Chapter 396

It is already Three More, the candles in Xuanweigong are still lit, Dakang Emperor Long Yelin has not yet fallen asleep; beside him stands a Senior Eunuch with hands clasped, none other than Quan De'an, the Keeper of the Imperial Seal of the Directorate of Rites.

"Why don't you sit?" Long Yelin's voice sounded weak and lacking energy.

Quan De'an said respectfully, "In the presence of Your Majesty, where would a servant have a place to sit?"

Long Yelin seemed moved by these words, and he sighed, saying, "After all we've been through, the one who has always been most loyal to me is you."

Quan De'an said, "This old servant would spare no effort, even to the point of laying liver and brains on the ground for Your Majesty."

Long Yelin sighed again, his eyes fixed on the swaying candlelight of the palace lamp, and he said in a low voice, "He actually defied the imperial edict and showed disrespect."

Quan De'an said, "He has already left the palace and still hasn't returned."

Long Yelin said, "Could it be that he has begun to doubt me?"

Quan De'an said softly, "That should be impossible."

"Why don't you send people after him and seize this opportunity to capture him in one sweep?" Long Yelin's emotions suddenly flared.

Quan De'an said, "Tonight's affairs are indeed suspicious; given his martial prowess and inner strength, he shouldn't have been injured so severely. If we send pursuers, we might fall into his trap, and our plan would be completely exposed."

Long Yelin said, "Opportunity must not be missed, for once lost it never returns."

Quan De'an said, "He's not that simple; his hurried departure from the palace suggests he sensed something amiss, fearing we might strike while he's weak. Now our greatest advantage is that he doesn't know the poison in Your Majesty's body has been purged; he can no longer control Your Majesty's life or death."

Long Yelin clenched his fists, his face showing extreme anguish and torment: "I will not rest until this villain is slain!"

Quan De'an said, "Your Majesty still needs more patience; the Bureau of Heavenly Secrets and the hundred thousand Feathered Forest Iron Guards are entirely under his control. To eradicate him we must first bring both under our command, otherwise the consequences would be unimaginable."

Long Yelin gritted his teeth and said, "Endure… endure… endure, how long must I endure? As this emperor, I am everywhere constrained by this eunuch villain; even in my own palace I cannot draw a free breath."

Quan De'an said, "At the latest, one year. This old servant firmly believes we can uproot this wicked villain completely."

The carriage crept along under a bluish-gray sky; Hu Xiaotian lifted a corner of the carriage curtain and looked out. At the horizon where east meets west, the color grew ever paler, a broad band of white sharpened the outline of the horizon, then a warm purple appeared in that blankness, quickly filling it, the base of the purple deepening into red before finally transmuting into gold. A red sun struggled free of night's bonds and finally broke over the horizon.

Hu Xiaotian turned his head and saw Ji Feihua leaning against the other side of the carriage, apparently asleep; her black hair piled like clouds on her shoulders, her skin radiant as snow, her jade-like warm face faintly flushed. Hu Xiaotian blinked. If one didn't know his background, one would surely take him for a woman. Recalling Ji Feihua's awe-inspiring, decisive slaughter from last night contrasted with this delicate, alluring image before him, the two were worlds apart.

Ji Feihua suddenly opened her eyes at this moment, her clear, water-like gaze locking onto Hu Xiaotian's eyes; Hu Xiaotian felt a twinge of guilt and lowered his head.

Ji Feihua said, "You've been staring at the Zajia for half a day—what exactly are you thinking?"

Hu Xiaotian then realized his earlier action hadn't escaped Ji Feihua's notice; he hurriedly explained, "I, Hu Xiaotian, am merely concerned about the Sir's condition, with no other thoughts."

Seeing his nervous expression, Ji Feihua couldn't help but laugh; her smile was like a blossom, radiant beyond description.

Hu Xiaotian secretly sighed at the enchantment; no wonder the present emperor Long Yelin was bewitched by him into indulging in both meat and vegetables. Such a bewitchingly charming figure would stir even a man's heart, and Hu Xiaotian couldn't help but worry: if this continues, might his own sexual orientation shift imperceptibly?

The carriage had already entered the imperial palace grounds; Ji Feihua sat upright with proper decorum, all traces of her bewitching charm gone from her face, her eyes cold as ice, and she said in a deep voice, "You won't be staying long in the Bright Moon Palace; the Zajia promises to transfer you out as soon as possible."

Hu Xiaotian, hearing his assent, secretly rejoiced; the Bright Moon Palace is a place of right and wrong, and he truly did not wish to remain there any longer: "Thank you, Sir."

Ji Feihua changed the subject and added, "But you must first do something for the Zajia."

"Sir, just give the order."

Ji Feihua handed him a bottle of pills: "Inside are seven pellets; each day mix one into her food. Once you've done this, you will have fulfilled your mission in the Bright Moon Palace."

Hu Xiaotian's heart jolted, and he blurted, "I, Hu Xiaotian, dare to ask: what is inside?"

Ji Feihua said, "You need only follow my instructions; there's no need to ask about anything else."

Although Hu Xiaotian was unwilling inside, he dared not defy Ji Feihua's presence and put the jade bottle away. It seemed Ji Feihua still harbored murderous intent toward Wen Ya—having just saved her life, she now sought to kill her.

Returning to the Bright Moon Palace, it was already noon the next day; the newly arrived eunuchs and palace maids all came to pay their respects, showing great respect to Hu Xiaotian, the overseer of the Bright Moon Palace. Hu Xiaotian first inquired about Wen Ya's condition, hearing that she had awakened, though Empress Jian was currently visiting her inside; after some thought he decided not to enter, and instead went to see Baobao first.

He knocked on the door; no answer came from within. Upon pushing the door open he found the room empty, and Hu Xiaotian's heart leapt with alarm, fearing Baobao had met some mishap. He hastily summoned a young eunuch to inquire, and only then learned that Baobao had been taken away early that morning to the Lingyu Palace. Hearing this, Hu Xiaotian flared with rage: Lin Wan is truly reckless and foolhardy—leaving aside that Baobao herself does not wish to return, she is still severely injured, her body weak, needing rest; how could she endure such torment?

Having once experienced Lin Wan's vicious methods, and recalling Baobao's fearful expression toward her, Hu Xiaotian's heart burned like fire; he wished he could sprout wings from his ribs and instantly fly to the Lingyu Palace to rescue Baobao.

Hu Xiaotian rushed to the Lingyu Palace in haste, where he met the palace's eunuchs and maids, who seemed to have been expecting his arrival, greeting him with smiling eyes: "Lord Hu, the mistress is waiting for you inside."

Hu Xiaotian gave those palace maids and eunuchs a cold glance, then strode into the Lingyu Palace.

He heard the sound of a zither, as pleasing as mountain streams; inside the Lingyu Palace only Lin Wan, dressed in a lake-green gown, sat alone at the zither stand, absorbed in playing, seemingly unaware of Hu Xiaotian's arrival. Hu Xiaotian silently cursed Lin Wan for putting on airs—one cannot judge a person by appearance alone; though her beauty was like a flower, her heart was actually that of a serpent. His thoughts were wholly on Baobao's safety, leaving no room to appreciate Lin Wan's music, and he shouted loudly, "Hu Xiaotian pays his respects to Lady Lin Zhao!"

Lin Wan's finger moved, stopping the zither's motion; the lingering echoes faded, a pair of tender white palms covering the strings, and in an instant all sound ceased. Lin Wan let out a soft sigh and said, "Lord Hu, do you think my zither skill is poor? Why interrupt my playing?"

Hu Xiaotian said, "Hu Xiaotian, you should know in your heart why I have come."

Lin Wan chuckled, "I'm not a worm in your belly; if you don't tell me, how could I know?"

Hu Xiaotian said, "Hand over Baobao!"

Lin Wan's finger plucked a string, emitting a clear 'clang!' that set the surrounding air humming; her beautiful eyes flashed with killing intent: "Lord Hu, do you not understand romance? I kindly played the zither for you, yet you repay kindness with ingratitude!"

Hu Xiaotian said, "I have never understood what is meant by romance; burning zithers and cooking cranes is more my style. How about I also play a tune, to harmonize with Lady Lin Zhao's zither?"

Lin Wan smiled, "If you don't care about her life or death, just give it a try!" The taut string stretched to its limit, then with a 'snap!' it broke. Lin Wan rose abruptly, her phoenix eyes shooting two sword‑like beams of light at Hu Xiaotian.

Hu Xiaotian sneered, "I hate nothing more than being threatened by others; since Consort Lin has made a demand, I can only comply." He drew out the revival flute, brought it to his lips, and blew hard; for a woman as treacherous and vicious as Lin Wan, one must never yield easily to her threats. Each grasped the other's weakness; now the contest is whose heart is harder, whose means are crueler—if one harbors even a hint of hesitation or mercy, one will be controlled by the other.

At the instant Hu Xiaotian blew the revival flute, Lin Wan raised both hands and inserted two silver needles into her temples. She stamped her feet heavily on the ground, her body shooting forth like a green bolt of lightning toward Hu Xiaotian.

This move greatly exceeded Hu Xiaotian's expectations—he never imagined Lin Wan had a way to counter the revival flute. He grabbed a nearby chair and swung it at her head. The best part of tearing apart facades is that one need not worry about the other's status; everyone's dirty, so who fears whom!

Lin Wan slapped the chair with her palm, shattering it into pieces; Hu Xiaotian, however, took advantage of her preoccupation with the chair, retreated backward to the pillar, reversed his grip, kicked his legs hard, and actually climbed up the pillar while facing away, reaching its top in an instant. His mouth never ceased, blowing out sprays of saliva, but today the revival flute seemed utterly ineffective—Lin Wan showed no reaction at all.

Lin Wan leapt into the air, raising her left hand; her five fingers were each sheathed in steel finger caps, opening like a bird's claws as she lunged to seize Hu Xiaotian's face.

Hu Xiaotian countered with the Profound Dark Yin Wind Claw; he sank his wrist, turned the claw outward, bypassed her steel talons, and grabbed for Lin Wan's pulse point.

The two exchanged five moves in mid‑air, meeting speed with speed; Hu Xiaotian's back remained pressed against the pillar as they fought, spiraling downward around it, while Lin Wan's cultivation was clearly superior to his by a notch.

Both of their feet landed on the ground at the same moment, and Hu Xiaotian suddenly raised his hand and cried, "Violent Rain Pear Blossom Needle!"

Staring at the Monthly Ticket Ranking for half a day, it's stuck at 1698, just two tickets shy of 1700; during the Double Period that's only one ticket, yet it's stuck—could it be that Zhangyu's steps are too big, he's earned too much, causing the blockage… uh, in this day and age, is earning more a sin?

Who will give me a ticket, lend me the strength of one vote, so I can get past this 1700 hurdle! (To be continued~^~)