Saving My Life By Simping For My Empress - Chapter 20

Chapter 20: What Kind of “Grace” Does He Have? Is He a Local Deity Protecting the Land, or a Dragon King Ensuring the Rain?

Qin Ji granted an audience to Wei Wuxia.

However, he harbored deep suspicions toward her. Even though she was Wei Yu’s biological elder sister, he did not show her a pleasant face. He had Gao De lead her in and granted her a seat, but he didn’t even bother to offer her a cup of tea.

He couldn’t be blamed for being suspicious; Wei Wuxia was indeed extremely dubious.

Between two nations, the movement of personnel requires incredibly tedious procedures. There must be official government documents stamped with seals. It was easy for a scoundrel like Wei Qiong to forge Wei documents for his own hidden guards—he was the Emperor, after all; he could forge whatever he pleased. However, passing the scrutiny of the Qin side was not so easy. After all, the two nations had only recently stopped fighting; Qin had to remain on guard.

Qin Ji had done some research. He knew that currently, the only people who could travel smoothly between Qin and Wei without being delayed by paperwork—aside from government officials, like the messengers Qin Ji sent to Wei Qiong—were merchants who had done business between the two countries for many years.

It wouldn’t be easy for assassins to mix into a merchant caravan successfully. Furthermore, Wei Qiong wouldn’t do that; if they were inspected, the identities of those two assassins couldn’t be hidden.

The timing was also specific. Qin Ji’s twentieth birthday was approaching. This was the first birthday he would celebrate since ascending the throne, and it was also the age of his Capping Ceremony. Qin would hold a grand celebration, and envoys from various nations would travel to the capital to offer congratulations.

The most likely scenario was that the assassins had hidden within the diplomatic delegation sent to Qin.

Thinking of this, Qin Ji felt that the fact he hadn’t immediately ordered Wei Wuxia’s arrest and interrogation was a testament to his good temper.

As for why Wei Wuxia wanted to see him, he didn’t want to hear it at all.

Wei Wuxia was slightly older than Wei Qiong. She had been married before, but her husband had died of an unexpected illness. Qin Ji recalled that because of this, Wei Qiong had given Wei Wuxia many rewards to comfort his sister.

Hmph. He’s so generous to Wei Wuxia, yet he drives Wei Yu out of the country. Talk about double standards; Wei Qiong truly takes the cake.

“I heard that the Sovereign of Qin was attacked by assassins last night. Is Your Majesty alright?” Wei Wuxia gracefully adjusted her posture to face Qin Ji, offering a smile that could be described as gentle.

Qin Ji: “???”

What are you smiling at me for? The assassins sent by your Kingdom of Wei tried to kill me and left a huge gash on my arm, and you have the nerve to smile at me? Have you no shame? Huh?

“The Princess Royal is certainly well-informed. You heard everything the moment you arrived at the capital of Qin. This speed is faster than an 800-mile-express courier.” Qin Ji kept a cold face, thinking, Let me see if I can’t kill you with my sarcasm.

The gentle smile on Wei Wuxia’s face stiffened. After a moment, she said, “The Sovereign of Qin must be joking. I merely overheard a few words. It was only out of concern for Your Majesty that I noticed this news. Otherwise, after traveling thousands of miles from Wei to Qin—and being a mere woman, the journey was quite exhausting—how would I have the energy to pay attention to anything else?”

Qin Ji: “Is that so? I think the Princess Royal has plenty of energy. You don’t look like someone who has crossed mountains and rivers at all.”

Wei Wuxia’s fingers curled tightly inside her wide sleeves.

Isn’t the Emperor of Qin supposed to be a brainless tyrant? Who is this sharp-tongued person?

Qin Ji took a sip of tea, his heart full of disdain. With Wei Wuxia’s level of wit, she couldn’t even beat him, yet she dared to enter the palace alone. Wasn’t she afraid she wouldn’t leave on her own two feet?

“Perhaps it is due to Your Majesty’s grace that the weather has been so pleasant lately. The road was lined with blooming flowers, so the journey didn’t feel so tiring.” Wei Wuxia maintained her forced smile.

What kind of “grace” did he have? Was he a local deity protecting the land, or a Dragon King ensuring the rain?

Do you know how to talk? If you don’t, then don’t speak!

Qin Ji ignored Wei Wuxia. Having been trained to sit for half a day during Xu Ziye’s lectures, he could now sit very calmly. He could definitely outlast her.

Seeing that Qin Ji was ignoring her, Wei Wuxia bit her lip and changed the subject: “My sensible brother hasn’t caused any trouble for the Sovereign of Qin, has he?”

Qin Ji replied instinctively: “Wei Qiong is indeed quite nonsensical. As his elder sister, why didn’t you teach him better?”

Wei Wuxia’s face turned dark. She was talking about Wei Yu; how did Qin Ji manage to drag Wei Qiong into this in a single sentence?

Gao De held back a laugh and cleared his throat.

My Majesty! She was talking about His Highness Wei Yu!

Qin Ji also realized after he spoke that Wei Wuxia meant Wei Yu, not Wei Qiong.

But he couldn’t be blamed for replying so fast; who told Wei Wuxia to lie through her teeth?

How was Wei Yu “nonsensical”? There wasn’t a more sensible person in the world than Wei Yu. Wei Wuxia was talking pure rubbish.

“Your Majesty, I was referring to Wei Yu.” Wei Wuxia was so angry her hands were shaking violently inside her sleeves.

Qin Ji let out an “Oh”: “When you said ‘nonsensical,’ I naturally wouldn’t associate that with Wei Yu.”

If Wei Yu weren’t sensible, he wouldn’t have come to Qin to suffer while you two heartless siblings lived in luxury in Wei.

Qin Ji looked at the gold and jade dripping from Wei Wuxia and almost sneered aloud. So wealthy—what, did you sell your brother for that?

“Wei Yu isn’t a problem, but Wei Yu did encounter some trouble. He almost died at the hands of assassins last night.” Qin Ji stared at Wei Wuxia. “How old is Wei Yu? He lost half his life last night.”

Gao De: “…”

Your Majesty, you’re really good at making things up. With you around, His Highness Wei Yu will be up and running, teaching you how to handle state affairs in a few days. ‘Lost half his life’ indeed.

Wei Wuxia’s pupils contracted visibly, and her heart raced with panic. However, with Qin Ji staring her down, she didn’t dare reveal anything.

“Then… is Wei Yu alright?” Wei Wuxia offered a clumsy display of concern for her brother.

Qin Ji grew impatient: “I just said the Princess Royal was well-informed, but now your ears aren’t working? I said he lost half his life; how good could he be?”

Being roared at like this, Wei Wuxia almost lost her princess temper. Aside from her imperial father and mother, who dared to speak to her like this?

Qin Ji didn’t just dare to roar at her; he would dare to hit her too.

“I was merely blinded by concern. I’ve made a fool of myself before Your Majesty.” Wei Wuxia forced a reluctant, strained smile.

Qin Ji thought: I don’t know about concern, but you’re certainly an expert at causing trouble.

“Princess Royal, I am very busy. If you have nothing else to say, then leave the palace and return to the diplomatic hostel. Don’t waste my time.” Qin Ji issued a direct order for her to leave.

Wei Wuxia’s patience faced the greatest challenge of her life today.

Taking a deep breath, she suppressed the urge to storm out and said to Qin Ji in a measured tone, “Sovereign of Qin, I did indeed come with a matter to discuss.”

“Then why aren’t you saying it?” Qin Ji replied. Did you want to stay for dinner?

After preparing herself mentally for a long time, she finally said, “I have come on behalf of the Emperor of Wei to request that the Sovereign of Qin allow Wei Yu to return home.”

“What did you say?” Qin Ji thought he was hallucinating. Take Wei Yu back?

If you really wanted him back, what was that stunt you pulled yesterday? The assassins’ confessions are still fresh, yet you come here to lie to my face?

“Yes. After careful consideration, Wei has decided that I shall stay in Qin in place of Wei Yu to form a marriage alliance with Your Majesty.” Wei Wuxia finally blurted it out.

Qin Ji’s eyes narrowed dangerously.

“Princess Royal, what makes you think I would be interested in you?”

He had no prejudice against remarriage or any “purity” complexes; he simply detested Wei Wuxia as a hypocritical person.

Wei Wuxia: “Your Majesty, a marriage alliance between two nations is about the relationship forged by the union.”

She was about to go mad. She was the Princess Royal of Wei; was she not good enough for a tyrant like Qin Ji?

“I have no wish to marry the Princess Royal. You should put that thought out of your mind.” Qin Ji said coldly. “Gao De, escort the Princess back to the hostel. Additionally, the Princess has worked hard traveling from afar; she should not wander around outside lest she tires herself out further.”

Qin Ji issued the dismissal, and Gao De, with an icy face, invited Wei Wuxia out.

As soon as she left, Qin Ji smashed the teacup beside him in anger.

The Kingdom of Duogua wanted to send a woman into his harem to plot for the throne, and now Wei wanted to send one too. Did they really take him for a fool? Why on earth would he want to shower affection on women from other countries?

And what did Wei Qiong and Wei Wuxia mean by this?

On one hand, they sent hidden guards to kill Wei Yu; on the other, they claimed grandly that they wanted to take him home.

Wei Yu had stood in Wei Qiong’s way in Wei and was exiled here, and now he was standing in Wei Wuxia’s way too?

They were siblings from the same father and mother; how could they be so heartless?

And Wei Wuxia, a Princess Royal, running to him to offer herself—has the Kingdom of Wei lost all its dignity?

Wait, Wei Qiong and Wei Wuxia weren’t capable of upholding Wei’s dignity. The only one who could was Wei Yu, the one they had kicked out.

Gao De returned, saw the shattered teacup, and hurried to pick up the pieces. “Oh, Your Majesty, why such anger?”

Qin Ji cursed: “Gao De, how can there be people as shameless as Wei Qiong and Wei Wuxia?”

As a eunuch, Gao De naturally couldn’t join in the cursing. He simply tidied up the shards. “Your Majesty, imperial items are expensive. Don’t smash them over worthless people; it’s a financial loss.”

Qin Ji’s eyes shifted. “You have a point.”

He wouldn’t see anyone from Wei again, just to save his teacups.

“Your Majesty, this Princess and His Highness Wei Yu are siblings after all. If she asks to see him, then…”

Qin Ji: “See what? No seeing!”

What a headache.

Gao De: “But we don’t have a legitimate reason to stop siblings from meeting.”

Qin Ji’s face was the literal embodiment of the word “Heh.”

“Just say Wei Yu is recovering from his injuries and has no strength for visitors. Whoever insists on seeing him will be dragged out and given twenty strokes of the board.”

Qin Ji knew that with Wei Yu’s sharp mind, he would surely notice something. But he simply didn’t want Wei Yu to be exposed to such filth.

The great beauty was like the full moon in the night sky; he should hang there beautifully and not be dragged into the mud.

“Keep a close watch. If anyone dares to gossip in front of Wei Yu, they will be kicked out of the palace. Also, call Chen Xuanwen for me.”

He was going to deal with these bastards once and for all.