Chapter 768: Bolt from the Blue (Part 2)

Prince Yan Xue Shengjing's hand kept trembling; he returned to Huo Xiaoru's side, his trembling hand reaching toward Huo Xiaoru.

Huo Xiaoru screamed: "Get lost! Don't touch me with your dirty hands!"

Xue Shengjing not only had no intention of violating her, but instead used his trembling hand to tidy her clothes, his voice trembling: "Xiaoru, you shouldn't be called that name; you should properly be called Qi Yi..."

Huo Xiaoru froze upon hearing this; Xue Shengjing was right—her true name really was Qi Yi, but this secret had been known only to her deceased parents, and no one else knew it—how could Xue Shengjing possibly know? It left her stunned, and the matter continued.

"You were born on the third day of the third month of the Xinwei year, at chen hour, three ke; your milk name was Ruoxin, and in a few days you will turn twenty..." Xue Shengjing said up to this point, his voice choking, barely able to speak.

Huo Xiaoru stared blankly at the enemy before her who had killed her parents; she seemed to think of something, but she dared not continue thinking.

Xue Shengjing pressed his lips together, straining to control his emotions, he said in a low voice: "You ask how I know this—apart from your birth parents, who would remember every detail of your daughter so clearly? Ruoxin, I am your father..."

Huo Xiaoru felt as if struck by a bolt from the blue, her mind going completely blank; for years she had regarded Prince Yan Xue Shengjing as an irreconcilable enemy, enduring humiliation and hardship to survive, her sole motivation being revenge—but now this enemy suddenly shifted from foe to father, which Huo Xiaoru could not accept, yet she also understood that Xue Shengjing would not be so bored as to deceive her with this, and even if he did, he could not possibly know so many of her secrets: "You're lying!"

Xue Shengjing said: "Ruoxin, why would I deceive you? If what I say are all lies, how could I know so many of your secrets? How would I know Yun Qi?"

"Shut up! You are not allowed to mention my mother's name..." Huo Xiaoru had completely lost her composure, tears welling up.

Xue Shengjing said: "I know you may find it hard to accept this fact, but facts cannot be changed. Even if I could betray the world, I would never betray your mother, nor my own biological daughter. Back then your mother did not die at my hands; if I were heartless and unjust toward her, why would this man of ill repute have never formally taken a consort?" He was clearly moved, his eyes red, tears glistening.

Huo Xiaoru remained silent, but the defenses in her heart began to loosen. Xue Shengjing indeed had no reason to put on an act before her, especially since she had just nearly taken his life.

Xue Shengjing said: "I always thought you were all dead, never imagining you still lived in this world, Ruoxin. I don't know why you believe I murdered your mother; I, Xue Shengjing, swear to heaven that if I harbored even the slightest thought of harming Yun Qi, may I be struck by five thunderbolts and die a terrible death." He actually made such a vicious oath before Huo Xiaoru.

Huo Xiaoru bit her cherry lip: "How exactly did my mother die?"

Xue Shengjing said: "These past years I have been investigating. Your mother was merely a singer, while I am the Second Prince of Da Yong. Although we loved each other, the disparity in status prevented me from formally marrying her. I kept her secretly housed outside, concealing everything from the emperor. Your mother felt deep affection and loyalty toward me; she never asked for any title, only wishing to grow old with me, which was enough for her." Saying this, Xue Shengjing tightly closed his eyes, sinking into painful recollection of the past.

Huo Xiaoru looked at Xue Shengjing full of inquiry; at this moment she was completely intrigued by his words, even beginning to believe that she and Xue Shengjing indeed shared an extraordinary relationship.

Xue Shengjing said: "There is no wall that does not let the wind through; later, somehow word of my affair with your mother reached my father the emperor's ears. At that time you were two years old, and your mother had just given birth to your younger brother. He flew into a rage, believing I had disgraced the royal family, and ordered your extermination. Fortunately I got advance notice and arranged for trusted aides to send you mother and daughter out of Yongdu early, hoping to find a safe place to settle you until the uproar died down, after which our family could reunite—but..." Tears streamed down Xue Shengjing's face; if one hadn't seen it with one's own eyes, no one would believe that this wanton, worldly Prince Yan could ever show such emotion.

"How?" Huo Xiaoru finally could not help asking; she was unclear about the events of those years, although she had guessed that her mother, while fleeing with her and her younger brother, had encountered an assassination, yet she still wanted to learn the details from Xue Shengjing's mouth.

Xue Shengjing said: "When I received the bad news, I rushed people to the scene, but all we found was a pile of bones gnawed by vicious wolves, and... and a small foot that had not been completely eaten." As he spoke, hot tears welled in Xue Shengjing's eyes; he clenched his right fist and hammered his chest hard, thereby easing his inner anguish a little.

Seeing Xue Shengjing's anguished chest-beating and foot-stomping, Huo Xiaoru's hatred for him was no longer as intense as before. "Tiger poison does not eat its young," if his words were entirely true, he might indeed be her father; but even if he were her biological father, one could not rule out that he might have murdered his wife to preserve his reputation and status. Thinking this, Huo Xiaoru's heart suddenly grew resolute again.

Xue Shengjing sighed and said: "Ruoxin, I know you may not believe me, but tiger poison does not eat its young—I, Xue Shengjing, am no beast; how could I possibly kill my wife and children with my own hands? I have always lived without contention; before I knew your mother, my elder brother had already been named crown prince of Da Yong, so why would I do such a thing?" He earnestly protested his innocence.

"You don't believe me?" Xue Shengjing gazed at Huo Xiaoru's cold look, sensing her doubt toward him.

Huo Xiaoru said: "Whether I believe you or not is meaningless; facing you, I am merely an assassin who wants to kill you for revenge—why bother telling me all this?"

Xue Shengjing suddenly recalled something; he took from his waist a small tiger-head shoe, which, due to the passage of time, had faded and grown old, yet even so one could still see the ancient bloodstains on it. Xue Shengjing choked up: "This is a keepsake of Daoyuan; I have carried it with me ever since then, never parting from it for a single day..." He then picked up the Hairpin from the ground, stroking the four characters "sea withered, stone rotted" engraved upon it: "These four characters I carved myself; I gave this Hairpin to your mother, telling her I would take no other wife in my life and would protect you mother and child for a lifetime... but... father was useless... I could not even save your lives." As he said this, hot tears streamed down his face.

Huo Xiaoru could no longer suppress her emotions; tears glistened in her beautiful eyes. Although she could not now call Xue Shengjing "father," deep in her heart she had quietly accepted this fact.

Xue Shengjing said: "Ruoxin, what I have told you must not be known to anyone; I do not know who told you these lies, but whoever it is certainly harbors ill intent—to set kin against kin, to have a daughter slay her own father—such a heart deserves death!"

Huo Xiaoru bit her cherry lip, and in her mind appeared her master's scarred face, his voice echoing in her ears: "It was Prince Yan Xue Shengjing who defiled your mother, killed your parents, killed your brothers, and pushed your whole family off the cliff; if not for heaven's pity, even as master I could not save your life." If everything Xue Shengjing said were true, then her master had clearly lied to her. Huo Xiaoru could not accept that one who had saved her life, raised her from hardship to adulthood, and trained her in song and dance—one who was like a second set of parents to her—would do such a thing; her mind fell into utter chaos.

Xue Shengjing said: "You need not worry for now; given the current situation, the prince's mansion is actually the safest place." Gazing at Huo Xiaoru bound five-fold to the pillars, Xue Shengjing sighed again and said softly: "I temporarily wrong you; rest assured, I will let no one harm you."

A serpentine flash of lightning split the night sky; the Lan-clad person drove a carriage back to the wind and rain pavilion. Xi Yan walked over to him and asked: "How is it?"

The Lan-clad person said: "If you don't want to die, you had best not approach the Prince Yan manor tonight; inside the manor are experts as numerous as clouds, and they are far from being as simple as they appear."

Xi Yan glanced at Hu Xiaotian: "What do you think?"

Hu Xiaotian resolutely said: "No matter what, I have to give it a try; this matter has nothing to do with you, you need not accompany me on this risk." Before he finished speaking, a cold light shot into his back—Xi Yan, taking advantage of his inattention, thrust a steel needle into his shoulder acupoint; to ensure stability, the needle was coated with bone‑softening powder, guaranteeing that one prick would fell Hu Xiaotian to the ground; Hu Xiaotian made no sound and collapsed limp.

The Lan-clad person said: "How do you intend to deal with him?"

Xi Yan looked down at the prone Hu Xiaotian, her gaze suddenly softening, and she said gently: "He's just exhausted; let him rest properly."

The Lan-clad person said: "You can stop him for a moment, but you can never stop him for a lifetime; in his heart, Huo Xiaoru matters far more than you do."

Xi Yan showed no anger, reaching out to lightly pat Hu Xiaotian's chubby cheeks, she said softly: "He's just like that—amorous, lustful, greedy—but sooner or later he will realize that in this world, the person who treats him best will always be me."

The Lan-clad person sighed softly: "The sect leader wants you to see her tomorrow."

"I won't go!"

"If you don't go, she'll kill Hu Xiaotian!" The Lan-clad person's words, though calm, were filled with irresistible force.

Xi Yan bit her cherry lip: "How is Huo Xiaoru doing?"

The Lan-clad person said: "Just an outsider; why should you care about her life or death?"

Xi Yan's gaze fell on Hu Xiaotian's face, and she said softly: "I merely do not want him to hate me because of this."

The Lan-clad person furrowed his brows, his heart feeling as if fiercely stabbed by a thorn; with his hands clasped behind his back, he gazed up at the night‑rain‑filled sky and said lowly: "Huo Xiaoru's present predicament is certainly not your doing; if you do not want him to die, you had best hurry to see the sect leader."

Xi Yan said: "Please go and report to the sect leader for me; tomorrow I will go see her."

Today, Three More presents, the final week, Zhangyu will give it his all, also please support Zhangyu in completing this month's final push, thank you! (To be continued~^~)