Chapter 976

Xue Lingjun said: "So we never thought of splitting Dakang and Xichuan; this time we came just to congratulate the birthday, that's all—we wouldn't bother with a pointless effort." She paused: "Da Yong not doing it doesn't necessarily mean your wishes can be fulfilled. I've heard that even Dakang's Prince Long Yefang has been under soft confinement in Xizhou all along; perhaps Li Tianheng wouldn't mind keeping one more person." Her beautiful eyes gave Hu Xiaotian a meaningful look as she said: "You almost became Li Tianheng's son-in-law before."

Hu Xiaotian said: "Hearing Lady Xue say that, I finally feel that I am truly in some danger in this Xizhou."

Xue Lingjun said: "Now you finally know I truly care about you, right?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "I've always known." He raised his head, saw the westward-setting sunset, and only then realized that, having been chatting with Xue Lingjun, it was already late; he hurriedly got up to bid her farewell.

Xue Lingjun said softly: "If you don't want to leave, you can stay and keep me company."

Hu Xiaotian already knew Xue Lingjun's nature very well; she was constantly employing her charms, and if he really believed her, he'd surely be taken in. Hu Xiaotian said: "I still have matters to attend to; when I have time another day, I'll come again to visit Lady Xue and my elder brother."

Xue Lingjun appeared reluctant, seeing Hu Xiaotian all the way to the outer gate; after Hu Xiaotian bade farewell to Xue Lingjun and mounted his horse, Liang Yinghao and Tang Tiexin guarded him on left and right, and Tang Tiexin couldn't help but say: "This senior princess is truly beautiful!"

Hu Xiaotian showed a faint smile, whipped his horse and galloped toward the inn where he was staying.

The peace of Xizhou did not change because of the arrival of foreign envoys; the people lived in prosperity and health, each day passing according to their usual rhythm, and if anything had changed, it was that the chatter in the streets and alleys had increased slightly.

Xizhou treated the foreign envoys as equally as possible, even to the point of saying... They received Hu Xiaotian's party with a higher standard; the Xuan Ning Inn is the highest-ranking and most fully equipped of Xizhou's several inns, where the former Dakang emperor once stayed when he came to Xizhou, and in that sense it is the Emperor's temporary palace. Ordinarily, the hospitality extended to the Dakang envoy could be described as meticulous.

Hu Xiaotian, however, knew that the apparent peace and harmony were merely a temporary phenomenon, perhaps beginning with Li Tianheng's birthday; everything would then undergo a drastic change.

Two days before Li Tianheng's birthday, the Xuan Ning Inn welcomed an exceptionally special guest—Hu Xiaotian's long‑missed old friend, the divine doctor of Xichuan, Zhou Wenju, who came to pay a visit.

Hu Xiaotian gazed at Zhou Wenju before him, hardly able to believe his eyes, and exclaimed excitedly: "Master Zhou..." Before he finished speaking, he fell to his knees with a thud; only by kneeling could he express his gratitude to Master Zhou. Back in Xiezhou, if it hadn't been for Master Zhou's righteous rescue—sacrificing himself to take his place—Hu Xiaotian would never have escaped the Li family's control; his fate would have been either death or continued soft confinement, with no chance to go to the capital or see his parents, let alone talk of rescue. Master Zhou is his great benefactor, the benefactor of the Hu family; this kindness, Hu Xiaotian will never forget in his lifetime.

Seeing Hu Xiaotian actually kneel before him, Zhou Wenju hurriedly stretched out his arms to help him up, saying: "Sir Hu, please rise quickly. How can I bear such a gesture?"

The attendants beside Hu Xiaotian also saw the scene and were greatly surprised; Hu Xiaotian need not even kneel before the Yongyang Princess, a person of high status, yet he performed such a great bow to Zhou Wenju—there must be a reason.

Hu Xiaotian rose, clasped Zhou Wenju's hands, pursed his lips, turned to the surrounding people and said: "Everyone, remember this: this is Master Zhou, my lifesaver; without him, there would be no Hu Xiaotian today!"

The crowd understood, and in unison bowed and said: "Greetings, Master Zhou!"

Zhou Wenju chuckled: "No need for ceremony, no need for ceremony."

Hu Xiaotian invited Zhou Wenju into the inn, and they sat under the grape arbor of his lodging; after Liang Yinghao served a pot of fragrant tea, the others withdrew.

Hu Xiaotian sized up Zhou Wenju; compared to before, he looked somewhat older, his temples noticeably grayed, and he had grown thin and dark, but from his mental state his health seemed unworried. Hu Xiaotian respectfully asked: "Master Zhou, have you been well?"

Zhou Wenju smiled: "Not bad; thanks to Grand Marshal Li remembering my medical skills, he issued a pardon before Li Honghan could kill me."

Hu Xiaotian breathed a sigh of relief: "Thank goodness Master Zhou is safe; otherwise I would surely regret it for the rest of my life."

Zhou Wenju said: "After Sir Hu left, I have heard bit by bit about your news; you are young and capable, which brings me great comfort."

Hu Xiaotian laughed modestly: "All that I have achieved today is entirely thanks to Master Zhou; after fleeing Xiezhou, I also inquired everywhere about your whereabouts, but never got a definite answer until, early this year, when I went on a mission to Da Yong, I happened to meet Da Yong's imperial physician Xu Bai chuan, and only then did I learn that Master Zhou had escaped disaster."

Zhou Wenju laughed: "Xu Bai chuan is my senior martial brother; we have always kept in touch by letter. At the end of last year he came to Xizhou to purchase medicinal herbs, and I met him once. When we discussed medical arts, he mentioned Hu Xiaotian; at that time my senior brother did not believe the medical arts I described, but now he must surely be convinced." The implication is that Xu Bai chuan has already told him about Hu Xiaotian's rescue of Xue Shengkang in Yongdu.

Hu Xiaotian secretly sighed, indeed there is no wall that does not let the wind through; when he originally performed surgery on Xue Shengkang, removing the gallbladder to treat gallstones, he had specially asked Xue Shengkang to keep it secret, yet after his return to Dakang from his mission, the news immediately reached the court—clearly a ploy to kill with a borrowed knife—and even Xu Bai chuan cannot keep the secret now. Fortunately, the danger of this matter has been dispelled, and Hu Xiaotian smiled: "Master Zhou, don't praise me; my modest medical skills are hardly worth laughing at."

Zhou Wenju said seriously: "Sir Hu, why be modest? I have never seen medical arts like yours; only the Ghost Doctor Fu Luo could be compared to you, though I have no fate to meet that predecessor."

Hu Xiaotian said: "If Master Zhou is interested, we have plenty of opportunities to exchange notes on this."

Zhou Wenju said: "Sir Hu's not choosing to practice medicine is indeed a great loss to the medical world." He has always devoted himself to saving the world and healing people, single‑mindedly studying medical arts, believing that medical arts can strengthen the nation and save the people, whereas Hu Xiaotian seems to be drifting ever farther along the official path; now that he has become a prince consort of Dakang, he certainly could not again become a physician who saves the world.

Hu Xiaotian said: "Doctors save people; officials govern the state. Although their professions differ, what they do ultimately leads to the same goal."

Zhou Wenju nodded and asked: "Sir Hu, did you come this time especially to congratulate Grand Marshal Li on his birthday?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "The Emperor sent me; one purpose is to congratulate Grand Marshal Li on his birthday, the other is to enfeoff Li as a king."

Zhou Wenju had in fact long heard rumors of this sort; hearing Hu Xiaotian say it himself, he surely could not be mistaken, and he sighed: "If Grand Marshal Li were willing to lead Xichuan back into Dakang's territory, that would be best of all." He does not pay much attention to politics; deep down Zhou Wenju always considers himself a person of Dakang, with Xichuan merely his homeland, and since Xichuan is part of Dakang, his view also represents that of most Xichuan people.

Hu Xiaotian said: "Let's not talk about that; I am merely following orders this time, and as for the outcome, all we can do is do our best and leave the rest to fate."

Zhou Wenju smiled: "Yes, destiny cannot be defied!"

Hu Xiaotian said: "I'll have things prepared; Master Zhou, please stay tonight for a drink. We haven't seen each other in ages—this time we must drink until we're satisfied."

Zhou Wenju said: "Not today; I still need to go see Prince Long Yefang, whose health has been a bit off lately, and today happens to be the day we agreed on for a follow‑up visit."

Hu Xiaotian was taken aback upon hearing this; he never expected Zhou Wenju to have the chance to approach Prince Long Yefang. He had wanted to ask, but upon the words reaching his lips he changed his mind, recalling how Zhou Wenju had risked his life to rescue him, and now he could not cause him trouble or expose him to any risk; so he smiled: "Since Master Zhou is engaged, we'll have to postpone."

Zhou Wenju smiled: "Tomorrow! You have come far as a guest; tomorrow I will prepare food and drink at my humble home and invite Sir Hu to grace us with his presence."

Hu Xiaotian readily agreed.

After seeing Zhou Wenju off, however, a group of riders came this way, with one person in the center precisely his sworn elder brother, Prince Huoge of Shajia; since the humiliation at Baiwei Lou, Huoge had not appeared for these two days, and Hu Xiaotian had wanted to go visit him, but when he arrived at Huoge's lodging, it turned out Huoge had gone to the Marshal's residence instead.

Huoge appeared to have recovered from that setback, and called out from afar: "Brother!"

Hu Xiaotian laughed: "Elder brother!"

Huoge dismounted, with ten warriors standing ready behind him; since the Baiwei Lou incident, Huoge has grown more cautious, and even in Xizhou city he could encounter danger at any moment, so when he goes out these ten Shajia experts never leave his side.

Hu Xiaotian had intended to invite Huoge to sit inside, but Huoge grabbed his arm, pulled him aside, and whispered: "Brother, I specially asked you to come so we could go drink together."

Hu Xiaotian asked: "What place?"

Huoge lowered his voice: "Zhong Xiang Lou!"

Upon hearing this, Hu Xiaotian involuntarily stuck out his tongue; although he had never been to Zhong Xiang Lou, he had long heard of it—it is said to be Xichuan's premier pleasure quarter, even more famous than Xiezhou's Huan Cai Ge; allegedly, a man who steps into Zhong Xiang Lou is as if entering a land of fragrance, where he will cast aside everything, including family and money, and will not leave until he has spent his last penny.

Hu Xiaotian said: "Zhong Xiang Lou?"

Huoge gave a mysterious smile and said: "Someone is treating us, and has specially asked me to bring my brother along." (To be continued~^~)