Although it was the first time, Qi Xiao thought he was gentle. He even cleaned and applied medicine for Bairen afterwards. Unfortunately, Bairen still developed a fever the next day.

Fearing that word would get out and cause trouble, Bairen kept pulling on Qi Xiao, not letting him summon the imperial physician.

But Qi Xiao wouldn't listen. Early in the morning when he saw things weren't good, he sent someone to call for the imperial physician. Bairen was so anxious his face turned red. He lowered his voice and said urgently, "What if he goes out and spreads rumors..."

"Spread what rumors?" Qi Xiao pressed the person back onto the couch and said softly, "In a moment, lower the curtains, only revealing one hand. Who will know it's you inside? Besides, the person I'm requesting definitely won't cause any problems."

If it wasn't his own trusted subordinate, how could he feel at ease letting them examine Bairen?

Hearing this, Bairen became even more uneasy. He widened his eyes and said, "Your Highness! Is the person blind? How does my hand resemble a woman's at all? Besides, once he takes the pulse, won't he know everything?"

Qi Xiao chuckled, "It's no big deal for me to have a boy in my room, is it?"

Upon hearing this, the King of Lingnan instantly narrowed his eyes and said in a low voice, "It's no big deal?"

Qi Xiao regretted his slip of the tongue. He coaxed with a light laugh, "Forget it, I haven't interrogated you yet, but you're already questioning me first. If my room is clean or not, you can go ask Jiang Deqing yourself."

Of course Bairen believed Qi Xiao wouldn't mess around behind his back this past half year. But he still couldn't help feeling a bit jealous. He subconsciously retorted, "If there really was something, would Eunuch Jiang tell me the truth?"

Qi Xiao laughed, "Then how do you want me to prove it? Forget it, I already told you..."

Bairen's heart sounded a major alarm. He urgently said, "There really is something?"

Qi Xiao sighed lightly. He took a hot towel and gently wiped Bairen's face, softly coaxing, "Do you still remember that time we went to play at the villa, and afterwards... the Emperor found out about the red marks on your hands?"

Bairen nodded. Qi Xiao said softly, "After that, in order to test me, the Emperor once bestowed me a servant girl who had some resemblance to you. Do you remember?"

Bairen frowned, "You..."

"I didn't do anything." Qi Xiao lowered his eyes and laughed self-deprecatingly. "It's just, when I missed you so much I couldn't stand it... I would have someone call her over to take a look at her, reward her with some cloth, bestow her with some jewelry. I never even spoke to her. Each time I only had her stand outside... far away, only then would she look a bit like you."

There are no walls that don't let wind through. If Bairen lived with him, he might have found out about this matter sooner or later, which would be even more troublesome then. It was better for him to explain it clearly himself. Qi Xiao was afraid Bairen would feel uncomfortable and added, "If you're unhappy, I'll find someone to marry her off far away, alright?"

Thinking of how Qi Xiao missed him so much he couldn't bear it, how could Bairen still be angry? After a moment, he said softly, "Alright, she... she's just a girl. Just because she was born with these looks, she was used as a chess piece. It's quite pitiful. You should give her more dowry."

Qi Xiao smiled faintly, "It's a common thing for girls to marry out of my household. As long as they were honest before, I've never mistreated them."

As for those who courted death... they had their own fitting ends.

Bairen nodded. Qi Xiao thought Bairen's earlier questioning of him was amusing. He deliberately put on a cold face and said, "For your sake, I haven't even come to this bedchamber for the past half year, sleeping in the study every day. Yet you dare to interrogate me. Now that I've confessed and signed my name, you should also admit it. This past half year, has Cen Chaoge ever gotten close to you and said anything unrelated to government affairs?"

If there was anything Qi Xiao regretted this past half year, it was not killing Cen Chaoge thoroughly in the beginning and letting him live because of a moment of soft-heartedness. Initially, Qi Xiao only thought he was accumulating blessings for Bairen's sake. But he didn't expect the two of them would still have chances to meet.

To say Qi Xiao wasn't worried at all this past half year would be a lie. Bairen had him in his heart, so naturally he wouldn't pay attention to Cen Chaoge. But what about Cen Chaoge? Looking at his childhood sweetheart, the current King of Lingnan, would he not develop other thoughts? Even if not for the sake of past feelings, just for the sake of his current prospects, Cen Chaoge would probably make a move or two, right? Even if beaten to death, Qi Xiao wouldn't believe he had no ulterior motives at all.

Bairen was stunned for a moment upon hearing this. Qi Xiao let out a cold laugh. It seemed there really was something.

Bairen felt a bit guilty. Actually, when he first returned, the two of them didn't meet much. They were busy with everything and had no time to eat, let alone any leisure to think about other things. But after a few months, when all the departments entered normal operations and everyone gradually freed up their hands, Cen Chaoge indeed developed other intentions.

Bairen remembered Cen Chaoge first found some old items from the past, like the fan Bairen wrote for him, the jade pendant he gave Bairen, all small things, but each with some "story" behind it. Bairen had actually forgotten most of it, but occasionally seeing them would still make him subconsciously freeze for a moment.

Every time this happened, Cen Chaoge would feel secretly pleased, but on the surface he would deliberately put on a pained and sorrowful expression. One night, Cen Chaoge even personally wrote a love letter on peach blossom-dyed paper with just two lines...

On the ninth day of the ninth month at Changsheng Palace, in the depth of night with no one around, whisper intimately.

Taking advantage of when no one was on guard, Cen Chaoge secretly placed the love letter on Bairen's desk. He wrote with deep passion. After reading it, Bairen was indeed filled with melancholy, but unfortunately not for him.

As it happened, that night Bairen couldn't sleep all night because he missed Qi Xiao. The next day, he was tired in both body and mind, forcing himself to handle government affairs. But that talented scholar Cen misunderstood. He thought Bairen was like this because he recalled their past, and his confidence greatly increased. That night, he directly went to find Bairen.

Bairen worked late at night, reading and writing. Seeing Cen Chaoge come, he didn't suspect anything, only thinking there were government matters. But after dismissing the servants, Cen Chaoge actually revealed an affectionate and tender expression. His eyes were full of deep emotion as he came up and grabbed Bairen's hand, sighing with feeling, "How did you become so thin? With you like this, how can my heart bear it? Seeing you like this, I really... I'd rather die!"

Used to hearing Qi Xiao's tender yet domineering, domineering yet doting sweet nothings, suddenly hearing these lines that sounded like opera lyrics made chills run down Bairen's spine. Unfortunately, Cen Chaoge still thought Bairen was too moved by him to speak.

He continued passionately, "Bairen, people say matters of marriage are all tied by the Old Man Under the Moon long ago, just like you and me. No matter how we go around in circles, in the end we can't leave each other. When the great chaos happened that day, I knew it was the will of Heaven! He couldn't bear to see the Crown Prince break us apart, couldn't bear to see my deep love go to waste, that's why all those things happened afterwards. Don't worry, from now on... we will never leave each other."

Bairen thought of the love letter from last night and was speechless for a long time. He only replied with one sentence, "Get out."

When Qi Xiao's face turned cold, it was too frightening. Bairen couldn't hold up and confessed everything. In the end, he explained in a low voice, "Later, he did a few more strange things, but I ignored him. Afterwards, I gave him an idle position and sent him far away. Don't make things difficult for him anymore... Old Wen sacrificed his life for me and sent out the great seal. I can never repay this kindness, so I can only return it to his son.

"Besides... in the end, Chaoge has never done anything truly evil. He's just used to living a comfortable life and can't endure hardship. After Old Wen passed away, his temperament changed greatly. He mourns every day, which is also pitiful."

Qi Xiao raised his eyebrows and sneered, "He's still pitiful? By that logic, shouldn't you and I go die? His father died for a great cause, and you even avenged him. Now you've given him this honor, and he still wants more?"

Bairen said bitterly, "Don't you know his temperament? What can be done? Let me reprimand him a few times, and he won't dare to do anything. Besides..."

Bairen was afraid Qi Xiao would keep dwelling on this and said softly, "I haven't even mentioned the trap you and Xi Xiang set for me back then, yet you're already interrogating me first."

Qi Xiao was momentarily at a loss for words. After a pause, he said uncomfortably, "Forget it. Old Wen only has this one son. I'm not an unreasonable person."

Bairen couldn't help but laugh and said in a low voice, "Let's pretend the previous matters never happened. You don't blame me for being fond of someone else, and I won't blame you for scheming. In the end... forget it, let's not talk about it."

Everything was left unsaid.

Although Bairen said this, Qi Xiao understood in his heart that he had wronged Bairen.

"You're still sick. I shouldn't have let you talk for half a day." Qi Xiao poured a cup of clear tea for Bairen and carefully fed it to him. He asked in a low voice, "Does it still hurt there? Should we apply more medicine?"

Of course it hurt, but the medicine had been applied earlier in the morning. Bairen was too lazy to bother again and shook his head, saying, "No, let's see what the imperial physician says in a bit."

Qi Xiao nodded and turned his head to shout outside, "Go and see! Did the person inviting the imperial physician die halfway?! Someone is sick here, can they endure such delays?"

The maidservant guarding outside heard this and quickly went to check. Before long, she brought the people back. Qi Xiao indeed lowered the bed curtains. The imperial physician was initially surprised to see a man's hand, but upon taking the pulse, he understood.

Having been an imperial physician for half his life, he had seen all kinds of things and treated all kinds of illnesses. The imperial physician remained calm and, after a while, withdrew and spoke to Qi Xiao in detail for half a day. He also asked Qi Xiao a few questions, which Qi Xiao answered truthfully.

The imperial physician smiled knowingly and said in a low voice, "The prince is in the prime of his life, with vigorous blood and energy. This is normal. It's just that the young master inside is a bit younger and may not be able to withstand it. However, this is easy to say. After a few... a few times, it will be fine. But..."

The imperial physician thought for a moment and said, "It shouldn't be like this, but... judging from this young master's pulse, he is someone who thinks deeply and usually overworks. He even has some deficiency in qi and blood. Compared to the external injury down there, this is actually a more serious condition."

Qi Xiao gritted his teeth. It would be strange if his qi and blood were sufficient when he was so skinny! Qi Xiao frowned and asked, "Can it be treated?"

The imperial physician nodded, "He's young. As long as his mood improves and he eats well, along with some nourishing things, he will gradually recover. However, there is one thing. You can't be impatient for quick results. Ginseng and such things absolutely cannot be used. His body is too weak to withstand it and will be harmed instead."

Qi Xiao nodded, "Go and write the prescription."

The imperial physician nodded. Just as he was about to leave, Qi Xiao suddenly said, "I suddenly forgot. What illness did the imperial physician just mention?"

The imperial physician was stunned for a moment, then bowed and said, "The prince doesn't have any illness. He has just been tired recently. Last night, he probably stayed up late again. This morning's headache is a common symptom. Just drink two bowls of calming soup and rest well, and he will be fine."

Qi Xiao smiled with satisfaction, "As for the pulse records at the Imperial Physician Institute, I'll have to trouble the imperial physician."

The imperial physician nodded, "I wouldn't dare."

Qi Xiao turned his head, "Jiang Deqing, give the imperial physician a thicker travel expense."

Jiang Deqing lowered his eyes, "Yes."

In the warm room inside, after Qi Xiao fed Bairen the medicine, he also got on the bed. He let Bairen lie on his chest, not touching that place. Bairen felt much more comfortable. Bairen's face was slightly red as he said softly, "You're not going out?"

Qi Xiao smiled faintly, "I just reported being sick, so I can't go out."

Bairen raised his head to look at Qi Xiao and immediately understood. He smiled.

Qi Xiao gently stroked Bairen's back and said in a low voice, "Did you hear what the imperial physician said just now? From now on, when you're with me, you have to eat whatever I give you. Quickly nourish yourself back to health. It's fine if you're just thin, but you even developed qi and blood deficiency. Except for those who play with actors and powder heads every day, I've never heard of any young master from a family who could get this illness!"

Bairen knew he was in the wrong and said softly to please him, "Now that I'm back, I can naturally recover..."

Qi Xiao felt satisfied in his heart. He lowered his head and kissed Bairen's forehead, saying softly, "Of course, nourish yourself well. We still have a lifetime to spend together..."

Bairen felt sweet in his heart and couldn't help but hum and act coquettishly, "My body is very sore... and I'm sleepy. Is there a sleeping drug in this medicine?"

Qi Xiao chuckled, "You only slept for a few hours last night, so of course you'll be sleepy. Sleep, I'll hold you. Is this better? Your waist doesn't ache anymore, right?"

Qi Xiao's warm palm gently massaged Bairen's lower back. Bairen indeed felt much more comfortable and fell asleep before long...