Chapter Forty-Three
After taking a turn outside, Qi Xiao gave Jiang Deqing a few instructions before returning to his own palace. He didn't mention these underhanded matters to Bai Ren, merely continuing to jest with him as before.
Over the following days, whenever Bai Ren left Haiyan Hall—even to pay respects to the Emperor at Qianqing Palace—Qi Xiao insisted on accompanying him, claiming it was for companionship. Qi Xiao always acted with caution, and Bai Ren harbored no suspicions, so he didn't ask further.
Qi Xiao kept Bai Ren on a tight leash. When he felt at ease, others grew restless.
On New Year's Eve, after finishing breakfast with Bai Ren, Qi Xiao accompanied him to Chengqian Palace to pay respects to the Emperor. Empress Feng was also present. Seeing Bai Ren arrive, she smiled benevolently and said, "We were just talking about you, Bai Ren. There's a letter from Lingnan—your father has already prepared your sister's entire dowry. After the fifteenth, they will send Lady Roujia to the capital. She should arrive around Longtaitou, the second day of the second lunar month."
Bai Ren had learned this news from his spies several days prior, so hearing it again made no impression. He merely nodded. Smiling graciously, Empress Feng continued, "My intention is to have Lady Roujia stay in the palace. What do you think?"
She turned to the Emperor, her eyes carrying a hint of regret. "None of the princesses were raised by my side. I have no daughter of my own, and lacking something makes you desire it all the more. I adore the girls. If the lady keeps me company and later departs from the palace to be married, I can give her a grand honor. Your Majesty, what do you think?"
Before the Emperor could speak, Bai Ren coolly replied, "This minister thanks Her Majesty for her kindness on my sister's behalf. However, the Lingnan Prince's mansion is not lacking in men. Since this minister is present, my sister should still depart from the Lingnan Prince's mansion to be married. Having her marry from the palace... this minister fears my sister cannot bear such a great favor."
Empress Feng's face paled. The Emperor smiled and chimed in, "Yes... of course she must depart from the Lingnan mansion. The Empress was merely concerned that a young person like you couldn't manage such a grand wedding."
Bai Ren nodded. "Your Majesty's gracious favor is vast indeed, specially granting the Imperial Household Department to assist with the preparations. With the officials of the Imperial Household Department handling matters, there should be nothing amiss."
The Emperor smiled. "If they do anything unsatisfactory, you may come tell Me. This wedding has the noble Princess Dunsu as the matchmaker. If anything goes wrong, I would have a difficult time explaining to the Princess."
Bai Ren nodded. After some further pleasantries, Qi Xiao and Bai Ren took their leave.
Once outside the great hall, Qi Xiao discreetly scratched Bai Ren's palm twice and chuckled softly, "Did you see Empress Feng's face? When she gets back, I wonder what she'll say about you."
Bai Ren smiled faintly. "She's hated me for a long time anyway. What's one more offense? Roujia isn't as resilient as I am. If she enters the palace and stays by that woman's side... I cannot rest easy."
Qi Xiao couldn't help feeling a twinge of jealousy. He waved away the palace servants who were bowing and turned to Bai Ren with an enigmatic smile. "You show such care for Lady Roujia. I wonder, Your Highness the Prince, if you might extend some of that tenderness my way?"
Whenever Qi Xiao spoke in this affected manner, Bai Ren couldn't help but want to laugh. Rarely, he teased back, "Is His Highness throwing a tantrum?"
Qi Xiao raised an eyebrow. Glancing around to confirm they were alone, he lowered his head and kissed Bai Ren's ear, murmuring, "What if I am? Has this stirred Your Highness's tender heart?"
His ear instantly red, Bai Ren coughed uncomfortably. "Your Highness..."
Qi Xiao smirked coldly. "Is that all you've got? How dare you flirt with me?"
Bai Ren fell silent, not daring to speak further.老老实实的 he followed Qi Xiao back to Haiyan Hall.
Inside Chengqian Palace, Empress Feng sighed and苦笑 said to the Emperor, "Bai Ren had a small disagreement with Hua earlier, and he still resents me and Hua. When I invited Lady Roujia to stay in the palace, was it truly because I love girls? I simply wanted to give Roujia an honor. My intentions were good, yet Bai Ren... fine, I suppose my kindness was misplaced. But this child's temperament is truly too volatile. To act like this in front of Your Majesty..."
"Empress." The Emperor set down his teacup, fixing Empress Feng with a deep gaze, and said coolly, "In all things, excess is as bad as deficiency."
Empress Feng froze. Her face gradually flushed purple with embarrassment. The Emperor was somewhat impatient in his heart. He knew perfectly well what was on her mind. It was merely because of what had happened before—she was deliberately putting on a show of being extremely kind to Bai Ren in front of him. But her skill was insufficient. She neither won his favor nor succeeded in winning Bai Ren over.
The Emperor actually had considerable affection for his consort. Since he was still a prince, Empress Feng had married into his household. Over the years, Empress Feng and the Feng family had not少 helped him; the Emperor kept count of it all. Therefore, he had always shown the Empress extra patience. Unfortunately, in recent years, perhaps because the other princes had all grown, Empress Feng had become increasingly impatient and restless. What she did always disappointed the Emperor. She couldn't share his burdens; instead, he had to smooth things over for her. The Emperor was displeased and didn't bother with subtle language. "Your intentions were good, but having Roujia depart from the palace to be married—where does that leave the Lingnan Prince's mansion? The Prince of Lingnan is far away, but he has a mansion and a son in the capital. On the wedding day, should the Lingnan mansion sit empty?"
"Moreover, Roujia is merely a county lady. If she truly were to marry from the palace, which gate would the Empress plan for her to depart from on the wedding day?" The Emperor valued face above all else. The thought of Empress Feng's absurd words spoken before Qi Xiao and Bai Ren made him increasingly furious. His tone grew colder. "The Empress is usually the most rule-abiding. Why was she so thoughtless just now?"
Empress Feng's heart was already full of resentment. Being reprimanded so harshly by the Emperor only added to her委屈, and tears welled in her eyes. She lowered her voice, "This minister... this minister truly meant well. The idea of inviting Roujia into the palace was a sudden impulse. I didn't consider it carefully. It was... this minister's mistake."
Had it been a young lady with tears glistening on her cheeks, the Emperor might have felt some sympathy. Unfortunately, Empress Feng's face was no longer fresh in the Emperor's eyes. He couldn't be bothered to listen to more of her explanations and sighed, "I know your intentions were good... never mind. The evening banquet still needs your attention. Go ahead."
Empress Feng dabbed her eyes with her handkerchief, suppressing the tears, and said softly, "Your Majesty may rest assured. The evening banquet and the opera troupe are both prepared."
The Emperor nodded. Empress Feng straightened her clothes and departed.
With hatred burning in her heart, Empress Feng slowly walked out, supported by her servants. In the distance, she saw Consort Xue's palanquin approaching. She turned to her trusted attendant and said coldly, "Didn't I assign her to handle the evening banquet?"
One of the female officials hesitated before saying softly, "Your Majesty... this morning His Majesty summoned Consort Xue. He said she should come after breakfast, which would be around now."
Empress Feng suppressed her rising anger with effort and冷笑 stepped onto her palanquin.
"After the evening banquet we'll go to Qinghe Hall to watch opera. I've arranged for us to sit together," Qi Xiao said softly, fiddling with the jade pendant at his waist, a smile on his face. "Every year it's the same few operas. There's really nothing new to hear."
Bai Ren put down the book in his hands and looked up in confusion. "Sit together with you? But... shouldn't I sit below with the other princes?"
Previously, Bai Ren hadn't felt the difference so keenly. But after spending this year in the palace, he truly understood how precious the identity of "Crown Prince" was.
It wasn't just that the other princes had to bow and greet Qi Xiao—setting that aside, even the various princes royal had to dismount from their carriages and offer greetings. Regardless of how the Emperor viewed Qi Xiao, as Crown Prince his status was genuinely second only to the Emperor's. And although Qi Xiao had never formally entered the Eastern Palace, not a single official of the Eastern Palace's staff was missing. The Crown Prince's personal guards alone numbered over a thousand. From what Qi Xiao had hinted, that number wasn't even the limit.
Bai Ren increasingly understood why all the princes coveted this position as heir. They were all princes, yet because of this single title, their power and status were as different as heaven and earth. Back in Lingnan, although Bai Ren was the heir designated by the Prince of Lingnan and enfeoffed by the Emperor himself, compared to his three younger brothers, he merely received a few taels more each month in allowance. He'd never truly enjoyed any real benefits.
After the evening banquet, Qi Xiao had plans. He was suspicious by nature and never let his guard down before achieving his goal. Keeping Bai Ren by his side was the only way to feel at ease. But of course, there was no need to share any of this with Bai Ren. Qi Xiao smiled faintly at him. "The Prince of Lingnan's heir is spending his first year in the capital. Inviting the heir to sit with me as a show of special regard—this is entirely reasonable."
Bai Ren pressed his lips together and shook his head. "Better not. If people see, they'll say you're being willful again..."
"That pampered reputation was already spread by the Emperor himself. It's too late to change it. I might as well prioritize my own comfort first. You don't even know those princes. Why sit there foolishly with them?" Qi Xiao gazed at Bai Ren with a knowing smile. "When did I start noticing... that you think of me first in everything?"
Bai Ren dreaded it most when Qi Xiao said such things. He pretended not to hear and lowered his head to continue writing calligraphy.
"You've been dragging your feet on writing a plaque for the study. Several days have passed." Qi Xiao rose and walked to Bai Ren's side, casually picking up a piece of drying calligraphy. "This one is quite good..."
Bai Ren shook his head. "No, that 'xuan' character wasn't written well... I haven't practiced calligraphy properly in years. My hand is clumsy. I'm afraid I can't manage it yet."
Qi Xiao laughed despite himself. "Still can't manage? Your Highness the Prince, after today it'll have been two years. I won't hear excuses. Hurry up and write it. Tomorrow when we leave the palace, I'll have it carved."
Bai Ren was caught between laughter and tears. "This really can't be rushed. Perhaps... perhaps Your Highness should do it yourself. Your brushwork is actually much better than mine."
Qi Xiao shook his head. "Your calligraphy is better than mine. Come here..."
Qi Xiao embraced him from behind, and taking Bai Ren's hand in his, smiled. "Let me lend you some strength..." This gesture was no different from teaching a child to write. Bai Ren couldn't help but laugh, and his hand became even more unsteady. Qi Xiao chuckled, "Don't laugh. When you laugh, your hand shakes..."
Bai Ren nodded and tried his best to steady the brush. Qi Xiao gazed at his slightly flushed cheeks, his thoughts wandering. His right hand rested lightly over Bai Ren's hand while his left silently slipped lower. Gently stroking Bai Ren's waist, he murmured, "Tied this tight—doesn't it feel uncomfortable?"
Bai Ren's attention was entirely on the paper. He shook his head. "It's not tight..."
Qi Xiao sighed softly. "You're still too thin..." His hand continued sliding lower, and he laughed quietly. "It's only here there's still some flesh..."
Bai Ren's face instantly turned red. He said urgently, "Your Highness! You..."
"Hush..." Qi Xiao didn't stop his hand, stroking gently, and smiled. "Keep your voice down. If others heard, they'd think an assassin had broken in. Don't get distracted. I just need a few characters. Be careful... even if you ruin this one, I'm still having it carved."
Qi Xiao no longer supported Bai Ren's hand. Instead, he wrapped his arm around Bai Ren's waist, not allowing him to move. While freely teasing, he murmured softly, "Be good. Write it properly."
Bai Ren gritted his teeth, his face flushed, and dipped the brush in ink to continue writing. Qi Xiao pushed his luck further, until Bai Ren's legs grew so weak he could no longer stand steadily. Only then did Qi Xiao carry him to the couch. This time he truly pushed Bai Ren too far. It took quite some coaxing before Bai Ren would speak to him again. But since he'd gotten what he wanted, Qi Xiao didn't mind that at all.