Saving My Life By Simping For My Empress - Chapter 11

Chapter 11: It was the jade hairpin that had shattered into two pieces the night before.

That night, Wei Yu dreamed for a long time. In his dream was the imperial palace of the Wei State and the people he knew so well.

Wei Yu dreamed of himself sitting on a swing, with his mother pushing him. Her movements were very, very gentle, never pushing him too high.

“Mother, push me further!” Little Wei Yu had a certain obsession with the heavens; since childhood, he had wanted to fly, and swinging made him feel closer to the sky.

“I can’t push you too far. Haven’t you heard? The further you swing, the further away you’ll go when you grow up. Mother can’t bear to let you go to distant lands. You should stay peacefully by Mother’s side,” Wei Yu’s mother said, cradling him in her arms with a gentle expression. “Mother loves Little Fishy the most.”

“I love Mother the most too!” The young, innocent prince threw himself into his mother’s embrace.

However, Wei Yu still loved the swing. When his mother wasn’t around, he would ask the maids and eunuchs to push him, demanding they send him high up. But how could the servants dare? It wasn’t as if they didn’t value the heads on their shoulders. Thus, Wei Yu’s swinging was never truly satisfying.

Later, he became very happy swinging because his elder brother would push him very high, letting him “fly.”

“Don’t worry, little brother. As your big brother, I’ll definitely make you fly,” said Wei Yu’s brother, Wei Qiong.

Then, he pushed Wei Yu too hard, sending him flying off the swing. He fell heavily.

That time, Wei Qiong was severely punished by their parents. Not only was his workload increased, preventing him from playing with his brother, but he was also forbidden from taking Wei Yu to the swings ever again.

As a child, Wei Yu didn’t understand why his brother was punished. Even now, he didn’t fully grasp it. Were they not brothers? Why be so calculating between kin?

“Wei Yu, if you keep sleeping, breakfast will be cold.” Qin Ji had already finished dressing, yet Wei Yu showed no signs of waking. Qin Ji was surprised. He reached out to touch Wei Yu’s forehead; the temperature seemed normal. Was he just sleeping in?

Qin Ji pinched Wei Yu’s nose: “Wei Yu, get up. If you don’t, I’m eating all the breakfast myself.”

Wei Yu was pinched awake. “Your Majesty… I don’t believe I have government affairs or classes today.” He hadn’t slept well and was currently exhausted.

“Get up quickly. I have a gift for you,” Qin Ji said, pulling Wei Yu up. “If you don’t get up, I won’t give it to you.”

Wei Yu: “…” Are you three years old?

Despite his annoyance at Qin Ji’s wake-up method, Wei Yu rose and was urged by Qin Ji to sit before the bronze mirror. Only then did Wei Yu realize a problem: his jade hairpin was broken. He had nothing to bind his hair.

“Your Majesty, may I borrow one of your hairpins?” Wei Yu rubbed his nose, overwhelmed by a wave of awkwardness. A moment ago, he was grumbling about being hauled out of bed; now, he had to ask for a favor.

Qin Ji was puzzled: “Do you only have one hairpin?”

Wei Yu shook his head: “It’s not that. It’s just that when I came to Qin, I traveled light and didn’t bring extras.”

Traveled light? How light does a trip have to be to be this sparse?

Qin Ji suppressed his confusion and told Wei Yu to close his eyes. Wei Yu did so, bewildered.

Qin Ji signaled to Gao De, who immediately brought over a brocade box. Qin Ji took the box and placed it in Wei Yu’s hands. “Take a look. Do you like it?”

Wei Yu’s eyelashes fluttered as he opened his eyes. He looked down and saw a familiar hairpin lying in the box. It was the jade hairpin that had shattered into two pieces the night before.

Wei Yu took it out. The break had been repaired with gold wire—but the gold wasn’t just wrapped around; it was fashioned into an intricate pattern of peach blossoms circling the fracture.

His heart began to throb uncontrollably. Wei Yu’s eyes grew hot: “Is this the gift Your Majesty wanted to give me?”

“Yes.” Qin Ji stepped back. “Cailian, come and bind the Prince’s hair.”

Cailian stepped forward with a comb to tend to his dark tresses.

“Your Majesty, was it the girl Cailian who told you my hairpin was broken?” Wei Yu traced the repair with his thumb.

He had gone to sleep quite late last night. Between Qin Ji learning the news, finding a master craftsman to repair it, and presenting it as a gift this morning, the time elapsed was incredibly short.

“Cailian knew to come to me for help, but you didn’t. You’re so smart, so why were you so foolish last night?” Qin Ji criticized him. “When something happens, you must tell me. If you don’t, how will I know if I can solve it for you?”

Wei Yu gave a faint smile. Does Qin Ji even realize I am a Prince of Wei?

“Thank you, Your Majesty.” Wei Yu handed the pin to Cailian, who slid the repaired peach blossom pin into his ink-black hair.

“Alright, go wash up. I’ll wait outside to eat breakfast with you.” Qin Ji seemed to be in a great mood, his steps light.

However, the moment he stepped out of the bedchamber, Qin Ji’s expression changed. His lightheartedness vanished.

“Gao De, what exactly did Wei Yu bring with him when he came to Qin?”

Months had passed, so Gao De’s memory was a bit fuzzy. He thought carefully before saying: “Your Majesty, if I recall correctly, the Prince only brought a few changes of clothes. Nothing else… perhaps I should go ask the people who received him back then?”

Gao De mused to himself: His Majesty is truly concerned about Prince Wei Yu. Last night, the moment he heard the pin was broken, he had someone fix it overnight. Now he was investigating the man’s luggage. He truly valued Wei Yu.

“Go then. And be discreet. Don’t let Wei Yu find out.”

Qin Ji still felt Wei Yu’s brother was unreliable. Trading your own brother for three cities was one thing, but sending him off as a hostage without even letting him bring proper belongings? He felt as if Wei Yu’s brother was actually eager to send him away.

Qin Ji shook his head. He’d wait for Gao De’s report. For now, breakfast.

…

Wei Yu was indeed surprised by breakfast: Spring Pancakes (Chunbing).

People from the Wei State valued the second day of the second lunar month highly, but Qin didn’t have many customs for it. These pancakes were specially prepared on Qin Ji’s orders.

“I don’t know how the Imperial Kitchen’s pancakes compare to those in Wei. Fortunately, this holiday only lasts one day. If they aren’t good, just bear with it.” Qin Ji watched Wei Yu expectantly.

He had personally instructed the kitchen to put their heart into it. He hoped Wei Yu wouldn’t tell him they tasted bad—that would be too discouraging.

Under Qin Ji’s intense gaze, Wei Yu took a pancake and bit into it. A spring pancake is rolled with many side dishes: soy-braised pork, pig’s head meat, smoked duck, shredded radish, bean sprouts, and more. In this bite, Wei Yu tasted the recipe of his homeland.

“How is it?” Qin Ji was incredibly nervous.

Wei Yu swallowed: “It’s delicious. Truly delicious.”

Qin Ji relaxed and began to eat one himself. To be honest, with such high-quality ingredients from the Imperial Kitchen, it was almost impossible for it to taste bad.

The scene was surreal: the Emperor of Qin accompanying a Prince of Wei to eat Wei-style spring pancakes.

After breakfast, Qin Ji headed to the study to meet Zhao Anhong. He chatted with Wei Yu for a bit, coaxing a smile out of him, before departing.

Zhao Anhong was quite surprised that the Emperor had summoned him to discuss business. After years of rebellion and chaos, his Majesty was finally acting like a ruler. As Prime Minister, he felt he could finally face the late Emperor in the afterlife.

“Your servant greets Your Majesty.”

Zhao Anhong was about to kneel when Qin Ji stopped him: “Don’t kneel, Prime Minister. Sit down.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.” Zhao Anhong sat as Gao Huan served him hot tea—his favorite high-mountain mist tea. He had never received such treatment before.

“Your Majesty, why have you summoned me? Is there something you wish to entrust to me?” Zhao Anhong asked directly.

Qin Ji smiled sheepishly: “It’s like this, Prime Minister. I wanted to ask… in our Qin State, are there any people who deserve to have their houses raided?”

Zhao Anhong choked on his tea, coughing it out.

What?

“Prime Minister, be careful!” Qin Ji didn’t seem to realize he had shocked the man. “The tea is hot.”

Zhao Anhong gasped for air, still shaken: “Your Majesty, I didn’t hear clearly. Could you repeat that?”

Qin Ji: “Well, Huang Zuo said yesterday we need 500,000 taels. I thought about it, and the fastest way to get that much money in a short time seems to be raiding houses.”

Zhao Anhong: “…” It really is house raiding.

“Your Majesty, although there are people in Qin with poor conduct, it is far from the level requiring a house raid,” Zhao Anhong said honestly. “At most, they deserve a fine or a demotion. Raiding a house… it’s not necessary, really not necessary.”

One cannot just raid houses at will. If he does, won’t it just worsen his reputation as a Tyrant?

Qin Ji rubbed his chin: “Then how about this, Prime Minister? Calculate for me who deserves to have their noble titles stripped. We’ll strip their ranks, and once the titles are gone, can’t we reclaim what was given to them?”

Zhao Anhong: “…Logic-wise, that makes sense.”

Qin Ji slapped the desk: “Good! Then it’s settled. Let’s do that!”

Zhao Anhong: “???”

“Your Majesty, are you truly certain about stripping titles?” Zhao Anhong thought he might still be dreaming. Your Majesty, do you even remember how many people you’ve rewarded and titled since you took the throne? If you strip them all, aren’t you afraid they’ll storm the palace in a riot?

Qin Ji looked confused. Why was Zhao Anhong hesitating? “Prime Minister, do you have any more questions?”

Zhao Anhong smiled: “No questions. I obey the command. I shall see to it immediately.”

Anyway, it’s the Emperor’s own decree. He… probably won’t regret it, right?

After the Prime Minister left, Gao De rushed back: “Your Majesty, I have found out.”

Qin Ji: “Speak!”

“Your Majesty, when the Prince came to Qin from Wei, he truly only brought a few changes of clothes. He wasn’t even given a personal servant, let alone anything else.”

In fact, Gao De had found out more: Wei Yu had traveled all the way to Qin alone, without a single copper coin to bribe the low-level officials along the way. He had come thousands of miles entirely on his own.