Chapter 987

Hu Xiaotian asked knowingly: "If this assassin truly belongs to the Heavenly Secrets Bureau, why would they do this? I am an envoy of Dakang!"

Xi Yan said: "You really think you're some important figure? Prince Consort, the foolish emperor only made you a prince consort to give you a title; if you die in Xichuan, your influence will be even greater."

Hu Xiaotian seemed to understand, nodded and said: "So you're working with the Heavenly Secrets Bureau against me! When did the Wuxian Sect ally with the Heavenly Secrets Bureau?"

Xi Yan sighed and said: "Are you a pig?"

Hu Xiaotian is certainly not a pig; facing such a smart woman as Xi Yan, if he didn't lower his intellect, how would she be willing to reveal more information? One point Hu Xiaotian could determine: Xi Yan is safeguarding the interests of the Li clan of Xichuan, which has been proven many times. Although Hu Xiaotian does not deny that his feelings for Xi Yan are very subtle, their positions differ, so their starting points naturally differ as well; if emotions interfere with his judgment, he will surely be the one to suffer.

Hu Xiaotian said: "I still can't figure out what good killing me would do for them."

Xi Yan said: "If the Dakang imperial envoy, Prince Consort, dies in Xizhou, whose head will this debt be placed on?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "Of course it's Li Tianheng."

Xi Yan said: "Dakang's predicament is known to all under heaven; the foolish emperor, eager to escape his predicament, has only one option: to take back Xichuan. The purpose of sending you on this mission is already known to all under heaven."

Hu Xiaotian said: "Xichuan originally was part of Dakang, and Li Tianheng himself is a Dakang subject. In the past he repeatedly claimed he would raise troops to serve the king, but after so long, who has ever seen him actually dispatch troops? It's just empty bluster. He has never contributed anything for Dakang. Now the emperor has reascended the great throne; if Li Tianheng truly is the loyal subject he claims to be, he should lead his troops to bring Xichuan back into Dakang's territory, thereby proclaiming his loyalty, sincerity, and righteousness to all under heaven."

Xi Yan said: "Dakang's current predicament is not solely due to that foolish emperor; bringing Xichuan back under Dakang would merely throw Xichuan's people into water and fire."

Hu Xiaotian said: "When did the Wuxian Sect start caring so much about state affairs?"

Xi Yan said: "Xichuan is the foundation of the Wuxian Sect's foothold; when the city gate catches fire, the fish in the moat suffer—how could the Wuxian Sect remain indifferent to such a major matter?"

Hu Xiaotian, regarding Xi Yan's words, was half-believing, half-doubting; most jianghu sects pay no attention to state affairs, and although the jianghu and the imperial court have an inseparable yet tangled relationship, they still keep a certain distance. Xi Yan has often acted for the interests of the Li clan of Xichuan. I recall that when I was sent as an envoy to Dakang, she even wanted to take the opportunity to impersonate Long Xi Yue and assassinate the Seventh Prince of Da Yong, Xue Daoming, in order to provoke war between Da Yong and Dakang. If I had not timely seen through her plot, reasoned with her, appealed to her emotions, and laid out the interests clearly, she might have already succeeded.

Black Hu Fourth Prince Wanyan Chixiong should have died in Xi Yan's scheme; it was precisely her revealing to me the whereabouts of the Dingzhu Pearl that caused me to go to the Red Mountain Guildhall. Recalling the incident that occurred in the Hongyan Pavilion of the Red Mountain Guildhall, Xi Yan's scheming is no less than Qiqi's.

Thinking of this, Hu Xiaotian smiled lightly and said: "I'm afraid what the Wuxian Sect has in mind is not merely about gaining a foothold."

Xi Yan furrowed her beautiful brows and said: "What do you mean?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "Killing the Black Hu Prince. Intending to provoke war between Black Hu and Da Yong, the Wuxian Sect for Xichuan is simply giving its all, sparing no effort to plunge into boiling water and tread fire!" He stared into Xi Yan's eyes, meaningfully saying: "I don't know what benefits Xichuan has given your sect to make it worth your while to do this?"

Xi Yan said: "So you have always held a grudge against me, thinking that the incident at the Hongyan Pavilion was a trap I deliberately set to lure you there."

Hu Xiaotian smiled and said: "Let bygones be bygones; besides, I returned safely."

Xi Yan said: "In your heart I have always been a bad person; everything I do is meant to harm you."

Hu Xiaotian said: "The one truly harmed by you is Huo Shengnan; not only did she bear the charge of plotting to harm Princess Anping, but the killing of Wanyan Chixiong was also blamed on her. Poor her, she went from a female general of illustrious military achievements to a wanted criminal hunted by the whole nation."

Xi Yan gave a cold snort: "Pitiable? You pity her, sympathize with her? Hu Xiaotian, Hu Xiaotian, I really didn't misjudge you—you're a fickle radish who loves whoever you see; when did you also hook up with Huo Shengnan?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "I'm just stating the facts; unlike some people who clearly did something but dare not admit it."

Xi Yan nodded and said: "Fine! Anyway, in your eyes I'm not a good person, so from now on I won't interfere in your affairs anymore!"

Hu Xiaotian thought: If you don't add trouble for me, I'd be grateful to heaven and earth; truly, if you don't come provoke me, I'd be begging for it.

Xi Yan saw his eyes darting about, the corners of his mouth seemingly smiling, and immediately guessed his intention, angrily saying: "Hu Xiaotian, you heartless wretch!"

Hu Xiaotian displayed excellent cultivation; despite being insulted by Xi Yan, he still smiled and waited, inwardly thinking: a decent man does not fight with a woman; Xi Yan became angry out of embarrassment because her scheme had been seen through by him.

Xi Yan cursed, feeling it still not enough to vent her resentment, and immediately added: "You're worse than a pig and a dog!"

Hu Xiaotian sucked in a breath of cold air: "Girl, killing someone is just a matter of landing on the ground; please show some mercy!"

Xi Yan said: "Don't come look for me again!" She turned and left.

From behind, Hu Xiaotian said: "This time it seems you were the one who invited me over."

Xi Yan turned away angrily, glared at Hu Xiaotian, after a while firmly nodded and said: "In consideration of our acquaintance, I give you a piece of advice: leave Xizhou early, lest you lose your life in a confused manner here."

Hu Xiaotian smiled and said: "Thank you!"

Having said that, Xi Yan leapt into the Huanhua Creek, lightly tapped her toes on the water surface, her delicate body sprang up again and glided across the river toward the opposite bank.

Hu Xiaotian shook his head, his gaze falling on the pile of armor on the ground—the Seven-Layer Phosphorus Fire Armor; not knowing whether it was genuine, he picked up the pile of armor, which could be considered his sole spoil of victory tonight.

In the Black Tiger Hall of the Xizhou Grand Marshal's Residence, Li Tianheng still hadn't slept, his tiger eyes fixed on the commander kneeling before him, he said in a deep voice: "Yang Haoran, is everything you said truly the case?"

This young commander was one of the newly emerged young generals of Xichuan; he came to the Grand Marshal's residence late at night to report secret military intelligence to Li Tianheng, still kneeling before him, he respectfully said: "Grand Marshal, I dare not utter a single false word; Lin Zefeng and Zhao Yanjiang have already been secretly plotting, waiting only for the Grand Marshal's birthday to rise in rebellion, intending to capture the Grand Marshal and thus present merit to the foolish emperor of Dakang."

Li Tianheng pressed his lips tightly, clenched his fists, clearly furious to the extreme and also terrified to the extreme; he had always worried most about this matter, never expecting that subordinates would still be plotting rebellion, choosing to strike on his birthday while he was off guard—indeed a fine scheme.

Li Tianheng stood up, paced slowly back and forth in the Black Tiger Hall; after a while he forced himself to calm down and said in a low voice: "Yang Haoran, how many people are involved in this matter?"

Yang Haoran said: "The two of them are the masterminds; as far as I know, they have already contacted no fewer than ten commanders. Grand Marshal, I am risking my life to come report this to you."

Li Tianheng abruptly turned around: "Zhao Yanjiang is your adoptive father; why are you betraying him?"

Yang Haoran said with tears: "Although he is my adoptive father, I understand what righteousness entails; without the Grand Marshal's leadership, how could Xichuan enjoy peace today? My whole family is in Xichuan; the Dakang emperor is foolish, the country's defeat is irreversible; only the Grand Marshal can safeguard Xichuan and lead us away from war to a stable life."

Li Tianheng nodded and said: "Please rise and tell me their detailed plan."

After expressing gratitude, Yang Haoran stood up and told Li Tianheng the information he knew: Lin Zefeng and Zhao Yanjiang were secretly stirring up commanders to rebel, intending, on the Grand Marshal's birthday, to rescue the Prince of Zhou, then in one fell swoop capture the Grand Marshal and coerce him into leading the people of Xichuan back into Dakang's territory.

Yang Haoran said: "They said the Dakang court also knows about this matter, and promised that if the return succeeds, everyone involved will be richly rewarded."

Li Tianheng stroked his moustache and said: "I already know about this, Haoran; for now pretend nothing has happened. This matter must be handled with utmost care; you must absolutely not let them know I have learned of their plot."

Yang Haoran clasped his fists and said: "Grand Marshal, rest assured; Haoran will keep his mouth shut like a sealed bottle, and will not hesitate to sacrifice his life for the Grand Marshal's safety."

Li Tianheng gazed at Yang Haoran, nodded and said: "Haoran, I greatly admire your character; if you are willing, I would like to take you as my adoptive son—what do you think?"

Upon hearing this, Yang Haoran overjoyed, fell to his knees with a thud: "Adoptive father, please accept my bow!" He then kowtowed three times to Li Tianheng; Li Tianheng stepped forward to help him up. The reason he suddenly decided to take him as an adoptive son was mainly to win people's hearts, making Yang Haoran wholeheartedly serve him. Li Tianheng said earnestly: "Once this matter is settled smoothly, Lin Zefeng's position will be yours."

Thank you, Father Marshal!

Lin Zefeng and Zhao Yanjiang were both capable aides of Li Tianheng; Li Tianheng could hold the southwest and had repeatedly defeated the incursions of the Shajia people; these two had earned meritorious service on horseback, yet Li Tianheng never expected they would betray him. Upon learning of their plot, Li Tianheng immediately summoned Zhang Ziqian to the Marshal's residence.

A midnight summons must mean an urgent matter; Zhang Ziqian hurriedly came to the Marshal's residence; upon hearing of this, his eyebrows involuntarily knit tightly. Although the occurrence was sudden, it was not unexpected; Zhang Ziqian's greatest worry had been internal unrest in Xichuan, and this matter soon came to pass.

The second watch is posted; there will also be third and fourth watches tonight. Since it's freshly cooked and sold, there temporarily won't be a situation where third and fourth watches are posted together, but the total amount is enough. I earnestly request monthly tickets; the feeling of always hanging at the tail of the list is unpleasant; actually it's not far from the front; as long as we make a little effort, we can keep exploding upward! Everyone, please give me strength! (To be continued...)