"Become a concubine to someone?" Princess Dunsu laughed, never expecting Kangtai to be so picky. She shook her head, "In the end... she still can't let go."

Qi Xiao lowered his eyes without responding. Princess Dunsu scoffed, "Speaking of which, the reason I arranged her marriage was to give the King of Lingnan an excuse to come to the capital to give her away in marriage. But if Kangtai becomes someone's concubine, this... this isn't a proper marriage. I'm afraid the King of Lingnan won't be able to use this as a pretext either."

Qi Xiao coughed and put down his teacup. "No matter, if he can't come then so be it. In the future... there will be days when we can meet daily."

Princess Dunsu laughed, "That's an interesting thing to say. He's a vassal king, how can he meet with you every day?"

Qi Xiao smiled faintly, "I have my ways."

Princess Dunsu couldn't be bothered to worry about things in some unknown future year. She shook her head, "Alright then. I'll have someone visit your uncle and cousin's family tomorrow to discuss with her... If it can be settled, there's no need for a big fuss. Just carry her into the manor in a small sedan chair and be done with it. It's better than letting everyone know.

"Hmph... Last year when Kangtai came to the capital, she had a secret meeting with Qi Hua when entering the palace, causing quite a stir. The people in the Imperial City haven't forgotten about that yet. I'm afraid her family also doesn't want to make a big deal out of it. If someone asks, it will be troublesome."

Qi Xiao shook his head and smiled, "I heard that after Bairen ascended the throne, Kangtai made a scene, pestering Queen Mother to help her submit a petition to Empress Feng, wanting to use the past incident to have Qi Hua take her as a concubine..."

Princess Dunsu was speechless. "Has she gone mad? Back then, Empress Feng favored her in order to use her to turn the tables. Now? Hehe, let alone a concubine, I'm afraid Empress Feng wouldn't even want her as an ordinary consort. No need to disgust herself.

"Empress Feng is also brainless... I heard recently, because the Emperor's health has deteriorated, she urges Qi Hua day and night to get close to the Emperor. Qi Hua now reacts to seeing the Emperor like a mouse seeing a cat, how could he be willing to go? But Empress Feng insists on forcing him, shoving him forward like a duck onto a perch.

"As soon as he sees the Emperor, Qi Hua can't say a word. On top of that, Consort Xue is always by the Emperor's side, occasionally making a few remarks that go unheeded. Empress Feng then abandons her son and focuses on verbal sparring with Consort Xue, making things awkward inside and outside Qianqing Palace. The Emperor is annoyed and his condition has worsened."

Qi Xiao chuckled softly, "Consort Xue... The Xue family has been too ostentatious lately."

"How can they not be ostentatious?" Princess Dunsu put down her teacup and smoothed her black satin robe embroidered with gold. "Although the Emperor favored Consort Xue before, he had always been indifferent to Qi Qi. But in the past year or two, he suddenly started to value Qi Qi, while the Feng family became increasingly unseemly. With one side rising and the other falling, it's inevitable that the Xue family's ambitions were stirred."

Princess Dunsu picked up a mandarin orange from the table and peeled it slowly. She sneered, "They are all things that don't know any better... Do they really think they can ascend the throne? Keep dreaming."

Princess Dunsu handed the peeled orange to Qi Xiao. Qi Xiao broke off a segment and put it in his mouth, deep in thought.

In Yonghua Palace, Consort Xue had just taken off her hairpins and jewelry when she heard the palace maids announce that the Third Prince had arrived. Consort Xue tidied her clothes and went out to greet him. Qi Qi smiled and bowed, "Mother summoned me?"

Consort Xue smiled and pulled her son up. "Seeing how hard you've been working these past few days, I made you a bowl of nourishing soup. Did you tell your Imperial Father before coming out?"

Qi Qi smiled, "I did. I said that Mother had something to instruct me, so I came out."

Consort Xue asked again, "When you left, were there any other people inside?"

Qi Qi understood and smiled, "Mother, don't worry. I'm not stupid. I waited until Second Brother left before coming."

Consort Xue nodded with a smile and gently caressed her son's face, saying softly, "My poor son, don't feel wronged. For the sake of the future, a bit of hardship is worth it."

The palace maids brought up the nourishing soup. Consort Xue waved her hand, dismissing them all. As she gently ladled the soup, she said in a low voice, "The reason I called you here today is that there's something else I need to tell you."

Qi Qi looked up, "What is it?"

Consort Xue said softly, "Don't be scared when I tell you... Yesterday, after serving the Emperor his medicinal soup, I had Director Liu from the Imperial Physician Institute stay and chat for a bit. I asked him what kind of soup would be good for the Emperor's illness.

"He thought I was only asking about dietary matters, so he didn't guard his words and told me many things. Afterwards, I had someone write down everything he told me, word for word, and sent it to your maternal grandfather. Your grandfather found a reliable physician outside to ask about it. He said..."

Qi Qi widened his eyes and unconsciously lowered his voice, "What did he say?"

Consort Xue's fair brows furrowed as she said quietly, "The physician said that if the Emperor is nursed according to this method, it will undoubtedly lead to consumption."

Qi Qi's face turned pale with fright. He exclaimed, "Didn't the Empress say it wasn't?!"

"Foolish child!" Consort Xue was exasperated at his naivety. "You believe what that venomous woman says? Back when you had a high fever that wouldn't subside, I begged the Empress to summon imperial physicians. She summoned six or seven of them, each one saying you had caught a wind-cold. They fed you pot after pot of medicine, but none of it worked! At that time, you had even started speaking nonsense. I thought it was hopeless.

"Fortunately, your Imperial Father returned from his hunting trip and sent a different imperial physician, the current Director Liu. After taking your pulse, he didn't say anything, but with a single dose of medicine, he saved your life! When no one was around, I asked Director Liu what illness you actually had. He also said it was a wind-cold, but I just didn't believe it.

"I secretly sent someone to the Imperial Physician Institute to steal a packet of the medicine dregs. When I asked about it later, I found out that you actually had indigestion! The wind-cold medicines they gave you before were all heat-inducing. On top of the indigestion, it was simply adding hail on top of snow. It nearly took your life! Fortunately, Director Liu has some medical ethics, allowing you to escape that disaster."

Consort Xue had never told Qi Qi about this before. Upon hearing it, Qi Qi was first enraged, then realized the implications and felt a chill through his body. He said hoarsely, "Mother's meaning is... the Empress knows that Imperial Father's illness is... is..."

Consort Xue nodded and said viciously, "She can deceive others but she can't deceive me. I've fought with her for half my life, you think I don't know what she's thinking? I was wondering... clearly it's that set of symptoms, but she always says in front of others that it's just a heat-related illness..."

Qi Qi thought for a moment and asked in puzzlement, "That's not right... Back then, she was able to deceive Heaven and Earth because Imperial Father wasn't in the capital and you couldn't intervene. But now... even Imperial Father has been deceived by her?"

Consort Xue shook her head: "How is that possible! Look at how ill the Emperor is now, but he is still clear-minded. How could he not know what the Empress knows? Besides, Imperial Physician Liu didn't dare tell the truth initially because he was wary of the Empress and didn't want to stir up trouble, so he tried to settle the matter peacefully. But is the Emperor the same as you and me? Imperial Physician Liu naturally wouldn't dare hide it from him. I guess... both the Emperor and Empress know about this, and perhaps even Qi Hua..."

"Then why didn't Father Emperor tell us?" Qi Qi frowned tightly. "Why only tell the Empress?! If Father Emperor didn't want others to know, he should have told you, Mother Consort, and kept it from the Empress! Father Emperor clearly favors you the most, Mother Consort. How could he not tell you such a heartfelt matter?!"

Upon hearing this, Consort Xue gave a bitter laugh and shook her head: "Heartfelt? Why would he be heartfelt with me? In the end... I'm just a concubine." Consort Xue looked at Qi Qi, her eyes filled with pity: "I only understood today that when it comes to crucial matters, your Father Emperor still trusts the Empress more. After all, they are husband and wife."

Qi Qi, who had been put on a pedestal by others especially after entering the Ministry of Works this past year, felt his heart grow cold upon hearing this. He was speechless for a long time.

Consort Xue pulled her son to sit beside her, heartbroken, and advised in a low voice: "Good child, don't be sad. Your Father Emperor naturally has his considerations. He is in his prime but suddenly contracted this illness, so naturally he doesn't dare let it be known to all. Your Father Emperor is certainly not being wary of you. Compared to you... the Crown Prince is who your Father Emperor is truly worried about."

Qi Qi said in a daze: "Could it be... that I have to fight against Big Brother? I... I don't dare!"

Consort Xue was first angry, then coaxed: "What nonsense are you saying? Your Father Emperor will naturally deal with your Big Brother, but as for your Second Brother... we need to take action ourselves."

Qi Qi looked at Consort Xue in confusion. Consort Xue sneered in a low voice: "I was wondering why the Empress has been in such a hurry recently, not allowing you to pay respects to the Emperor for even a moment. I originally thought it was because the Emperor's illness wasn't serious and he would recover soon, so the Empress was anxious to have her own son show his filial piety. Now I understand that she knows everything, so she doesn't dare let you stay by the Emperor's side for long. She's just waiting for the Emperor to pave the way for her son, so she can be the Empress Dowager steadily."

Consort Xue gave a cold laugh: "Unfortunately, she doesn't understand. 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 will have no choice but to make you the heir."

In the Crown Prince's residence, Qi Xiao and Bairen sat together on the bed, playing chess surrounded by a thick floral embroidered felt blanket. On the small gilded table beside the bed, there was a pot of tea and several plates of exquisite warm snacks. It was still a bit cold at night in early spring. A nine-ring yellow bronze incense burner was placed under the bed, with two pieces of light, top-quality incense cakes inside. The rising heat filled the room with a sweet fragrance.

Qi Xiao sat behind Bairen, embracing him while looking at his own chess pieces. Qi Xiao captured several of Bairen's white pieces in a row and slowly picked them up, saying in a low voice: "Suspicion breeds imaginary demons. Consort Xue's family background is far better than the Empress' was back then. Just because she entered the palace a few years later, it makes such a difference, causing her son to also become a concubine-born prince.

"Although she doesn't say it, she understands in her heart that she is inferior to others. Moreover, the Emperor has relied on Qi Hua for so many years, so how could Consort Xue feel at ease? In that case..."

Bairen gave a low laugh: "In that case, the more she thinks about it, the more she feels this is the case. The Emperor is colluding with the Empress to deceive her. The rivalry between the Eastern and Western Palaces over the past ten years or so is not fake. She knows that after Qi Hua ascends the throne, there will definitely be no way out for her and her son. Now, her fight is not for the throne, but for survival. So... she will definitely take action."

Qi Xiao lowered his head and affectionately kissed Bairen's forehead: "You are teachable, my dear."

Bairen, having understood the crux of the matter, began to focus on the chess game. He stared at the chess pieces for a long time without speaking. Qi Xiao didn't rush him, only continuously caressing and kissing him. Bairen, ticklish, shrank his neck and laughed: "Your Highness, don't tease..."

"Who's teasing you?" Qi Xiao gently stroked the delicate skin on Bairen's neck and laughed, "You can't beat me, so you want to make excuses and say I'm distracting you?"

Bairen dodged while keeping his eyes fixed on the chess pieces. Suddenly, he threw the piece in his hand and got angry, saying indignantly: "You're not lacking in houses or land. Why must you take this so seriously?! What's wrong with letting me win?"

Qi Xiao curled his lips in a smile: "If you want to win, I can always lose from now on. But this time, we need to make it clear. If you agree, and if you lose today, you have to listen to me..."

Remembering the bet they made before, Bairen blushed and complained in a low voice: "A good person like you, with nothing to do, always thinks of those improper things..."

Qi Xiao laughed softly: "King of Lingnan... facing you, I really can't be proper."

Bairen held his breath. Since that day when he was confused by lust and endured the shame of letting Qi Xiao have his way with him in the study, Qi Xiao had been relentless. It wasn't enough to do it normally; he always had to think of new ways to tease him.

It just so happened that Bairen had no temper when it came to Qi Xiao and always couldn't help but obey whatever Qi Xiao said, always letting Qi Xiao coax and trick him into being bullied. Today, Qi Xiao thought of a new method and whispered in his ear. Bairen immediately blushed and kept shaking his head. Qi Xiao then came up with this move... deciding the winner and loser through chess.

Bairen wanted to argue, but looking at the black pieces on the board, he couldn't say a word with a bitter face.

Qi Xiao reached out and swept the chess pieces off the board. The jade chess pieces scattered all over the gold and red felt blanket on the couch, rolling everywhere.

Qi Xiao laughed: "Don't waste your brain on this. In the future, I will teach you well, ensuring you have no rivals. As for today, let's first settle this bet..."