"I'm craving the dishes you cook," the Prince of Qi said after staying for a while.
Xiao Tian immediately looked at Yi Qing, his expression clearly saying, "You've even cooked for him?"
He always thought that Yi Qing's cooking was exclusive to him and Baozi. Of course, Zisu didn't count, nor did the Prince of Zhen, who always came to mooch off their meals.
"You only had one meal of my cooking. You remember it so clearly? It seems my cooking skills are really good," Yi Qing glared at the Prince of Qi and said.
She wouldn't believe this man if he wasn't trying to sow discord.
"Indeed. It was really good," the Prince of Qi said with a smile. He leaned back in his chair, his hand resting on the backrest, looking relaxed. "Especially that dish 'Ants Climbing a Tree'."
Yi Qing: "… What's so good about that?"
"I just want to eat that. Go and cook it for me. I'll have a chat with… your man."
"No way," Yi Qing said. "You're already up to no good when I'm here. If I leave, I don't know what bad things you'll say about me behind my back."
"A clear conscience fears no slander."
"I'm just afraid of someone playing tricks."
As they were bickering, Xiao Tian said calmly, "Yi Qing, go ahead."
Yi Qing said, "Anyway, just take what he says with a grain of salt."
After Yi Qing left, the Prince of Qi still lounged there casually, looking at Xiao Tian with a half - smile and saying, "Aren't you tired of this game yet?"
Xiao Tian stared at him with his deep, unfathomable eyes. "Your Highness should know what not to say."
Others might not know, but the Prince of Qi should be well aware of who the emperor was truly on good terms with. So, while Xiao Tian might be able to hide his identity from others, he couldn't hide it from the Prince of Qi.
The Prince of Qi stroked his chin and said, "I'm really looking forward to her reaction when she finds out the truth. I'm just curious. How come she's so smart and has been with you day in and day out, yet she can't see through your true identity?"
Back then, Yi Qing had even slept with Xiao Jinghan.
How could she not recognize him just because he had a different name?
Not to mention taking off his mask, even if he had his skin peeled off, with Yi Qing's intelligence and alertness, Xiao Tian's little tricks would surely be exposed.
Xiao Tian would never tell him that it was because Yi Qing firmly believed that Xiao Jinghan had a red birthmark on his buttocks, and he didn't.
"You'd better pray that she never finds out in her lifetime. You'd better be able to keep up this act for the rest of your life…"
The Prince of Qi's words were a blatant mockery, but a sudden thought flashed through Xiao Tian's mind.
— The Prince of Qi was right!
Xiao Jinghan was dead, and now he was Xiao Tian.
He didn't have to be Xiao Jinghan again. He could live as Xiao Tian.
Yi Qing's reaction after learning the truth was like a sword hanging over his head, making him worry day and night.
If he didn't want to take the risk, what was wrong with pretending for a lifetime?
He was still here. He could still fight for the emperor. Whether he was Xiao Jinghan or Xiao Tian, what difference did it make?
The Prince of Qi looked at Xiao Tian's expression. "You can't really be thinking like this, can you?"
This was really a huge sacrifice.
"… You're not even going to recognize your own son?"
"As long as I treat him like my own, what difference does it make?"
Xiao Tian's words were an admission of his thoughts.
The Prince of Qi was speechless. After a long while, he said, "Well, the Xiao family doesn't really matter to you anyway. Whether you're dead or alive, the Xiao family won't care."
Xiao Tian didn't continue this topic. He said, "Yi Qing is mine, so stay away from her in the future. You know I've never been a patient person."
"Coincidentally, neither have I," the Prince of Qi said. "You said Xiao Jinghan is dead, so Yi Qing is a widow. Both you and I are pursuing her, aren't we?"
"You can give it a try."
"I will."
Yi Qing was completely unaware of the confrontation between the two men. With the help of the cook, she prepared a table full of dishes. After the Prince of Qi finished eating, she saw him off.
What she was mainly worried about now was Zisu.
"Xiao Tian, should you go to the palace and ask the emperor if the southern border envoys are about to leave? Fortunately, you were the one who told the emperor about what happened last night. He didn't hesitate at all. We should really thank him for this," Yi Qing said.
"Come to the palace with me?" Xiao Tian said.
"Me? Go to the palace?" Yi Qing hesitated. "Is that appropriate?"
"There's nothing inappropriate about it. I'll send someone to inform the emperor first. We'll enter the palace through the secret passage tonight."
Yi Qing thought about it but still didn't quite understand why Xiao Tian wanted her to meet the emperor.
But since he said so, she nodded in agreement.
That night, Xiao Tian led her into the palace through the secret passage, and they climbed out near the Zichen Palace looking disheveled. They saw the emperor sitting there like a lord, looking at them. As soon as he opened his mouth, he said, "Are you two here to show your gratitude?"
Yi Qing spat a few times.
The emperor pointed at her angrily. "Do you know this is an act of disrespect?"
Yi Qing looked innocent. "Your Majesty is joking. Of course I don't know. Otherwise, would I deliberately do something wrong? There's just dirt in my mouth."
Xiao Tian said in a deep voice, "Stop bickering. Yi Qing, go and sit down."
Yi Qing pretended not to see the emperor's murderous look and calmly found a seat at the lower end and sat down.
Xiao Tian sat down next to her.
"Both of you, sit closer. Do you want me to shout to talk to you?" the emperor scolded.
Xiao Tian then pulled Yi Qing to sit a bit closer.
"What are you going to do with the southern border princess?" Xiao Tian asked.
"Of course… I'll bestow her to someone. Why, are you interested?" the emperor asked deliberately. Then, seeing Yi Qing glaring at him, he felt quite satisfied.
Xiao Tian said in a deep voice, "Let's get back to business. I asked Zisu today, and she didn't notice anything abnormal."
"So, the fact that I almost got poisoned doesn't count for anything?" the emperor snorted.
"It was a close call, but thanks to your Majesty's quick reaction."
The emperor said, "That's better. Yi Qing, what's that look on your face?"
Yi Qing said, "I think your Majesty is wise. Long live the emperor, long live, long live!"
The emperor: "… You're insincere!"
Yi Qing said, "Your Majesty, on behalf of Zisu, I'd like to thank you. Zisu will never let you down in the future…"
"Oh?" the emperor pretended to be confused. "I don't know I have any expectations for her?"
He was just pretending to be stupid.
Yi Qing said, "Maybe I'm just being paranoid. I thought your Majesty helped her because you hoped someone could stand up against Xiang Beizheng."
A man like Xiang Beizheng would surely become a time - bomb that would detonate the border issues sooner or later.
So, this was the emperor's real intention.
After all, Zisu didn't rely on Xiang Beizheng. She could stand shoulder to shoulder with him.
They knew each other well and could restrain each other.
Yi Qing suddenly understood why Xiao Tian had brought her to the palace. — There were some things that only she could say so straightforwardly.
She was more suitable than Xiao Tian to discuss a mutually beneficial cooperation with the emperor on Zisu's behalf.
The emperor laughed heartily. "Xiao Tian, aren't you scared? This woman is too shrewd. A woman who's too smart isn't really cute."
"Then there must be a lot of cute people around you!"
Xiao Tian was amused by Yi Qing. "Don't be so disrespectful to the emperor. Your Majesty, be careful of that southern border princess."