Chapter 63 – My little bridge is back! (Part 2)
When Zhao Qi turned around, Xiao Shiqing had already sat up. Perhaps because he still had a slight fever, his eyes seemed misty, his face slightly flushed, adding a touch of charm to his nobility.
Relieved, Zhao Qi cried out, “Ah, brother is finally awake. I couldn’t hold on much longer…”
Xiao Shiqing looked at him softly, “How long have I been asleep?”
“An entire day.”
Xiao Shiqing was somewhat speechless, “… Just one day and you’ve worn yourself out like this? Come here.”
Zhao Qi obediently sat down beside the bed, “Brother, are you hungry? Should I have someone bring you a bowl of noodles?”
“Didn’t you just eat noodles?”
“Uh, how did you know?”
“I could smell it.” Xiao Shiqing casually touched Zhao Qi’s abdomen, “Looks like you ate quite a bit, hmm?”
Feeling guilty, Zhao Qi tugged at his outer robe, covering his stomach, “If you’re not hungry, shall we look at these memorial books first?”
Xiao Shiqing looked up and saw the mountain of memorial books on the table, narrowing his eyes.
“Half of these I’ve reviewed myself, and the other half I’m not sure how to handle. Brother, you…”
Before Zhao Qi could finish his sentence, Xiao Shiqing had already pulled him close and onto the bed, and the two fell into a warm and fragrant embrace.
Cheng Boyan tactfully withdrew, leaving only Zhao Qi and Xiao Shiqing in the room.
Xiao Shiqing pressed Zhao Qi gently, avoiding his stomach, and said with a hint of restraint, “You cried beside my bed for so long just to wake me up early and help you review these memorials?”
“… What else could it be? Wait, Xiao Shiqing, you heard all that?”
Zhao Qi’s face changed, cautiously probing, “Brother, what did you hear?”
Xiao Shiqing countered, “What do you think I heard?”
With his long hair cascading onto Zhao Qi’s face, tickling him slightly, Zhao Qi twisted his fingers nervously, “It was all nonsense. Please don’t take it to heart.”
Xiao Shiqing’s eyes were deep, noncommittal.
Seizing the opportunity to change the subject, Zhao Qi said, “Prime Minister Brother, the flood situation in Jiangxia, the allocation of disaster relief funds, and the appointment and dismissal of two third-ranking officials in the capital are all waiting for your decision.”
Xiao Shiqing couldn’t help but smile.
Unaware, Zhao Qi continued, “Most importantly, Prince Huai’s forgery of customs clearance documents and unauthorized departure from the capital.”
Xiao Shiqing fell silent for a moment, lying on his side, “Noted.”
“Noted? Is that all?”
“Brother, shouldn’t we send someone to bring him back?”
“No need,” Xiao Shiqing said casually, “he should return on his own. If he doesn’t, there may be trouble in the northern border.”
Confused, Zhao Qi asked, “If we were going to let him go back eventually, why did we detain him in the first place?”
Xiao Shiqing explained, “To undermine his army’s morale, buy time, and find an excuse for future military expeditions.”
Though Zhao Qi only partially understood, if Xiao Shiqing said so, he had nothing more to worry about. A heavy burden was lifted from his heart.
Suddenly, Xiao Shiqing said, “You still haven’t answered my question.”
“What question?”
“Who are you trying to bring here?” The two lay face to face, Xiao Shiqing staring into Zhao Qi’s eyes, his voice slow and deliberate, “The Japanese divine doctor?”
Zhao Qi’s mind raced, quickly concocting a seamless excuse on the spot, “I was worried that the imperial physician couldn’t heal you well. I heard that the doctors from Japan are highly skilled, so I thought of inviting one to take a look at you…”
Xiao Shiqing watched the little emperor lie without batting an eye, his emotions complex. He then smiled faintly and said, “Funny thing is, noticing Your Majesty’s prolonged illness, I’ve invited a renowned physician from Dongying. He’ll arrive in Jiangxia soon. When he does, let him examine Your Majesty. Surely he’ll find out the reasons behind Your Majesty’s recent loss of appetite and excessive sleepiness.”
Zhao Qi’s face turned pale upon hearing this. He forced a smile and said, “My illness is already cured, Brother. Look, now I can eat a lot at every meal.”
“No harm,” Xiao Shiqing replied calmly. “Since the physician is already on his way, it’s better to have him check, to prevent… any relapse of old ailments.”
Zhao Qi gasped, “No! There’s no way I’ll relapse!”
Xiao Shiqing toyed with Zhao Qi’s hair with his fingertips, smiling lightly. “Are you so sure about that?”
Zhao Qi’s mind raced. If indeed another physician from Dongying came to diagnose him, his secret about the dragon egg would be exposed, unless he could get rid of it before then.
Life or death, it depended on whether Zhao Qiao’s physician or Xiao Shiqing’s physician arrived first.
Xiao Shiqing observed every subtle reaction from Zhao Qi and asked softly, “What are you thinking?”
Zhao Qi’s thoughts were chaotic. He blurted out, “I’m… wondering why Brother wants to discuss these matters in bed with me.”
Xiao Shiqing chuckled, “Is it inappropriate to talk about state affairs in bed?”
“Well, discussing state affairs doesn’t seem quite appropriate…”
“I think it’s rather nice,” Xiao Shiqing half-joked, half-seriously. “From now on, let’s discuss matters in bed, Your Majesty.”
“Oh,” Zhao Qi replied, “shall I bring the memorials to bed for you to review?”
Xiao Shiqing smirked, “You are indeed diligent in state affairs. Lie down, I’ll fetch them.”
Despite still recovering, Xiao Shiqing reluctantly reviewed the memorials. He lay on the outer side, shielding Zhao Qi from the light, allowing him to sleep peacefully on the inner side.
After thoroughly reviewing all the memorials, including those already endorsed by Zhao Qi, it was almost dawn.
He lay down again, his hand resting gently on Zhao Qi’s abdomen, and whispered, “Any movement?”
The little dragon egg seemed to respond, kicking gently under his father’s skin.
Xiao Shiqing smiled faintly, almost sighing as he murmured softly, “Good.”
As Cheng Boyan had predicted, Xiao Shiqing’s young and strong constitution responded well to the medicines. After a night’s rest, most of his illness had receded. When he got up, Zhao Qi was still asleep. Xiao Shiqing specifically instructed Jiang Dehai not to wake the emperor, letting him sleep as much as he needed.
Cheng Boyan brought medicinal soup and cautioned, “Prime Minister, your illness is not fully healed yet. Please finish the soup before you leave.”
Xiao Shiqing took the bowl and asked, “Cheng Boyan.”
“Here.”
“What exactly is His Majesty’s illness?”
Cheng Boyan bowed his head, “Your Majesty is suffering from discomfort due to differences in climate and environment, which have affected his health.”
Xiao Shiqing glanced at him and drank the soup in one go.
It was rare to find someone so loyal and fearless even in the presence of the emperor. For now, he decided to keep Cheng Boyan around.
Zhao Qi woke naturally from his sleep, finding the pillow beside him empty. Yawning, he asked, “Where’s the Prime Minister?”
“The Prime Minister has gone to attend to matters,” Jiang Dehai replied. “Before leaving, he instructed us to be quiet and not disturb Your Majesty.”
Zhao Qi settled back into bed contentedly. “Then I’ll lie down for a bit longer.”
Thus, what was the point of being an all-powerful emperor when one was exhausted like a dog, having no time to enjoy even the grandest luxuries? It was better to delegate some power to trusted individuals. Life was short, and seizing the moment for joy was the wisest choice.
For example, right now, no one could drag him out of bed—absolutely no one!
Just as Zhao Qi was self-soothing, a eunuch rushed in anxiously, “Your Majesty! Your Majesty!”
Keeping his eyes closed, Zhao Qi asked, “What’s the matter?”
“They’re here, they’re here! Young Master Zhao Si has returned with the physician from Dongying!”
Zhao Qi sat up abruptly, exclaiming, “Quick, spread the word!”
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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