Chapter 600

Even though Hu Xiaotian was fortunate enough to enter the inner court, he found that no room had been prepared for him; his lodging, like Wu Jing Shan's, was in the outer court, suggesting that Da Yong intended to isolate the princess and them. After helping the impostor princess settle, Zi Juan let the few new palace maids leave first, Hu Xiaotian closed the door and respectfully said to the Princess: "Princess, we have finally arrived; let's rest well today."

Zi Juan sighed softly and said: "We arrived here safe and sound, but Zi Juan died a miserable death."

Hu Xiaotian's heart skipped a beat; you are clearly alive and well, why say that? After a moment's thought, could she be referring to Long Xi Yue? Hu Xiaotian respectfully said to the Princess: "Princess, you need not grieve; Zi Juan has grown up with you since childhood, you have treated her with every kindness, as close as sisters; even if everyone in the world were to betray you, Zi Juan would not." His words were full of mockery toward Zi Juan.

Zi Juan stared coldly at Hu Xiaotian and said: "But Zi Juan, neither alive nor dead, with no body to see—how can I set my mind at ease?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "Zi Juan is likely more ill-fated than fortunate, but to die for the princess, I think even in the afterlife she would have no regrets."

Zi Juan nodded and said: "Perhaps she, blessed with good fortune, might escape alive—who knows?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "Princess, just rest easy; today is February 23, and the sixteenth of next month will be your wedding day."

Zi Juan said: "If you hadn't mentioned it, I would have almost forgotten; anyway, we have reached Yongdu, and no matter what happens, at least we people are still alive."

Hu Xiaotian said: "Everything depends on the princess's auspicious stars shining high, only then can we be kept safe."

"You have devoted yourself wholeheartedly to protecting me, serving me, and have endured much hardship, little whiskers! Your kindness to me—I, the princess, will remember it all my life." As she spoke these words, Zi Juan was clearly gritting her teeth.

Hu Xiaotian smiled and said: "Being able to serve the princess is a blessing I cultivated in my previous life."

Zi Juan said: "Since you are so loyal, why not stay in Da Yong with me and serve me for life?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "Good!"

Zi Juan did not expect him to agree so readily; she was visibly stunned for a moment, then waved her hand and said: "Just go; your words are insincere. It's pure hypocrisy!"

Hu Xiaotian bade farewell with a smile, but just as he was about to leave, Zi Juan called him back: "Hu Xiaotian, don't come over for the next few days; give you all a good few days off, so everyone can enjoy a good tour of Yongdu."

Hu Xiaotian said loudly: "Thank you, Princess, for your grace." This fellow stuck out his buttocks and retreated outside; seeing Liu Po Po and the four palace maids waiting outside, Hu Xiaotian smiled and said: "Good day, Liu Po Po."

Liu Po Po also gave him no pleasant expression; her wrinkled face showed no smile, she glanced at Hu Xiaotian indifferently and said: "Lord Hu, are you leaving already?"

Hu Xiaotian silently cursed, "Are all Yong people so rude? I, after all, am the envoy appointed by the Dakang emperor to conduct the marriage mission, and you, a palace aunt, treat me so discourteously?" Then he recalled the saying "a weak state has no diplomacy"; Dakang's strength is waning, and it can no longer be compared with present-day Da Yong, so it's no wonder people look down on it. Yet Da Yong is at least a great nation; such behavior is truly petty. Hu Xiaotian said: "I'm leaving now; I hope Lady Liu Po Po and the others will take good care of my princess in the future."

Liu Po Po said: "The princess, upon marrying into Da Yong, becomes our Da Yong's prince consort; looking after her is our duty, so Lord Hu need not worry."

Hu Xiaotian thought to himself, "I can't be bothered to care." But seeing that Liu Po Po and the four palace maids all had sharp, energetic eyes, evidently they were martial artists, so it might not be easy later to have a private conversation with Zi Juan. However, things have come to this point. It could be considered a wish fulfilled, after all we rescued Princess Anping, letting her escape the tiger's den; as for Zi Juan, she had secretly colluded with Wen Boyuan earlier, and according to Hu Xiaotian's intention, she should have been silenced on the Yong River at the outset. But due to a twist of fate, forced by circumstances, she was made to pose as Princess Anping—at the time merely to get by—yet who would have thought that, playing this role all the way, Zi Juan would show no flaw. Even someone as shrewd as Li Chen Zhou was deceived by her.

Now Hu Xiaotian certainly does not want anything to happen to Zi Juan; it would be best if she smoothly married the Seventh Prince, Xue Daoming. Then she could go from a palace maid to flying up a branch and becoming a phoenix, instantly becoming a Da Yong prince consort, later possibly a crown princess, even empress. As for himself, he could achieve merit fulfilled, smoothly complete the task Long Yelin entrusted to him, bring his beloved princess, secretly return via Chen Cang to Dakang, and after rescuing his parents, thereafter live happily ever after.

Hu Xiaotian's mental calculations went well, yet he knew this matter was full of risk; any slip in any link could lead to total loss, with more than twenty days left until the wedding, fearing that prolonged time would bring complications. If this were in Dakang, he would never dare to conceive such a bold plan; some things depend half on human effort, half on heaven's will.

Returning to his lodgings, he saw Wu Jing Shan sitting in the room waiting for him. Hu Xiaotian smiled and said: "Sir Wu, it's so late and you haven't gone to rest? If there's something, just call me and I'll come see you." Wu Jing Shan rose, grabbed his arm, and sighed: "Master Hu, I have come to say a few words to you."

Hu Xiaotian nodded, gave a glance, and Long Xi Yue, who had been posing as a soldier all along and was responsible for attending to his food and daily life, stepped out and closed the door from outside.

Wu Jing Shan said: "How is the princess's situation?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "Her emotions are stable, nothing unusual; only Da Yong's imperial side has sent an aunt and four palace maids to take responsibility for looking after the princess."

Wu Jing Shan's two white eyebrows knitted together: "They won't let you go over?"

Hu Xiaotian smiled calmly: "He didn't say; the princess isn't unhappy either, and even said to give us a good vacation so we can take this opportunity to enjoy a few days of sightseeing in Yongdu."

Wu Jing Shan gave a wry smile: "Master Hu, do you still have the mood to sightsee?"

"Having crossed mountains and rivers, endured great hardship, and finally arrived here, how could we not be in the mood to sightsee?" Hu Xiaotian showed no trace of concern.

Wu Jing Shan said: "Master Hu, you also saw the scene when we entered the city today; Da Yong obviously does not regard us highly."

Hu Xiaotian thought to himself: "If it weren't for my insistence, relying on you, this spineless old fogey, you would surely have slipped in through the side gate, swallowing your anger; now saying this—what do you mean?"

Wu Jing Shan said: "The more I think about this, the more wrong it feels; since the princess entered the border, someone would have reported the news to the Da Yong court. As we have traveled over twenty days within Da Yong territory, not only have no royal family members taken the initiative to greet us, but even local officials have not come out to welcome us. If one said that was acceptable on the road, now we have arrived in Yongdu. By reason and etiquette, the court should have sent someone to receive and entertain us, yet look at our treatment today—even an ordinary envoy from a barbarian tribe would not be treated so coldly."

Hu Xiaotian said: "How does this compare to Sir Wu's previous mission to Da Yong?"

Wu Jing Shan shook his head and replied gloomily: "Not even comparable." On his previous mission to Da Yong, Da Yong treated him with the same standards, specially sending the Minister of Rites, Sun Wei Yuan, to welcome him, and that very evening held a banquet in his honor. During his stay in Yongdu, he even received a personal audience from the Da Yong Emperor, Xue Sheng Kang. Wu Jing Shan still has some self-awareness; of course he knows his status cannot be compared with Princess Anping's, but precisely because of that, he can see the vast difference between the two situations.

Hu Xiaotian said: "This perhaps doesn't prove anything."

Wu Jing Shan said: "Master Hu, surely you don't think this is ordinary at this time?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "Sir Wu, please speak freely."

Wu Jing Shan lowered his voice and said: "Could they already have learned the truth…" Before he could finish, Hu Xiaotian's stern gaze stopped him.

Hu Xiaotian said: "Sir Wu, you're overthinking."

Wu Jing Shan sighed and said: "If that is indeed the case, then our future fate in Yongdu is…"

Hu Xiaotian said: "Although this time our campaign got off to a bad start and we lost many brothers along the way, we have after all escorted the princess safely here; as long as we do not delay her wedding, we can at least barely fulfill the mission the emperor entrusted to us. In state relations, courtesy comes first; they may not understand etiquette, but we must not neglect propriety. Sir Wu, since we have already arrived in Yongdu, why bother with other matters? No matter what happens, we must wait until the princess's wedding before we can depart."

Wu Jing Shan knew Hu Xiaotian's words were entirely true, and with a mournful face he said: "There are still more than twenty days until the wedding; are we really supposed to stay in Yongdu all this time?"

Hu Xiaotian said softly: "We seem to have no other choice; Sir Wu has a saying that hits the mark—Da Yong's conduct this time is truly out of the ordinary; the greater the state, the greater its bearing, yet Da Yong appears to have shown no great-nation demeanor. If this is indeed the Da Yong emperor's intention, we have nothing to say. But if there is some hidden motive behind this affair, we cannot stand idly by; we must, no matter what, contend for this breath of honor for the princess."

Wu Jing Shan secretly groaned in his heart; Hu Xiaotian actually still wants to contend for this honor—what is there to fight for over a false princess? If Zi Juan's imposture were exposed, they'd probably all lose their heads. For a moment his heart grew dark; events have come to this point, we can only leave it to fate—he and Hu Xiaotian are destined to be in the same boat; if that boat capsizes, they'll both be finished.

Hu Xiaotian said: "Starting tomorrow, we will act separately, scout out Yongdu's situation, and see why they treat us this way."

Wu Jing Shan nodded and said: "Very well, very well…"

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