Ji Su fell silent for a moment, slowly withdrawing his hand. Ji Weiqiu hummed impatiently and pressed his head back into Ji Su's palm. Feeling the solid pressure, he finally quieted down.

The delicate, warm skin rested in his palm, rising and falling with each breath. A slightly moist exhalation landed on his wrist, making it itch slightly. The word 'Insolent' lingered on the tip of Ji Su's tongue for a moment, but as his gaze fell on Ji Weiqiu's slightly pale face, he ultimately didn't say it aloud.

This poison could have been avoided; for Ji Weiqiu, it was an undeserved disaster. He wasn't unaware that there were spies hidden among the Qingxuan Guard, but at that time his heart was hard. Now, however, it had softened.

He had always been decisive, able to pick things up and let them go. Now that he was reluctant to let go, he would simply pick it up again.

Ji Su gave a slight smile, took a long pillow from the side, and stuffed it into Ji Weiqiu's arms. He then supported Ji Weiqiu's face, letting it rest against the pillow, and withdrew his hand. The movement was so swift that it didn't disturb Ji Weiqiu in the slightest. Ji Su then casually pulled a nearby blanket to cover him and went to the couch on the side to rest.

Outside the Green Gauze Alcove, Eunuch Qingxi made a hushing gesture. All the palace servants outside bowed in unison and returned to their posts. Eunuch Xiao Zhuo asked awkwardly, "Master, should... should I still go in?"

"Go in? What are you going in for! You clueless thing!" Eunuch Qingxi tapped Eunuch Xiao Zhuo on the head with his horsetail whisk and scolded in a low voice, "This isn't your first day serving before the Emperor! No one is allowed in the room when His Majesty is resting! Don't you know that?! Stand guard outside!"

It was about half an hour until dinner time. The Emperor rarely took a nap at this hour. Eunuch Qingxi calculated the time and then ordered a palace servant to hurry to the Imperial Kitchen and inform them that the Emperor would likely have a poor appetite after waking up today. They were to prepare some light and delicious dishes, lest he lose his appetite at the sight of a table full of rich, heavy food.

He thought for a moment and then sent someone to inform them to prepare extra snacks for the day and have them sent to the tea room to wait. He had just seen His Little Highness engrossed in reading the memorials. Perhaps he would stay up late to read them, so it was better to have more snacks prepared.

He thought it all over and felt that nothing had been missed. Only then did he reach up to massage the back of his neck. "I'm going to rest for a bit too. You, boy, be careful!"

Eunuch Xiao Zhuo looked overwhelmed by the favor. "Yes, yes, Master, please go ahead. The moment I see any movement, I'll have someone call for you!"

Only then did Eunuch Qingxi leave. As he passed the hall entrance, he saw Xingbo still waiting outside and said with exasperation, "Why are you still here, you rascal!"

Xingbo heard him and looked up with a hint of a smile. "Uncle Qingxi."

"Don't go calling me uncle and trying to build connections!" Eunuch Qingxi feigned a surge of anger, putting his hands on his hips and pointing at him. "Since you've already left the palace, what are you doing back here! Do you know what you left the palace to do! What connection is a personal attendant from a Prince's Manor trying to build with me!"

Xingbo's smile didn't waver. "I'm just a humble personal attendant from a Prince's Manor. To be able to connect with a favored person before the Emperor like you, Eunuch, that would be a real skill!"

"Pah!" Eunuch Qingxi cursed with a laugh, then said, "You brat, you've finally obtained a proper official status. Don't be confused about your own position. Since His Highness is in the palace, could he possibly be short of servants? Go, go! What are you doing here being an eyesore! You'll only have good days ahead if you handle His Highness's affairs outside cleanly and properly!"

Xingbo hesitated for a moment, then bowed. "Thank you for your guidance... In that case, I'll have to ask you, esteemed elder, to look after His Highness."

"Alright, alright, go on, go!" Eunuch Qingxi waved his hand again, and only then did Xingbo take his leave. He truly had a lot on his plate. Ganquan Villa wasn't fully dealt with yet, a pile of stewards were waiting for his approval slips, and he'd heard a new batch of rubies had arrived from the west... There was still much to do.

Ji Weiqiu woke up after sleeping for less than an hour. Seeing the dim light outside and hearing the pitter-patter of rain, he couldn't be bothered to move. He hugged the long pillow, rolled over, and comfortably rested his chin on it, closing his eyes to listen to the rain.

When one closes their eyes, they either get sleepier or more awake. Ji Weiqiu was clearly getting more awake. After listening for a while, the mood of idle elegance passed, and he opened his eyes.

Compared to the side hall, the Green Gauze Alcove was pitifully small. But it was just a partitioned-off space for napping, furnished with an arhat bed that could be used for sleeping, sitting, or reclining, a long couch, a cabinet, a few books, several painted scrolls, and a screen for decoration, and that was about it.

Perhaps because the arhat bed wasn't soft enough, his back ached a little from the sleep. He reached out, grabbed the railing to stretch his back, and as his eyes darted around, he suddenly noticed someone sleeping on the long couch not far away. Ji Weiqiu froze, then relaxed again, but he deeply regretted that he could no longer let out a groan of 'Mmmph—!'

A stretch without that accompanying 'Mmmph—!' was simply soulless! It was better not to have stretched at all. A breath was caught, unable to go up or down, making him uncomfortable.

Ji Weiqiu wasn't the least bit puzzled as to why Ji Su was also resting here.

This place was a small partition in the main hall of Qingning Hall, not a side hall. Qingning Hall was his brother's place for handling official business and resting; everything was his private property. He wouldn't refrain from entering just because he was here, and he didn't even need to inform him—the superior does not yield to the subordinate. His brother had no reason to avoid him.

If his brother had called for him just now, there was a 99% chance it was to order him out.

Yes, he wouldn't even bother to use the word 'call', let alone 'request'.

Ji Weiqiu studied Ji Su. The more he looked, the less human he seemed. He was like the sun, and the whole world had to revolve around him—which, in a sense, was true.

Ji Weiqiu watched for a while longer, then suddenly punched the pillow twice in frustration. Even though he was adopted and had no blood relation to his brother, how could someone be so good-looking? Was this a face a three-dimensional human could have? Although he himself was quite handsome, comparing him to his brother was like the difference between heaven and paradise.

Oh, wait, his brother was the male protagonist of a novel. It was only natural that his looks were unparalleled in heaven or on earth! Times had changed; writing about protagonists with ordinary looks who blend into the crowd was no longer in vogue! For an NPC like him to be jealous of the male lead, wasn't that just asking for humiliation?

Ji Weiqiu couldn't resist taking several more open glances. Only at times like these did he dare to size up his brother so brazenly. After all, when his brother was awake, he looked truly terrifying, and according to protocol, he was not allowed to look directly at the sovereign. But he remembered when he was very young, Father Emperor was still a normal, cheerful little old man. There weren't so many rules back then. He would pounce on him shouting 'Father Emperor', and Father Emperor would pick him up and play with him.

What was that saying again?

—There's a world of difference between your own father being in charge and your own brother being in charge!

Ji Weiqiu buried his head in the long pillow and chuckled softly. Since Ji Su was still resting, it wouldn't be right to light a lamp, and Ji Weiqiu had no interest in reading in such dim light. He hugged the pillow and rolled over. Outside the window, the shadows of the trees danced with the rain, rustling softly. He couldn't help but yawn as drowsiness washed over him, and in a daze, he fell asleep again.

When he woke again, the daylight was slightly brighter than before he fell asleep, perhaps because the rain had stopped. He saw Ji Su sitting on the other side of the arhat bed, draped in a wide-sleeved outer robe, his long hair unbound. He held a cup in one hand. The chaotic daylight fell upon him, making him look like a phantom that had crawled out of hell, emanating a ghostly chill.

In his drowsy state, Ji Weiqiu was a little unsure and called out, "...Brother?"

Ji Su heard him and looked over, drawling, "You're awake?"

Ji Weiqiu sat up, rubbing his neck with one hand. "Ugh... It's too hard. Next time, I should sleep on the couch..."

Ji Su finished the tea in his cup and tapped lightly on the table. A dark shadow descended from above, which finally startled Ji Weiqiu completely awake. He saw a Shadow Guard pouring tea for his brother and also pouring a cup for him. Ji Weiqiu took the cup and downed half of it before teasing, "Imperial Elder Brother, isn't this a bit of a waste of talent?"

Ji Su said flatly, "It is a time of peace."

The implication was that it was precisely because it was a time of peace that the Shadow Guard was brought out. If the Shadow Guard had a choice, serving tea was much better than fighting and risking their lives.

He said, "Come here."

Hearing this, Ji Weiqiu finished his tea and moved closer to the small table in the middle of the arhat bed. He then heard Ji Su ask, "How is the reading coming along?"

Ji Weiqiu didn't feel guilty at all. "I've only read two that sing praises... Who is this Li Yunxiu? I should be able to remember the famous ministers of this dynasty."

Ji Su's gaze fell on Ji Weiqiu's face as he said slowly, "He is not in the Pavilion of Famed Ministers."

"That can't be right, can it? From the memorials, Emperor Shizu's friendship with him was excellent. I thought they were sworn brothers..." Ji Weiqiu said, puzzled, then mumbled to himself, "Could it be that they became enemies in the end?"

"Mm," Ji Su said slowly. "Li Yunxiu, given name Kuang, was originally Emperor Shizu's study companion. In the tenth year of Taiyuan, he was ordered to the distant Liaoyuan Prefecture to serve as its prefect. In the thirteenth year of Taiyuan, he returned to Yanjing. In the fourteenth year of Taiyuan, he received the rank of General Who Pacifies the North, guarded the northern border, and greatly defeated the Bei Xuan. In the eighteenth year of Taiyuan, he returned and was granted the supernumerary first-rank title of Duke Who Guards the Nation. In the twenty-first year of Taiyuan, he assassinated Emperor Shizu, was killed on the spot, and his clan was exterminated to the ninth degree."

Listening to the first part, Ji Weiqiu felt there was nothing wrong with it. It was the standard path of a favored courtier: being sent to important places and eventually holding great military power, a figure of real authority. But he couldn't understand it. This man was doing perfectly fine, and he seemed to have a good relationship with Emperor Shizu. If he was coming back, then he was coming back. Why would he assassinate Emperor Shizu? If he couldn't bear to part with the taste of great power and wanted to rebel, he could have done so in the northern borderlands. Why wait until he returned to assassinate him?

During Emperor Shizu's reign, the country suffered frequent natural disasters, and its national strength could be said to be at its weakest since the dynasty's founding. To be able to defeat the enemy nation several times back then couldn't have been entirely due to overwhelming military superiority over the Bei Xuan. When the hard conditions weren't met, they had to rely on the commander to make up for it. No matter how you looked at it, he didn't seem like a brainless person.

Ji Weiqiu leaned one hand on a pillow and opened the memorial, reading it once more. Emperor Shizu's vermilion comments were earnest and clear to see. In just ten years, everything had changed beyond recognition.

He turned his head to look at the dozen or so memorials placed to the side. He had a premonition that perhaps these memorials chronicled the entire life of this supernumerary first-rank Duke Who Guards the Nation.

Ji Weiqiu sighed. "...What a pity."

Ji Su was also leaning on a pillow. He tapped a finger on the vermilion comment, red as blood. "Why do you say that?"

Ji Weiqiu looked at Ji Su, who was so close to him. "A talented general was lost just like that. Naturally, it's a pity."

"As for the rest, I'll keep myself in suspense for now!" Ji Weiqiu lifted his chin. "I'll tell Imperial Elder Brother after I've finished reading."

"Very well," Ji Su said.

Ji Weiqiu reached for a memorial, but his fingertips unexpectedly grazed the back of Ji Su's hand, scraping it heavily. Ji Su subconsciously grabbed his hand in a reverse grip. Ji Weiqiu looked up to see Ji Su staring fixedly at him.

In this space where day and night were confused, light and shadow merged into one. Ji Su's gaze was dark and profound. Looking at him, Ji Weiqiu momentarily forgot what he was going to say.

"Your Majesty, it is time to rise," Eunuch Qingxi announced in a low voice from outside the door.