Ji Weiqiu had already seized the opportunity to get closer. He knelt by Ji Su's leg, placed a hand on his knee, and grabbed the hem of his exquisite and magnificent robes. "It's not just me who doesn't resemble him, Imperial Elder Brother doesn't either. Our Mother Empress is good at giving birth, only picking out the best for us."

Ji Su subconsciously rebuked, "Insolent!"

Ji Weiqiu's eyes curved into a smile, his expression even a little animated. "Although it's a bit crude, it's the truth. Even in front of Mother Empress, I'd dare say it! Mother Empress would surely agree!"

Ji Su looked at him coldly, not responding. Ji Weiqiu's smile gradually faded. He pressed his lips together and rested his head on Ji Su's lap, saying in a low voice, "Ge... Imperial Elder Brother... Am I really that much of a disappointment to you? Though I was young then, I still remember some of the Late Emperor's deeds. To think that in your heart, I resemble the Late Emperor?"

So he had been hurt by that sentence.

Ji Su thought disdainfully—'What's this? It's just a single sentence. Hasn't he heard things a hundred times more vicious? Ji Weiqiu grew up in the imperial family and was carefully raised by me for over a decade. Even just by watching, he should have learned a thing or two from me. To think I've raised such a weak character, it truly disappoints me.'

But the young man leaning on his lap didn't seem to think so. The young man's meticulously cared-for hands clutched his hem, not daring to grip too tightly, nor daring to truly press his weight onto him. He just leaned against him lightly. Even his call of 'Ge' was cautious and full of uncertainty, and he didn't dare to even glance at him.

In a daze, Ji Su felt... he was truly aggrieved.

Ji Weiqiu seemed to laugh self-deprecatingly. Although most of it today was an act, mainly to justify himself, after saying a few words, he really did feel a bit wronged. Not getting a response from his brother, he told himself it was normal. After all, an emperor's heart is as deep as an abyss; he was a man destined for great things, different from an ordinary person like himself. He understood all of it, and could even comprehend it... it just felt a little bad.

Even if he wasn't a real prince, it wasn't like he had willingly chosen to be this Prince of Rui. He treated Ji Su as his own brother. They had accompanied each other through the most difficult times. Now that everything was getting better, just because of a few poorly chosen words, Ji Su felt that this younger brother of his already resembled the person he loathed the most.

Even though he knew this beforehand, Ji Weiqiu still felt a little... upset.

His fingers twitched slightly, but a hand covered his. Ji Su said coolly, "Get up."

"..." Ji Weiqiu paused and looked up. Ji Su's expression was calm and composed. "It was just a single sentence. Is it worth all this?"

Ji Weiqiu subconsciously said, "If someone else said it, it wouldn't matter. At worst, I'd have someone throw a sack over his head, drag him into a dark alley, and beat him up. But brother can't."

As soon as the words were out, Ji Weiqiu knew they were ambiguous. He looked up and saw that Ji Su's eyes had indeed turned cold and grim. Steeling himself, he added, "That's not what I meant... It's just that you can't say that, Ge!"

Ji Su retorted, "I can't?"

Ji Weiqiu nodded and said affirmatively, "You can. It's just that if someone else says it, I'll be angry at most. If you say it, Ge, I'll be sad."

This sentence was the truth.

Ji Weiqiu sighed in his heart. Why couldn't he control his mouth? He clearly knew his brother was most annoyed by this pathetic behavior of his. His good qualities were all flaws in his brother's eyes. Why did he say all that? Wasn't he just asking for punishment? Ai... hopefully, his brother would go easy on him, seeing as he was just poisoned.

Suddenly, he felt a warmth on his head. He looked up to see Ji Su retracting his hand as he said to him, "Get up."

A faint trace of helplessness actually appeared between Ji Su's brows. He paused, then continued, "I will not mention it again in the future."

Ji Weiqiu stared blankly at his brother, unable to believe what had just happened. He secretly reached out and pinched his own thigh, then sucked in a sharp breath of cold air, continuing to stare at Ji Su like a dazed goose.

Ji Su was almost exasperated into laughter by him.

Ji Weiqiu tried to stand up on his own, but his body was currently delicate and weak. He had only knelt for a short while, and had been sitting for most of it, yet his legs were actually too weak for him to stand! He chuckled, pushed himself up using Ji Su's thigh, and even hopped a little, saying cheerfully, "A promise is a promise! Imperial Elder Brother, a sovereign does not jest!"

Ji Weiqiu also knew he'd gotten dusty from kneeling for a bit. There was no secret to how; he saw the dusty print on the hem of Ji Su's robe—hadn't he just pushed off it? Thinking Ji Su hadn't noticed, he quickly said, "It's so late, Imperial Elder Brother should go rest first... Imperial Elder Brother, you have to rush back for court tomorrow? Eh? In that case, you came in person. Is there something important you need to instruct me on?"

Ji Su gave him a cool glance, flicked his sleeve, and left.

Ji Weiqiu was left standing there, but he didn't mind at all. He even called out 'Imperial Elder Brother' twice to show that he cared. Once Ji Su's figure was out of sight, he lifted his chin to signal for Eunuch Qingxi to hurry and attend to him, then turned to Xingbo and said, "Have the kitchen prepare some of the sweet soup I usually have."

Xingbo looked at him doubtfully. The Emperor was here; shouldn't they prepare something His Majesty liked to eat?

Ji Weiqiu couldn't be bothered to explain. He loved that sweet soup, and when he lived with his brother in the palace, he drank it often. His brother would also have a bowl occasionally. What a joke, with his brother's personality, if he didn't like it, would he even touch a drop?!

'Send it! A big bowl of it! It's guaranteed to be the right move!'

Xingbo didn't understand, but could only obey.

When Ji Su came to Ganquan Villa, he always stayed in Lanshan Hall. Now that the place was occupied by Ji Weiqiu, he went to Chengguang Pavilion instead. After washing up, he saw Qingxi enter with a soup tureen, smiling, "Your Majesty, His Highness has sent over some sweet soup. Would you like some?"

Ji Su tapped a finger on the small table. Eunuch Qingxi then served the sweet soup. Once the lid was lifted, a clear, sweet fragrance wafted out. Ji Su had a small portion before telling him to take it away. Eunuch Qingxi then brought tea, and seeing Ji Su drink more than half the cup, he chuckled inwardly.

In this whole world, it was probably only the sweet soup sent by His Little Highness and the Empress Dowager that the Emperor would reluctantly take a few sips of to show intimacy.

'Maybe I should brew another cup of strong tea for the Emperor to cleanse his palate!'

......

The next morning, Ji Su returned to Yanjing. By the time Ji Weiqiu woke up, the morning court session was probably already over. He yawned, lay in bed staring at the canopy for a long time, and suddenly realized something—what business could his brother have?

If there was really something important, his brother would have said so yesterday. His brother wasn't the type to mix up priorities.

He asked Xingbo, "Xingbo, has anything happened in the palace?"

Xingbo said, "No."

Then there really was nothing. Xingbo's information was very reliable.

So he came just to see him?

Was he really that important in his brother's heart?

Ji Weiqiu was amazed. One had to know that even on a fast horse, it would take well over an hour to get from Yanjing City to the Capital Area, not to mention having to ascend the mountain. Calculating the time his brother arrived yesterday, his brother had probably set off right after handling some important matters after court.

It's said that being an emperor is a job that starts earlier than the chickens. The hours for morning court were outrageous. In the modern era, "8 a.m." meant starting work or class at eight in the morning. For his brother, it meant that by eight in the morning, court was already over and he was starting to review memorials! —Of course, if something major happened in court that day, court wouldn't end at eight, and he'd have to continue sitting and listening to reports.

"Reports" was the nice way of putting it. To put it bluntly, it was listening to the hundred officials tear into each other. His brother was stricter. Back in the Late Emperor's time, there were even group brawls in the throne room. Now, they could only make sarcastic remarks at each other. Anyone who dared to get physical would be served with caning in court.

Ji Weiqiu rolled over and beckoned to Xingbo. Xingbo didn't understand, and then heard Ji Weiqiu say, "Xingbo, I'm going to do something big..."

Xingbo: "...?"

......

After court, Ji Su returned to Qingning Hall to rest for a while. A young eunuch served tea. He took a few sips, a hint of weariness on his brow. Seeing this, Eunuch Qingxi said, "Your Majesty, it will be a while before the Grand Secretariat sends the memorials. Your Majesty should go and rest!"

Ji Su nodded. Just as he entered the bedchamber, he sensed something was amiss. A Shadow Guard dropped from the rafters, cupped his hands in salute, and said in a hoarse voice, "His Highness is here."

Before Ji Su could react to what that meant, the curtain to the side was lifted, and a young eunuch walked out with his head lowered. When he raised his face, it was actually Ji Weiqiu!

Ji Su looked at Ji Weiqiu. Ji Weiqiu was already smiling as he bowed. "Your subject brother pays his respects to Imperial Elder Brother."

"Ganquan Villa is nice, but the humidity is too high," Ji Weiqiu said. "Imperial Physician Hu said it would be better for me to live in a warmer, drier place... Imperial Elder Brother, would it be alright for you to grant me a side hall to live in?"

Eunuch Qingxi was nearly scared to death by Ji Weiqiu. He opened his mouth, but in the end, decided it was best not to say anything. He didn't want the two brothers to start arguing again, with him becoming the scapegoat.

Ji Su said, "Have you finished copying the Diamond Sutra?"

Ji Weiqiu said righteously, "Your subject brother has thought it over. Since it is to pray for blessings for Mother Empress, it is best to copy it in Imperial Elder Brother's palace, so I can absorb some of Imperial Elder Brother's dragon aura! The gods and buddhas will also bless Mother Empress more for Imperial Elder Brother's sake!"

...What utter nonsense.

Ji Su sneered and said, "Send him to the Cold Palace."

It went without saying who this 'him' was.

Ji Weiqiu's expression changed drastically. "Eh?! Imperial Elder Brother! I don't want to go to the Cold Palace—! Your subject brother doesn't want to go to the Cold Palace—! I heard the Cold Palace is haunted—Help—!"

Ji Su said in a frosty voice, "Where We are, there is the protection of the dragon aura. How could there be ghosts?"

Two young eunuchs steeled themselves, came forward, and started to drag Ji Weiqiu away. Ji Weiqiu didn't dare to use real force to shake them off, so he could only plead as he was dragged along. Once he was dragged out of the bedchamber, he fell silent.

The bedchamber was soundproof, so it was fine for him to be a little loud. If he shouted loudly outside the bedchamber, it would be announcing to the world that he had returned.

Ji Weiqiu thought to himself that he had really made an unnecessary move!

'If I'd known, I wouldn't have come back!'

After sitting in the carriage for four hours, his butt was almost numb from the bumping!

'My flattery completely backfired! Important in his brother's heart?! Important my ass!'

Suddenly, with a creak of the wooden door, he was sent into the 'Cold Palace' by the two young eunuchs.

A side hall of Qingning Hall, originally used for the emperor to favor consorts and palace ladies, had been empty for over ten years because Ji Su had no interest in women. Unused and deserted—from a certain perspective, it was indeed a Cold Palace.