Chapter 20: Sharing a Bed
After Yuan Jiabai finished speaking, Xuan Qiao gazed deeply into his eyes, as if trying to discern whether the youth was telling the truth.
Finally, he reached out, ruffled Yuan Jiabai’s hair, and praised him with a chuckle. "Good boy."
Yuan Jiabai couldn't even be bothered to retort anymore. If the Crown Prince wants to act like a doting elder, so be it.
Now that the matter was resolved, Yuan Jiabai’s smile returned. However, believing the youth had still suffered a stressful ordeal, Xuan Qiao wanted to spend more time with him and comfort him a bit more.
After a moment's thought, Xuan Qiao smiled and asked, "Jiabai, what if the two of us share a bed tonight?"
This was entirely unexpected. Yuan Jiabai’s eyes widened. Two grown men sharing a bed? That feels a little weird.
But when he remembered that this person was the Crown Prince, Yuan Jiabai nodded eagerly. "Sure!"
Mother, Father, your son has hit the big leagues! I’m actually going to share a bed with the Crown Prince!
Knowing that Yuan Jiabai likely wouldn't refuse was one thing, but seeing him agree so readily was quite another. Xuan Qiao’s smile grew a fraction warmer.
Having already shed his outer robes and hair crown after returning from dinner, Yuan Jiabai was dressed comfortably. Xuan Qiao said to him, "Go ahead and lie down first. I will go bathe and be right back."
Yuan Jiabai nodded obediently. The messy, stray lock of hair on the top of his head swayed along with the movement. Xuan Qiao reached out, lightly brushed his thumb against the youth’s cheek, and stood up to leave.
---
Qi Guangde was standing outside. When the door opened, the fury on the Crown Prince's face was entirely gone, replaced by a smile as warm as a spring breeze.
"Eunuch Qi, have someone arrange the bedding. Tonight, I will be sharing a bed with Jiabai."
The loyal old eunuch’s eyes widened. This day has finally come.
His professional instinct instantly kicked in. He raised a hand to signal two young eunuchs behind him, who immediately scurried off to fetch fresh bedding.
By the time Xuan Qiao returned to his own quarters, the hot water was already prepared. Two attendants stepped forward to help him undress, while Chief Eunuch Qi stood frozen to the side, his face scrunched up as his mind raced with untold thoughts.
A good while later, once Xuan Qiao had finished bathing, it was already autumn, and a chilly breeze blew through the night. Qi Guangde draped a light cloak over the Crown Prince's shoulders and carried a lantern to lead the way back to Yuan Jiabai’s courtyard.
The old eunuch let out a soft, resigned sigh and lowered his voice. "Your Highness... should this servant prepare some lubricating ointment?"
Xuan Qiao was currently anticipating his reunion with Yuan Jiabai and didn't catch on. "Hmm? Why would you need to prepare ointment?"
Qi Guangde furrowed his brows. "Your Highness, surely you don't intend to... to just go in rough? This old servant must speak up. Young Master Yuan has such tender, delicate skin; he’ll get hurt. The ointment is a must."
Xuan Qiao pondered the words for a moment before the pieces finally clicked. He was instantly rendered completely speechless. "Eunuch Qi."
Qi Guangde shut his mouth, waiting for the Prince's instructions.
"Eunuch Qi, you are overthinking things entirely," Xuan Qiao said helplessly. "Didn't I tell you before? I harbor no such vulgar intentions toward Jiabai. How... how did your mind even wander there?"
Qi Guangde was still a bit skeptical. "Then what did Your Highness mean by wanting to share a bed with Young Master Yuan...?"
Xuan Qiao replied flatly, "To simply share a bed, of course."
Qi Guangde finally realized his massive misunderstanding, and a flush of embarrassment colored his face. "Ah... Your Highness, please forgive me. This old servant was too presumptuous."
Xuan Qiao shook his head, not genuinely angry. "Do not speak of this again, Eunuch Qi. If Jiabai were to overhear, how mortified would he be? What if he truly begins to think I harbor ulterior motives and lecherous designs toward him? What would I do then?"
Qi Guangde hurriedly bowed. "Yes, yes, Your Highness is absolutely right. This old servant understands."
---
The wind rustled outside as the bright moon hung high in the sky. Xuan Qiao stepped back into the bedroom to find Yuan Jiabai sprawled on the bed, flipping through a book.
Before Xuan Qiao left, Yuan Jiabai had only removed his outer robes. By now, however, he had changed into a comfortable set of inner sleepwear. Also provided by the Eastern Palace, the fabric was silky and soft, clinging tightly to his form and accentuating the rolling curves of his waist and hips like a winding mountain range.
Perhaps because of his recent conversation with Qi Guangde, Xuan Qiao’s thoughts had been somewhat compromised. His gaze inadvertently drifted toward the highest peak of those rounded curves.
Come to think of it, though Jiabai is quite lean, he is remarkably full back there...
Sensing someone's gaze, Yuan Jiabai turned his head. Propping himself up, he shifted into a kneeling position. "Your Highness, do you want to sleep on the inside or the outside?"
Snapping back to reality and met with his friend's completely innocent expression, Xuan Qiao felt a sudden prick of guilt. Attributing it to his fleeting, improper thought, he cleared his throat and said, "The outside."
He had to wake up early tomorrow anyway; sleeping on the outside would make it easier to get out of bed.
"I knew it," Yuan Jiabai said, patting his small pillow. "That's why I went ahead and placed my pillow on the inside."
Xuan Qiao untied his cloak and handed it to Xiao Xiangzi. Walking further into the room, he playfully played along. "Jiabai is truly wise. I admit utter defeat."
Yuan Jiabai burst out laughing, thoroughly amused.
Xuan Qiao picked up the open book and noticed it was a travelogue. He casually flipped through a couple of pages and asked, "Do you like reading travelogues? I have more in my study; I'll have them brought to you tomorrow."
"I actually got this from your study, Your Highness."
Xuan Qiao had zero defenses against him. Even though his accounting duties were over, the study remained completely open to him at any time. However, Yuan Jiabai was highly disciplined; he never touched any official government documents, and he always asked Qi Guangde before taking anything.
"It's..." Yuan Jiabai was about to say "it's alright," but remembering the Crown Prince's warning not to treat him like a stranger, he changed his tune and confessed honestly, "Actually, it's just mediocre. But Your Highness, your study is packed with nothing but incredibly dry books! It's either The Records of the Grand Historian or The Spring and Autumn Annals, or The Book of Rites and The Analects. I only chose the travelogue to kill time."
Pouting, he poked the spine of the travelogue. The book shifted in the Crown Prince's palm, eventually resting against Xuan Qiao's abdomen.
Xuan Qiao smiled. "Then what do you like to read? I'll have someone buy them for you."
"Hmm, if I have to read, then storybooks! I want to read tales about wandering martial arts heroes, not stories about poor scholars and noble ladies."
"Alright, I'll have someone purchase them. They will definitely be to your liking."
"Thank you, Your Highness!" Yuan Jiabai was absolutely thrilled.
---
However, a sudden realization struck Xuan Qiao, causing his brows to knit tightly together.
"Jiabai, is it very boring for you here in the palace?"
Caught off guard by the abrupt question, Yuan Jiabai pursed his lips and told the truth. "A little bit."
I'm afraid it's more than just 'a little bit,' Xuan Qiao thought.
Xuan Qiao realized he had miscalculated. He had only focused on keeping Yuan Jiabai by his side to find an opportunity to promote and support him, completely forgetting that leaving Yuan Jiabai with nothing to do would naturally breed boredom. Furthermore, because they were deep within the imperial palace, even slipping out for some fun was a massive hassle.
With this thought, Xuan Qiao’s frown deepened.
Fortunately, now that he was aware of the issue, a quick turn of his thoughts sparked an idea.
Both the Eastern Palace and the suburban estate were his official residences. He could stay inside or outside the palace as he pleased; it was simply that as the heir apparent, residing within the palace was more aligned with protocol.
In the future, it might be better to split my time and spend half of it at the suburban estate. That way, whenever Jiabai wants to go out and play, he can do so freely without being cooped up.
As for the obvious alternative option to simply letting Yuan Jiabai leave the palace on his own to have fun. it was entirely and unconsciously ignored by Xuan Qiao.
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