Chapter 754

Hu Xiaotian heard that this jade pixiu also had this use, and felt even more that he had made a profitable deal, happily picking up the pixiu to look at it: "Thanks, big brother. By the way, I haven't taught you how to use the Invincible Diamond Set yet."

Zhangyu - Octopus (appears line 54)

Hu Xiaotian said: "Saying it's simple, it's actually not simple; let me explain to you."

Xue Shengjing, having been tricked badly once by him, naturally felt displeased, shook his head and said: "No need to say, I know where to wear it."

Hu Xiaotian said: "Each time big brother uses it, it's best to first give it a blow to make sure there's no air leak."

Xue Shengjing said: "Understood, brother, I'll head out first if there's nothing else."

Hu Xiaotian said: "Big brother, you really are a noble who forgets things; didn't you just promise to take me to the Dali Temple to visit General Huo?"

Xue Shengjing forced a laugh and said: "Look at this prince's memory, I actually forgot!" Hu Xiaotian saw that Xue Shengjing was displeased, knowing he must be feeling the pain because he got tricked out of this pixiu by himself; Hu Xiaotian didn't care about his feelings—the more it hurt this guy, the better. Who let you not lend me the Black Ice Clam? Thinking that I exchanged twelve Invincible Diamond Sets for such a treasure, I'm really in a great mood. He returned to his room, changed clothes, and went out together with Xue Shengjing.

Boarding Prince Yan Xue Shengjing's carriage, Xue Shengjing suddenly asked: "Brother, isn't it a bit improper for you not to be keeping vigil here?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "Actually, keeping vigil is just putting on a show for others; it doesn't represent true feelings. While the princess was alive, I was loyal to her; even if she has a spirit in heaven, she should understand my kindness. Moreover, after the seventh day, I will still take the princess's ashes back to Dakang, keeping vigil for her day and night. There's no rush for this moment, and besides, the Seventh Prince is currently staying in the memorial hall; even if I stayed, I couldn't be of any help."

Prince Yan Xue Shengjing smiled wryly; Hu Xiaotian's words were indeed reasonable, showing that this sworn brother of mine is a perceptive person, and should be able to see that Xue Daoming is merely putting on an act here.

Xue Shengjing said: "Brother, when will you leave Yongdu?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "I'll leave after the seventh day is over."

Xue Shengjing nodded and said: "If you can spare some time these two days, I will hold a banquet at the prince's residence to see you off."

Hu Xiaotian politely declined: "The princess's remains are not yet cold; these matters should be avoided if possible. I will surely keep big brother's kindness to Xiaotian firmly in my heart. We brothers will surely meet again someday; when that day comes, let's have a good drink together."

Xue Shengjing had already known that Hu Xiaotian would not accept his offer to see him off; saying it was merely a polite gesture. Hearing Hu Xiaotian's response, it was a convenient way to back down: "All right, let's drink again sometime."

Although Huo Shengnan was imprisoned in the Dali Temple, her treatment was not the same as that of ordinary prisoners; because of her background and her connections in the palace, the Dali Temple authorities were also quite courteous toward her. They had specially prepared a separate small courtyard for her, and they did not subject her to any torture devices.

The afternoon sun was warm, but Huo Shengnan's heart was utterly dark; these two days she hadn't had a moment to calm down. In her mind, the bloody scene of that night at the Qichen Palace kept surfacing.

The room door was pushed open from outside; aside from the three daily meals these two days, no one had come to visit. Huo Shengnan looked up and saw her adoptive father Weichi Chong walking in slowly.

Huo Shengnan hurriedly rose, and before reaching Weichi Chong she knelt down: "Adoptive father!"

Weichi Chong, taking three steps in two strides, quickly came to her face and helped her up: "Shengnan, why must you do this?"

Empress Dowager - Empress Dowager

Weichi Chong said: "Hurry up and get up, you haven't done anything wrong!"

Huo Shengnan stood up, and Weichi Chong took her wrist and walked to the stone table in the courtyard to sit down. Looking at his emaciated adoptive daughter, Weichi Chong couldn't help but sigh and ask: "You've lost weight! Have they been giving you a hard time?"

Huo Shengnan shook her head and smiled calmly: "On the contrary, they haven't given me a hard time; everyone in the Dali Temple has been very courteous toward me."

Weichi Chong said: "Shengnan, I really feel sorry for you."

"Adoptive father, Shengnan doesn't feel wronged; all of this is my just deserts. If it weren't for my dereliction of duty, perhaps we could have avoided that tragedy at the Qichen Palace."

Weichi Chong shook his head and said: "I also learned some things about that night; this assassination must have been planned for a long time, and someone disguised as a palace maid had long been lurking beside Princess Anping. As for Zhao Xuan, she has always been your most trusted subordinate, as close as a sister to you—how could you have imagined she would betray you?"

Father, I don't want to shirk responsibility; no matter how the court deals with me this time, I will not utter a single complaint.

That night it was the Empress Dowager who summoned you to the Compassion Grace Garden; how could you defy her order?

It's still my own doing, unrelated to the Empress Dowager.

Weichi Chong stroked the beard under his jaw, his deep eyes flashing an extremely complex light, and he whispered: "I originally wanted to see the Emperor, but the Emperor made excuses and refused to see me."

Father, why go to the Emperor for my sake? I don't want you to be put in a difficult position.

This morning I went to the Compassion Grace Garden.

Huo Shengnan bit her cherry lip, a myriad of feelings surging in her heart; she was moved by her father's such concern for her, yet felt guilty because her own matter forced her usually unyielding father to lose face and beg others.

The Empress Dowager is my foster mother, and that night it was she who summoned you to the Compassion Grace Garden; I had thought she would agree to intercede with the Emperor on your behalf, but……

From the expression on Weichi Chong's face, Huo Shengnan already guessed the outcome would not be favorable; she comforted Weichi Chong: "Father, the Empress Dowager will certainly be put in a difficult position over this; the assassination of Princess Anping is such a major incident that Da Yong has lost face before the world—there are state laws and family rules; if my responsibility is not pursued, what will we have left to convince others? I believe the Emperor is also torn over this."

Weichi Chong sighed: "You always think of others." He slowly rose, took a few steps forward, and whispered: "How could the Emperor's thoughts be so easy to fathom? Although I am the Empress Dowager's adopted son, in her heart I have always been merely a subject."

Upon hearing her father's words, Huo Shengnan's heart involuntarily jolted; not knowing what had happened to make him so despondent, she rose and walked behind Weichi Chong, whispering: "Father Sir, is it that my matter has implicated you?"

Weichi Chong shook his head: "How could it be? It's I who have implicated you."

Huo Shengnan grew increasingly alarmed hearing this, her voice trembling: "Father, what exactly happened?"

Weichi Chong came to his senses, gazing at Huo Shengnan with feelings of sorrow, and said: "Only now have I realized that the Emperor has always harbored suspicions against me, a man of Kang; he once considered sending troops southward, asked my opinion on this matter, and even suggested that I personally lead the army south."

Huo Shengnan blinked her eyes; her father had never told her this before.

Weichi Chong said: "I refused the Emperor; in fact, the Emperor never truly intended to let me lead troops south—he was merely testing me."

Huo Shengnan said: "Father, you recovered the seven northern strongholds, drove the Black Hu beyond the Great Wall, and rendered Da Yong an unsurpassable merit; your loyalty to the Emperor is evident to heaven and able to be shown by sun and moon—what does the Emperor have to doubt?"

Weichi Chong said: "No wonder the Emperor; whoever sits in that position becomes cautious, and handing over great military authority to a foreign general is such a risky undertaking!"

Huo Shengnan bit her cherry lip, having fully understood her father's words; his grim despondency stemmed from his seeing through the whole matter. Not mentioning that it was the Empress Dowager who had summoned her that night to the Compassion Grace Palace, simply the fact that Weichi Chong had rendered Da Yong an unsurpassable merit meant the Emperor ought not treat his foster daughter too harshly; one should show this old commander some leniency, yet the Emperor put on a strictly businesslike demeanor and even declared he would punish without leniency—it appears he intends to use her matter to harshly rebuke her father.

Weichi Chong had long seen through the whole matter, but what pained him most was not the Emperor; the Emperor, because his military power was too great, had grown wary—though Weichi Chong had rendered Da Yong an unsurpassable merit, which even his enemies could not deny, the Emperor likely had long intended to curb his power, yet feared that doing so would chill the hearts of the army's commanders and make them hard to win over; thus he used this affair to prompt Weichi Chong to Retreat When Facing Difficulty. Weichi Chong had already prepared to proactively ask the Emperor to reduce his forces. However, the Empress Dowager's ambiguous, inscrutable expression made him feel even worse; she knew better than anyone about Huo Shengnan's affair, having personally visited the Qichen Palace that day to check on Princess Anping, and it was she who had taken the initiative to suggest Huo Shengnan go to the Compassion Grace Garden to keep her company.

But after the incident at the Qichen Palace, the Empress Dowager's attitude made Weichi Chong feel chilled; he even thought that the opportunity for her appearance was somewhat coincidental, yet these matters could only be buried in his heart—aside from himself, he could not tell anyone, not even Huo Shengnan.

Huo Shengnan said: "Father Sir, you need not worry about my matter; I have indeed committed a grave error and have prepared myself to accept any punishment."

Weichi Chong said: "Shengnan, Yongdu is no place for us to stay." His heart had long since flown back to Bei Jiang; even dying on the battlefield would be preferable to lingering in Yongdu and enduring all manner of suspicion.

Huo Shengnan said: "Father, I have only one request: you must not make concessions on my account, nor should you do anything you are unwilling to do."

Weichi Chong gazed at Huo Shengnan, firmly pressed his lips, slowly nodded, and at that moment a sharp, thin voice came from outside, asking: "Is General Huo there?"

Stuck again at forty-nine, Zhangyu woke up still not reaching fifty; I posted two consecutive chapters, adding fuel for myself while also cheering my brothers—just a single Monthly Ticket, right? I believe there's still one to be squeezed out! The Extra chapter has already been delivered; Monthly Ticket, hurry into my bowl! (To be continued~^~)