Hu Xiaotian said, "I heard that an extremely rare beast called the black tiger lives here in Great Yong."
Xue Lingjun said, "Black tigers? Yes, they do exist, but they should have died out in recent years."
Hu Xiaotian said, "Sorry for the trouble, Sister Jun, but could you ask around and see whether you can find a Black Tiger Whip?"
Xue Lingjun found this rather amusing. What use would a eunuch like you have for a Black Tiger Whip? She knew nothing of its rumored effects and thought it was merely an ordinary aphrodisiac. In all likelihood, Hu Xiaotian wanted it to please his master.
Hu Xiaotian said, "Please don't laugh at me, Sister Jun. Back when I was in Great Kang's Imperial Palace, I heard a senior say that a Black Tiger Whip could make a eunuch's withered tree bloom again and turn him back into a real man."
Xue Lingjun's first reaction was, How could that be possible? People did say that eating a particular organ nourished its counterpart, but surely eating a Black Tiger Whip could not make a new one grow. How could someone as clever as Hu Xiaotian believe such an absurd rumor? Then she reflected that everyone had their weaknesses. Hu Xiaotian was a eunuch; perhaps he yearned so desperately to become a man again that he wanted to try every possibility. She nodded and said, "Brother Xiaotian, since you've asked me, I'll do my best to find one for you. But I can't promise I'll succeed." What she said
Hu Xiaotian beamed. "I'm counting on you, Sister Jun." He did not want any Black Tiger Whip at all. He had said it deliberately because Xue Lingjun had just sent Jian Ping to test him. He wanted to cement her belief that he