Zhan Peng secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Hu Xiaotian truly was impressive: with Yang Lingqi's landscape painting, he had successfully opened Xue Shengjing's doors. Today's success had really depended on the power of Yang Lingqi's brushwork. Tie Zheng had kept a wary eye on Zhan Peng throughout; the arrow Zhan Peng had fired earlier had actually frightened him into a cold sweat.
Hu Xiaotian turned to Zhan Peng. "Zhan Peng, go back first. I'll go inside and have a word with His Highness." His decision to enter the Prince's Residence alone was also intended to dispel the household warriors' suspicions and demonstrate his sincerity.
Upon hearing that Zhan Peng would not be coming inside, Tie Zheng visibly relaxed.
Xue Shengjing, the Prince of Yan, took Hu Xiaotian by the arm, and the two walked into the Prince's Residence, chatting as they went. Watching Hu Xiaotian's retreating figure, Zhan Peng could not help worrying a little, though he knew that worry was entirely unnecessary. With Hu Xiaotian's intelligence and resourcefulness, he should be able to handle any situation. Zhan Peng left Little Gray in the care of the residence's servants and did not accompany Hu Xiaotian inside.
Hu Xiaotian followed Xue Shengjing to a waterside pavilion in the Prince's Residence. After the walk, Xue Shengjing was clearly a little tired. He sat down in a chair and kept wiping away his sweat. All along the way, he had asked about Yang Lingqi, plainly taking a keen interest in the man. Hu Xiaotian deliberately revealed that he had another painting by Yang Lingqi, hoping to whet Xue Shengjing's appetite.
Although Hu Xiaotian's explanation sounded perfectly reasonable, Xue Shengjing was not so easily convinced. He would not have believed, even if beaten to death, that Hu Xiaotian had come merely to help