Chapter 115: Extra 2
"Your Highness... I really can't take any more..."
Bai Ren's eyes were red-rimmed, his voice thick with tears as he crawled further back onto the bed. Qi Xiao wrapped an arm around Bai Ren's waist and chuckled lightly, "What are you calling me?"
Qi Xiao had been on the throne for nearly half a year now, but Bai Ren still couldn't break the habit. He managed during ordinary times, but in the heat of the moment he'd still call Qi Xiao "Your Highness" like before. Once an official had overheard it and lodged a formal complaint against Bai Ren—though of course, with Qi Xiao around, the matter was quietly dropped.
Bai Ren hadn't even noticed his slip, too busy trying to escape and begging repeatedly, "I really can't... my waist is so sore..."
Qi Xiao leaned down and pressed a kiss to Bai Ren's ear, his low voice rumbling with amusement: "You called me the wrong thing again... Fine, just call me one name and I'll let you go tonight."
Bai Ren's tears had started falling, too overwhelmed to even process what Qi Xiao was saying. He just shook his head. Qi Xiao coaxed gently: "Good baby... just one word, and I'll carry you to bathe..."
Bai Ren's mind was a blur. He turned back迷茫ly to look at Qi Xiao. Qi Xiao dipped his head to kiss Bai Ren on the lips, soft voice turning哄: "Just one word..." From dinner until now, two hours had passed. Bai Ren couldn't take any more. With no choice, he whispered the word. Qi Xiao's eyes gleamed with satisfaction, then pressed further: "Say it again... Say 'darling, have mercy on me'..."
Bai Ren's face flushed crimson. Fearing Qi Xiao terribly, he buried his face in Qi Xiao's chest and obediently begged in a hoarse whisper: "Good darling... have mercy, have mercy on me..."
Qi Xiao closed his eyes, finally ending their intimate evening...
"What got into you tonight?" After their bath, Bai Ren's voice was still hoarse. He lay on the freshly changed bedding and muttered, "I still have to see Mr. Dong tomorrow..."
"Nothing. I just wanted to tease you." Qi Xiao slipped on his inner robe and climbed into bed, pulling Bai Ren into his arms as usual. "How was the Imperial Consort's journey?"
As he spoke, Qi Xiao gently massaged Bai Ren's lower back. Bai Ren's waist was already aching, and Qi Xiao's touch made it throb—but once the initial pain faded, it actually felt good. Bai Ren half-closed his eyes and nodded: "It was quite pleasant... His Majesty was thoughtful, sending two southern cooks. Lunch was made by them, and the Imperial Consort loved it."
Qi Xiao hummed indifferently. "Dong Boru has come to the capital too. Who's watching the south?"
Bai Ren frowned slightly. "I didn't want Mr. Dong to come at first, but he was worried about the Imperial Consort traveling to the capital alone. He said he was afraid something might go wrong on the road, and he wanted to discuss this year's autumn harvest matters with me. So he left the administrative affairs to my little uncle-in-law and a few of the elders. Fortunately, they're all reliable men. A month or two... should be fine."
Qi Xiao seemed lost in thought. After a long moment he said: "Bai Ren... I'm considering sending some frontier officials to the south. What do you think?"
Bai Ren was startled. If this had been during Qi Jing's reign, Bai Ren would have found every possible way to refuse. Lingnan was different from other fiefdoms—officials sent from the capital had always been restricted to the cities north of the southern frontier, unable to enter Lingdu even once in a season. But now...
Qi Xiao smiled gently: "Forget it if you'd rather not. I was just thinking out loud."
"No..." Bai Ren shook his head quickly. "Would I still be on guard against you? I was just wondering what brought this on suddenly. Did you hear something? Is someone in the south plotting something?"
Qi Xiao shook his head and kissed Bai Ren's forehead. "No. Just taking precautions. Even if you trust Dong Boru completely, you can't simply hand the entire south over to one outsider. Right now it's manageable, but as time goes on... if you and the Imperial Consort rarely return..."
"Sooner or later, trouble will come." Qi Xiao's hand grew even gentler, his voice slow: "Even if Dong Boru remains loyal till the end, what about the others? You trust them, but I don't trust a single one of them. You've only been in power a year—your foundation isn't stable yet. Rarely returning is already a hidden danger. With no one watching over things..."
Bai Ren had thought about these matters before. His plan was to keep the major power in Dong Boru's hands while slowly sending the direct heirs of the southern power holders to the capital. Two purposes: first, to accompany the future young heir, letting the children of officials build bonds with the heir from childhood; second, to put each other's minds at ease. Bai Ren was kind-hearted by nature, preferring such a gentle approach. But Qi Xiao saw things differently.
"If someone truly wants to rebel, it won't matter if their son is here—even if their whole family is here, it won't help." Qi Xiao had suffered from such situations before, so he never believed that family ties could truly constrain these bold, ruthless people. "There must be people holding them in check before anyone can rest easy."
Bai Ren pressed his lips together and said softly: "What is His Majesty thinking?"
Qi Xiao looked down at Bai Ren. "You'll choose the candidates yourself. They won't interfere with affairs in the fief—they'll only report conditions in the fief to the capital. Their memorials and those from Dong Boru's people won't overlap; they'll be sent to the capital in two separate streams. This way, each will have something to fear from the other. If we rotate them every two or three years, everyone can truly relax."
"There are still many smaller details to discuss, but that's the gist. What do you think?" Qi Xiao's lips curved into a smile. "Of course, to avoid any appearance of impropriety, once you've selected these people, they'll be assigned directly to the Lingnan Prince's residence. How you distribute them will be entirely your decision. The capital won't interfere from start to finish."
Bai Ren shook his head with a rueful smile: "There's no need. Can I not trust you?"
"You trust me, but Dong Boru and the others won't." Qi Xiao pinched Bai Ren's cheek playfully. "If I sent my own confidants over, they'd think I was plotting to weaken their fief. Circumstances being what they are—I don't want them cursing me behind my back."
Bai Ren understood the reasoning. The more he thought about it, the more grateful he felt—Qi Xiao had actually thought everything through so carefully for him. Bai Ren smiled and nestled into Qi Xiao's arms, whispering: "Thank Your Majesty for being so considerate."
"You're provoking me again..." Qi Xiao lowered his head and kissed Bai Ren's lips. "If it weren't for the fact that you actually have business tomorrow..."
"By the way, we haven't finished this topic yet." With the serious matters concluded, Bai Ren began to settle accounts. "Why did you have to make me suffer so much just now? Now I'm still hurting down there..."
Qi Xiao continued gently massaging Bai Ren's waist, but his voice cooled: "Nothing. I just heard some news today. They say that Cen from Lingnan hasn't stopped his wicked ambitions—he's still set on the Prince."
Bai Ren froze, bewildered: "You... you sent someone to eavesdrop on my residence?"
Qi Xiao answered with dignified righteousness: "Eavesdrop? The entire realm belongs to me. Who am I not allowed to listen to?!"
Bai Ren was rendered speechless. After a long moment he said hoarsely: "Could it be... what the Imperial Consort said?"
Qi Xiao snorted coldly. Bai Ren couldn't help but laugh: "With so many matters awaiting Your Majesty, so many memorials needing Your approval, you actually had time to listen in on what the womenfolk were chatting about..."
Qi Xiao's cold laughter grew sharp. Under normal circumstances, he wouldn't waste his time on such things. But his and Bai Ren's relationship had never been officially acknowledged with the Imperial Consort in Lingnan. Qi Xiao was deeply suspicious—he feared the Imperial Consort's previous acquiescence had only been to lull him into a false sense of security, and that this visit to the capital still carried the intention of finding Bai Ren a suitable match.
Who else would the Imperial Consort confide in but Roujia? So Qi Xiao had specially instructed his spies in the Lingnan Prince's residence: when Roujia returned to her maiden home, they were to listen carefully and remember everything, then repeat it back to him word for word upon their return. True to Qi Xiao's expectations, the very first day the Imperial Consort arrived, she'd pulled her dear daughter aside and asked extensively about him and Bai Ren. Fortunately, the Imperial Consort had come around on her own—Qi Xiao was fairly satisfied. He'd been about to dismiss the spy... but the spy, remembering Qi Xiao's earlier strict orders, dared not omit a single word, and had gone on to report everything the Imperial Consort and Roujia said about Cen Chaoge. Upon hearing this, Qi Xiao's anger ignited instantly.
Even now, the mere thought of Cen Chaoge made Qi Xiao's fingers itch with irritation. He only regretted his former mercy in leaving such a curse behind. During the half year Bai Ren spent in Lingnan, Cen Chaoge had repeatedly brought up the past, trying to rekindle his former relationship with Bai Ren—Qi Xiao had endured it all. But this creature had grown audacious, actually daring to still have designs on Bai Ren! How had he allowed such a thing to survive until now... Even Qi Xiao couldn't help thinking he truly was a benevolent ruler!
Bai Ren forced a干笑 and said quietly: "There must have been some misunderstanding... Why would my mother bring up such a thing?"
Qi Xiao冷笑: "Want me to call the spy over right now and let her repeat it to you face to face?"
Bai Ren swallowed hard: "Planting spies in someone's home, and such..."
"Such what?" Qi Xiao's blade-like brows snapped upward. "Could it be you're still thinking about that Cen? If it weren't for your stubborn gratitude toward the late Minister Wen, I would have already..."
Bai Ren groaned inwardly. He hastened to appease: "Yes, yes, it's all my fault... Sigh, I won't be able to return even once a year anyway. Your Majesty really doesn't need to worry so much."
Qi Xiao understood the logic perfectly well, but he remained irritated. Cen Chaoge was different from others—after all, he'd shared some past connection with Bai Ren... When Qi Xiao heard Bai Ren's words about "returning even once a year," his frustration only deepened: "As long as you follow my plan, even if you can't return for ten years, I'll guarantee the south stays safe."
Bai Ren was stunned, exclaiming involuntarily: "Did His Majesty go to such great lengths... just to keep me from returning south?!"
Qi Xiao raised an eyebrow, his expression unperturbed: "Is that not allowed? Your mother lives comfortably in the Prince's residence, the south runs smoothly—what reason do you have to return?"
Bai Ren's heart filled with both amusement and gratitude. He knew Qi Xiao's temperament better than anyone—it truly wasn't easy for him to make such concessions. Bai Ren leaned closer and whispered with a smile: "Fine... the matter of dispatching frontier officials—I'll leave it all to you, alright?"
Qi Xiao's face remained cold. Bai Ren had no recourse—who could blame him for being in the wrong? He could only inch closer again, his face flushed as he whispered: "Or... one more time? I missed you..."
"Lingnan Prince..." Qi Xiao gritted his teeth, then lowered his head and kissed Bai Ren's lips hard before scolding, "Sleep! If you truly can't get up tomorrow, I'll just summon Dong Boru myself to discuss the official dispatch. And don't come crying to me about embarrassment afterward..."
Bai Ren's heart overflowed with warmth and sweetness. He curled up into Qi Xiao's arms, and after chatting a while longer, they finally fell asleep...