'The Seven Lands’ Most Magnificent and Talented Man.'
As the Qin Emperor, Ji Yue had heard countless praises, ‘Long live the Emperor’, or ‘Forever be remembered throughout history’. He had never cared about the sincerity of the feeling or empty compliments.
But he had never imagined that one day, he would have his heartstrings toggled by such simple words.
—Human hearts harbour evil, yours has none. What is there for me to be afraid of?
The Qin Emperor never wanted praise.
But he also did not want to be feared.
That was what he always wanted that was beyond his reach.
Ji Yue gazed at Wei Lian with a hard to read expression. The youth was dressed in white and sat freely for him to study.
After a long time, Ji Yue said in a slow tone, “We’ve slaughtered people and plucked their tongues, both acts of a black-hearted person. The Empress Dowager lifted us to the throne, and in return, we ungratefully annihilated her whole family. We had greed for territory and spared no effort to expand the region using corpses as the foundation. We don’t hesitate to use any means to achieve our goal, continuing the vicious cycle.”
He laughed softly, “We harboured all the evils in the world, as Wei Lian has listed. Everyone in the world fears us, how dare you say that we have none of them?”
Wei Lian replied immediately, “Palace workers overstepped their authority, the deaths were justified. The Empress Dowager controlled the court without regard to its laws, the punishment was justified. The six empires are wolves restlessly waiting for their chance, the war was justified. The Emperor always conducted to get results, the actions were justified.”
“All your Majesty has done was in the name of the Qin Empire. The people hold the ‘Emperor’ title to the standard of saint, but they don’t know the peace they ask for is a presumptuous demand in this chaotic world. You would eventually be devoured and clawed into pieces by packs of wolves. The world would never understand that you have no other choice.”
He answered the question with such fluency without the time to think. Ji Yue was surprised for a moment and said softly, “But you understand.”
There were suddenly bright lights in his eyes as he said with a faint smile, “Wei Lian, we regret not having met you earlier.”
“Your Majesty has overpraised.”
“It’s time for these ministers to witness true beauty. We have to convince them how mediocre those rouge wearers are, compared to you. We will summon the court painter...No, how could an ordinary painter ever hope to capture your image?” Ji Yue never hid his favour for the people who deserved it. He quickly walked to the bookcase and laid out paper and brush. “We will personally draw you.”
“Your Majesty wants to paint a portrait of this subject?”
“Naturally.”
“But this subject heard that your Majesty has never painted realistic people.” The lights in Wei Lian’s eyes flickered slightly.
Just because the Qin Emperor was known to be a tyrant, it didn’t mean he had no knowledge of elegance. The four arts were lessons that every royalty's sons learned.
The Qin Emperor had been an outstanding artist since he was a child. His painting mastery was so profound that he became famous at the age of eight for his ‘Birthday Painting’ for the late Emperor. It was also because of this painting that the Emperor paid attention to the unknown child.
The Qin Emperor’s painting skills were superb, landscapes were captured in fine detail, flowers, birds, insects and fish were all brought to the point of perfection.
But it was well-known that the Qin Emperor never painted people.
It was rumoured that he only played to his own strengths, but it was only a rumour after all.
“That’s because no one was worthy of it.” Ji Yue moved his brush smoothly, like a floating cloud and flowing water. “It’s easy to draw the skin, but never the beauty that is engraved in the bone. We are not interested in drawing empty shells, only interested in beauty with both skin and bone, like Wei Lian.”
This was already a praise at the highest degree.
Wei Lian stood in front of the window until Ji Yue’s movement stopped. He asked, “Done drawing?”
“Done.” Ji Yue put down his brush. “Come and take a look.”
Wei Lian walked over for a glance, and praised internally. Amazing skill.
He was also the master of the four arts and naturally masterful in the art of painting. So he could tell at a glance that the rumour of painting humans being the Qin Emperor’s shortfall was false, it was clearly his greatest skill.
Wei Lian was standing in front of a window, but the older man had painted him in the snow with the palace in the background with snow covering the black tiles. He stood beneath a red plum tree, hugged by the white fox fur coat, and his eyes raised in a soft contentment. It was realistic from any angle.
“It’s really hard to improve on perfection.” Wei Lian admired the painting for a long time with curved eyebrows.
“Why doesn’t Wei Lang write the words?” Ji Yue suggested.
After a moment of thinking, Wei Lian picked up the writing blush and inscribed ‘The Seven Lands..’ on the paper.
The brush strokes were reserved, implying a sparse and wild style, like a free flying dragon.
The handwriting was beautiful, just like the writer, and underneath the gentle jade was a wild and arrogant man.
Ji Yue first released a sigh of admiration inside, but was somewhat bored. It was expected that Wei Lian would pick some common auspicious words like ‘The Seven Lands Prosper, the People at Peace’.
But unbeknownst to him, expectation didn’t live up to reality.
The eight word inscription written by Wei Lian was—The Seven Lands’ Most Magnificent and Talented Man.
The corners of Ji Yue’s eyes jerked.
He pondered over it and decided that these eight characters were fine and matched Wei Lian very well. But when it came to knowing the eight characters were written by the younger man himself...
Ji Yue had the urge to laugh.
Lian Gongzi appeared to be a bit narcissistic.
Yet Ji Yue liked the way the younger man acted. He was tired of seeing so many people feign civility, so tired of seeing these detestable beings. But on the contrary, Wei Lian acting in such an impulsive manner was kind of cute.
For the most part, it varied from person to person. But in his eyes, he was very fond of it, so his tolerance of the younger man was also high. If switched to any stranger who came forward and shamelessly said ‘I’m the most talented man’ in front of the Qin Emperor, Ji Yue would have smiled gently and had people drag the person out to the chopping block.
“The seven lands’ most magnificent and talented man.” Ji Yue recited it out loud. His voice contained an unconcealed laugh. “Wei Lang, you are one arrogant man.”
“Since this subject is worthy of being painted by your Majesty’s own hand, the evaluation naturally fits.” Wei Lian said without changing his expression.
“Good!” Ji Yue clapped his hands. “We like your arrogance.”
Wei Lian smiled but said nothing.
He finally understood. The Qin Emperor didn’t like people to be ostentatious in front of him, for they would be killed for their arrogance. Nor did he like people to be too reserved, as aloof people were disliked for their stiff and uninteresting manner. He didn’t like people to be respectful to him without warmth, nor did he like people to be disrespectful to him without a sense of propriety.
With Wei Lian’s fine control to such a precise degree of respectfulness and moderation, he could occasionally act impudent. Knowing the balance of playing with his temperament, he could give the Qin Emperor the feeling of novelty, thus sparing his life.
Wei Lian’s attitude towards the Qin Emperor had always seemed careless and unrestrained, but in fact, it was the result of careful observation. Every word, every action, and every movement were perfect. So much so that anyone who attended would have died eight hundred times over.
But he was Wei Lian.
Who was not immeasurably self-satisfied, never having the thought of grasping the heart of an unpredictable Emperor.
The human heart was the most difficult thing in the world to grasp, not to mention the heart of a ruler.
The Qin Emperor was not a man to be so easily coaxed, and the older man’s current interest in him was only momentary.
He still had a long way to go.
* * *
The days living in the Yangxin Palace Hall were very pleasant. Now everyone in the palace knew that Wei Lian was favoured, and he lived where the Emperor stayed. No one dared to despise him. There could only be the best clothes, the most exquisite food, and fully prepared bedding for the winter so he wouldn’t feel the cold or hunger.
This was actually not needed, for he lived and ate with the Qin Emperor the majority of the time, and the Emperor would naturally use the best things. It was just Wei Lian should have his own share and the imperial internal management dared not to shortchange at all. It was very different from the first half-months when he was bullied.
A life of luxury with piles of irresistible items, the pig they raised was already fat and healthy enough to be slaughtered.
Wei Lian felt that he had gained some weight recently and wasn’t as slim as before. A certain morning when he got up to change, he found that his sash was no longer loose. Feeling a tremendous shock, he began to lose weight immediately.
He still had a high regard to his appearance. Although the Qin Emperor didn’t show mercy to beauty, there was even less mercy for an ugly man!
More importantly, he must stay vigilant even in peacetime. The Qin Emperor had been too good to him for a long time, and he would start to become insensitive after a long period of comfort. It wouldn’t be good if he happened to anger the Qin Emperor during a lax moment.
He wanted nothing more than to eat and sleep well. But he also didn’t like the idea of having his life in someone else's hands. Not to mention the poison he had taken. With the Qin Emperor’s temper, who would be laughing and joking with him one minute, and sentencing him to death for some unknown reason the next. It was too dangerous to interact with such a person, he wanted out as soon as possible.
There was nothing worse than foolishly putting one’s life in another's hands due to their kindness.
He had been planning for his escape by faking death for a long time—after his coming of age, to be more precise. Not any time before, as there was a high chance of a fake death becoming a real one. Shifu's description of his death was quite frightening.
He had never wanted to be trapped in the royal palace for the rest of his life. Only a brambling
born in a cage would be willing to be kept, but he was a swan who dreamed of flying in the vast sky.
It was better to die than be trapped.
* * *
The most important thing right now was his weight loss plan.
In the past, Wei Lian could practice his sword in the Chu Palace’s deserted courtyard. Now however, with the Qin Emperor’s eyes everywhere in his own palace, as a feeble gentleman, Wei Lian had no other choice but to go on a diet.
As it was visible on the dining table when the Qin Emperor helped himself to meat and vegetables from the food pile, while Wei Lian did not touch any of it. He only picked the lighter dishes.
The sharp Ji Yue asked in a soft voice, “Does Wei Lian not have an appetite?”
Wei Lian shook his head. “I prefer a lighter meal these days, thanking your Majesty for your concern.”
Li Fuquan immediately said, “Wei Shijun, as Shijun, it should be you who serve the Emperor. How could you let his Majesty worry about you.”
Wei Lian looked at him and said nothing.
The palace workers showed sympathy in their eyes.
Li Fuquan: “???”
Why did he feel like something was wrong? He had only been recuperating his injuries for three to four days. Why did the whole world change when he came out?
Ji Yue put his chopsticks aside and said indifferently, “Watch your tongue.”
Li Fuquan's heart trembled, not knowing which dragon whisker he touched again.
He had been with his Majesty for twelve years now. There were countless eunuchs who served his Majesty since he was a child, but Li Fuquan was the only one who achieved the title of head eunuch, he always did what was best for Ji Yue. His sincerity couldn’t be faked.
He had never witnessed true love from his Majesty. His Majesty used to love this rabbit so much as a child that he would sleep with it at night, sharing his thoughts with it as if it was a human being and feeding it the best carrots and greens.
But during one visit from the Empress Dowager, it ran over and was picked up by her, being praised as cute. As soon as she left, his Majesty sent it to be made into a stew.
When the Empress Dowager visited again in the evening, his Majesty invited her to stay for dinner. She found this braised meat dish on the table quite good and had to ask, “Yue-er, what is this dish?”
The twelve year old boy smiled softly. “It's the rabbit that Mother Empress held during the day, Mother, is it still cute after you tasted it?”
The Empress Dowager’s expression changed immediately as she stormed off.
The list of such things was endless. Li Fuquan understood that maybe his Majesty might be fond of many things, but they were all fleeing interests and would never last long.
So when he heard that Wei Shijun was favoured, he didn’t take it seriously.
He had forgotten that whether his Majesty disdained Wei Lian or not, he couldn’t offend Wei Lian now at least.
He had overstepped his authority and had indeed committed a crime towards his Majesty.
Li Fuquan, who had regained his senses, immediately knelt down and pleaded, “This servant overstepped his bounds.”
“Do not repeat your mistake.” There was nothing showing on Ji Yue’s face. “If there is a next time, don’t blame us for not remembering old sentiments.”
Li Fuquan rose, shaking like a leaf. “...Understood.”
“Also…” Ji Yue felt that ‘Shijun’ title was a bit unpleasant to his ears, as if he had insulted the young man for nothing. “Pass the order down, the palace will treat Wei Lian as a gentleman and with the courtesy of a lady. Do not treat him lightly.”
Li Fuquan bowed. “Understood.”
When he exited Yangxin Palace Hall, he immediately shivered from losing the indoor heat. He found he was drenched in cold sweat.
He ordered the young eunuch to pass on his Majesty's decree, and leaned on the doorframe to wipe his sweat, thinking to himself.
Now it appeared he would need to take Lian Gongzi for real, but he wondered how long the younger man could maintain his Majesty’s favour?
“It will naturally be longer than you think.” A gentle voice came from behind. Li Fuquan was so frightened that he almost had a heart attack as his back hit the wall.
Wei Lian smiled. “Head eunuch, be more careful.”
Li Fuquan instinctively shuddered again, and had this ridiculous misconception. He felt that although this gentleman had a soft smile, it was exactly the same as that of his Majesty. A smile concealing its sharp edge.
“Wei Shi...” As soon as Li Fuquan opened his mouth, he remembered his Majesty's order, and hastily changed his address. “Gongzi Lian, why are you out here?”
“Getting some fresh air.” Wei Lian said kindly.
Li Fuquan gave a salute and took his chance to take his leave. “Then this servant will dismiss himself...” He didn’t really want to interact with Wei Lian, feeling this person was a bit dangerous.
...As dangerous as his Majesty.
“I wanted to speak with the head eunuch too.” Wei Lian added easily.
Li Fuquan stopped dead in his tracks.
».. the younger man could maintain his Majesty’s flavour?« favour
Aaaah, I don’t know how it happened but this novel was removed from my reading list on NU and I just realised it now QAQ But on the bright side… I have much to read :3
So, thx for the ch ٩(｡˃ ᵕ ˂ )و