Chapter 501: 【Farewell Words】(Lower)

Hu Xiaotian clasped his hands and readily agreed. Yang Lingqi took out a painting from his own painting case and handed it to Hu Xiaotian, saying: "This painting is my most proud landscape work. I have heard that Prince Yan of Da Yong, Xue Shengjing, is a lover of painting. As an emperor who widely welcomes guests, acts righteously and generously, he has earned the reputation of a modern-day Mengchang. If you, Young Master Hu, present this painting to him, he will surely treasure it, and given his hospitable nature he will undoubtedly treat you as an honored guest above the ordinary."

Hu Xiaotian felt a stirring in his heart; Yang Lingqi, despite his own fallen state, still generously offered help, showing his lofty righteousness. Hu Xiaotian declined, saying: "How could I possibly accept such a precious gift?"

Yang Lingqi said: "I won't hide it from you—originally I intended to go to Yongdu and offer this painting to Prince Liang in exchange for him doing something for me. But now..." He gave a bitter smile and shook his head, secretly sighing that he couldn't even manage to leave Dakang. He placed the painting in Hu Xiaotian's hands: "I can see that you, Young Master Hu, are no ordinary person. If you can return safely from Da Yong this time, your future prospects will be limitless." Having said that, Yang Lingqi turned and walked away.

Hu Xiaotian carefully stored the painting, silently resolving in his heart that once he returned from Da Yong he would certainly help Yang Lingqi change his fate.

As Hu Xiaotian left the teahouse, he unexpectedly met a group of people heading his way. Among them were the Tang brothers, Tang Tiesheng and Tang Tiexin, and to his surprise Zhou Mo was also there—apparently in just two days Zhou Mo had already won the trust of the Tang brothers and become thick as thieves with them. One person in the group, upon seeing Hu Xiaotian, hastily lowered his head. Hu Xiaotian couldn't help but glance again, and saw that the person had delicate eyebrows and bright eyes, a slightly dark complexion. Though he only looked once, Hu Xiaotian immediately concluded that this was a woman disguised as a man, and the face seemed somewhat familiar. After a moment's thought, could it not be the Tang family's little miss, Tang Qingxuan? He hadn't expected her to follow her two brothers here as well—could she be intending to take advantage of this opportunity to harm him? He quickly dismissed that thought; the Tang family, no matter how bold, would dare not openly lay hands on him, the deputy marriage envoy.

Tang Qingxuan lowered her head because she felt guilty, fearing that Hu Xiaotian would see through her true identity. In fact, she had not come this time for revenge. When the misunderstanding with Hu Xiaotian first occurred, she had only wished to kill him on the spot, but time had passed, much had happened, and her hatred had faded. Moreover, she and Murong Feiyan were bosom friends; after Murong Feiyan returned to the capital and joined the Jinshi Fu, they had met several times, and she had explained the earlier misunderstanding to him. Upon hearing that the Hu family had met with misfortune and that Hu Xiaotian had entered the palace as a eunuch, even if there were deep grudges, they had already been settled.

The reason Tang Qingxuan appeared in the marriage procession this time was nothing special. She had always longed for the beautiful northern scenery of Da Yong, and hearing that her two elder brothers were going to Da Yong on a diplomatic mission, she insisted on coming along to see it. As the Tang family's cherished pearl, her brothers could not refuse her, so they agreed to bring her—on the condition that she dress as a man and blend into the retinue to avoid unnecessary trouble.

The Tang family had not anticipated the dangers of this journey; had they known how many forces were contending behind this diplomatic mission, they would certainly not have allowed Tang Qingxuan to come. As for Zhou Mo, tall and sturdy, he performed exceptionally well among the porters, and his innate leadership qualities soon caught Tang Tiehan's eye. Tang Tiehan transferred him to the mule and horse team to help out; both men loved wine, and after a while they became acquainted.

Tang Tiehan, whose temperament was fierce, while Tang Tiexin was comparatively more agile, saw Hu Xiaotian and hastily clasped his hands, saying: "So it is Sir Hu!" Although he looked down on Hu Xiaotian as a eunuch in his heart, since Hu Xiaotian was an imperial envoy, he still had to show due respect.

Hu Xiaotian nodded and smiled: "Sir Tang, how is the journey going?"

Tang Tiexin replied: "Thanks to your favor, Sir, things have been fairly smooth since we set out."

At that moment, snow began to drift down outside again. Hu Xiaotian furrowed his brow and said: "It's snowing again; I don't know whether we'll be able to set out smoothly tomorrow."

Tang Tiehan, who had been silent until now, said: "The accumulated snow isn't the problem; I fear the ice that will form after the snow stops, making the roads slippery. Such road conditions pose a severe test for both livestock and vehicles."

Hu Xiaotian placed a gold ingot on the counter and told the shopkeeper: "Please settle their bill as well." This ingot was more than enough to cover the expenses, and the shopkeeper, profuse in his thanks, accepted it gratefully.

The Tang brothers exchanged a glance and did not stand on ceremony with Hu Xiaotian, assuming he was actively trying to curry favor with them. In fact, Hu Xiaotian hardly regarded the Tang brothers at all; the journey to Da Yong was long, and he simply had no desire to create more enmity. As the saying goes, it is better to resolve grudges than to forge new ones—looking back, the past incident was merely a trifle.

Watching Hu Xiaotian's retreating back, Tang Qingxuan couldn't help but murmur: "He seems like a completely different person."

Tang Tiehan said softly: "Jiangshan is easy to change, but nature is hard to alter; he's merely putting on a show."

Tang Tiexin said: "Brother, are we eating this meal or not?"

"Eat! Not eating would be a waste!"

Upon seeing Yang Lingqi's two old works, Princess Anping could not help but slap the table in admiration, especially the painting he had given Hu Xiaotian today—"Rainy Mountain After the Rain." The brushwork, ink, and coloring had already reached the state of perfection, faintly revealing the bearing of a master. Such an outstanding young talent, yet because of his misfortune his hands are disabled, Princess Anping sighed: "If he were not handicapped, he would surely become a giant of the painting world."

Hu Xiaotian said: "In the human world, how could there be so many things that go exactly as one wishes?"

Princess Anping, moved by Hu Xiaotian's words, felt a pang of sorrow and sighed: "Indeed, eight or nine out of ten things in life are unsatisfactory; how could everything possibly go as one wishes?"

Hu Xiaotian whispered: "Xiyue, rest assured, I will surely find a way to take you away."

Long Xi Yue shook her head, her smooth forehead resting against Hu Xiaotian's shoulder, and whispered softly: "You need not risk yourself for me; in fact, I am already quite content just being able to see you, hear your voice—even if you are coaxing or deceiving me, my heart feels great joy. I feel this is the happiest time of my life."

Hu Xiaotian said: "I already have a plan."

Long Xi Yue raised her head, gazing at his eyes with a smile, and whispered: "You need do nothing at all—truly! Heaven has already been generous to me; I dare not ask for anything more excessive, only wishing you a lifetime of safety. In any case, remember this: no matter where I am, my heart has always held only you, and there will be no room for anyone else."

Hu Xiaotian's heart surged, and he embraced Long Xi Yue in his arms.

Long Xi Yue clung tightly to his chest, murmuring dreamily: "I wish I could lean against you like this for a lifetime, but the farther north we go, the less time we have left together. Xiaotian, if time could stand still, how wonderful that would be!" Yet she knew in her heart that this wish could never be fulfilled; she closed her beautiful eyes, and two crystal tears slid down her jade‑white cheeks.

Time cannot stand still, but fate can be changed. Hu Xiaotian gently stroked Long Xi Yue's silken hair and whispered: "I will make you happy, I will keep you happy forever."

The next morning, the snow had completely stopped, yet the sky remained dull and overcast, as if a heavy leaden cloud hung over everything, casting a gloom upon people's hearts. The prefect of Tianbo City, Wang Wenyou, led his subordinates to see Hu Xiaotian's party off at the north gate of Tianbo City, accompanying them all the way to the ten‑li pavilion before stopping. Wang Wenyou dismounted and bade farewell to the three imperial envoys. Wang Wenyou said: "From here northward, settlements are sparse, the wilderness desolate, and bandits often appear; you gentlemen must remain vigilant and exercise extra caution."

Wen Boyuan said: "I was just feeling bored along the way; if we happen to run into some action, it would be a good chance to stretch our muscles."

Wang Wenyou laughed: "I was merely over‑cautious, General Wen. Your martial prowess is unmatched, the Jinshi Fu strikes fear across the land—naturally there is nothing to fear from mountain brigands and grass‑root rebels."

Wu Jiànshàn said: "Prefect Wang, please return for now; when we come back, we'll share a drink and catch up."

Wang Wenyou clasped his hands and said: "I, the humble official, will await your triumphant return in Tianbo Prefecture; when you arrive, I will surely set up a banquet to wash away the dust and celebrate your achievements."

Hu Xiaotian returned the salute to Wang Wenyou: "Prefect Wang, rest assured; when we return, I will surely drink heartily with you—no drunkenness, no return."

In the afternoon the wind grew ever fiercer, whipping up the accumulated snow and ice pellets that struck their faces, sneaking into every cuff and collar, making it hard to keep their eyes open. The temperature suddenly dropped sharply, and the cold wind brought the dampness of the north, a chill that seemed able to pierce straight to the marrow of one's bones.

Hu Xiaotian rode on the big‑eared little gray horse, always keeping pace with Princess Anping's carriage, unfolding the map of jianghu forces that Zhu Ba had given him before departure. According to the markings, the road ahead should lead into the Black Pine Forest, where horse bandits frequently appeared.

Hu Xiaotian urged the horse forward; Little Gray ran while shaking its large ears, flinging off the ice particles clinging to them. From its nostrils puffed two clouds of white mist, yet it remained spirited and showed no sign of lethargy despite the sudden drop in temperature.

Wen Boyuan had all along been marching at the very front of the procession. Sensing Hu Xiaotian approaching, he frowned slightly—a natural reaction of his heart. After losing the painting contest to Hu Xiaotian in Tianbo City, Wen Boyuan's hatred for him had grown deeper.

Hu Xiaotian called out: "General Wen!"

Wen Boyuan kept his gaze fixed ahead, not even glancing at Hu Xiaotian: "What advice do you have, Eunuch Hu?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "Up ahead is the Black Pine Forest; I have heard that bandits often operate there."

Wen Boyuan narrowed his eyes, staring at the distant horizon. The sky was a dull gray‑white, the earth a blanket of snow, the wind whipping up snowdrifts that raged between heaven and earth, blurring the line between sky and land, as if a thick fog shrouded the landscape.

It seems only five monthly tickets have been cast today—whoever can spare one more to make six, let's hope for a lucky six‑six in the New Year! (To be continued~^~)