Saving My Life By Simping For My Empress - Chapter 41

Chapter 41: His pain had become greater than his strength.

Wei Qiong had somehow lost his mind and thrown his own daughter down a flight of stairs. This was the news Qin Ji received in the official courier report.

“Even though the King of Duogua sold his daughter for glory, he isn’t a man who can completely ignore his dignity as a monarch. Just watch; Duogua is bound to make trouble for Wei Qiong over this.” Qin Ji wasn’t gloating; he was simply viewing the incident from an outsider’s perspective.

“In my memory, Wei Qiong was very fond of that Duogua princess and loved the son and daughter she bore him. Especially this daughter—she was bright and clever from a young age and held a special place in Wei Qiong’s heart. Among all his children, her treatment was top-tier. Why would Wei Qiong have the heart to throw her down the stairs?” Wei Yu couldn’t fathom it.

Qin Ji shrugged. “Perhaps my return changed too many things, affecting Wei Qiong’s side as well. What you remember are memories from a past life; there might be discrepancies.”

Wei Yu nodded in agreement. “That makes sense.”

Regardless of the cause, the consequences would not be settled easily. That Duogua princess represented a nation, not just a simple imperial concubine. Wei Qiong had nearly killed her child; she would never let this go. No mother who loves her child could swallow such an insult.

“I wonder how badly the child is injured. To be so young and have to deal with Wei Qiong’s madness… truly rotten luck.” Qin Ji felt a wave of misfortune for the child.

“Have the secret guards keep an eye on Wei, and report back as soon as there is news,” Wei Yu said softly. “If something really happens, the conflict between Wei and Duogua will reach a breaking point. We need to make plans early.”

Qin Ji: “Once we return to the capital, we’ll summon Zhao Anhong and the others to discuss this.”

Given the relationship between Qin and Wei, it was impossible to help Wei. Therefore, what they needed to discuss was naturally how to kick Wei while they were down when the conflict with Duogua erupted.

“Everything else is fine, but I’m afraid that ‘fake’ might get back in touch with Wei Qiong.” Wei Yu lifted a corner of the carriage curtain, looking at the deep mountains. “Two madmen coming together is never a good thing.”

Especially since both madmen wanted nothing more than to see them dead.

Qin Ji: “Wei Qiong’s mind has already been unsettled by us. He might not necessarily team up with the fake again.”

Wei Qiong and the fake Qin Ji had teamed up for nothing more than the throne of Wei. Now that the throne was in his hands and Wei Yu had clearly expressed his lack of interest in it, teaming up with the fake might actually put Wei Qiong at a disadvantage. Wei Qiong wasn’t stupid; he wouldn’t do that.

“I only hope for peace to come soon.” Wei Yu smiled. “Once things settle down, we can live our lives in peace.”

…

The army led by Wei Jian was still searching the Daliu Mountains. Only the Imperial Guard led by Chen Xuanwu had withdrawn to Huzhou.

The Huyang County case wasn’t difficult to handle; the main threads had already been cleared. Qin Ji left the follow-up to Wei Jian, certain that Wei Jian wouldn’t dare slack off again. Furthermore, he had sent a decree back to the capital, asking Zhao Anhong to select a suitable person to serve as the true Imperial Commissioner to Huzhou, acting with delegated imperial authority.

And they, after being away from the capital for two full months, were finally going back.

It was still the height of summer, and land travel was difficult, so the return journey was once again by boat. However, before leaving Huyang County, Qin Ji ordered the execution of Lu Guangwen. Notices were posted at the yamen, drawing the citizens of Huyang to watch. When Lu Guangwen was led out of the prison, the people—carrying baskets filled with rotten vegetable leaves and stinking eggs—pelted him mercilessly.

The former Huyang County Assistant was promoted by Qin Ji to Magistrate to continue the land redistribution and assist Wei Jian in tracking the destination of the Daliu Mountain iron ore.

Qin Ji’s identity couldn’t be kept secret after his departure because of Wang Dahe. Wang Dahe had seen the Emperor with his own eyes and had been treated with respect. After being rewarded with ten taels of silver, he naturally had an excellent impression of Qin Ji and sang his praises everywhere. Thanks to Wang Dahe’s promotion, all of Huyang knew that the person who had sought justice for them was the current Emperor. Praises for Qin Ji spread through every street and alley.

Qin Ji knew none of this; even if he had, he would have only laughed it off. To be a good emperor, one couldn’t fixate on the people’s songs of praise. If the work was done well, people would naturally revere him.

The imperial procession returned to the capital, where Zhao Anhong led the civil and military officials to greet them outside the city gates. After several dozen days apart, the Qin ministers felt their Emperor had become more mature and more dignified.

Qin Ji had been traveling for too long and only wanted to return to Ziji Hall to rest. He didn’t waste time with Zhao Anhong and ordered an immediate return to the palace.

“I can’t do it anymore; I need to lie down.” Qin Ji collapsed onto his bed the moment he reached Ziji Hall, his robes still fastened, looking entirely unrefined. The palace servants, knowing their Emperor was returning, had prepared ice basins; Ziji Hall was much cooler than outside.

Wei Yu went to pull him up. “Change your clothes before you lie down.”

Qin Ji took the opportunity to pull Wei Yu into his arms and gave him a heavy kiss. “Don’t want to. I just want to lie down.”

Wei Yu poked Qin Ji’s chin with his finger. “Are you sure? Master Xu is on his way to the palace.”

Qin Ji: “…”

“Master is a bit too dedicated.” Could he not give him a single day of peace?

Wei Yu: “Get up and change. Otherwise, when Master Xu arrives, you’ll be rewarded with even more homework.”

Qin Ji resentfully got up to change. Before even half a cup of tea’s time had passed, Xu Ziye arrived.

“Your Majesty, did you do the homework I assigned properly during the journey?” Xu Ziye got straight to the point, asking to check the work without even a simple greeting.

Qin Ji once again lamented their thin bond as teacher and student.

“Master, I have done it all. Wei Yu has even corrected it for me.” Qin Ji waved a hand, and Gao De brought a chest filled with his assignments. It truly felt like a teacher checking summer vacation homework.

Xu Ziye looked at the chest of papers with internal satisfaction, though his face remained stern. “I will carefully review all of Your Majesty’s work.”

Qin Ji: “…Then I shall trouble you, Master.”

He suddenly felt he should probably give Xu Ziye a bonus. He was too diligent, too dedicated.

“Your Majesty is exhausted from the journey, and I should not have come to disturb you. However, the Autumn Examinations are approaching, and Your Majesty has yet to provide this year’s questions. I have come to remind you,” Xu Ziye said dryly. “I hope Your Majesty acts quickly.”

Qin Ji’s smile froze. He had completely forgotten about that…

His pain was now greater than his strength.

“Yes, I will think on it carefully.” Qin Ji squeezed out a forced smile. “Master has also worked hard coming to the palace; why not stay for a meal before returning home?”

Xu Ziye glanced at Qin Ji silently.

Qin Ji: “???” Why is he looking at me like that?

Xu Ziye said slowly, “Your Majesty probably hasn’t rested well on the journey. It is better for you and the Prince to rest first.”

Why would he want to eat with Qin Ji? To watch Qin Ji and Wei Yu being all lovey-dovey? At his age, he had no interest in watching the younger generation flirt.

Qin Ji bowed. “Then, safe travels, Master.”

After sending away the man who came to collect his summer homework, Qin Ji drifted back to the bedchamber like a ghost.

“A-Yu, want to sleep for a bit?” Qin Ji shed his outer robe and climbed onto the bed. “It’s not even 3 PM; let’s take a nap.”

An emperor shouldn’t be too hardworking; what if he died of overwork? Wei Yu, knowing exactly what was going on in that strange head of his, also removed his outer robe and lay down beside him. Qin Ji lowered the bed curtains, the thick fabric blocking out the bright light.

They slept for over an hour. Qin Ji woke up, and Wei Yu woke immediately after.

“Why are you awake too?” Qin Ji went to get Wei Yu’s outer robe.

Wei Yu: “I’ll help you look at the exam topics. Master Xu surely mentioned that when he came in today, right?”

Qin Ji gave a thumbs up. “As expected of A-Yu, you think of everything.”

As the two rose, Gao De brought in chilled mung bean soup. “Your Majesty, Your Highness, the weather is hot; have a bowl of mung bean soup to cool down.”

Qin Ji downed it in one go. He naturally ran hot and drank a lot of water in summer; even that short nap had left his throat dry.

“Gao De, do you all have this mung bean soup?” Qin Ji asked suddenly as he set down the bowl.

Gao De: “Your Majesty must be joking. The ice storage is limited; how could it be used to chill mung bean soup for so many people in the palace?” Ice was a luxury for the masters.

Qin Ji thought about it and realized it was true. “Then pass my decree: everyone on duty in the palace this month, whether palace servants or Imperial Guards, shall receive an extra tael of silver.” This was the ancient version of a high-temperature subsidy.

Gao De: “Yes, I shall go at once.”

Wei Yu was much more refined, sipping his soup slowly with a spoon. “You are very considerate of those beneath you,” he said.

Qin Ji smiled. “Even if our lives were bad, they’d still be better than theirs.”

The palace had its rules. Unlike commoners, they couldn’t stop working when the heat became unbearable. Especially the Imperial Guard, who had to patrol repeatedly in heavy armor under the scorching sun. Other palace servants could at least hide in the halls.

After finishing the soup, the two retreated to the study.

“I looked through the exam topics since the founding of Qin. Land equalization, selection of officials, removing redundancies, reducing expenses, expanding territory, and forbidding luxury have all been covered. It’s best not to pick from those,” Wei Yu said, pulling out a thick book of answers.

Qin Ji was shocked. “How on earth did you find this?” This book contained transcriptions of all the papers graded as “excellent” since the founding of the dynasty. In other words, it was a “Top Student’s Notebook.”

“I asked Master Xu for it,” Wei Yu said. As Qin Ji’s teacher, Xu Ziye had taught him since he was the Crown Prince, and this was one of the teaching materials.

“Then why shouldn’t I pick from these?” Qin Ji, the “struggling student,” asked.

Wei Yu didn’t explain immediately but opened the thick volume. “Look at these answers first.” He tossed the book to Qin Ji and sat beside him, casually picking up a volume of political essays to read.

Qin Ji had no choice but to bury his head in the book. These were excellent papers from past years, containing many things worth pondering. He didn’t rush, reading every sentence carefully and trying to understand the intent. It was already a headache for a poor student to decipher a top student’s answer, and these were the best of the best. Qin Ji felt more and more that being an Emperor was not easy. Life is hard; Qin Ji sighed.

Gao De entered the study and was about to call Qin Ji when Wei Yu stopped him. Wei Yu put a finger to his lips and shook his head, signaling him not to disturb the hard-working Emperor. Gao De had a trace of a smile in his eyes and mouthed silently: Time for dinner.

Wei Yu understood, waved his hand, and gestured for Gao De to leave. Gao De retreated quietly. Outside the study, Gao De happily stretched his waist.

Gao Huan, seeing only his master come out, was puzzled. “Master, aren’t the Emperor and the Prince having dinner?”

Gao De tapped Gao Huan’s head. “You silly goose.”

Gao Huan winced playfully. “Master, why do you always say I’m silly? Where am I silly?”

Gao De said meaningfully, “You, you still have much to learn.” He wasn’t young anymore; at forty, he wouldn’t be accompanying the next monarch. Barring any accidents, this “silly” disciple would be the confidant of the next Qin Emperor. Serving beside the Emperor required understanding the Emperor’s heart. Gao Huan was good at tasks, but in this regard, he needed more tempering.

…

Wei Yu put down his book, walked behind Qin Ji, and leaned down to check his progress. “Let’s stop here. Have some dinner and then come back.”

Qin Ji snapped out of the thick textbook and looked out the window; it was already getting dark. “Why didn’t you call me earlier? Are you hungry?” Qin Ji reached out to feel Wei Yu’s stomach. “Why does it feel so empty?”

Wei Yu: “…” He’s talking nonsense again.

“Enough, let’s go eat.” Wei Yu pulled Qin Ji up.

Qin Ji inserted a bookmark, closed the book full of “the power of knowledge,” and went with Wei Yu to dinner. It was hot, so the imperial kitchen had put thought into the meal: cold dishes paired with hot tea, followed by chilled drinks with ice. After the meal, the heat had dissipated significantly. Having not eaten in the palace for so long, Qin Ji accidentally drank too many cold drinks. His stomach was bloated, and he had to take a walk to aid digestion. Wei Yu accompanied him to the Imperial Garden.

“It’s funny. I’m always in Ziji Hall and never come to the garden. I’ve truly wasted its seasonal beauty,” Qin Ji laughed.

Wei Yu: “When you can finally satisfy Master Xu and he stops assigning you daily homework, you can walk here more often.”

Qin Ji’s days were packed. When in the palace, Wei Yu was always with him, helping him with political affairs. Ironically, during the two months abroad, they actually had more time to be lovey-dovey.

“There’s a lake in the garden with fish. If you’re bored, you can fish,” Qin Ji said, rubbing his hands. “The fish in the palace lake are much fatter than those in the Ningzhou General’s mansion.”

Wei Yu was shocked. “You even eat the ornamental fish?”

Qin Ji said righteously, “Ornamental fish are still fish at heart, aren’t they?”

Wei Yu: “…” He actually found Qin Ji’s logic strangely plausible. However, he wouldn’t touch the garden fish; those were expensive koi. Only an unrefined fellow like Qin Ji would want to eat everything he saw.

Wei Yu refused to cooperate, so Qin Ji lost his chance at “stir-fried koi” and was kicked back to the study by Wei Yu to continue studying the thick book of excellent answers.

“Have you figured anything out?” Wei Yu asked, sitting in a chair and holding a bowl of sour plum soup.

Qin Ji thought for a moment. “These papers are indeed exceptional. Reading them sentence by sentence, some points give me a ‘eureka’ moment. How should I put it… they are easier to understand than the books.”

Wei Yu took a sip of the soup. “Do you see why?”

Qin Ji shook his head. “No.” He was a “noob.”

“The books Master Xu had you read have one thing in common: much talk but little practice. These papers, however, all explain policies from the perspective of how to actually implement them. That’s why they feel so clear,” Wei Yu explained.

Qin Ji clapped. “I get it! The books I read before talked about what should be done and the benefits, but rarely how to actually do it. The examinations are meant to select officials who can get things done. Naturally, they don’t care for flowery prose, but for practical views on policy implementation.”

Wei Yu nodded. “A teachable student.”

Qin Ji acted a bit smug—just a little.

“That’s also why I said not to use old topics,” Wei Yu continued. “Many past topics have already been implemented as national policy and don’t need innovation. Furthermore, those who reach the Metropolitan Exam have certainly studied past topics and read previous answers. It’s too easy to just refurbish an old answer. Holding an exam like that would be meaningless.”

Qin Ji leaned on the table, feeling the pain again. “A-Yu, what kind of topic should I set then?”

Wei Yu: “Set a topic based on reality. See what the country needs—or rather, what you, the Emperor, need.”

Qin Ji thought to himself: He needed to kill his cheap brother-in-law, Wei Qiong. But that couldn’t be an exam topic. And setting “How to pacify Wei” as a topic would be an open provocation. Who knew if that psycho Wei Qiong would go mad? Never mind, he’d better think of a serious topic.

“What do I, the Emperor, need…” That was a good question.

“No rush. There’s still time. Read these answers again to find inspiration.” Wei Yu walked over, opened the thick book, and moved the bookmark aside.

Qin Ji straightened up and gave himself a pep talk. You can do it!

Wei Yu left Qin Ji to study seriously, ordering Gao De to serve him and forbidding others from disturbing him. He went to bathe. During the two months away, conditions hadn’t been as good as in the palace, and the travel had been exhausting. He planned to have a good soak to relieve the fatigue.

Gao Huan brought new sleepwear. “Your Highness, while you and the Emperor were away, the Clothing Bureau sent new clothes. They are made of cooling fabrics; I think they’ll be very comfortable.”

“I’ll try them today.” Wei Yu never liked being served during a bath, so he had Gao Huan set the clothes down and leave.

The hot water was sprinkled with fresh flowers from the garden. The scent was light and more natural than a sachet. Wei Yu was soaking comfortably when he heard the door open.

“I said I don’t need service. Leave.”

The person didn’t leave but approached the tub. “The Prince is bathing in secret alone, leaving me in the study to read. How cruel.”

Hearing Qin Ji’s voice, Wei Yu couldn’t help but laugh. He leaned against the edge of the tub, chin on his arms. “I clearly didn’t want to disturb you, so I didn’t say anything.”

Qin Ji didn’t listen and began undressing.

Wei Yu was wary. “Qin Mingche, what are you doing?”

Qin Ji: “Having a ‘Mandarin Duck’ bath with you, of course.”

Wei Yu gave a sincere suggestion: “I think you’d better not. I’m afraid you won’t be able to go back to the study afterwards.” It wasn’t that he was too confident in his charm, but he had no confidence in Qin Ji’s self-control. On how many mornings had Qin Ji woken up… vigorous? He just didn’t say it, but it didn’t mean he hadn’t felt it!

Qin Ji’s hand paused, then he undressed even faster.

Wei Yu: “???” Is there a demon called ‘Impulse’ living inside Qin Ji?

“Who says I can’t go back? I’ll go back later and show you!” A strange competitive spirit flared in Qin Ji.

Wei Yu had nothing to say. He gave up. Let him do as he pleased.

Qin Ji undressed and entered the tub, causing a significant amount of water to overflow.

“I’ll wash your hair.” Qin Ji held Wei Yu’s waist and turned him around to sit in front of him. Wei Yu’s body stiffened, and he moved forward silently.

However, Qin Ji really didn’t do anything else; he simply began washing Wei Yu’s hair. Before they left, Wei Yu’s hair was shinier than now. These two months of travel had been hard on him, and even his hair had become a bit dry. Qin Ji applied essential oils and ran his fingers through Wei Yu’s strands, detangling them carefully one by one, making sure not to pull a single hair.

“A-Yu’s black hair is so beautiful,” Qin Ji praised as he washed. “No silk can match its smoothness.”

Wei Yu pursed his lips. “Stop your sweet-talking.”

Qin Ji protested, “How am I sweet-talking? I’m telling the truth!” Wei Yu was facing away, so Qin Ji couldn’t see the smile on his face.

“By the way, where is your peach blossom hairpin? I haven’t seen you use it for a long time.” Qin Ji just remembered that Wei Yu had been using the hairpins he gifted lately.

Wei Yu turned around in the tub, kneeling before Qin Ji, and let out a soft sigh. “Qin Mingche, are you stupid?”

Qin Ji: “Huh?”

Wei Yu cupped Qin Ji’s face and leaned in for a kiss. Qin Ji was dazed by this massive surprise; he thought he saw pink bubbles.

After kissing his lips, Wei Yu whispered in his ear, “The peach blossom hairpin represents the past. The hairpins you gave me represent the present and future with you.”

He couldn’t bear to throw it away because his mother gave it to him, and Qin Ji had repaired it, so it was just tucked away at the bottom of a chest. However, he and Wei Qiong had already broken off relations. Wearing a hairpin made from the same jade as Wei Qiong’s would be a constant reminder of that troublesome fellow.

He had many hairpins—wood, jade, gold, silver. Qin Ji piled everything good on him, so he lacked nothing now. The hairpins Qin Ji gave him were enough. Having Qin Ji was enough. Why cling to the ghosts of the past? He was going to live in the bright and brilliant light with Qin Ji.