Qi Xiao's Haiyan Palace was not far from the Qianqing Palace. When the two arrived, the imperial physician was already waiting. Qi Xiao did not want so many people around, so he only kept the physician Zhong who had been diagnosing his pulse since he was young, and dismissed the rest.

There was blood on the collar of Bairen's clothes. Jiang Deqing stepped forward to remove his clothes for him, carefully attending to him while gently saying, "This servant has already asked someone to light the incense burner. If the young master still feels cold, this servant will bring over another fire basin. The young master must not catch a chill."

With Qi Xiao right there, even though Bairen still had an inner garment on, he felt awkward no matter what. Hearing this, he shook his head without saying anything. Jiang Deqing then took a soft wool embroidered blanket and draped it over Bairen. After everything was settled, he bowed and retreated to stand guard outside the pavilion.

Only then did the imperial physician step forward to tend to Bairen's wound. Seeing the bloody marks on Bairen's neck, Qi Xiao felt upset. After a while, he asked, "Will it leave a scar?"

"In reply to Your Highness, it will not." The imperial physician turned to the side and lowered his head to Qi Xiao, then turned back, his hands not stopping as he let the medicine boy change the white gauze while slowly saying, "The wound looks frightening, but it is not deep, only tearing a layer of skin. If it is well cared for and does not fester, it will definitely not leave a scar."

Bairen secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Earlier, he had been so angry that he used this mutually destructive method. Actually, he was also a little worried in his heart.

Leaving a lifelong mark on himself for the sake of someone like Qi Hua was really not worth it.

Having wasted half a day, the scab had already formed on Bairen's wound. Cleaning it inevitably pulled at the injured area. Bairen tried his best to endure it, but when the pain was severe, he couldn't help inhaling cold air.

Qi Xiao watched from the side and couldn't help but mock, "Earlier, I saw the young prince being quite brave and thought the young master was made of iron and wouldn't be afraid of pain."

Bairen paused for a moment without responding. Physician Zhong could see that the situation between the two was not right, but he didn't dare to ask or think too much. He efficiently cleaned the wound, carefully applied medicine, and bandaged it.

"It's done." Physician Zhong instructed the medicine boy to pack up the medicine box and turned to Bairen to explain in detail, "Before the wound heals, I'm afraid the young prince will have to abstain from certain foods first. Anything that may aggravate the wound is not allowed, especially alcohol. After today, the wound will probably start to itch tomorrow. Young prince, please endure and do not touch the wound. If you accidentally touch it, you must change the dressing immediately. The wound is not serious, but festering must be avoided."

Bairen nodded in agreement. Qi Xiao slightly frowned, "Then what should he eat more of to heal faster? Mutton, fish and shrimp are all aggravating foods that can't be eaten. Surely he can't just drink porridge all day."

Physician Zhong smiled, "For meat, some beef can be used, but not too much. The diet should still be mainly light. If you are afraid of weakening the body... bird's nest and ginseng soup can be used, but that's all. It's already dry in autumn, so getting inflamed would not be good."

Qi Xiao nodded and sent someone off. For a moment, only Qi Xiao and Bairen were left in the warm pavilion.

Bairen looked at Qi Xiao, somehow feeling a little guilty. What happened earlier had nothing to do with Qi Xiao, but being stared at so coldly by Qi Xiao, Bairen couldn't help feeling a bit flustered.

He paused for a moment and said in a low voice, "Thank you, Your Highness, for covering for me earlier."

"I was going to push off the matter with Roujia anyway. It wasn't for your sake." Qi Xiao understood that Bairen was giving them both a way out, but how could Qi Xiao be so easy to talk to? He sneered, "This Crown Prince underestimated you before. How many lives do you have to be able to play with fire like this?"

Bairen originally did not want to argue with Qi Xiao, but Qi Xiao wouldn't let it go. Bairen also lost his patience and said lightly, "Your Highness need not worry. Bairen knows his limits. As for what just happened... I had restraint."

Qi Xiao let out a cold laugh, "Restraint? Who do you think you are? How well do you understand Qi Hua's temperament? You just used a little trick and succeeded, and you think the whole world is under your control?"

Qi Xiao stepped forward, looking down at Bairen, "Qi Hua always has a dagger hidden in his left boot. If he had really gone mad today, he could have directly stabbed you with the dagger. Would you still be alive to argue with me here? Tsk... young in age but not lacking in temper, just from hearing a few light words from Qi Hua!

"You clearly knew there were only two of you in the side hall, yet you still dared to make a scene. That's just because Qi Hua is a fool. If it were me, I could have turned black into white in front of the Emperor earlier and not let you gain any advantage!"

"I..."

"You dare to talk back!" The more Bairen refused to yield, the angrier Qi Xiao became. He grabbed Bairen's hand and stared dead into Bairen's eyes, saying coldly, "In the future, if you encounter this kind of thing again, just ignore it! No matter what unpleasant things are said, treat it like a dog barking! You have the ability to provoke Qi Hua into attacking you with words, but how do you know others aren't provoking you?! It's just enduring that moment of humiliation! What's the big deal?!"

Bairen really couldn't hold back anymore and said angrily, "Could it be that I should just endure everything? Not fight back when hit or cursed at?"

"Who told you to endure everything! I'm just telling you to endure that moment!" Qi Xiao was so angry at Bairen that his temper flared. He raged, "Who do you think you are?! What weight do you have to go against others?! Protecting yourself is of utmost importance! After extricating yourself, come tell me, and I will take revenge for you! Much better than your lousy method! Who needs you to destroy yourself along with the enemy like this!"

Bairen was originally riled up by Qi Xiao's scolding, but upon suddenly hearing this sentence "I will take revenge for you", he couldn't help being stunned. Perhaps in the eyes of others, it was just an ordinary sentence, but to Bairen... this was the first time he heard someone say this to him.

The marriage between the King of Lingnan and the Queen was arranged by the old King of Lingnan. The King of Lingnan was unwilling from the start, so he had never favored the Queen over the years. Later, the Queen's father and elder brother both died on the battlefield.

The King of Lingnan became even more indifferent to the Queen. He provided for her without lacking anything, but rarely visited the Queen's courtyard. As a result, Bairen had rarely seen the King of Lingnan since he was young. His understanding of his father was limited to the infrequent monthly assessments of his studies. In Bairen's view, his royal father was not much different from his tutors, just more stern.

With such a father, he naturally would not say words like wanting to take revenge for him. Even when Bairen was about to come to the imperial city, what the King of Lingnan told him was not to not be afraid, that Lingnan would be his backer, but to be cautious in speech and action, and to not bring shame to Lingnan and humiliate the Dongling clan.

As for the Queen, she naturally treated Bairen extremely well. But the Queen was not favored and had no maternal family to rely on. She did not have the ability or confidence to tell Bairen to not be afraid, that if anything happened, his mother would take revenge for him. More often, it was actually Bairen protecting the Queen.

Bairen never knew that having someone willing to stand up for you could feel like this. It was a feeling Bairen had never experienced before, and he couldn't describe it in detail. He only felt a slight sourness in his heart, mixed with a bit of warmth. Even the unpleasant words Qi Xiao had just said, upon reflection, didn't seem so unbearable after all.

Unfortunately, this feeling was too novel for Bairen, and he was still a bit dazed. After a long while, he slowly said, "I dare not... As long as Your Highness does not harm me, I am already content."

Qi Xiao couldn't help but laugh at Bairen's words. He understood Bairen too well and could comprehend the humiliation Bairen had suffered in the side hall, as well as the anger that made him want to kill everyone. Qi Xiao could empathize with everything Bairen felt.

Looking at Bairen was like looking at his past self.

Reflecting on his own words, Qi Xiao also felt he had gone a bit too far. He laughed at himself in self-mockery to ease his mind, thinking it was just a case of empathy.

Qi Xiao took Bairen's words as a step down and sighed helplessly, "Me harming you? Tell me, how much have I suffered for your sake, and you still don't trust me?"

Naturally, Bairen would not trust Qi Xiao, just as Qi Xiao, despite doting on and protecting him, was still on guard against him. But at this moment, the atmosphere was too pleasant, and Bairen unconsciously felt a bit reluctant to let it go.

Avoiding the question, Bairen lowered his head to look at Qi Xiao's hand gripping his and slowly said, "Just now, the Second Prince was pulling on this spot, and it's probably bruised already. Your Highness is magnanimous, please allow me to apply some medicine before you hold it."

Qi Xiao chuckled and turned to get the bruise ointment. Sitting on the bed, he took Bairen's hand and rolled up his sleeve. Indeed, several distinct purple and green finger marks were clearly visible on the slender arm. Qi Xiao opened the ointment box, took a little, and rubbed it between his palms to warm it up before applying it to Bairen's arm.

Qi Xiao's touch was not light, and Bairen's hand trembled from the sting of the medicine. Without looking up, Qi Xiao said, "Bear with it a bit. The bruised blood inside needs to be massaged out for it to heal faster."

Bairen felt extremely uncomfortable and mumbled, "Thank... thank you for Your Highness's care."

"Haha, what an interesting thing to say. If I don't care for you, who else would I care for?" Qi Xiao's anger had dissipated, and with the person he favored right in front of him, he couldn't help but tease in a low voice, "You call this caring? When you're better... I'll show you what real..."

"Your Highness," Jiang Deqing bowed behind the screen and said, "The caning at Qianqing Palace is done. The observers said there was indeed no faking. The Second Prince fainted from pain in the end and had to be carried back. The imperial physicians have also been summoned. Also, people from Qianqing Palace came to ask if the young prince is feeling better and about tonight's banquet..."

"He won't be attending," Qi Xiao said as he got up to wash his hands in the bronze basin. While slowly wiping his hands with a towel, he continued, "Go and tell them that the imperial physician said the wound is in an exposed area and should avoid the wind, so he won't be attending tonight's banquet."

Jiang Deqing acknowledged the order but hesitated before asking, "Then, Your Highness, will you..."

Qi Xiao was actually too lazy to go, but this banquet was being held to welcome Princess Dunsu, so it would be inappropriate for him not to attend. Qi Xiao tossed the towel on the side table and said, "I'll go."