Chapter 636

Hu Xiaotian said: "I concealed my identity earlier to avoid trouble; I hope the Empress Dowager will take pity on this humble official."

Empress Dowager Jiang said: "I understand in my heart. Right, you came to Da Yong this time to escort your country's princess and my seventh grandson, Daoming, for their wedding, right?"

Hu Xiaotian was hoping the Empress Dowager would bring this up herself; he smiled and said: "Exactly, it's for this matter."

Empress Dowager Jiang nodded and said: "You've worked hard!" After saying that, she actually sidestepped the topic. Hu Xiaotian had thought he could take the opportunity to tell Empress Dowager Jiang about the unfair treatment he had received in Da Yong, but seeing Empress Dowager Jiang's attitude, it was clear she wasn't paying much attention to this marriage. Hu Xiaotian inevitably felt a bit disappointed; it seems the Da Yong royal family doesn't give enough importance to this marriage, which is why Consort Shu and her son dare to act as they please.

Empress Dowager Jiang said: "Xiao Dongzi, go see if Xiao Jun has arrived."

Attendant Dong answered, rose, and left.

Hu Xiaotian secretly wondered, "Xiao Jun? Who else could that be? Could the Empress Dowager have other business with me?"

After chatting with Empress Dowager Jiang for about half an hour, I heard a clear, bell-like giggle from outside, the voice tinged with a flirtatious charm: "Mother, your daughter has arrived late!"

Hu Xiaotian followed the sound and saw a beautiful young woman in a splendid yellow gown entering under Attendant Dong's escort; her attire was extremely splendid and radiant, her hair like clouds adorned with a gold hairpin set with Bright Pearl, her brows and eyes like a painting, her skin fairer than snow, her waist slender enough to be encircled by one hand, her waist-hip curves undulating, her gait like a willow brushed by spring breeze, like rolling waves, and every gesture exuded a sensual, languid allure.

Hu Xiaotian secretly admired, thinking this woman was absolutely a rare beauty.

The visitor was actually the Da Yong emperor's full sister, Empress Dowager Jiang's biological daughter, Xue Lingjun, who was deeply favored by the Empress Dowager. She married the talented Da Yong man Hong Xinglian as his wife; unfortunately, her life was brief—less than three months into the marriage, Hong Xinglian died of a sudden illness, and within half a year his parents and brothers all died violently. The Hong family fled the capital in terror, scattering far and wide. Rumors spread that Xue Lingjun was destined to kill her husbands; after being widowed, she could not endure loneliness and had an affair with a monk who came to chant sutras for the dead. When the scandal was exposed, the Dakang emperor, Xue Shengkang, lost face. In anger, he had that monk and all the other monks in the temple slaughtered, and the temple was burned to the ground.

Because of this, Xue Lingjun fell out with her imperial brother, becoming reckless and self-destructive; over the years she has caused no small number of scandals in Yongdu. Emperor Xue Shengkang also finds this sister a headache, but out of sibling affection he cannot punish her severely, so he takes his anger out on any men who dare associate with her; consequently, countless men have died because of Xue Lingjun over the years. As a result, Xue Lingjun has also gained a notorious reputation in Yongdu, with locals secretly calling her "the world's foremost wanton woman." All men who know the truth shun her like venomous snakes, desperate to avoid her.

Although Xue Lingjun's reputation is terrible, in Empress Dowager Jiang's eyes she has always been her daughter, and her affection has never changed. Seeing her daughter arrive, Empress Dowager Jiang's brows relaxed and she smiled, beckoning with her hand: "Xiao Jun, why have you come so late?"

Xue Lingjun giggled and said: "I was in a bad mood yesterday, drank a few cups alone, and overslept."

Empress Dowager Jiang said feelingly: "I've told you many times—living all alone, what's that for? You'd be better off moving to the garden to keep me, this old woman, company; chatting every day would be nice."

Xue Lingjun said: "No way, you're just too talkative; living with you, I'd either die or go crazy."

Empress Dowager Jiang laughed and scolded: "You hateful little brat, believe it or not I'll rip your mouth to shreds."

Xue Lingjun said: "I believe it, of course I believe it—how could I dare not believe the words of Da Yong's number one tiger mom?"

Empress Dowager Jiang laughed even harder: "You're the tiger mom! A disrespectful thing." While scolding her daughter in words, her eyes were full of love.

Xue Lingjun said: "Mother, you seem to have grown younger again; if this continues, it'll really be troublesome."

How is it troublesome?

I don't even know whether I should call you Mother, or Sister, or perhaps Little Sis would be more appropriate.

Pah! You little minx, just sweet‑talking to cheer me up, right?

Xue Lingjun laughed hehe, her laughter unrestrained and extravagant, she glanced at Hu Xiaotian with her beautiful eyes and said, clicking her tongue: "Let me guess, this handsome young man must be the Divine Doctor Hu Xiaotian from Dakang, Sir Hu?"

Hu Xiaotian hastily rose and bowed, saying: "Hu Xiaotian pays his respects, Grand Princess!"

Xue Lingjun nodded and said: "Please rise, no need for all that empty courtesy. Actually I ought to thank you properly—if you hadn't intervened, my mother's chronic ailment wouldn't have healed, nor would she have become so youthful and beautiful."

Empress Dowager Jiang laughed: "You're talking nonsense again; you're not afraid of being laughed at in front of Sir Hu, are you?"

Hu Xiaotian smiled: "The Grand Princess is genuine; the Empress Dowager calls me Xiaotian, and in your presence I dare not call myself Sir."

Xue Lingjun blinked her phoenix eyes and said: "No wonder the Empress Dowager can't stop praising you—you really know how to speak."

Hu Xiaotian said: "All I said is the truth."

Xue Lingjun came to her mother's side, didn't sit down, but stared at her double eyelids for a while, clicking her tongue in praise: "You can't tell a thing—it looks completely natural."

Empress Dowager Jiang said: "Xiao Jun, don't keep staring at me; it makes me feel a bit uneasy."

Xue Lingjun laughed: "What's there to be uneasy about? You're probably already bubbling over with beauty—has my imperial brother been dazzled by you, old lady?"

Empress Dowager Jiang said: "What's there to be dazzled about? As an old woman I only hope this face doesn't frighten anyone."

Xue Lingjun sat down beside her mother, smiling sweetly, her beautiful eyes gazing at Hu Xiaotian with a half‑smile.

Hu Xiaotian felt somewhat ill at ease under the eldest princess's unrestrained gaze, thinking, Could this famously beautiful eldest princess have taken a liking to me? Then he thought, impossible—since they know my identity, they should realize I'm a eunuch; what woman would have such peculiar tastes?

Hu Xiaotian smiled and said, "Empress Dowager, what do you need from me today?"

Empress Dowager Jiang said, "It's not me who summoned you, it's her!" She pointed at her daughter.

Hu Xiaotian secretly thought, I've never met Xue Lingjun before; why would she seek me out? Could it be for Princess Anping's marriage? That's impossible now—if the Empress Dowager wanted to ask, she wouldn't need to go through her daughter… Hu Xiaotian noticed Xue Lingjun's radiant face, her phoenix eyes sparkling, and suddenly realized her double eyelids were drawn on with eyeliner; could it be that, seeing Empress Dowager Jiang's nicely done double-eyelid surgery, she also wanted me to perform the procedure on her?

Xue Lingjun said, "Then I'll speak plainly: I also suffer from trichiasis, so I want you to treat me as well."

Hu Xiaotian rose and said, "May I examine the eldest princess?"

Xue Lingjun lifted her peerlessly beautiful face and said, "Please go ahead."

Hu Xiaotian approached her, examined her eyes, and saw that Xue Lingjun had no trichiasis at all—she was lying. He immediately understood she wanted double-eyelid surgery but feared ridicule, so she had fabricated this plausible excuse.

Hu Xiaotian tactfully said, "The eldest princess's condition is not serious; it's far from needing surgery. I'll prescribe a medicine for you—take it and you'll be cured."

Xue Lingjun obviously hadn't expected Hu Xiaotian to answer that way; she was startled, then burst into laughter, throwing him a flirtatious glance—not because she wanted to seduce this little eunuch, but out of habit—and rose, saying, "Hu Xiaotian, come with me."

Hu Xiaotian glanced at Empress Dowager Jiang.

Empress Dowager Jiang said, "Go, go! Little Dong, help this humble one back to rest a while."

Hu Xiaotian followed Xue Lingjun outside; she walked leisurely down the corridor, and when no one was around, she softly laughed, "Hu Xiaotian, Hu Xiaotian, you little slippery fellow—what do you want me to have you do? You surely know, don't you?"

Hu Xiaotian lagged a step behind and said respectfully, "I, Hu Xiaotian, am foolish and truly unaware."

Xue Lingjun stopped in her tracks, the smile on her face vanishing instantly: "Unclear? Really unclear? Do I need to spell it out for you?"

Hu Xiaotian smiled and said, "Princess, please don't be angry; although I understand your meaning, just now, with so many palace attendants present, some things are inconvenient to say, and I'm sure you wouldn't want others to know either."

Xue Lingjun chuckled, "This princess has always done as she pleases and fears no one." Her gaze shifted, her expression alluring and bewitching: "You just need to accomplish this for me, and I will certainly not treat you poorly."

Hu Xiaotian said, "I, Hu Xiaotian, currently lack full confidence; in fact, the eldest princess is already stunningly beautiful—why must she be like everyone else?" He spoke the truth: double and single eyelids each have their own charm; there's no need to pursue a uniform standard, but in this era double eyelids are considered beautiful, and the long-established norm is not easily changed.

Xue Lingjun said, "I have made up my mind; just focus on getting this done for me—no need to say more about other matters." In this era women admire double eyelids as beautiful; Xue Lingjun, though stunningly beautiful and full of charm, unfortunately inherited single eyelids from her mother, which can be said to be her greatest regret. Hu Xiaotian used double-eyelid surgery to treat Empress Dowager Jiang's trichiasis; this operation could be described as an unintended planting of a willow that grew into shade. Seeing her mother's perfect double-eyelid result after the surgery, Xue Lingjun was astonished and thus formed the plan to have Hu Xiaotian perform the procedure on her. Seeing Hu Xiaotian not readily agree to perform the surgery on her, Xue Lingjun felt somewhat displeased, thinking he wanted to set conditions, and softly said, "What do you want? As long as this princess can do it, I will agree to anything." (To be continued~^~)