During the noon hour, Princess Dunsu's Prince Consort He Yuchun also returned. Princess Dunsu invited Qi Xiao to have lunch together. After the meal, Qi Xiao sat for a short while before returning to his manor.

In the study of the Crown Prince's manor, Qi Xiao picked up a brush and wrote a letter. As he wrote, he instructed Jiang Deqing: "Deliver this personally. The letter only briefly touches upon things, so Bairen probably still has many questions. Just explain truthfully."

Jiang Deqing agreed: "Yes, Your Highness... There's also an urgent matter. The scout just reported that there are leads on that issue..."

Qi Xiao smiled, good news kept coming one after another today. He asked: "It's been investigated?"

Jiang Deqing nodded and explained for a while, tentatively asking: "Shall this old servant have him come now?"

"No need." Qi Xiao put down the brush and glanced over the letter, smiling faintly. "Don't startle the snake in the grass. Have them keep a close eye on the person. When there's a chance, I'll confront him myself."

Jiang Deqing nodded in agreement. After waiting for the ink to dry, he took the letter and went to deliver it to the Lingnan Prince's manor.

In the Princess' manor, after resting at noon, Princess Dunsu ordered someone to fetch He Zichen. She also sent people to Ruoping Academy to get her two sons.

Coincidentally, it was He Zichen's day off, so he arrived before long. Entering the main hall, he properly paid his respects to Princess Dunsu. The princess smiled and let him rise, warmly asking about his mother's wellbeing and if he was busy with work at the Hanlin Academy.

He Zichen answered with his head bowed. His appearance took after his mother, very refined. But his unyielding heart was quite gentle. The more Princess Dunsu looked at him, the more satisfied she became.

She smiled and said: "The Crown Prince came by earlier. He said he recently redecorated his study, adding some rare paintings and calligraphy. He wants to invite your two cousins to appreciate them together tomorrow. When I heard, I laughed. With your cousins' current level of knowledge, they'll just embarrass themselves in front of the Crown Prince. So I mentioned you to him. Good child, your aunt remembers you also enjoy these things. Why don't you go along to appreciate them."

He Zichen was stunned for a moment. He smiled and said: "Not to mention that my two cousins' knowledge is already quite good now. The Crown Prince inviting them is likely more to show closeness, even if appreciating art is the reason. It wouldn't be appropriate for me to go..."

"What's inappropriate about it?" Princess Dunsu didn't intend to tell He Zichen the whole truth. Firstly, she was afraid he would feel uncomfortable if he knew. Secondly, if things fell through, she didn't want him to be disappointed. The princess gave He Zichen a reproachful look. "You met the Crown Prince a few times at my place when you were young. You're even distantly related. You're not an outsider."

Princess Dunsu glanced at the head maid beside her. The maid took the hint and led everyone out. The princess turned to He Zichen and said slowly: "If others heard this, they would be rushing to go without delay. Yet you want to shrink back. You've been an Advanced Scholar for over a year now. The Crown Prince has a lot of influence in the Ministry of Personnel. Next year when you graduate, with the Crown Prince's help, a Hanlin Examiner position wouldn't be an issue, not to mention anything else."

Before He Zichen could respond, Princess Dunsu continued: "Don't lecture me with principles. I don't understand them. I only know that among the scholars who passed the same year as you, some still haven't gotten even half an official position. Do people who pass the scholars' exam lack virtue? Don't you know what they lack compared to others?"

He Zichen smiled wryly: "Aunt is putting in so much effort for my sake. I'll go then."

Princess Dunsu smiled with satisfaction: "That's more like it. You don't need to be so reserved. The Crown Prince said he's also inviting the Lingnan Prince's heir tomorrow, and probably some others too. It'll be lively. No one will pay special attention to you. Just treat it as accompanying your cousins to play."

Although the He family had declined, He Zichen was still a young master from a prominent clan. He had seen all sorts of officials and nobles since childhood, so he wasn't afraid of being timid. He nodded in agreement.

The next day, Bairen arrived at the Crown Prince's manor at Shen hour*. It was very cold outside. Qi Xiao quickly invited him into a warm room, smiling: "I should properly thank He Zichen. If not for him, you probably wouldn't have come until You hour even if I dragged you."

*T/N: Shen hour is 3-5pm. You hour is 5-7pm.

Bairen had things on his mind and was in no mood to joke with Qi Xiao. Entering the room, he instructed the maids who helped take off his fox fur cloak: "You may all go. I need to speak with the Crown Prince."

The maids bowed and withdrew. Qi Xiao stepped forward and embraced Bairen, smiling: "It's only been a day, and you miss me this much already? Coming in, taking off clothes, and dismissing people."

Bairen didn't know whether to laugh or cry: "Don't joke... I really have something to ask Your Highness."

"Ask then. I'm not stopping you from speaking." Qi Xiao grasped Bairen's chin and turned his face, examining his neck with a frown. "You definitely didn't apply the medicine properly yesterday. When you left, I clearly remember it was almost healed. But it's a bit red and swollen again. What are the people in your room doing?"

Hearing this, Bairen felt a bit guilty. After listening to Jiang Deqing's words yesterday, he had spent the night alone in his room thinking. Only after lying down did he remember he hadn't applied the medicine. Preoccupied and feeling lazy, he had thought since it was almost healed, skipping one day wouldn't matter. He didn't expect it to swell again the next day.

"Don't blame them. I forgot." Bairen turned his head, not letting Qi Xiao look anymore. "Let's not talk about this. That He Zichen..."

Qi Xiao let go and looked at Bairen, coldly laughing: "After a day apart, you don't even ask if I'm well. You're anxious to find him as soon as you arrive. You haven't even met this person, but you already care about him more than me?"

Bairen didn't know whether to laugh or cry: "Do you and I still need those fake pleasantries? I'm asking about He Zichen for Roujia's sake. Alright, yesterday was my fault for forgetting the medicine. Your Highness is magnanimous, don't stoop to my level."

No need for pleasantries with him? Qi Xiao raised an eyebrow. Those words had some truth.

But Qi Xiao just couldn't stand seeing Bairen so anxious for someone else's sake. The more anxious Bairen was, the less Qi Xiao said, only looking at him with a smile that wasn't quite a smile. Bairen had no choice but to smile bitterly: "What have I done to upset Your Highness again?"

Qi Xiao smiled faintly: "Nothing. I just have a vicious personality and like watching you worry."

If he had heard this before, Bairen would have exploded on the spot. But in the past days of being together daily, he knew Qi Xiao wasn't as cold and heartless as rumored outside, just bad-tempered. He smiled helplessly: "Your Highness isn't someone who takes pleasure in others' pain. Why say such things?"

It was rare for Bairen to relent. Qi Xiao also couldn't keep up the act. Lowering his head, he kissed Bairen's lips and chuckled softly: "How do you know I'm not that kind of person?"

"If you were truly that kind of person, you wouldn't have helped me like this..." Bairen couldn't dodge and had to let Qi Xiao kiss him thoroughly. He stammered, "The Chief Steward told me, for the sake of my sister... Your Highness has already rejected several families, which shows that Your Highness is serious about finding a good husband's family for Roujia."

Qi Xiao felt comforted in his heart and his anger dissipated. He smiled and said, "Forget it, just ask what you want to ask."

Bairen felt greatly relieved and asked a string of questions for half a day. There were some that Qi Xiao could answer, but for most he couldn't say for sure. He laughed and said, "How would I know if he has maids in his room? However..."

Bairen waited quietly for Qi Xiao to continue. Qi Xiao smiled and said, "According to Princess Dunsu, He Zichen's father lost his life back then because of his philandering outside. I reckon He Zichen's mother wouldn't allow her son to mess around as well. Moreover, He Zichen is very self-disciplined. I estimate he doesn't have any of these messy affairs."

Bairen pondered silently. Qi Xiao pulled him to sit together on the couch and said unhurriedly, "Yesterday after I left the Princess Manor, I ordered someone to secretly take a look at He Zichen's manor. It's a three-courtyard house, a bit small, and there aren't many servants, but the yard is very clean and tidy, and the flowers and plants are well-tended."

Qi Xiao took Bairen's hand, squeezed it with a smile and said, "But these are not important. If you fancy him, in the future we can have your aunt open her mouth to request the Emperor to bestow a manor. Your sister won't suffer."

Bairen quickly shook his head, "I'm not picky about this. As long as he's truly a good person and Madam He is also willing to treat my sister well, even if they are a bit poor it doesn't matter. Besides... although it's said to be poor, that's in comparison to manor like Your Highness's and the Princess's. Compared to the common folk, it's already much better. My sister is not an arrogant person. She can endure poverty."

Qi Xiao nodded, "There's also the fact that he's only a Hanlin Academy Scholar now. If he wants to get ahead he still needs to work hard. However, the path to a Hanlin examiner, and from Hanlin to the ministries in the future, is the right one. Back then, he declined the position my uncle recommended for him and insisted on taking the imperial examination route. It shows he has some brains."

Bairen's heart was already 70-80% decided. The two talked for another half day. At the You hour, He Zichen arrived with his brother. Qi Xiao exempted them from formalities and said with a smile, "This is originally a family banquet, let's forgo these empty courtesies. Is this He Zichen?"

Hearing Qi Xiao call his name, He Zichen quickly stepped forward and bowed, "Student He Zichen, greetings to Your Highness."

"We've met before at the Princess Manor. This lonely one remembers you wrote excellent calligraphy." Qi Xiao turned to look at Bairen, "This is the Crown Prince of Lingnan."

He Zichen bowed in greeting. Bairen rarely didn't show that cold expression of his in front of strangers. He smiled and greeted back, and also exchanged a few words with Princess Dunsu's second son. However, the corner of his eye was still observing He Zichen.

Although He Zichen's looks couldn't compare to Qi Xiao's, he could still be considered handsome and elegant. With a belly full of poetry and books, his bearing was refined. His every move carried a gentle scholarly air. Bairen secretly nodded in approval.

Everyone went to the outer study shortly after exchanging a few words. After all, He Zichen was a scholar, so naturally appraising calligraphy and paintings was no challenge for him.

However, he was a modest person. Although he was knowledgeable, he didn't show off. Only when Qi Xiao occasionally asked him did he answer a few sentences, but every sentence hit the mark. Bairen became increasingly satisfied.

The He family's second son was not good at this. Qi Xiao's original intention was not really to have people come appreciate calligraphy and paintings. After sitting in the study for less than half an hour, the banquet was announced. After a few rounds of wine, everyone became more at ease.

Bairen also talked with He Zichen for a while, probing He Zichen's thoughts with seemingly unintentional remarks. He Zichen originally thought he had come to the Crown Prince's residence to sit on the sidelines, but he didn't expect the Crown Prince of Lingnan to think so highly of him and continuously talk with him.

He Zichen was puzzled but also had a very good impression of Bairen. The two talked back and forth for half a day. When the wine flowed freely and spirits were high, He Zichen also lost some of his reservations. He said with a smile, "Your Highness is joking. This student studies diligently, how could it be for the sake of having three wives and four concubines in the future."

Bairen was delighted and said with a smile, "It was my slip of the tongue."

"Your Highness is too polite." He Zichen quickly shook his head, then sighed with feeling, "I won't hide from Your Highness, although this student is young, I have experienced the fickleness of human relationships and know what is most important. If in the future I have the fortune to take a gentle daughter as my wife, I will definitely treat her with mutual respect. To be able to live in harmony for a lifetime is enough."

Bairen completely put his mind at ease. He subconsciously turned to look at Qi Xiao, only to see Qi Xiao also smiling at him. He suddenly felt a bit embarrassed and lowered his head to eat a mouthful of food to cover it up.

Fearing it would be too late, the He brothers took their leave at the Xu hour*. Everyone had drunk alcohol, so Qi Xiao instructed the servants to send the young masters home properly. As for Bairen, naturally Qi Xiao had him stay again.

*T/N: 7-9pm

"Your Highness..." After changing clothes and wiping his body, Bairen sat in a daze on the bed for a long time before asking Qi Xiao, "What does Your Highness think of this He Zichen?"

Qi Xiao couldn't help laughing, "Your eyes didn't leave him all night, and now you're asking me?"

Bairen shook his head with a wry smile, "In my heart I feel he's very good, it's just that I once misjudged someone, so I don't quite dare to trust myself anymore. Other things are easy to talk about, but this matter concerns Roujia's entire life, I have to be careful."

Qi Xiao knew he was talking about the Cen Chaoge matter. Fearing it would make him uncomfortable to bring up past events, he smiled and said, "So it turns out the Crown Prince trusts me so much."

Bairen smiled, "Your Highness is a good judge of character, please give me some guidance."

Bairen poured a cup of tea for Qi Xiao. Qi Xiao took it, sipped and said, "I think he's very good. This He Zichen has suffered hardships, but rarely does he complain. He's not fast or slow, but seems to relish it. With a person like him, he won't wrong those close to him. Once he has a stable life, he will definitely cherish it. Moreover, he has experienced hardships, so even if there are some setbacks in the future, he can withstand them."

Bairen completely put his mind at ease and nodded with a smile, "Since it's so... it will be him then. I'll have to trouble Your Highness for the matters to follow."

Qi Xiao smiled without speaking. He pointed to his own lips. These days the two had been intimate in many ways. What could Bairen not understand?

His face immediately reddened. Qi Xiao didn't force him, only looked at him smilingly. Bairen had no choice but to endure his shyness, lean close and kiss Qi Xiao's lips. He softly pleaded, "I'll have to trouble Your Highness to work hard on the following matters."

Qi Xiao smiled and deepened the kiss. Just now there was one more thing he didn't tell Bairen - besides those good points, He Zichen had one more important aspect, which was that he was a member of the He family. After Roujia married over, she would also become a member of the He family.

The He family had been on good terms with the direct bloodline since the time of Emperor Wu. Over the years, they had formed various marriage alliances and had long become a major force behind Qi Xiao. Roujia marrying into the He family was almost no different from marrying Qi Xiao himself.

Qi Xiao released Bairen and indulgently embraced him in his arms, chuckling inwardly. By bringing Bairen's cherished relatives under his command, how could he fear that Bairen would disobey him in the future?