In Beijing, when everyone thought the King of Lingnan was going to swallow his fallen teeth, a letter from Lingnan arrived.

Unlike other vassal kings, the King of Lingnan's secret reports went directly to the Emperor's private study without going through the cabinet, to be personally opened by the Emperor.

No one knew the contents of the King of Lingnan's letter that day. It was only known that after reading the letter, the Emperor specially ordered the Director of the Imperial Household Department to select two imperial physicians with good pulse-reading skills from the Imperial Physician Institute, and also ordered Fu Hailu to find some well-aged medicinal materials from his private repository.

After packing them up, the Emperor personally wrote a letter and sent the people and items together to Lingnan.

That's not all. After sending off the reply to the King of Lingnan, the next day the Emperor also summoned Bairen into the palace. Since then, the rumors that had been raging for a month were confirmed - Wenyu was indeed "incapable".

Qi Xiao was not worried about Bairen being summoned by the Emperor. Firstly, the Emperor had always been kind to Bairen. Secondly... Bairen's position as the heir was now completely secure. Compared to Wenyu, the Emperor had always favored Bairen more, and would only treat Bairen better and better in the future.

Qi Xiao smiled mockingly, afraid that the Emperor had other thoughts in mind, hoping that after Bairen's succession, he would settle scores with Qi Xiao and fight with him to the bitter end. Qi Xiao gently fiddled with the life talisman at his waist, thinking of how Bairen was obedient and clingy in his arms last night, and smiled faintly. Wishful thinking...

Qi Xiao read the documents slowly. Outside, Jiang Deqing lightly knocked on the carved "Fu"* character window lattice and said in a low voice, "Your Highness..."

*T/N: Fu means fortune.

Qi Xiao closed the document: "Come in."

Jiang Deqing sent his trusted little eunuch to guard outside, entered himself, closed the door tightly, turned past the carved screen, bowed and said in a low voice, "Your Highness, a letter from Xi Xiang has arrived."

Qi Xiao raised his eyebrows: "Is it done?"

Jiang Deqing's eyes flashed with a sharp light as he nodded and said in a low voice, "It's done. Your Highness was thoughtful as always, knowing that the Emperor would send people to the south. Xi Xiang was also able to prepare early. This time, when the Emperor asked Xi Xiang to select people, Xi Xiang specially went to inform Physician Xu. Naturally, Physician Xu did not want his son and grandson to take on this kind of assignment.

"So Xi Xiang chose someone else, and also vaguely mentioned that there would be major personnel changes in the Imperial Physician Institute this year, and the review might be earlier. Physician Xu understood the implication. He was about to retire anyway. At this juncture, how could he stand in the way of his children and grandchildren's future? Hearing Xi Xiang say this... Physician Xu bowed and thanked him repeatedly. From his attitude, I'm afraid he will submit a petition for retirement in a few days."

Qi Xiao chuckled, "Physician Xu is a smart man, devoted to his children and grandchildren. Retiring now is the best choice. You don't need to manage Physician Liu's side, lest people notice something. I have other ways to contact him."

Jiang Deqing thought back and forth, feeling that things had been going too smoothly recently. He couldn't help but say, "Physician Liu can take over the Imperial Physician Institute earlier. Could it be... Your Highness, could it be that when you were about to make a move on the second young master, you had already thought this far?"

Qi Xiao smiled without speaking. Jiang Deqing shook his head and laughed, "Your Highness's meticulous planning, how can you not succeed in great endeavors!"

Qi Xiao closed his eyes for a moment, hoping that things would go more and more smoothly. Physician Liu was originally in charge of taking the Emperor's pulse. Once he took over the Imperial Physician Institute, it would be even more convenient to do things. When the time came, Qi Xiao would administer the drug, Xi Xiang on the Internal Affairs Department side would help clean up the traces, and Physician Liu on the Imperial Physician Institute side would conceal the Emperor's condition. If all went well, the great plan could be accomplished in a year.

Jiang Deqing was still a little uneasy and said in a low voice, "I just hope that nothing else will go wrong with the second young master. I don't know what the King of Lingnan's secret report said, whether it can be cured or not."

Qi Xiao shook his head, "No need to ask, it must be incurable. Although the best imperial physicians are in the capital, the physicians in Lingnan are not mediocre either. After diagnosing for nearly two months without any effect, the King of Lingnan put aside his pride to beg the Emperor. Hehe... do you think the physicians in the capital can help? Now unless he begs for the immortal elixir from the divine gods, otherwise don't even hope for it."

Jiang Deqing felt a pang of sympathy, "Even if there was an immortal elixir, I'm afraid it wouldn't work. I heard that Concubine Xia is almost going crazy now, stuffing maids into the second young master's room every few days, hoping that the second young master can quickly leave behind a child, even if it's born of a concubine, it doesn't matter. Your Highness, think about it... now they are focused on treating and nourishing the second young master, yet Concubine Xia is still doing this to hinder him. How... how can he recover?"

Qi Xiao sneered, "All her hopes in life are pinned on Wenyu. Now that Wenyu is crippled and Kangtai is betrothed to the Xia family, she has no help at all. For her, the sky has already fallen, so naturally she will try every method. Thirty years on the east of the river, thirty years on the west. Back then, relying on the King of Lingnan's favor, she bullied the main wife and suppressed Bairen. Now the wheel of fate has turned, and it's time to let her taste the feeling of calling to the heavens in vain and the earth not responding."

Jiang Deqing frowned slightly and said in a low voice, "Speaking of which, it's also strange. Concubine Xia still has a son, but she's only lost the second young master, why go to this extent?"

Qi Xiao chuckled, "What's so confusing about this? Her second son is only seven years old, and his aptitude is unknown. If she wants to rely on her second son, she'll have to hope that the King of Lingnan lives a long life and can live until he establishes himself. But so what?

"By then, Bairen's foundation in the capital will be stable. Let's not even mention my matter with him. Logically speaking, by then Bairen will have a bunch of legitimate sons. At that time... will the Emperor favor Bairen, who grew up under his nose and whose background is well-known, or her lowly second son? Even putting aside the Emperor's intentions, just in terms of a hard fight, she can't beat Bairen."

Jiang Deqing chuckled. Suddenly he heard that Bairen had returned from outside. Jiang Deqing quickly composed himself, turned and left the inner room, went outside to open the door of the hall, waved his hand to dismiss the little eunuch, and stood at the door to serve.

Before long, Bairen entered the room. Qi Xiao seemed like a different person, his eyes gentle, and he chuckled softly, "You're back early. What did he say to you?"

Bairen sat down on the noble consort's couch and said with a soft laugh, "Nothing important, just asking about my studies today, and saying that I've lost weight. He had Fu Hailu bring me a lot of nourishing food and snacks."

Qi Xiao smiled faintly, "This trick of winning people's hearts is his usual practice. Did he mention anything about Wenyu?"

Bairen shook his head, "No, he only said that I should take good care of my health, and that my father will have to rely on me in the future. He never mentioned these things before. It seems that my father's letter has taken effect."

Qi Xiao nodded, "He never wanted Wenyu to inherit the throne in the first place. Being of lowborn status was already disgusting enough, let alone with his temperament... During the month he was here, he tried to befriend almost every official in the capital that he could strike up a conversation with.

"A vassal king befriending officials in the capital is a big taboo. The brainless fool thought he could gain some support for himself, but he didn't even know how he ended up dead. The Emperor never mentioned it before because he didn't want people to think he was interfering in the vassal king's family affairs. Now that Wenyu has brought trouble upon himself, it's exactly what the Emperor wished for."

Bairen shook his head with a smile without saying a word. Qi Xiao noticed fine beads of sweat on Bairen's forehead and frowned, "Didn't I tell Cui Zhu to accompany you? It's hot in the carriage, didn't she fan you?"

Bairen was startled for a moment, then smiled and said, "No, it's not her fault. I didn't let her come with me... The carriage is only so big, it would be awkward to have her sit inside. Besides, on such a hot day, it's enough for me to suffer the heat alone, there's no need to make her suffer with me."

At first, Qi Xiao felt quite pleased when Bairen said he didn't want to squeeze in with the maid. But unexpectedly, Bairen's words took a turn and seemed to show some consideration for the maid. Qi Xiao instantly felt uncomfortable and said indifferently, "You're quite the gentleman."

Bairen chuckled. Having spent a long time with Qi Xiao, he had gradually figured out his temperament. He knew that Qi Xiao tended to be particular about these small details and couldn't differentiate, and the more one tried to explain, the more he would overthink.

In the past, the two of them had quarreled over this issue more than once. Now that they had grown close, Bairen had no intention of displeasing Qi Xiao over this matter. He smiled and said, "She is your personal maid. If she gets heatstroke, won't you suffer more? Your Highness... are you going to condemn me just because of this one sentence?"

With such a gentle and soft plea for forgiveness, even Qi Xiao couldn't maintain his composure. He smiled, turned his head and took a handkerchief to wipe Bairen's face.

Bairen laughed softly and joked, "Last time, that maid was called... Qiao Xin, right? You even told me that her needlework was good, so I asked her to make me a fan case. When she finished it and brought it over, you gave her a cold stare, scaring her half to death, and then you sent her to another courtyard. Others may not know, but they might think I have some kind of criminal record, just casually saying a few words to a maid makes you so angry."

Qi Xiao laughed inwardly. Criminal record? Wasn't Cen Chaoge a criminal record? Once bitten, twice shy. There was that one time, he would have to keep a close eye on Bairen for the rest of his life.

In fact, Qi Xiao also knew in his heart that Bairen was not the type to fall in love with every person he saw. But this was just his temperament. His own things, let alone coveting them, even if someone looked at them one more time, Qi Xiao would feel uncomfortable.

Qi Xiao gently pinched Bairen's face and said with a cold smile, "It's good that you know I have a bad temper, so you'll be more wary and know who you belong to. Besides... are you much more generous than me? Who is the one pretending to be sick every day and making me stay with you? Huh? Does your head still hurt today?"

As Qi Xiao spoke, he caressed Bairen's waist and ribs. Bairen laughed, "Don't..."

While they were having fun inside, Jiang Deqing entered with a joyful expression. He kowtowed and said with a smile, "Great news, Young Master! The He family just sent a message saying that the Princess is pregnant. The imperial physician has just examined her and she is already almost two months along!"