Huangfu Jue was clearly exhausted as well. The two of them had been keeping him up like an eagle for so long. When had he, the dignified Ninth Prince, ever been so humble and coaxing someone?
Upon hearing the first sentence, Huangfu Jue regained some energy, took a sip of tea, and said, "Then let's leave it at that, I'll make you sleepy!"
Qi Qi said, still feeling dizzy, "...Then go to sleep, I'll sit here."
Huangfu Jue said, "I'm not going. I'll just stay here with you. You'll be happy to see me die of exhaustion."
Qi Qi: "That's going too far."
After saying that, Qi Qi slumped onto the table and fell asleep. Huangfu Jue caught him, as he hadn't slept well last night and had stayed up so long today.
Huangfu Jue sneered, "Trying to fight me, you little eunuch?"
Huangfu Jue pinched his cheek and thought and thought, wondering if Lai Bao was actually rebelling against him, since it was rare for him to do something so seriously.
After thinking it over and over again, another day passed. He had a soft couch brought in and placed it next to the large bed in his room. He said with a displeased expression, "Didn't you want separate beds? Here, I've granted your wish."
Qi Qi: "…………" Aren't I still in your room?!
The four eunuchs, along with Xiao Fuzi and others, all felt that Qi Qi had risen in status and came to congratulate him, as he was able to have a private bed in His Highness's room.
Qi Qi couldn't tell them that she had never slept in such places as footstools before, so she could only smile and face it.
It's not a big problem. Sleeping in separate beds is already an improvement. As long as the desensitization training is done well, maybe in another year he will be able to sleep outside.
"Thank you, Your Highness. Your Highness is the best, the greatest in the world!"
Huangfu Jue thought for a moment and said, "What's wrong with just saying it? Give me a kiss."
Qi Qi looked at him with a condemning gaze: "You weren't like this before. Hooliganism is shameful. We should be upright gentlemen!"
Huangfu Jue: "Alright then."
He added, "Do you really only accept one person for life? If the physical relationship isn't possible, can the heart be?"
Qi Qi thought to himself, "Go to hell!"
Honestly, it's true that he's understanding and didn't force Qi Qi, but he's disobedient and tried to do these things...
...
On the other side, Huangfu Yi was very worried when he learned that Lai Bao was sick. He also received news from Tuoba Shuo that the Zhenbei Army was currently in a standoff with the Xiongnu and Xianbei tribes outside the pass. The situation was not good. They would rather fight than let anyone enter the country. Even Hu merchants entering the pass had to be checked and questioned more before they could pass. Once they showed any signs of being innocent, they would be killed without exception.
“The Zhenbei Army has bullied our Xianbei people so much that this matter cannot be resolved peacefully. Cousin, you should prepare as soon as possible, and we can set off to return to our clan’s territory at any time.”
Huangfu Yi was caught in a dilemma. As long as Qi Defu was still in the palace, Lai Bao would not be able to leave without him.
Perhaps...
The thought that flashed through his mind was quickly dismissed.
Things are different now. Now that I've decided to be a good person, I can no longer use some underhanded methods. If Laibao finds out, I'll be in trouble.
The best course of action now is to figure out how to get Qi Defu out of the palace unharmed and find a place to settle him.
Revenge must be taken, and so must love.
A few days later, a small county in Jiangnan, rife with bandits, was plundered. Half of the people were reduced to slaves, and the other half became refugees. Hearing that the emperor was enjoying the summer heat in his villa, they traveled day and night in a grand procession to this place.
By the time the guards discovered them, the refugees had already settled only twenty or thirty li away from the area.
A group of two or three hundred people, men, women, and children, with their families, arrived at the small court assembly. A group of officials looked at each other and offered their own solutions. Some suggested providing some food and moving the people to another place to live, some suggested driving them away directly, and others suggested suppressing the bandits.
Almost no one paid any attention to these words.
It's just a small place, yet such things happen everywhere. The military deployment at the Summer Palace is well-planned, and in these turbulent times, there's no spare capacity to deal with such trivial matters.
Huangfu Jue was also there. He had been given the opportunity to come here in recent months, but he did not hold an official position and did not participate in the discussions. Hearing this, he became increasingly annoyed with these corrupt officials who only knew how to flatter and fawn.
Huangfu Yi was no exception. However, despite his poor academic performance, most outsiders considered him to be a patriotic and compassionate prince.
Actually, that's not the case. Huangfu Yi is not someone who cares about the lives and deaths of the people. He does things in a very methodical way. In the past, he would naturally do things that required means to gain fame and things. Now, he doesn't have to work hard for the court. After working for several years, he has only achieved so little.
Now, the ladder to revenge and escape from this sinful palace lies before him: help the Xianbei swallow up the Xia Kingdom.
So naturally he doesn't care about such trivial matters now.
Huangfu Jue suggested using some of the stored grain to save the lives of the refugees, since the place was less than 100 kilometers away and he was willing to lead troops to solve the bandit problem there.
Upon hearing this, the court officials naturally objected. How could a legitimate son who was not yet fourteen years old go to such a place?
The emperor, on the other hand, sat calmly on the throne, his face showing the weariness and irritability that followed a night of debauchery.
"What kind of behavior is this, making such a fuss over such a small matter? There are countless refugees all over the world. Who knows if these people are bandits in disguise? Go, take men and drive them all away for me, drive them far, far away."
The official below: "..."
After saying this, the old emperor adjourned the court and leisurely walked away.
The Prime Minister ordered the officials to hastily conclude the matter, and then brought up other things. Huangfu Jue frowned, suppressing his anger, and did not leave.
Behind these bastards are powerful families that have been developing for five hundred years in the Xia Dynasty. It is no easy task to overthrow them in a day. Although he wanted to do something, the more he came to this council office, the more powerless he felt.
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