But the ones who came down were two eunuchs. The eunuch in front was in his thirties, dressed in a dark purple robe over black satin trousers and black official boots. Though not tall, he looked exceedingly haughty, his face somewhat yellow and his expression ice-cold. A eunuch in his twenties followed behind, carrying a lantern for him.
Hu Xiaotian recognized neither of them. Seeing someone approach, Qiqi hastily lowered her head, afraid she would be recognized.
Hu Xiaotian stepped forward to block the two eunuchs. "Gentlemen, haven't you come to the wrong place? This is the Palace Gardens Bureau's wine cellar. Whatever your business, please discuss it upstairs."
The middle-aged eunuch gave him a cold look, lightly stroked his chin, and twisted his neck twice like a young girl. "What arrogance. Am I not allowed to enter the Palace Gardens Bureau's wine cellar?"
Hearing the hostility in his words, Hu Xiaotian silently wondered who he was. The lantern-bearing eunuch snapped, "How dare you! You dare show Eunuch Wei such disrespect!"
At those words, Hu Xiaotian immediately understood. This eunuch, strutting as though he owned the world, was almost certainly Wei Hualin, the Palace Gardens Bureau's newly appointed seal-bearing eunuch. Wasn't this castrated bastard supposed to take office tomorrow? Why couldn't he wait even one more day? Hu Xiaotian inwardly cursed his luck. Wei Hualin had come with ill intent. First Qiqi, and now this fellow-it seemed his plan to explore the secret passage tonight had gone completely down the drain.
Wei Hualin surveyed the wine cellar before his gaze returned to Hu Xiaotian's face. "You're Hu Buwei's son, aren't you?"
Hu Xiaotian lowered his head without a word.
Wei Hualin slowly stepped forward and narrowed his eyes. "You two little eunuchs hid yourselves in the wine cellar to indulge