In a warm room in the main residence of the Crown Prince's Manor, Qi Xiao carefully washed off the fake skin on Bairen's face using a cotton cloth soaked in strong alcohol. The fake skin had been stuck on Bairen's face for too long, causing his skin to turn red from the burning sensation.

Qi Xiao's heart ached at the sight, and he anxiously said, "Why did you put on this nonsense?! I've heard that people who disguise themselves for a long time end up with their faces rotting. What if you..."

"I only put it on before entering the city, it's fine," Bairen said, wincing in pain. Qi Xiao took a cold, damp towel and places it on Bairen's face, which quickly eased the pain. He then took some winter face cream, rubbed it in his palms, and carefully applied it to Bairen's face. Bairen felt much more comfortable and laughed softly, "It's okay... it doesn't hurt at all now."

Qi Xiao stared at the familiar face before him, speechless for a long time. Bairen felt a little embarrassed and lowered his eyes, saying softly, "It's not just to see you. I heard that Roujia's pregnancy isn't going well, and both my Mother Consort and I are worried..."

Bairen glanced at Qi Xiao and said quietly, "When I went to deliver things to the He Manor during the day, I also went inside to pay my respects to Roujia. She's much better than I thought, so it seems she's fine now. I... I've heard everything. In the past six months, you've taken good care of her. Thank you..."

Qi Xiao laughed mockingly, "You don't all have to thank me. I treat her well, but it's never been for her sake."

Bairen's heart ached. He turned his face away and said softly, "Everything is fine in Lingnan too... I promoted Sir Dong as the Minister of Culture. It wasn't really Sir Dong's turn, but the previous candidates all died in the chaos. Sir Dong took on the role in the crisis, and he's managed it well."

"The Xia family had infiltrated the military quite a bit. Some people didn't follow the rebellion at the time, but there were still some doubts about them, and most couldn't be trusted. I discussed it with them and simply used Shunzi. His base is in the Imperial City, so he's the most reassuring. Although he lacks qualifications, he has made great contributions. At that time... he saved many people, and he arranged the city defenses after quelling the rebellion without a single mistake, which makes people trust him."

Qi Xiao nods, "My wet nurse passed away long ago, and his father died early. He doesn't have many relatives here. Now that he's settled in the south, it can be considered fate."

"Your Highness's Granny Yan is still serving my mother. I asked her if she wanted to return to the Imperial City, and I would prepare a generous gift for her and send her back properly. She said that the Crown Prince's inner residence has no one now and doesn't need her, so she might as well stay and accompany my mother. Queen Mother indeed can't be without her, so I didn't say anything more."

Bairen thought for a moment and then said, "Also, I understand Princess Dunsu's intention. Please thank the princess for her great kindness on my behalf. When I return, I'll have an old maid go and talk to Kangtai. If she's willing, I'll marry her. Originally, I wanted to execute her along with the others, but my mother said... after all, she's a girl and wasn't involved in those matters, so we shouldn't kill her. I thought about it and agreed... Killing all the half-siblings immediately after ascending the throne would sound too bad for my reputation, so I spared her."

Bairen says softly, "To eliminate future troubles, I had my youngest brother adopted by an uncle from the main family and changed his name. If he can be content with his lot in the future, that's best. If not... I'll just let him quietly disappear, and that will be that."

Bairen chattered on, mentioning the important internal affairs in Lingnan. Finally, he gave a dry laugh, "This... is still what you taught me before."

Qi Xiao listened quietly to Bairen's words. After a while, he asked, "What about you? How have you been... in the past six months?"

Bairen is stunned for a moment, then laughed softly and said, "Not bad. Sometimes it's a bit tiring, but at least I don't have to worry about Mother every day. With you here in the Imperial City, I can rest assured about Roujia and her child's safety. Everything else is fine too."

Qi Xiao raises his hand and gently strokes Bairen's sharp chin. His hand slides down, touching Bairen's shoulders, arms, waist, and ribs... Beneath the thick servant's clothes, Bairen's body is terribly thin. Qi Xiao says indifferently, "This is not bad?"

Bairen's eyes redden. Qi Xiao pulls him onto the bed and removes his cotton jacket, then takes off the inner garment. Looking at Bairen's naked body, there is not a hint of desire in Qi Xiao's eyes, only heartache. Bairen feels very embarrassed and laughs, saying, "I'm too busy every day and can't sleep well at night, so... I've lost some weight."

Qi Xiao still remembered that when Bairen hadn't left yet, his flesh was like congealed cream due to drinking soup every day, like a porcelain doll. At that time, every night, Qi Xiao would strip him naked like this and let him sleep in his arms. Now looking at him...

Qi Xiao closed his eyes and said hoarsely, "Do you not eat at all?"

Bairen's eyes also reddened. He lowered his head and said softly, "I do eat, but I just... I just keep losing weight. When I decided to come, I thought it would be good this way. With just a little disguise, no one would recognize me. I didn't expect you to still recognize me..."

Bairen wiped his tears and choked out, "You still recognized me..."

"If I hadn't recognized you, were you planning to just take a look and leave?" Qi Xiao looked at Bairen fixedly. "Could you bear it?"

Qi Xiao suddenly understood why Shunzi cried so hard earlier. It wasn't just because he was heartbroken to see his old master, but more likely... he was feeling distressed for them. After going through countless dangers, they finally met, but they faced each other without recognition.

Bairen took a deep breath and said softly, "Bear it... I know, even if we can't acknowledge each other today, in a few years, you'll definitely find a way for me to come and congratulate you in a proper manner."

Bairen looked up at Qi Xiao, his eyes clear, "I can wait."

Wait for you to rule the world, wait for you to govern the four seas, wait for you to properly invite me to court.

From then on, only death can separate us.

Qi Xiao sighed deeply and carefully pulled Bairen into his arms, draping a brocade quilt over him. He said softly, "Don't worry, it won't take a few years... Just for you, I won't delay that long."

Holding him like this, Qi Xiao felt that he was terribly thin. Qi Xiao considered their half-year separation to have been torturous enough for himself, and he had only lost a little weight.

But Bairen... Qi Xiao's heart ached so much that his eyes reddened.

He frowned and said hoarsely, "Even through the quilt, I feel your bones poking me. How on earth have you lived this past half year?!"

Bairen suddenly felt a little worried and can't help but explain in detail, "I... I'll eat more, and in no time, I'll gain the weight back. When I first came to the Crown Prince's Manor, didn't I also gradually get healthier..."

Bairen had been so absorbed in government affairs for the past six months that he hadn't paid any attention to his own appearance. Now, he couldn't help but feel a bit apprehensive in his heart, afraid that Qi Xiao might not like the way he looked now.

Qi Xiao could see his worries, but didn't say anything comforting to ease his mind. What good would it do to lie? Even a fool could see that compared to the young prince who had stunned him that moonlit night in the bamboo grove, the current King of Lingnan's appearance had deteriorated by more than just a bit or two. As for his body, it could be described as emaciated.

Without a word, Qi Xiao released Bairen and looked at his somewhat anxious eyes. He slowly took off his own clothes...

Qi Xiao raised his hand to lower the bed curtains. Whether he still loved him as he did that day, he would let him experience it himself...

The moon was high in the sky, and Bairen was still softly moaning in the warm chamber. From time to time, he would even let out a few pleading sounds with a hint of crying. In the middle of the night, Jiang Deqing put on his clothes and went to listen by the bed, wanting to persuade them.

After hesitating for a moment, he shook his head with a smile and left. He just instructed the few maids on night duty in the side room to keep their ears sharp and have everything ready at all times, waiting for the prince to call for service. These maids had been in the manor since childhood and knew very well what was right and wrong, what to listen to and what not to.

They just nodded in agreement without saying a word more. But it wasn't until dawn that they heard Qi Xiao ask for tea from the inner room.

"Put the hot water on the small table and go down." Qi Xiao, wearing only a silk pant and bare-chested, his eyes full of satisfaction, instructed in a low voice, "Go stew a bowl of bird's nest, don't add ginger shreds, and tell the kitchen to prepare breakfast early, just some light dishes will do."

The maids responded with their eyes lowered, changed the tea in the room, took away the cold snacks and brought up freshly heated ones. After everything was tidied up, they retreated in a line, never once glancing at the bed from beginning to end.

Qi Xiao got out of bed to pour Bairen a cup of hot tea. He turned back to the bed and lifted the quilt a little, chuckling, "Alright, everyone has gone down. Come... drink some tea first, and eat something in a bit."

Bairen's body was covered in light red marks, his thin legs still trembling unconsciously, without an ounce of strength. Qi Xiao sat down and fed him tea from his mouth, his doting heart fully revealed. Bairen drank a few sips of tea before feeling a little more comfortable. He couldn't help but moan in a low voice, "I didn't die in the chaos, but... I almost died here..."

Qi Xiao laughed and put down the teacup. He gently picked up Bairen, his hand sliding down as he asked in a low voice, "Does it still hurt here?"

Bairen's legs suddenly twitched and he frowned, "It hurts..."

Qi Xiao coaxed in a low voice, "I'll wipe it for you first... it will be fine once the medicine is applied."

Qi Xiao sighed inwardly. Although the two of them had been intimate before, they had never gone all the way. He was afraid Bairen couldn't take it and had been helping him adapt. Unfortunately, in the past six months... it was the same as when they first started. He had worked on him all night, and Bairen's private parts were probably injured.

Fortunately, Jiang Deqing was considerate and had the medicine prepared. After Qi Xiao cleaned Bairen up and applied some medicine, Bairen felt much better before long. Qi Xiao fed him a bowl of bird's nest, and his complexion immediately improved a lot. Qi Xiao sat back on the bed and held him in his arms, intimately affectionate.

"Is your waist sore?" Qi Xiao let him lie on his chest and gently massaged his waist.

Bairen nodded, a little aggrieved, "It hurts a lot."

Qi Xiao chuckled. No matter how indifferent and ruthless the King of Lingnan was in front of others, in his arms, he was still that lovable young prince.

Qi Xiao coaxed him in a low voice, "It's my fault, it's my fault. But... Crown Prince Consort, I saw that you were also very fond of it just now. Although you cried the whole time later, you still let me enter and shoot several times..."

"Qi Xiao!" Bairen's face was completely red. He buried his face in the fluffy brocade quilt and whimpered, "If you say more, I... I won't be nice to you anymore!"

Bairen rarely called him by his full name, unless he was so angry. Qi Xiao found it amusing in his heart. Knowing when to stop, he said softly, "Alright, alright, I won't say it. Be good and get up, or you'll be uncomfortable in a bit..."

Bairen was resentful. Qi Xiao coaxed him for a long time, but Bairen was uncomfortable down there and felt uneasy no matter how he lay. He still complained, "You were too rough... I probably won't be able to get up tomorrow either..."

Although it was a complaint, Qi Xiao felt very warm in his heart when he heard it. He said softly, "Then don't get up. Are you... in a hurry to go back?"

Bairen looked up at Qi Xiao for a moment, then lowered his eyes and said in a small voice, "Actually... Lingnan is not as busy as the imperial city here, and... most of those who opposed me have died. There's nothing much to worry about. And even if there are some small matters, there's... there's still Teacher. It's not that urgent..."

A hint of a smile appeared on the corner of Qi Xiao's lips. Bairen's face turned even redder. He simply revealed everything, "Actually... I had made it clear before I came. Mother Consort and Teacher, they all know. I originally wanted to quietly stay for a month and find ways to see you more..."

Bairen's face was flushed with embarrassment. He buried his face in the brocade quilt again and said in a muffled voice, "As long as you can keep it a secret and not let people know I'm in your manor, I... can stay for a month or two without any problem. If something comes up, I'll go back to make an appearance and then... come back again..."

Qi Xiao's heart was filled with tenderness. He hugged Bairen together with the quilt and said softly, "Don't worry, I can definitely keep it a secret. And... I won't let you live such a rushed life for long."