Chapter 54

Ji Yuheng followed Qixue out of the study and arrived at another room in Chang Le Palace.

This room was the bedroom where Qixue had lived when he first moved into Chang Le Palace. It was still reserved for him, so he could rest there anytime. There were no Nightmare Demons in the room, making it perfect for their private conversation.

Qixue reclined lazily on the noble consort couch and pointed to the stool beside him. “Sit.”

To his surprise, Ji Yuheng did not sit. Instead, he knelt directly beside the couch. Qixue asked in astonishment, “Why are you kneeling like this out of nowhere? I didn’t scold you or bully you. Don’t kneel—get up quickly.”

He reached out to pull Ji Yuheng’s arm, trying to get him to stand, but Ji Yuheng lowered his upper body and buried himself in Qixue’s embrace, wrapping his arms around Qixue’s waist as he softly called out, “…Mother Concubine.”

There was no light in Ji Yuheng’s eyes, and Qixue could feel his body trembling. Qixue’s heart softened instantly. He gently patted Ji Yuheng’s back and asked softly, “Why are you so upset? Jealous? Just because I’m pregnant with His Majesty’s child?”

“But don’t you understand? I’m His Majesty’s only consort, so I should bear His child. Even your petition said as much—you believed I would definitely give birth to His heir. Now that it’s happened, why can’t you accept it?”

“Or… are you worried my child will threaten your position as Crown Prince?”

“No… I don’t think that way.”

Ji Yuheng suddenly looked up, his expression filled with grief. “I’m just… just afraid you won’t want me anymore.”

Indeed, he didn’t want to lose his position as Crown Prince, but not because he craved the throne. He feared that without power, he could no longer protect Qixue.

Worse still, if he were stripped of the title, he would have to return to Nanping County, and he would never see Qixue again.

But if he clung to the Crown Prince position, once the child was born, would Qixue see him as a thorn in the side? Perhaps Qixue would do everything to eliminate him and elevate his own flesh and blood to the position…

Ji Yuheng’s thoughts spun in endless circles, every one tied to Qixue.

In the end, he forced a bitter smile. “Once the child is born, I will petition His Majesty to depose me as Crown Prince. I won’t make things difficult for you.”

“Mother Concubine… I only beg you not to abandon me. I’ll listen to everything you say. Don’t drive me away now, alright?”

His heart ached with bitterness as he humbly pleaded with Qixue. Qixue sighed and tapped his forehead. “What are you saying? Did I ever say I don’t want you? Always overthinking—how did you develop this habit?”

“Come here. Don’t you just want more of my affection? Then bring your face closer.”

Ji Yuheng obediently leaned his face toward Qixue, only for Qixue to kiss his lips.

Qixue gently sucked on his lips, then kissed his eyelids, brow bone, and forehead—practically kissing every inch of his face.

Ji Yuheng froze, his ears turning red in an instant. He looked at Qixue with shy excitement, his eyelashes fluttering wildly.

Qixue chuckled and kissed his lip pearl again. “Alright, don’t be shy. I’ve kissed every part of your body—how come you’re shy when I kiss you a few times? With this pathetic look, you still want to petition to be deposed as Crown Prince? Can you really bear to leave me?”

He lightly pinched Ji Yuheng’s nose tip, but Ji Yuheng grabbed his hand. Seizing the initiative, Ji Yuheng leaned down and kissed Qixue deeply, invading his mouth.

“Mm…”

Qixue couldn’t close his mouth from the kiss, saliva trickling from the corner of his lips. It felt so good that he instinctively hugged Ji Yuheng’s back, responding passionately to the kiss and savoring his pure, crisp taste.

He really loved kissing Ji Yuheng.

Only when Qixue was kissed breathless, his face flushed with a gorgeous rouge hue, did Ji Yuheng gently release him. He embraced Qixue obsessively and murmured, “I can’t bear to leave you.”

“Then that’s that…” Qixue breathed heavily, panting for a moment before continuing. “See? I never planned to drive you away. In fact, I want you to serve me properly. Instead of doubting everything, think about how to please me better—that way, I’ll like you even more.”

“Like me even more…”

Ji Yuheng repeated the words, asking urgently, “What does ‘even more’ mean? Does Mother Concubine already like me?”

Qixue huffed lightly. “What do you think? If I didn’t like you, why would I let you touch me? I’d have kicked you out long ago.”

He raised his hand, his sleeve sliding down his snowy arm to reveal the translucent jade bracelet, seemingly reminding Ji Yuheng intentionally or not.

“Mother Concubine…”

Ji Yuheng choked up, his eyes reddening. He hugged Qixue tightly in agitation. “I won’t betray your feelings.”

“But I still need to make this clear: you can never compare to His Majesty in my heart.”

Qixue gently stroked the red corners of his eyes. “His Majesty saved my life, and he’s cared for me all these years. Ours is a bond from our youth—no one can surpass it. The one I love most will always be him.”

“As long as you don’t harm His Majesty or compare yourself to him, I’ll treat you well and love you. You can find much joy with me.”

“If you’re willing to promise me that, swear it: you’ll never harm His Majesty. Otherwise, even if you flee to the ends of the earth, I’ll kill you myself.”

“If you won’t swear, I won’t force you. We’ll keep things as they are until you agree. Alright, Yun Qi?”

His tone was soft and gentle, yet it carved into Ji Yuheng’s flesh like a flaying knife, making his insides ache.

But Ji Yuheng had no choice. From the start, he knew he could never be with Qixue openly. Even if Qixue shared a sliver of affection, he felt he’d used up all his lifetime luck.

“I swear.”

He knelt on the ground, gazing up at Qixue’s affectionate yet ruthless eyes. “I will never harm His Majesty. If I break this oath, may I fall into Avici Hell, never to be reborn, and never meet you again.”

“Wonderful.”

Qixue’s face bloomed with a brilliant smile. He rose from the couch and knelt with Ji Yuheng, pulling him into a big hug. “Yun Qi, you’re so good. Thank you for agreeing.”

Truth be told, he’d been nervous asking for the oath, worried he’d gone too far and Ji Yuheng might refuse.

If Ji Yuheng had rejected him, Qixue would have been heartbroken. By now, he truly didn’t want to be enemies with Ji Yuheng—he was happy they could stand together.

Ji Yuheng hugged him back and whispered in his ear, “I should be the one thanking you for accepting me.”

Qixue pecked him. “Enough with the mutual thanks. Get up—the floor’s cold. You’re a vigorous young man; aren’t you afraid of chilling your knees?”

He pulled Ji Yuheng to his feet. After a moment of silence, Ji Yuheng asked, “Did General Wei swear something similar?”

“More or less. He knows the score.”

Qixue replied. Thinking of Wei Huai suddenly gave him a headache. After soothing Ji Yuheng, he’d have to placate that jealous Wei Huai. Unlike Ji Yuheng, Wei Huai wouldn’t be easy to handle. If he learned of the pregnancy, would he tear down the entire Imperial Palace?

Qixue decisively decided to hide his pregnancy from Wei Huai. He wasn’t announcing it to the world anyway—Ji Yuheng’s Crown Prince seat wasn’t secure yet, and the ministers might petition to depose him. Better to wait until after the birth.

Qixue didn’t insist his child become Crown Prince. He just wanted a baby belonging to him and Helan Ji. Whether the baby wanted to be emperor was up to the child—they as parents wouldn’t force it.

Ji Yuheng asked Qixue again, “Between me and General Wei, who does Mother Concubine like more?”

He gazed at Qixue uneasily. Qixue laughed and poked his chest affectionately. “You won’t dare be jealous of His Majesty, so you’ll compete with Wei Huai? That depends on your performance… Mother Concubine will test if you can be a good son.”

“I…” Ji Yuheng’s hand tightened slightly before he corrected himself. “How should this son serve?”

“Xuan Yang Daoist invited me to Cloud Moon Temple to nurture the fetus, and I agreed.”

Qixue said, “His Majesty is busy with state affairs and can’t stay in the temple all the time. When he’s gone, you come up the mountain to keep me company. Plus, I’m a Rabbit Demon and have practiced the Dual Cultivation Technique—I need your Primordial Yang to nourish my body…”

His eyes curved as he smiled at Ji Yuheng, his fingertip trailing downward to the spot below his navel.

“Yun Qi, from today on, you can’t relieve yourself. All your Primordial Yang must be saved for me—no wasting a drop.”

He leaned close to Ji Yuheng, his kiss-swollen lips pouting slightly as he blew hot breath in his ear. “Yun Qi, serve Mother Concubine diligently. She’s very greedy—if I don’t get full and stuffed, you’ll answer for it.”

Ji Yuheng’s heart surged with electric pleasure, his face flushing as he replied, “This son understands… I won’t disappoint Mother Concubine.”

“Good.”

Qixue thought for a moment and added, “In a bit, I’ll have Dong Yuan send something to Mingguang Palace—the Yang-Locking Ring you wore before. Put it on tonight and don’t remove it until I say so.”

When he’d tormented Ji Yuheng before, he’d made him wear it. The device was ingenious: it didn’t hinder urination but locked away Primordial Yang, tormenting Ji Yuheng thoroughly back then.

Ji Yuheng bowed his head, ears burning red. “This son obeys.”

“That’s settled then. Don’t forget.”

Qixue patted his shoulder. “Alright, we should head back. Don’t keep His Majesty and Xuan Yang Daoist waiting too long.”

…

Several days later.

Today was the day Qixue set off for Cloud Moon Temple.

Per Qixue’s wishes, Helan Ji did not announce the pregnancy, but he issued a decree for a grand amnesty across the realm, ostensibly to pray for the souls of those wronged in the recent Yanzhou cannibal case.

Qixue’s trip to Cloud Moon Temple was also framed as prayer. Accompanying him were several imperial concubines, including Xu Taifei. Helan Ji would stay a few days; after he left, Crown Prince Ji Yuheng would take over, accompanying the Noble Consort and the others in joint prayer at the temple.

Aboard the Jade Chariot.

Qixue lay listlessly in Helan Ji’s arms, feeling restless.

These past two days, he’d been dizzy and bloated, with no appetite. This morning, his chest had started aching and swelling for no reason.

He didn’t want to worry Helan Ji, so he’d endured silently. But now he couldn’t take it. He grabbed Helan Ji’s hand. “Your Majesty, rub my chest for me… It’s so swollen here…”

Helan Ji frowned with concern. “Should I summon the imperial physician?”

“No need. I think rubbing will help.”

As Qixue spoke, he rubbed it himself—and suddenly felt something wrong.

Why was the front of his robe… a bit wet?