In the narrow cave, there wasn't much room for the two boys to hide. They pressed themselves together, breathing into each other's mouths, embracing each other tenderly for a moment without knowing the beginning or reason.
Qi Qi was extremely dizzy. The wine was indeed very strong. At this moment, his mind was a mess. His nostrils were filled with the scent of peach blossoms and a hint of cold wood from the man. His hand was softly resting on the back of the man's neck, and his rosy cheeks were being rubbed by the tip of someone's nose.
Before long, the unfamiliar yet urgent bad thing happened, and Qi Qi was out of breath, his teeth clenching.
"hiss……"
Someone let out a soft cry of pain.
Then Qi Qi fell into a deep sleep.
...
"Lai Bao! Lai Bao!"
"Noble!"
Qi Qi rolled over and rolled up in the blanket. Someone patted his shoulder and pulled him over again. A still-warm handkerchief was then placed over his face.
After wiping, Qi Qi opened his eyes.
Xiao Fuzi's face still showed signs of diarrhea: "You're finally awake. Why did you sleep in the servants' quarters last night? His Highness couldn't find you at the banquet, and when he came back and saw you sleeping here, he shook you for a long time but you wouldn't wake up, so he stormed off."
Qi Qi was still dizzy: "Ah, right, how did I end up sleeping here..."
As soon as the words left my mouth, I recalled some hazy fragments: going to the toilet, men and women engaging in illicit acts, artificial hills...
"Hiss..." Qi Qi touched his lips, which were a little swollen and had a slight numbness, making him feel uncomfortable.
Xiao Fuzi continued, "Who knows? You usually sleep in His Highness's room, but last night you were drunk and came over here. When Xiao Xizi and I came back after dinner, we found you asleep in my bed, so I had no choice but to sleep with that guy."
He was clearly holding a grudge; he'd heard that Xiao Xizi was a restless sleeper…
Qi Qi thought about the unknown madman, awkwardly offered a few words of comfort, hurriedly got up, wiped his face, and after washing up, went into the Ninth Prince's private courtyard.
The Summer Palace features white walls and black tiles, pavilions and towers arranged in a well-organized manner, lush trees and flowers that are properly trimmed, and rare and exotic plants that can be seen everywhere. Although it does not occupy as much space as the palace, it is still one of the rare and precious buildings in the Xia Kingdom.
The Ninth Prince's current residence is only one-third the size of what it used to be. However, the inner courtyard is mostly occupied by Qi Qi and him, with three bodyguards always present. It is quite spacious, while the other eunuchs and maids serve in the outer courtyard.
Passing through the winding corridors, following the path of bluestone underfoot and flower branches pointing to the corners of the walls, and entering the round, carved archway, you arrive at your destination.
The plaque on the two-story building is inscribed with several elegant characters written in the style of golden nanmu wood: "Huicui Building".
Qi Qi lifted the crystal curtain and went inside. The Ninth Prince was reading a book, leaning casually against the cool couch. When he saw Qi Qi arrive, his gaze swept over Qi Qi's lips casually: "Why is it swollen?"
Qi Qi: "...I ate spicy food last night."
The Ninth Prince rolled his eyes again: "He said he'd bring me oranges, but he disappeared as soon as he went out. Is he even sleeping outside?"
"Oh dear, Your Highness, that peach blossom wine was too intoxicating! Did you return just in time last night? You weren't drunk, were you?"
The Ninth Prince seemed to have thought of something unpleasant, and sneered, "Only half an hour later than you, those old bastards..."
Qi Qi then thought of that madman and tentatively asked, "Was the wine last night only served in limited quantities at the banquet?"
"Yes, the manager and I ordered another jar last night. They said it's a specialty of the resort and they don't have much left, so drink it sparingly."
Qi Qi had drunk a little before but didn't like it much. The Ninth Prince assumed that he liked this one, and since it was a rare item and the quantity was small, it wouldn't matter if he drank a little, so he asked for a whole jar for him.
"Let's go have breakfast, I'll take you for a walk outside."
Qi Qi's heart skipped a beat after hearing his words.
Limited quantity. Last night's flower banquet was mostly attended by old men... But judging from their voices and the skin they touched, they should be young people. There were only seven or eight young people present, including newly appointed scholars and several princes above the Ninth Prince.
Look at the mess this has made... Although I suspected I might have lost control last night... it was that madman who spoke first, so it definitely wasn't my fault!
Seeing him eat his porridge, his expression growing increasingly unpleasant, the Ninth Prince looked puzzled: "Is it not tasty?"
"No, it's delicious!"
...
This trip was supposedly for escaping the summer heat, but in reality, only the emperor and his corrupt officials could actually stay there. The lives of ordinary people outside were becoming increasingly difficult, and neighboring countries were invading them repeatedly.
After this year's conscription and grain tax collection, the people had no money to pay taxes and no food at home. They had to sell their last piece of land to get money to pay. Without land, and unwilling to sell themselves into slavery, a large number of refugees appeared in the cities, and several rebel armies rose up in the four directions.
The most prominent rebel army recently is also known as the Zhenbei Army. It is rumored that this army was originally formed by the former subordinates of the Duke of Zhenguo. Compared with other rebel armies that can be called a rabble, this army can be considered a righteous and benevolent force.
Starting three years ago, after directly seizing Youzhou in the north, they remained inactive, focusing on developing basic infrastructure, cultivating large areas of land, and accepting displaced people...
In the eyes of the imperial court, this behavior was initially nothing short of cowardly and foolish. Youzhou was a barren land, not because the land was bad, but because it was located on the frontier and was frequently harassed by neighboring small countries. Without military support, the people suffered heavy losses, and over time, naturally no one wanted to settle there anymore.
The fact that the Zhenbei Army set up its base there is laughable. You don't even need to investigate to know that they are just a bunch of incompetent petty thieves... They might even be the Zhenguo Army soldiers who didn't submit to the imperial court and instead deserted.
Who knows? The Duke of Zhenguo has been dead for almost ten years, and Youdu is deserted.
Therefore, the focus of the anti-bandit campaign was more on those treacherous officials and rebels who attacked and plundered other cities, massacred residents, and took advantage of the chaos to threaten surrounding cities.
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