Chapter 98
After their intimate moment, they slept soundly through the night. When dawn broke the next morning, Qi Xiao was already awake. He lifted the bed curtain and glanced at the water clock outside, then quietly sat up.
"Your Highness..." Bai Ren opened his eyes drowsily. "Do you have court today?"
Qi Xiao sat back on the bed, leaning down to affectionately kiss Bai Ren's forehead, and whispered: "Sleep a while longer. I'll come back at noon and have lunch with you."
Bai Ren rubbed his eyes, glanced outside too, and got up saying: "No more sleeping, it's already late. Call them in to help you wash up. You should eat something and change your clothes properly."
A sharp pain tugged at Qi Xiao's heart. In the past, Bai Ren wouldn't have woken from such small movements, and even if occasionally disturbed, Qi Xiao could simply coax him back to sleep. But now...
Could someone's daily habits really shift so drastically in just half a year?
Bai Ren remained oblivious to Qi Xiao's thoughts. He tied up his own hair, knelt up, and pulled clothes from the small table beside the couch to help Qi Xiao dress. Qi Xiao gently pressed him back down onto the bed, whispering: "It's cold in the early morning, don't get up yet."
"What's the point of lying down when I'm already awake?" Bai Ren smiled.
"Rest." Qi Xiao fastened his own clothes, smiling tenderly. "Sleep a little more. Today at noon you won't have time for an afternoon nap."
Bai Ren blinked. "Is there something going on?"
"Your aunt wants to visit the He family after lunch. She needs to tell Roujia about Kang Tai's matter. She asked me before if I wanted to go, and I thought you might be worried about your sister, so I agreed." Qi Xiao ruffled Bai Ren's hair. "You can come with me. No need for a full disguise—just have someone make small changes to your appearance. I'll bring extra people, so no one will notice you. You can see your sister and the baby. How does that sound?"
Bai Ren hesitated, then shook his head with a smile. "Forget it. As long as I know she's alright and my nephew is fine, that's enough. Why put everyone through all that trouble? The last time Roujia didn't recognize me because she was still in her confinement month. Now she's recovered and alert—she might recognize me. And then there's Princess Dunzu. Her eyes are sharp. She's not easy to fool."
Qi Xiao sighed softly. "You don't need to be so careful for my sake. You think I'm afraid of them?"
"You certainly aren't afraid." Bai Ren smiled, getting up to smooth Qi Xiao's hair. He whispered, "But there's no need... Right now it's better to stay low-profile. Me being here is already bringing trouble to you. How could I cause more problems? It's not like this is goodbye forever. Why take the risk?"
Bai Ren's eyes sparkled with warmth. "When the great cause succeeds, there will be time to meet again. Your Highness surely won't leave me waiting endlessly."
Qi Xiao felt a warmth spread through his chest. He leaned down and softly pressed his lips to Bai Ren's, then massaged his waist. "Later, have them prepare a bath for you. Add plenty of circulation-boosting and fatigue-relieving herbs to the hot spring."
Bai Ren nodded and lay back down.
In the sleeping quarters of Chengqian Palace, the Emperor's cheeks were flushed, and he leaned against a large bolster, breathing heavily. Fuhailu carefully soothed him, continuously whispering words of comfort: "What kind of person is the Second Prince? Others may not know, but Your Majesty surely does. How could he truly defy Your Majesty? He simply lacks eloquence. Look at the Crown Prince—he doesn't make a single slip of the tongue, but what does that matter? Does that make him more filial than the Second Prince?"
The Emperor's anger continued to burn. He slapped the bed in fury and shouted: "I've only been bedridden for a few days, and he's already getting impatient! Lately he's been dropping hints about seeking official duties. He claims he wants to share my burdens, but does he think I've really lost my mind from illness?! He thinks I can't hold on any longer, so he's desperately trying to seize power!"
Fuhailu inwardly groaned with distress. Earlier, when Qi Hua came to pay respects, the conversation turned to this year's salt monopoly—there was a position that needed filling. Qi Hua merely offered that he was willing to go gain some experience, which shouldn't have been a problem. But the Emperor immediately flew into a rage, flinging the medicinal soup in Qi Hua's face and severely berating him before everyone present. Qi Hua lost all dignity and departed in complete humiliation.
Since falling ill, the Emperor's temperament had changed dramatically. Fuhailu no longer dared to counsel him too forcefully, so he chose only pleasant words: "Your Majesty jokes again. What do you mean, can't hold on? These past two days Your Majesty's illness has improved greatly. As the weather grows warmer, recovery comes more easily. In a few more days, You'll be much better."
Speaking of this only made the Emperor more agitated. He frowned and said: "This illness drags on without getting properly better. Just have Physician Liu increase the dosage so I can recover faster."
"Oh, that absolutely won't do!" Fuhailu quickly stopped him. "Illnesses aren't treated that way. Your Majesty... I dare speak bluntly—Physician Liu said from the start that recovery is thirty percent medicine and seventy percent rest. You must control your temper, as it truly does no good for your condition. That's why the illness hasn't been根治ed. Your Majesty must try to be less angry. Not for anyone else's sake, but for Your own health—try to avoid a few more fits of rage."
The Emperor waved his hand impatiently: "You want me to have less anger? Then they need to stop deliberately provoking me... Where's the Crown Prince? Why didn't he come today?"
"There's too much state affairs at the front court. The Crown Prince couldn't get away." Fuhailu shook his head inwardly. Qi Xiao wasn't foolish—he knew the Emperor's temper was volatile and wouldn't throw himself into danger. Fortunately, he normally didn't come often for greetings, so no one criticized him. It was the other princes who suffered. They'd been playing the dutiful son role for so long, coming several times a day for morning and evening greetings. Moments like just now were practically daily occurrences. Even the most smooth-tongued Third Prince was often scolded by the Emperor!
Fuhailu carefully blew the newly brewed medicine cool and fed the Emperor spoonful by spoonful, whispering: "Your Majesty, I dare say more—if You gave the Second Prince some duties, it would be better than letting that one monopolize all the power at the front."
The Emperor paused. After a long while, he said: "You really think I've lost my mind from illness?"
Fuhailu hastily set down the medicine bowl and knelt to apologize: "I wouldn't dare."
"Rise... you think I would really punish you? I'm not confused... Right now my strength is lacking, so I've had no choice but to delegate state affairs to Qi Xiao. This is nothing—he can at most win people's hearts and place some of his own people in key positions. That's about it. As long as I recover, I can immediately take back all the power. Whatever changes he made, I'll change them right back. But if I let Qi Hua get involved..." The Emperor sneered. "You think Qi Hua could stand against Qi Xiao? Qi Xiao could trip him up with the slightest scheme and make him unable to recover. If things truly escalated, it would only create more trouble. That's why I've consistently forbidden him from getting too involved—to keep him from falling into Qi Xiao's trap. But this fool, this fool... *cough*..."
The Emperor started coughing again mid-sentence. Fuhailu quickly brought over some soothing throat tea. The Emperor drank it in one gulp but continued coughing for a long while before stopping. His face had turned purple from the strain, and his chest wheezed like a bellows—it was frightening. Fuhailu gently patted his back, shaking his head and sighing: "The hearts of parents under heaven are to be pitied... Your Majesty's concern for the Second Prince is truly rare."
The Emperor coughed twice more, then冷笑道: "Rare? Ha... ha ha... Perhaps only you think so. Now I've shown a bit more favor to Consort Xue and her son, and he glares at the Third Prince with such disgust. To me, he maintains surface-level respect, but who knows what resentments he harbors in his heart."
"Oh no, oh no, Your Majesty worries too much." Fuhailu continued to console with a smile. "Your Majesty, isn't it the same on your end? You harbor secret anger at the Second Prince, but暗中 you're still planning for him. Father-son bonds are natural. The Second Prince is the same—perhaps he's jealous that You favor the Third Prince, but in his heart... his filial devotion to You remains unchanged."
The Emperor苦笑: "Let's hope so..."
The Emperor suddenly remembered something and asked: "By the way, I heard Qi Xiao was also ill half a month ago. Every day after court he returns to his mansion, and all documents are reviewed at his residence. Is this true? What illness does he have?"
Fuhailu frowned and lowered his voice: "This servant has heard as well. Nothing can be determined from the Imperial Medical Office... The Crown Prince's pulse is always taken by his own trusted people. Who knows what's real or fake in those records? Even if we asked, we couldn't find out. At Crown Prince's mansion... it's been too cold, so the Crown Prince rarely stays outside. He's always in the inner courtyard. Huo Rong can't get information about what happens inside. Your Majesty knows how it is—everyone serving the Crown Prince keeps their mouths shut like gourds with sawn-off ends. They can't be pried open. All this servant heard was... the previous illness seemed to be from overwork. Physical exhaustion, mental strain, depleting his body. I hear the Crown Prince's mansion is now going to great lengths to nourish him. The kitchen is constantly preparing all sorts of restorative foods."
The Emperor冷笑: "Hmph... I can't attend to state affairs, and he's probably overjoyed and overextended from worrying too much."
Fuhailu smiled: "Perhaps."
"Tell Huo Rong to watch more closely." The Emperor had been talking for a long time and was exhausted. He lay down and murmured quietly: "While I'm ill, at this critical time, don't let him cause any trouble."
Fuhailu moved forward to tuck in the Emperor's blanket and nodded: "Yes."
The Emperor was getting drowsy. He murmured quietly: "And Qi Hua... have someone watch him too. Don't let him... fall into someone else's trap..."
"What?" Fuhailu leaned closer. "What did Your Majesty just say?"
The Emperor closed his eyes and had already fallen asleep.
Around the hour of Wei, the sky darkened outside. Before long, snow began to fall again. Since Bai Ren wasn't going to the He residence, Qi Xiao couldn't be bothered to go either. He used the bad weather as an excuse and sent word to Princess Dunzu.
Outside, snow swirled furiously. But inside the warm pavilion of the Crown Prince's mansion, it was warm as spring. Qi Xiao and Bai Ren nestled together on a wooden couch bed. The bed was piled with many soft cushions. Qi Xiao leaned against the headboard, holding Bai Ren in his arms. Bai Ren cradled a silver engraved small hot-water bottle. They were covered with a thick, warm camel wool patterned blanket—utterly comfortable.
Bai Ren had eaten quite a bit at lunch and was feeling sleepy now. He leaned against Qi Xiao's chest, chatting idly. Meanwhile, Qi Xiao held him with one arm while reading documents with the other—multitasking without missing a beat.
Bai Ren's eyes were growing heavy. Qi Xiao set the documents aside, pulled him close, and smiled: "If you're sleepy, just sleep. Why are you acting like a child, making a fuss about nap time? Do you want me to rock you to sleep?"
Bai Ren kept his eyes closed but smiled. He whispered: "Then rock me."
Qi Xiao laughed, took the small hot-water bottle from Bai Ren's chest, and felt his warmly heated belly. He murmured: "Don't hold this while sleeping. You'll bruise yourself later."
Bai Ren half-closed his eyes and nodded, burrowing closer into Qi Xiao's embrace. Qi Xiao felt deeply touched. At least this habit hadn't changed... When they're alone, he still likes to act spoiled with me.
"Oh right..." Bai Ren suddenly opened his eyes, suddenly energized. He stared fixedly at Qi Xiao. "I just remembered something... That maid, the one who looks like me—has she been married off yet?"
Qi Xiao was startled, then broke into laughter: "Not yet. What's the hurry?"
Bai Ren was now fully awake. He was planning to return to Lingnan next month. How could he rest easy while that woman was still here?
Qi Xiao saw Bai Ren's look of extreme vigilance and immediately understood, but couldn't resist teasing him. He shook his head and smiled: "She's technically one of my senior maids—given to me by His Majesty. How could she be married off so easily? Besides, she served me all this time. Though nothing happened between us, I should show some master-servant loyalty and help prepare her dowry properly."
The Lord of Lingnan raised his guard and said: "No trouble. I'll prepare it for her."
Qi Xiao shook his head again: "But we still need to pick an auspicious day..."
Bai Ren's little brow furrowed. Qi Xiao burst out laughing and kissed Bai Ren's forehead. "Fine, fine... I'll marry her off soon. How's that?"
Bai Ren was indignant. Qi Xiao laughed and flipped him over, whispering soothingly: "Alright, alright. Your husband was just teasing you. Let me taste... is your mouth full of vinegar?"
Qi Xiao held Bai Ren lovingly and kissed him. His hand was being naughty, and outside, Jiang Deqing knocked on the door frame. "Your Highness, Your Highness..."
Qi Xiao had no intention of responding. His hand slid lower and lower, stroking Bai Ren's buttocks and gently kneading them. Bai Ren's face was flushed red, and he urgently begged: "Don't... they'll hear outside."
Qi Xiao gripped his arm tightly, smiling and whispering: "You just stay quiet. They definitely can't hear..." As he spoke, Qi Xiao's hand found somewhere it shouldn't have been. A sweet, soft moan escaped from Bai Ren's throat. Qi Xiao growled with laughter: "Are you deliberately provoking me?"
"Your Highness... Your Highness!"
Jiang Deqing's voice grew louder and louder. Bai Ren拼命 gripped his own pants, quietly begging for mercy: "Your Highness, please don't fool around... What if something important happened?"
Qi Xiao had no choice but to let go. He straightened his clothes and said: "Come in."
Jiang Deqing knew he'd probably interrupted something good. Sweat beaded on his forehead. He bowed first to apologize before saying: "Your Highness, from the palace... the Second Prince has had an accident..."