, with no trace of performance.

Baobao finally stopped crying, lifted her head from his embrace, straightened her spine, her nostrils twitched once, she broke into a smile through tears, softly saying: "Even though I know you're not a good person, that sentence just now still moved me."

Hu Xiaotian said: "This proves your conscience is not gone; there's still medicine that can save."

Baobao shook her head: "The one without conscience is always you." She dried her tears, then went to the bronze mirror on Hu Xiaotian's desk, looked at it, making sure there was no flaw, before leaving.

Hu Xiaotian followed her outside, just about to say goodbye, when he saw Wen Ya emerge from the Mingyue Palace accompanied by Wutong; Wutong saw Hu Xiaotian return safely, secretly sighing that this guy had a big life; in her opinion, she wished Hu Xiaotian would give his life to repay Ma Liangpeng.

Hu Xiaotian and Baobao bowed to Wen Ya; Hu Xiaotian said: "Talented Person, I've already had Baobao pack up; once she's done, I'll send her away."

Wen Ya glanced at Baobao, softly saying: "Forget it, I've changed my mind; last night's incident isn't Baobao's fault, you may stay."

Baobao, hearing she was allowed to stay, looked at Hu Xiaotian in disbelief; Hu Xiaotian subtly bent his thumb downward to signal Baobao to quickly express gratitude; Baobao then reacted, kneeling with a thud at Wen Ya's feet: "Thank you, Talented Person, for your mercy..." As she said this, tears streamed down.

Hu Xiaotian saw her tears flow like a faucet, turning on and off at will; he couldn't help doubting her performance just now in the room—this girl was definitely an actress. He must not be easily deceived by her appearance. Yet recalling Baobao's earlier performance, it seemed sincere. Dealing with girls—of course, the best approach is to win their hearts; to make her wholeheartedly devoted to him, he must make her truly love him.

After Baobao left, Hu Xiaotian originally wanted to return to his room to catch some sleep, after all he had tossed and turned all night; even an iron man would feel drowsy, but Wen Ya stopped him, saying: "Little bearded one, accompany me to Zilan Palace for a trip."

Upon hearing they were going to Zilan Palace, Hu Xiaotian felt a bit stunned—wasn't Zilan Palace where Princess Anping Long Xi Yue resided? What relation did Wen Ya have with her? They had never been heard to be acquainted. In Hu Xiaotian's subconscious, he still thought Wen Ya was Le Yao, and Le Yao and Long Xi Yue had absolutely no connection.

Wen Ya's invitation for Hu Xiaotian to come along wasn't because she knew his relationship with Long Xi Yue was extraordinary; rather, she had just arrived and was unfamiliar with the palace's roads.

The three set off toward Zilan Palace; along the way, Wen Ya didn't mention Hu Xiaotian's experiences at the Internal Officials Bureau today, she didn't ask, and Hu Xiaotian certainly wouldn't volunteer to tell her. Even if Wutong saw Hu Xiaotian return unharmed, she already understood that Ma Liangpeng had died in vain.

Hu Xiaotian didn't have much fondness for Wutong either; this girl, as Wen Ya's bodyguard entering the palace, constantly opposed him, especially her performance last night, which seemed aimed at putting him to death; both serving Wen Ya in the Mingyue Palace, their future contact was inevitable, and friction between them was foreseeable. Ji Feihua had instructed him to seek an opportunity to eliminate her; even if Ji Feihua hadn't made that request, should Wutong threaten his safety, Hu Xiaotian would not hesitate to remove her. Their eyes met unintentionally, each revealing a hint of cold killing intent, their mutual hostility unhidden.

Even Wen Ya, walking ahead, noticed their hostility; she slowly turned her head, Wutong still wore an icy expression, but Hu Xiaotian, in an instant, melted like ice and snow, laughing with sunshine brilliance—saying he could change his face ten times over and still outshine Wutong.

Wen Ya said: "Wutong! Since Little Bearded One returned safely, that proves he's innocent; don't continue targeting him."

Wutong responded with an acknowledgment, but in her heart she strongly disagreed with those four words "innocent and blameless"; Hu Xiaotian's safe return didn't mean he was innocent; this child was sly and vicious, remaining in the Mingyue Palace would always be a disaster.

After Hu Xiaotian brought them to Zilan Palace, he only then realized that Wen Ya and Princess Anping Long Xi Yue were meeting for the first time; Wen Ya had come specially to deliver a flower-and-bird painting of the "Butterfly Lovers" motif, the workmanship was quite good; Hu Xiaotian initially didn't think much of it, but upon seeing the painting's signature, he realized the author was actually Wen Boyuan, that is, Wen Taishi's son, Wen Ya's sworn brother.

Hu Xiaotian's mind turned and he realized the painting carried a matchmaking implication; Wen Ya came under the pretense of giving a gift, but the item she gave Long Xi Yue was a hand-painted "Butterfly Lovers" by Wen Boyuan himself, the meaning obvious—Wen Boyuan was expressing his love for Princess Anping through this painting. Hu Xiaotian couldn't help feeling a bit regretful; had he known Wen Ya was here for this purpose, he shouldn't have brought her at all, yet he also understood that regardless of his presence, Wen Ya would eventually deliver the painting to Long Xi Yue's hands.

Long Xi Yue first expressed gratitude for Wen Ya's gift, merely glanced at the painting, didn't show much importance, then set it aside.

Wen Ya originally intended to use the painting to divert the conversation, but seeing it hadn't achieved the desired effect, she smiled and asked: "Princess, how do you find this painting?"

Long Xi Yue smiled lightly: "Very good!"

Wen Ya said: "This painting is actually hand-painted by my elder brother; I liked it very much, so I asked him for it, hearing that the Princess enjoys calligraphy and painting, I specially presented it to Her Highness the Princess."

Long Xi Yue said: "If that's the case, then I cannot accept this painting." She took the painting from Ziyan's hands and returned it to Wen Ya: "A gentleman does not take what another likes; since you, Talented Person, like this thing, I cannot take it."

Wen Ya had thought this princess was gentle and lovely, not overly scheming, but she didn't expect Long Xi Yue to seize a loophole in her words, returning the painting she had originally accepted; this ended up backfiring on her.

Hu Xiaotian watched from the side, secretly amused, a faint smirk curling at the corner of his mouth.

Wen Ya caught sight of that fellow's strange expression and couldn't help frowning, saying: "Little bearded one, what are you laughing at?"

Long Xi Yue's bright eyes also turned toward Hu Xiaotian, she softly asked: "Eunuch Hu, why are you laughing?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "Talented Person, Princess, both perceptive; I was born with a perpetually smiling face; actually I wasn't laughing at all."

Long Xi Yue said: "I've heard that before entering the palace, Eunuch Hu was versed in music, chess, calligraphy and painting; was your laughter just now because of this painting?"

Hu Xiaotian also hadn't expected Long Xi Yue to direct her criticism at this painting; he hastily bowed and said: "What status do I have? I dare not critique this painting."

Wen Ya coldly glanced at him and said: "If it's not because of this painting that you laughed, then is it because of us? What is there about the Palace and the Princess that deserves your laughter?"

Hu Xiaotian thought to himself that the atmosphere between the two of them seemed off; even if they didn't get along, they shouldn't direct all their hostility at him—damn it, what business is it of his? He respectfully said: "I'll just wait outside, so as not to be in the way of the Talented Person's eyes, the Princess's eyes."

Long Xi Yue said: "Who said you're an eyesore? I'm just asking you, how do you think this painting looks?" This usually well-behaved princess seemed to have changed her temperament today, deliberately making things difficult for Hu Xiaotian.

Wen Ya said: "Little bearded one, since the Princess asked you, you should answer honestly; say what you have to say."

Hu Xiaotian had no choice but to take the flower-and-bird painting again from Wen Ya's hand, slowly unfurling it; objectively speaking, the painting really is quite good—at least his own flower-and-bird painting doesn't reach this level; meticulous brushwork, every stroke shows painstaking effort; it seems Wen Boyuan definitely has feelings for Princess Anping. Hu Xiaotian pretended to examine it and said: "It's not bad, however…"

Wen Ya said: "However what?"

Hu Xiaotian smiled and said: "I'd rather not say."

Long Xi Yue said: "But go ahead and say it."

Wen Ya said: "Just commenting on a painting, why all the hesitation? Speak!"

Hu Xiaotian said: "The painting is done well, the characters are written beautifully, but this painting is a bit vulgar."

Wen Ya, upon hearing this, instantly flew into a rage: "You, Hu Xiaotian, came with me; I am your master, and you speaking like this is basically undermining my authority." Wen Ya said: "It seems you really don't understand; my elder brother's flower-and-bird painting studied under the contemporary master Liu Qing Shan, he is his prized disciple; one could say his flower-and-bird painting has attained seven-tenths of Master Liu's essence—how could a lowly eunuch like you comprehend it?"

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