Saving My Life By Simping For My Empress - Chapter 17

Chapter 17: Wei Yu had taught him how to be an emperor, but his first time putting it into practice was because of Wei Yu.

The teahouse recommended by Chen Xuanwen was indeed quite large, with no small number of people coming to drink tea and listen to the storytellers.

“Waiter, a private room,” Chen Xuanwen said, leading Qin Ji and Wei Yu into the teahouse with practiced ease.

Qin Ji’s eyes were glowing; he looked exactly like someone who had been cooped up for too long and was finally breathing the air of freedom.

“Upstairs, please, the three of you!” the waiter greeted them, leading them to the second floor where the private rooms were located.

Though called “private rooms,” they weren’t entirely enclosed. The side facing the storyteller was open, allowing guests to see the storyteller’s expressions and gestures, which added to the enjoyment.

Qin Ji followed the teahouse’s menu and ordered a pot of tea and two plates of snacks—all of which were Wei Yu’s favorites—then handed the menu to Chen Xuanwen, letting the regular customer place his order.

Chen Xuanwen didn’t stand on ceremony with Qin Ji. Who wouldn’t be eager to spend the Emperor’s silver? Only someone with a problem in the head.

By the time the waiter brought the tea and snacks, the storyteller could already be heard starting a new tale with high-spirited passion.

“Lust, lust, lust—a transgression throughout the ages! The gentleman loses his virtue while the petty man finds joy; even a great man finds it hard to pass the gate of a beautiful woman!” The gavel struck the long table with a heavy thwack as the storyteller began his vivid narration.

Qin Ji listened with great delight, his neck nearly stretching out of the room. Watching the storyteller gesture wildly while speaking, he felt much more energetic than he ever did during Xu Ziye’s lessons.

Wei Yu couldn’t help but think that if Xu Ziye could deliver lessons like this storyteller, Qin Ji would probably excel at his studies. Look at the man—he didn’t even blink.

The pastries at the teahouse were pre-prepared, requiring only the tea to be brewed before being served. Thus, it didn’t take long for the waiter to deliver a pot of tea and three plates of snacks.

Emerging from the storyteller’s world, Qin Ji poured a cup of tea for Wei Yu: “The tea is still very hot. Let it cool a bit before drinking. You can try these snacks first.”

Wei Yu was still very uncomfortable with Qin Ji’s care: “I can do it myself.”

Since ancient times, no hostage had ever lived like him—going out of the palace to have fun with the Emperor and having the Emperor personally pour tea for him.

Qin Ji truly must have forgotten that he was a hostage sent by the State of Wei, right?

Wei Yu’s expression was complex.

After tending to Wei Yu, Qin Ji’s attention returned to the storyteller. He listened with such relish that he looked like he wanted to follow the storyteller home.

The storyteller was brilliant, but he also had to finish his shift. Just as Qin Ji was getting into it, the storyteller struck his gavel: “If you wish to know what happens next, listen to the next installment.”

Likely because no other storyteller was as captivating as this one, he finished his work exactly on time without hesitation. No matter how the guests tried to entice him to stay, he only offered one reply: “See you tomorrow.”

Qin Ji was very disappointed: “It’s over already? I was just getting to the good part.”

Chen Xuanwen said, “Young Master could simply invite the storyteller to your home.”

If the Emperor wants to hear you tell a story, could you possibly refuse?

Qin Ji waved his hand: “Forget it. It’s only interesting when you listen in a teahouse.”

With a full house of guests cheering and the various ambient noises, it was all about the “marketplace atmosphere.” Bringing someone into the palace would mean they’d have to avoid too many taboo topics; it would be boring for both the teller and the listener.

“Chen Xuanwen, is there anything else good to eat or fun to do nearby?” Qin Ji had no intention of returning to the palace yet.

“There are many entertainment quarters nearby. If you want to see dances, hear music, or watch puppet shows and dramas, you can find them all,” Chen Xuanwen answered honestly.

“Wei Yu, what do you want to see?” Qin Ji didn’t just think of himself; he turned to ask for Wei Yu’s opinion.

“Your Majesty, your birthday is approaching. Many people are coming to the State of Qin to offer their congratulations. It is better to return to the palace early,” Wei Yu said calmly.

Qin Ji’s face immediately fell.

As expected, being the Emperor was a hassle. Even wanting to go out for a bit of fun came with all sorts of constraints.

“Then we’ll have dinner at a restaurant before returning to the palace.” He couldn’t very well be outside and still rush back to the Ziji Hall for dinner, could he? By the time the carriage rattled back, he’d be starving to death.

Wei Yu: “As Your Majesty commands.”

The three of them moved from the teahouse to a restaurant.

The spring sky darkened quickly. Not long after they left the teahouse, the red clouds on the horizon faded, and the light was swallowed by the darkness.

“Chen Xuanwen, since you aren’t married, do you spend all your free time out eating and drinking with people?” Qin Ji expressed his admiration for Chen Xuanwen’s knack for finding good spots.

The entrance of this restaurant faced the street, but upon entering, it opened up to a lake with small boats and lanterns.

“If it were summer, the lotuses in this lake would be in full bloom, and you could smell their fragrance wafting toward you,” Chen Xuanwen said, clearly a frequent visitor who knew the place thoroughly.

Qin Ji listed Wei Yu’s preferences and dietary restrictions, then left the task of ordering to Chen Xuanwen.

Chen Xuanwen didn’t even need a menu; he recited the dish names directly.

Qin Ji suspected that Chen Xuanwen’s younger brother—the commander of the Imperial Guard, Chen Xuanwu—definitely wouldn’t know where all the good food and fun were like Chen Xuanwen did. After all, Chen Xuanwu didn’t have as much time off.

“Just outside this restaurant, turn left and go to the end, and there’s a shop that specializes in brewing. They don’t make strong spirits, but rather light floral and fruit wines that are very popular with the ladies,” Chen Xuanwen boasted, showing off his skills in leisure beyond martial arts.

“Then go buy a few jars,” Qin Ji said with a smile. “I can’t just listen to you talk about it without getting a taste, can I?”

Chen Xuanwen: “…Yes.”

He really shouldn’t have shown off in front of the Emperor.

Most people who went to that shop were women; a man like him going there—he hoped he wouldn’t offend any of the ladies buying wine.

Chen Xuanwen left with his meddlesome mouth.

Shortly after he left, a cold dish was served. The waiter kept his head low as he placed the dish on the table.

“Your dish, guests.”

Qin Ji was currently rinsing a bowl with water for Wei Yu. He didn’t know if the bowls outside were washed clean, so he felt it was better to do it himself.

“Watch out!”

The bowl filled with water was pushed by Wei Yu and crashed to the ground, shattering into several pieces.

Qin Ji reacted instantly, standing up and backing away while shielding Wei Yu behind him.

“Assassins.” Qin Ji narrowed his eyes. To encounter assassins the very first time he left the palace—it really proved Wei Yu’s words from earlier right.

However, Qin Ji wasn’t afraid. His secret guards would naturally come upon hearing the commotion.

Yet, to Qin Ji’s surprise, the assassin’s goal didn’t seem to be killing him, but rather kidnapping Wei Yu.

The assassin retracted his dagger and moved past Qin Ji to grab Wei Yu.

Qin Ji’s hard work during this period hadn’t been in vain. Though he didn’t know much martial arts, his physical stamina was decent, and he prevented the assassin from dragging Wei Yu away.

Seeing Qin Ji in the way, the assassin stopped being polite and revealed a dagger flashing with snowy light.

“Stop!” In the heat of the moment, Wei Yu saw the tattoo on the assassin’s wrist and commanded.

The tattoo was a plum blossom—the secret guard of his royal brother.

His royal brother had sent secret guards disguised as assassins to carry out an assassination in the capital of Qin.

Upon Wei Yu’s command, the assassin changed the direction of his dagger just in time. Qin Ji was only wounded on his right arm.

Qin Ji’s secret guards arrived, surrounding the assassin.

“Capture this assassin alive and bring him back,” Qin Ji said, his arm bleeding and his eyes filled with icy rage.

But while Qin Ji was momentarily distracted, another assassin leaped through the window from a different direction and held a dagger to Wei Yu’s throat.

“Stand back! Or I’ll kill him!” The assassin’s dagger had already grazed Wei Yu’s neck, drawing beads of blood.

“Keep that dagger away from him!” Qin Ji was furious.

This assassin had hurt Wei Yu!

“Let us go!” Instead of moving the dagger away, the assassin pressed it tighter.

“Fine, I will let you go.” Qin Ji raised his hand to stop his secret guards. “Do not hurt him.”

The two assassins threw the restaurant into chaos before ultimately kidnapping Wei Yu and making their escape.

When Chen Xuanwen returned with several jars of fruit wine, he found the restaurant in a state of panic and immediately rushed back.

“Your Majesty!” The color drained from Chen Xuanwen’s face. The Emperor was injured.

“Chen Xuanwen, find Chen Xuanwu immediately. Tell him to lock down the city—only entry, no exit. Also, search for the assassins with all your might. Once found, they are to be interrogated under torture,” Qin Ji said, absolutely livid.

Chen Xuanwen was stunned: “Then Prince Wei Yu…”

Qin Ji: “The assassins just now were sent by the State of Wei. They won’t hurt Wei Yu. As for… as for whether he wants to use this chaos to leave the palace, let him go.”

He had just remembered—since he didn’t want to imprison the protagonist, he should give the protagonist his freedom. Rather than arrogantly deciding what was “good” for him.

Qin Ji asked himself: he had no idea if Wei Yu was even happy with everything he had done.

What Wei Yu wanted was to go home—to return to the State of Wei that raised him.

“Find a doctor to bandage me first.” Qin Ji couldn’t endure pain very well; otherwise, he wouldn’t have rested for days after a back strain before going back to Huang Feihao for lessons.

The secret guards cordoned off the area, not leaving a single gap for fear that another assassin might appear.

The Imperial Guard on patrol nearby had already arrived to protect Qin Ji.

Qin Ji’s mind was a mess. The assassin had changed the direction of the dagger after hearing Wei Yu’s words, yet the other assassin hadn’t hesitated at all when nicking Wei Yu’s neck.

What exactly did these assassins mean?

But regardless of their intent, as the Emperor of Qin, he could not let this matter slide.

An assassination attempt in a restaurant was too big of a scandal; at court tomorrow, the ministers would certainly have a lot to say.

“You, go invite the Duke of the Realm to the palace. I have urgent matters to discuss with him.” Qin Ji randomly assigned a secret guard to the task.

Chen Xuanwu arrived at the restaurant with the Imperial Guard and escorted Qin Ji back to the palace.

The Emperor being assassinated meant that, logically, neither Chen Xuanwen nor Chen Xuanwu could escape punishment, nor could the secret guards. But Qin Ji didn’t intend to punish them; it was his own insistence to leave the palace at such a time.

He was very different from the Tyrant—especially in physique, they were like two different people. Was the assassin able to lock onto him accurately because Wei Yu was by his side, or for some other reason?

Qin Ji didn’t know. He wasn’t thinking clearly right now and needed to settle down.

Upon returning to Ziji Hall, Gao De and the imperial physicians were already waiting. Seeing the wound on Qin Ji’s arm, Gao De looked like his world was ending—even though the physician said it only needed rest and looked worse than it was, as it hadn’t hit the bone.

“Gao De, stop wailing. If you keep it up, I’ll send you to compete with the roosters.” Qin Ji was about to go numb from Gao De’s crying.

Gao De: “Your Majesty! How can you still be in the mood for jokes!”

Qin Ji arched an eyebrow: “Otherwise? Should I cry for you?”

Fine, he did want to cry. Wei Yu was gone, and he couldn’t bear it.

But this wasn’t the time for him to cry; he still had so many things to do.

“Gao De, go do something for me.” Qin Ji shared his suspicions with Gao De. “You know this palace better than I do. Whether we can catch the fish depends on you.”

Gao De: “Rest assured, Your Majesty. I will definitely scrub the palace clean!”

A moment later, the Duke of the Realm arrived at Ziji Hall and began kowtowing incessantly, leaving Qin Ji feeling helpless.

“Duke, last year when we attacked Wei, you were the one who led the troops.” Qin Ji moved his right arm slightly. “I need you to return to the Qin-Wei border and stay there for a while.”

Zheng Lu, the Duke of the Realm, was a military commander in his fifties. Seeing Qin Ji injured, he was furious: “The State of Wei did this? I knew I shouldn’t have held back back then!”

Qin Ji quickly soothed him: “War concerns the common people; if we don’t have to fight, we won’t. I’m only asking you to stay there as a precaution.”

If the State of Wei truly tore up the peace, he would have to go to war whether he wanted to or not. Simply because he was the Emperor of Qin, he represented the dignity of the nation and could not tolerate such a blatant violation.

Zheng Lu patted his chest and promised Qin Ji: “Please be at ease, Your Majesty. If we truly go to war with Wei, I will make them spit out those three cities!”

Qin Ji spoke with Zheng Lu for a good while before having Gao De see him out.

He leaned against the headboard, carefully positioning his arm, feeling a sense of powerlessness.

Wei Yu had taught him how to be an emperor, but his first practice of it was directed at Wei Yu.

What an irony.

…

Wei Yu was carried along by the assassins as they ran. He coughed so hard he felt as if blood would come out before they finally reached a small courtyard—seemingly a temporary hideout.

Once inside, the two assassins pulled down their masks and knelt on one knee: “Greetings, Second Prince.”

Wei Yu coughed heart-wrenchingly, unable to speak, only able to lean against the corner of the table for support.

He had lived too comfortably after Qin Ji replaced the Tyrant; he had forgotten that he had developed ailments from the winter cold and couldn’t withstand the chilly wind rushing into his body during the frantic run.

Once he finished coughing, he used the table to sit down, poured the last half-cup of water from the teapot, and drank it with difficulty to soothe his throat.

“Did Royal Brother send you to Qin?” Wei Yu asked.

The two secret guards didn’t rise, remaining on their knees. One of them said, “Yes. The Emperor sent us to bring the Second Prince back to Wei. Prince, let us set out and leave immediately!”

Wei Yu began to laugh—a desolate, cold laugh. “Leave? You attempted to assassinate the Emperor of Qin in his own capital, and you think you can leave? Where would you go?”

As he spoke, Wei Yu began coughing violently again, his vision blurred by tears.

The assassin who had nicked Wei Yu’s neck said, “As long as the Prince leaves with us now, while that useless waste of a Qin Emperor hasn’t reacted, once we are out of the capital, everything will be fine.”

Wei Yu couldn’t help but sneer: “Useless waste of an Emperor?”

The “useless waste” had used his own body to shield him from a blade, yet you treat me like this?

Truly worthy of being the secret guards his royal brother raised…

“I’m not going. I’ll cough to death if I take another step. Where would I go?” Wei Yu sat on the stool, clutching his mouth as he coughed.

The two secret guards finally realized Wei Yu’s poor physical condition. One rushed to get some water.

Wei Yu couldn’t help but wonder: how did his royal brother become so foolish?

No, his royal brother wasn’t foolish; he was quite clever.

If he truly wanted to bring him back to Wei, he could have had the envoy currently visiting Qin make the request and bring him back openly. Why send secret guards? It made him feel like a thief.

Perhaps because he had suffered enough under the Tyrant in his previous life, he had overlooked that among those who caused him so much pain was his own royal brother—his own brother from the same mother.

If he truly returned to Wei with these secret guards, he would become a target of Qin’s pursuit and a criminal in Wei. A hostage fleeing in secret would negate all the merit he had earned by serving as a hostage in Qin.

The secret guard brought the water and hurriedly fed a cup to Wei Yu. But the well water was freezing, and the guard was clumsy; half the cup chilled Wei Yu to his core while the other half spilled onto his clothes, soaking him in ice-cold moisture.

If Qin Ji were here, how could he allow someone to treat him like this?

Qin Ji… don’t throw me away. Send someone to find me.

I don’t want to go back to Wei anymore. Come take me back to Ziji Hall, okay?

Wei Yu coughed up a mouthful of fresh blood and finally lost consciousness.