Chapter 60 – I listened to Li Chisu’s stories from the past.
Li Chisu boarded the dragon boat with two maids. Zhao Qi and Xiao Shiqing had already entered the cabin, leaving only He Changzhou waiting on the deck.
He Changzhou shook off the previous dejection he had shown in front of Zhao Qi. Standing upright with his sword, his figure was tall and straight, exuding youthful vigor and noble bearing, though his expression was far from pleasant.
Li Chisu met his undisguised scornful gaze and smiled, “Why does General He look at this king like that? Did I offend you in the capital without realizing it?”
He Changzhou sneered, glancing at the two maids behind Li Chisu, and said sarcastically, “The Prince of Zhao Nan is indeed as rumored—always accompanied by beauties wherever he goes, even on a dragon boat.”
Li Chisu slightly turned his head and said, “Little Fish, Su Hua, General He is praising you as beauties. Don’t you want to thank him?”
“No need.” He Changzhou stepped forward, tapped Li Chisu’s shoulder with the sword sheath, and said coldly, “Even if it’s you, it makes no difference. You’re simply not worthy.”
After finishing his words, He Changzhou walked away, leaving the three of them staring at each other.
Little Fish asked in confusion, “Master, when did you offend this young general?”
Li Chisu rested his fan against his chin, pondering, “I’m curious too.”
An inner official approached and said, “Your Highness, the Emperor requests your presence inside the boat for tea.”
Li Chisu nodded and said to the two maids, “You wait outside for me. I’ll go… pay my respects to the Emperor.”
Zhao Qi invited Li Chisu for tea mainly to ask about a matter that was both extremely embarrassing and of great importance. However, with Xiao Shiqing and He Changzhou sitting on either side of him, he couldn’t find an opportunity to speak.
“Doesn’t the Prime Minister have other matters to attend to?” Zhao Qi asked tentatively.
Xiao Shiqing replied, “Seeing Li Chisu is important, no matter how busy.”
“…Fine then.”
The inner official led Li Chisu inside. Before Li Chisu could bow, Zhao Qi said, “Skip the formalities. Please take a seat and have some tea.”
Li Chisu smiled and said, “Thank you, Your Majesty.” He looked Zhao Qi up and down and said, “Has Your Majesty gained weight?”
Zhao Qi nearly spat out his tea, instinctively covering his belly, and looked at Li Chisu with a mix of disgust and complaint. “I’ve gained some weight recently.”
Li Chisu’s lips curled into a grin. “Being able to eat is a blessing. Your Majesty is very fortunate.”
Zhao Qi inwardly complained about the so-called blessing. “Do you want this blessing or not?”
Xiao Shiqing noted Zhao Qi’s reaction and took a sip of tea. “I heard that Your Highness has been in Jiangxia for three days already.”
Li Chisu said, “As expected, nothing escapes the Prime Minister’s notice.”
“You’ve been away from your fief for several months. Not returning to Nanzhou immediately after leaving the capital—are you not concerned about the morale and welfare of the army?”
Li Chisu replied with a leisurely smile, “The civil and military officials of Nanzhou are different from those in the northern borders. When the lord is absent, they do what they need to do without worrying about the lord’s safety. Not to mention a few months; as long as His Majesty gives the word, staying for a year or more is not a problem.”
“What good is it for you to stay for a year or more? Should I let you watch the dragon eggs hatch?” Zhao Qi rolled his eyes and said, “Since you’re the ruler of Nanzhou, it’s inappropriate to wander around aimlessly. You should return as soon as possible.”
“You’re right, Your Majesty,” Li Chisu said awkwardly, “but I haven’t married a princess yet. Returning to Nanzhou means I’ll be lectured by those old ministers left and right. Just thinking about it gives me a headache.”
He Changzhou sneered, “Oh, even at this point, you still want to marry a princess?”
Li Chisu was slightly surprised. “At this point? What’s wrong with it?”
Zhao Qi shot He Changzhou a “shut up” look and retorted, “I’m the Son of Heaven, not your father. What’s the use of you whining about not being able to marry a princess in front of me all day? Can I just magically produce one for you?!”
Li Chisu lightly chuckled, “Your Majesty is right. In such matters, it’s crucial that the young lady herself is willing.”
Zhao Qi’s expression darkened further. “But the young lady isn’t willing.”
Suddenly, Xiao Shiqing interjected, “That’s enough.”
Once Prime Minister Xiao spoke, even the Emperor fell silent, let alone the other two.
“An appointed prince cannot stay away from his designated fiefdom for long,” Xiao Shiqing asserted without room for objection, “Within two days, Your Highness must depart for Nanzhou.”
Li Chisu’s eyes darkened briefly, then swiftly returned to his usual charming demeanor. “Is this also His Majesty’s wish?”
“It is necessary,” Zhao Qi affirmed, showing respect to the Prime Minister’s brother, “What the Prime Minister intends is also my intention.”
The smile on Li Chisu’s face faded a bit. “I obey.”
In the following days, Xiao Shiqing remained with Zhao Qi, who never found an opportunity to ask Li Chisu.
At noon, the dragon boat finally docked in Jiangxia. Unlike in Cangzhou, although the officials of Jiangxia were lined up neatly to greet them, they all looked disheveled, pallid-faced, as if they hadn’t had a proper night’s sleep or a decent meal in days.
The Governor of Jiangxia, Pang Dai, a thin man in his forties, stood at the forefront, his official robes stained with wet mud, his hair disheveled. He bowed to Zhao Qi, “Governor Pang Dai of Jiangxia leads all officials here to respectfully welcome Your Majesty.”
Curious, Zhao Qi asked, “Governor, where did you come from? Why have you made yourself look like this?”
Pang Dai looked ashamed. “I fear Your Majesty might find it amusing.”
“You needn’t worry,” Zhao Qi reassured him. “I have received professional training; generally speaking, I don’t laugh.” Unless it’s unavoidable.
Pang Dai managed a wry smile. “I was just now involved in rescuing Your Majesty’s palace.”
“You mean, my palace was flooded too?”
“With continuous heavy rains, many breaches occurred along the Huai River. Most parts of the city are flooded, and even Your Majesty’s palace, though situated high, couldn’t escape this calamity.”
“That’s true,” Li Chisu added. “During my three days in Jiangxia, I had to change locations daily. There are now few habitable places left in Jiangxia.”
Pang Dai assured him, “But Your Majesty, do not worry. I have found a new lodging for you, a century-old inn here in Jiangxia. This inn—”
Interrupting the unnecessary details, Zhao Qi turned to Xiao Shiqing, “Prime Minister, if my palace is in this state, what about the common people in the city?”
Xiao Shiqing calmly patted Zhao Qi’s waist, reassuring him, “Your Majesty, first retire to your lodging. I will personally inspect the banks of the Huai River.”
“I want to go with you!” Zhao Qi insisted.
Xiao Shiqing glanced at Zhao Qi’s abdomen. “It’s not safe for you there.”
“But…”
Xiao Shiqing turned to Pang Dai, “Pang Dai.”
“At your service.”
“Escort His Majesty to the inn.”
Frustrated and a little angry, Zhao Qi muttered under his breath, “Brother completely disregards my opinions again.”
Xiao Shiqing looked surprised. “You…”
“Forget it,” Zhao Qi sighed. “You go ahead, I’m leaving.”
Xiao Shiqing regained his composure and nodded slightly. “Take care on the way, Your Majesty.”
With a bit of resentment, Zhao Qi left. Jiang Dehai was about to follow when Xiao Shiqing said to him, “Try to persuade His Majesty.”
Jiang Dehai’s smile was bitterly ironic. “This old servant will try his best.”
Accompanied by courtiers… oh, there were no court ladies, Zhao Qi traveled by carriage to the inn where he would stay. Along the way, it started raining again, and there seemed to be a trend of it getting heavier. Zhao Qi was somewhat worried, “Did Prime Minister bring an umbrella?”
Jiang Dehai smiled, “Your Majesty, rest assured. Even if someone forgot their umbrella, the Prime Minister wouldn’t.”
Raindrops the size of soybeans fell heavily on the carriage, making dull thuds. “With such heavy rain, even an umbrella would be useless.”
“That’s why the Prime Minister didn’t let Your Majesty accompany him,” Jiang Dehai spoke with a maternal concern, “Many breaches along the Huai River, it’s dangerous. Moreover, Your Majesty is now pregnant; how can you go to such places?”
“But he doesn’t know I’m pregnant. Not letting me go is probably because he’s afraid I’ll cause him trouble.” Zhao Qi’s greatest virtue was self-awareness. “But I really am not useful. If I went, I might just be a hindrance to him.”
Jiang Dehai hurriedly said, “Your Majesty must not say such things! You are the emperor, how could you be useless?”
“Alright, you don’t need to comfort me.” Zhao Qi reassured himself, feeling uplifted. “Although I can’t be there in person, there are still many things I can do.”
Upon reaching the inn, Zhao Qi wasted no time and immediately inquired about flood control efforts from Pang Dai.
“How many breaches are there currently?” Zhao Qi asked.
“In total, Your Majesty, there are twelve breaches. We’ve repaired five, and I’ve documented all of this.”
Frowning, Zhao Qi queried further, “As Emperor, I am truly busy and don’t have time to remember everything in your reports. What about the remaining seven breaches?”
“I’ve already ordered repairs to continue through the night, but the rain has been incessant…”
With a stern face, Zhao Qi pointed out, “I must emphasize, this disaster, I’m sorry to say, carries significant responsibility for you. You’ve been the Governor of Jiangxia for decades; why were precautions not taken?”
Pang Dai defended himself, “Your Majesty, I did take precautions, but this year’s rainy season is truly unprecedented.”
“In that case, you must…” Zhao Qi paused, firm in his stance, “You must find a solution to this issue.”
Pang Dai sighed helplessly, “I want to solve it too, but the materials needed for repairing the riverbanks have always been insufficient.”
“We can purchase them.”
“But the relief funds from the court have already been allocated to aid the flood victims. The government is truly strapped for resources…”
Zhao Qi cut him off decisively, “Purchase them!”
“Pardon?”
“After all, this disaster is ultimately my fault. My greatest mistake is allowing you to make mistakes.”
Pang Dai and the other officials knelt on the ground, “Your Majesty, I dare not. I have made a mistake—”
…
As night fell, the rain showed no signs of easing.
Xiao Yu packed his belongings while teasing his master, “Well, that’s settled. They didn’t catch up to us, and they sent us back to our fiefdom with our tails between our legs.”
Su Hua asked, “Is His Highness really going to Southern Province?”
Li Chisu, fanning himself casually, replied, “Not going would be defying the imperial decree, risking one’s head.”
Su Hua doubted, “Would His Highness willingly leave like this?”
“Of course not,” Li Chisu said leisurely, “I don’t dare hope for much else, but before leaving, let me at least have a farewell encounter with His Highness.”
“A farewell encounter?” Xiao Yu exclaimed, “Isn’t that already quite a hope?”
Li Chisu playfully tapped Xiao Yu’s head with his fan handle, “Don’t be so harsh with your words, young lady, or you won’t find a husband in the future.”
Xiao Yu blushed, “Whether I find a husband or not has nothing to do with His Highness!”
As the master and servants chatted, Xiao Jinzi, who had finally recovered from seasickness, knocked on the door and whispered, “Your Highness, the Emperor requests your presence.”
Xiao Yu was surprised, “Why would the Emperor summon His Highness so late?”
Li Chisu smiled, “Indeed, why would the Emperor summon me?”
Zhao Qi dealt with the officials from Jiangxia with a mix of kindness and severity until late into the night, before finally having the energy to attend to his “private matters”. He had initially wanted to meet Li Chisu together with them, but after reasoning and appealing emotionally, he sent He Changzhou away.
When Li Chisu arrived, only Zhao Qi was in the room.
Zhao Qi had changed into casual clothes, with a hint of weariness on his face. Yet to Li Chisu’s eyes, he remained irresistibly charming—a little beauty, if only Zhao Qi’s gaze wasn’t so piercing.
Li Chisu smiled and bowed to Zhao Qi, “I greet Your Majesty.”
Zhao Qi simply “hmphed” and straightened his posture.
“Is the Prime Minister not here?” Li Chisu asked.
“He hasn’t returned yet.”
Li Chisu remarked, “No wonder—General He Changzhou isn’t here either?”
Frowning, Zhao Qi said, “When I’m speaking to you, you keep bringing up others.”
Li Chisu’s lips curved with a smile, exuding elegance and grace. “Your Majesty is right. Let’s not mention them, only Your Majesty and I.” Stepping forward, he fixed his watery eyes on Zhao Qi without blinking. “So, why did Your Majesty summon me alone at this late hour?”
Zhao Qi mentally prepared himself before speaking slowly, “I want to ask you, during the palace banquet that night, what did you… do to me?”
Li Chisu chuckled knowingly, “So Your Majesty is still troubled by that?”
“It’s necessary,” Zhao Qi said tersely, “Otherwise, someone might get away with everything scot-free.”
“Get away with everything?” Li Chisu was slightly surprised, “Are you talking about me?”
“Less talk,” Zhao Qi’s face turned cold, “Tell me exactly what you did that day.”
Li Chisu’s thoughts returned to over three months ago.
During the palace banquet, he was summoned to the Imperial Garden by an unsigned letter. The person who wrote the letter didn’t show up, and after waiting for a long time, just as he was about to leave, he stumbled upon Prince Huai and Rong Tang meeting privately. He enjoyed the scene without any concern, especially since Prince Huai was involved in his schemes. He only left after watching the scene play out, by which time it was already completely dark.
The paths in the palace were intricate. Without a guide, he unknowingly walked near Yonghua Palace and saw a person hurriedly leaving the hall, almost as if fleeing.
He recognized that person as General He Changzhou. This young hero was widely renowned, so what could have happened to make him so panicked?
Driven by curiosity, he entered the hall and found it empty of even a eunuch or palace maid. He recalled the recent rumors: the Emperor greatly favored his male favorite Rong Tang, even giving up his own sleeping quarters for Rong Tang’s recovery. But even if it wasn’t the Emperor residing in Yonghua Palace now, security shouldn’t be so lax.
The inner hall was lit, the door closed but not locked. He pushed it gently, and it opened.
Through the layers of curtains, he saw someone on the bed tossing and turning in obvious distress. He approached and recognized the person lying there, astonished, “Your Majesty?”
The Emperor’s dragon robe was half-removed, exposing his shoulder, with a clear tooth mark visible. His cheeks were flushed, eyes teary and misty, lips shimmering with a glossy sheen. Even someone as experienced as Li Chisu couldn’t help but feel his breath quicken at the sight of the Emperor in such a state.
The Emperor seemed feverish, continuously tugging at his dragon robe, and looked at him with wet eyes, “Help me… help me take it off…”
“Do you really want me to help you?”
The Emperor nodded, choked up.
“But I’ve never taken off a dragon robe before,” Li Chisu teased, “Would Your Majesty teach me?”
The Emperor’s long hair lay scattered on the pillow, shaking his head feebly, unable to utter a complete sentence.
“Not teaching? Then I’ll have to go slowly.” With nimble fingers, he slowly removed piece by piece of the dragon robe, “Since this was brought to me by Your Majesty yourself, I can’t be blamed.”
“Hmm…”
When he had only a shirt left, a familiar fragrance wafted over him. He raised his eyebrows in astonishment, “The scent on your body, this is…”
He had only smelled this fragrance on Xiao Ya, finding it refreshing and intoxicating. He had specially ordered a search but couldn’t find this kind of fragrance in the entire capital. Why would it appear on the Emperor?
He carefully studied the Emperor’s features, increasingly familiar, gradually overlapping with the impression he had. He couldn’t help but smile ruefully—so that was it.
The little beauty on the bed, even after being stripped, wasn’t behaving, gripping his hand and refusing to let him leave. A faint blush covered his fair skin, eyes and brows as lovely as peach blossoms.
Since the Emperor was his Xiao Ya, he didn’t need to worry about anything anymore.
Just as he was determined to take apart his “Xiao Ya” and enter his body, a cold voice sounded behind him, “What are you doing?”
Li Chisu returned to his thoughts, covered up the final scene, and told Zhao Qi the truth.
Even though Zhao Qi had mentally prepared himself, hearing these words firsthand still drained the color from his face, his anger flaring up. “You removed my dragon robe, and then?”
“Then…” Li Chisu’s expression was provocative, “naturally, I used my body to help Your Majesty relieve yourself.”
Zhao Qi’s face lost what little color remained—it was indeed as he had suspected. How could it be anyone else but this beastly Li Chisu!
Li Chisu chuckled, “Your Majesty, don’t be angry. I will take responsibility for you.”
Zhao Qi pounded the table fiercely, gritting his teeth, “I… don’t… need… that!”
“Don’t need it?” Li Chisu raised an eyebrow, “If Your Majesty doesn’t need it, why investigate this matter in detail?”
Zhao Qi said coldly, “Because I want to tell you, you scum, you’re finished.”
Li Chisu: “Eh?”
Deep into the night, Xiao Shiqing returned to the inn with a chill. His black robe was soaked, and an attendant had prepared hot water for his bath.
He asked, “Has the Emperor slept?”
“He retired half an hour ago.”
Xiao Shiqing hadn’t even had a chance to remove his outer robe when Fu Zi came to report, “Prime Minister, Doctor Zhang has arrived.”
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
If you like dragons, check out I’m Pregnant with the Hope of the Entire Planet and The Dragon and the ‘Princess’
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
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