# Chapter 95
Although it was their first time, Qi Xiao considered himself to have been gentle. He had even cleaned and applied medicine afterward, yet the next day Bai Ren still developed a fever.
Bai Ren was afraid of causing trouble if word got out, so he kept pulling at Qi Xiao, refusing to let him summon the imperial physician. But Qi Xiao paid him no mind—the moment he saw the state of things that morning, he sent someone to call for the doctor. Bai Ren's face flushed red with anxiety, lowering his voice urgently: "What if he goes around spreading rumors..."
"Spreading what?" Qi Xiao pressed him back onto the couch, murmuring, "We'll just keep the bed curtains drawn, only exposing one hand. How would anyone know it's you? Besides, the person I summoned won't cause any problems."
How could he possibly trust anyone but his own loyal subordinates to treat Bai Ren?
Bai Ren grew even more uneasy upon hearing this, his eyes widening: "Your Highness! Is the man blind? Whose hand looks like a woman's? And the moment he takes your pulse, won't he know everything?"
Qi Xiao snorted with amusement: "Would it be so strange for there to be a boy in my quarters?"
Upon hearing this, the Prince of Lingnan immediately narrowed his eyes, lowering his voice: "This wouldn't be strange?"
Qi Xiao realized his misstep, softening with a smile: "Forget it. I haven't even interrogated you yet, and here you are questioning me. As for whether my quarters are 'clean' or not, you can ask Jiang Deqing yourself."
Bai Ren naturally believed Qi Xiao wouldn't have been unfaithful these past six months, but he couldn't help feeling a pang of jealousy, retorting instinctively: "If there were something, would Lord Jiang tell me the truth?"
Qi Xiao laughed helplessly: "Then what would you have me do to prove myself? Fine, I'll just tell you outright..."
Bai Ren's internal alarm bells blared: "There really is something?"
Qi Xiao sighed, picking up a warm cloth to gently wipe Bai Ren's face, whispering coaxingly: "Do you remember when we went to the estate that time, and after we came back... the emperor found out about the red marks on your hand?"
Bai Ren nodded. Qi Xiao continued softly: "After that, to test me, the Emperor sent me a maid—one whose features bore a slight resemblance to yours. Do you remember?"
Bai Ren frowned: "You..."
"I didn't do a thing." Qi Xiao lowered his gaze, a self-deprecating smile on his lips. "But when I missed you so terribly I couldn't bear it... I'd have them bring her in, just to look at her. I'd give her a few bolts of silk fabric, some jewelry pieces. I never even spoke a word to her. Each time, I'd only let her stand outside... far away. Only from a distance would she look like you."
Walls have ears. Since Bai Ren had been staying here with him, there was always the chance he might find out about this matter eventually, which would only create more trouble. Better to be honest about it. Afraid that Bai Ren might feel disgusted, Qi Xiao added: "If this upsets you, I'll find her a good family and marry her off far away. Would that be acceptable?"
Thinking of how much Qi Xiao must have suffered, pining for him, how could Bai Ren possibly stay angry? After a pause, he said quietly: "Very well. She... she's just a girl, used as a chess piece merely because of her looks. She's pitiful too. Give her a generous dowry."
Qi Xiao smiled faintly: "It's not unusual for the Crown Prince's residence to have girls married off. As long as they were obedient and modest beforehand, I never treated them poorly."
As for those who caused trouble... they would naturally find their proper places.
Bai Ren nodded. Qi Xiao, amused by how Bai Ren had just interrogated him, deliberately cooled his expression: "For your sake, I haven't even visited this bedchamber in half a year, sleeping in the study every night. Yet you have the nerve to question me. Now that I've confessed and admitted my guilt, it's your turn to confess. These past six months, has Cen Chaoge ever approached you? Has he said anything to you unrelated to matters of state?"
If there was one thing Qi Xiao regretted over these six months, it was not having been thorough enough back then, showing mercy and leaving Cen Chaoge alive. At first, Qi Xiao had only thought he was accumulating merit for Bai Ren's sake, never imagining they would have a chance to meet again. To say Qi Xiao wasn't worried at all these past six months would be a lie. Bai Ren held him in his heart, so naturally he wouldn't respond to Cen Chaoge. But what about Cen Chaoge himself? Seeing his former childhood sweetheart, now the Prince of Lingnan, would he not harbor other intentions? Even setting aside their old feelings, considering his current prospects, Cen Chaoge would surely make some move. If anyone claimed the man had no ulterior motives, Qi Xiao would never believe it.
Bai Ren was stunned upon hearing this. Qi Xiao's expression turned cold—clearly there was indeed something.
Bai Ren felt a twinge of guilt. In truth, when he had just returned at the beginning, the two of them had hardly seen each other. Everyone was busy with countless matters, not even having time to eat—who would have the leisure for anything else? But after a few months, when all the departments had settled into their routines and people finally had some breathing room, Cen Chaoge truly had entertained other intentions.
Bai Ren remembered how at that time Cen Chaoge had first sought out some old keepsakes from their shared past—things like the calligraphy fan Bai Ren had written for him, the扳指 and jade pieces Cen Chaoge had given Bai Ren. They were trivial objects, but each one carried some "significance." Bai Ren had mostly forgotten these things, yet whenever he glimpsed them, he couldn't help but pause. Each time this happened, Cen Chaoge would feel smugly pleased inside, while on the surface affecting an expression of heartfelt pain and sorrow. One evening, Cen Chaoge actually wrote a love letter in his own hand. On paper dyed with peach blossom color, just two lines... *On the Double Ninth, at the Palace of Eternal Life, when no one was about, we whispered secrets in the night.*
Taking advantage of a moment when no one was watching, Cen Chaoge secretly placed the letter on Bai Ren's desk. He had written with deep feeling, and when Bai Ren read it, he truly was moved and melancholy—unfortunately, not for Cen Chaoge's sake.
It just so happened that that very night, Bai Ren had stayed up unable to sleep from missing Qi Xiao, feeling miserable. The next day he was mentally and physically exhausted, forcing himself to work through affairs of state. But Cen Chaoge, the talented scholar, misinterpreted the situation entirely. Thinking Bai Ren's condition was due to reminiscing about old times, his confidence soared. That very evening, he came to Bai Ren directly.
Bai Ren had been up late reviewing documents and had dozed off. Seeing Cen Chaoge arrive, he suspected nothing unusual, assuming there must be some administrative matter. But after dismissing the servants, Cen Chaoge actually assumed an expression of tender affection, eyes brimming with emotion. He reached out and took Bai Ren's hand, lamenting in a drawn-out, theatrical manner: "How could you have grown so thin? How could my heart bear it? Seeing you like this, I would truly be better off dead!"
Having grown accustomed to Qi Xiao's affectionate words—gentle yet commanding, assertive yet doting—suddenly subjected to this theatrical, melodramatic tripe, Bai Ren felt a chill creeping into his very bones. Unfortunately, Cen Chaoge mistook Bai Ren's discomfort for speechless emotion. He continued passionately: "Bai Ren, people say that matters of marriage are all predestined by the Old Man in the Moon. Like you and me—after all this wandering, in the end we can't do without each other. When the chaos happened that day, I knew it was heaven's will! He couldn't bear to watch the Crown Prince tear apart lovers, couldn't bear to see my devotion repaid with betrayal. That's why everything afterward happened. You can rest assured—in the future... neither of us will leave the other."
Bai Ren thought of the letter from the previous night and was speechless for a long moment. He only replied: "Get out of my sight."
When Qi Xiao's face grew cold, he was truly terrifying. Bai Ren couldn't hold up and confessed everything. At the end, he explained quietly: "After that, he caused trouble a few more times, but I never paid him any attention. Eventually I gave him a minor post and assigned him far away. Don't make things difficult for him... Lord Wen, the former Prime Minister, died heroically that day, delivering the great seal out for me. That kindness I can never repay. All I can do is repay it to his son. And... after all, Chaoge never committed any great crimes. He simply grew too accustomed to an easy life and couldn't endure hardship. After Lord Wen passed, his temperament changed even more—every day lost in melancholy. He's pitiable too."
Qi Xiao raised an eyebrow, his expression cold: "He's pitiable? By that logic, shouldn't you and I just go die? His father died for righteousness, and you even avenged him. Now you've given him this honor. What more does he want?"
Bai Ren said bitterly: "You know his temperament as well as I do. What can be done? After I reprimanded him a few times, he didn't dare cause further trouble. Besides..." Bai Ren, afraid Qi Xiao would continue pressing the matter, murmured: "I haven't even mentioned how you colluded with Xi Xiang to set a trap for me back then, yet here you are interrogating me."
Qi Xiao was momentarily speechless. After a pause, he said awkwardly: "Fine. The old Prime Minister only has this one son. I'm not an unreasonable person."
Bai Ren couldn't help but laugh. Quietly he said: "What happened before... let's just forget it. Don't blame me for having once admired someone else, and I won't blame you for your various schemes. In the end... never mind. Let's not speak of it."
Everything was understood without words.
Though Bai Ren said this, Qi Xiao understood in his heart that he was the one who had wronged Bai Ren.
"You're ill. I shouldn't have made you talk this much." Qi Xiao poured Bai Ren a cup of clear tea and carefully fed it to him, asking softly, "Does it still hurt down there? Should we apply more medicine?"
It certainly still hurt, but he had just applied medicine that morning, and Bai Ren was too tired to go through the trouble again. He shook his head: "No. Let's see what the imperial physician says first."
Qi Xiao nodded, then turned toward the outside and said sharply: "Go check! Did the person sent to fetch the imperial physician die on the road?! The patient is right here—how can they delay like this?"
The chief maid waiting outside hurried out to look. Soon she returned with the physician in tow. True to his word, Qi Xiao had the bed curtains all drawn. The imperial physician, upon seeing a man's hand, was secretly surprised at first, but once his fingers touched the pulse, he understood. Having served as an imperial physician for half a lifetime, what hadn't he seen, what illness hadn't he encountered? The physician remained impassive. After some time, he withdrew and spoke at length with Qi Xiao, asking him several questions. Qi Xiao answered honestly. The physician smiled with understanding and said quietly: "The Crown Prince is at an age of prime vitality—passions run strong. That's perfectly normal. However, the young master inside appears quite young and may have difficulty bearing such... intensity. But that's nothing serious. After a few times, things should improve. However..."
The physician considered: "Logically speaking, this shouldn't be the case. But... judging from this young master's pulse, he's someone who carries heavy burdens on his mind. Moreover, he appears to have been overworked, showing signs of qi and blood deficiency. Compared to the external injury down there, this is actually the more serious condition."
Qi Xiao ground his teeth. Reduced to skin and bones like that—how could his qi and blood possibly be sufficient? He frowned: "Is it treatable?"
The physician nodded: "For a young person, as long as the spirits are lifted, meals improve, and some nourishing supplements are taken, he will recover gradually. There's just one important point—never seek quick results. Things like ginseng are absolutely forbidden. His body is too weak to bear it; using such potent remedies would only cause harm."
Qi Xiao nodded: "Go write the prescription."
The physician agreed. Just as he was about to leave, Qi Xiao suddenly said: "I seem to have forgotten something. Physician, what illness did you just say I have?"
The physician was startled, then immediately bowed: "The Crown Prince has no illness whatsoever. He's merely been overworked these past few days, and likely didn't sleep well last night, causing the morning headache. This is a common ailment. Two doses of calming medicine and proper rest will suffice."
Qi Xiao smiled with satisfaction: "As for the medical records filed in the Imperial Physician's Archive, I'll trouble you to handle that."
The physician nodded: "I wouldn't dare."
Qi Xiao turned his head: "Jiang Deqing, give the physician a generous travel fee."
Jiang Deqing lowered his gaze: "Yes."
In the warm inner chamber, after feeding Bai Ren his medicine, Qi Xiao also climbed onto the couch. He let Bai Ren lie on his chest, taking care that nothing would press against the affected area. Bai Ren felt much more comfortable. His face slightly flushed, he said quietly: "You won't leave?"
Qi Xiao smiled faintly: "I just reported being ill. I can't very well leave now."
Bai Ren raised his head to look at Qi Xiao, then understood and smiled. Qi Xiao gently stroked Bai Ren's back, murmuring: "Did you hear what the physician said earlier? From now on, whatever I tell you to eat, you eat. Get yourself back in shape quickly. Being thin is one thing, but to actually develop qi and blood deficiency—except for those who spend their days patronizing actors and pretty boys, I've never heard of a young master getting this condition!"
Bai Ren, knowing he was in the wrong, flatteringly whispered: "Now that I'm back, I'll definitely recover..."
Qi Xiao's heart warmed. He lowered his head and kissed Bai Ren's forehead, saying softly: "Of course. Take good care of yourself. We have an entire lifetime ahead of us..."
Bai Ren's heart swelled with sweetness. Unconsciously, he whimpered in a coquettish manner: "My whole body aches... and I'm so sleepy. Was there opium in that medicine?"
Qi Xiao laughed softly: "You only slept a few hours last night—of course you're tired. Sleep. I'll hold you. Is that better? Does your waist still ache?"
Qi Xiao's warm palm gently massaged Bai Ren's lower back. Sure enough, Bai Ren felt much more comfortable. Before long, he had fallen asleep...