“Then Kneel Until the Snow Stops.”

Wei Lian thought for a moment, gazed down and replied, “Seasonable snow is an omen for a prosperous year, therefore, snow is an auspicious sign. Wei Lian felt joyful at the sight and came out to admire the snow.”

He still didn’t have a grasp on the Qin Emperor’s temperament. He had to be very careful in his wording so his head wouldn’t end up rolling on the ground.

Auspicious conversation was always a safe choice, as no one disliked hearing it. 

But who would have thought the faint command from the man above was, “Remove his tongue.”

Wei Lian: “???”

Why didn’t this guy play cards according to common sense?

Wei Lian made a quick decision and immediately bowed down. His tone remained calm, “Was what Wei Lian said wrong?”

This finally piqued Ji Yue’s interest. 

If the other party acted frightened and howled for mercy upon hearing his words, then the person was a weakling with just a pretty face. Those types didn’t deserve his attention—just let his guard cut out their tongue. But Wei Lian’s expression didn’t change, he even dared to ask a question, such unusual behaviour. This kind of courage was most impressive. 

Only because of his interest, Ji Yue was willing to explain to the younger man. Otherwise, if the countless people to die at his hand all begged a reason, then there would be no end to the talking.

“Seasonable snow means a prosperous year for my Qin Empire. As someone sent as a hostage from the Chu Empire, who just lost the war, you’re just afraid your hatred towards the Qin Empire would show. What joyful feeling? Aren’t you just deceiving this Emperor? The punishment of deceiving this Emperor is the removal of your tongue.”

Ji Yue said with a smile, “If you say that now you’ve arrived in the Qin Empire, it makes you a subject of the Qin Empire, then this means you’ve abandoned your family and home, we do not like this type of oily-mouthed and smooth talking.”

“Young Master Lian, how about you give us a reason to keep your tongue.”

In a few sentences, he blocked all Wei Lian’s retreats and threw this difficult question back to him.

Wei Lian answered in a warm voice, “Wei Lian is guilty. Just now, I was deceitful. The Chu Empire is often cold, and would snow all year round. During Wei Lian’s childhood, he often played with his mother in the snow. Now he’s alone in the Qin Empire, he sees the snow yet he doesn’t see his mother, this brings a slight sadness.”

It wasn’t wise to argue before the Emperor. Wei Lian quickly admitted his crime, but he must not be stopped here.

Otherwise, his sentence would be carried out. 

He needed to arouse the hidden compassion inside of the Qin Emperor. 

The Emperor had a cold heart, but his mother was a weakness. If not, why would such a mighty person visit the cold palace on a snowy night so often. Presumably, when the Qin Emperor was a child, he also enjoyed the love of his mother, who was now dead. Now the Emperor viewed this old scenery to seek the person whom he missed. 

Wei Lian couldn’t say that he missed his homeland, as it was the enemy empire. If he said so, it would only increase the Qin Emperor’s murderous intention. 

He could only say he missed his mother. 

Although he had never met his birth mother and the play sessions with his adoptive mother were scheming with no true feelings behind them. So what?

As long as he could deceive the Emperor for the time being. 

In fact, this whole convoluted planning was just within the space of a breath. Wei Lian was still bowing on the ground, looking as if he was at the Emperor’s disposal. 

Once Wei Lian finished, the Qin Emperor was silent for a long time. 

“Seeing snow yet not mother…” Ji Yue seemed to be moved. “It is said that no material luxuries could replace a person.”

Wei Lain was secretly relieved. He should have passed this level. 

Since this was the response, then he could keep his tongue. 

Ji Yue smiled again. “Since the Young Master Lian likes snow so much. Then kneel here until the snow stops. Li Fuquan, proceed.”

When Li Fuquan heard the order, he immediately shouted, “Raise up—”

The imperial litter was lifted up again, and the mighty honour guards passed in front of Wei Lian, and soon he was left far behind. 

Wei Lian lowered his eyes, a perfect respectful and yielding figure.

But inside of Wei Lian’s heart: That fucking Ji Yue!!

* * *

Wei Lian was kneeling throughout his first meeting with the legendary Qin Emperor. His head was either lowered or he was kneeling on the ground to apologise humbly. Not once did he look up at the Emperor’s face. 

That voice was pretty nice, but the words it shaped were void of humanity. 

He knelt in the snow while hacking Ji Yue into pieces countless times inside his head. 

Being in contact with the Emperor was indeed hazardous.

The Qin Emperor was definitely colder, more tyrannical and more moody than the rumours. 

If anyone else was to walk out of this gate of the Underworld, they would be drenched in cold sweat from the fear. 

But not Wei Lian. He remained extremely calm. He just had the urge to kill a man with the surname Ji. 

There were eyes everywhere in the Qin Empire palace. He didn’t know how many pairs of eyes were locked on him from the dark, so he didn’t dare to lower his guard. 

In order not to arouse suspicion, he didn’t even use internal strength內功 is the art of building up one's strength through breathing and other internal exercises.
to protect his body.

He must not expose his martial arts ability. 

This was his trump card. The persona he picked to play was a delicate Young Master who was wise and calm, but unaccustomed to physical work. With only wisdom, the Emperor could treat him differently, but with martial arts...only death awaited.

There was no way the Qin Emperor would take a viper to his bosom.

* * *

This kneeling lasted deep into the night. 

Without his internal energy’s內力 also called Internal Strength / Internal Power / Internal Force. The cultivated energy (qi) within a martial artist’s body. Utilising it, a martial artist can accomplish superhuman feats of speed, agility, strength, endurance, etc… It can even be used to heal wounds and nullify poisons. Also enables the use of weapons, talismans and sometimes music to defend or attack. Lan Zhan's guqin use is an example of music being used as a weapon and for soothing/healing. protection, Wei Lian’s body was no different from that of an ordinary person. At most, he was slightly more sturdy. After two time periodsThe two-hour subdivisions used in ancient time. The time was divided into the twelve zodiac animals. So one time period equals two hours. of kneeling—or four hours—his complexion grew paler.

His knees were in extreme pain.

The coldness entered his body, the overwhelming biting cold nibbled away at his bones. He coughed a few times, and the corner of his eyes reddened from the temperature. 

Endure it. 

To achieve his goal, he must endure hard-ship and suffering.

He didn’t want to eat lychees anymore. He just wanted to exhume a certain person’s corpse for public displayIdiom of 墳頭鞭屍, to put a corpse on display (after execution)..

The faint moonlight sprinkled down and coated the snow with a layer of silvery frost. 

Just when he thought he was near fainting, a familiar black imperial sedan finally came into sight. 

Wei Lian lowered his eyes and straightened his back again.

* * *

Ji Yue sat in the cold palace as usual. Originally, he wanted to spend the night here, but he suddenly remembered a certain someone. 

In fact, he didn’t get to see the young man’s face. He only remembered the beautiful and slender neck, and also a slightly thin chin. 

Wei Lian was it?

If he was to rest here, that man would be kneeling in the snow all night. 

Ji Yue shouldn’t have cared, but a thought kept returning for no reason. 

How cold a snowy night was.

The night of his mother’s death, there were two sets of messy footprints left on the snow by the well.

Mother was pushed down by someone. 

And that someone was the Empress Dowager, who was dead the moment he presented her the white silk. 

The Empress Dowager needed a son as a puppet Emperor, and that child didn’t need his biological mother. 

His mother died for such a reason. 

Since then, snowy nights like this had become the coldest place in his heart. 

To kneel for an entire night. Even if the person didn’t lose their legs, they could still get a long-term illness. 

Why should he make it difficult for a child who only missed his mother?

This was a rare case of a tiny amount of human emotion inside the Emperor, as he got up draped his cloak over his shoulders, got on to his imperial sedan and rode back to the palace. 

* * *

Sure enough, Wei Lian was still kneeling there.

The young man was thin, with snow falling on his hair. His fur coat was spread in the snow, completely blended with the white snow. 

The body was trembling yet the back was still straight. 

Like a lofty and unyielding plum blossom in the biting cold. 

Unfortunately, even the real plum blossoms would lose their petals from such cold weather, scattering in the mud and being covered by the ice and snow.  

Ji Yue waved to stop the litter and ordered Wei Lian, “Raise your head.”

Upon hearing the command, Wei Lian raised his head obediently. 

The moonlight allowed both of them to see each other’s faces. 

They were both stunned. 

Wei Lian had imagined what the Qin Emperor looked like. 

The Emperor’s reputation among the people had never been good. He stirred up wars many times, causing countless commoners to leave their homes, either for relocation or because they were now homeless. Among the people, he was the living King of the Underworld used to scare children. So it was understandable for people to craft a ferocious image for the Emperor.

While among the royalties of the six empires, they described the Qin Emperor as handsome, but with a gloomy temperament. Very sharp appearance that made it hard for people to look him in the eyes. 

But in fact...there was none of that fiend-like ferociousness or gloomy horror. 

He was just a good-looking young man. 

A dignified black robe couldn’t hide his youth. His inky hair was dense like clouds, dark eyes were like the stars, and all five facial features were carefully carved and gifted by heaven. 

There was a smile in those eyes, like all the stars in the sky assembled in those bright eyes, fading out in the dim light of night.

Who would have thought this was the Qin Emperor. 

Wei Lian’s surprise was completely captured by Ji Yue’s gaze. 

Ji Yue knew that the hostage prince sent by the Chu Empire was a beauty, but he never expected him to be this shocking. 

The younger man’s complexion under the moonlight was fair as snow, with thick, black hair, and skin like white jade. An appearance anyone would fall in love with.

The corners of his eyes were slightly red, and his frozen white lips were pursed up, revealing a hint of grim beauty. 

The palace workers were stunned speechless, and only two words were in their mind.

Otherworldly beauty. 

Were they still in the mortal world? ...It was clearly essence birthed magically from the snow, the only way for someone to obtain such thrilling beauty. 

Who would not be captivated by such beauty? 

* * *

“Come up.” Ji Yue said. 

Wei Lian was startled as he slowly got up on his somewhat trembling legs.

When he stepped on the step bars, he lost his balance for a moment and his whole body fell forward. 

A warm embrace caught him in time. 

Ji Yue chuckled and kept his hands out. “Why is it that you’re so cold?”

Inside Wei Lian’s head: ‘You would be this cold if you also knelt in the snow for two time periods, thank you.’

On the surface, Wei Lian appeared at a loss as he uttered with a shivering tone from the cold, “Qin Emperor…”

Ji Yue united Wei Lian’s fox fur coat, which was covered with freezing snow, then covered him back up with a thick, fur blanket, and said warmly, “Lean against us.”

Wei Lian: ‘If you say so, then don’t mind if I do.’

His whole body was very cold. When he fitted snugly into Ji Yue's arms, for the older man, it felt like he was hugging a big ice cube. 

Ji Yue tightened his arms without changing his face. 

The imperial sedan’s seat was not designed to fit two people. Wei Lian weakly shrank into Ji Yue’s arms and greedily absorbed the other’s body temperature. 

The cold seemed to have frozen his brain into confusion as he put aside all the rules and etiquette and leaned against Ji Yue’s chest without any formality. 

The Qin Emperor’s embrace was very warm.

Wei Lian found a source of heat and didn’t want to let go. 

He didn’t consider whether he would cause the Emperor to be cold. He was eager to freeze the dog-of-an-EmperorWhen describing a person as a dog (狗), it could be positive like 'royal and cute', but it could also be negative like 'shameless or worthless', it's most likely the latter based on the context. into an ice sculpture and then break his frozen body into pieces to vent his hatred.

Ji Yue lowered his gaze so he could see the young man’s face, pale from the cold, and the long, delicate curly eyelashes covering his eyes. 

He did things according to his mood. He could be holding the person in his arms now, and it would be possible for him to leave the younger man halfway along the road later. 

Looking at the freezing man’s loveable and helpless appearance, Ji Yue felt that he was in a pretty decent mood. 

The mood should remain long enough for him to bring the youth back to the YangxinNourishing Heart Palace Hall.

* * *

Li Fuquan quietly glanced at the young man held in his Majesty's arms and sighed over the latter’s unpredictable mood. 

Ordered the person to kneel in the snow for four hours one moment, took the person back to the private chambers the next. 

But this Lian Gongzi was indeed a stunning beauty. If he wasn’t a rootlessLi Fuquan is a eunuch. person, he would be excited already.

He wondered if he should make some preparations. If his Majesty planned to be intimate with Lian Gongzi tonight...Ah, no, he must first order his underlings to prepare a fragrant bath for Wei ShijunWei Lian's title given by Ji Yue., and other things to ease the process as well. 

As he was thinking, they reached the Yangxin Palace Hall. Wei Lian dazedly got off the litter, but as soon as he stood up, a sharp pain on his knees caused him to immediately sit back down.  

He hissed in a breath softly and knitted his brows. 

Ji Yue noticed these signs as he suddenly carried the younger man in his arms, strode off the sedan and stopped into the Yangxin Palace Hall. 

Wei Lian was caught by surprise and quickly put his arms around Ji Yue’s neck. He didn’t dare to jabber something like ‘put me down’.

Otherwise, with the Emperor’s temperament, the man might really drop him down on the spot, in a way that directly removed both his arms. 

When Li Fuquan saw his Majesty carrying the Gongzi himself, he repositioned the importance of Wei Lian internally. 

It seemed that after tonight, there was finally luck for the Qingzhu Pavilion.