Chapter 65
Bairei was momentarily stunned, then gave an awkward laugh. "What happened... why would you ask that suddenly?"
Qi Xiao laughed as well. "It's nothing." With that, he turned and walked out.
Bairei's heart grew heavy. He placed the little rabbit back in the basket and followed. Bairei signaled with his eyes, and the maidservants standing in the covered corridor withdrew. Bairei approached and asked quietly, "Is something wrong? Why would you bring this up?"
Qi Xiao turned to face Bairei, a faint smile on his lips. "It's nothing serious. I just happened to remember it when talking to Jiang Deqing about something else... You've been in the imperial city for almost a year now, haven't you? Do you miss home?"
Bairei shook his head. "I don't miss home. I only... I only miss my mother."
Qi Xiao's heart felt as if a kitten had suddenly clawed at it, a dull ache spreading through his chest.
Bairei and Qi Xiao understood each other's hearts, so he knew Qi Xiao was feeling pain for him. He quickly smiled and said, "Thanks to Your Highness's kindness, I can exchange a letter or two with Mother each month now. It's not so bad. Roujia and I are doing well here. My father has something to fear now, so he's been treating my mother much better than before."
Qi Xiao took Bairei's hand and pulled him into his embrace, sighing softly. He pressed a kiss to Bairei's forehead. Still uneasy, Bairei looked up and whispered, "What's really going on? What did Your Highness talk about with Chief Eunuch Jiang? Why did he come up in conversation?"
The matter had only just been set in motion, and before it was accomplished, Qi Xiao didn't want to say too much to Bairei. He smiled and said, "What's strange about that? Which day do I *not* mention you to him? If your mother knew there was someone in the capital so devotedly keeping you company every day, she probably wouldn't have a single worry left."
Bairei smiled, then glanced around. Seeing no one else present, he rose on his toes and pressed a small kiss to Qi Xiao's lips, whispering, "It's a pity we can't tell Mother directly. If she knew I'd found her such a good daughter-in-law, she really would have nothing left to worry about."
Qi Xiao's brow arched slightly. His hand at Bairei's waist slid down several inches, pinching lightly and with deliberate licentiousness. His voice dropped low. "What did you just say? Say it again."
Bairei's face flushed red in an instant. He was about to flee when his hands were seized by Qi Xiao's left hand and twisted behind his back. Qi Xiao's right hand grew bolder, his long fingers pressing through the fabric along the curve of Bairei's hips. He curved his lips into a smile. "I'm asking you. What did you just say? Say it again."
It was broad daylight, and they were still outside the house. Even though no one else was around, Bairei couldn't bear it. His handsome face was completely flushed. Qi Xiao deliberately lowered his head to examine his expression, teasing softly, "Tell me. What am I to your mother?"
Bairei knew Qi Xiao's temperament best. If he didn't go along with what Qi Xiao wanted, and Qi Xiao got carried away, he might really do something to him here. There was no helping it—Bairei could only blush and say quietly, "A... son-in-law."
Qi Xiao still wasn't satisfied. He continued his "torture" and pressed on, "Oh... a son-in-law. Then what am I to *you*? Hmm?"
Bairei felt he could die of shame from hearing those words. He struggled to leave, but in terms of martial arts, two of him combined couldn't match Qi Xiao. The more Bairei struggled, the stronger Qi Xiao's desire grew. Qi Xiao was no saint. Though he hadn't had much experience in matters of the bedroom, in his younger days he had wandered through the pleasure quarters with other young masters. Back then, he'd thought the courtesans and performers weren't clean enough, so he'd never actually done anything. But even if one hadn't eaten pork, one had seen pigs run. Compared to Bairei, Qi Xiao was quite the veteran.
Qi Xiao was determined to tease him. How could Bairei withstand it? He could only beg for mercy. "Your Highness... let's go back inside first. What if someone comes... hmm..."
Qi Xiao acted as if he hadn't heard. Smiling, he asked quietly, "I'm asking you. If I'm your mother's son-in-law, then what am I to you?"
Bairei's legs had gone soft from Qi Xiao's ministrations, his face flushed. Afraid the servants might come at any moment, he could only submit. Enduring his shame, he said through gritted teeth, "My... my husband..."
The moment Qi Xiao heard these two words, fire nearly blazed in his phoenix eyes. For some reason, lately he increasingly enjoyed tormenting Bairei like this—making him say things he wouldn't normally say, do things he wouldn't normally do. The more Bairei yielded, the more cruelly Qi Xiao wanted to push him.
Who was Bairei? The moment Qi Huai had humiliated him, he'd been willing to let Qi Huai scratch his neck bloody just to get revenge. But with Qi Xiao, Bairei could be utterly yielding. Especially after they'd bared their hearts to each other, Bairei gave Qi Xiao everything he asked for. No matter how Qi Xiao "tormented" him, he never lost his temper. At most, he would beg for mercy, never knowing resistance. Qi Xiao understood—Bairei was only like this with him.
Unfortunately, Qi Xiao had never been someone who knew contentment. Bairei's gentleness only made him more greedy. Qi Xiao lowered his head, staring fixedly into Bairei's eyes, and said in a low voice, "Louder. Say it again."
Bairei's heart was full of grievance and shame. Tears unconsciously gathered in his eyes. Resigned, he buried his face in Qi Xiao's chest and whimpered softly, "Husband... have mercy on me..."
Qi Xiao closed his eyes. He picked Bairei up in one motion and carried him into the inner chamber.
...
Jiang Deqing, following Qi Xiao's instructions, wrote a secret letter and had a trusted aide send it to the Confucious Temple. Finished with that, he went to the kitchen. This estate had black-boned chickens, and Qi Xiao had previously ordered that they be stewed into soup for Bairei. Jiang Deqing was afraid the servants wouldn't explain it clearly, so he went personally to give the instructions.
"Rest assured,公公, these are young hens that just started laying. So tender and fresh." The cook wiped her hands on her apron and smiled obsequiously. "All the utensils here have been replaced with new ones. Only my daughter handles them—nobody else touches them. They're perfectly clean."
Jiang Deqing nodded. He took a wooden box from the young eunuch beside him and handed it to the cook. "These are white ginseng. Add some to the soup when you stew it. No need to use your old ginseng here."
The cook hastily agreed. Jiang Deqing turned to leave and went to find Qi Xiao. When he entered the inner courtyard, he saw the maidservants all standing guard outside from a distance—he understood the situation七八分. He didn't want the servants to know too much, so he waved for his followers to disperse. He slowly circled around the moon gate, but just as he was about to proceed, he saw two maidservants standing under the flower rack by the moon gate. Jiang Deqing stopped in his tracks and asked quietly, "Is His Highness talking with the世子?"
One of the maidservants in red clothing blushed faintly and nodded. She lowered her voice and said, "They've been in there for quite a while. We were just wondering if we should check on them. Last time, the water in His Highness's room had gone cold when he woke up, and he nearly flew into a rage. Fortunately, the世子 spoke up for us and said a lot of good things, so it passed."
Jiang Deqing paused. "I'll go take a look."
Most of these maidservants feared Qi Xiao. When they saw Jiang Deqing was willing to go, they couldn't thank him enough. One of the maidservants, seeing Jiang Deqing walk far away, couldn't help but whisper softly, "His Highness really dotes on the世子. They're together day and night, and he still asks about every detail of his diet and daily life. Did you see those black-boned chickens in the back courtyard? I heard they're to nourish the世子's body. They were specially brought from Jiangxi before New Year's and have been raised here ever since."
Another maidservant stuck out her tongue. "That's nothing. Last time Physician Zhang adjusted the世子's medicinal diet prescription and added a serving of donkey-hide gelatin, our Highness said the gelatin here was mostly adulterated, so he actually sent people all the way to Shandong to find the best old shop and had a fresh batch brought just for that one tonic. He'd go to such trouble for a single medicine—imagine everything else. But that said..." The young maid lowered her voice and giggled softly. "After the世子 has been cared for by our Highness for a year, his complexion has really improved so much. When he first arrived, his little face was so pale—quite pitiful-looking. Now there's some color in his cheeks. He's so handsome now. His Highness really knows how to nurse someone back to health..."
In the inner chamber of the main hall, Bairei, who had been thoroughly "nursed" by Qi Xiao, was lying on the bed and sniffling softly. "No more..."
Qi Xiao rolled over and pulled Bairei into his arms, asking with a soft laugh, "What's wrong? Was it painful just now?"
Bairei hid his face in Qi Xiao's chest. After a long moment, he shook his head. Qi Xiao smiled faintly. "Take your time... you'll learn to bear with me gradually."
Bairei's cheeks were still flushed. He said hoarsely, "Your temper has really gotten worse lately. Just because I said one sentence, you 'disciplined' me for half a day..."
Qi Xiao laughed despite himself. He lowered his head and kissed Bairei's lips, smiling. "Was that 'discipline'? I'm showing you affection."
Bairei whimpered softly. "Then please show me less 'affection' in the future."
Qi Xiao couldn't help laughing. He patted Bairei on the hip and teased quietly, "Really? Then I'll go show affection to someone else. Don't cry."
Bairei nestled his head into Qi Xiao's chest without a word. Qi Xiao gently massaged his waist, coaxing softly, "There, there. Does your waist ache? Yesterday we couldn't make it to the hot springs. Want to go now? Soak for a while. We won't miss lunch."
Qi Xiao knew he'd been too rough just now. He became even gentler. He turned to the willow twig basket beside the couch, reached in, and pulled out a little rabbit that was nibbling on grass. He placed it in the crook of Bairei's arm and laughed softly, "Look... your eyes right now are almost like this rabbit's."
The little rabbit stood on its front paws and stared at Bairei in a daze. Bairei couldn't help but reach out and touch it. Qi Xiao smiled. "If you like the spring water, we can have lunch there. Set up a low table by the hot springs, warm up a pot of plum wine. What do you say?"
At these words, Bairei lifted his head. Hesitantly, he said quietly, "Then... when we soak in the hot springs later, Your Highness won't... do what you just did again..."
Qi Xiao laughed despite himself and nodded, smiling. "Alright."