Chapter 38 – I was confessed to.
Zhao Qi has been having trouble sleeping lately and deeply sympathizes with He Changzhou’s pain. He nodded understandingly, “I understand you.”
He Changzhou was taken aback, “You understand me, Your Majesty?”
“The imperial physician gave me a prescription recently, saying daily intake can improve sleep quality. I’ll have Jiang Dehai copy it for you,” Zhao Qi explained.
He Changzhou replied hesitantly, “…So I truly thank Your Majesty for that.”
“Wait,” Zhao Qi’s lengthy thought process finally concluded, “When you mentioned ‘that night,’ which night were you referring to?”
“You mean which night? It was the night of the Longevity Festival,” He Changzhou’s cheeks reddened slightly, but he maintained eye contact with Zhao Qi, “You were utterly drunk, and I carried you back to the palace. Your Majesty was burning hot all over.”
With things said this far, even Zhao Qi could sense the awkwardness. “But didn’t you say you left after bringing me back to the palace?”
He Changzhou seemed to have made up his mind, “Yes, but then I came back.”
Confused, Zhao Qi asked, “Why?”
“Why,” He Changzhou looked down on Zhao Qi, meeting his gaze squarely, “I wanted to ask Your Majesty why. Why you held onto me and wouldn’t let me go, why you asked me to help undress you, why you didn’t want me to leave you alone. Do you know, facing you like that, I couldn’t control myself.”
Zhao Qi felt his breath stop. He heard himself say, “So, it was you that night?” It was He Changzhou who had slept with him?
He Changzhou looked down, like a large dog caught misbehaving, “It was me. I hurt Your Majesty. Your shoulder—Your Majesty? Your Majesty!”
Pinching his own philtrum, Zhao Qi couldn’t stand straight—had he been taken advantage of by his best friend?!
No, I can’t accept this!
Quickly, get me an oxygen tank; I can’t hold on any longer…
Initially supporting Zhao Qi, He Changzhou ended up lifting him. “Your Majesty, hang in there; I’ll send someone to fetch the imperial physician!”
Furious, Zhao Qi yelled, forgetting his own dignity, “Damn it, don’t touch me! Let go!”
He Changzhou held him tighter, resolute. “I won’t let go.”
“You… bastard!” Zhao Qi struggled weakly, like a delicate girl. Realizing he couldn’t break free, he exploded on the spot, biting He Changzhou’s shoulder fiercely.
He Changzhou wasn’t wearing armor, just a thin layer of military uniform. Despite his tough exterior, he couldn’t help but grunt at the bite. Yet, he didn’t flinch, allowing Zhao Qi to continue biting.
Blood spread on his crimson uniform. Tasting blood, Zhao Qi finally released his grip.
He Changzhou still held him, his voice hoarse, “Had enough? If not, Your Majesty can continue.”
Grabbing his shirt’s lapels, Zhao Qi muttered to himself, “I excluded you first… you disappointed me so much!!!”
He Changzhou hadn’t expected his actions to provoke such a strong reaction from Zhao Qi. “I’m sorry, Your Majesty. I shouldn’t have treated you that way.”
Bitterly, Zhao Qi said, “You’re my best friend here!”
He Changzhou gently stroked his hair, trying to calm him. “Yes, yes, I was wrong.”
“Do you know what ‘best friends’ means? It means if one day I suddenly turned into a girl, and if you wanted to, I’d marry you!” Zhao Qi cried out, “But I’m a boy, only nineteen…” tears flowed freely, “How could you do such a beastly thing to me!”
As Zhao Qi cried, He Changzhou became increasingly awkward. “Your Majesty, please don’t cry. Should I just consider it as being bitten by a dog?”
Infuriated, Zhao Qi wanted to kill him, “Then I would be the dog’s day!” How could He Changzhou say such things!
Confused and at a loss, He Changzhou replied, “…Huh?”
After venting through biting, crying, and scolding, Zhao Qi finally calmed down a bit, “You can let go now. I won’t hit you. I wouldn’t stand a chance anyway.”
He Changzhou asked tentatively, “So, Your Majesty doesn’t blame me?”
Turning away, Zhao Qi replied coldly, “I don’t want to see you for now. If you want to go to the Western Xia, I won’t stop you.”
After a moment of silence, He Changzhou sat down while still holding Zhao Qi. He sat in a chair with Zhao Qi reluctantly on his lap, facing each other. Zhao Qi was still immersed in the anguish of being taken advantage of by his best friend and didn’t realize their awkward position.
He Changzhou comforted Zhao Qi, “Your Majesty, now that everything’s out in the open, I don’t feel like leaving anymore.”
Glaring at him, Zhao Qi asked, “Are you playing with me?”
“No,” He Changzhou patiently explained, “Actually, I didn’t expect Your Majesty to take it so seriously…”
With a hint of disdain in his eyes, Zhao Qi said, “You didn’t think it was serious? Seems like you and Li Chisu belong to the same category.”
He Changzhou smiled sheepishly, “So, what does Your Majesty plan to do with me?”
Narrowing his eyes, Zhao Qi glanced down at He Changzhou under him. Now the question was, should he dismantle the bastard who violated him, his best friend?
That night, both he and He Changzhou were at fault. He was wrong for acting out after drinking, and He Changzhou was wrong for not pushing him away. Though He Changzhou bore the greatest responsibility, at that moment, it was he who didn’t let the other leave. Ending the He family’s lineage over this matter would be inappropriate. Besides, the He family held great prestige in the military. If the soldiers found out the Emperor had… well, taken liberties with their young general, the scene would be too much to bear, and he didn’t dare to think about it.
Zhao Qi pondered for a moment and said, “You should think twice about this.”
“No need to think twice,” He Changzhou replied earnestly. “I will take responsibility for Your Majesty.”
Zhao Qi’s expression was complicated. “…There’s really no need.” He wasn’t some chaste maiden; being intimate wouldn’t lead to pregnancy. If he could just relax a bit, he could consider it a drunken lapse with a good friend. It sounded like a trivial matter.
“Why isn’t there a need?” He Changzhou persisted. “I want to take responsibility for Your Majesty. I’m willing to take responsibility for Your Majesty. I hope to make Your Majesty… mine alone.”
With He Changzhou being so direct, Zhao Qi’s brain couldn’t keep up. He jumped up suddenly. “W-what do you mean?”
He Changzhou’s eyes sparkled brightly, open and honest. “I like Your Majesty.”
A thousand thoughts raced through Zhao Qi’s mind. He stuttered, “B-but I don’t like you.”
The stars in He Changzhou’s eyes dimmed suddenly. “I know. You like Rong Tang.” He stood up, approached Zhao Qi, his tall figure imposing. “Your Majesty, I’ve always wanted to ask you, what exactly is it about me that’s inferior to Rong Tang? He treats you with indifference, while I try in every way to make you happy. In your heart, am I still inferior to him?”
Zhao Qi defended himself, “It’s not like that! The reason I treat Rong Tang well is because I owe him too much. I just want to make it up to him.”
He Changzhou chuckled. “Your Majesty didn’t say that before. Everyone in the palace knows, Rong Tang is Your Majesty’s favored.”
“…Yes,” he had said something similar, but that was just a means to maintain his image initially. Could He Changzhou really believe it?
“I don’t want to dwell on the past,” He Changzhou looked deeply into Zhao Qi’s eyes. “What I seek now is Your Majesty’s future.”
He Changzhou’s sudden confession left Zhao Qi utterly bewildered. Coupled with the scare he had just experienced, he felt his heart and mind were on the verge of collapse. But he had to make things clear with He Changzhou. Although he had never been in love, he knew ambiguous behavior often led to misunderstandings. He didn’t want to be seen as leading anyone on, especially not his brother.
Taking a deep breath, Zhao Qi said, “Changzhou, listen carefully. I don’t like you, and I don’t like Rong Tang either. I… am not interested in romance.”
He Changzhou obviously didn’t believe this. “You’re not interested? Then how do you explain that night?”
Zhao Qi sighed in frustration. “I was drunk.”
“Just being drunk can lead to such a strong reaction?” He Changzhou pressed on mercilessly. “Is it because you can’t live without a man once he’s left?”
Zhao Qi had no words to respond. This was the question that had puzzled him all along. He prided himself on his tolerance for alcohol; being drunk usually just made him a bit wild, not… whatever had happened that night. Could it be that his reaction wasn’t due to drunkenness but for some other reason?
Their conversation was interrupted by the announcement, “Prime Minister is here.” Xiao Shiqing entered the hall, followed by Chen Li, the Grand Minister of Justice. Seeing the two of them, Xiao Shiqing asked, “Why is General He here at the Hall of Government Affairs?”
He Changzhou replied, “Prime Minister, His Majesty says he only likes women, not men. Do you believe him?”
A hint of something unusual flickered in Xiao Shiqing’s deep black eyes as he picked up a tinderbox beside the lamp and relit it. He calmly said, “No.”
He Changzhou smiled, “Your Majesty, see? Even the Prime Minister doesn’t believe you.”
Zhao Qi felt like banging his head against a wall. “This is so frustrating!”
Xiao Shiqing’s expression remained calm. “It’s late. Don’t shout.”
Zhao Qi pursed his lips, feeling a bit aggrieved. First, his brother confessed to him, and now his brother had outed him. And to top it off, Xiao Shiqing was scolding him. What a complicated and heated life he was living.
“The Prime Minister doesn’t seem to be in a good mood,” Zhao Qi said, changing the subject. “Chen Li.”
Chen Li hurriedly responded, “Here, Your Majesty.”
“Did you upset the Prime Minister?” Zhao Qi asked.
Chen Li waved his hands repeatedly, “It wasn’t me, Your Majesty. I didn’t.”
“That’s enough,” Xiao Shiqing said coldly. “Let’s stick to the matter at hand.”
Chen Li said, “Yes. Your Majesty, regarding the case of the poisoning death of the Crown Prince of Western Xia, I have found some important clues.”
With national affairs at hand, Zhao Qi temporarily put aside personal matters, gathered his focus, and said, “Mr. Chen, I’m surprised you managed to find such crucial clues! Tell me quickly, what earth-shattering discovery have you made?”
Chen Li knew that Zhao Qi had a biased view against him due to the early peach blossom case at Muyang Temple. “Your Majesty, firstly, Prince Zhaonan received a mysterious note. It was written on cotton paper from Jiangyou, which is known for its fine texture and softness, exclusively used in the palace. Moreover, the note carried a faint scent of Moonlight Orchid.”
Zhao Qi said, “Moonlight Orchid… Isn’t that a perfume commonly used by girls?”
“Your Majesty is wise. Upon investigation, I learned that Moonlight Orchid is often used by Princess Jiayan.”
Zhao Qi had a sudden realization. “That makes sense! Empress Mother has always wanted to betroth Princess Jiayan to Prince Zhaonan. Jiayan must have been eager to see her future husband’s true appearance, so she invited him to the Imperial Garden during the banquet and observed him from hiding.”
Chen Li chuckled. “Your Majesty and Prime Minister are thinking along the same lines. However, Princess Jiayan is from an illustrious background, so we couldn’t directly inquire.”
Zhao Qi nodded. “Leave this matter to me and the Empress Mother. What else?”
Chen Li continued, “I have ordered a detailed investigation into all the utensils used by the Western Xia prince during the banquet. There were no traces of Fengguilu poisoning found. While the onset time of Fengguilu varies by individual, it typically does not exceed an hour. If the Prince of Western Xia wasn’t poisoned during the banquet, it must have happened after he left his seat.”
As Zhao Qi thought, he said, “If the Prince went to the Imperial Garden after leaving his seat, does that mean the suspect is among those who were seen in the garden?”
“Yes, currently confirmed are: Master Rong, Prince Zhaonan, and Prince Huai.”
Zhao Qi added, “And Princess Jiayan.”
He Changzhou pondered. “What about motives? What would these four have to gain from poisoning the Prince of Western Xia?”
Xiao Shiqing slowly said, “Let’s set aside Rong Tang and Princess Jiayan for now. As for these two princes, Zhao and Li, their motives can always be uncovered.”
Zhao Qi frowned. In the original story, there was also a plot about the festival banquet, but the eldest prince of Xixia was not poisoned to death. Since transmigrating into the body of the ‘Dog Emperor’, he had indeed altered the storyline significantly. However, Zhao Tong and Li Chisu were far away in their fiefdoms, so their influence should be minimal. If either of them really took action, what reasons could have prompted them to change their minds?
In the original story, Li Chisu’s actions upon entering the capital were similar to his current behavior—frequenting the pleasure quarters and indulging in luxuries. Meanwhile, Zhao Tong, upon returning to the capital in the original plot, focused primarily on consolidating support. Apart from Rong Tang, who was trapped in the palace, he met with quite a few people, including…
For a moment, no one spoke. Xiao Shiqing stood up and said, “It’s getting late. The Emperor should return to the palace and rest. We’ll discuss this matter again tomorrow.”
Chen Li tactfully said, “I’ll take my leave.”
After Chen Li left, He Changzhou showed no intention of leaving. Xiao Shiqing looked at him. “General He, is there something else?”
He Changzhou replied, “There are still some personal matters between His Majesty and me that we haven’t finished discussing. Prime Minister, you need not concern yourself.”
Just when they had managed to temporarily forget their troubles, now everything came flooding back. Zhao Qi lay his head on the table, pretending to be asleep.
“Personal matters,” Xiao Shiqing smiled faintly, “I wasn’t aware that you and His Majesty had personal matters.”
He Changzhou said, “There are many things the Prime Minister doesn’t know.”
“Since it’s personal matters, there’s no need to discuss them late at night in the palace,” Xiao Shiqing said, “You can come again tomorrow. The Emperor needs to rest.”
He Changzhou chuckled, “Prime Minister, since you don’t sleep with His Majesty, why bother about when he sleeps?”
Xiao Shiqing also smiled, “And how would General He know whether I sleep with His Majesty or not?”
He Changzhou hesitated, “…”
“Your Majesty,” Xiao Shiqing turned to Zhao Qi, “let’s return to the palace. It’s time for bed.”
T/N: There is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! And stay healthy! Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~
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Also, check out the other series we have on HoH!
If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield
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How about some mystery or showbiz? Check out Morbid Addiction & Perfection
What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love
How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep