The woman emperor looked at Prince Qing. "It's getting late. Have a banquet prepared. This emperor will dine at your residence tonight."

Prince Qing bowed. "As Your Majesty commands!"

It was a good two hours before everyone finally sat down to dinner.

They ate and drank their fill.

With Prince Qing, the whole point was knowing how to read a room.

"Everyone, it's late. Don't bother going back to the Hall of Martial Honor. Stay here with this prince tonight."

Ning Chen nodded to show he had no objection.

Prince Qing said, "Someone come in."

Several maids came in.

Prince Qing looked at Pan Yucheng and the other two and smiled. "Your rooms are ready. If you need anything, just tell the servants. Get some rest!"

"Thank you, Prince Qing!"

The three of them bowed and followed the maids out.

Xiao Yanxi had no objection either. This was Prince Qing's residence. She could hardly share a room with Ning Chen here, could she?

Even if she could, the woman emperor would have to agree to it first.

Most important of all, Ning Chen had a gu in him now and couldn't do the deed.

Prince Qing turned to the woman emperor and said respectfully, "Your Majesty, the crown prince and the princess will sleep with your subject tonight... Your subject won't disturb you and my lord prince. It's your old room. Everything's ready."

Ning Chen glanced at the woman emperor, then at Prince Qing, and smiled wryly. "I can't attend the bedchamber right now. Have a room made up for me too."

The woman emperor's delicate brows drew together. She was not pleased at all. The dog of a man. After all this time apart, didn't he miss her? Or now that she'd had two children, was he tired of her?

Prince Qing said angrily, "What's that supposed to mean? After all this time apart, don't you want to spend more time with Her Majesty?"

Ning Chen shrugged helplessly. "You've misunderstood. It's not that I don't want to... It's that something's wrong with my body..."

Prince Qing gasped. "You're impotent?"