“I am envious that you have someone as powerful as myself.”

When Ji Yue heard this, he immediately lifted up his eyes that contained millions of hopeful lights. “Really?”

Li Fuquan replied, “It is absolutely true.”

Ji Yue still could not believe it and asked once more, “You are not deceiving us?”

Li Fuquan confirmed, “This servant would never dare to deceive the Emperor.”

Ji Yue looked down at the glass lamp on the table before suddenly pulling a faint smile at the corner of his lips, got up and entered his chamber. 

He pulled out his favourite imperial black robe that he wore the most in the past and carefully inspected. Sure enough, he saw a different gold thread on a piece of dragon scale, which was different from the other threads with their faded colour, but the needle work was fine and perfectly blended into the robe, as if it had been on the robe since its creation. 

He gingerly held his robe in his arms, and a wet glow was slightly rippling in his intoxicated eyes. 

Even the moonlight outside the window was not as tender and affectionate as that. 

* * *

A new problem arose before the old was solved. The death of Princess Chonghua caused panic. As soon as the assassination incident happened, the palace’s atmosphere became rigid. 

Ji Yue was well aware of everything regarding the so-called assassin, but he of course could not admit that he planned and executed this scheme all by himself.

So the poor Chen Empire took the blame again.

They were already carrying one pot, carrying another pot made very little difference, since both crimes were capital offences. 

If anyone was to blame for this, it would be Huyan Kemu’s lack of ability to make discerning judgments. To provoke power beyond his own. It would be a shame not to use him as a target after his hardworking jumping racket. 

So the other envoys got the news: They found the assassin’s identity, which was done by the people of Chen Empire who tried in vain to release the prisoners. When they failed their operation, they intended to attempt assassination. 

As soon as this notice came out, the Chen Empire was sure to die. Ji Yue politely asked the other envoys to return to their respective lands. Then he sent a declaration of war to the Chen Empire and ordered Xie Chen to lead an attack soon.

Although some envoys found this whole matter strange, the Qin Emperor already issued the order to expel the foreign envoys, they had no reason to stay any longer. They could only obey the order and set out on the journey home. 

When Chang Shou heard the news, he vented, “They should be annihilated! The Chen Empire went too far, injuring Gongzi like this.”

Wei Lian leaned lazily against the headboard. As he was forced to be bed bound for several days, he was going to start mouldering from being so leisurely. At this moment, after hearing Chang Shou’s angry words, he only stretched out his index finger and thumb, making a gesture in the air. “Do you see this pot? It is so big and black.”

Chang Shou was stunned. “This servant does not see anything?”

Wei Lian glanced at him and was ashamed to have such a dumb servant. 

Chang Shou patted his head. “Oh, this servant got it. Gongzi is hungry for food, right? This servant will inform the imperial kitchen to prepare a big pot of food! This servant will ensure your meal will be very delicious!”

“...” Wei Lian waved. “You are dismissed. I do not need an attendant as stupid as you.”

Head filled with nothing but food.

Chang Shou felt he was wronged. 

What did he do?

“Are all the envoys gone?” Wei Lian asked. 

Chang Shou replied, “The Yan Empire was the first to go back, carrying Princess Chonghua’s coffin. The Lu and Liang Empire also left yesterday. Only the Chu and Xia Empires are left, they are scheduled to leave today.”

There was still the Chen Empire of course, who could not return—being locked in prison.

Wei Lian thought for a moment. “Help me up from the bed.”

The colour on Chang Shou’s face was shocked away. “Gongzi, you can’t! You have not recovered yet. The imperial physician instructed you not to get out of bed and move!”

“I have been in bed for three days.” Wei Lian sighed, “Am I not even allowed to go out and bask in the sun?”

The injury on his leg was not serious, it was just a flesh wound. The real serious injury was his left arm, which would not hinder him walking. 

However, Ji Yue came to visit him every day these days. Every time the older man looked at his wounds, he would stop talking and there would be this complicated emotion in his eyes. So much so Wei Lian thought he had some incurable disease and would not live long.

“Go and prepare my brush and ink.” Wei Lian ordered, “I want to write a letter to my sister.”

What else could Chang Shou say? In the end, he compromised, “Understood.”

* * *

This was not as simple as basking under the sun.

A lazy man like Wei Lian must have a purpose if travelling while wounded. 

He arrived at Fuyun Hall.

Two days ago, after Ji Yue had ‘found the murderer’, he politely asked the envoys to leave and told them not to stay to cause any more trouble. The Yan and Liang Empire returned home yesterday. It was said that the Chu Empire’s Wei Yan’s injury had not healed. He could not stand the fatigue of the boat and carriage, so he had to rest for another day, which was why their departure was dragged to today. 

Of course, Wei Lian did not come here to pay a visit to his younger brother, he came to find his brother-in-law.

Qian Hongfei was surprised by Wei Lian’s visit. He was quickly welcomed and offered a place to sit. 

“Why is Gongzi out and about?” Qiao Hongfei peered anxiously at Wei Lian’s bandaged arm under his sleeve. 

He actually had many questions. Such as how someone as masterful as Gongzi could be hurt by a mere assassin? But he had to restrain himself for fear that the walls had ears. 

“Since you, the great military officerHe is pretty much saying 'you'. The address is ‘Tai Wei Da Ren’ or 'the great military officer' plus the title of respect toward superiors (da ren). It is very awkward to translate…
, will be leaving today, I wrote a letter home. I would be troubling you to please deliver it to my older sister.” He handed the two letters to Qiao Hongfei and whispered, “There are many secrets in the letters. Do not show them to others.”

Qiao Hongfei paused and quietly accepted the letters. “It is this subject’s duty. Gongzi can be at ease.”

“Then I won’t disturb the officer.” Wei Lian nodded and got up to leave. 

Qiao Hongfei saw Wei Lian out the door. 

He returned back inside and opened the two letters. One was a letter to Wei Xiang, and the other one was…

A letter to the Chu Empire’s former general who was wrongly killed in the past. 

Qiao Hongfei’s eyes turned serious as he quickly scanned through the contents of the letter, stored the two letters back in their envelopes, and pretended that nothing had happened.

* * *

Wei Lian came out of Fuyun Hall. Before he walked far, he met a young man halfway.

The man had fair skin, a very gentle and handsome appearance, overall, a good-looking gentleman. Although he could not rival Wei Lian’s beauty, or be as charming as Ji Yue, he was still pleasant to the eyes.

When the man saw Wei Lian, he nodded and saluted slightly, and then walked away from their encounter.

Wei Lian just glanced and went on without giving much thoughts.

Chang Shou from the side said, “That’s Heng Taizi of the Xia Empire.”

Taizi (太子): Crown prince. 

Wei Lian said with a straight face, “I am aware.”

He knew far more than Chang Shou.

* * *

The Qin palace was neither too big nor too small. When he met Ji Yue midway, Wei Lian felt that the palace was too small.

Ji Yue’s face turned gloomy upon seeing him as he came forward and chided through his clenched teeth, “Why aren’t you staying in your palace to recuperate? Why are you out here running around?”

Wei Lian replied, “I am so bored.”

Ji Yue wavered. “Speak normally.” This was not the Wei Lian he knew!

Wei Lian said bitterly, “This subject has been lying in the house for three days and is going crazy. If I don’t come out, then I will be even stranger than usual.”

The palace workers behind him covered their mouths and snickered. 

Ji Yue maintained his cold face and went to hold Wei Lian.

Wei Lian hurriedly dodged. “Your arm has not healed yet. I don’t want to be dropped.”

Ji Yue paused. He knew that Wei Lian was worried about his injury.

But why do you have to say something so caring in a manner that is asking for a beating!

Ji Yue took Wei Lian’s hand with his other hand and said, “Then go back with us.”

Wei Lian listened and let himself be dragged away.

As soon as they arrived at Yangxin Palace Hall, Ji Yue dismissed the palace workers with a wave of his hand. Wei Lian broke free of Ji Yue’s hold and wiped his fingers clean with a handkerchief.

Ji Yue frowned. “Are you disdaining our touch?”

Wei Lian glanced at him. “If I remember correctly, you have not changed out of this robe for three days.”

Ji Yue: “...”

“Although you are hurt, you still have to wipe your body and change your clothes. I know you like this one very much, but you can’t be like that either.” Wei Lian said contemptuously, “You disappointed me. I told you I like to be clean. I cannot live with you if you are like this…”

Ji Yue said word by word, “It—is—because—you—repaired—these—clothes—yourself.”

Why would he wear this robe for three days straight! Treating it like a precious treasure.

He is the Qin Emperor. No one would say anything if he switched thirty outfits in a day. Who was he doing this for!

To be disdained from beginning to end.

Ji Xiao Yue was wronged. 

Wei Lian abruptly stopped talking.

He studied Ji Yue and finally remembered that he mended a hole in this imperial robe.

“Pff—” Wei Lian poofed out a laugh. 

Ji Yue’s face became gloomier. “What are you laughing about?”

Acting like he did not want to keep his reputation?

He knew this would damage it.

Wei Lian fell down on the chair with a smile. If his hand was not injured, he might have smacked the table. 

Ji Yue’s expression was wooden.

“Piteous Ji Xiao Yue.” Wei Lian tried his best to stop laughing with no avail. He leaned over on the table as his shoulders trembled with each laugh. 

Ji Yue warned, “We are angry!”

We are very angry!

“Don’t. Don’t be angry.” Wei Lian coaxed him, put his chin on his shoulder and said with a smile, “Once I am well, I will make you an outfit from scratch.”

How could there be such an adorable person in the world? To wear a robe he mended for three consecutive days.

Ji Yue huffed, “We want two.”

“Certainly.”

Ji Yue continued to push, “And a pair of shoes.”

“Consider it done.”

Ji Yue’s eyebrows and eyes raised. “As well as an embroidered pouch.”

“Of course.”

Ji Yue’s eyes brightened. “As well as—”

“Leave if you add anymore.” He had no patience to do needlework every day.

Ji Yue mumbled, “...Oh.”

He looked back at Wei Lian and asked, “Why do you know needlework as well?”

He thought the biggest treasure in the palace was the tong shi female minister. 

Today he just learned that the biggest treasure was right beside him. 

Wei Lian could simply do anything. 

Except cooking. 

That badly burned roasted fish left a very deep impression.

“Ah, it was an accident.”

It was indeed an accident for Wei Lian to pick up needlework.

It was a required feminine arts for the girls to learn, he should not have come into contact with it at all. 

But there was this one time when he was practising acupuncture in his room, Wei Yan broke into his room and was pricked by a silver needle. Yan Fei asked him why there were silver needles in his room and wanted to confiscate them. Wei Lian replied that they were embroidery needles. He was going to make an outfit for the Emperor as a birthday gift. 

Since it was a birthday gift for the Chu Emperor, of course Yan Fei did not say anything more.

In order not to expose his lie, Wei Lian had to stay in the palace embroidery workshop for a day and picked up the skill afterward. 

Ji Yue was convinced. 

He felt that there was only what Wei Lian did not want to know, and there was nothing Wei Lian could not learn.

Other than cooking. 

Wei Lian looked at him. “I am envious of you at times.” 

Ji Yue grinned. “What is there to be envious about?”

“I am envious that you have someone as powerful as myself.”

Ji Yue raised his hand and knocked on Wei Lian’s forehead, turned and left, leaving a cold and ruthless back. 

Wei Lian chased after him. When he could not in a few days, he stopped in place and whispered, “...It hurts.”

Ji Yue immediately turned back and nervously asked, “Where?”

Wei Lian stood up straight, knocked Ji Yue’s forehead rudely and showed a triumphant and provoking smile. “It hurts here.”

Ji Yue’s skull was buzzing.

But there was nothing he could do.

Wei Lian, keep pretending. You can just keep pretending.

We will record this. When you are well, we will return this round back on the bed. 

Wei Lian did not know the huge debt he had incurred. He would be very miserable when he paid off this debt in the future. 

Now that he was finished playing around, he immediately returned to business. He sat in a chair, drank a cup of tea to smooth his dried throat and said, “I met Wen Heng on the way just now.”

The next question was even more shocking. 

“When do you plan on dealing with this real culprit?”