Chapter 403

The fire at Mingyue Palace was only extinguished at dawn the next day; for the endless disasters that had plagued Mingyue Palace, the imperial court had long grown accustomed, seeing them as nothing strange. Ever since this talented person took charge of Mingyue Palace, its misfortunes had come one after another. Upon hearing the news of Mingyue Palace's destruction, almost everyone's first reaction was to let out a sigh of relief—perhaps its ill fortune had finally ended.

After the fire, they began to tally the scene. Apart from Hu Xiaotian, who survived, everyone else in Mingyue Palace—including Wen Ya—had disappeared. Because the blaze was too fierce, only fragments of skeletons remained; after piecing them together, they could determine there were seven bodies. Matching the number of missing persons, Wen Ya and the three palace maids and three eunuchs who had just been assigned to Mingyue Palace led to the preliminary conclusion that Wen Ya and those six maids and eunuchs all perished in the fire.

Hu Xiaotian absolutely refused to believe that Wen Ya would die. Although his memory of the previous night was somewhat confused, he still retained fragmentary recollections of certain events. By piecing those together, he could roughly infer what had happened. One thing he could be certain of: he could not possibly have walked back to his own room on his own; someone must have escorted him back, and then someone set fire to Mingyue Palace. What he could not determine was exactly what had transpired between him and Wen Ya—whether the images flashing in his mind and the moving sounds echoing in his ears were hallucinations or reality. However, this guy secretly examined himself while urinating and found traces of use on his long‑hidden vital part; he knew his own body.

With no surviving witnesses, all human and material evidence had been burned to ashes, making it nearly impossible for anyone to discover what really happened that night. As for Hu Xiaotian, he kept silent about the events of the previous night. He only said that after returning he had been met with cold treatment. He had no chance to see the talented person, and he did not know how the fire had started.

Fortunately, the guards only questioned him verbally and did not conduct a physical examination; otherwise they would surely have uncovered many suspicious details. Some things are crystal clear: for example, his body still bears the marks of a scorpion sting, and his chest and shoulders retain numerous clear bite marks and kiss traces. In fact, from the moment Wen Ya summoned him into Mingyue Palace until she orchestrated the release of the poisonous scorpions and forced seven Chiyang Fu Yin pills into his mouth, he remembers everything distinctly. After that, events became fragmented and chaotic. Hu Xiaotian believes Wen Ya did not die, and deep down he does not wish her to have perished in this fire. Though one who seeks to kill him ought not to possess such compassion, he always feels that the truth is not as simple as his memory suggests.

The vague memories lingering in his mind continually troubled him—Wen Ya's astonishing, unorthodox martial arts, the swarms of poisonous creatures that surged forth—how could they possibly be explained?

The fire at Mingyue Palace naturally drew many people. Important figures such as Mu Rongzhan, Ji Feihua, Quan De'an, and Wen Chenghuan arrived at the scene one after another. Regardless of their original intentions, the outbreak of the fire was beyond their expectations, and the unfolding events had slipped out of their control.

Wen Taishi had barely warmed his seat as the emperor's father‑in‑law when his adopted daughter died. In public, the old master still appeared grief‑stricken, while Quan De'an stood beside him offering comfort. Even Ji Feihua, his rival, came over and gave insincere condolences. Though they all put on a show of deep sympathy, some truly felt the pain, while others secretly rejoiced.

As the sole survivor of Mingyue Palace, Hu Xiaotian naturally could not shake off the greatest suspicion; most people suspected him of involvement in the arson and therefore subjected him to questioning. His subordinates carried out a carpet‑like search inside the palace and, unexpectedly, discovered a letter in the courtyard. It was written in Wen Ya's own hand—a final testament. In it she wrote: because misfortunes had plagued her since entering the palace, and because the emperor had fallen ill in Mingyue Palace, she felt herself an ominous presence, overwhelmed with guilt and devoid of joy, and thus resolved to atone with her death. The letter's main purpose was for Wen Ya to admit that she had set the fire and died by self‑immolation.

But if she's dead, why drag innocent palace maids and eunuchs into it? Hu Xiaotian understood this was to silence witnesses and eliminate future trouble. As for himself, outsiders thought he had escaped death merely because he lived in an independent cottage outside the palace, yet deep down he knew Wen Ya had spared him likely because of those vivid, half‑real, half‑illusive images in his mind—could it be that, in a hazy half‑dream state, he actually… slept with this talented person? No matter how hard he tried to recall, he could not remember the details of that night, feeling the regret of Zhu Bajie eating the ginseng fruit without tasting its flavor; his first time had ended in a confused blur. If things really were as he imagined, he would have gained nothing—in fact, he would have suffered a great loss, for this was his first time in life!

Ji Feihua did not speak to Hu Xiaotian at the scene, merely giving him a few meaningful glances; evidently now was not the time to ask for details.

Quan De'an also said nothing to Hu Xiaotian, but his gaze toward him was clearly cold, making Hu Xiaotian's heart prickle with unease. Without Wen Ya's letter, he feared that even jumping into the Yellow River would not wash away the suspicion; even if he could clear his name, the dereliction of duty would still be unavoidable. Thinking of the impending investigation, Hu Xiaotian felt inevitably apprehensive.

After reading Wen Ya's suicide note, Wen Chenghuan burst into even louder sobs, beating his chest and stamping his feet. While wiping his tears, he glared at Hu Xiaotian with eyes full of vengeful hatred, blaming the loss of his daughter entirely on him. Hu Xiaotian dared not meet his gaze, hastily lowering his head and thinking, 'Will Wen Chenghuan vent his anger on me?' This matter would not simply be brushed aside; Wen Chenghuan would certainly not let it go.

He Mu quietly approached Hu Xiaotian's side and gave a light cough. It roused Hu Xiaotian from his dazed state, and he, as if just awakened from a dream, clasped his hands and said, 'Grand Eunuch He, what are your orders?'

In such a setting, He Mu, who was usually known as a 'smiling-faced tiger,' also became unusually stern, speaking softly: 'The Commander has told you not to be afraid; relate the events exactly as they happened.'

Hu Xiaotian secretly sighed; Ji Feihua was clearly threatening him not to speak recklessly, let alone betray her. He glanced covertly at Ji Feihua, only to see her and Quan De'an standing before the ruins, engaged in an earnest conversation—he did not know what they were saying.

Hu Xiaotian recounted what had happened the previous night, of course skimming over the important points; in truth he himself was utterly confused about the exact details, and the person who knew best was certainly Wen Ya. His testimony contributed nothing to clarifying the truth and only added more mysteries.

After seeking permission from Mu Rongzhan, he was granted a temporary return to the Directorate of Gardens to await news. On the way back, he noticed two guards trailing him at a distance—clearly he was under close surveillance—and his mood grew increasingly heavy.

Returning to the Directorate of Gardens, his former subordinates still saw him and performed respectful bows, but after the salutations most hurried away, no longer flattering him with obsequious praise as they used to—such is the fickleness of human warmth and the vicissitudes of the world. Hu Xiaotian was no stranger to this. The news of the Mingyue Palace fire had spread far and wide; according to palace custom, the eunuchs involved in such a major incident would certainly be held accountable. Everyone understood that Eunuch Hu was now in trouble, and serious trouble at that. In this delicate moment, no one would dare to get too close to him voluntarily, lest they be implicated.

Hu Xiaotian's composure was extraordinary; he showed no sign of abnormality. He first inspected the various departments of the Directorate of Gardens, then glanced over the recent accounts. By the time he finished these tasks, it was nearly noon, and the purchasing officer Shi Xuedong, who had gone out to procure supplies, returned.

In the past, Shi Xuedong would at least linger outside until dusk before returning to the palace, but today was different. Having heard about the Mingyue Palace fire, he longed to rush there immediately to see what had happened. His position in the palace depended entirely on Hu Xiaotian; if his sworn brother encountered any mishap, his own days ahead would be hard. As the saying goes, 'When one attains the Dao, even chickens and dogs ascend to heaven.' If Hu Xiaotian were to fall into disgrace, his follower would surely be dragged down, ending up bruised and swollen. However, the Mingyue Palace side had already been sealed off by the imperial guards, and ordinary folk were barred entry. Given Shi Xuedong's status, he naturally had no chance to get inside, so he could only suppress his anxiety and first attend to his duties.

Even when going out to purchase supplies, he no longer enjoyed the former leisurely freedom. Although the suppliers stood in line waiting to entertain him, Shi Xuedong had no heart for socializing; after finishing his errands he hurried back to the palace. Hearing that Hu Xiaotian had returned, Shi Xuedong felt somewhat relieved, came to Hu Xiaotian's room, and with a relieved expression said, 'Brother, seeing you safe and sound puts this elder brother's mind at ease.'

Hu Xiaotian nodded, said little more, and noticed that the cup of hot tea in his hand had gone cold. Earlier he had been staring blankly, pondering how to face the upcoming questioning, and only now did he realize he had been zoning out in the room for quite a while.

Shi Xuedong, ever observant, stepped forward, picked up the teapot, and said, 'The tea's cold; I'll go get you some hot water, brother.'

Hu Xiaotian replied, 'No need, Elder Brother Dong; please sit down first—I have something to tell you.'

Shi Xuedong pursed his lips and sat down opposite Hu Xiaotian.

Hu Xiaotian said, 'Last night Mingyue Palace caught fire; the talented person and the six eunuchs and palace maids all perished in the blaze, and I was the sole survivor of Mingyue Palace.'

'That's because you have great fortune and destiny,' Shi Xuedong said, attempting to flatter but sounding weak and listless. 'Surviving a great disaster guarantees future blessings.'

Hu Xiaotian smiled faintly: 'Whether it's fortune or disaster is still hard to say. Although the talented person left a suicide note proving she set the fire herself, as the steward of Mingyue Palace I cannot escape responsibility.'

Shi Xuedong asked anxiously, 'Are the superiors going to punish you?'

300 Monthly Tickets — extra chapter released! (To be continued…^_^)