At morning court, De'an stood before the imperial steps holding the edict and read it out word by word. The Third Prince, Qi Zhao, was granted the title of Prince Duan, with Huizhou as his fief; although the Second Prince, Qi Ming, was confined in the Imperial Clan Court, he too was granted the title of Prince Min in accordance with ancestral law. His fief was remote, with no princely residence established and no ceremonial retinue bestowed; he retained only the title. As De'an reached the end of the edict, the officials strained their ears, waiting for the Fourth Prince's title, but De'an closed the edict instead. The hall fell silent for a moment. Several senior ministers exchanged glances, but none dared ask. Everyone knew the Fourth Prince was His Majesty's darling. There was probably another arrangement for his title.
After court was dismissed, Qi Xiao summoned Qi Yu to the West Warm Pavilion.
When Qi Yu entered, he was still chewing half a piece of chestnut cake, his cheeks bulging and crumbs clinging to his mouth. He sat on the couch, crossed his legs, and stuffed the remaining half into his mouth, asking indistinctly, "Father, did you want me?" Qi Xiao leaned back in his chair and watched him. "I granted your elder brothers princely titles today." Qi Yu stopped chewing for a moment, then resumed, wiping his fingers with a handkerchief. "I know. They said Second Brother received a title too." At that, he lowered his eyes, folded the handkerchief into a small square, and set it on the edge of the couch. His voice grew quieter. "Prince Min's fief is in the northwest, a long way from the Capital City."
"Though he made mistakes, he is still my son. Giving him a title will make his days