Chapter 52

Ji Weiqiu slept for the entire day and only woke up late at night. He looked at the darkness outside with a deep sense of powerlessness—'It's over, I won't be able to sleep tonight.'

But on second thought, he could accept it. At worst, he'd pull an all-nighter, attend morning court tomorrow, and then sleep during the afternoon nap. It would only be a bit painful for one day.

Eunuch Xiao Zhuo came over with clothes to serve him, but Ji Weiqiu waved his hand and simply draped a wide-sleeved outer robe over his shoulders. Why dress so formally in the middle of the night? Even the concubines in the rear palace waiting for the emperor's favor didn't need to put on a full face of makeup!

After eating, Ji Weiqiu pondered the long night and decided to go to Ganquan Hall for a bath to pass the time. He strolled along with the night breeze and soon arrived at Ganquan Hall, only to see palace attendants coming and going outside, the guards strict. He knew Ji Su was inside as well.

Hearing that Ji Weiqiu had arrived, Eunuch Qingxi, who was resting in a side room, hurried out to greet him. "Your Little Highness!"

Ji Weiqiu smiled when he saw him. "Eunuch, what is it?"

Eunuch Qingxi gave Eunuch Xiao Zhuo a look, and Xiao Zhuo consciously stopped, no longer following Ji Weiqiu forward. Eunuch Qingxi accompanied him, one step behind, and said, "Your Highness missed the Grand Secretariat meeting..."

It suddenly dawned on Ji Weiqiu—he knew he had forgotten something! Good heavens, he had forgotten that he was no longer a wealthy and idle man, but a corporate drone who had to attend meetings every day! The Grand Secretariat meeting wasn't a school-wide roll call on the playground where the principal on stage wouldn't notice who was absent. There were only five fixed members in total. How could they not notice if one was missing?!

"Imperial Elder Brother isn't angry, is he?" Ji Weiqiu asked hurriedly.

"The Emperor didn't blame you, you can rest assured. It was the Emperor who ordered this old servant not to disturb Your Highness!" Eunuch Qingxi added, "But there is one matter. The Emperor has ordered you to go to Huainan Prefecture to investigate the case of Prefect Cao Zhiyu selling official posts and titles. The Imperial Edict has already been drafted and is just waiting for Your Highness!"

The implication was that the Imperial Edict had been drafted that afternoon after the Grand Secretariat meeting, but because he was asleep and hadn't woken up, it hadn't been delivered.

Ji Weiqiu's eyelid twitched, and he had a bad feeling. With Ji Su's temperament, if he took this assignment, there was no telling how he would be suspected—then again, how did this matter fall on him?!

As he had said during the day, this matter wasn't major, but it wasn't minor either. It was able to reach the Emperor's ears directly, so it definitely had to be dealt with. According to past precedents, a Censor would be sent, along with a few other appointed officials, to form an imperial envoy group. They would go, investigate the truth, and handle it as necessary. As for who his backer in the court was, and who had benefited from it, those would have to be dealt with one by one after clues were found.

After all, for something as serious as confiscating family property and exterminating a clan, there had to be a reason that could convince all the officials. You couldn't just kill someone by saying, 'Although I have no evidence, I know you're the one who did it.' It wasn't that it couldn't be done, but if it was done too often, morale would crumble. The officials were people too. They became officials either for the good of the country and its people or for fame and fortune. No one wished to be inexplicably dragged to the public execution ground and beheaded one day.

But sending him?

Ji Weiqiu wondered if the backer was one of the Grand Secretaries.

He had thought that joining the Grand Secretariat was just to give Ji Su an extra vote, and that he just needed to support Ji Su with both hands raised whenever something needed to be done. But now he was being sent to Huainan? No matter how you looked at it, it was a difficult and thankless task that would please no one.

Fortunately, the Imperial Edict hadn't been issued yet, so there was still room for maneuver.

Ji Weiqiu ordered a palace attendant to go in and ask for permission. Only after receiving Ji Su's consent did he enter. Steam filled Ganquan Hall. Ji Weiqiu entered the main hall and saw Ji Su's figure through a screen. Ji Su's figure was tall, slender, and straight. Being confined to the palace for years hadn't diminished him in the slightest. His muscles were evenly distributed over his limbs and body. Even through the hazy, gauzy shadow, it was a pleasing sight.

Ji Su's imperial consorts would be truly fortunate.

Ji Weiqiu subconsciously took a few more glances before suddenly coming to his senses—'That's his brother, what is he looking at! What kind of nonsense is he thinking! Has he been pent up for too long? Why is he looking at things he should and shouldn't! Ptooey, ptooey, ptooey!'

He bit the tip of his tongue to steady his mind, then walked around the screen. Seeing Ji Su leaning against a chaise lounge with his eyes closed in rest, he cupped his hands in a salute. "Your subject brother greets Imperial Elder Brother."

"You're awake?" Ji Su didn't open his eyes, merely speaking slowly. "You drank wine?"

Ji Weiqiu was a little embarrassed. It was wrong of him to skip work, it was too depraved—the point was, the man had rarely allowed him out for a breather, and he came back only to skip work. How could Ji Su let him go out to have fun in the future? He said, "I was truly too sleepy, but I just couldn't fall asleep, so I resorted to this last-ditch measure... I didn't expect to sleep for so long. Imperial Elder Brother, I was wrong."

"Mm," Ji Su said faintly. "From now on, you are forbidden to use Biyun Brew."

"Rest assured, Imperial Elder Brother, with my alcohol tolerance, two cups of Biyun Brew is the most I can have." Ji Weiqiu thought Ji Su was worried he would mess up important matters by drinking. "I only drink it when I can't sleep. Rest assured, Imperial Elder Brother, I will definitely not drink it during the day in the future and delay official business, I..."

Before Ji Weiqiu could finish, he saw Ji Su suddenly open his eyes. A cold and clear gaze, almost indifferent, fell upon him. Ji Weiqiu's heart tightened, and he said, "I understand. I will never drink it again."

'Tsk, no way, is Ji Su really that heartbroken over two pots of good wine? He won't even let me drink it?'

'So stingy!'

Hearing this, Ji Su closed his eyelids again, ignoring Ji Weiqiu.

If it were anyone else, they would probably have been so scared they'd kneel. Ji Weiqiu had seen it many times and knew this meant the matter was over. He consciously went to the side to change into a bathrobe. He usually didn't wear one, but for some reason, he wanted to today, a fact he himself didn't realize.

He changed into the thin bathrobe and entered the water. The silk fabric was quickly soaked by the slightly hot spring water, floating slowly with the current. A palace attendant came forward and asked in a low voice if he needed to be served. Ji Weiqiu didn't refuse. Soon, attendants came with washed hands to wash his hair.

Ji Weiqiu leaned against the edge of the pool. The palace attendants undid his topknot, and his black hair fell like a waterfall onto the jade wall at the pool's edge. This place was specially designed for washing hair, so there was no worry that dirty water would flow into the bath. Ji Weiqiu tilted his head back without speaking, letting the palace attendants comb his hair smooth little by little, apply a medicinal liquid, wrap it with a hot towel, and then massage his scalp.

In modern times, this would be a Black Gold VIP professional hair washing and care package, at the very least.

Ji Weiqiu's tense nerves slowly relaxed. He closed his eyes to rest, deciding to wait until after his hair was washed to talk to Ji Su about the Huainan Prefecture matter.

Ji Su had opened his eyes at some point and was quietly watching Ji Weiqiu. The young man's neck was raised high, his skin fair. His delicate Adam's apple occasionally moved along his taut skin, exceptionally eye-catching. With his eyes closed, he looked very relaxed, giving off a tranquil air. But when he opened his eyes, he was once again a blazing fire, the complete opposite.

Ji Su's little finger moved slightly.

He slowly closed his eyes again.

A short while later, Ji Weiqiu finished washing his hair and signaled for the palace attendants to withdraw. He submerged himself in the water until it covered the top of his head. The slightly hot spring water enveloped his entire body, and he felt incomparably comfortable. After a while, when the air was almost used up, he was about to get up when suddenly, the back of his neck was grabbed, and another hand clutched his arm. He was suddenly alarmed. He subconsciously opened his mouth, and spring water rushed in. The next second, he was lifted out of the water.

He closed his eyes and coughed frantically, forcing his eyes open to see Ji Su looking at him with a frown. He waved his hand and leaned over the edge, coughing violently. Ji Su had an arm half-around him and was patting him on the back with one hand. Only then did Ji Weiqiu feel much better. He turned his head and said, "Imperial Elder Brother, what are you doing?!"

Why would he grab him for no reason?!

Ji Su looked at him coldly. Ji Weiqiu suddenly remembered something and quickly said, "I wasn't asleep... I don't mean to blame Imperial Elder Brother, thank you, Imperial Elder Brother!"

Ji Su let go and sat down nearby. Ji Weiqiu tried hard to even out his breathing while pulling at his hair. This was the bad thing about long hair; it stuck to his body out of the water, which was uncomfortable. After finally recovering, Ji Weiqiu said subconsciously, "Imperial Elder Brother is so worried about me..."

His swimming skills were average, but at least he was young and had practiced martial arts for a while. He could hold his breath for about three minutes while still. Just now, he hadn't deliberately controlled it, so it had only been about a minute. Ji Su had been resting; he had thought he was asleep. But he had discovered him underwater within a minute. Did he think he was drowning again?

Ji Su didn't bother to answer him. Ji Weiqiu didn't mind. Being cared for by someone important always put one in a good mood. He said with a grin, "Imperial Elder Brother, why are you sending me to Huainan Prefecture? Can I not go?"

Ji Su said, "Withdraw."

This was clearly not said to Ji Weiqiu. The palace attendants standing guard outside the screen heard this, bowed in unison, and withdrew silently. Only then did Ji Su slowly say, "You want to stay in the palace forever?"

"Can't I?" Ji Weiqiu didn't think there was anything wrong with the imperial palace. He had lived here for nearly twenty years; this was his home. In the past, with The Late Emperor's concubines and his half-siblings around, he had to be somewhat careful in his words and actions. But now Ji Su was in charge. His own mother sat in Ci'an Palace. He was very much at ease in the palace. There were no imperial consorts, nor were there any nephews. Even if he offended Ji Su, there was a limit—as long as he didn't rebel, at worst he would be scolded a few times. At the very worst, he would be hit a couple of times. What else could happen?

Just like with the Biyun Brew, even though Ji Su had given the order to seal it away and forbade anyone from using it again, when he took it out and drank it, Ji Su had merely said a few words to him.

Ji Weiqiu was not an ungrateful person. Ji Su didn't treat him badly. On the contrary, from the looks of it, he was already treating him extremely well. Looking back through all the dynasties, there weren't many emperors who could treat their younger brothers this well—what's more, Ji Su clearly knew that this younger brother of his was not his biological brother, but just a common civet cat from the wild, swapped in for the prince.

As for other things—everyone has a temper. You can't just forget the good of the past ten-plus years because of a few arguments, right?

Ji Weiqiu also felt he was contradictory. On one hand, thinking of the original novel, he knew he would be put under house arrest by Ji Su sooner or later. On the other hand, he thought that since none of this had happened yet, he shouldn't distance himself from Ji Su because of the original novel... To put it bluntly, he just couldn't help but crave this bond.

He was powerless to change his fate anyway, so he would just take it one step at a time.

Ji Su asked him in return, "Don't you want to achieve great things?"

Ji Weiqiu smiled. "I have Imperial Elder Brother."

Ji Su looked at him from the side, an inexplicable meaning in his eyes. Ji Weiqiu felt a little flustered by his gaze and added, "I'll do whatever Imperial Elder Brother tells me to do."

"Is that so?" Ji Su's gaze slid down slightly.

The thin bathrobe hung loosely on Ji Weiqiu, half-open, revealing a small, solitary peak. Ji Su reached out and pulled his bathrobe up.

Ji Weiqiu subconsciously pulled at the lapels of his robe, closing it, and nodded seriously. "Yes, whatever Imperial Elder Brother tells me to do, I will do, without a second word."

Ji Su smiled faintly. "...Go to Huainan Prefecture."

The author has something to say:

Ji Weiqiu: My brother pulled up my clothes for me, he's actually pretty nice