Chapter 643

When Hu Xiaotian led the crowd to outside Rising Imperial Palace, Cao Xi stood alone outside the palace gate, calmly gazing at their troops, and said loudly: "Sir Hu, you have gathered troops and led the crowd here—what is the purpose?"

Hu Xiaotian secretly praised, Cao Xi also had some gall, facing so many of our people yet daring to come alone to greet us. He cupped his fists on horseback and said: "Commander Cao, we have come this time especially to pay respects to the Princess; please grant us convenience."

Cao Xi said: "Sir Hu, with such a show of force, so many troops—surely it's not just to pay respects, is it?"

Hu Xiaotian laughed: "You saw through it, not bad. Every time we enter Rising Imperial Palace you always cause some trouble, so I brought more brothers along. If Commander Cao still refuses to give me face this time, we'll inevitably have to come to blows—but don't worry, we brought no weapons; at worst we'll settle it with fists and feet."

Cao Xi said: "Sir Hu, you didn't come this time for a marriage alliance, did you? Dakang and Da Yong are about to become allied by marriage; such conduct of yours surely doesn't fear harming harmony?"

Hu Xiaotian snorted coldly in his heart, "Damn your grandpa's head, you must have seen our overwhelming numbers this time and chickened out." He smiled and said: "It wasn't us who first harmed harmony."

Cao Xi said: "Sir, you two may come anytime to visit the Princess; it's just that bringing so many troops is not good. If you knew the inside story, you'd understand we're here to pay respects to the Princess; if you didn't know the truth, you might think someone was coming to rob us."

Hu Xiaotian chuckled. Unexpectedly, Cao Xi's martial arts are formidable; his tongue isn't weak either. He nodded and said: "Good! You all wait outside, Sir Wu, let's go see the Princess." He also summoned Zhou Mo to accompany them.

Wu Jingshan, Hu Xiaotian, and Zhou Mo entered Rising Imperial Palace together; Cao Xi accompanied the two inside, arriving at the inner garden. Seeing two Guards guarding the garden gate, Cao Xi gave a glance, and the two stepped aside. Hu Xiaotian secretly thought: "Not bad, you know the times; if you dare block my path, I'll immediately slap you."

But after just a couple steps, they saw Granny Liu leading two palace maids coming up to meet them, blocking their path.

Hu Xiaotian gave a cold smile toward Granny Liu; it seems the slap last time wasn't harsh enough, yet this old woman dares to be arrogant.

Granny Liu said: "The Princess is unwell. No one wants to see her now."

Wu Jingshan remained silent, glancing at Hu Xiaotian to see how he would respond.

Hu Xiaotian said: "Granny Liu, the Princess, even though unmarried for a day, is still our Dakang's Princess; surely the Zajia cannot come to pay respects to the Princess?"

Granny Liu said firmly: "No!"

Hu Xiaotian startled, "Hey! This old immortal, you really have guts!" He stepped forward and said: "Could you trouble Granny Liu to say that again?"

Granny Liu lifted her head. A pair of cold eyes stared fixedly at Hu Xiaotian, her gaze brimming with hatred. The last time Hu Xiaotian slapped her in public, that utter humiliation remains fresh in her memory.

Just as Hu Xiaotian was about to shove her aside, he heard a sinister voice say: "Who's causing trouble here? Disturbing the Princess's rest—Zajia will behead you!"

Hu Xiaotian looked up and saw a eunuch in purple robes slowly walking out from inside, over forty years old. His face was deathly pale—this was none other than Fang Lianhai, the chief eunuch of Jade Palace, a favorite before Consort Shu. Fang Lianhai walked over with a swaying gait, taking three shakes per step.

Upon seeing the eunuch, Hu Xiaotian instantly understood: "Damn, no wonder Granny Liu got all high and mighty—she brought someone to back her up."

Fang Lianhai narrowed his eyes at Hu Xiaotian, clearly not due to poor vision but outright contempt and rudeness: "Who are you? Why are you making a racket here? Disturbing the Princess's rest—can you bear the consequences?"

Hu Xiaotian hehe laughed: "Did this eunuch take the wrong door? The Princess hardly needs you to serve her!"

Fang Lianhai's narrow eyes suddenly widened, and he shrieked like a cat whose tail had been stepped on: "Bold! Who are you? Dare to be rude to Zajia!"

Granny Liu said: "Sir Fang, this is Sir Hu who came from Dakang, the one who struck someone without cause."

Fang Lianhai extended his left hand, thin as a bird's claw, with his pinky pointed at Hu Xiaotian and said: "I thought who had such gall—turns out it's Sir Hu."

Hu Xiaotian said: "I am the envoy appointed by His Majesty the Dakang Emperor to conduct the marriage mission; you, a mere palace eunuch, ought to address me as Sir."

Fang Lianhai flushed with anger and snapped: "Hu Xiaotian, open your eyes and see what place this is!"

Wu Jingshan saw the situation, knowing Hu Xiaotian intended to blow things up, so he pretended not to hear and turned a blind eye.

Hu Xiaotian said: "This is where our Princess is temporarily staying; what business does a palace eunuch like you have here?"

"Zajia has come under orders!"

"Whose orders? You, a slave, having eaten the heart of a bear and the gall of a leopard, dare to block our path?"

Upon hearing him publicly call him a slave, Fang Lianhai couldn't help but become furious from shame, shouting: "Someone, seize this rude fellow and drive him out of Zajia!"

Although Cao Xi stood right nearby, he didn't move his feet. Being extremely shrewd, he had already sensed the situation turning bad when Hu Xiaotian approached, so to avoid a direct confrontation with Hu Xiaotian, he let them in and had Sir Fang deal with the trouble.

Cao Xi said: "Please, Sir Hu!" He made a gesture meaning "please leave," but took no actual action. Nobody's a fool; knowing they came to cause trouble, why would he volunteer as a shield?

Hu Xiaotian not only didn't leave but stepped forward, looking at Fang Lianhai and said: "Sir Fang, if you want to drive me away, do it yourself—did you lose something down there, losing your courage as well?"

Wu Jingshan and Cao Xi both secretly chuckled at that remark—Hu Xiaotian said the other lacked something down there, but does he have it? Fifty steps laughing at a hundred steps; two eunuchs arguing is indeed entertaining.

Fang Lianhai's anger made smoke pour from his seven orifices; he shouted and swung a palm strike at Hu Xiaotian's chest. Hu Xiaotian never relaxed his guard against him; Fang Lianhai's move was already anticipated. Before Fang Lianhai's palm even touched Hu Xiaotian's body, the man let out a miserable cry and flew backward.

Fang Lianhai wondered inwardly, "How strange—I clearly haven't touched him, yet he flew away."

Hu Xiaotian fell flat on his back, motionless. Zhou Mo rushed over in panic, supporting Hu Xiaotian's body, not expecting Hu Xiaotian to be so fragile; he probed Hu Xiaotian's nostrils—no breath, pulse absent—his heart pounded. Suddenly he heard Hu Xiaotian whisper: "I'm fine, playing dead to scare him, teach this bunch a lesson."

Zhou Mo's heart leapt with joy; he sprang to his feet, his face filled with indescribable grief, staring fixedly at Fang Lianhai, he roared: "Scoundrel, you actually killed our Sir!" Zhou Mo's vital energy was abundant, his voice loud and carrying far.

Zhou Mo's tiger eyes widened, a powerful killing intent spread around him, a tangible yet intangible killing aura instantly enveloping the area within three zhang.

Cao Xi's heart jolted; he and Zhan Peng had once crossed hands, thinking Zhan Peng was Hu Xiaotian's top subordinate, but seeing Zhou Mo's display now he realized Zhou Mo's skill surpassed Zhan Peng's. Worried Zhou Mo might kill Sir Fang in a fury with a single palm, he hurried forward to block Zhou Mo: "Stay calm!"

Zhou Mo roared: "Those who block me die!" His palm had already come down in a chop.

Before the palm arrived, the fierce palm wind had already rushed to Cao Xi's face; in the current situation, Cao Xi could only brace himself to take Zhou Mo's palm—bang! —Cao Xi was shaken back several steps, feeling his chest surge with qi and blood, unable to speak; this was only because Zhou Mo held back, otherwise he would have been cleaved away by that palm.

After Cao Xi dodged, Zhou Mo lunged forward in a single stride, raising his fist to strike Fang Lianhai's face.

Seeing the opponent's ferocious approach, Fang Lianhai saw Zhou Mo's vinegar‑basin‑sized fist already heading for his face, thinking he could not dodge and fearing death under that fist, he screamed in terror; yet Zhou Mo's fist halted half an inch from Fang Lianhai's nose, the fist wind striking his visage like a blade, stinging his skin, his hairpin blown away, his hair disheveled and flying backward.

Fang Lianhai thought he was surely dead, but Zhou Mo's punch never landed on his face; nevertheless, he was so frightened he stood there stunned, soul scattered, motionless.

At that moment came a sigh from Hu Xiaotian: "You eunuch scum, you dare to harm me!"

Fang Lianhai only then came to his senses, feeling a tightness in his lower abdomen, a warm gush flowing from between his legs—he had actually been frightened into urinating by Zhou Mo's punch.

At that moment, the doctors inside treating Princess Anping all rushed out upon hearing the commotion; Fang Lianhai saw the wet patch on the ground, feeling both fear and injustice, he sniffed, tears streaming down, covered his nose, and fled in embarrassment.

Hu Xiaotian slowly rose from the ground, brushed off the dust, his gaze falling on the puddle of urine, he shook his head, pursed his lips and said: "In a public place, relieving yourself wherever you please—are you a dog?" It seems most of the time fists still work; Zhou Mo's single punch settled the matter.

Cao Xi and the palace attendants all stared agape, having just seen him motionless and thinking he'd really been killed by Fang Lianhai—turns out it was all an act, this guy really leaves no stone unturned. Having witnessed Zhou Mo's recent might, no one dares to speak further; they watch helplessly as Hu Xiaotian and Wu Jingshan enter the inner chambers, no one daring to block them.

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