Li Tianheng patted Hu Xiaotian on the shoulder and said quietly, "I don't want the Prince of Zhou to die. Whether you believe me or not, I have never harbored the slightest malice toward you or your Hu Family. A hundred-legged insect does not fall stiff even in death. Great Kang is not as weak as others imagine, either."
Hu Xiaotian's thoughts were a tangled skein. Li Tianheng might bear him no malice, but that was not out of regard for the friendship between their families. It was because he was merely an insignificant figure in Li Tianheng's eyes. His final remark, however, gave Hu Xiaotian much to ponder. Great Kang was not as weak as others imagined-could the situation before them be nothing but an illusion? Impossible! The Imperial Court of Great Kang had almost reached the end of its road, with cries of suffering everywhere and the people unable to make a living. Otherwise, the Old Emperor would not have been so eager to seize Western Sichuan. A terrifying thought suddenly occurred to him. Could Great Kang's rapid economic decline have been deliberately orchestrated? That person... Hu Xiaotian drew a deep breath, unwilling to pursue the thought.
Hu Xiaotian summoned Yan Nujiao despite Yan Boguang's vehement objections. Naturally, Yan Boguang did not want his younger sister following Hu Xiaotian into danger, but he plainly had no power to sway her resolve.
Yan Nujiao still accompanied Hu Xiaotian to the Autumn Splendor Palace. She did not even ask whose poisoning he wanted her to help treat.
Although they rarely spoke, an unspoken understanding had developed between them. As long as Hu Xiaotian asked, Yan Nujiao would refuse none of his requests. She also firmly believed that he would do everything possible to keep her safe. In truth, that was