Saving My Life By Simping For My Empress - Chapter 38

Chapter 38: Time passes and the world changes; everything is different.

Both Qin Ji and Wei Yu were somewhat exhausted; the two embraced each other and slept until the sun was high in the sky the next day.

“Let’s go see the pond,” Wei Yu said during breakfast.

Qin Ji replied, “Alright.”

It was a pity that back then, the two fish Wei Yu caught didn’t live long enough to grow fat or become a dish at his farewell banquet. Wei Yu had been taken away from Ningzhou by his father to return to the Wei capital. Some regrets, perhaps, were destined from the very beginning.

After breakfast, Qin Ji held an umbrella and walked to the edge of the pond with Wei Yu. The summer lotuses were in full bloom, and the wind carried a gentle fragrance.

“You sat right here all those years ago and caught two small fish,” Qin Ji said, leading Wei Yu into the pavilion.

Wei Yu smiled. “That was my first time fishing. I found it very interesting.” Or perhaps, for him, the interest came from the youth who had coaxed him into enjoying life’s simple pleasures.

“Want to relive those days?” Qin Ji lowered his head and quietly kissed the top of Wei Yu’s head. “I’ll go down and pick lotus seed pods for you, and you can sit on the bank and fish?”

Wei Yu agreed.

Qin Ji ordered someone to fetch a fishing rod. Just like back then, Qin Ji hooked the bait—which was still wriggling even after being cut into several pieces—and cast the line in a posture that was almost an embrace of Wei Yu. With a plop, the line fell into the water.

Qin Ji rolled up his trousers, tucked his robes into his belt, took off his shoes, and stepped into the pond. Back then, he wasn’t this tall, and the water reached past his knees; now, it only reached his calves. This was how time passed and the world changed—everything was different.

Qin Ji strode into the lotus cluster, picking blooming lotuses and tender leaves first, carefully carrying them back to shore.

“Gao De, find a vase to arrange these flowers and put them in my room.”

Gao De took the order and personally carried the flowers and leaves away. Qin Ji returned to the pond to pick lotus pods. There weren’t many recently; he found only two at opposite ends of the cluster. He exerted some effort to gather them both.

Back on shore, Qin Ji washed his feet with fresh water, dried them, put on his shoes, and went to the pavilion.

“Why hasn’t a single fish taken the bait?” Qin Ji sat beside Wei Yu, set down the lotus pods, and reached for the rod.

Wei Yu replied, “Perhaps the weather is too hot and the fish are hiding at the very bottom.”

Qin Ji tried to lift the rod and found it heavy. “Let me see.” He jerked the rod up, and the weighted line swung out of the water. A fish was hooked, thrashing wildly as it felt itself being pulled away.

Wei Yu was surprised. “This fish must be a spirit.” It had eaten the bait and realized it was hooked but stayed perfectly still, not even tugging the float.

Qin Ji took the “fish spirit” off the hook and tossed it into a basin. “No matter how smart a fish is, it ends up in our stomachs,” he said happily. The fish was quite heavy—Qin Ji weighed it in his hand; it was about three pounds.

“A-Yu, how would you like the fish prepared? I’ll have the kitchen make it.” Qin Ji baited the hook again and threw it back into the pond.

Wei Yu held the rod, watching the water surface rippled by the wind. “Let’s have hibiscus fish slices.” It was a way to reminisce.

At lunch, Wei Yu was served the hibiscus fish slices, still garnished with a lotus flower in the center of the plate. The lotus pods Qin Ji picked were shelled, and the seeds were made into lotus seed soup.

“Is the taste still the same as before?” Qin Ji asked Wei Yu.

Wei Yu smiled and shook his head. “I can’t remember anymore.” It had been less than ten years, but for him and Qin Ji, they no longer knew how much time it would take to measure those years.

“Your Majesty, the Prime Minister has sent word.” Gao De entered from the outer hall and bowed, presenting a memorial.

Qin Ji put down his chopsticks. “Zhao Anhong better have something important to say.” Please don’t tell me to go back and handle government affairs QAQ.

Qin Ji flipped open the memorial, and before long, his expression changed. He snapped it shut and slammed it on the table. “Hmph! Simply audacious!”

Wei Yu took the memorial and read it. “A mere county magistrate has such bold nerves.” He set the paper down. “How do you plan to handle this?”

Qin Ji said, “We’ll take a detour on our way back to the capital and visit Huyang County. I want to see for myself how a magistrate has the guts to commit such atrocities.”

The memorial from Zhao Anhong clearly stated that the Magistrate of Huyang County had embezzled thirty thousand taels of relief funds intended for the citizens. Not only did the people not see a single cent, but the magistrate had also seized their land in the name of the government and forbidden them from hunting in the mountains.

“Gao De, call Chen Xuanwen here,” Qin Ji said with a darkened face.

“As you command,” Gao De replied.

Wei Yu placed his hand on Qin Ji’s. “Alright, anger harms the body. A corrupt official like that just needs to be dealt with; he isn’t worth your fury.”

Under Wei Yu’s gentle words, Qin Ji’s anger softened. “I just feel uneasy.” When he learned the truth hidden in the past, he had nowhere to vent. He couldn’t kill Wei Qiong, and he didn’t know if the “fake Qin Ji” was dead or alive. Since he couldn’t catch the true culprits, he needed an outlet.

The Huyang Magistrate was deceiving the Emperor—on one hand, he reported thriving livelihoods in his memorials, while on the other, he oppressed the innocent. It just so happened he had been reported to the capital. Zhao Anhong mentioned that he was intercepted on his way home by someone carrying a petition signed by many Huyang citizens. As Prime Minister, Zhao Anhong accepted the document.

According to the petitioner, the complaint was written by a local teacher, eloquently detailing how the magistrate oppressed the people. Zhao Anhong did not doubt its authenticity; a commoner suing an official carried immense risk, let alone a collective fabrication of such scale. A simple investigation would reveal the truth.

Normally, Qin Ji wouldn’t need to go personally, but he had a grudge to settle, and the Huyang Magistrate had walked right into his line of fire. Who else would he make an example of?

“Eat your meal,” Wei Yu said, placing food in Qin Ji’s bowl. “You need strength to be angry.”

Qin Ji was caught off guard and laughed. “A-Yu is right. I need strength to be angry.” He was always easily soothed by Wei Yu.

Qin Ji summoned Chen Xuanwen and ordered him to Huyang County to investigate. Once Qin Ji arrived, the evidence would be produced to imprison the magistrate. Whether he would be executed would depend on the severity of his crimes.

Having decided to visit Huyang, they prepared to depart for the capital. Before the convoy left, Qin Ji and Wei Yu visited Yungui City. Reconstruction was in full swing; the streets were filled with busy people.

“A-Yu, it might be hard for you to return to Wei in the future. Do you want to take a handful of Wei soil with you?” Qin Ji stood on the city wall, looking toward Quzhou. “I read in a book that when travelers leave home, they take some soil with them.”

Beneath the long wind, the flags snapped, and the air was hazy.

“No need,” Wei Yu said, pointing toward Quzhou. “That is not my home. Since I don’t intend to return, there is no need to dwell on it.” His heart’s devotion remained in Qin.

“Then let’s go home.” Qin Ji held Wei Yu’s hand, blocking the slanting sunlight.

The large convoy set off the next day. Zeng Yi, the Regional Inspector, led the Ningzhou officials to the pier to see them off. Qin Ji offered words of encouragement to Zeng Yi and the others before boarding the ship. The great vessel set sail; it would arrive in Huzhou, where Huyang is located, in three days. From there, it would be a day’s journey by land to Huyang County.

The river breeze on the ship was cooler than on land. Wei Yu, who disliked the heat, stayed near the ventilation to catch the breeze.

“Thank you for the hard work, following me around in all this chaos.” Qin Ji brought a pot of cool tea brewed with lotus seeds.

Wei Yu didn’t answer that but instead began questioning his luggage. “I noticed several of my books are missing. Tell me, where did you take them?” Wei Yu’s fingers tapped his silk clothes, his lips curving upward.

Qin Ji was stunned. “What books?”

Wei Yu gave him a look—was he truly stupid or just acting? “The picture albums,” Wei Yu clarified.

Qin Ji’s face turned red, and the flush spread to his neck. “Uh, that… it wasn’t convenient for the servants to pack those, so I put them away myself,” he stammered. If Wei Yu knew he had already finished reading them, would he think he was some kind of lecherous ghost?

Wei Yu held out his hand. “Then give them back.”

Qin Ji: “Huh?”

Wei Yu: “What ‘huh’? I haven’t had a chance to look at them yet.”

Qin Ji nervously picked at his fingers. “Maybe… maybe you shouldn’t look at them…”

Wei Yu narrowed his eyes and leaned in. “Oh? You’ve already seen them?”

With a face ready to explode, Qin Ji nodded bashfully. Wei Yu grabbed Qin Ji’s clothes and tilted his head. “You’ve seen them all, so what is there to be embarrassed about?”

Qin Ji was shocked. How could his A-Yu stay so calm and unbushed? This was supposed to be extremely embarrassing! Watching Qin Ji’s jaw-dropping expression, Wei Yu couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

“Fine, if you don’t want to give them back, then don’t. I don’t strictly have to see them,” Wei Yu said candidly. “After all, I’m not the one on top.” Qin Ji was the one who would be taking care of him, so he could let Qin Ji figure it out himself.

Qin Ji: “!!!”

“A-Yu, you should say less,” Qin Ji said with a troubled expression. “I’m going to explode.”

Wei Yu’s gaze slowly moved downward. After a brief glance, his fingertips trembled slightly. Although he had seen it before and had an idea of what this “beast” Qin Ji was capable of, a man isn’t naturally the receiving party—if something went wrong, it could be a real problem.

Wei Yu suddenly thought about how Qin Ji wanted to wait until their wedding night. …Better not. It’s better to have a rehearsal first, otherwise, if I have to call a physician on my wedding night, where will my dignity go?

Unaware of Wei Yu’s swirling thoughts, Qin Ji gulped down two cups of tea to try and calm down. He firmly believed he was no less than a high schooler in vitality. It was fine, except it made it easy to lose face. Truly, he was just a “dog of a man” who couldn’t control his lower half.

…

The ship arrived in Huzhou, and the group switched to land travel toward Huyang County. It had rained recently, so it was cooler and not too hot on the road. Without alerting the Huzhou officials, Qin Ji quietly slipped into Huyang County. It was late when they arrived, so they found an inn to stay at.

Chen Xuanwen had already arrived and had spent the last few days investigating. He met Qin Ji at the inn and presented his findings in writing. “Your Majesty, everything the Magistrate Lu Guangwen has done is here.”

Qin Ji read the full page slowly. It matched Zhao Anhong’s report but was much more detailed. “Thirty thousand taels of relief funds—a mere magistrate swallowed it all. He isn’t afraid of choking to death,” Qin Ji sneered.

Wei Yu heard this and asked, “Why was there a relief fund for Huyang?” This happened before his rebirth, so he hadn’t heard of it.

“Last year, multiple areas in Huzhou suffered from mountain floods, destroying houses and crops. The court allocated relief funds; Huyang was given thirty thousand,” Qin Ji explained. The money was for people who lost everything. Without it, rebuilding was incredibly difficult, and with no harvest last year, families relied on that money to survive.

“A-Yu, I don’t understand one thing.” Qin Ji spread the paper before Wei Yu and pointed to a few lines. “Look, Lu Guangwen embezzled the funds for greed, but why did he close off the mountains in the government’s name and forbid people from entering?” Many villagers relied on the mountains for their livelihood. Closing them off cut off their survival. There was no obvious benefit for the magistrate to do this. Why go to such trouble?

“Your Majesty, I led the secret guards to investigate the Daliu Mountain that Lu Guangwen closed, but found nothing,” Chen Xuanwen knelt in shame. “I am incompetent; please punish me.”

Qin Ji didn’t punish him and waved him up. “There are only a few of you; searching an entire mountain is no easy task.” Qin Ji rested his chin in his hand, looking more puzzled.

“If Lu Guangwen made such a grand show of closing the mountain, there must be an unspeakable secret hidden there,” Wei Yu said.

Qin Ji still couldn’t figure it out. “He’s a minor magistrate. What shocking secret could he hide in the mountains?” Above him was the Huzhou Inspector’s office and many higher-ranking officials. What secret was so important that he had to hide it under everyone’s noses?

“If you want the answer, just arrest him and interrogate him. I doubt he’ll dare keep silent,” Wei Yu said calmly. If he didn’t tell the truth, the secret guards had plenty of ways to make him speak.

Qin Ji said, “True. Tomorrow we’ll go to the Huyang yamen and properly interrogate this Lu Guangwen.” First, they would deal with the corrupt official, find the embezzled money to return to the people, and restore the seized land. Qin Ji rubbed his temples, feeling that being Emperor was no easy task.

After Chen Xuanwen left and closed the door, only Qin Ji and Wei Yu remained. Wei Yu stood behind Qin Ji and began massaging his head. “What are you thinking? You seem a bit distracted.” Wei Yu knew Qin Ji too well; any slight change in his eyes was clear to him.

“A-Yu, I feel uneasy,” Qin Ji frowned. “I have a strange feeling that tomorrow’s interrogation might reveal something unexpected.” As his memories slowly returned, his father’s image became clearer. His father was a wise monarch, evidenced by the officials he left behind: the Imperial Tutor Xu Ziye, Prime Minister Zhao Anhong, and others. He always felt that with his father’s protection, Qin would have no internal troubles. Yet this trip to Huyang made him realize that wasn’t the case. And that ominous feeling in his heart was like a fishbone stuck in his throat.

“You said it yourself—it will be revealed tomorrow, so don’t overthink it,” Wei Yu said gently. “I believe in you. You will be a great Emperor and handle Huyang well.”

Qin Ji laughed. “You trust me that much?”

Wei Yu stopped his movements, hugged Qin Ji’s neck, and leaned down to plant a soft kiss on his cheek. “Mhm, I just trust you.”

Was Qin Ji the type of person who could withstand such teasing? No. In a flash, Wei Yu went from being behind Qin Ji to being in his arms. “What are you doing?” Wei Yu raised an eyebrow.

Qin Ji held him, but his hands remained respectful. “Nothing, just holding you.”

Wei Yu whispered, “Coward.”

Qin Ji: “A-Yu, my ears work very well. I heard that.”

Wei Yu boldly used his finger to lift Qin Ji’s chin. “So what if you heard? Does Your Majesty want to do something?”

Qin Ji really had no way to handle Wei Yu, but if he didn’t give him a lesson, Wei Yu might actually tease him into exploding. “Hold onto my neck.” Qin Ji tightened his arms and lifted Wei Yu into a princess carry. However, he didn’t walk toward the bed; he walked toward the window. He pushed the window open and sat Wei Yu on the windowsill.

“Qin Ji!” Wei Yu hadn’t expected Qin Ji’s brain to actually start working. He instinctively wrapped his legs around Qin Ji’s waist and hugged his neck tight, fearing he might fall out.

“I’m here.” With one hand on Wei Yu’s waist and the other on the back of his head, Qin Ji kissed him. He had to admit his kissing skills had improved with practice; he had mastered how to make Wei Yu surrender. The silver moonlight spilled down, outlining their figures with a faint glow. Wei Yu never blocked Qin Ji’s advances; he accepted him with utter compliance. Being suspended in the air made him feel insecure, and that insecurity vented itself within the kiss.

After the kiss, Qin Ji gently wiped Wei Yu’s glistening lips, a satisfied smile in his eyes. Wei Yu leaned against Qin Ji, his chest heaving. “Tell me… where did you learn that? Was it from the album?”

Qin Ji confessed honestly, “Yes.” After a moment, he added, “There’s more in there. We can try them one by one.” As he spoke, his face turned redder than Wei Yu’s—it was hard to tell if he was innocent or not.

Wei Yu punched him lightly. It was soft and felt more like flirting. “It wasn’t enough that you didn’t return the albums; you even studied them in secret.”

Qin Ji supported Wei Yu’s backside and carried him down, closing the window with one hand before returning to the bed. Even after the rain, the summer heat hadn’t faded. Qin Ji covered Wei Yu with a silk blanket brought from the palace, which was cool to the touch.

“A-Yu, you’re so sweet,” Qin Ji lay beside him and grinned foolishly.

Wei Yu: “…” Never mind. I chose this silly dog myself, so if he’s a bit silly, so be it. After all, he just liked this “silly dog.”

…

The next day, Qin Ji woke up early. He hadn’t intended to wake Wei Yu, but the inn’s bed had no curtains to block the light. As soon as the sun rose, Wei Yu couldn’t sleep either, so he got up to dress with Qin Ji.

Qin Ji had already ordered Chen Xuanwu to take the guards to the yamen. They would seize Lu Guangwen as soon as he arrived. After breakfast at the inn, they went straight to the yamen. By the time they arrived, the guards had secured the building. From the entrance to the courtroom, the soldiers stood tall with swords at their waists, their presence intimidating.

Lu Guangwen was arrested as soon as he entered. He argued indignantly with Chen Xuanwu, “On what grounds do you arrest me? I am the Magistrate of Huyang, an official of the court! You cannot just arrest me!”

Chen Xuanwu held his hilt and looked down at Lu Guangwen with an unchanging expression. “I am the Commander of the Imperial Guard, Chen Xuanwu. I am detaining the Magistrate of Huyang, Lu Guangwen, by imperial decree. I believe I have the right person.”

Lu Guangwen’s face changed instantly. He lowered his head, not daring to meet Chen Xuanwu’s eyes for fear of showing his panic. “May I ask the Commander… what crime have I committed for His Majesty to order my arrest?” He kept his head down but still tried to argue.

“You know your own actions best. Why ask others?” Qin Ji strode into the yamen, and the guards on both sides knelt in greeting.

Qin Ji sat in the courtroom. “Lu Guangwen, why do you not bow when you see me?”

Lu Guangwen looked up and, seeing a face that was completely different from what he expected, was struck with terror. “You are not the Emperor! You are an impostor!” he shouted.

Chen Xuanwu kicked him. “How dare you speak such nonsense before His Majesty!”

Qin Ji’s lips curled into an unpleasant smile. It seemed his intuition was right. This Lu Guangwen was likely one of the “fake Qin Ji’s” men. The guy who had replaced him for all those years was still alive and even had the power to cause trouble in Qin.

“Lu Guangwen, you say I am an impostor. On what basis?” Qin Ji asked calmly.

Lu Guangwen said, “I saw His Majesty five years ago. He looks completely different from you.”

Qin Ji clapped and laughed. He hadn’t expected Lu Guangwen to still remember the impostor’s face. He and Wei Yu had theorized that after his return, his appearance had gradually returned to his original self. Because of the story’s influence, everyone else’s perception had been corrected—in their memories, “Qin Ji” had always looked like this. It was strange that Lu Guangwen remembered the fake’s face.

“The ‘Emperor’ you speak of… does he look like this?” Wei Yu took out a portrait of the fake Qin Ji he had drawn earlier and showed it to Lu Guangwen.

Lu Guangwen was shocked.

Wei Yu said, “It seems so.” He folded the portrait. “Someone, post this portrait with a wanted notice. We must bring the person in this drawing to justice.”

Wei Yu was clever; he knew the only thing that could make Qin Ji uneasy was the fake. Qin Ji feared the fake would return and drag him back to hell. If Lu Guangwen truly had a connection to the fake, then the fake must be active in Huyang. They would put a bounty on him openly. Unless the Qin officials were insane, they wouldn’t be fooled by a fake.

“Lu Guangwen, you colluded with a rebel. Your crime is unforgivable. If you confess honestly, I might show mercy. If you refuse to speak, I will have no choice but to order torture,” Qin Ji said coldly.

Lu Guangwen turned his head, determined to be a stubborn “dead duck.”

Qin Ji glanced at Chen Xuanwu, who understood. “Someone, drag this thief to the courtyard and beat him.”

Wei Yu was worried about Qin Ji and kept his eyes on him. Seeing Wei Yu’s frown, Qin Ji stepped down and smoothed it out. “I’m fine, don’t worry.”