Saving My Life By Simping For My Empress - Chapter 19

Chapter 19: Qin Ji gulped unpromisingly; the great beauty was actually acting spoiled toward him.

“What nonsense are you talking?” Qin Ji grasped Wei Yu’s hand. “I’ve moved your entire life’s belongings to Qin; do you think I’d let you go back now?”

Wei Yu was bewildered. “What?”

“Drink your medicine first. I’ll tell you after you finish.” Seeing how weak Wei Yu was, Qin Ji simply kicked off his shoes and climbed onto the bed. He pulled Wei Yu into his arms, providing a support to lean against and letting his body heat transfer to him so Wei Yu wouldn’t catch a chill.

Seeing this, Gao De handed over the bowl. “Your Majesty, the medicine has been cooled; the temperature is just right.”

Qin Ji took the bowl. “Drink up.”

Wei Yu was unwilling, his lips pressed tightly together in a clear “I will not open my mouth even if I die” stance.

Qin Ji coaxed: “There’s candy. If you finish it, I’ll give you some, alright?”

Wei Yu hesitated. “Really?”

Qin Ji laughed. “I’ve seen people use candy to trick children, but never to trick an adult.”

Wei Yu believed him. He took the bowl and swallowed the bitter decoction—so bitter it numbed his entire mouth—in one go. Gao De immediately presented a variety of candies, and Wei Yu selected the largest one.

With the candy still in Wei Yu’s mouth, Qin Ji worried he might choke if he lay flat, so he continued to hold him. Gao De withdrew, lowering the bed curtains as he left.

“Wei Yu, I’m sorry.” Qin Ji’s chin unintentionally brushed the top of Wei Yu’s head. “If I hadn’t taken it upon myself to act, Wei Qiong might not have sent people to take such a desperate risk.”

Wei Yu blinked and tried to look up, but he couldn’t see Qin Ji’s expression, only his jawline. “Why do you say that?”

Qin Ji tightened his hold. “I previously sent a letter to the Wei State demanding your belongings—everything that can be moved has been sent to Qin.”

Wei Qiong had sent Wei Yu here to die, not to gain Qin Ji’s favor. Qin Ji’s actions had blatantly displayed how much he valued Wei Yu, and Wei Qiong did not want to see that happen.

He feared Wei Yu would use Qin’s power to kick him off the throne and take it for himself. Both were sons of the Empress, but Wei Yu had always been the brighter one, praised by teachers since childhood. Even as a young prince, Wei Yu had handled affairs excellently, earning the admiration of the court. Wei Qiong only held the throne because of his status as the eldest son.

Now, with Wei Yu holding the merit of serving as a hostage, his status in the hearts of the Wei people was rising. Not only had Qin Ji not tormented Wei Yu to death, but he had also treated him with great importance.

Wei Qiong had panicked. He feared his throne was no longer secure.

“How can this be blamed on you?” Wei Yu said softly. “Wei Qiong views me as his greatest threat. Whether you asked for those things or not, he never intended to let me live.”

At this, Wei Yu’s mood darkened. He instinctively grabbed Qin Ji’s sleeve. “Qin Ji… I have no intention of inciting internal strife in Wei; it only hurts the common people. I can never go back to Wei. Keep me here. I can eat less, and I can work. I won’t let you support me for nothing.”

Qin Ji sighed. “I won’t deprive you of food or clothes. I’m going to raise you until you’re healthy and plump, just to make Wei Qiong green with envy!”

Wei Yu burst into a small laugh.

Qin Ji asked, “You truly don’t blame me for acting on my own?”

Wei Yu: “I truly don’t.”

“That’s good.” Qin Ji relaxed. If Wei Yu had been angry, he wouldn’t have known how to coax him.

“But why did you ask for my old belongings?” Wei Yu still didn’t quite understand.

Qin Ji: “To trap you in Qin, of course. To not let you go back to Wei.”

Wei Yu: “???”

“Your Majesty, I am not a child,” Wei Yu used Qin Ji’s own words against him.

Qin Ji finally confessed: “It’s one of your birthday gifts.”

“One of them?” Wei Yu asked curiously. “And the second?”

Seeing Wei Yu had finished his candy, Qin Ji tucked him back into the blankets. “I won’t tell you the second. If I tell you, there’s no surprise.” Qin Ji then crawled into the bed himself to help warm the blankets.

Wei Yu took the chance to grab Qin Ji’s hand. “Tell me, Your Majesty, please?”

Qin Ji gulped. The great beauty is actually acting spoiled.

“No, I have to keep the surprise.” Qin Ji tried his best to resist the “beauty trap.”

Wei Yu: “I’ll still be surprised even if you tell me. Just a hint, please?”

Qin Ji’s heart began to beat uncontrollably. Holding down his “late-night disco” heart, he remained firm: “I said no, and I mean no.”

Wei Yu wanted to push further, but Qin Ji, feeling his heart was about to leap out of his chest, held Wei Yu down. “It’s late. Sleep.”

Wei Yu was wrapped up in Qin Ji’s arms and legs, unable to move.

Wei Yu: “…” Qin Ji is so strong.

Failing to pry the secret out, Wei Yu had no choice but to close his eyes. The playfulness had exhausted him, and he soon fell into a deep sleep.

Qin Ji isn’t chasing me away.

That’s wonderful.

…

Wei Yu could continue sleeping, but Qin Ji could not. He had to attend the morning court session to show the officials that their Emperor was perfectly fine.

Coincidentally, Chen Xuanwen had delivered the results of the interrogation—a long confession stamped with bloody fingerprints. Qin Ji crumpled it up, handed it to Gao De to carry, and took the dragon carriage to the Taiji Palace.

News of the assassination attempt had already spread, and the officials were in a state of panic. Seeing Qin Ji arrive full of vigor, they finally relaxed—until his first words made them tense up again.

“I was attacked last night. After interrogation, the identity of the assassins is clear: they are secret guards of the Emperor of Wei.”

This was like a stone dropped into a still pond.

“The King of Wei looks down on our Qin! He dares send assassins to our capital!”

“Is Wei declaring war? Do they think Qin’s army is made of straw?”

“We only signed the treaty last year! To tear it up so soon is intolerable!”

Last year’s war had also been started by Wei. Back then, the Tyrant was in power, but he usually only terrorized his own people, not other nations. Qin Ji suspected Wei Qiong had started that war specifically to get Wei Yu killed, but then again, Wei Qiong likely didn’t have the courage to endure the actual losses of defeat.

“Your Majesty, how do you intend to handle this?” Zhao Anhong stepped forward, silencing the indignant officials.

“The Wei envoys are about to arrive. Once they are here, they will come to the palace to give me an explanation. However, I have already sent the Duke of the Realm back to the border overnight. Should Wei make any suspicious move, Qin will take their first city!”

As the saying goes, the one who starts the trouble is the one to blame. If Wei Qiong wanted to play games, he couldn’t blame Qin Ji for being ruthless.

“Do the Wei envoys even dare enter our borders? Their courage is commendable,” an official sneered.

“We do not kill envoys even in war. What is there to fear?” Qin Ji smiled coldly. “However, once the Wei party arrives, they are to stay strictly in the diplomatic hostel. Without my decree, no one leaves. If I am attacked again, it will prove there is a problem within their ranks.”

…

Returning to Ziji Hall after the session, Qin Ji was already thinking of how to make Wei “bleed” financially. For both him and Wei Yu, he needed double the medical expenses and mental damages.

“Your Majesty, since you and the Prince are both injured, breakfast has been changed to light dishes,” Gao De said as Qin Ji finished changing.

Wei Yu had been ordered to stay in bed but had just gotten up. Qin Ji went over and checked him thoroughly. “Your complexion looks better than last night. The physician’s prescription is working; keep taking it.”

Wei Yu’s face fell. “Your Majesty, can I skip it?” He rarely fell ill as a child, and having to be chased around with bitter medicine now made him incredibly repulsed by it.

“I can indulge you in other things, but not this.” Qin Ji pressed him into a chair. “Eat. After eating, take your medicine and go back to sleep.”

Wei Yu bargained: “Then I want two candies. Big ones.” He held up two fingers.

“Gao De, bring the candy jar for the Prince and let him choose. Sit.” Qin Ji used the serving chopsticks to give Wei Yu a sweet osmanthus cake. “Now, can we eat properly?”

What could Wei Yu say? He simply whispered, “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

Halfway through the meal, Gao Huan rushed in and whispered to his master. Gao De listened, glanced secretly at Wei Yu, and then leaned down to whisper to Qin Ji.

Hearing the news, Qin Ji almost made a “CEO-style” complicated facial expression.

Wei Yu keenly noticed the shift in atmosphere. “Your Majesty, is everything alright?”

Qin Ji forced a smile. “Nothing, just a bit of government business. Don’t worry, with you and Grand Preceptor Xu teaching me, I can handle it. Just eat.”

“That’s good then.”

Qin Ji urged him to sleep after finishing and even told Gao Huan to supervise him—threatening to dock his candy if he didn’t listen.

Wei Yu: “…” Qin Ji is so annoying, using candy to threaten people.

Under the threat, Wei Yu obediently drank his medicine and went back to bed with a candy in his mouth.

Qin Ji didn’t go to the study. Instead, he left the Taiji Palace.

He had been attacked last night, and the Wei delegation arrived at the capital today. What a coincidence.

And the person leading the delegation was Wei Yu’s elder sister, the only Princess of Wei: Wei Wuxia.

She had better not try anything.

The air pressure around Qin Ji dropped rapidly.