After the banquet ended, it was already the Hai hour*. Qi Xiao personally saw off the few old ministers out of the palace, and then escorted Princess Dunsu back to Yuxiu Palace before returning to his own palace.

*T/N: 9-11pm

In the bedchamber of Haiyan Palace, Jiang Deqing attended to Qi Xiao as he changed his clothes, lowering his voice and slowly reporting: "The young prince had a bowl of porridge and two pieces of Eight Treasure pastry for dinner. He didn't touch much of the dishes, but seemed to really enjoy the old duck soup, drinking two bowls of it."

Qi Xiao smiled slightly. To be able to eat this much at his place, it seemed the young prince was indeed hungry. Qi Xiao slightly raised his head to let Jiang Deqing untie his robe buttons. Seeing a few books scattered in front of the bed, he asked in a low voice: "What's with those books? He's still reading them so late at night?"

Jiang Deqing couldn't help but chuckle. After a pause, he slowly said: "The young prince said he's not used to the bed and definitely won't be able to sleep tonight. The night is long, so he might as well read some books to pass the time. This servant went to Your Highness' study to find a few light books for the young prince. Who would have thought, in less than the time it takes an incense stick to burn..."

Qi Xiao looked at Bairen, who was already fast asleep on the bed, and couldn't help but laugh out loud.

The next day, Bairen woke up in Qi Xiao's embrace. Bairen usually woke up early, but today, for some reason, he didn't wake up until nearly the Chen hour*. Bairen frowned slightly, unable to come to his senses for a while. Qi Xiao looked at his dazed appearance with fondness. He lowered his head to kiss Bairen's forehead and chuckled: "Can't remember where this is?"

*T/N: 7-9 am

Only then did Bairen recall what happened last night. He immediately sat up vigilantly. Qi Xiao looked at Bairen's nervous appearance with amusement and said: "What? Even if something really happened last night, it's too late to be careful now."

Qi Xiao half-reclined on the soft pillow, his robe wide open, his tight, muscular body particularly eye-catching.

Bairen slightly turned his head away, not looking at Qi Xiao: "Your Highness is joking..."

"Just teasing you. Come closer..." Qi Xiao sat up and pulled Bairen into his embrace.

Seeing Bairen's reluctance, he casually made up an excuse, "Let me take a look at your wound... Last night you tried to scratch it a few times, but I stopped you each time. I can't stay up all night just to watch over you. I don't know if you actually scratched it or not."

Bairen was half-convinced. In the middle of the night, he did vaguely feel an itch on his neck, but as for whether he scratched it or not... he wasn't sure either.

Qi Xiao pulled Bairen a bit closer and carefully lifted the gauze a little to take a look. Seeing that the medicine was still properly applied, he felt relieved and smiled: "It should be fine. Let's get up first. After breakfast, we'll have the imperial physician take another look..."

Bairen nodded. Qi Xiao saw that he was still a bit nervous and smiled helplessly. He got out of bed first, lowered the layers of bed curtains, and only then allowed the servants to come in and attend to them.

Because of Bairen's presence, the breakfast at Haiyan Palace was much more sumptuous than usual. Unfortunately, neither of them had much of an appetite so early in the morning, so they only ate a little before putting down their chopsticks. Bairen hesitated for a moment before saying in a low voice: "Your Highness, after paying respects to the Emperor later... I'll head back to the manor first."

Bairen spoke very slowly. He felt ashamed in his heart. Just because he agreed to Qi Xiao's absurd arrangement, he now had to notify Qi Xiao before going anywhere, not having the slightest bit of freedom.

Qi Xiao took the handkerchief offered by the palace servant, wiped his hands, and slowly said: "Why did you only eat this little? The food here is not to your liking?"

"I wouldn't dare." Bairen slightly lowered his head. After a pause, he continued, "I haven't been back to the manor for a day. There are still some household matters that need to be handled. Besides... I've been out for a day and night. They are still waiting for my news..."

What Bairen actually wanted was to tell Dong Boru about the cancelled marriage, as well as the arrangement he formed with Qi Xiao. But when these words reached Qi Xiao's ears, they took on a different meaning. 'They are waiting for my news'? Who are 'they'? This must be referring to Cen Chaoge, right?

Qi Xiao casually tossed the handkerchief onto the tray and smiled: "These are all trivial matters. The stewards at your manor will naturally take care of them. If you want to get anything... I'll send someone to fetch it for you."

So he's not letting me leave? Bairen smiled bitterly and sighed: "Your Highness... This isn't what you said in the beginning. Is Your Highness going to put me under house arrest?"

"Of course not." Qi Xiao smiled insincerely. "The dignified Prince Bairen, even if I wanted to put you under house arrest, I wouldn't have the ability."

Bairen still wanted to argue, but thinking of his agreement with Qi Xiao, his heart turned to ashes. He had already agreed, so what more could he say?

Bairen rubbed his temples wearily and said in a low voice: "Then... will Your Highness allow me to write a letter to the people at the manor? They've probably already heard about what happened in the side hall of Qianqing Palace yesterday. I should at least let them know I'm safe."

Even if he wrote a letter, it would still have to pass through his hands. Whether to send it or not would still be up to his word. Qi Xiao nodded in agreement and turned to instruct Jiang Deqing: "Bring the writing tools."

Before long, Jiang Deqing had set up the four treasures of the study*. There was no desk in the bedchamber, so everything was placed on the small bed table. Bairen wasn't picky. He casually picked up a brush and a sheet of letter paper. Qi Xiao poured Bairen a cup of tea, and then stood by Bairen's side, unmoving, waiting for Bairen to start writing.

*T/N: Brush, ink, paper and ink stone

Bairen couldn't help but complain inwardly. He knew that his letter would definitely pass through Qi Xiao's hands. But at least wait until his back was turned to peek at it! He was actually... looking at it so blatantly!

Qi Xiao didn't know Bairen's thoughts. But when he saw who Bairen addressed the letter to, the inexplicable anger from earlier completely dissipated. Bairen was writing to Dong Boru.

Bairen briefly explained yesterday's events, subtly mentioned Roujia's matter, and finally told Dong Boru not to worry, that his injury was not serious, and that it was only because of the Emperor's immense grace and the Crown Prince's considerate care that he was staying in the palace.

Bairen quietly waited for the ink to dry before folding the letter and placing it in an envelope, handing it to Qi Xiao: "Sorry to trouble you, Your Highness."

Qi Xiao handed the envelope to Jiang Deqing: "Deliver this to the Prince's manor properly. Don't let anything go wrong."

Jiang Deqing repeatedly agreed and left. Qi Xiao turned to Bairen with a smile: "Unhappy?"

Bairen looked up at Qi Xiao, not understanding. Just now this person was still speaking sarcastically, and now he's like this again.

"Don't overthink it. I'm just worried about your injury... Is it not good to recuperate at my place for a couple of days? Although your manor is nice, you can't have the imperial physician accompany you at all times. Your wound is not serious but not minor either. I'm still a bit worried."

Qi Xiao also sat down, took Bairen's hand and squeezed it, smiling, "Just now I was anxious and my tone wasn't very good. I hope Prince Bairen can be magnanimous and not take it to heart."

With Qi Xiao apologizing in such a humble manner, what could Bairen do? He could only shake his head: "It's fine. I wasn't angry to begin with."

Somehow, compared to Bairen truly turning against him and throwing a tantrum, Qi Xiao was even more unwilling to see him so indifferent. At the age of fifteen, shouldn't it be a time of youthful vigor?

But Qi Xiao rarely felt that vitality from Bairen. Qi Xiao couldn't help but reflect on himself, wondering if he had pushed him too hard.

Qi Xiao gently held Bairen's hand and asked mildly after a while, "Bairen... do you hate me?"

Bairen paused for a moment and shook his head. Qi Xiao laughed, "No need to lie. The way I treat you, it's only natural for you to hate me in your heart."

"No," Bairen's eyes were clear, without any evasion. He really wasn't lying. "I really don't hate Your Highness."

"What Your Highness has done to me, to put it bluntly, is just taking advantage of the situation. But that... that agreement, in the end, I agreed to it myself. I wanted to protect Roujia, and Your Highness has no relation to me, naturally unwilling to help for nothing. This is human nature."

Bairen uncomfortably moved his hand that was held by Qi Xiao, lowered his head and said slowly, "Having received genuine benefits from others, yet harboring hatred in the heart, treating the other person as the culprit for one's miserable fate and blaming them, that's too melodramatic. If we talk about hate... I have people I hate, but it's not Your Highness. Between Your Highness and I, we each get what we need, there's no need to talk about these things."

Qi Xiao had never thought that Bairen, at such a young age, could see things so clearly. He laughed inwardly, if in the future Bairen found out that the arranged marriage and Cen Chaoge matters were all schemes he had laid out long ago, he wondered if Bairen could still talk to him so calmly.

Qi Xiao didn't like seeing Bairen so depressed. He deliberately laughed and leaned closer, whispering, "Each getting what we need, well said. The arranged marriage has been taken care of, so Young Master... how do you plan to repay this crown prince?"

Bairen had just been looking indifferent to the joys and sorrows of life, but upon hearing this, his face changed instantly. He stammered, "Your Highness... you said you wouldn't, wouldn't do that for now, besides I... I'm injured..."

"Don't worry, your dear Highness is not that kind of frivolous person. Even if you're injured..." Qi Xiao leaned close to Bairen's ear, laughing in a low voice, "It won't hinder matters. I'll be gentle, so it won't hurt. Bairen, this crown prince was still too soft-hearted last night. Otherwise... you'd probably be clinging to me acting spoiled right now, unwilling to leave at all."

"Your Highness!" Bairen had never heard such words before. Qi Xiao's few words had turned his face bright red. He rebuked righteously, "In... in broad daylight..."

Qi Xiao laughed, turned his head and kissed Bairen on the cheek, saying with a smile, "Alright, if you don't want to do it, we won't do it. If you don't want me to say it, I won't say it anymore. Stay here and wait for the imperial physician to come change your medicine. If you get bored, you can go to the study and find some books to read. I'm going to court, I'll come back at noon to have lunch with you."

Bairen couldn't wait for Qi Xiao to leave quickly and immediately nodded. Qi Xiao teased a few more words before leaving.

As soon as Qi Xiao left the bedchamber, Jiang Deqing came to meet him. Bairen's letter was still in his hand. Jiang Deqing stepped forward and said softly, "Your Highness... are you really going to send this letter?"

"Yes." Qi Xiao nodded, "Watch it carefully and have someone deliver it personally to Dong Boru."

Jiang Deqing glanced at the palace and didn't quite understand. He smiled bitterly, "Your Highness... you don't want to do anything to him, so why keep him here? You won't gain any benefits, and just now you almost made the young prince unhappy."

Qi Xiao sneered, "If he's unhappy, he'll have to endure it for now. Cen Chaoge is leaving in a few days. I'd be crazy to let him go back at this time. If something goes wrong, who will I reason with!"

Jiang Deqing thought about it and agreed, quickly nodding with a smile, "Your Highness is indeed thorough in your considerations."