CH 11

As a result, He Lianyi had always been cordial and somewhat tolerant towards Jing Qi, nor would he make a big deal about his disrespectful manners. His hand reached out to pat the other through the quilts, and he laughed: "Are you being like this, pigging out until the end of the year and getting ready to be slaughtered? Eat, sleep, and eat again — even pigs are not as diligent as you. Get up!"

Looking back at Ping An who was still yawning and rubbing his eyes, he shook his head and thought to himself, just as expected, like master like servant, even their laziness is the same. Then he ordered: "Go and fetch water for your master, tell him to wash his face and rinse his mouth properly."

Ping An responded once and staggered his way out. He Lianyi turned around and caught a glimpse of Jing Qi's "let the wind blow and waves beat, I still remain sleeping and unbothered" appearance, wanting to get mad and laugh at the same time. He then extended his arm and gave Jing Qi's body a few slaps: "Jing Beiyuan, sit up! What time is it now? Father Emperor has already approved the memorial I presented, telling you to attend the court to listen to the state's affairs after the New Year. When that time comes, are you still going to be an idle sloth who accomplishes nothing like this?

Jing Qi was pressured and tormented to the point where it was impossible to deal with. Sluggishly, he hugged the quilt and sat up: "Attending the court and listening to state's affairs..."

"And yet you still haven't risen on your feet and put in some effort? Are you trying to let that group of old-fashioned, petty imperial scholars laugh at you for being a good-for-nothing, self-indulgent playboy?"

Ping An walked in with a water basin, taking a page boy called Ji Xiang with him who brought in morning washing items and assisted Jing Qi in getting dressed. As He Lianyi left the bed to sit on one side, Ping An hurriedly came over to serve him tea.

Jing Qi let Ji Xiang fiddle around as if he himself was entirely awake and ready to doze off again; after a while, he leisurely spoke: "His Highness, please present another memorial and urge His Majesty to revoke this order."

Holding the teacup in his hands and slightly lifting the lid open a few times, He Lianyi raised an eyebrow and looked at him: "Attending the court after the age of fifteen is a standard practice. If you don't want to engage in politics, what do you desire to do?"

Jing Qi covered his face to hide a yawn, his peach-blossom pair of eyes shuttered in the enshrouded mist. He Lianyi stared at him in amazement, then lowered his head and sipped on his tea to cover it up as the feelings stirred his heart — he didn't know since when this person had grown from a boy who spoke with a sweet, baby voice and acted like a child-sized adult to a fine young man of orchids and jade trees,(3) whose frown and laughter carried the aura of nobility with a hint of lassitude. He had a touch of the late princess's refined beauty and also inherited the late prince's romantic charm — it was only feared that in the future, this person would become a distinguished figure whom young maidens all over the city would lose sleep yearning for.

Yet, He Lianyi only heard a faintly nasal voice from this "beautiful young man of orchids and jade trees" drawling: "Do what, huh... There is really nothing to do. Or maybe I will go beg for His Majesty's grace and ask him to let me guard the royal mausoleum?" He yawned again, his fingers wiping the tears away, "I can sleep whenever I want and wake up whenever I want..."

Before Jing Qi's sentence was even finished, He Lianyi already slammed the teacup down on the small table next to him. Ping An shivered a little, quickly swallowing the contagious yawn that he caught from Jing Qi's lazy and tired look; he bowed his head and dared not to say a single word.

With a half-asleep face, Jing Qi stared at He Lianyi bewilderedly, his expression extremely innocent.

This really was... the gold-coated and jade adorned kind but all cotton waste inside; the wood so rotten that there was no way to carve, even its muck could not be used to sully the wall.