Chapter Summaries

Xiao Luo warned the imperial consorts against letting their families abuse their influence, while Qi Ling reported the successful handling of the Second Prince’s case to Qi Xiao. At lunch, Qi Yu persuaded his father to allow books for his imprisoned brother and planned to send him a blanket as well.

• Xiao Luo warned Consort Xian, Noble Lady Ying, and the other consorts to keep their families in line and avoid becoming another Sun Family.
• Qi Ling reported to Qi Xiao how he had handled the remaining accomplices in the Second Prince’s case, and Qi Xiao praised his work.
• Qi Yu asked Qi Xiao whether his imprisoned brother could receive a thick quilt and books, while Qi Xiao repeatedly served him food to interrupt him.
• Qi Xiao agreed that books could be sent to the Imperial Clan Court, provided they were classics, histories, philosophical works, or literary collections.
• Qi Yu decided to ask A Ping to choose books and have Chun He send his brother a spare thick blanket.

Qi Yu used his lingering illness as an excuse to misbehave around Qi Xiao, stealing food and disturbing his nap. Qi Xiao finally made him drink a more bitter antidote without candied fruit, but softened and gave him a honey-preserved plum afterward.

• Qi Yu claimed the imperial physician's advice meant Qi Xiao should share his restrictions, then stole the braised ribs and sea bass.
• Qi Yu disrupted Qi Xiao's afternoon rest by talking to the rabbits in the bedchamber.
• Qi Xiao served Qi Yu an antidote made more bitter with coptis and admitted that he had ordered the change.
• Qi Yu drank the medicine and found the candied fruit had been taken away, then turned aside without saying anything.
• Qi Xiao gave Qi Yu a honey-preserved plum, which eased the bitterness of the medicine.

Qi Xiao kept Qi Yu close while he recovered, forbidding him from hunting and watching over his every movement. After Qi Yu slipped away to feed his rabbits, Qi Xiao carried him to the little daybed, and the chapter ended with Qi Yu asleep beside him as Qi Xiao vowed to protect him for life.

• Imperial Physician Zhou told Qi Xiao that Qi Yu's pulse had steadied and the remaining poison was nearly gone, while Qi Xiao questioned him closely about the boy's recovery.
• Qi Xiao confiscated Qi Yu's birthday bow until he turned fifteen and forbade him from hunting after the tiger and poisoned-wine incidents.
• Qi Yu slipped to the Side Hall to feed Gray Rabbit and Light Gray Rabbit, but Qi Xiao found him squatting and carried him, along with the rabbits, to the little daybed.
• Qi Xiao let Qi Yu and the rabbits rest on the daybed and told De'an to cover it with an old blanket to protect it from rabbit fur.
• Qi Yu fell asleep beside Qi Xiao in Xuanzheng Hall as the rabbits settled beneath the Imperial Desk, and Qi Xiao promised himself he would protect his son for life.

Qi Yu asked Qi Ling what had happened to the people involved in the recent cases, then washed Qi Xiao’s feet and insisted he would do so every night. Qi Xiao let him finish and covered him with a quilt as he drifted off.

• Qi Yu asked Qi Ling about the Sun Family, Zhou Wenhan, the eunuch who served the wine, and the owner of the Tongbao Money Shop, and Qi Ling said they had been dealt with according to their crimes.
• Qi Yu interrupted Lü Luo as she prepared to wash Qi Xiao’s feet and took over the task himself.
• Qi Xiao initially objected, but Qi Yu cited the Book of Rites and said a son washing his father’s feet was proper.
• Qi Yu told Qi Xiao he would wash his feet every night, explaining that Qi Xiao had bathed and washed his feet when Qi Yu was little.
• Qi Xiao covered the sleepy Qi Yu with a quilt while Qi Yu reminded him to tuck his feet in because it was cold.

Qi Yu and Qi Xiao spent the evening reading together, and Qi Yu fell asleep leaning against his father while Qi Xiao finished annotating a memorial. The chapter ended with Qi Xiao keeping hold of Qi Yu’s hand and returning to the travelogue as the palace grew quiet.

• Qi Yu complained that the scholar in his storybook had treated the helpful fox spirit cruelly, and Qi Xiao listened before choosing their familiar travelogue instead.
• Qi Xiao read about Lingnan lychees, and Qi Yu eagerly suggested they travel there someday to pick and eat them.
• When Qi Xiao tried to return to the Ministry of Revenue memorial, Qi Yu said his back hurt and asked him to keep reading, so Qi Xiao resumed the travelogue.
• Qi Yu drifted to sleep against Qi Xiao’s shoulder and clutched the hem of his nightclothes, while Qi Xiao held his hand and finished writing comments on the memorial.
• De'an quietly witnessed Qi Xiao working with one hand as Qi Yu slept beside him, then withdrew; later, the palace bell sounded as pages turned inside.

On New Year's Eve, Qi Yu and Qi Xiao exchanged gifts in the Xuanzheng Hall and shared a private moment as the new year began. Qi Xiao promised to stay by Qi Yu's side and wished them peace and health every year.

• Qi Yu attended the New Year's banquet and watched Qi Xiao accept toasts from the officials.
• After the banquet, Qi Yu gave Qi Xiao a Hotan white jade thumb ring engraved with words for peace and longevity.
• Qi Xiao gave Qi Yu a dagger for self-defense and told him to hide it in his boots when he left the palace.
• Qi Yu wished Qi Xiao peace and health in the new year, and Qi Xiao promised to accompany him every year.
• As the new year arrived, Qi Yu kissed Qi Xiao, and Qi Xiao drew him close and kissed him back.

Qi Xiao doted on Qi Yu in the West Warm Pavilion, peeling and feeding him lychees while Qi Yu casually spat the pits into his hand. Their teasing grew more intimate, and the chapter ended with them gazing at each other as Qi Yu blushed.

• De'an brought chilled tribute lychees to the West Warm Pavilion, where Qi Xiao peeled one and fed it to Qi Yu.
• Qi Yu spat each lychee pit into Qi Xiao’s open palm, drank from his cup, and asked for more.
• A Ping recalled other signs of Qi Xiao’s indulgence toward Qi Yu and marveled at how freely the prince behaved with him.
• Qi Xiao limited Qi Yu to eight lychees, then peeled the remaining three; Qi Yu gently bit his fingertip and blamed the lychee juice on his hand.
• Qi Yu noticed a small mole by Qi Xiao’s mouth, and Qi Xiao took his hand and invited him to look closer.

Qi Ling traveled to Jiangnan to oversee flood relief, expose fraudulent claims, and rebuild the embankments, while Qi Xiao received reports of his work in the capital. Qi Yu spent a quiet afternoon with Qi Xiao, who peeled grapes for him in the West Warm Pavilion.

• Qi Xiao ordered Qi Ling to go to Jiangnan, investigate relief spending, and supervise embankment repairs with two hundred thousand taels of silver.
• Qi Ling refused a prefect's welcoming feast and ordered its cost sent to a badly affected town.
• Qi Ling found Songjiang Prefecture's reported losses overstated, and Gu Hengsheng uncovered evidence that led Qi Ling to dismiss the prefect and send him to Capital City for prosecution.
• Qi Ling opened granaries, organized porridge stations and medical care, and worked alongside laborers to rebuild the embankments.
• Qi Xiao read dispatches praising Qi Ling's actions without comment, though De'an noticed him smiling faintly.
• Qi Xiao took a break with Qi Yu, peeled grapes for him, and gently wiped juice from the corner of his mouth.

Qi Xiao and Qi Yu shared a quiet afternoon, and Qi Yu declared that they would grow old together at Qingliang Terrace. As Qi Yu recovered from the lingering poison, Qi Xiao promised to keep spoiling him for the rest of his life.

• Qi Xiao told Qi Yu about the cool Qingliang Terrace, and Qi Yu eagerly said they would grow old there together.
• Qi Yu licked Qi Xiao's grape-sweet fingertip, and Qi Xiao gently flicked his forehead before lying down beside him.
• Qi Yu asked when the Crown Prince would return from Jiangnan, and Qi Xiao said the embankments were nearly finished and he would leave in half a month.
• Qi Yu praised the Crown Prince's hard work and asked whether he could stay with Qi Xiao forever after his brother became emperor.
• Qi Xiao reassured Qi Yu that he would always spoil him, then held him as he drifted off to sleep.
• De'an watched them from the covered walkway and imagined going with them to Qingliang Terrace when the time came.

Qi Xiao taught Qi Yu about fire-consumption levies, and Qi Yu proposed limiting the extra charges and using the savings to repair Jiangnan’s dikes. The chapter ended with Qi Yu promising to study hard and support his father and Crown Prince brother.

• Qi Yu asked Qi Xiao what remitting fire consumption to the public treasury meant, and Qi Xiao explained how officials continued to overcharge despite the policy.
• Qi Yu proposed capping extra levies at five percent and dismissing officials who exceeded the limit, then suggested using the saved silver to build dikes in Jiangnan.
• Qi Xiao assigned Qi Yu a passage on evaluating officials, and Qi Yu recited it to earn a piece of Osmanthus Cake.
• Qi Yu told Qi Xiao he wanted to become Minister of Revenue and reform fire-consumption levies, then asked him to let the Crown Prince rest after his exhausting work in Jiangnan.
• Qi Yu promised to study hard and not disappoint Qi Xiao or the Crown Prince, and Qi Xiao kissed the crown of his head.

Qi Yu spent the morning learning how to judge provincial officials from Qi Xiao, then resisted his afternoon lessons and was spanked before persuading his father to let him rest. The chapter left Qi Yu lounging with the rabbits and eating Osmanthus Cake while Qi Xiao returned to his work.

• Qi Yu joined Qi Xiao in the West Warm Pavilion and correctly proposed demoting the Prefect of Songjiang for covering up his brother-in-law’s poor assessments.
• Qi Xiao taught Qi Yu to spot suspicious records, including the Prefect of Huizhou’s likely falsified tax accounts, while feeding him Yam Cake.
• Qi Yu refused to study in the afternoon, ran from Qi Xiao, and was carried back to the couch and spanked.
• Qi Yu reasoned that he was genuinely tired, and Qi Xiao let him go play with the rabbits.
• Qi Yu ate carrots meant for the rabbits and took Qi Xiao’s Osmanthus Cake, calling it a deposit for studying hard the next day.

Qi Yu interrupted his studies to eat the Imperial Kitchen’s fresh pastries, and Qi Xiao teased him by reminding him they would resume the performance assessment method that afternoon. After they shared all three plates, Qi Yu returned to the register while Qi Xiao resumed reviewing memorials.

• De'an brought pastries made by the new chef, Master Shen, to the West Warm Pavilion for Qi Xiao and Qi Yu.
• Qi Yu left his copying to eat the cakes and urged Qi Xiao to try them.
• Qi Xiao drew Qi Yu onto his lap and told him they would continue studying that afternoon, leaving Qi Yu stunned.
• Qi Yu accused Qi Xiao of ambushing him, then agreed to study after finishing all three plates of pastries.
• Qi Yu and Qi Xiao shared the cakes, after which Qi Yu returned to the performance assessment register and Qi Xiao resumed reviewing memorials.

Qi Ling returned from Jiangnan to praise from the court, and Qi Yu welcomed him with a gift of warm osmanthus rice cakes. Qi Yu cherished the rattle drum Qi Ling gave him, then spent the night with Qi Xiao before the approaching Mid-Autumn Festival.

• Qi Ling returned to the capital after repairing embankments and punishing corrupt officials in Jiangnan, earning praise as the Upright Crown Prince.
• Qi Yu dressed flamboyantly to welcome Qi Ling and teased him about his tan when they met at the palace gates.
• Qi Ling gave Qi Yu Jiangnan souvenirs, including a rattle drum, and Qi Yu gave him warm osmanthus rice cakes.
• Qi Yu brought the rattle drum to bed with Qi Xiao, who drew him close and shared an intimate night with him.
• Qi Yu asked Qi Xiao not to take his drum next time, and Qi Xiao placed it on the low table as the Mid-Autumn Festival approached.

Qi Yu confronted Qi Xiao over using the Rattle Drum to tease him, and Qi Xiao apologized and made peace with him. Qi Xiao then gave Crown Prince Qi Ling authority over the Ministries of Revenue and Personnel, while reassuring Qi Yu that he would always have a place in the palace.

• Qi Yu hid the Rattle Drum beneath his mattress and told Gray Rabbit not to tell Qi Xiao.
• Qi Yu accused Qi Xiao of using a child's toy to upset him, and Qi Xiao apologized and kissed his fingertips; Qi Yu forgave him by feeding him Osmanthus Cake.
• Qi Xiao decreed that Qi Ling would assist in administering the Ministries of Revenue and Personnel and review their memorials first.
• Qi Ling reviewed a Northern Border winter-clothing budget with Qi Xiao, who told him he had the final say on Ministry of Revenue affairs.
• Qi Ling asked whether Qi Xiao trusted him, and Qi Xiao affirmed that he did.
• Qi Yu asked what would happen to him when Qi Ling became emperor, and Qi Xiao promised he could stay; Qi Yu then took Qi Xiao's Osmanthus Cake.

Qi Yu supervised the renovation of Qingliang Terrace, tailoring the retreat to Qi Xiao’s comfort. After reporting the changes, he invited Qi Xiao to visit it with him.

• Qi Yu made Qi Xiao drink ginseng tea, eat greens, and stop working on memorials after dinner.
• Qi Yu went to Qingliang Terrace and ordered Vice Minister Zhao to change the renovation plans, including planting persimmon trees and adding a swing.
• Qi Yu continued supervising the work for several days, specifying features such as a raised railing, full-length windows, and shelves built to Qi Xiao’s height.
• Qi Yu returned to report the renovations to Qi Xiao and explained that he had chosen blue-gray roof tiles like those on Xuanzheng Hall.
• Qi Xiao thanked Qi Yu and drew him into his embrace, and Qi Yu said they would visit Qingliang Terrace together later.

Qi Xiao granted Qi Yu a future princely title and Nanyang as his fief, but Qi Yu insisted he would stay with his father instead of moving away. Qi Yu began planning a new home for them at Qingliang Terrace and imagined spending his life keeping Qi Xiao company.

• At court, De'an announced that Qi Zhao was made Prince Duan and Qi Ming was made Prince Min, while Qi Yu received no title yet.
• Qi Xiao told Qi Yu that the Crown Prince would grant him a princely title after ascending the throne, and showed him Nanyang as his fief.
• Qi Yu refused to leave the palace or have a princely residence built, but agreed to accept Nanyang's revenues and asked to try its dried persimmons.
• Qi Yu asked Qi Xiao to accompany him if he ever visited Nanyang, and said they would leave the palace together after the Crown Prince ascended the throne.
• That evening, Qi Yu planned Qingliang Terrace as Qi Xiao's new study and pictured planting fruit and installing a swing there.
• Before falling asleep, Qi Yu joked that he could be called the Lazy Prince because he would stay with his father, and Qi Xiao held his hand.

Qi Yu began learning how to govern by listening to court discussions and advising Qi Xiao on appointments and policy. As he continued his lessons and weighed in on Qi Ling’s marriage, Qi Xiao reflected on Xiao Luo’s qualities as empress, while the renovations at Qingliang Terrace approached completion.

• Qi Zhao left for Huizhou without Qi Yu coming to see him off, and Qi Yu later advised Qi Xiao on filling three government vacancies.
• Qi Xiao invited Qi Yu to listen to morning court from a hidden room, then made him analyze the memorials discussed each day.
• Qi Yu proposed cross-regional auditing of the Jiangnan Salt Transport Commission but struggled to explain how frontier tuntian should work.
• At the Double Ninth family banquet, Xiao Luo recommended Wang Yun as a match for Qi Ling and mentioned a niece of Consort Xian.
• Qi Yu told Qi Xiao that Wang Yun’s quiet temperament suited Qi Ling and offered to refuse Consort Xian’s recommendation on his behalf.
• Qi Xiao planned to inspect the nearly completed Qingliang Terrace renovations and prepare a couplet for its study.

Qi Yu sought Qi Xiao’s calligraphy and portrait for his residence, but his plan to keep reminders of his father nearby earned him a spanking and a night away from the imperial bed. He went to the Eastern Palace to stay with Qi Ling, who accommodated him and sent gifts to the secondary consort in apology.

• Qi Yu asked Qi Xiao to write calligraphy for his residence, and Qi Xiao also painted a portrait of him.
• Qi Yu described arranging the portrait with flowers, fruit, and incense so he could feel Qi Xiao was always beside him, and Qi Xiao spanked him for treating himself like a spirit tablet.
• Qi Xiao ordered Qi Yu to return to Yuning Hall, but Qi Yu argued with him and left carrying osmanthus cake.
• Qi Yu went to the Eastern Palace and told Qi Ling he would sleep there after Qi Xiao had spanked him and sent him away.
• Qi Ling agreed to host Qi Yu for the night, and Qi Yu sent the secondary consort osmanthus cake and sugar-frosted walnuts with an apology and regards.

Qi Yu used his father’s treasures to furnish the Crown Prince’s Eastern Palace, then persuaded Qi Xiao to give him the key to the Private Treasury. The chapter ended with Qi Yu leaving after kissing Qi Xiao on the cheek, while Qi Xiao smiled alone in the West Warm Pavilion.

• Qi Yu took several treasures from the Imperial Treasury, including the Jadeite Cabbage and an old painting, and recorded each item in a ledger.
• Qi Yu showed Qi Xiao that he had sent half the treasures to the Eastern Palace as gifts for the Crown Prince.
• Qi Xiao asked whether Qi Yu would take treasures from the Private Treasury too, and Qi Yu said he would leave his father a few things.
• Qi Yu praised the Crown Prince as someone who would make a good emperor, and Qi Xiao gave him the Private Treasury key, telling him to manage the household.
• Qi Yu declared that Qi Xiao would have to listen to him at home, kissed him on the cheek, and ran off; Qi Xiao smiled as De'an waited outside.

Qi Yu uncovered inflated figures in the winter-coat procurement accounts and proposed a tactful way to have them corrected. Qi Xiao took him to the Hot Spring Lodge, where the two shared an intimate evening together.

• Qi Yu compared the Ministry of Works procurement list with the Ministry of War's supply ledgers and found discrepancies in cotton prices and transport costs.
• Qi Yu identified the procurer's connection to the Ministry of War and suggested sending copies of the accounts to the Ministry of Revenue rather than arresting him.
• Qi Xiao praised Qi Yu's judgment and took him to the Hot Spring Lodge.
• Qi Yu massaged Qi Xiao's shoulders in the hot spring, and Qi Xiao pulled him into the water beside him.
• Qi Xiao and Qi Yu kissed over a grape and then rested together in the warm water.