# Chapter 90
After seeing off Princess Dunsu, Empress Feng noticed the emperor's displeasure and, not wanting to touch a nerve, made an excuse about having business and took her leave. The emperor sat on the kang reading memorials, but the anger in his heart simply would not subside. Finally, with one violent sweep of his arm, he knocked the small kang table to the floor. Tea cups shattered into fragments, and the memorials were soaked through.
Fu Hailu had been standing guard outside the pavilion. Hearing the commotion, he hurried in, repeatedly soothing, "Your Majesty, please don't hold back your anger. Your dragon body is of the utmost importance..."
The emperor roared with fury: "What can I do even if I'm angry? Dunsu has already beaten Qi Xiao until he can't get out of bed. Should I go beat him again? What will the world think of me? What will they think of me?!"
Fu Hailu sighed repeatedly: "The Princess... ah... this servant knows Your Majesty feels wronged, but the Princess is unlike any other. She has justification for her actions, and Your Majesty has no choice but to endure."
"Endure, endure, endure! From the moment I was born, all I've done is endure!" The emperor struck the armrest beside the kang as he shouted in rage. "First I had to endure Brother. We were both raised in the Empress's palace, yet because he was the legitimate son, everyone orbited around him. Everyone thought he was the best! Then I had to endure Dunsu! Just because her title also carries the word 'legitimate'! So the entire imperial clan respects her! Even I, the emperor, must give way to her! And now? Now that little beast Qi Xiao has grown up, I have to start enduring him too!! He committed such a grave offense, and I haven't even done anything yet, but the imperial clan is scrambling to speak on his behalf. Could it really be because he's actually more capable than others?"
The emperor hurled the armrest to the ground as well, bellowing: "It's only because they know he's Brother's child! He's Brother's legitimate son! He's the legitimate son of a legitimate son! That's why he's noble. That's why everyone tiptoes around him, terrified he might suffer even a scratch!"
The emperor had always prided himself on self-control, never having lost his temper like this. Everyone in the hall was terrified. Fu Hailu knew how deeply the emperor had been provoked—first having his military campaign denied, then being outmaneuvered by Princess Dunsu. Now, to add insult to injury, Bai Ren had won legitimately, openly, and honorably. Fu Hailu had seen the memorial Bai Ren had sent as well—written with such sincere words, nothing improper, nothing that could be criticized. There was simply no angle for the emperor to attack from.
The accumulated pressure had finally become too much for the emperor to bear.
Fu Hailu waved his hand to dismiss everyone from the hall. He then bent down himself to clean up the mess, slowly saying: "Your Majesty... you haven't endured for nothing. No matter what, the one sitting on the dragon throne is you."
Hearing this, the emperor's heart instantly felt much better, though he still couldn't let go of his resentment. He shook his head with a bitter smile: "I'm sitting on this dragon throne? So many people watching, scrutinizing. Don't even mention Qi Xiao—even my own sons are watching this chair of mine every single moment."
"Ah... Your Majesty worries too much." Fu Hailu chose words the emperor wanted to hear. "As for those old princes... ah, they're so distantly related. Could they truly care for the Crown Prince? Three parts genuine concern, seven parts joining the excitement."
The emperor coldly laughed: "You think about how Prince Chun looked just now... That definitely wasn't joining the excitement. He could barely speak clearly, yet he was still defending Qi Xiao in every word!"
Fu Hailu was stunned: "Then should we..."
"No." The emperor understood what Fu Hailu meant. He waved a hand coldly. "Harming imperial clan members is a grave taboo under any circumstances. Besides... he can only move his mouth now. He's seventy-seven. Who knows how many more years he has? No need for me to lift a finger—he'll go meet the Former Emperor before long."
Fu Hailu hastily lowered his head: "Yes."
"And the heir..." Fu Hailu carefully ventured, "what does Your Majesty intend?"
The emperor coldly laughed: "Intend? What can I intend? He's seized every ounce of righteousness—of country and family. And now he's even reported his own family for the greater good. If I punish him now, wouldn't that make me the villain?! Fu Hailu..."
Fu Hailu hastily bowed: "Here."
The emperor took a deep breath. After a long moment he said: "Order... the Ministry of Rites to prepare the investiture ceremony immediately. Have the Hanlin Academy draft an abdication decree. Send both to Lingnan."
Fu Hailu agreed and asked: "Then... what punishment should be given?"
The emperor waved wearily: "Double all his stipends. Go."
Fu Hailu sighed and left.
Qi Xiao leaned against the rosewood daybed, slowly stirring the bird's nest porridge in his hand, and quietly said: "He really flew into such a rage?"
Jiang Deqing nodded: "Absolutely true. The little kang table he broke had been used by Emperor Taizong himself. It can't be thrown away, so we had to send it to the Imperial Household Department for repairs. When Xi Xiang went over, he saw everything—the memorials scattered all over the floor."
Qi Xiao tasted a spoonful of porridge and said slowly: "The medicine is taking effect..."
Jiang Deqing's heart leaped with joy. Lowering his voice, he said: "Is it really the medicine's effect? The emperor was already angry today, so perhaps..."
Qi Xiao shook his head: "He's had worse rages. Like that time Qi Hua personally sent him a green hat to wear. The gossip spread everywhere inside and outside the palace, and he nearly went mad with fury. Did he ever cause such a scene?"
Jiang Deqing thought about it and nodded. Qi Xiao smiled faintly: "That medicine, from the very beginning, was designed to make one restless and irritable. Then, as the effects slowly seep into the lungs and spleen, the person's temperament becomes increasingly volatile, followed by coughing blood. To outsiders, it looks identical to consumption."
Qi Xiao slowly finished his porridge and said softly: "As for the Imperial Medical Academy, I've got that covered. As for Xi Xiang, I'll rely on you to watch over him."
Jiang Deqing hastily said: "Your Highness, rest assured. Xi Xiang has been consumed with guilt ever since that incident. If it weren't for the inconvenience, he would have come to kowtow and beg your forgiveness long ago. Your Highness... it's not that this old servant favors his own disciple, but that Cen Chaoge situation really wasn't Xi Xiang's fault. Back then, everyone thought he was gone forever. Who could have imagined... now that he has this chance to make amends, Xi Xiang treasures it deeply. He'll handle everything properly for Your Highness."
At the mention of past events, Qi Xiao paused. He set the porridge bowl aside and was silent for a long moment.
Jiang Deqing was startled and slapped his own face: "This old servant really has no filter..."
Qi Xiao shook his head with a smile: "It's fine. Do you expect us never to mention him again? Go on. What did the emperor say? Has the succession decree been issued?"
Jiang Deqing nodded: "Yes, it's been issued. Once the succession ceremony is complete, the heir will be the legitimate Prince of Lingnan."
Qi Xiao smiled: "So... he's to ascend first." As he spoke, the movement tugged at his injuries, and the pain made his face go pale. Jiang Deqing hastily tried to comfort him: "Your Highness mustn't grieve. Please, you must take care of yourself. If something were to happen to you—your injuries, this situation—if word of this reached Lingnan, who knows how heartbroken the heir would be. In the past, when you... when you merely sneezed, the heir would worry himself sick. And with an injury like this..."
Qi Xiao laughed softly: "Who knows how heartbroken he'd be? No—I know..." Qi Xiao gently pressed his hand against his chest and said quietly: "Just like this."
Jiang Deqing's eyes instantly reddened. He shook his head, his voice choked: "Don't say such things, Your Highness. During the day, when this old servant heard the heir had been injured, my heart ached terribly. When the heir was here with us, how honored and distinguished he was! Who could have imagined that this prince, worth thousands in gold, would have to... would have to go into battle against those brigands, and get hurt by those scoundrels. This servant... this servant doesn't even dare to think about it..." Jiang Deqing wiped his face and wept quietly: "In the end, he's only sixteen. He's only sixteen..."
Qi Xiao's heart ached beyond words, yet his expression remained as calm as ever. He turned to comfort Jiang Deqing, saying gently: "Uncle, there's no need for sorrow. Once I take the throne, Bai Ren can return."
Qi Xiao smiled with a cunning edge: "The medicine has already begun. This day next year... will be his death date."
"At that time..." Qi Xiao gripped the life-token at his waist so tightly it seemed as though he would crush the jade into his flesh. "At that time... I will settle these debts with him, one by one. He will repay them little by little. And as for Bai Ren... whatever suffering he endured, I will return it to him tenfold. The hardships of this past year, every last bit, I will repay in full!"