Chapter 26 – I was kissed…?
Zhao Qi’s wrists were bound together, forcing him to rely on his legs for strength. He desperately wanted to kick Rong Tang away, but he couldn’t control the force properly. If he didn’t apply enough force, it would be ineffective; if he applied too much, he might accidentally injure the beautiful man in front of him.
“Be responsible, be responsible. I will take responsibility for you,” Zhao Qi coaxed, “I’ll find a famous doctor to treat your condition, I’ll let you out of the palace, and I’ll make amends with your family… Whatever you want, I’ll give it to you, alright?”
A trace of clarity flashed in Rong Tang’s eyes, but it was quickly drowned by the man’s inherent desire. “It’s too late.”
“It’s not too late! How is it too late? I…” The hot fingertips lifted Zhao Qi’s chin, and as he looked at the face drawing closer to his own, Zhao Qi’s mind was occupied with another man.
That’s right—the man who caused all of this was Zhao Qiao!
He officially announced in the name of the emperor that Zhao Qiao was dead, completely and utterly dead, with the grass on his grave already three meters high.
Zhao Qi thought of a hundred ways to deal with his younger brother, and with Rong Tang’s face now so close, he suddenly turned his head. A kiss, tinged with the scent of medicine, landed on his cheek. Then, he heard Rong Tang let out a soft laugh and slowly move his hand to Zhao Qi’s waistband.
With that, Rong Tang could only restrain one of Zhao Qi’s hands. Seizing the opportunity, Zhao Qi used his knee to push against Rong Tang. Rong Tang, already weakened, had expended a lot of effort to suppress Zhao Qi, and the sudden push made him grunt in surprise.
Taking advantage of the force from his elbow, Zhao Qi rolled to the side and shouted, “Old Jiang—Jiang Dehai, come save me!”
Rong Tang’s eyes turned red at the corners. “Zhao Qi…”
The door was slammed open with a bang, and Zhao Qi felt as though he had grasped a lifeline. “I’m here!”
A tall figure came through the layers of curtains. Upon seeing the newcomer’s face, Zhao Qi was so moved he almost cried. “Changzhou…”
He Chengzhou’s entire presence radiated a chilling aura, his face darkened frighteningly, a sight Zhao Qi had never seen before.
He Chengzhou looked at the two people on the bed, lifted Zhao Qi into his arms with one hand, and drew his sword with the other, pointing it straight at Rong Tang.
The medicinal scent around them turned into the fragrance of fresh grass, and Zhao Qi finally breathed a sigh of relief, clutching He Chengzhou’s collar tightly. “Quick, go find a doctor, and also bring Zhao Qiao to me!”
He Chengzhou seemed to ignore Zhao Qi’s words, staring at Rong Tang. “Rong Tang, do you know what you’re doing? Forcing the emperor is a death sentence.”
Zhao Qi’s head ached, “He Chengzhou, have you lost your mind too? Put the sword down! Rong Tang has been drugged and is not in his right mind. The immediate priority is to neutralize the drugs in his system…”
Rong Tang clutched his chest and coughed violently a few times before slowly saying, “Forced? I don’t need that.” He lifted his gaze to Zhao Qi, “Because he was originally, mine.”
He Changzhou twisted the hilt of his sword, the blade edging closer to Rong Tang’s throat, with a smirk at the corner of his lips. “You seem to be mistaken. You are the emperor’s person, but the emperor belongs to everyone. No one can possess him alone.” He Changzhou paused and repeated, “No one.” His words seemed directed both at Rong Tang and at himself.
Rong Tang smiled faintly, “I can.”
He Changzhou’s eyes narrowed, “Just you?”
Zhao Qi, unable to tolerate it any longer, interjected, “Can you stop dragging this out? He Changzhou, I’ll say it again, put down the sword and go find the imperial physician and Zhao Qiao.”
He Changzhou hesitated.
“If you won’t go, then let me go! I’ll find them myself!” Zhao Qi tried to wriggle free from He Changzhou’s embrace, muttering, “This is just like a performance. Are fewer lines going to kill you? Do you have to be so pretentious? Don’t you know that villains die from talking too much…”
He Changzhou finally sheathed his sword and pushed Zhao Qi back into his embrace. “I will listen to the emperor.”
Rong Tang clenched his eyes shut, enduring the pain.
Zhao Qiao had prepared the grand gift for Zhao Qi but did not leave the palace. Instead, he stayed in the palace, waiting for Zhao Qi to “enjoy” his gift and then summon him for praise. When the eunuch came to fetch him, he was somewhat surprised. “The emperor is finished so quickly?” No wonder; having a great beauty by his side for years without being able to touch him, it was understandable that he would be eager to take advantage of the opportunity.
Zhao Qiao, feeling delighted, arrived at Yonghua Palace and was surprised to see Zhao Qi rushing towards him. “This humble one has only done his duty; the emperor needn’t—”
“Slap!” Zhao Qi delivered a hard slap to Zhao Qiao’s face, leaving him utterly stunned.
Zhao Qiao covered his cheeks with his hands, terrified, “Your Majesty?”
Zhao Qi seized Zhao Qiao by the neck, “Where’s the antidote?!”
Zhao Qiao’s face turned red and his neck bulged as he choked, “W-What antidote?”
“The antidote for the long-lasting longing drug!” Zhao Qi increased his grip slightly, “If you give it to me now, I might still spare you!”
Zhao Qiao rolled his eyes and said with difficulty, “Your Majesty, there is no antidote for spring drugs. The person is the antidote… Your Majesty, I am going to be strangled to death by you—”
Zhao Qi released him, coldly saying, “Very well, you can die.”
“Your Majesty!” Zhao Qiao fell to his knees with a thud, clutching Zhao Qi’s dragon robe and trembling, “Please spare me, Your Majesty! I truly don’t know what I did wrong to anger Your Majesty so much…”
“What did you do wrong?” Zhao Qi, fuming, asked, “Tell me, who instructed you to give Rong Tang the longing drug?”
Zhao Qiao confessed honestly, “It was me. I thought that since Your Majesty likes Young Master Rong so much, even if I can’t have his heart, at least I could have his body. So I—”
Zhao Qi nodded, “I will send someone to burn paper for you every Qingming Festival from now on. Goodbye, Xiao Qiao—take him away!”
“Innocent! Your Majesty, I’m innocent!” Zhao Qiao, frightened, had tears and snot all over his face. “I didn’t force Young Master Rong to take the drug; he did it voluntarily! If Your Majesty really executes me, it’s too tragic! I’ll use my blood to write the word ‘tragedy’ on Your Majesty’s leg!”
Zhao Qi frowned, “What are you saying?”
“Innocent—I’m innocent!”
Zhao Qi grabbed Zhao Qiao by the front of his robe, “Stop howling. I don’t want your head for now. Tell me what you just said—Rong Tang did it voluntarily?”
Zhao Qiao, sobbing, said, “Your Majesty, I originally sent a little eunuch to drug Young Master Rong. But somehow, Young Master Rong saw through it. He found me, asked me what the longing drug was, and after I told him, he took the drug himself. I couldn’t stop him—”
Zhao Qi was stunned, “Really? I don’t believe it.”
Zhao Qiao raised his hand, swearing to the heavens, “If this humble one lies to Your Majesty, may the heavens strike me with five thunderbolts! If Your Majesty doesn’t believe it, I am willing to confront Young Master Rong directly!”
Zhao Qi was perplexed, “But… why did Rong Tang do this?”
He Changzhou, who had been silent, spoke up, “What exactly is this longing drug you’re talking about?”
Zhao Qiao wiped his tears and explained, “It’s a spring drug I brought back from the Eastern Seas. In addition to its usual effects, the longing drug can cause hallucinations, making one believe that their beloved is right beside them…”
He Changzhou pondered, “So, does that mean after taking this drug, whoever the person sees becomes their beloved in their mind?”
Zhao Qiao hesitated, “Y-Yes, I suppose so.”
Zhao Qi still couldn’t understand why Rong Tang did this, but he was more concerned about the immediate issue. “Without an antidote, what will happen to Rong Tang…” He glanced towards the inner hall, “He must be suffering greatly now.”
Zhao Qiao said, “Your Majesty, if you don’t want to help, find someone else to assist him. After all, it’s just a spring drug. A few releases should resolve it.”
Zhao Qi shook his head, “No, Rong Tang has always been reserved and virtuous; he certainly wouldn’t want that.”
He Changzhou smiled, “Not necessarily. Rong Tang is from a distinguished family. At his age, it’s not uncommon to have a few maidservants in his quarters.”
Zhao Qi gave him a sidelong glance, “You’re also from a distinguished family, around the same age. Could it be that…”
He Changzhou, stepping on his own foot, was momentarily choked, “I’m different from him—”
At that moment, a young physician came out of the inner hall. Zhao Qi quickly approached and asked, “How is Young Master Rong?”
The physician replied, “Your Majesty, the chief physician said that if there is no antidote for the emotional poison, he will try acupuncture and cold therapy. It might be effective.”
“Then try that,” Zhao Qi said. “Do your best. If it doesn’t work—”
The physician trembled, bracing himself for words like “If it doesn’t work, bring your heads to me” or “All of you will be buried with him.” To his surprise, Zhao Qi simply said, “If it doesn’t work, think of another solution.”
The court physician continuously declared it was true.
After a restless night, Zhao Qi was both physically and mentally exhausted. Jiang Dehai, seeing his tired state, said, “Your Majesty should rest for a while. I’ll stay here and keep watch.”
Zhao Qi gave a wry smile. “My bed is occupied. Where can I rest?”
Jiang Dehai replied, “I’ll have someone prepare a side chamber for you right away.”
“No need,” Zhao Qi said. “I don’t feel like sleeping.”
“You must sleep, even if you don’t want to,” He Changzhou said. “Your Majesty still has to attend the morning court tomorrow. If you fall asleep on the Dragon Throne due to exhaustion, Prime Minister Xiao will be angry. You don’t want to see how frightening he can get when he’s angry, do you?”
Zhao Qi shuddered. “Then I’ll just take a short nap. Wake me up in half an hour.”
He Changzhou said, “I’ll accompany you.”
Zhao Qiao weakly said, “Your Majesty, what about me?”
“You?” Zhao Qi replied, “You stay here and write a confession. Only when Rong Tang’s matter is resolved can you get up.”
Zhao Qi and He Changzhou went to the side chamber. Zhao Qi was too lazy to change his clothes and simply lay down on the bed, sighing, “With a younger brother like Zhao Qiao, how could I not be driven to death?”
He Changzhou tucked him into the blanket and covered him properly.
Zhao Qi said, “I can manage myself. You can leave now.”
He Changzhou didn’t say anything, but his gaze at Zhao Qi was filled with half grievance and half sorrow.
Zhao Qi noticed He Changzhou’s strange behavior. Lying under the blanket, he asked, “What’s wrong with you?”
He Changzhou rested his chin on his hand and complained, “Your Majesty only thinks about Rong Tang and never asks when I arrived or why I came.”
Zhao Qi slapped his forehead. “Oh right—weren’t you practicing troops in the suburbs these days? Why did you come back suddenly?”
He Changzhou sat on the edge of the bed, leaning back with both hands behind him, and said, “Because I missed Your Majesty.”
Zhao Qi remained expressionless. “Oh.”
“Does Your Majesty miss me?”
“A little bit.”
He Changzhou seemed very pleased. “What does Your Majesty miss about me?”
“I miss when you will get the military salaries sorted out.”
“……” He Changzhou fell silent for a while before asking, “Why doesn’t Your Majesty want Rong Tang?”
Zhao Qi pulled his blanket tighter. “I’ve said it before; I don’t want to force him.”
He Changzhou laughed. “But just now, it was clear that Rong Tang was the one forcing Your Majesty.”
Zhao Qi mumbled, “I’m going to sleep…”
He Changzhou hugged Zhao Qi through the blanket. “If Your Majesty doesn’t say, I won’t let you sleep.”
Zhao Qi’s temples throbbed. He pushed the head close to his face away. “Have you all collectively been possessed? Why does no one let me have peace?”
He Changzhou nuzzled Zhao Qi’s palm. “Your Majesty, tell me. I really want to know.”
“……”
He Changzhou asked, “Has Your Majesty stopped liking Rong Tang?”
Zhao Qi gave up and shouted loudly, “Yes, that’s right. I’ve changed my heart!”
He Changzhou pressed further, “Then who does Your Majesty like now?”
Zhao Qi, with affectionate eyes, said, “Who else could it be? It’s all my countless subjects of Da Jing!”
He Changzhou: “……”
“All people in the world are my children. I love them dearly,” Zhao Qi said. “You are one of them too. Come on, call me ‘father’ so I can hear it.”
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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