Chapter 476

Long Xi Yue smiled gently and said: "Everyone has their own destiny; perhaps from birth I was destined not to stay long in Dakang. I am a woman of low status, unable to serve the country. Tingzhen, you are a descendant of the Long clan; in the future you should bear more of your father emperor's worries and learn to handle state affairs."

Long Tingzhen nodded firmly.

Qiqi said: "Aunt, actually your marriage is a great joy; besides, Da Yong is not far away, when you have time you can often come back to visit relatives, don't make it seem like a parting of life and death."

Long Xi Yue said: "Yes, it is indeed a joy." Her beautiful eyes showed endless desolation. Hu Xiaotian saw it in his eyes and felt it in his heart, silently cursing Qiqi for lacking sympathy, watching his aunt being sent far away to become a sacrifice of the Long family, yet showing no reaction at all; in contrast, Long Tingzhen showed more conscience than her, at least saying a few human words.

Long Xi Yue said: "It's already late; you should go back to rest."

Long Tingzhen nodded, gave Qiqi a look, rose and took his leave.

Qiqi said: "Hu Xiaotian, come out with me; I have a few things to tell you."

Hu Xiaotian felt this stifling resentment; "I'm not your eunuch subordinate, why are you ordering me around?" He glanced at Long Xi Yue, who smiled and said: "The little princess tells you to go, so go; do you really think she'd have you beaten?"

Only then did Hu Xiaotian follow Qiqi and her brother outside.

Long Tingzhen and Hu Xiaotian had nothing to say; after leaving, he went straight away. Hu Xiaotian stopped outside the gate of Zilan Palace and said: "Little Princess, what do you have to tell me?"

Qiqi said: "It's so dark; I'm afraid to walk back alone. Escort me to the Ruxiu Palace."

Hu Xiaotian said: "Let me inform Princess Anping..."

"No need to say; saying it would be the same. I'm having you come with me to give you some benefits."

Hu Xiaotian drooped his head, outwardly respectful but his mouth showed utter disbelief. Being given benefits, ever since he met Qiqi, being with her has seemed nothing but misfortune; he's never gotten any good out of it.

At this moment, Ziqian came out from inside and said to Hu Xiaotian: "Lord Hu, the Princess said to have you escort the Yongyang Princess back to the palace; it's so late, the Princess worries about her returning alone."

Qiqi's face showed delight, she smiled narrowly at Hu Xiaotian.

Hu Xiaotian took the lantern from Ziqian's hand, carried it ahead of Qiqi to light her way. Qiqi asked: "Do you have no sense of rank in your heart? Let the Princess walk behind you?"

Hu Xiaotian had no choice; he could only step aside, let her go first, then follow behind holding the lantern. Unexpectedly, after two steps Qiqi said: "Are you leading me or am I leading you? You're holding the lantern behind me; can I see the road?"

Hu Xiaotian also stayed silent, letting Qiqi pick and choose as she pleased. Anyway he remained speechless; he had plenty of experience dealing with Qiqi. This girl, the more you attend to her, the more she shows off.

Seeing Hu Xiaotian ignore her, Qiqi lost her enthusiasm for speaking and naturally couldn't be bothered to find fault with him. Zilan Palace and Ruxiu Palace were not far apart; when they arrived at the gate of Ruxiu Palace, Hu Xiaotian said: "The Princess has arrived. I'll go back and report promptly."

Qiqi angrily said: "I haven't finished speaking yet."

Hu Xiaotian said: "Princess, please speak."

Qiqi said: "Come inside and we'll talk."

Hu Xiaotian gave a hollow smile and said: "It's not something shameful; we can say it here."

Qiqi knew this fellow was doing it on purpose to anger her. She reached out, grabbed his ear, and forcibly dragged Hu Xiaotian inside. The palace maids and eunuchs in Ruxiu Palace saw the scene, turned away, pretending not to see. Regarding the Princess's behavior, everyone was used to it; when faced with such a scene they could only feel sympathy, and besides secretly pray that this fire wouldn't burn them.

Hu Xiaotian was dragged by Qiqi into Ruxiu Palace; the few maids and eunuchs who were tidying up were frightened and hurriedly retreated, not forgetting to close the door behind them. Hu Xiaotian finally broke free from Qiqi's vicious grip and angrily said: "You're perverted; if you have something to say, say it—why pull my ear?"

Qiqi not only didn't get angry but laughed gleefully: "I thought you wouldn't dare get angry; hehe, you still have some backbone."

Hu Xiaotian said: "Even a cornered rabbit will bite; if you keep pushing me, I'll expose all the things you've done."

Qiqi said: "Go ahead and expose; who's afraid of whom? You're not clean either."

Hu Xiaotian said: "You called me here for something, didn't you? Hurry up—I don't have all day to serve you."

Qiqi said: "You've grown a temper; don't think that because you saved me I'll keep tolerating you—if I can't stand it any longer, I'll chop off your head just the same."

Hu Xiaotian said: "Whatever; anyway you have no conscience."

Qiqi angrily said: "You're talking nonsense!"

Hu Xiaotian glared, eyes wide: "Your Highness, you're a princess, a noble lady—how can you speak so vulgarly?"

Qiqi pointed at his nose and said: "You say who lacks conscience?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "No matter how wildly you speak, it's useless; I've seen clearly what the Princess usually does. Princess Anping treats you with deep affection and righteousness; she's about to be married far away to Da Yong, yet you haven't said a word to retain her, instead calling it a great joy—have you ever considered her feelings?" The one who can't bear it anymore is Hu Xiaotian.

Qiqi said: "As the Princess, I'll do as I please; royal affairs are not for a eunuch like you to meddle in!"

Hu Xiaotian suddenly rose to his feet, glaring at Qiqi; his two gazes were like two swords piercing her eyes. Qiqi felt a pang of panic from his look, but forced herself to stay calm, lifted her flat chest, and stared wide-eyed: "How so?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "I shouldn't have involved myself with you from the start; back at Lanruo Temple I shouldn't have opened the door to let you in, letting you and Quan De'an fend for yourselves in the wilderness; I shouldn't have, in a moment of soft-heartedness, agreed to escort you to Xiezhou, and when we met the wolf pack I should have thrown you to the wolves—then there wouldn't be later troubles."

"You..."

"What 'you'? I only hate myself for being cheap, repeatedly rescuing you; a woman as ruthless as you deserves to be swallowed whole by that crocodile—it would also be doing Heaven a favor by removing a scourge."

Qiqi was left speechless by his reprimand, her eyes widened further, her little face flushed red.

Hu Xiaotian, having the upper hand, pressed on: "No more to say? Arguments exhausted? Let me tell you: if you weren't lucky to be born into royalty, no beggar would bother with you, stray dogs wouldn't even glance at you; if you weren't a woman, I'd have beaten you senseless long ago." Don't think Qiqi being a princess makes Hu Xiaotian afraid; "I have leverage you hold over me, and your own rear isn't clean either? That bamboo slip you took from below Piaomiao Mountain—who knows what secrets it holds—if I'm angered, I'll just as readily expose this matter."

Hu Xiaotian thought he had finally overwhelmed Qiqi in momentum, stunned her, and after holding it in so long felt he'd vented his inner anger, feeling secretly pleased; but unexpectedly Qiqi pursed her lips and wailed, bursting into tears.

Hu Xiaotian stared, bewildered: "What kind of act is this now? What are you crying for?" Fortunately the gate of Ruxiu Palace was shut tight, her crying wasn't loud, and outsiders likely couldn't hear.

Qiqi choked out: "Are you even human? Do you have any… humanity… you're so much older than me… yet you bully a girl like me… and use such vicious words to scold me?"

"Me vicious?" Hu Xiaotian's face darkened with black lines, and this girl snapped back at him.

"You call me ruthless, but she's still just a girl..."

Hu Xiaotian truly had no reply: "A girl isn't a woman? Which woman didn't grow up from being a girl?"

Qiqi wiped her tears and said: "I once swore never to shed tears in front of the living."

Hu Xiaotian sucked in a cold breath from the bottom of his heart: "Damn, this seems to be a move to exterminate me completely; just now I only wanted to vent my mouth—did I overreach?"

Qiqi said: "My aunt has always treated me well since childhood; how could I not know? This time she's marrying far away to Da Yong; in my heart I miss her more than anyone, I'm heartbroken, but if I showed it in front of her she'd only feel worse. Since she's destined to go, why not let her leave happily?"

Hu Xiaotian hearing her say that thought it somewhat reasonable.

Qiqi said: "What right do you have to blame me? Thinking you're some paragon of virtue, constantly talking about conscience and righteousness. In my eyes you're just a frog in a well, seeing only the patch of sky the size of a palm." She raised her head, her expression returning to the earlier arrogance: "I know Aunt doesn't want to marry into Da Yong, doesn't want to leave her homeland, but letting her marry into Dakang is certainly not what my father emperor wishes; Dakang is plagued by internal strife, myriad affairs neglected; at such a time, only by solidifying relations with neighboring states can a marriage alliance be the most feasible option. Sacrificing Aunt's personal happiness can bring lasting peace between the two countries; such a sacrifice is worthwhile, and if I were in her position I would do it without hesitation."

Hu Xiaotian seemed to have just come to know Qiqi anew, staring at her dumbfounded; he never expected someone so young to have national affairs in mind, but this girl has always been sly and deceitful, with deep scheming—who knows if she's just putting on an act before his eyes? Hu Xiaotian chuckled.

Seeing him laugh at this moment, Qiqi couldn't help but feel ashamed and angry: "What are you laughing at? Do you dare mock me?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "I thought the Princess would be different from ordinary people; now it seems she's really just a girl after all."

Qiqi naturally could hear the mockery hidden in his words, clearly implying her childishness.

Hu Xiaotian said: "Do you really think sacrificing Princess Anping's happiness can bring lasting peace between the two countries? Politics is the world's most ruthless game; throughout history there have been countless cold-hearted, unfeeling politicians who discard their kin, and how many truly can love the realm more than beauty, willingly giving up their power for a woman?"

Fourth update, offering a plea for guaranteed monthly ticket. (To be continued. If you like this work, please vote for recommendation tickets and monthly tickets; your support is my greatest motivation.)

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