Ji Weiqiu just felt great.

Both physically and mentally.

This is his big brother! His big brother was personally applying medicine to him! This was his big brother! This was the big brother who had the rules of hierarchy, seniority, and propriety engraved into his very bones since childhood!

Thinking about it from another angle, this was the emperor! The supreme sovereign! He felt he might have been steeped too long in feudalism, but the fact that the nation's highest leader was applying medicine to him was truly overwhelming. It was a good thing he didn't have wings, or he would have floated up right then and there.

Ji Su looked at Ji Weiqiu, who had laughed out loud for some unknown reason. He spread his five fingers and grasped his neck, the grip overlapping perfectly with the finger marks left from before, and asked flatly, "What are you laughing at?"

Ji Weiqiu said cheerfully, "Nothing, I just suddenly felt that getting squeezed like that was a bit worth it... Oww—!"

Ji Weiqiu let out a sudden wail and broke free from Ji Su's hand. He clutched his own neck, turned back abruptly, and said in frustration and anger, "Brother, are you trying to snap my neck?!"

Ji Su took a handkerchief to wipe his five fingers and said calmly, "Want to try?"

His eyes were pitch-black, deep like a bottomless abyss. The anger that had just risen in Ji Weiqiu was instantly doused as if by a basin of ice water. He suddenly remembered that he wasn't actually his brother's legitimate younger brother. There was no blood connection between them, and the most terrifying part was that his brother was perfectly aware of this fact.

Killing him wouldn't be a difficult decision for his brother. Perhaps one day, he would just say the word and it would be done.

If he dared to say 'Try it if you have the guts' right now, his brother might actually snap his neck.

He said sullenly, "...I don't dare."

He really didn't dare.

His brother was truly hard to please, his moods inscrutable. Just a moment ago, he was fine, applying medicine to him, but then he turned hostile over a single joke. No wonder they said the emperor's heart was like an abyss, impossible to fathom.

Ji Su left, and Ji Weiqiu let out a long sigh of relief. It was still more relaxing not to see his brother. He let his strength go and collapsed onto the bed. Sometimes he felt that these days were too hard to bear; his brother wasn't a real brother, and his biological mother wasn't a real mother. But on second thought, life was already good enough. His transmigration hadn't turned him into a beggar or a eunuch. It had allowed him to eat and drink well for so many years, enjoying all the riches of the mortal world. What was there to complain about?

But it couldn't be helped. The human heart is never satisfied. Having enough to eat and drink isn't enough; one desires to wear gold and silver. After wearing gold and silver, one wants to live with dignity. After gaining dignity, one wants to seek affection... Always so insatiably greedy.

He sighed, but he still didn't think there was anything wrong with seeking some familial affection. He wasn't a plant or a tree, after all... Perhaps it was just the wrong person, so even if he wasn't wrong, he was still in the wrong.

Whatever, he'd just live his days in this muddled way.

Before long, a servant brought the medicinal pills prescribed by Imperial Physician Hu. Ji Weiqiu didn't think much of it and ate them with an open mouth. He had intended to take advantage of his lingering drowsiness and sleep a little longer, but unexpectedly, he tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep. He also felt his back ache from lying down, so he simply decided to get up and walk around.

Seeing him get up, a servant hurried forward to help him dress, adding a thin cloak before daring to let him go outside. Ji Weiqiu left his bedchamber, looked up at the half-lit sky, and asked with a smile, "Is it almost nighttime?"

The servant respectfully replied, "Prince, the sky is about to break."

So it was dawn.

A cool breeze blew past, surprisingly bringing a hint of chill. Ji Weiqiu thought to himself that it was a good thing he wore a cloak, otherwise he would have really gotten cold. It was only then that he discovered his bedchamber actually had underfloor heating.

'As expected, I've gotten weak and useless.'

Walking a few more steps, he saw a suspended corridor along a cliff. Ji Weiqiu walked onto it and saw the mountain covered in red leaves, surprised in his heart—'It's actually this place?'

He was indeed not in the palace, but in the Capital Area's Ganquan Villa.

It was obvious. He had been poisoned and was lying in a half-dead coma, while the 'Prince of Rui' was perfectly fine on a ship heading south. How could they dare bring him into the palace? Weren't they afraid of frightening the Mother Empress into having a heart attack?

He sat on a bench on the corridor, his back to the cliff, but the wind wasn't very strong. This was the benefit of Ganquan Villa. Logically, being built on a mountain and next to a cliff, in a long, narrow, and winding valley, the wind should be strong. It was also common for the wind to produce a whining sound as it passed through. But the feng shui of Ganquan Villa was excellent; even the fiercest wind would become gentle and affectionate upon reaching this place.

The villa also had a hot spring with a long history. It was only a hot spring at its source; after flowing out, it became a cold spring elsewhere. Certified by generations of imperial physicians of Nanzhu, this spring had the effect of replenishing qi and nourishing one's essence. This was what had made Ganquan Villa an exclusive imperial reserve.

His brother gave this place to him!

Ji Weiqiu smiled until his eyes narrowed, all his previous unhappiness swept away. As the saying goes, to see how someone treats you, you shouldn't look at their attitude, but at what material things they give you. After all, a good attitude isn't necessarily sincere, but someone who isn't even willing to give you material things definitely has no place for you in their heart.

Although his brother had a bad attitude, it was understandable! He was a neat freak and worked a special kind of job; a slightly eccentric temper was completely understandable! Look, didn't he give away such a nice villa just like that? What more could he ask for!

Thinking of the hot spring, Ji Weiqiu felt itchy all over. He had been lying in bed for five days! They definitely couldn't have carried him to a bathtub for a bath, right? At most, they would have just wiped him down... Thinking this way, he understood his brother even more! For someone who loved cleanliness so much to be able to lie next to a person who hadn't bathed in five days!

His brother definitely saw him as a real brother in his heart!

"Let's go to the hot spring," Ji Weiqiu ordered. When Imperial Physician Hu left just now, he had also said that he could soak more in the hot spring, so the servants naturally wouldn't stop him. Since both he and Ji Su were here, the hot spring was always kept ready. It was just that reaching the spring required climbing another stretch of the mountain path. Ji Weiqiu thought that although he was weak, he should be able to manage such a short distance... In the end, he was carried up in a sedan chair.

...Tsk!

At the hot spring, one side was set up with a screen and a couch, while the other side was a cliff. Ji Weiqiu waved his hand to dismiss the servants. They all showed hesitation, "Your Highness..."

"I'll only stay in the shallow part," Ji Weiqiu said with a smile. "I'll call you if anything happens."

Only then did the servants retreat behind the screen.

He took off his clothes himself and entered the water, lying down in a stone hollow and sighing in comfort.

He originally had some regrets. For someone of his status to go to Jiangnan, the benefits would be innumerable. After all, Jiangnan was a land of fish and rice, flowing with wealth. He could have just peacefully collected the money, registered the requests of others in a ledger, and then handed the ledger to his brother upon returning to Yanjing. It would be a win-win! His brother obviously wouldn't haggle with him over money... At worst, they could split it ninety-ten! He'd be ridding the country of vermin, so taking a ten percent bonus wasn't too much, was it? If ten percent was too much, five percent would also be fine! He wasn't picky!

Now, lying in this hot spring, he felt it was fine to forget about those benefits.

The sky gradually brightened. The Sun Goddess had not yet appeared, but a few stars still lingered, the Fire Star captivating.

The fatigue from climbing the mountain earlier surged up. Gazing at the star-filled sky, Ji Weiqiu felt a heavy drowsiness. His muscles were soft and his bones felt weak. Unconsciously, his body began to slide down. The spring water slowly submerged his shoulders, then his neck, until it touched his lips. Only then did his consciousness jolt awake. He subconsciously wanted to get up, but his body wouldn't obey his command.

His soul seemed to have left his body, watching helplessly as he slowly sank into the water.

'Move!'

'Move!'

His little finger twitched with great difficulty.

In another moment, the water would have covered his mouth and nose. Ji Weiqiu finally managed to open his eyes and see the vast starry sky, but in the very next instant, he slipped completely into the water.

'Who said you can't drown in shallow water!'

Ji Weiqiu held his breath. His arm lifted at that moment, flailing about randomly, trying to find a support point to pull himself out of the water. Unfortunately, this spot was designed for people to recline in. The artisans wouldn't dare let rough rocks scrape a noble, so it was polished incredibly smooth, leaving no place to get a grip. Just as Ji Weiqiu was running out of oxygen, a hand suddenly grabbed his and pulled him out of the water.

"Cough, cough, cough..." Ji Weiqiu coughed violently with his eyes squeezed shut. Fresh air rushed into his nostrils. When the wind blew over his damp body, the cold pricked him like needles, making him tremble.

'Good thing... The servants here are clearly experienced. They know people can fall asleep while soaking, so they came to the rescue! I'll have to reward them heavily later...' All of a sudden, Ji Weiqiu felt several hard smacks on his buttocks, a searing pain spreading through them.

He opened his eyes in astonishment and saw Ji Su's lips pressed into a thin, straight line.

Ji Weiqiu felt a little guilty. "Brother... cough, cough... why are you here?"

Ji Su was wearing a thin inner robe, one arm around Ji Weiqiu. He looked down at the wretched young man, unable to suppress the anger in his heart.

When he heard that he had come to the hot spring, he had thought to himself that this kid had some sense, knowing enough to follow the doctor's orders. Who would have thought that upon his arrival, he would see him nearly drown? He had recalled Ji Weiqiu and found someone to replace him precisely because he wanted to save his life. Who would have thought that he himself wouldn't treat his little life as something precious... How could he not be angry?

He let go of Ji Weiqiu, and Ji Weiqiu managed to stand up with some effort.

"All of them..." The moment Ji Su spoke, Ji Weiqiu knew the next words would probably be 'beaten to death'. If not that, then a synonym, something meaning they would be put to death—and it definitely wasn't directed at him.

If not him, then it was the servants attending to him here.

"Brother, it has nothing to do with them!" He subconsciously wanted to stop him and spoke hastily. In his panic, his footing gave way. He was already weak with a qi deficiency, and now he lost his balance, instinctively grabbing onto Ji Su's arm to steady himself. He had no time to pay attention to this, quickly saying, "I was the one who told them to withdraw! I was being foolish, brother, you can punish me!"

Ji Su supported his waist. The skin under his palm was cool like cold jade. He paused slightly, but ultimately led Ji Weiqiu back to sit in the water. His voice was indifferent, "How could the Prince of Rui be at fault? It is others who are wrong."

Ji Weiqiu hadn't noticed yet. He tightly gripped Ji Su's arm and lowered his head to admit his mistake, "Brother, it's really nothing! I'm awake, I could have gotten up by myself..."

Suddenly, Ji Weiqiu's jaw was seized. Ji Su lifted his head, forcing him to meet his gaze. His tone betrayed no emotion. "Ji Weiqiu, I told you long ago, you are my prince. You can do no wrong. For your mistakes, someone else will bear the consequences for you."

Author's Note:

I'll reiterate this once more, this gong is very feudal, very mercurial, very fickle, and very suspicious...