At the same time, in the bedchamber of the Crown Prince's residence outside the palace, Bairen, who was hated by Empress Feng to the point of gritting her teeth, was still sleeping sweetly in Qi Xiao's arms.

Qi Xiao now understood that as long as he held Bairen and occasionally patted and coaxed him, Bairen could sleep as if he had taken a sleeping potion.

Qi Xiao sat up, leaning against the small cabinet in front of the bed, holding documents in one hand and embracing Bairen with the other, occasionally stroking his back soothingly, quite content with himself.

When Bairen fully woke up, it was already the hour of Si. He narrowed his eyes and sat up in a daze. Seeing his blank look, Qi Xiao couldn't help but laugh, "Isn't the young prince known for being able to drink a thousand cups without getting drunk? How come you couldn't handle those few cups last night?"

Bairen turned to look at Qi Xiao. After a while, he remembered what happened last night. His face turned red all of a sudden, and he laughed dryly, stammering, "Back in Lingnan... I really never got drunk before. It wasn't an exaggeration."

Bairen only said half a sentence, but Qi Xiao understood immediately. He laughed, "You didn't dare to drink much at your own home, but you dared to let loose at my place?"

Hearing this, Bairen couldn't help but be stunned. Indeed, it sounded ridiculous. He had made that unspeakable and shameful deal with Qi Xiao, but when he was with Qi Xiao, except for sometimes still being afraid of him, at other times he felt even more at ease than in his own residence.

At least he didn't have to put on airs and go through those empty formalities, nor did he have to worry about Qi Xiao finding fault with him. Moreover, Qi Xiao was very strict with his subordinates, and the entire Crown Prince's residence was like an iron barrel.

In the past, even in his own manor, Bairen would not casually touch the snacks in the tea room or study. At Qi Xiao's place, he didn't need to have such reservations and could even eat the snacks in the pavilion in the courtyard. Sometimes Bairen couldn't help but admire Qi Xiao. These seemed to be small matters, but having experienced it himself, he knew how difficult it was to have complete control over such a large manor.

Seeing Bairen lost in thought, Qi Xiao thought he was still drunk. He touched his forehead and said, "Does your head hurt? If I had known you get drunk so easily, I shouldn't have let you go out to the pavilion to get some air last night."

Bairen shook his head and smiled, "I'm not that delicate."

Qi Xiao tossed the documents in his hand onto the small table beside the bed, got up and casually tied his hair. Bairen suddenly said in a low voice, "Your Highness, last night... how did I put on these sleeping clothes?"

Qi Xiao turned to look at Bairen and laughed softly, "You don't remember what happened last night?"

Bairen's heart sank. He pursed his lips and tried to remain calm, "I vaguely... remember."

Qi Xiao thought to himself, keep pretending. He laughed, "Remember? Bairen..."

Qi Xiao sat back on the bed, took Bairen's hand to look at it. Hmm, applying medicine in time yesterday prevented frostbite. Qi Xiao squeezed Bairen's hand, leaned close and kissed his ear, laughing softly, "I didn't know before that your skin... is even more delicate than a girl's..."

Bairen's eyes widened instantly. Qi Xiao laughed, "And you're very obedient when drunk. Wherever I wanted to look, you let me look honestly. You were truly well-behaved. I should persuade you to drink more in the future..."

Bairen had never heard such lewd talk before. His face burned up. Qi Xiao saw that Bairen couldn't take it and started laughing, "Don't worry. You were so drunk you didn't know what was going on. What fun would that be? I only changed your clothes, nothing else."

Qi Xiao thought it was no big deal, but in Bairen's eyes, it was quite something. So when the two got up and the maids brought in breakfast, Bairen's face was still flushed red.

"Tsk tsk... With skin this thin, how will you establish yourself in court in the future?" Qi Xiao shook his head in disapproval, picked up a small steamed bun for Bairen, "Alright, stop dwelling on it. Eat first."

Bairen fumed, "Who... who's dwelling on it?!"

"Me, me." Qi Xiao couldn't help laughing, "I won't mention it anymore. Eat your food."

Bairen was indignant. He took a bite of the steamed bun. After a while, he suddenly remembered that Qi Xiao was summoned by the Emperor yesterday. He paused and said, "Yesterday... when the Emperor summoned Your Highness to the palace, was it because of the Academy's Alley incident before?"

Qi Xiao smiled without saying anything. Bairen felt a bit embarrassed and laughed, "I spoke too much."

"No." Qi Xiao held Bairen's hand, squeezed it and laughed, "I'm happy. You never asked about my affairs before, but now you suddenly start to care. It shows that you value me more in your heart than before."

Bairen didn't expect his thoughtless question to be interpreted this way by Qi Xiao. He felt even more embarrassed, turned his head to drink porridge and didn't respond. Qi Xiao didn't tease him anymore and laughed, "The young prince is intelligent. It is indeed about that matter."

Bairen's heart stirred. He lowered his voice, "Could it be that the Emperor... found out?"

Qi Xiao laughed mockingly and nodded. Bairen frowned, "Then..."

"It's fine." Qi Xiao said casually, "He didn't confront me directly. He's not stupid. There's no evidence for this matter. If he acts against me just based on suspicion, I can endure it, but others can't. He just hinted at me a few words, meaning for me to restrain myself a bit. He's been playing the role of a benevolent father for so many years, how could he tear his face with me over such a small matter."

Bairen nodded, "That's good then... So this matter has passed?"

"Passed? He suffered such a big loss, he has to vent somehow." Qi Xiao told Bairen what happened yesterday and shook his head with a laugh, "Aunt didn't know about the Academy's Alley incident and thought the Emperor was bullying me for no reason. She got quite angry. Forget it, I'll go explain to her when I have time tomorrow."

Qi Xiao spoke lightly, but Bairen couldn't help being lost in thought. He had experienced far more than Qi Xiao of others using excuses to reward people, and he knew how disgusting it was. He suddenly remembered that when he woke up this morning, he still thought Qi Xiao's residence was very clean, but unexpectedly, the Emperor had already sent four people.

Seeing Bairen in a daze thinking about something, Qi Xiao's heart sank. Unlike others, Qi Xiao liked to think the worst of everything.

Bairen knew the Emperor wanted him to return to the palace and was probably regretting that it didn't happen. Qi Xiao laughed coldly. Yes, if he moved to the Eastern Palace, it wouldn't be so easy to have Bairen stay the night. With him under restraint, Bairen would be much more at ease.

Qi Xiao was displeased in his heart, but his face was the same as usual. Before long, they finished breakfast, rinsed their mouths and had tea. Qi Xiao smiled faintly, "Come to the study. Didn't you say you like plum blossoms the other day? I happen to have an authentic work by Yin Qiu from the previous dynasty. Take a look."

Bairen nodded and followed Qi Xiao. As the two of them passed through layers of screens in the Baibao Pavilion, Bairen suddenly said, "Your Highness... please be careful."

Qi Xiao paused, not understanding. "What did you say?"

Bairen pursed his lips and said in a low voice, "The people bestowed by the Emperor... Your Highness should be careful."

"Perhaps I'm overestimating myself, but I still want to advise Your Highness." Bairen frowned slightly and said slowly, "Sometimes when others send people to your residence, it's not necessarily to use them as spies. So no matter how much you despise those few people, don't rashly take drastic actions. I was muddled in the past and suffered greatly in this regard."

Bairen had no interest in admiring the paintings. He lowered his eyes and said softly, "Deliberately making you misunderstand, thinking they are spies, conducting extensive searches and inspections only to find out it was a misunderstanding... or intentionally provoking you, obstructing you at every turn, forcing you to take action against them... these can all be used as leverage against you."

Bairen looked up at Qi Xiao and, seeing him staring at himself, asked in confusion, "Your Highness... did I say something wrong?"

"No..." Qi Xiao sighed. He didn't expect that Bairen had been thinking about these things during the half-day he wasn't speaking. He had misunderstood, thinking Bairen was trying to avoid him.

Qi Xiao pulled Bairen into his arms, turned his head and kissed him on the cheek, whispering, "You said it very well. I just didn't expect... you would kindly advise me like this."

Bairen felt a little embarrassed and smiled, saying, "Your Highness... you often teach me principles too. You probably already know the things I just said. I'm just reminding you with a few extra words."

Qi Xiao shook his head and gently kissed Bairen's forehead. Suddenly, footsteps sounded from outside. Bairen hurriedly tried to hide, but Qi Xiao laughed softly, "Don't be afraid. I asked Jiang Deqing to come find me earlier. It's probably him."

Bairen's face reddened slightly as he said in a low voice, "Then Your Highness should go quickly."

"No rush." Qi Xiao held Bairen, not allowing him to leave. He smiled, "He saw something and slipped out. He's so tactful. If I leave you to go find him, wouldn't that be unappreciative of his good intentions?"

Before Bairen could speak, Qi Xiao said, "Bairen... besides my aunt, very few people have kindly advised me like this. My heart felt very comforted just now... This is the truth."

Qi Xiao's words struck Bairen's heart. Seeing him in a daze, Qi Xiao smiled, "To receive such treatment from the young prince? How should this one repay you? Hmm?"

Qi Xiao's hands mischievously caressed Bairen's waist. Bairen kept retreating, but Qi Xiao let him, pressing him against the screen before laughing, "The painting on this screen is an authentic work by Tang Pei of the previous dynasty. It's the only one left in the entire Great Xiang. If you keep retreating and damage it, there will be no more."

Hearing this, Bairen hurriedly turned to look. But Qi Xiao didn't allow him to move again, smiling, "You think I would deceive you?"

Qi Xiao smiled and lightly kissed Bairen's lips. The two had often been intimate like this recently, so Bairen didn't resist too much. But Qi Xiao took advantage and hoarsely said, "Open your mouth..."

Bairen's face instantly flushed red. But Qi Xiao's earlier words still echoed in his heart. Perhaps Qi Xiao had said them unintentionally, but Bairen took them to heart.

That feeling was as if across a thousand mountains and rivers, there was someone who could clearly understand your thoughts. Bairen pursed his lips, and as if possessed, slightly parted them. Qi Xiao's eyes darkened as he lowered his head and kissed him...

On the other side of the screen, Cen Chaoge stared in shock at the silhouettes of the two projected on the screen, hardly able to believe what he had just heard. Was this Bairen? Bairen... Bairen actually allowed Qi Xiao to take liberties with him so obediently?

Seeing the overlapping figures of the two on the screen and hearing the faint moans unintentionally escaping from Bairen's throat, Cen Chaoge paled. After a long while, he came back to his senses and stumbled out.

Qi Xiao glanced outside inconspicuously. Heh... Back then, Cen Chaoge and Bairen had a tryst in the bamboo grove in the palace - it was the same situation. But... Qi Xiao sneered inwardly, now the person was his.

Outside the study, Jiang Deqing hurried over, repeatedly saying, "That fool Fuzi, how could he let you come to this side? Sigh... Young Master Cen, the travel documents for the accompanying officials are in the outer study. Come with me."

Cen Chaoge, his soul barely recovered, asked tremblingly, "Head Steward Jiang, just now that was..."

"Shh..." Jiang Deqing looked around and lowered his voice, "That's His Highness the Crown Prince's inner study. No one else is ever allowed in. Luckily no one saw. Alright... Sigh, these servants, they actually didn't take your documents. They nearly delayed matters..."

Cen Chaoge couldn't help glancing back, his heart filled with dejection.