The weather was bitterly cold. No one guarded the place even on ordinary days, much less on a night of swirling wind and snow. Hu Xiaotian opened the Wine Cellar and stepped inside, shaking the snow from his clothes. The cellar shut out the howling wind completely. Taking a lantern, he hurried down into the Secret Passage. He followed the familiar route to the Water Well in the Purple Orchid Palace and climbed up its walls.
When he emerged from the well, he found the snow falling harder than ever. Such weather provided excellent cover for his movements, but it also made getting around considerably harder. He looked toward the Purple Orchid Palace and saw that its chambers were pitch-black. There was no light in Long Xiyue's Study either. It seemed the beautiful princess had gone to sleep. Perhaps she had grown tired of waiting after he failed to arrive as promised, or perhaps she had never understood his gesture at all. Hu Xiaotian was about to return, but felt reluctant to leave after coming so far. He tiptoed up to the Study and pressed his ear near the window. There was not a sound. No one seemed to be inside.
Just as Hu Xiaotian decided to leave, a light suddenly appeared in the direction of the Purple Orchid Palace. Before long, the door opened, and a young woman in a dark blue cloak walked out carrying a lantern.
Hu Xiaotian recognized Long Xiyue by her figure. Surprise and delight filled his heart. It seemed he had indeed stirred Princess Anping's affections; even late at night, she had not forgotten their meeting. He was about to step forward and reveal himself when someone abruptly clamped a hand over his mouth from behind. Hu Xiaotian received a tremendous fright. The person