Chapter 663

Xue Shengjing was stunned for a moment, he hadn't misheard, this little eunuch wants to cling to my thigh, to acknowledge me as his elder brother—what status does this prince have? How can I become sworn brothers with a little eunuch of Dakang? If it really gets out, wouldn't it make the whole world laugh their heads off?

Hu Xiaotian said: "Prince, just pretend I never said it; I also know my status is naturally not high enough to aspire to you. Rest assured, I will never bear resentment because of this, and will still wholeheartedly treat your illness, give it my all, do my utmost. Of course, you should also show consideration for me; if, by any chance, the treatment outcome is not as desired, I hope the Prince will be tolerant."

Xue Shengjing got goosebumps all over, "Damn, what does that mean? Isn't this threatening me? What does 'treatment outcome not as desired' mean? This prince's lifeline can't bear any risk, kid, don't mess with me! Upon second thought, this kid just wants to cling to my thigh; since they want to, let them—anyway, this prince's thigh is thick enough, you might not have the ability to cling onto it, brother, what's up? I don't even care about real brothers, let alone these sworn brothers. Thinking this, Xue Shengjing immediately beamed and said: 'Hu junior, you and this prince have reached the same conclusion—what does 'not high enough to aspire' mean? Since you're willing to acknowledge me as your elder brother, this prince will accept you as this brother.'"

Hu Xiaotian sneered inwardly, "You want to take me as your little brother? If not forced by circumstances, I wouldn't become sworn brothers with someone like you, a hypocritical scoundrel." He put on an act of great excitement, actively grabbed Xue Shengjing's arm and said: "Elder brother, how about we become sworn brothers right here?"

Xue Shengjing secretly sighed, "Damn it, this kid won't give up until he clings to my thigh! Today is really unlucky—I actually have to become sworn brothers with a eunuch! Fine, fine, let's do it!"

Hu Xiaotian had someone fetch the incense burner, and especially spread the news that he and Prince Yan Xue Shengjing had become sworn brothers; Xue Shengjing felt depressed—this kid was afraid others wouldn't know. Now it's done; tomorrow probably the whole Yongdu will know that he and Hu Xiaotian have become sworn brothers.

After setting up the incense altar, the two knelt before the incense burner, and Hu Xiaotian proclaimed loudly: "Heaven above, today I and my elder brother Xue Shengjing become sworn brothers of different surnames, starting now. We share weal and woe, we do not wish to be born on the same day, month, and year, but we wish to die on the same day, month, and year; elder brother has any matter I will resolve, elder brother faces any disaster I will block, elder brother suffers any hardship I will endure, elder brother has any illness I will treat; if I violate today's oath, may I never be a man again in my next life."

Xue Shengjing heard his oath and secretly wanted to laugh, "What does 'never be a man again in the next life' mean? You're not even a man in this life—you little bastard are a eunuch!" He then also swore an oath, of course not saying it like Hu Xiaotian did; his vicious oath was: if he violates today's oath, let him suffer a lifetime of poverty, be despised by all. Given his status, issuing such an oath is already vicious enough.

The two slaughtered a chicken, drank its blood with wine, and burned yellow paper, making it known to everyone. Everyone inside the Qixing Palace knew that this little eunuch from Dakang and Prince Yan had become sworn brothers.

After kowtowing and recognizing each other as brothers, Xue Shengjing could finally bring up the matter of treatment; he and Hu Xiaotian returned to the pavilion, his face full of vexation, and said: "Brother, when do you plan to treat my illness?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "Elder brother, have you followed my instructions these past days?"

Xue Shengjing nodded and said: "Everything done as you said, brother—abstaining from alcohol and meat, avoiding women, and doing it three times a day!"

Hu Xiaotian said: "How?"

Xue Shengjing was stunned for a moment, then realized he was asking how he felt, and he gave a wry smile: "The skin is all broken. It's probably even worse than before, and my body can't take this frequency—now even walking, my steps are unsteady, I'm terribly weak!"

Hu Xiaotian felt delighted inside, suppressing his laughter, and said: "Elder brother, don't blame me; I'm doing this for your own good—I must expel all the internal toxins, so as to ensure there's no relapse after the surgery."

Xue Shengjing said: "Brother, when do you plan to operate on me? To be frank, I, as your brother, feel like each day is a year."

Hu Xiaotian said: "How about tomorrow?"

Xue Shengjing, upon hearing this, couldn't help but be overjoyed: "That's certainly the best; what time tomorrow? I'll send someone to pick you up."

Hu Xiaotian said: "Tomorrow morning, no need for the elder brother to fetch me; I'll go myself."

Xue Shengjing finally had something to look forward to; after agreeing on a time with Hu Xiaotian, he then left satisfied.

After Xue Shengjing left, only then did Huo Shengnan walk over; Hu Xiaotian smiled and said: "General Huo, where did you just go? I was also looking for you to help me as a witness."

Huo Shengnan said: "What witness? Witnessing you and Prince Yan becoming sworn brothers?"

Hu Xiaotian happily nodded and said: "So General Huo already knew!"

Huo Shengnan said: "If you want no one to know, then don't do it."

From Huo Shengnan's tone and demeanor, Hu Xiaotian already guessed that her relationship with Prince Yan was strained; thus he inferred that today his becoming sworn brothers with Prince Yan would likely leave Huo Shengnan with a much worse impression of him. Hu Xiaotian didn't explain his motive, and softly said: "Sometimes one has no choice; Prince Yan insists on becoming sworn brothers with me, I repeatedly said I'm not worthy, yet he persists—under someone else's roof, how dare one not lower their head?" Clearly it was he who actively sought Prince Yan to become sworn brothers, yet now it seems as if Prince Zhou is clinging to him.

Huo Shengnan said: "Perhaps Prince Yan feels you share similar interests."

Hu Xiaotian laughed and said: "General Huo, what you really meant to say is that we share similar foul tastes, right?"

Huo Shengnan couldn't help but chuckle at this.

Seeing her finally smile, Hu Xiaotian felt relieved inwardly, and said softly: "General Huo, I need to go to the Elder Princess's residence tonight to attend a banquet; I may return later."

Huo Shengnan heard this and paused: "The Elder Princess's residence?"

Hu Xiaotian nodded and said: "It's not anything else—it's about the previous occasion when I treated the Empress Dowager's illness. The Elder Princess saw that my double-eyelid surgery for the Empress Dowager was very successful, so she insists I also perform a few cuts on her to turn her single eyelid into a double eyelid." While speaking, his gaze fixed on Huo Shengnan's eyes.

Huo Shengnan furrowed her brows and said: "What are you looking at me for?" Upon hearing Hu Xiaotian mention double-eyelid surgery, she naturally felt sensitive, after all she also has single eyelids.

Hu Xiaotian laughed and said: "General Huo, if you want to get double-eyelid surgery, I, Xiao Tian, am willing to help for free."

Huo Shengnan said calmly: "Our bodies and hair are gifts from our parents; we grow as we are—why should we be artificially altered? I don't see anything wrong with my current appearance; the most important thing in life is to be oneself, and double-eyelid surgery is merely changing oneself to please others."

Hu Xiaotian praised: "General Huo's words hit right at my heart; I think the same—actually, a person's beauty lies within, not in appearance. If everyone in the world became double-eyelid, perhaps people would then consider single eyelids the most beautiful."

Huo Shengnan said coldly: "You don't need to keep reminding me that I have a pair of single eyelids; although I'm not beautiful enough, I have never felt inferior because of it."

Hu Xiaotian thought to himself, "You actually still care, after all—I genuinely think Huo Shengnan's eyes are quite lovely; if she smiles, they'd be even more beautiful; such an eye shape is certainly very alluring."

Huo Shengnan noticed that this guy was still staring at her eyes, and somewhat displeased turned her face to the side.

Hu Xiaotian said: "Actually I also advised the Elder Princess; her eyes are naturally beautiful enough—there's no need to add feet to a snake, it's really headache-inducing."

Huo Shengnan said: "I have to admit, you're quite skilled in this area—not just the Elder Princess; recently many people in the capital have been inquiring about it. If you stayed in Yongdu and opened a medical clinic, you might well make a fortune."

Hu Xiaotian laughed and said: "If I wanted to make money by practicing medicine, I would already be rolling in wealth."

Huo Shengnan said: "A physician's duty should be to heal and save lives, not to curry favor or seek opportunistic shortcuts."

Hu Xiaotian said: "General Huo seems to have some prejudice against me!"

Huo Shengnan said: "There's no prejudice; I'm just stating my own view. Actually Sir Hu handles matters with careful thought, is worldly-wise and smooth, and I also admire him greatly."

Hu Xiaotian opened his mouth wide: "General Huo, are you praising me or scolding me?"

Huo Shengnan said: "The same sentence heard by different people can carry different meanings; actually, people might as well live more simply, use less brainpower, and then live with a bit more ease."

Hu Xiaotian smiled and said: "Hearing your words is better than ten years of reading; General Huo's remarks have enlightened me. By the way, General Huo, are you free tonight? Why not go together to the Elder Princess's residence for a stroll?"

Huo Shengnan said calmly: "The responsibility of protecting the Princess weighs on me; I really can't spare the time."

Hu Xiaotian laughed and said: "Then I have no choice but to go alone."

Hu Xiaotian returned to his room, changed clothes, prepared to go out, and Liang Yinghao came before him and said: "Sir Hu, I have discovered something."

Hu Xiaotian nodded: "Let's talk outside!"

The two came outside and happened to meet Tang Qingxuan; although they had already arrived at the Qixing Palace, Tang Qingxuan still hadn't had the chance to see Princess Anping. Seeing the two about to go out again, she couldn't help but ask: "Sir Hu, are you going out?"

Hu Xiaotian nodded and said: "I'm going out to handle some matters; you come with me as well."

Tang Qingxuan said: "I'd rather stay here to attend to Princess Anping."

Hu Xiaotian said: "Princess Anping doesn't need you to attend to her; if you truly want to see her, I'll bring you over tomorrow." Hu Xiaotian worried that Tang Qingxuan might reveal a flaw.

Tang Qingxuan nodded, this time behaving quite obediently, but just then Zhao Xuan came over, relaying an order that the Princess wanted to see Tang Qingxuan. Hu Xiaotian was utterly puzzled, not knowing what Xi Yan wanted her for; in his impression, the two seemed to have no interaction at all. According to his thinking, he didn't want Tang Qingxuan to have too much contact with Xi Yan, yet upon hearing the news, Tang Qingxuan immediately dropped her plan to go out and followed Zhao Xuan to the inner court.

Hu Xiaotian was originally still somewhat worried, but then he thought: although Tang Qingxuan lacks flexibility, Xi Yan is an extremely shrewd woman; she should be able to fully control this matter, so why should he worry? Moreover, Xi Yan's aim is to be detrimental to the Seventh Prince Xue Daoming; before achieving her goal, she won't lightly take risks, nor will she reveal her true identity in front of others.

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