Saving My Life By Simping For My Empress - Chapter 32

Chapter 32: Wei Yu likes him; Wei Yu is confessing to him!

Mo Zhiqian’s brain finally made the connection. The “Qin Mingche” before him was surnamed Qin, and Qin was the surname of the Imperial family. No wonder he thought the servant earlier was so meticulous in his service; he was from the Palace.

“Your servant, Mo Ping, Magistrate of Wang County, greets Your Majesty.” Mo Zhiqian immediately knelt, performing the grand ritual of prostration.

Qin Ji stepped forward to help Mo Zhiqian up. “There is no need for such ceremony, my dear official. I am traveling incognito.”

Mo Zhiqian stood up, wiping away non-existent sweat from his forehead. “Your Majesty’s arrival in Wang County is an honor. Your servant was remiss in not welcoming you sooner.”

Qin Ji replied, “No need for a welcome, no need at all.” If they had traveled with a grand procession and called Mo Zhiqian to greet them officially, they wouldn’t have had this genuine encounter.

“Sit down and let’s talk,” Qin Ji gestured.

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” Mo Zhiqian sat down, his heart still pounding with trepidation.

“Since you have a heart for your work, do not worry about your memorials failing to reach me. If there is anything to report, simply detail it in your writings,” Qin Ji said. He was currently being forced by Xu Ziye to review memorials, even small matters, for the sake of his training.

Wei Yu also frequently used memorials to give him impromptu lessons. Consequently, his study was piled high with reports from all over the country. Even those that didn’t require his personal reply were copied and sent to him for review. Qin Ji didn’t object; as the Emperor of Qin, he ought to understand the state of his nation, even if he genuinely disliked reading reports.

“Your Majesty is benevolent,” Mo Zhiqian said respectfully.

Seeing Mo Zhiqian’s stiff, overly-formal demeanor now that the secret was out, Wei Yu knew the magistrate could no longer be as casual as he was before knowing Qin Ji’s identity.

“If Magistrate Mo is interested, why don’t I write down the details of the farming techniques and send someone to deliver them to you?” Wei Yu suggested. He could feel Mo Zhiqian’s tension. It made sense; if one angered an Emperor like Qin Ji, their official career would be over in an instant.

Mo Zhiqian was still reeling from the luck of meeting the Emperor while just walking down the street. Only when Wei Yu spoke did he snap back to his senses.

“Would that be too much trouble?” Furthermore, this man’s relationship with the Emperor seemed exceptionally close; his status was likely quite noble. Mo Zhiqian was just an ordinary magistrate after all…

“It is no trouble. It isn’t much content anyway.” Under the table, Wei Yu tugged at Qin Ji’s sleeve. “The Emperor still wants to take me for a stroll around Wang County, right?”

Qin Ji also realized Mo Zhiqian was uncomfortable. To be honest, he was a bit uncomfortable too. He really needed to mentally review the TV show Kangxi’s Incognito Travels more often.

“Liuguang is right. Wang County is full of talented people and beautiful sights. We do intend to see more,” Qin Ji said, wanting to avoid the awkwardness of this unexpected meeting between sovereign and subject.

Mo Zhiqian asked, “And Young Master Wei is…?” Who exactly was he?

Qin Ji said with a smile, “You may simply address him as ‘Your Highness’.”

Mo Zhiqian was bewildered. Highness? Which Highness? This Wei Liuguang looked to be the same age as the Emperor and was surnamed Wei; he couldn’t possibly be the Emperor’s son. Surnamed Wei… Mo Zhiqian suddenly remembered something, and his pupils shrank in shock.

The Prince of Wei who was a hostage in Qin!

But the Emperor had just helped Wei Liuguang wipe his hands! Would a normal Emperor do such things with a hostage? Mo Zhiqian was dazed; he felt he might need to see a doctor.

When Mo Zhiqian saw Qin Ji and Wei Yu out of the teahouse, he still hadn’t recovered from the shock.

“Magistrate Mo, you are the head of Wang County. You spent years of hard study to achieve your position today. The Emperor appreciates you; please do not let him down,” Gao De said, walking last and giving Mo Zhiqian a nod. If he didn’t want his career to end here, he needed to know what could be spoken and what must remain secret.

Mo Zhiqian hurriedly replied, “Thank you for the advice.” The person serving at the Emperor’s side was likely the Chief Eunuch who managed the entire inner palace. Naturally, someone close to the Emperor understood his thoughts better than a local magistrate.

Gao De remained smiling, a pleasant face that offended no one. “The Emperor has other arrangements, so I won’t stay to talk. Farewell.” Having finished his warning, Gao De caught up with Qin Ji. His “advice” was the surface level, but the person truly warning Mo Zhiqian was the Emperor himself.

Qin Ji and Wei Yu entered the carriage, with Chen Xuanwen acting as the driver.

“Where are we going next?” Wei Yu leaned against the carriage and rubbed his stomach. “No rush to go back, right? I feel like I ate too much just now.”

In the teahouse, after Qin Ji revealed his identity, it had mostly been Qin Ji and Mo Zhiqian talking. Having nothing to do, Wei Yu had absentmindedly snacked on the tea pastries. He thought he was just passing the time, but he didn’t notice how much he’d eaten until he stood up and felt quite full.

Qin Ji placed his large hand on Wei Yu’s stomach. “Is it here? Let me rub it for you.”

Wei Yu adjusted his seating position, boldly allowing the sovereign of a nation to wait on him.

“How did you get full on so little?” Instead of thinking Wei Yu ate too much, Qin Ji felt Wei Yu’s appetite was too small. Those pastries were tiny—just little snacks to pass the time—yet Wei Yu had managed to get stuffed on them.

Wei Yu countered, “Clearly the pastries were too dense. How can you blame my appetite?” Besides, he didn’t do manual labor like those working for a living; it was normal to eat less.

Qin Ji immediately changed his tune to match Wei Yu’s. “True, those pastries were very substantial. One can tell they didn’t skimp on ingredients.”

Wei Yu hid his lips and laughed softly. “I’m asking you: where are we going?” Wei Yu poked Qin Ji with his finger.

Qin Ji caught Wei Yu’s slender finger and stole a kiss. “Have you ever made a kite yourself? I’m taking you to make one. I’ve already made an appointment with a master.”

Wei Yu allowed Qin Ji to hold his fingertips as he searched through his distant memories. Outside the carriage, the sounds of street vendors were endless and bustling.

“I don’t think I flew many kites growing up,” Wei Yu said.

His and Wei Qiong’s teacher wasn’t like Xu Ziye. Xu Ziye knew how to balance work and rest, but their teacher had been a very stiff old man, at least ten years older than Xu Ziye. The teacher was even stricter with Wei Qiong because he was the Eldest Prince; as such, Wei Qiong had carried much more on his shoulders since childhood than his younger brother. Furthermore, since Wei Yu was younger, his education began later, meaning Wei Qiong’s progress was always ahead of his.

However, as a child, Wei Yu didn’t understand these differences. He only knew that while he was running around the palace, his brother was listening to lectures; and while he was in class, his brother was still buried in books. Little Wei Yu didn’t know why he was different from his brother. Seeing that his brother never wasted time on things unrelated to study, he reflected on himself. His conclusion was that he should learn from his brother. So, little Wei Yu tried his best to be like him, sitting properly at his desk to read.

“I remember when I was very small, maybe five or six, I was flying a kite in the garden. It got stuck in a tree on the rockery. I wouldn’t let the eunuchs get it for me; I insisted on going myself. When I climbed up the rockery, I saw Wei Qiong holding a book and memorizing,” Wei Yu said. Recalling these childhood events now, his emotions were stable, and he spoke matter-of-factly. “At the time, I especially admired Wei Qiong. How could he love studying so much?”

Later, under Wei Qiong’s influence, Wei Yu also studied hard. Because he was naturally brilliant, he gained the teacher’s favor and guidance, receiving more recognition than Wei Qiong at a younger age. He hadn’t realized at the time how his behavior might affect Wei Qiong; after all, he had always seen Wei Qiong as a good older brother. Now he realized that Wei Qiong must have harbored jealousy toward him.

Qin Ji grew inexplicably jealous. “I will study hard too. You aren’t allowed to admire other people.”

Wei Yu didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He and Wei Qiong were biological brothers; Qin Ji’s jealousy was completely baseless.

Qin Ji didn’t care. He pulled Wei Yu close and gave him a kiss. “I will work hard to become very impressive. In the future, you can only admire me.”

Wei Yu replied, “Fine, I will only admire you then.”

Satisfied, Qin Ji kissed him again.

The carriage slowly rocked to its destination. Chen Xuanwen knocked on the door. “Young Master, we have arrived.”

“Come, I’ll take you to make a kite.” Qin Ji held Wei Yu’s hand.

Wei Yu asked, “Have you ever made one?”

Qin Ji: “No.”

The carriage door opened, and Wei Yu was led down by Qin Ji.

“If you’ve never made one yourself, how can you lead me?” Wei Yu asked.

Qin Ji said earnestly, “I can learn.”

Wei Yu: “…Fair enough.”

The kite master Qin Ji had found was quite famous in Wang County. He was a widower who had never remarried after his wife passed away. Having no children of his own, he often taught the local children how to make kites for fun, and had been doing so for over a decade.

“Grandpa Sun! My surname is Qin, I’m the one who made the appointment to learn kite-making,” Qin Ji called out as he entered the gate, greeting the old man who was splitting bamboo strips in the courtyard.

“Oh, oh! It’s you! Come in and sit!” Grandpa Sun had no idea what kind of figure he was hosting and offered them the stools he had used for many years.

“Thank you, Grandpa,” Qin Ji said. He didn’t mind the roughness of the stools and sat down, tucking his robes. Wei Yu sat beside him, curiously eyeing the courtyard full of kites.

“Did you make all these to sell on the street, Grandpa?” Qin Ji’s eyes showed admiration; the old man’s craftsmanship was truly excellent.

Ancient kites didn’t have many styles—swallows and butterflies were most common—but this old man’s kites were of all kinds, from elegant white cranes to cranky roosters. They were quite creative.

“These are for the children; they asked me to make them and are waiting to play,” Grandpa Sun smiled. “These designs were their own ideas. You can make whatever you like, I can make anything.”

Qin Ji didn’t decide for them; instead, he asked for Wei Yu’s opinion. “What do you like?”

Wei Yu really had to think about what kind of kite he wanted. His childhood play experiences were few, far fewer than the surprises Qin Ji had brought him. Qin Ji…

“Grandpa, please teach us how to make a wild goose,” Wei Yu decided.

Qin Ji didn’t quite understand why he chose a wild goose. A goose was just a plain white shape; how could it be as eye-catching as the colorful kites?

Grandpa Sun continued splitting bamboo with his knife. “A wild goose is good. They are birds of loyalty and devotion. My wife and I had a pair of jade goose pendants. Her half was buried with her, and I still carry my half with me.”

Hearing this, Qin Ji froze. He looked blankly at Wei Yu. “Is it… is it that meaning?”

Wei Yu looked up slightly. “Why don’t you guess?”

Qin Ji was overjoyed. If there weren’t an outsider present, he would definitely have picked Wei Yu up and spun him around!

Wei Yu liked him! Wei Yu was confessing to him!

Seeing Qin Ji so happy over such a subtle hint of love—looking nothing like a young Emperor—Wei Yu couldn’t help but feel happy too, his features softening with a smile.

“To make a kite, you need very, very thin bamboo strips. Young Master Qin, do you want to try yourself?” Grandpa Sun showed Qin Ji the strips he had split; they were indeed very thin. Only strips thin enough would be light enough to be carried into the sky by the wind.

“Alright, I’ll trouble you to guide me then, Grandpa.” Qin Ji actually picked up the knife the old man was using. It was quite heavy. He mimicked the old man’s movements and began splitting the bamboo.

Watching the snowy-white blade, Wei Yu warned, “Be careful. Don’t cut yourself.”

Qin Ji: “Okay, I’ll be careful.”

With that, he lowered his head and focused seriously on the bamboo. He was very diligent in his work.

This man is serious about everything he does, Wei Yu thought. And he was most serious of all about being good to him.

Wei Yu placed a hand over his heart, feeling its strong beat, as if he had returned to that night under the glow of a thousand lanterns.

“I like you so much,” Wei Yu whispered, almost inaudibly.

Qin Ji paused his hands and looked up. “Did you just say something to me?”

Wei Yu turned his face away, but his ears, flushing a deep red, were plain for Qin Ji to see. “No.”