Chapter 975

If one said that facing someone as alluring and seductive as Xue Lingjun, having not a trace of ** is basically impossible, Hu Xiaotian is not really a eunuch, but his self‑control is still quite good. Since he can't hide the ** in his heart, he might as well act even more unabashedly; Hu Xiaotian does not dodge, and in fact, in the narrow carriage there is nowhere to avoid, he lets Xue Lingjun's tempting body lean against him, his gaze lowered, looking through the exposed part of her neckline onto her snow‑white, delicate chest, where he can faintly see the round, rising and falling.

Xue Lingjun considered herself to understand men, but she really couldn't see through this young lad; mainly because Jian Ping's earlier words had prejudiced her, she trusted Jian Ping completely, and Jian Ping could not deceive her, which is why she was especially confused. If one only looked at Hu Xiaotian's various performances, he is definitely a normal man, and moreover a veteran of the world of pleasure, but this lad is really too shrewd, hiding himself too deeply.

Although Hu Xiaotian had a beauty beside him, he was not bewitched by her; outwardly he smiled, but in fact he was listening to the movements outside. There were six riders following the carriage: besides the four guarding Xue Lingjun, the other two were Liang Yinghao and Tang Tiexin. The several experts they had just met at the Hundred Flavors Tower should not have accompanied them.

Xue Lingjun blew a fragrant breath into Hu Xiaotian's ear and asked, 'Do you know why I came to Xichuan?'

Hu Xiaotian smiled and said, 'Didn't you say earlier, Elder Sister, that you came specially to travel?'

Xue Lingjun whispered, 'Actually, I missed you; this time I came to Xichuan especially to meet you.'

Hu Xiaotian secretly sighed that this woman could lie without blushing or blinking; the journey from Yongdu to Xizhou is far, and Xue Lingjun had practically arrived in Xizhou right after him, so she must have set out earlier. According to common sense, she should have left at least half a month earlier, and would have to travel day and night to manage it; who would believe her saying such things now? Hu Xiaotian said, 'No wonder they say you must never owe a woman a debt, otherwise you'll never find peace in life; if I had known earlier, I should have helped Elder Sister get the double‑eyelid procedure done in Yongdu.'

Seeing this lad feign ignorance, Xue Lingjun, when he spoke of east he would deflect to west, coquettishly said, 'You just need to know that you owe me.'

Hu Xiaotian said, 'Why don't we pick a time to help you get the double‑eyelid procedure done, so Elder Sister won't keep thinking about it.'

Xue Lingjun gave him a white look and said, 'I just arrived in Xizhou, and you want to make it impossible for me to be seen in public? Hu Xiaotian, Hu Xiaotian, your heart is really vicious.'

Hu Xiaotian sighed, 'I intended to devote my heart to the bright moon, but the moon shines on the ditch; Elder Sister has misunderstood me.'

Xue Lingjun said, 'You are already Dakang's future prince consort; how could you still have room in your heart for this unfortunate sister?' Her words were filled with endless sorrow, truly making one feel pity at first sight.

Hu Xiaotian was about to speak when the carriage suddenly stopped, having arrived at the inn where the Da Yong envoy was staying. Hu Xiaotian had originally planned to see Xue Lingjun off here and then return, but she insisted on inviting him inside to sit.

Hu Xiaotian thought to himself: Since we're at the gate, it wouldn't hurt to pay a visit; Prince Yan Xue Shengjing is after all my sworn brother of eight bows, although he once harmed me, times have changed. My coming to Xizhou this time holds uncertain fortune; I need to make more contacts to gather support, in order to thwart the old emperor's plot.

Following Xue Lingjun into the inn's gate, a burly man walked toward them, exactly the one they had met at the Hundred Flavors Tower earlier. Hu Xiaotian had not guessed wrong; that scene at the Hundred Flavors Tower was indeed directed by Xue Lingjun herself, and now that the man appeared, it was clear she wasn't afraid Hu Xiaotian would learn the truth. She smiled and introduced, 'This is Deputy Commander Guo Zhenhai of the Jinlin Guard; you've already met him just now.'

Guo Zhenhai clasped his hands toward Hu Xiaotian and said, 'Sir Hu, please forgive my earlier rudeness.'

Hu Xiaotian smiled, 'Deputy Commander Guo, you're being too polite; you didn't offend me, the actual offense was toward the Grand Princess.'

Guo Zhenhai silently cursed this lad for being so devious; with just one sentence he had drawn the fire onto himself. In fact, unless the Grand Princess had given the order, he wouldn't dare to have acted that way even if he had a hundred times the courage.

Xue Lingjun naturally understood that Hu Xiaotian meant to stir up trouble; she laughed 'gege' and said, 'Guo Zhenhai, this little brother of mine just likes to joke; forget it, you have nothing to do here, you may withdraw.' With that sentence she easily dispelled Guo Zhenhai's embarrassment.

Xue Lingjun then recalled something: 'Right, has my imperial brother returned?'

Guo Zhenhai shook his head and said, 'Prince Yan was just summoned to the Marshal's mansion; they said he won't return until after the banquet.'

Xue Lingjun asked, 'Is Marshal Li hosting a banquet?' As she spoke she deliberately glanced at Hu Xiaotian, meaning, 'Why wasn't you invited?'

Hu Xiaotian simply pretended not to understand her meaning.

After the people around withdrew, Xue Lingjun invited Hu Xiaotian to sit in the garden and softly asked, 'After you arrived in Xichuan, have you seen Li Tianheng?'

Hu Xiaotian shook his head and said, 'Not yet had the chance to meet.'

Xue Lingjun said, 'On the way I heard a piece of news; I don't know if it's true or false.'

Hu Xiaotian smiled and said, 'Elder Sister, please go ahead.'

'I heard that you came this time in order to enfeoff Li Tianheng as a prince.'

Hu Xiaotian nodded; this was no secret. Even before the old emperor decided to enfeoff Li Tianheng as a prince, he had deliberately spread the news, its purpose being to apply moral pressure on Li Tianheng; this mission of his is known throughout the world.

Xue Lingjun sighed, 'Li Tianheng has carved out his own domain, his ambitions are great; aren't you afraid he will defy the imperial edict, or even kill you in a fit of rage?'

Hu Xiaotian said, 'He is a subject of Dakang, always loyal to the court; his rebellion originally was because Long Yelin usurped the throne.'

Xue Lingjun fixed her bright eyes on Hu Xiaotian's, as if trying to see through his true thoughts, and softly said, 'If you really believe that, then your troubles may be great.'

Hu Xiaotian said, 'You mean Li Tianheng will be unfavorable to me?'

Xue Lingjun said, 'Originally, as an outsider I didn't want to meddle in Dakang's internal affairs, but I have always regarded you as my brother; I cannot just watch you go to your death without concern, so I must remind you.'

Hu Xiaotian put on a respectful, attentive demeanor and said, 'Elder Sister, please guide this younger brother.'

Xue Lingjun said, 'According to what I know, many of Li Tianheng's officers are urging him to make a decision early, to completely sever ties with Dakang. If Li Tianheng makes a decision, it is likely to be something unfavorable to you.'

Hu Xiaotian said, 'Are you perhaps advising me to flee at once? If I were to flee, that would be failing the imperial trust; returning would certainly be a capital crime, so no matter what I must wait until after the imperial edict is issued before I can leave.'

'I haven't advised you to flee; I'm just kindly reminding you to be on your guard.'

Hu Xiaotian said, 'From Da Yong's perspective, the situation they least want to see is Li Tianheng leading his troops back to Dakang, right?'

Hearing this, Xue Lingjun's pretty face turned cold: 'I kindly reminded you, yet you think I have ulterior motives, aiming to sabotage the relationship between Dakang and Xichuan?'

Hu Xiaotian smiled, 'Elder Sister, please don't misunderstand; I am merely stating the facts, and since you have been so frank with me, I will naturally speak my true thoughts.'

Xue Lingjun said, 'I have never concerned myself with political affairs; as a woman I despise deceit and scheming, I have no grand ambitions, never thought of unifying the world—life is limited, a woman's prime is fleeting, to waste such good times on vain struggles for power and profit is utterly extravagant; even if one gained the world and became supreme under heaven, what would it amount to? In the end one's beauty fades and one becomes a handful of dust.' Her autumnal eyes enveloped Hu Xiaotian's face as she spoke meaningfully: 'A woman's greatest wish is to find a man she likes, who also likes her, and who is reliable.' In speaking she also revealed a look of alluring charm that went deep into the bones.

Hu Xiaotian whispered, 'Elder Sister, do you think I am reliable?'

Xue Lingjun laughed 'gege' and said, 'You? You are the most unreliable person in the world.'

Hu Xiaotian did not believe a word of what Xue Lingjun said. Given his understanding of Xue Lingjun, this Da Yong Princess Royal enjoys the deep trust of the Da Yong Emperor Xue Shengkang; in Emperor Xue Shengkang's eyes, her status probably even surpasses that of Prince Yan Xue Shengkang. Her coming to Xichuan is certainly not for sightseeing; she comes with a clear political purpose. Hu Xiaotian can be certain that the Da Yong envoy has come this time solely to win over Xichuan and isolate Dakang. Hu Xiaotian smiled and said, "Whether it's reliable or not, only trying will tell."

Given Xue Lingjun's temperament, she could barely tolerate Hu Xiaotian's remark; this brat was obviously teasing her, her beautiful eyes softening as if about to well up with tears, she whispered, "How do you want to try? Go ahead and tell me..."

Hu Xiaotian felt a heat surge inside him; this woman was indeed extraordinary—if it were any other girl, she'd likely be too shy to hide away. She was clearly his equal in wit, not yielding an inch. If they truly engaged in a battle of wits, he couldn't imagine how intense it would be; just thinking about it gets his blood pumping.

Hu Xiaotian said, "Princess, do you not see? Even if Li Tianheng refuses to return to Dakang, he would not go so far as to take up arms against Dakang; setting aside morality, even if it were out of his own self-interest, he would not do this."

Xue Lingjun smiled brightly and said, "I would love to hear the details."

Hu Xiaotian said, "Dakang's current situation is indeed far from optimistic; if Da Yong and Xichuan joined forces to crush Dakang and divide its spoils, it would be a sure thing. Yet I have heard that Your Majesty, the Emperor of Da Yong, has long harbored grand ambitions to unify the Central Plains within your lifetime."

Xue Lingjun's smile grew ever more bewitching.

Hu Xiaotian said, "If Dakang falls, Xichuan will be next—as the saying goes, when the lips are gone, the teeth feel the cold. Do you really think Li Tianheng would fail to see such a simple truth?" (To be continued~^~)