# Chapter 97
"To become someone's concubine?" Princess Dunsu laughed. She never expected Kang Tai to be so discerning, shaking her head as she said, "In the end... she still hasn't given up."
Qi Xiao lowered his gaze and didn't respond. Princess Dunsu let out a mocking laugh. "I arranged her marriage, you know, actually hoping the Prince of Lingnan would come to the capital for the wedding. But if Kang Tai becomes someone's concubine, that wouldn't be a proper marriage at all—the Prince of Lingnan wouldn't even have an excuse to come."
Qi Xiao coughed, setting down his teacup. "No matter. If he can't come, so be it. Someday... we'll see each other every day."
Princess Dunsu smiled. "That's an interesting way to put it. How could a prince with a fiefdom see you every day?"
Qi Xiao smiled faintly. "I have my ways."
Princess Dunsu couldn't be bothered to worry about something so far off. She shook her head. "Very well, tomorrow I'll send someone to your uncle-in-law's cousin's house to speak with her... If it works out, there's no need for fanfare—just a small sedan chair carrying her into the manor will do. Better to avoid making a spectacle of it. Hmph... Last year when Kang Tai came to the capital, she had a secret meeting with Qi Hua in the palace, causing quite a stir. The people in the imperial city haven't forgotten. Her family probably wouldn't want to arrange anything either. If someone asks, it'll be trouble."
Qi Xiao shook his head with a smile. "I heard that after Bai Ren took the throne, Kang Tai made a scene. She pestered the Imperial Consort to submit a petition to Empress Feng on her behalf, hoping to use that old affair to get Qi Hua to take her as a secondary consort..."
Princess Dunsu fell silent. "Has she gone mad? Back then, Empress Feng's interest in her was just a way to climb the ladder. Now? Hah, forget secondary consort—she wouldn't even take her as an ordinary concubine. Why bring trouble on herself? Empress Feng is also brainless... I hear that recently, since the emperor's health has declined, she's been pushing Qi Hua day and night to attend to him. That useless Qi Hua now flinches at the sight of the emperor like a mouse seeing a cat. Would he ever go? But Empress Feng insists on forcing him, practically dragging him there. The moment he sees the emperor, he can't string two words together. And there's always Imperial Consort Xue hovering nearby, occasionally letting slip a few unpleasant remarks. Empress Feng would abandon her son and get into a verbal sparring match with Imperial Consort Xue instead, making things unbearably awkward for everyone in the Qianqing Palace. The emperor's head aches, and his illness only worsens."
Qi Xiao chuckled softly. "Imperial Consort Xue... The Xue family has been far too conspicuous these past six months."
"How could they not be?" Princess Dunsu set down her teacup, smoothing her black satin robe embroidered with gold. "Although the emperor once favored Imperial Consort Xue, he always remained cold toward Qi Ji. But in the past year or two, he's suddenly taken an interest in Qi Ji, while the Feng family has only grown more incompetent. With this shift in fortune, the Xue family's ambitions naturally stirred."
Princess Dunsu picked up a tribute orange from the table and began peeling it slowly, her smile one of disdain. "All of them, oblivious to their own mortality... Do they really think they can inherit the throne? Dream on."
Princess Dunsu handed the peeled orange to Qi Xiao. He broke off a segment and placed it in his mouth, deep in thought.
In the Yonghua Palace, Imperial Consort Xue had just removed her hairpins when a palace attendant announced the arrival of the Third Prince. She straightened her clothes and went out to receive him. Qi Ji smiled and bowed. "You summoned me, Mother?"
Imperial Consort Xue smiled and pulled her son to his feet. "You've been working so hard these past few days. I made you a pot of nourishing soup. Did you tell your father you were coming?"
Qi Ji smiled. "I did. I told him you had instructions for me, so I came."
Imperial Consort Xue asked further, "When you left, was there anyone else in the room?"
Qi Ji understood and smiled. "Mother, rest assured. I'm not foolish. I waited until Second Brother left before coming."
Imperial Consort Xue nodded with a smile, gently stroking her son's cheek as she whispered, "You've suffered, my child. Don't be sad. For the future, this bit of hardship is worth it."
A palace attendant brought in the soup. Imperial Consort Xue waved the others away, ladling the broth slowly while speaking in a low voice. "There's something else I need to tell you today."
Qi Ji looked up. "What is it?"
Imperial Consort Xue lowered her voice. "Don't be alarmed by what I'm about to say... Yesterday, after I gave the emperor his medicine, I asked Chief Physician Liu to stay a while longer. I pretended to inquire about what soups would be good for his illness. He thought I was only asking about diet, so he let his guard down and told me quite a lot. Afterward, I had someone transcribe everything he said, word for word, and sent it to your grandfather. Your grandfather consulted a reliable physician outside the palace, who said..."
Qi Ji's eyes widened. Instinctively lowering his voice, he asked, "What did he say?"
Imperial Consort Xue's fair brow furrowed. She whispered, "The physician said that if treated according to that method, the illness would inevitably become consumption."
Qi Ji went pale with shock. He blurted out, "But Empress Feng said it wasn't!"
"Silly child!" Imperial Consort Xue spoke with frustration at his naivety. "You believed what that poisonous woman said? Back then, when you had a high fever that wouldn't break, I begged Empress Feng to summon imperial physicians. She called in six or seven of them, and every single one said you'd caught a cold. They fed you罐 after罐 of medicine, but nothing worked! By then you were already delirious. I thought you wouldn't survive. Fortunately, your father returned from the hunt and sent for another imperial physician—the very Liu who is now Chief Physician. After examining your pulse, he said nothing, but one dose of medicine saved your life! In private, I asked Chief Physician Liu what illness you actually had. He claimed it was still a cold, but I refused to believe him. I secretly sent someone to steal a packet of your medicinal residues from the Imperial Medical Bureau. Later, when I had it examined, I learned you actually had indigestion! All those cold remedies they gave you were heating medicines, and combined with the indigestion, it was like adding snow to ice. You nearly died that time! Fortunately, Chief Physician Liu had some medical ethics, which is why you survived."
This was something Imperial Consort Xue had never told Qi Ji before. His rage flared first, then understanding dawned, and a chill ran through him. He spoke hoarsely, "You're saying... Empress Feng knew Father had... was it..."
Imperial Consort Xue nodded, her voice hardening. "She can fool others, but not me. I've been sparring with her half my life—I know what she's thinking. No wonder. The symptoms were clear as day, yet she kept insisting it was merely a heat illness whenever people were around..."
Qi Ji想了想, puzzled. "That doesn't make sense... Back then, she was able to keep it secret because Father wasn't in the capital, and Mother, you had no influence. But now... Father lets her deceive him too?"
Imperial Consort Xue shook her head. "How could that be? Look at how sick your father is now, but his mind is still sharp. Whatever Empress Feng knows, your father knows too. Besides, Chief Physician Liu didn't dare tell the truth back then because he feared Empress Feng and didn't want trouble. But is your father like us? Chief Physician Liu certainly wouldn't dare hide anything from him. I suspect... both the emperor and empress know the truth. As for Qi Hua... he probably knows too."
"Then why doesn't Father tell us?" Qi Ji's brow furrowed tightly. "Why tell Empress Feng first? If Father wanted to keep it secret from others, shouldn't he have told you, Mother, and kept Empress Feng in the dark? Father clearly favors you most, Mother. How could he not share something so important with you?!"
At these words, Imperial Consort Xue gave a bitter smile, shaking her head. "Share something important? Why would he share with me? In the end... I'm just a concubine too." She looked at Qi Ji, her eyes filled with pity. "Only today did I understand—when it really matters, your father still trusts the empress more. They are the married couple, after all."
Over the past year, especially after entering the Ministry of Works, Qi Ji had been flattered senseless by everyone around him. Hearing these words, half his heart turned cold. He remained speechless for a long while. Imperial Consort Xue's heart ached for her son. She pulled him to sit beside her and whispered comfortingly, "Don't be sad, my dear. Your father has his reasons. He was in the prime of life when he suddenly fell ill. Of course he wouldn't let it become widely known. Your father isn't guarding against you. Compared to you... the Crown Prince is what your father truly worries about."
Qi Ji stared blankly. "Could it be... you want me to compete with Elder Brother? I... I don't dare!"
Imperial Consort Xue's anger flashed across her face, then softened as she coaxed him. "What nonsense are you saying? Your eldest brother is your father's concern to handle. But your second brother... that's something we must handle ourselves."
Qi Ji looked at his mother in confusion. Imperial Consort Xue gave a cold, quiet laugh. "No wonder. Recently, Empress Feng has been in such a rush, not letting you serve at the emperor's bedside for even a moment. I thought it was because the emperor's illness wasn't serious and would pass soon, so she was eager for her own son to gain favor. Only now do I understand—she knows everything. She doesn't dare let you stay long at the emperor's side. She's waiting for the emperor to pave the way for her son, so he can smoothly become emperor."
Imperial Consort Xue smiled coldly. "Unfortunately, she doesn't understand that the mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind. As long as Qi Hua is gone, even if the emperor favors the legitimate son, he'll have no choice but to choose you."
In the Crown Prince's residence, Qi Xiao and Bai Ren sat together on the bed, playing chess while wrapped in a thick velvet patterned blanket. On the small inlaid table besides the chessboard, there was also a pot of tea and several plates of delicate warm pastries. In early spring, the nights were still cold, and a nine-ring bronze three-legged incense burner sat beneath the bed, containing two pieces of mild, fine incense. The warmth filled the room with a sweet fragrance.
Qi Xiao sat behind Bai Ren, arms wrapped around him, but his eyes were on his own pieces. He had captured several of Bai Ren's white pieces, slowly picking them up as he spoke softly, "Suspicion breeds hidden demons. Imperial Consort Xue's family background is far superior to Empress Feng's back in the day. Yet because she entered the palace a few years later, she's fallen so far behind, and her own son has been reduced to a庶子 [son of a concubine]. She never says it, but she knows in her heart that she's at a disadvantage. And the emperor relied on Qi Hua for so many years—how could Imperial Consort Xue feel at ease? And so..."
Bai Ren laughed softly. "And so, the more she thought about it, the more convinced she became that the emperor and Empress Feng were conspiring against her. The factional struggle between them for over a decade wasn't pretend. She knows that once Qi Hua takes the throne, neither she nor her son will have a future. Now she fights, not for the throne, but for survival. So... she will definitely make a move."
Qi Xiao lowered his head and lovingly kissed Bai Ren's forehead. "The student learns well."
Bai Ren grasped the logic and began focusing on the chess game. He stared at the board in silence for a long moment. Qi Xiao didn't rush him, just continuing to kiss and touch him. Bai Ren, ticklish, shrank his neck as he laughed, "Your Highness, don't..."
"Who's causing trouble?" Qi Xiao gently stroked the delicate skin at Bai Ren's neck, smiling. "Can't beat me now, so you're going to accuse me of causing trouble?"
Bai Ren dodged while staring intently at the chessboard. After a long moment, he suddenly threw down his pieces, losing his temper. "It's not like we're gambling houses or land here! Why must you be so competitive?! Just let me win!"
Qi Xiao curved his lips into a smile. "If you want to win, I can lose for you forever. But this round—we need to settle things properly. You promised, remember? If you lose today, you have to do as I say..."
Recalling their earlier wager, Bai Ren's face flushed red. He muttered resentfully, "A fine person you are, with nothing better to do, always thinking of such improper things..."
Qi Xiao laughed lightly. "Prince of Lingnan... with you, Your Highness truly cannot be proper."
Bai Ren stewed in silence. Ever since that day when, in a moment of confusion, he'd endured the shame and let Qi Xiao have his way with him in the study, Qi Xiao hadn't stopped. Normal methods weren't enough—he was always devising new ways to tease him. And the problem was, Bai Ren had no will whatsoever against Qi Xiao. Whatever Qi Xiao said, he couldn't help but obey. He always let Qi Xiao coax and trick him into compliance. Today, Qi Xiao had thought up something new. After whispering about it in Bai Ren's ear, Bai Ren immediately flushed crimson and shook his head repeatedly. So Qi Xiao came up with this—chess to determine the winner.
Bai Ren wanted to protest, but looking at the board of black pieces, he could only苦着脸 [pull a long face] and say nothing. Qi Xiao swept his hand across the chessboard. The jade pieces scattered onto the carpet below, rolling everywhere. Qi Xiao smiled. "Save that energy for later. Your lord will teach you properly—I'll guarantee you'll have no equal. But for now, let's first collect the wager and tuition fee..."