“Believe it or not, it’s the same to me,” Yi Qing said. “Now close your eyes and sleep. You need to recover your strength.”
Xiao Tian shut his mouth, but his lids stayed half open. He watched Yi Qing’s hands until he could no longer fight it and sank into sleep.
“Your mother’s the real wonder—who trained her?” the Emperor asked Baozi.
Baozi sneezed. “I don’t know.”
The Emperor led him to the nearby tea room to rest, offering pastries as he spoke. “How is it that every time I ask you something important, you don’t know? Are you doing it on purpose? I’m your uncle, after all.”
“You’re surnamed Chu. My uncle is Xiao,” Baozi muttered.
The Emperor blinked. “How do you know that?”
Baozi shut up.
He still didn’t know? How much more foolish could one be?
“It’s late. Go sleep for a while. I’ll check on your uncle,” the Emperor said.
“My mother doesn’t like being disturbed. She sleeps, and if you wake her she’ll scold everyone.”
“…Fine.” The Emperor sighed. “I’ll watch you sleep then. Come to think of it, I’m not that close to any of my children.”
“My mother says blood from another belly can’t be trusted.”
The Emperor snorted. “Your mother actually told you that?”
“Yes. She said I can only rely on the woman who’ll become my wife.”
The Emperor couldn’t help himself. “No wonder your uncle fretted over you on his deathbed. What kind of nonsense did your mother teach you? A man can have many wives and concubines—that’s how things are—but if you have someone you love, you can favor her. You just can’t let her think it’s her right.”
Baozi said nothing.
“Doesn’t that make sense?” the Emperor asked.
“It’s like chickens and ducks. My mother calls it incompatible worldviews. When you meet people like that, you just shut up.”
The Emperor gave up. He had to admit: Yi Qing was dangerous, and Xiao Tian’s tastes were worse. Even if he didn’t understand “worldview,” he could render a verdict.
By the time Xiao Tian woke it was well into morning. For a while he thought he had been trapped in a long nightmare—people chasing him with knives, his belly torn open. He wiggled his fingers and opened his eyes slowly.
The bright yellow dragon-embroidered canopy above him took a moment to register. The ache from his abdomen was a sharp reminder that it had not been a dream.
Two heads, one big and one small, hovered at the bedside. Four bright eyes stared at him.
“—Your Majesty, Baozi, why are you here? Where’s your mother?” Xiao Tian croaked.
Before Baozi could answer, the Emperor touched his chin and, with his usual insolent humor, said, “You’re really alive? Love’s power is stronger than any edict. My imperial commands failed, but Yi Qing showed up and refused to let you die.”
Red veined eyes laughed at him like a dare.
Xiao Tian ignored the jibe and looked at Baozi. The boy’s clear eyes were filled with worry. He reached out and patted the child’s head. “It doesn’t hurt so much.”
“Don’t move, Uncle Xiao—don’t pull at the wound,” Baozi said anxiously.
“I’m fine. Did you sleep? Did you eat?”
“Mm.” Baozi nodded and held up a book. “I went over the Analects. I don’t know if Master Lu will be angry when he sees me for leaving without telling him. But I did my lessons—maybe that’ll make him happy.”
“I’ll take you. He won’t be angry,” Xiao Tian promised.
“Really—how did Yi Qing treat you? Did she lie on your stomach and blow on it to make it heal?” the Emperor joked.
“My mother would never do that. She sewed the wound up with needle and thread,” Baozi declared.
“Really?”
“Really.” Baozi’s certainty was absolute.
“Let me see.” The Emperor made a move to lift the cover but Baozi grabbed his hand.
“No!” Baozi was adamant. “Uncle Huang, don’t—you’ll dirty the wound. It’ll fester.”
The Emperor laughed. Even Xiao Tian couldn’t help the faint smile tugging at his lips. “You’re teasing him. Did you not have court this morning?”
“Of course not. You think I’d go to court while you were half dead? People skip court for beauties—I skip it for you! I’ve been worrying myself sick.” The Emperor said it with a scold, but the fondness in his eyes was plain.
Xiao Tian extended his fist; the Emperor met it with his own. “Yi Qing says I have fifty or sixty years left to live. I can lead troops for fifty more years!”
The Emperor’s eyes twinkled with tears. “Talk is one thing; you do it.”
Baozi’s gaze flickered between the two men—confused, then understanding.
“Baozi,” Xiao Tian smiled, “go and call your mother and tell her I asked for her.”
“My mother’s very tired,” Baozi whispered. “Let her sleep a bit longer.”
Xiao Tian’s brow tightened. “I’m a little uneasy.”
Without a word, Baozi sprinted off on his short legs.
“Where do you feel it?” the Emperor asked, suddenly on edge.
“Nowhere—just want to see Yi Qing,” Xiao Tian admitted.
The Emperor pretended to hit him. “You say that again and when you’re better I’ll give you a hundred lashes as a reward. Believe me?”
“It’s not the first I’ve had. Why would I believe you?” Baozi piped in.
The Emperor’s memory softened; his voice betrayed a touch of feeling before he could hide it. “You deserve it.”
“Don’t tell people that about me,” Xiao Tian warned. “Don’t always say I’m around you—or they’ll think you’ve picked up another favorite.”
The Emperor laughed and hooked a finger under Xiao Tian’s chin. “Your consort speaks truly.”
Xiao Tian turned his face away.
Moments later Yi Qing entered. The Emperor’s hand had still been in place; Xiao Tian lowered his voice. “Take your paw off me.”
The Emperor roared. “Are you worried Yi Qing will be jealous? That’s all in your head! Right, Yi Qing?”
Yi Qing stepped forward and gave the proper obeisance. “Long live the Emperor.”
Baozi blinked, then mimicked her and knelt as well.
The Emperor glanced at Xiao Tian, amusement bright in his eyes. “You weren’t so deferential to me last night, were you?”
Yi Qing, steady and unruffled, replied, “What happened yesterday took us all by surprise. If there were any improprieties, I ask Your Majesty’s forgiveness.”
“He’s had a think and is scared now,” the Emperor said.
Xiao Tian, lying on the bed, cleared his throat. The Emperor cocked an eyebrow. “What’s the matter with your throat?”
Don’t pretend you don’t know. He was the sort to rile and dismiss; one terrified him into tears, the other left him speechless. How could he possibly let either go unscathed?
“I wanted to remind Your Majesty of what you promised yesterday,” Xiao Tian said quietly. “You agreed to grant Yi Qing an imperial pardon token.”
The Emperor’s grin collapsed. “What? Xiao Tian, have you lost your mind? When did I say I’d give her a pardon token?”
“Last night.”