Chapter 655

Xiong Tianba, who had finally snatched the Great Iron Hammer, was not about to give it back, holding the pair of hammers and saying: "As agreed, the ones I snatched are mine."

Hu Xiaotian secretly laughed and said to Xiong Tianba: "Didn't you say this pair of hammers is empty? Since it's not handy, just give it back; another day I'll get someone to make you a good pair."

Xiong Tianba said: "Uncle Hu, this is what you said; you must not deceive me."

Hu Xiaotian laughed: "When have I ever deceived you?"

Xiong Tianba nodded and said: "Good!" He swung his hand and threw the pair of Great Iron Hammers toward Dong Tianjun: "Just a showpiece, I don't even care for it." The Great Iron Hammers landed on the ground in front of Dong Tianjun's feet, blasting two deep pits into the earth.

Dong Tianjun stepped forward, picked up the pair of Great Iron Hammers, his lingering anger not yet dissipated, raised the hammer and pointed at Xiong Tianba, saying: "Kid, mountains and rivers will meet again; you just wait for me."

Xiong Tianba said: "Wait then wait; I'll be right here waiting for you. If you don't come looking for me, you're a coward!"

Zhou Mo said in a low voice: "You little brat, get inside!"

Dong Tianjun shouted in anger, wishing he could rush up and fight Xiong Tianba to the death, but because the Princess was present, today such a situation could not be fulfilled; he could only resentfully nod, withdraw his troops, and leave.

Hu Xiaotian smiled, stepped forward to greet the Princess's carriage, clasped his hands and bowed deeply: "Hu Xiaotian pays his respects to the Princess, Your Highness."

Princess Xue Lingjun did not show herself; her voice came from inside the carriage: "Hu Xiaotian, you really are a careless fellow."

Hu Xiaotian laughed: "I've just arrived in Yongdu and am unfamiliar with the place. Naturally I understand the principle that a strong dragon does not overwhelm a local snake, so I keep a low profile everywhere, yet even so people still come to kill me at my door; if it weren't for the Princess's righteous rescue, I would probably have died here in a muddle."

Princess Xue Lingjun hearing this couldn't help but chuckle: "People as low-key as you are indeed rare."

Hu Xiaotian could not fail to hear the hidden meaning in her words; he smiled: "Princess, your august presence honors us; please do me the honor of moving to have a cup of clear tea."

Princess Xue Lingjun was silent in the carriage for a moment, then said: "That sounds somewhat sincere; then I'll go in and chat."

Immediately someone came over, opened the carriage door, and knelt before it. Princess Xue Lingjun stepped out of the carriage, her delicate feet treading on that person's back, and slowly came to the ground. Her beautiful eyes glanced around, then fell on the sign of the South Wind Inn, and she said softly: "South Wind Inn! These characters are written quite well."

Hu Xiaotian secretly praised the Princess for recognizing quality; those characters were written by his second brother, Xiao Tianmu, in his own hand.

Accompanying the Princess into the South Wind Inn, someone had already gone inside to inform everyone that the Princess was coming to visit the inn; all the people retreated to their rooms to avoid her, even the Minister of Rites Wu Jingshan and Xiang Jimin did not come out to meet her; everyone understood that the Princess had come for Hu Xiaotian. The others still found it inconvenient to show themselves.

Hu Xiaotian invited the Princess to the rear courtyard; Gao Yuan brought them a pot of fine tea. Hu Xiaotian set out a teacup before the Princess and personally poured her tea.

Princess Xue Lingjun shook her head and said: "I'm not thirsty!"

Hu Xiaotian then recalled that Princess Xue Lingjun had stormed off last time because her surgical instruments had been used by someone else; she must have a cleanliness obsession, so she wasn't not thirsty but didn't want to use others' things. Recalling how, when she sat down just now, her maid had first placed a soft cushion on the stool, Hu Xiaotian had thought it was because she feared her backside getting cold, but now it seemed also due to her cleanliness. Since the Princess disdained his things as unclean, he also couldn't be bothered to attend to her.

Hu Xiaotian poured himself a cup of tea. He lifted it to smell; the tea leaves were rain‑before‑harvest tea that Bao Feng Hall had just brought in from Jiangnan; even the fragrance alone was refreshing to the lungs. He took a sip and deliberately said: "Good tea!"

Princess Xue Lingjun lifted the teacup before her, smelled the fragrance, but did not drink, and said softly: "When will you fulfill what you promised me?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "What matter?"

Princess Xue Lingjun, also very composed, slowly lowered the teacup, her clear water‑like eyes blinking: "Are you truly foolish or just pretending?"

Hu Xiaotian laughed: "Princess, Your Highness, your eyes are already beautiful enough; why add embellishment?" He really couldn't understand why many people in this era insist on pursuing double eyelids; spring orchids and autumn chrysanthemums each have their own merits, why must aesthetics be forcibly unified? In his view, each has its own advantages, and Princess Xue Lingjun is already beautiful enough even with single eyelids; this opinion of his contains no flattery whatsoever.

Princess Xue Lingjun said: "A gentleman's word is as swift as a horse's whip; once promised, one cannot go back on it."

Hu Xiaotian laughed: "I haven't gone back on my word; I just feel that the Princess doesn't really need double‑eyelid surgery, but since your mind is made up, I will certainly do my best. However, the blacksmith shop has been attacked, the kilns are likely destroyed, and the second set of instruments may not be finished in time, so I ask the Princess to have a little more patience."

Princess Xue Lingjun said: "Actually, performing that double‑eyelid procedure doesn't require so many instruments."

Hu Xiaotian stared for a moment, thinking to himself: "What authority do you have to say that?"

Princess Xue Lingjun said: "I asked the Empress Dowager; when you performed double‑eyelid surgery for her, you used only a few instruments, yet here it has become so numerous and complicated. For the same procedure, why such a great difference? Sir Hu, could you explain this to me?"

Hu Xiaotian smiled: "People differ, so the instruments they need naturally differ as well. For the Empress Dowager's surgery, the goal was to relieve her trichiasis pain, whereas the Princess's request is completely different from the Empress Dowager's; the Princess wants to become more beautiful."

Princess Xue Lingjun said: "I am younger than the Empress Dowager and in better health; relatively speaking, it should be easier for me."

Hu Xiaotian laughed heartily: "Let me say something unpleasant: the Princess is truly a layperson in this regard."

Princess Xue Lingjun furrowed her brows; although she was displeased, she did not lose her temper.

Hu Xiaotian said: "Let me give an analogy: it's like a picture that is already perfect; if I must add another stroke to it, the more so the harder it becomes. Achieving a flawless, seamless result is a challenge; a slight mistake would be like drawing legs on a snake, which would surely cause trouble."

Princess Xue Lingjun said: "That sounds quite reasonable."

Hu Xiaotian said: "Princess, Your Highness, just understand."

Princess Xue Lingjun said: "Understood, I certainly understand; what exactly do you want? Feel free to lay out your conditions."

Hu Xiaotian let out a dry laugh, seeing that the Princess thought he was trying to make a quick profit; he said: "Princess, Your Highness, please don't misunderstand; I am not seeking anything from you, but I truly feel a bit uneasy, just as I said before, your beauty has already left me awestruck; I think there's no need for further adornment."

Princess Xue Lingjun said: "You don't need to persuade me on this; my mind is made up. You just need to help me with the double‑eyelid surgery. Tell me what you need, without holding back; whatever I can do, I will certainly help you resolve."

Having come to this point, Hu Xiaotian also felt awkward saying anything else; he nodded and said: "Since the Princess has made up her mind, I will certainly do my best."

Princess Xue Lingjun said: "Then please arrange it quickly; I have already urged the blacksmith shop to hurry production of the instruments, and I expect them to be finished by tomorrow. Once done, have them send them over." Her gaze shifted and she said: "I heard that my second royal brother has looked for you?" Prince Yan Xue Shengjing, though not the second son among all royal brothers, is the second among his full‑brother siblings, so Princess Xue Lingjun has always called him Second Royal Brother.

Hu Xiaotian laughed: "Yes!"

Princess Xue Lingjun said: "What did he ask you to do?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "I promised to keep a secret for Prince Yan, Thousand Years, so……"

Princess Xue Lingjun lazily sighed: "Forget it if you won't say; although you have some talent and are an envoy of Dakang, you cannot act recklessly here in Yongdu, after all this is not your territory." She was essentially reminding Hu Xiaotian.

Hu Xiaotian said: "Thank you for your guidance, Princess; but many things are forced upon me."

Princess Xue Lingjun said: "There will be a banquet at my residence tomorrow evening; please come."

Hu Xiaotian, feeling honored and surprised, said: "Thank you for your great kindness, Princess!"

"Will you come or not?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "I will definitely arrive on time!"

Princess Xue Lingjun smiled charmingly, allure blossoming, rose and said: "All right, get ready; when we meet tomorrow evening we'll talk in detail and also confirm the time for the double‑eyelid surgery."

Hu Xiaotian respectfully saw the Princess out; her carriage and horses had not yet disappeared from sight when another troop approached. Hu Xiaotian frowned, wondering if it might be the Dong family three brothers returning. When the troop drew near he recognized the leader as the female general Huo Shengnan, behind her twenty daughters‑in‑arms, all clad in bright armor with gleaming swords and spears, heroic and vigorous.

General Huo Shengnan reined in her horse before Hu Xiaotian.

Hu Xiaotian smiled: "General Huo, are you just passing by, or have you come to see me?"

General Huo Shengnan dismounted, glanced around with her beautiful eyes, and said softly: "Where are the Dong family three brothers?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "They've left?"

General Huo Shengnan nodded, tossed the reins to the female soldier behind her, and said to Hu Xiaotian: "I have something to say to you."

Hu Xiaotian laughed: "General Huo, please come inside."

Huo Shengnan and Hu Xiaotian walked into the South Wind Inn together; although Hu Xiaotian didn't know why Huo Shengnan had come, seeing her attire he already guessed in his heart that her visit was certainly not for personal matters.

Arriving at the rear courtyard, Hu Xiaotian had Gao Yuan brew a fresh pot of good tea, invited Huo Shengnan to sit down, poured her a cup of tea, and, smiling, said, "General Huo, what brings you to see me this time?"

Huo Shengnan stared at Hu Xiaotian with her clear, watery eyes and said, "Steward Fang is the chief steward of the Jade Harmony Palace and a favorite in Consort Shu's presence; do you not know his identity, or are you deliberately offending him?"

Hu Xiaotian smiled and said, "General Huo, when did you also become interested in the affairs of the Imperial Palace?" (To be continued. If you like this work, please come and read more.)

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