Saving My Life By Simping For My Empress - Chapter 12

Chapter 12: He is Still a Little Useless Who Cannot Understand Memorials

When Qin Ji was reading the novel, he only saw the author’s vivid descriptions of the inhuman torture Wei Yu suffered at the hands of the tyrant. A figure as elegant as a celestial being had been tormented until he was neither human nor ghost. However, the author never wrote about how Wei Yu had already lived a miserable life before even coming to the Qin State.

He didn’t understand. Wei Yu was a Prince of Wei; even if Wei lost the war and he was sent to Qin as a hostage, he should still have the dignity of a prince. At the very least, shouldn’t he have been allowed to bring his essential belongings? Since no one knew when he would return to Wei, and considering the matter of money, how could they send him to Qin without giving him a single cent?

As a prince of a defeated nation, if he had no money on hand, how difficult would his days in Qin be?

“Gao De, go and gather people. According to the standards of a prince, arrange everything Wei Yu might need—food, clothing, and daily necessities. They must all be of the best quality. Prepare carriages and horses as well; he shouldn’t be without them if he needs to use them one day,” Qin Ji said solemnly. “Tell the subordinates to show some respect. They must not think of bullying him just because he is a hostage prince.”

Gao De didn’t understand why Qin Ji had shifted from treating Wei Yu as a toy to treating him like a treasure. Regardless, he would ensure that Qin Ji’s imperial decree was carried out perfectly.

“Rest assured, Your Majesty. I will keep a close eye on things and ensure His Highness is not mistreated.”

Qin Ji pressed his temples: “Good. You may go.”

He wanted to be kinder to the great beauty Wei Yu, and not just for the sake of saving his own life.

Qin Ji couldn’t figure out how the tyrant could have brought himself to abuse Wei Yu. And why would Wei Yu’s own brother, the Emperor of Wei, Wei Qiong, treat his own flesh-and-blood sibling this way?

Disturbed by Wei Yu’s situation, Qin Ji’s mood soured. Since Gao De had been sent off to work, Gao Huan, who was serving nearby, was trembling with fear. It had been a long time since he had seen His Majesty with such a dark expression, and he didn’t know who had displeased him.

Qin Ji was still in the learning phase of handling government affairs. After finishing his discussion with Zhao Anhong about the revocation of titles, he sent someone to invite Wei Yu to the study.

He was still a little useless who couldn’t understand the memorials.

Can I just stop being the Emperor? Qin Ji felt like crying from the stress of learning.

“Your Majesty, the envoy from the Kingdom of Duogua seeks an audience,” a subordinate entered to report.

Duogua? (Note: “Duo” means many, “Gua” means melons/squash). Is it named that because their country grows many melons?

Also, where did this Kingdom of Duogua even come from?

“Let him in.” Since the person was already here, Qin Ji felt it would be rude to leave him waiting outside.

While the palace servant went to summon the envoy, Qin Ji asked Wei Yu for information: “Wei Yu, do you know of the Kingdom of Duogua?”

Wei Yu nodded: “The Kingdom of Duogua is located to the north of both Qin and Wei, bordering both territories. Their land is plagued by wind and sand, and their national strength is weak. They often rely on the relief of Qin and Wei to survive the winter safely.”

Qin Ji: “Why do you think the envoy is here to see me?”

I hope he isn’t asking for money. Qin Ji wanted to use Qin’s funds to properly renovate the Ruo River first, lest it kept flooding.

Wei Yu: “Before I came to Qin, the King of Duogua sent a princess to the Wei palace.”

A princess entering the palace—the intention was glaringly obvious.

Qin Ji was struck with alarm. Surely Duogua hasn’t sent a princess to my palace too?

Probably not, otherwise Gao De would have reminded him to visit the palace where she was staying.

Being an emperor was such a hassle. Did there really have to be three thousand beauties in the harem?

Aren’t they afraid of premature exhaustion?

The envoy from Duogua, dressed in traditional attire, followed the palace servant into the study and performed a formal kneeling greeting to Qin Ji.

“Respected Emperor of Great Qin, this humble servant thanks Your Majesty for the care shown during my stay. I am eternally grateful.”

Qin Ji once again turned to his “Gao De Maps” for navigation: “Gao De, what does he mean?”

Gao De whispered: “Your Majesty, the envoy arrived before the new year but was stranded here until now due to the heavy snow.”

Qin Ji understood.

“The envoy has come from afar. I was merely fulfilling the duties of a host; there is no need for such formality.”

Qin Ji signaled for Gao De to help the envoy up and granted him a seat.

“Does the envoy come today with the intention of bidding farewell?” Qin Ji’s mind raced, calculating how many gifts Qin would have to give for the envoy’s return journey.

“Respected Majesty, I come today not only to take my leave but also to present a formal diplomatic letter sent by my King,” the envoy said, standing up and respectfully presenting a piece of silk with a distinct exotic style.

Gao De went to take the silk, but Qin Ji didn’t reach for it: “Minister Wei, read it for me.”

He absolutely could not let a foreign envoy discover that he was essentially illiterate.

Wei Yu cooperated perfectly. He took the silk from Gao De, scanned it briefly, and then read it aloud word for word for Qin Ji.

“I respectfully inquire after the Emperor of Great Qin. May the legacy of the Yi River endure. We wish to forge an eternal friendship with Qin to bring peace to our people. Therefore, we send our royal daughter, Aurora, to Qin to serve as Your Majesty’s consort.”

Wei Yu’s playful gaze landed on Qin Ji: “Your Majesty, Duogua wishes to send a princess to be your concubine. What do you think?”

Qin Ji: “…” I think nothing of it.

“I have received your King’s kind intentions. However, the friendship between Qin and Duogua does not need to be bound by a woman. The princess was born and raised in Duogua; there is no need for her to travel so far from home.”

Qin Ji finally saw it clearly—ancient people really loved political marriages.

But he didn’t like it. He wasn’t willing to bring a woman he had never met into the palace and have her rely on him for the rest of her life.

Though Qin Ji occupied the throne, he lacked the self-awareness of a traditional emperor. In his eyes, he still wanted to be with someone he loved, from youth until their hair turned white, rather than an arranged marriage.

The envoy’s expression grew awkward: “Respected Majesty, Princess Aurora truly admires Your Majesty. Please, give the Princess a chance.”

“The Princess has never met me, let alone spent time with me. Where could this ‘admiration’ possibly come from?” Qin Ji swept a cold glance at the envoy. “It is better if the envoy does not damage the Princess’s reputation.”

The envoy was under the King’s orders; if the Emperor of Qin wouldn’t take Princess Aurora, he wouldn’t be able to report back.

“Imperial Majesty, since ancient times, political marriages between nations have been common. Your Majesty rules the entirety of Qin and should naturally have a vast harem. Yet Your Majesty leaves the inner palace empty, this…”

“How dare you!”

The envoy could not finish his sentence; he was interrupted by the sound of Qin Ji smashing a teacup.

Qin Ji was furious: “Is the envoy trying to teach me how to be the Emperor of Qin? Why don’t I just give this seat to you instead?”

Realizing the gravity of his mistake, the envoy immediately knelt and kowtowed to beg for mercy: “Imperial Majesty, this servant spoke without thinking! Please forgive my transgression!”

Qin Ji was extremely displeased. Even his own ministers hadn’t pressured him to stuff women into the harem to waste their lives away, yet here was a foreigner meddling.

“Sir Envoy,” Wei Yu spoke up calmly. “Since your country has already entered a political marriage with the Kingdom of Wei, why do you insist on forcing another with the Kingdom of Qin? Is the Kingdom of Duogua perhaps being a bit too… insatiable?”

Wei Yu was calm and composed, yet he was more intimidating than Qin Ji. Cold sweat broke out on the envoy’s forehead.

He was feeling guilty.

Wei Yu stopped speaking; having exposed Duogua’s scheme, he didn’t wish to say more.

Duogua had sent one princess to Wei and wanted to send another to Qin—wasn’t it just so the princesses could successfully give birth to princes and plot more for Duogua?

The Kingdom of Wei was one thing; his sister-in-law was the legitimate daughter of the Duke of Protection and held high status. A princess from a small country couldn’t possibly compete with her. But Qin was different. Qin’s harem was empty. Whoever became the first consort to the Emperor of Qin would have the chance to give birth to the eldest son.

Since ancient times, there had been debates between appointing the “legitimate” heir versus the “eldest” heir. An eldest son held a natural ethical advantage in succession.

“The envoy has seen enough of Qin’s customs. Choose a day to return to Duogua.” Qin Ji regretted it; he shouldn’t have given this annoying envoy a seat just now. He should have made him stand!

Having kept his head on his shoulders, the envoy hurriedly took his leave.

“Hmph.” Qin Ji couldn’t help but roll his eyes. “Gao De, bring me another cup of tea. Add chrysanthemum.”

He needed chrysanthemum to soothe his “internal heat” (anger).

“Your Majesty, calm yourself. Why be so angry?” Wei Yu said softly.

Qin Ji complained: “Wei Yu, don’t you think they are being excessive?”

Wei Yu raised an eyebrow: “In what way does Your Majesty mean ‘excessive’?”

“Naturally, in their desire to sell their daughter for glory.” As a good youth of the twenty-first century, Qin Ji couldn’t stand such practices.

“It’s terrible luck to be reborn as a princess, where the future of a country is tied to a young girl.”

Wei Yu looked at Qin Ji in astonishment, surprised that he actually held such thoughts.

“They already sent one away and want to send another. They don’t know how to cherish their own girls. I will never be such a person,” Qin Ji said firmly.

Wei Yu stared blankly at Qin Ji. The shadow of the tyrant in his memory grew blurrier, while the image of this young, still-naive monarch before him became clearer.

“Then if Your Majesty has a princess in the future, you must pamper her well and never let her go for a political marriage,” Wei Yu said.

Qin Ji nodded: “Of course.”

Gao De brought Qin Ji a cup of chrysanthemum tea. It had been cooled so it wasn’t too hot. Qin Ji drank it in one gulp before he felt the fire in his heart subside.

“Gao De, tell that envoy to get lost as fast as he can. Don’t let him appear before me again.” Qin Ji was afraid that every time he saw the man, he would have to drink another cup of tea to calm down.

Gao De looked troubled: “Your Majesty, your birthday is approaching. It is your twentieth—the Grand Capping Ceremony. It might not be wise to expel the Duogua envoy from Qin at this time.”

Qin Ji: “.”

So, the tyrant’s birthday was coming up. The novel hadn’t mentioned the exact date of the tyrant’s birthday, but… it had mentioned that the tyrant’s birthday was on the same day as the protagonist’s—Wei Yu’s.

Qin Ji stood up abruptly.

“Your Majesty?” Gao De was bewildered. What are you up to now?

Qin Ji turned to Wei Yu, his Adam’s apple bobbing nervously, and asked: “Wei Yu, when is your birthday?”

Wei Yu: “The tenth day of the third lunar month.”

Gao De let out an “Oh my!” in a high-pitched voice: “Isn’t that a coincidence! It’s the same day as His Majesty!”

Qin Ji: “…” Excellent. It really is the same day.