Chapter 861: [No Omen] (Part 1)

Princess Anping's funeral was not held with great pomp; even Hu Xiaotian received no news of it. By the time he learned of this, the princess's ashes had already been interred, buried beside her mother's tomb.

Hu Xiaotian had been suddenly summoned into the palace, with no prior indication. When he arrived at the Palace of Nurturing Heart, he already saw a group of palace guards ready in formation; Mu Rongzhan, who rarely appeared publicly lately, was also present, standing there whispering something with Qi Daine.

Hu Xiaotian greeted the two of them; as a deputy, he naturally ought to show more initiative. Hu Xiaotian bowed and said, "Greetings, Commander Sir!"

Mu Rongzhan turned, glanced at him, grunted, and without saying a word walked away. In front of the many imperial guards, this action openly showed his displeasure toward Hu Xiaotian, leaving Hu Xiaotian rather embarrassed.

Actually, most of those imperial guards were dissatisfied with Hu Xiaotian, thinking how this nobody could rise straight to the deputy commander position; seeing Mu Rongzhan give Hu Xiaotian a cold stare, they all secretly gloated.

Hu Xiaotian didn't take Mu Rongzhan's cold reception to heart; he deliberately said loudly, "See you off, Commander Sir!" He thought to himself, if you weren't Feiyan's father, I wouldn't let you off; but considering your daughter will serve me for life, I'll let it slide.

Qi Daine, however, greeted Hu Xiaotian with a beaming smile, cupping his hands and said, "Hu Sir, why did you only arrive now?"

Hu Xiaotian said, "I came nonstop after receiving the summons; you lot already got the news? Why didn't you send someone to notify me?"

Qi Daine said, "Hu Sir, we also don't know what this is about."

Hu Xiaotian was half‑believing, half‑doubting, thinking, you guards all treat me as an outsider; just now I clearly saw you whispering with Mu Rongzhan, I don't know what you were muttering, and now you're pretending ignorance with me.

Hu Xiaotian said, "I'll ask the Emperor and then I'll know."

Qi Daine nodded and said, "Hu Sir, hurry up! Don't delay."

Hu Xiaotian knew he wouldn't get any information from those fellows, so he hurried toward the gate of the Palace of Nurturing Heart. But before the gate he was stopped by a senior eunuch; Hu Xiaotian recognized this senior eunuch as Wang Qian, who had once accompanied Long Xuan'en through hardship at the Misty Peak Lingxiao Palace. He hadn't expected that this senior eunuch, after waiting for the clouds to part and the moon to shine, would also see the light of day again; he looked even more spirited than before.

Wang Qian held a horsetail whisk resting on his shoulder, smiling warmly, and said, "Hu Sir, right?"

Hu Xiaotian nodded and said, "That's me! Senior Eunuch Wang. We've met before!"

Wang Qian laughed, "Zajia remembers! Last New Year's Eve, Hu Sir accompanied Princess Anping to visit the Emperor."

Hu Xiaotian said, "Senior Eunuch Wang really has a good memory." Since Wang Qian remembers so clearly, he surely won't forget the time he rushed into the palace and rescued Long Xi Yue from the old Emperor's hands; if the old Emperor also remembered, that would be troublesome—back then, in his haste to save her, he had even shoved that old fellow to the ground. Thinking of this, Hu Xiaotian felt a guilty pang in his heart.

Wang Qian said, "Hu Sir, please follow me; His Majesty is waiting inside."

Hu Xiaotian followed Wang Qian into the Palace of Nurturing Heart; upon entering, he smelled the fragrant smoke swirling about. The palace maids and eunuchs stood in silence on either side, making the atmosphere especially solemn. Hu Xiaotian whispered to Senior Eunuch Wang, "Senior Eunuch, do you know why the Emperor summoned me?"

Wang Qian smiled and said, "You'll find out soon."

Beyond the pearl curtain ahead loomed a vague silhouette; Hu Xiaotian secretly wondered if it was the Emperor. Wang Qian gave him a look. Hu Xiaotian quickly knelt and said, "Your humble servant Hu Xiaotian pays his respects to Your Majesty; long live the Emperor, long live, long live forever!"

From behind the pearl curtain came an aged, low voice: "No need for formalities, come in."

Two palace maids lifted the pearl curtain with golden hooks; Hu Xiaotian rose, bowed, and entered. There he saw the old Emperor Long Xuan'en seated, with an incense burner on the offering table before him, three lit incense sticks sending up curling smoke.

Long Xuan'en's deep gaze swept over Hu Xiaotian's face, then fixed on the multicolored coiling dragon gold medal at his waist, and he nodded, asking, "Do you know why I summoned you?"

Hu Xiaotian respectfully replied, "I don't know, Your Majesty!"

Long Xuan'en said, "Tonight I will go to the Dragon Temple; you shall accompany me."

Hu Xiaotian's heart jolted—how could the old Emperor have kept this so secret? Not a whisper had leaked out beforehand; he had said he would only set out for the Dragon Temple after Princess Anping's burial, so why the sudden change of mind? Or had he already quietly buried the princess? Though Hu Xiaotian harbored a thousand doubts, he dared not voice them lightly.

Long Xuan'en said, "Yesterday I already interred Xi Yue's ashes." His voice was full of desolation.

Only then did Hu Xiaotian realize the old Emperor had already buried the ashes; Princess Anping, being a princess of a state, how could she be buried so quietly and unnoticed? No gathering of nobles and officials was held; I myself hadn't even heard a rumor. It seems the old Emperor intended to keep this low‑key. At this moment Hu Xiaotian noticed a framed embroidered portrait of a woman on the offering table, which bore about a thirty percent resemblance to Long Xi Yue.

Long Xuan'en said, "In my life, the one I loved most was Xi Yue; had it been up to me, I would never have married her off to a land of wolves and tigers."

Hu Xiaotian silently sneered, "You didn't even consider marrying Xi Yue to Da Yong; you wanted to send her to Shajia. Da Yong is at least part of the Central Plains, whereas Shajia is a barbaric wilderness—you're even more ruthless and cold‑blooded than your useless son."

Long Xuan'en asked, "Hu Xiaotian, I ask you: was Xi Yue in pain before she died?"

Hu Xiaotian replied, "The princess was assassinated; it happened suddenly, but she did not suffer greatly before her death."

Long Xuan'en nodded: "Hearing you say that, I feel a bit better in my heart."

Hu Xiaotian said, "Your Majesty, when do you plan to depart?"

Long Xuan'en said, "Let's set out at the You hour!"

Hu Xiaotian said, "Your servant will go prepare now!"

Long Xuan'en said, "There's nothing to prepare; Mu Rongzhan, who should be making preparations, has already arranged everything."

Hu Xiaotian finally understood why Mu Rongzhan had appeared outside the Palace of Nurturing Heart earlier; after all this fuss, the palace guards had everything ready—except they had left him out. Hu Xiaotian couldn't help feeling resentful; really, they treat me like an outsider!

Long Xuan'en waved his hand, signaling Hu Xiaotian to withdraw.

Hu Xiaotian followed Wang Qian out of the Palace of Nurturing Heart and gave a wry smile, "Senior Eunuch, are you coming too?"

Wang Qian shook his head and said, "I had wanted to go along, but His Majesty, out of pity for my old age, fears I cannot endure hardship, so he has me stay in the palace. Hu Sir, you must look after the Emperor well on this trip."

Hu Xiaotian thought, "Do I really have to look after him? The old Emperor has dragged me to the Dragon Temple for who knows what purpose; recalling what my father once told me, the Emperor is now at his tightest financially, intent on scheming against the Xu family of Jinling. Perhaps he means to use this affair to put pressure on them—if the Xu family don't shed some blood, he might make me stay at the Dragon Temple forever."

The more Hu Xiaotian thought, the more plausible this seemed. Although he is the deputy commander of the imperial guards, for this trip to the Dragon Temple, tasked with protecting the old Emperor, the over‑hundred guards probably none of them obey him, let alone take orders; it's possible that at the Emperor's word they would rush forward and hack him down.

Just now, upon entering the palace in haste, and not knowing why I was summoned, I simply didn't have time to inform my family.

Hu Xiaotian said to Wang Qian, "Senior Eunuch, there's still a while before the You hour; I'd like to go home first to let my family know, so they won't worry."

Wang Qian still smiled narrowly and said, "No need; Zajia will send someone to your residence later to pass the word. The reason we didn't earlier inform Hu Sir of your summons to the palace is that the Emperor's itinerary must be kept secret—apart from those accompanying His Majesty to the Dragon Temple, nobody else knows, and the news must not leak. This is also for the Emperor's safety, Hu Sir, don't you agree?"

Hu Xiaotian inwardly groaned, but forced a smile and said, "Quite right, quite right; Senior Eunuch Wang handles things thoroughly."

Wang Qian said, "Hu Sir, you're young and capable; otherwise His Majesty wouldn't have picked you to lead the detail for his safety. Though it's an honor for Hu Sir, you also need to be clear about the responsibility on your shoulders—Zajia need not belabor the point, right?"

Hu Xiaotian sensed a threat in Wang Qian's words, nodded and said, "Your humble servant understands!"

Wang Qian bowed to Hu Xiaotian and said, "Zajia will go attend to the Emperor; Hu Sir, you're free to go!"

Hu Xiaotian glanced at the ranks of imperial guards standing ramrod straight below; he was seething, thinking, "Damn it, they won't tell me about something this important, and still treat me as their superior?" At that moment Qi Daine came over, all smiles, and said, "Deputy Commander Sir, did the Emperor tell you anything?"

Hu Xiaotian gave Qi Daine a cold smile, thinking this guy was still playing dumb; without calling him out, he put a hand on Qi Daine's shoulder, pulled him aside, and said, "The Emperor is preparing to set out for the Dragon Temple."

Qi Daine feigned surprise: "Really?"

"Of course it's true!"

Qi Daine said, "Your subordinate will get ready right away!"

Hu Xiaotian said, "What's there to prepare? I see you lot lack not weapons but the courage to die for the Emperor!" He hooked a finger at Qi Daine, leaned close to his ear, and said, "Have them line up by the wall; I have something to say to them."

Though Qi Daine was unwilling inside, since Hu Xiaotian was his direct superior, he could only muster the guards and have them stand by the wall.

Hu Xiaotian walked forward with hands clasped behind his back, taking deliberate steps, came to the front of the formation, and repeated their duties; in fact, those guards had already known before Hu Xiaotian that he was to protect the Emperor on the outing, and they had all kept it from him.

Two chapters as the guaranteed minimum are posted; today's monthly ticket sales are dismal, Zhangyu's update begging for tickets is frankly embarrassing—let's pretend Lao Zhangyu never said this, crawl off, go to sleep! (To be continued~^~)