Naturally, Qi Xiao wanted to keep Bairen by his side for the night. It was much more comfortable in his own residence than in the palace. Worried that Bairen might be shy, Qi Xiao dismissed the maids who were keeping watch outside the warm chamber and only left a few guards on night duty in the corridor.

Qi Xiao changed into his sleepwear and, thinking of Bairen's bashful appearance just now, found it amusing. "When you're in your own residence, you don't let the maids keep watch at night either? What if you get thirsty at night or need to relieve yourself?"

Bairen's face flushed red. "How can that be the same? When I'm in my own manor, there's no one else in my room..."

Qi Xiao couldn't help but chuckle. He nodded and said, "The young prince is indeed very strict with himself, very good... In the future, I hope the young prince will stay here often, to set an example for me to be a righteous gentleman, so that I can frequently reflect on myself..."

Bairen glared at Qi Xiao resentfully. They had just... just done that, yet Qi Xiao deliberately said these things to provoke him.

Qi Xiao smiled, sat down, and took Bairen's hand. "I'm just teasing you. Alright, without maids, let me serve the young prince at night, whether it's serving tea and water or..."

Qi Xiao couldn't help but laugh softly. "Or attending to the young prince's night relief... I'll personally take care of it all. How about that?"

Bairen's face turned even redder. He pulled his hand away, turned around, and lay down with his back to Qi Xiao. Qi Xiao patted Bairen's back and laughed. "Don't sleep yet. Holding your breath while sleeping is bad for your health. Get up and talk for a bit..."

"Talk about what?" Bairen said coldly. "I can't win against Your Highness in words. Can't I just avoid it?"

Qi Xiao smiled. "Alright, alright, I won't talk nonsense anymore. I'll only say what you like to hear, okay?"

The Crown Prince, who was so noble and aloof to others in public, was so gentle to him in private, without a hint of temper. It would be a lie to say that Bairen wasn't touched. He couldn't help but joke, "Alright, then tell me a few jokes, Your Highness."

Qi Xiao let Bairen's anger amuse him. "Sure. If my words don't satisfy you, shall I sing a song for the young prince?"

Bairen couldn't help but laugh too. Qi Xiao pulled Bairen to turn around, lowered his head, and kissed his lips. He chuckled softly, "Shall I sing a bawdy song for the young prince? Would you like to hear it?"

The lingering intimacy from earlier still coursed through his body. Bairen couldn't stand Qi Xiao's teasing. He quickly turned his head away and said, "No... no need. Stop joking around. Let's talk seriously. Is there any problem with that carriage driver? After all, he wasn't originally Your Highness's man. What if he can't endure the torture and confesses?"

Qi Xiao smiled. "What do you mean by 'he wasn't originally my man'? Even now, he isn't. I'm not afraid of him confessing... He himself doesn't know that I was the one who instigated him."

Bairen's eyes widened. He had always thought that Qi Xiao had bribed the carriage driver. Now he was confused. If not bribed, how would the driver obey Qi Xiao's orders?

Qi Xiao took an ingot-shaped pillow to lean on and said slowly, "Last year, that man ran over and killed a child while causing trouble. At that time, I originally wanted to blow up the matter and force the Emperor to punish Qi Hua for failing to control his subordinates.

"But Qi Hua covered it up in a timely manner, and this kind of thing couldn't be made into a big deal. I didn't pursue it further and just thought of keeping it for later use. I have my people in Qi Hua's residence. That person is truly 'my man'. After setting the plan, I had that person get the carriage driver drunk and drugged him with something that made him disoriented. Then I sent him off to deliver goods."

Qi Xiao looked at Bairen's serious face and smiled. "Do you still remember how those attendants described the situation to you at that time?"

Bairen nodded. "They said... that carriage charged straight at them, but because they dodged in time, nothing happened..."

"This was the story I had planned in advance, not the truth." Qi Xiao smiled and stroked Bairen's face. He said slowly, "Actually... at that time, it was Shunzi who drove the carriage to crash into his carriage."

"The carriage driver was heavily drunk and drugged, knowing nothing. He just kept driving. When he reached the Academy's alley, Shunzi suddenly drove the carriage in front of his, then jumped off and dodged. While the driver was dazed from the crash, Shunzi erased the previous carriage marks and made fake ones. He also moved my damaged carriage to a suitable position, making it look like the driver had suddenly turned and crashed into my carriage."

Qi Xiao smiled faintly. "At that time, there was no one there. They could arrange things however they wanted. After everything was set up, Shunzi slapped the driver awake. Only my people knew what had happened before."

"Time was short, so the evidence they fabricated was quite crude. If the officials from the Court of Judicial Review had the intention to investigate, they could have found out. But in that situation, everyone thought someone had instigated the driver. No one imagined that we had actually taken preemptive action.

"On the surface, no flaws were found. Perhaps someone would be suspicious later, but... hehe, by the time they went back, it was already broad daylight. That road had been trampled by countless people and carriages. The two carriages had long been towed away. The evidence was completely covered up."

Bairen had never thought that behind the seemingly simple plan, there were such arrangements. He frowned and pondered for a moment. "The carriage driver was drugged. Can't the people from the Court of Judicial Review find out?"

"He had alcohol on him. Even checking his pulse wouldn't reveal it." Qi Xiao raised an eyebrow and smiled. "You've hit the point. The drug has one final effect. Give me a kiss and I'll tell you everything."

Bairen's face turned red. He turned his head away and said, "Forget it. I... I'm not that curious."

"The young lord is shy. Then never mind. I'll kiss the young lord..." Before Bairen could dodge, Qi Xiao lowered his head and pecked his lips. He chuckled softly, "The drug contained a few extra ingredients. After taking it, it will cause blood circulation problems and meridian blockages. If still drunk, relying on the alcohol's effect, it's fine. But once the alcohol wears off... hehe, the person will die from blood clots due to poor circulation."

Bairen couldn't help but widen his eyes. He had grown up in the prince's residence since childhood and thought he had seen some poisons and drugs, but he never knew there was a poison that worked in conjunction with strong alcohol.

Seeing Bairen's incredulous look, Qi Xiao smiled. "What's so surprising? There are also poisons specially mixed with incense, and poisons that use charcoal fire. I'll teach you slowly in the future."

Something flashed through Bairen's mind. He said in a daze, "Your Highness... tonight, is someone going to see that carriage driver?"

Qi Xiao smiled with satisfaction: "This child learns quickly. Now all the spearheads are pointing at Qi Hua, and the only one who can clear him is this carriage driver. Unfortunately, he was too drunk to be questioned during the day, and at night... who do you think will be the most anxious, rushing to force the Minister of Justice to interrogate him overnight?"

Bairen pursed his lips: "Empress Feng and the Second Prince..."

Qi Xiao smiled faintly: "It would have been fine to kill the carriage driver on the spot, but by keeping him alive, we can frame someone else. Bairen... do you understand why I taught you before not to act impulsively out of anger? Life is not easy for us, we can't always rely on luck, we must plan before taking action."

Bairen was completely convinced this time, lowering his eyes: "Before... I was too naive."

Qi Xiao laughed softly: "You did well originally, just didn't leave yourself a few ways out. It's okay... from now on, I'll watch over you and won't let you act foolishly again."

Bairen looked up at Qi Xiao. Before, he only felt that Qi Xiao was the crown prince, so he could control him and mobilize anyone and plan anything. Now Bairen gradually understood that no one could stand firm in the court relying solely on status.

Qi Xiao's current thoughtfulness was half innate and half probably tempered on this thorny path.

Seeing the admiration in Bairen's eyes, Qi Xiao smiled indulgently: "Alright, let's sleep first. The Emperor has already sent someone to see you today. I told them you were too frightened to see anyone. Tomorrow the Emperor will probably summon you to the palace again, and it will take a lot of effort."

Bairen nodded, pulled the brocade quilt over and covered himself. Qi Xiao lowered the bed curtain, lay down and pulled Bairen into his arms very naturally. Bairen suddenly opened his eyes to look at Qi Xiao. Qi Xiao closed his eyes and smiled: "Okay, go to sleep..."

Bairen hesitated for a moment and didn't struggle anymore. He leaned against Qi Xiao's arm and closed his eyes, falling asleep in no time.

At the same moment in the rear palace, Empress Feng heard the news from the palace maid and dropped the tea cup in her hand, exclaiming: "What did you say? That... that carriage driver is dead?"

The palace maid knelt down with a thud, her face full of sorrow: "Yes... he's already dead."

Empress Feng was shocked and asked repeatedly: "How did he die? Hanging... or hitting a wall? Or did the Minister of Justice use too much torture and he couldn't take it..."

The palace maid shook her head bitterly: "No, none of those... Li Yuanbao's body was swollen with black blood after his death. It looks like... someone poisoned him. My lady, Uncle knew the news and hurriedly sent someone to ask this servant, asking if you had sent anyone to the Ministry of Justice before. This servant... this servant..."

Empress Feng closed her eyes and sighed inwardly. Two hours ago, she had sent this palace maid to the Ministry of Justice, ordering the Minister to interrogate overnight.

She even hinted to the Minister that no matter what method was used, the carriage driver must be made to implicate someone, and the matter must be settled as someone else's attempt to kill with a borrowed knife, without the Second Prince's knowledge at all.

Empress Feng's brother, Feng Guozhong, had actually sent a message early in the day, telling Empress Feng to hold back and not to reach out to the Ministry of Justice, lest the Emperor become suspicious.

Feng Guozhong advised Empress Feng well, saying that the Emperor did not suspect Qi Hua, and told Empress Feng not to worry. But how could Empress Feng listen? She endured for half a day, her heart so anxious she couldn't stand it, fearing that the longer the night, the more dreams, and that Qi Xiao would get his hands into the Ministry of Justice first, colluding with them to frame Qi Hua.

Finally, unable to hold back, she sent this servant to deliver the message. Empress Feng was only afraid that someone would say something to the carriage driver before her, but she never thought that someone would pull the rug out from under her and directly take his life.

"This servant dares not hide it from him, and told him about what happened before. He immediately kicked this servant and scolded why we didn't listen to him, not to give people a handle at this juncture. My lady..."

The palace maid cried with a belly full of grievances, "This servant also told him that I only saw the Minister of Justice once and didn't go to see that person at all, so how could the poisoning be blamed on this servant? him got even angrier when he heard that, slapped this servant several times, scolding that it's all the same. This servant dared not say anything else and hurriedly asked him how to remedy the situation.

"Soon Mistress' Father came too. Mistress' Father wasn't so red-eyed with anger, he only told this servant to tell you, my lady, not to do anything now. If the Emperor asks anything, just tell the truth and don't deceive him at all."

The palace maid looked up at Empress Feng and swallowed: "Mistress' Father also said at the end... to tell you three times, my lady, now... do nothing, do nothing, do nothing."

These three sentences slapped Empress Feng's face like three slaps. Empress Feng swept a set of gold-painted tea set from the table to the ground and wept bitterly over the table.