He is going to find Ji Xiao Yue to cry to.
Wei Lian lowered his eyes at this annotation. His long eyelashes covered the calm sea in his eyes.
“Wei Lian, Wei Lian!”
A hand waved in front of him.
He came back to his senses and the book in his hands was snatched away during his moment of distraction.
“What’s so good about this book? You are not even listening to us.” Ji Yue quickly tossed the book away. “You’re not allowed to read it.”
Wei Lian raised his head. “What did you just say?”
“...” Ji Yue repeated, “We just said that the Chu Empire’s envoys will arrive tomorrow.”
Wei Lian took it in. “Oh.”
What did that have to do with him?
Seeing that the younger man was indifferent to the news, Ji Yue dropped the topic. Presumably, the Chu Empire did not hold a place in Wei Lian’s heart. Wei Lian was already a meticulous virtue to his home empire by attending to his duty as the hostage prince, what else should he be concerned about?
“The other five envoys will be in Qin soon and they will be staying in the palace. You will handle arranging their stay.” Ji Yue said.
Wei Lian lacked complete interest. “So troublesome.”
“Lazy fox.” Ji Yue tapped on his forehead. “You have the Luan Seal now, you have to do the work as well.”
Wei Lian gazed up with a trace of hope in his eyes. “Can I not do them?”
Ji Yue stressed cooly, “You, can, not.”
Wei Lian dejectedly leaned back.
Bixia Hall…
“Aslan! Aslan!” Myrna ran in from outside, causing pleasant jingling sounds from the silver bells decorated all over her body.
She had completely forgotten her misery from this morning. “I saw a man today when I was out! He is very good-looking!”
Aslan immediately warned, “This is not the place for you to fool around.”
Generally, any man praised as good-looking by Myrna would eventually turn up in her bed.
With a place like the palace, how the heck would he know if Myrna took an interest in a noble or a eunuch?
“Alas, that’s not the main point. The point is, I think he is the one who stole my huanhun pill.” Myrna said firmly, “I did some snooping. He is a hostage prince sent by the Chu Empire. He has to be the Qin Emperor’s male pet, that—” As soon as she turned around, she found that Aslan was looking at her like a fool.
“Do you have a fever?” Aslan crossed his arms. “Since he is favoured by the Qin Emperor, how could he appear outside of the palace last night?”
“I have doubted my discovery as well, but his voice and figure are too much alike. My intuition can’t be wrong!” The more Myrna thought about it, the more she found it was fishy. She still felt that Wei Lian was connected to the man in green from last night. Her intuition had always been accurate, and she believed it did not fail her this time.
“Do you have any evidence?”
“...No.”
“Don’t assume without evidence.” Aslan cautioned, “You can’t touch people under the Qin Emperor.”
Myrna curled her lips and did not rebuke, but inside, she still had not given up on verifying her intuition.
“Oh, that’s right.” Myrna suddenly remembered something. “He also told me not to wear the colour purple, saying how the Qin Emperor disliked this colour. Why did he tell me this? Was it out of kindness?”
She got caught up in tangled thoughts. “Was I wrong about him? But he is really similar to the man from last night…”
“...Then go change your clothes.” Aslan closed his eyes to keep the last of his patience.
* * *
On the eighteenth day of the first month, the Chu Empire envoys arrived in Qin.
“Gongzi, where should the Chu Empire’s envoy be arranged?” The female minister bowed and asked.
Wei Lian sat in front of the window and admired the freshly blooming flowers on the branches, replying off-handedly, “To Fuyun Hall.”
“In addition, arrange the Yan Empire to Ningyue Tower, the Lu Empire to Yulong Pavilion, the Chen Empire to Tanxiang Pavilion, and Xia Empire to Chenshui Fortress. Don’t bother me about this in the future.” Wei Lian arranged all the empires at one time without much extra effort.
The female minister was about to be drenched in her cold sweat after listening to this arrangement. “Will Gongzi not reconsider?”
In the last two centuries, there had been many wars between and within the seven empires. Among them, the feud between the Lu Empire and the Chen Empire was infamous, the Yan Empire launched an attack on the Xia Empire in the past, and there had been many disagreements between the Liang Empire and the Chen Empire.
As for the Chu Empire, they had always been the Qin Empire’s enemy.
Yulong Pavilion is adjacent to Tanxiang Pavilion, and across stands Bixia Hall. Chenshui Fortress was located behind Ningyue Tower.
Was Gongzi not afraid of conflicts arising from this arrangementHere is a simple version of the layout, in colour :3c!! I wasn’t sure if Bixia Hall was across from Yulong Pavilion or both pavilions, so I just merged the cells and called it a day.
?
“No need to reconsider. The arrangement is final.” Wei Lian turned his head.
Conflicts? It would be even better if they started throwing punches.
This would be his entertainment for this gathering.
“...Understood. This subject will arrange this.”
“Wait a moment.”
The female minister stopped and was hopeful. “Did Gongzi change his mind?”
Wei Lian asked, “Who is coming from the Chu Empire?”
Was he finally showing a tad concern for his home empire?
The female minister replied, “According to the messenger, the Chu Empire’s main representatives are Prince Yan and the military officer in charge of the military affairs.”
Wei Lian paused. “I see. You are dismissed.”
“Understood.”
The female minister stepped back. Wei Lian sat alone in his palace for a while before getting up, announcing, “Let’s go to Fuyun Hall and have a look.”
Fuyun Hall…
“What kind of place is it? It is so small. Can a person even live here?” A handsome young man dressed in a fine outfit scowled at the indoor furnishings in disgust. “Is this the hospitality the Qin Empire treats their guests with?”
Another man with a resolute and stunning face said in a deep voice, “Jiu 九 Nine. So he is the ninth prince.Gongzi, we are not guests in the Qin Empire. Please cease your ill temperament.”
Yan Gongzi’s mother was Yan Fei, who pampered him greatly and consistently for a decade. Therefore, he was very spoiled beyond the limits. The Chu Empire was his playground, he could cause disturbances without hidence. Hard to tell what kind of pillow talk Yan Fei whispered to sway the Chu Emperor into making Yan Gongzi the Chu Empire’s representative.
This annual tribute could have amazing results if done correctly, and vise versa, it would be a disaster if done badly. Yan Fei wanted her son to win glory, but she didn’t consider her son’s actual ability to get the job done. If everything went smoothly, zero contributor Prince Yan would take all the credit. If something went wrong, it would be the accompanying military officer who would take the blame.
Qiao Hongfei’s mood dropped the more he thought about it. In the Qin Empire, the Emperor was heaven and the princes were earth, but neither of them could handle major events. Was there any hope for his empire?
Among the Chu Emperor’s many sons, Qi Seven. Wei Lian is the seventh prince. Gongzi was the most sensible man…but it was a pity. Qiao Hongfei couldn’t help sighing at the thought of the handsome Gongzi.
If Qi Gongzi was actually Yan Fei’s biological child, he would never have become a tribute to the Qin Empire.
Especially with the recent news—he heard that Qi Gongzi was reduced to nothing but a pet to the Qin Emperor…the immortal figure in his head was disgraced and disrespected by others, even the onlookers could not bear to watch it. What was more, Gongzi is his wife’s younger brother and the source of her concern.
Thinking about Qi Gongzi’s situation as well as witnessing the arrogant and domineering Jiu Gongzi, Qiao Hongfei could only feel a burst of muffled gloom inside.
Suddenly, a clear and pleasant voice sounded, like a spring breeze, blowing away the gloom inside of Qiao Hongfei.
“Lord Qian, long time no see.”
A young man in white suddenly entered the room leisurely, it was as if the moment he stepped into the room, everything turned brighter.
He brought radiance everywhere he went.
Qiao Hongfei stayed stupefied for a long time before greeting, “Qi Gongzi.”
He cupped his fist and bowed.
Wei Lian waved his hand. “There is no need for Lord Qiao to be so polite.”
This modest and polite attitude was night and day from Wei Yan’s bossy manner all throughout the journey.
Qiao Hongfei inspected Wei Lian carefully. He didn’t notice it immediately, but he found that the young man was graceful, had a better complexion, and astonishingly beautiful. Not the same as the haggard and thin figure in his imagination.
It was obvious that the young man was livelier than during his days in the Chu Empire.
Did the Qin Emperor really treat him that well?
“How has Gongzi been?” Qiao Hongfei asked with a rasping voice.
“Everything is fine.” Wei Lian gently replied, “What of my sister? Is she doing well?”
It had been five years since Wei Xiang married Qiao Hongfei at the age of seventeen. The reason why Wei Lian was familiar with Qiao Hongfei was that on the eve of Wei Xiang’s marriage, the fourteen-year-old Wei Lian broke into Qiao Family’s house at night, placed the edge of his dagger against the military officer’s neck and warned in a low vice, “If you treat my sister badly, I’ll slice your throat with this dagger.”
That was when Qiao Hongfei learned that the most concealed person in the palace was Lian Gongzi.
Since then, Qiao Hongfei really cherished Wei Xiang in every way and took in no concubines.
“She is fine, only thing is she misses Gongzi very much.” Qiao Hongfei shared.
Wei Xiang and Wei Lian were childhood playmates. Before Wei Lian was six, the second daughter, Wei Xiang, was his best friend. However, after Wei Lian was adopted by Yan Fei, he gained a new identity, and Wei Xiang became only acquaintances with him, interacting with only a nod.
Even if they were in the same royal family, their mothers' identities were different, as well as their unequal status in being different genders. Wei Lian did not care for these things, but Wei Xiang did, as someone who knew the restrictions from her learning.
Even so, Wei Lian was still Wei Xiang’s most cherished younger brother.
The same younger brother who she built a snowman and flew paper kites with when she was a child.
When Wei Lian went to the Qin Empire, the one who was the most concerned was not the Chu Empire, nor Yan Fei, even less so Wei Yan.
It was Wei Xiang.
Before Qiao Hongfei left on this trip, Wei Xiang even cried in his arms. She sobbed, “The day I got married, A-Lian wished me a united marriage between me and you, with mutual respect, many children and a worry-free life. Now I’m living well, but he went to the Qin Empire. I don’t know how many difficulties and hardships he suffered. Would my husband be so kind as to check on him on this journey to the Qin Emperor, to see if he is doing well? If so, please return to this wife with great news. I will be relieved. If not…” When saying this point, she became incoherent from the intensity of her tears. Qiao Hongfei was jolted into coaxing his beloved wife in his arms.
It was rare to have such pure feelings among the royal family.
After hearing this, Wei Lian felt warmth inside. Before he could reply, he heard Wei Yan’s eccentric tone, “My royal brother had been away for so long, and instead of asking after father, mother, and me, your brother. You paid regards to a subordinate. It turns out we are inferior to him in my brother’s heart.”
Raising his eyebrows, he continued as well as increasing the maliciousness in his words, “I heard that my older brother has come to the Qin Emperor’s bed. How was it? How does it feel to be on his bed? Did the Qin Emperor bring brother pleasure?”
There were no secrets among the seven lands, it was nothing surprising to have planted spies from other empires. Even if the Qin Emperor had the least amount of saboteurs, there were some that were deliberately left alive by Ji Yue for the purpose of passing false news.
Wei Lian also learned later that when he was pressured by Li Fuquan the first day he entered Yingxin Palace Hall, when Li Fuquan received thirty lashes, while the others were put to death. It turned out Ji Yue didn’t do it for him, it was because those people were foreign spies and Ji Yue seized the opportunity to remove them for good.
No wonder the one man who got his tongue cut off shoutedIn chapter five., “Tyrant! The Qin Empire will perish with you.” Ji Yue was called cruel only because he launched a war against the six empires. In the Qin Empire, he was the people’s beloved ruler.
How could someone from the Qin Empire bad mouth the Qin Emperor, as well as cursing the Qin Empire to perish with the Emperor.
Ji Yue really…would not kill innocent people outside the battlefield.
Because on the battlefield, no one is innocent.
Wei Yan was insulted that Wei Lian did not react to his words, while Qiao Hongfei was fuming with rage, as if smoke would come out of his ears.
If Qi Gongzi hadn’t endured humiliation and shouldered heavy burdens, how would this Jiu Gongzi hiding in the Chu palace live such an enjoyable and peaceful life!
A Gongzi who does not respect his elder brother, using such vulgar language, he was like mud, vastly different compared to the noble and benevolent Qi Gongzi who was like the clouds.
Wei Lian showed a shallow smile. “Decent, better than your ‘snap of a finger’.”
Wei Yan was extravagant and debauched. He had touched a woman at the age of thirteen, since then, he’d mingled with different women over the following two years. Because of his inadequate capability, a rumour started to circulate that ‘he was done with a snap of a finger’, which the other brothers used to tease Wei Yan with for ages.
It had also become a lifelong disgrace for Wei Yan.
“You!” Wei Yan snapped in anger, then he sneered, “You are all talk now. Even if this noble one is just that, I am not the one who is being humiliated under the crotch of a man. Does it hurt? I wonder how much pain my older brother’s lower body is in, having to serve someone daily.”
Qiao Hongfei immediately voiced out, “Jiu Gongzi, watch your tongue.”
Wei Yan scolded, “You speak out of turn, subject!”
Qiao Hongfei tightened his fists, restraining himself from conducting physical offence.
Wei Lian remained calm, as if he was watching a clown performing.
His ninth brother had been spoiled since he was a child. When Yan Fei finally gave birth to her own child, it was natural for her to pamper him in the palm of her hand. Wei Yan befriended a gang of scoundrels—in the group, he was a scoundrel with fancy pants. Acting with no royal etiquette at all, instead, he picked up one hundred and ten percent of his manners from the ruffians.
As an older child, Wei Lian warned Wei Yan not to get close to those vile characters. However, Wei Yan was narrow-minded and selfish, he viewed Wei Lian as a parasite who stole his mother.
So he stole everything from Wei Lian, as well as belittling him whenever he was the slightest bit discontented. Even straight out saying that Wei Lian was a son of a bitch and would steal his mother because he was unwanted.
Yan Fei’s feelings for Wei Lian were genuine, but she remained firm on her son’s side even after that insult.
As this kept repeating, Wei Lian began to pay less attention to the mother and son.
Their kinship was formed from mutual benefit in the first place, and no one was indebted to anyone.
He didn’t owe them.
During the past, living in the Chu Empire, Wei Lian did not bicker with Wei Yan for Yan Fei’s sake. Now in the Qin Empire, if Wei Yan insisted on being rude, he would teach Wei Yan on how to be a better person.
But he didn’t want to do it himself.
He has a husband now, hmph.
He is going to find Ji Xiao Yue to cry to.
Hahaha, I love it how lazy WL is xDD Go cry to your husband >3
Thx for the ch (ㅅ˘ㅂ˘)