Ever since Qi Yu had been able to get out of bed, he had taken "using illness as a license to misbehave" to the extreme.
The imperial physician said the poison had not fully cleared his system and he still needed quiet rest. Armed with those words, he had lorded it over Xuanzheng Hall for three whole days. On the first day, he had only grumbled a little about feeling dizzy and weak, coaxing his imperial father into peeling a few more chestnuts for him. By the second day, he was ready to tear the roof down.
Lunch was laid out on the small table in the West Warm Pavilion. Qi Xiao returned from court, changed into casual robes, and sat down to pick up his chopsticks. He had just reached toward the plate of braised ribs when Qi Yu's chopsticks came over. Both pairs gripped the same rib, locked in a brief stalemate.
"The imperial physician said you should eat light food." Qi Yu tugged the rib toward his own bowl.
"That was what the imperial physician said about you, not me." Qi Xiao did not release his chopsticks.
"As the emperor, Father should share his son's joys and hardships." Qi Yu spoke with perfect seriousness, put more strength into his hand, and snatched the rib away.
Qi Xiao glanced at him and let it pass, turning instead to the steamed sea bass. Just as he was about to place the fish in his own bowl, Qi Yu held his bowl out. The fish landed squarely in Qi Yu's bowl. Qi Xiao asked whether he disliked fish. Qi Yu stuffed it into his mouth and mumbled that he liked it today.
Standing beside them, De'an hastily lowered his head. A Ping poked his head around the doorway, then pulled