Chapter 127: Side Story 2: Gifts

In the 1265th year of Tianhe, the fourth month of early spring. At this time, the Tianhe Continent had already been unified by the former Qi Emperor Wei Lingfeng, who established the national title as Qi.

After more than a year of recuperation, the Tianhe Continent gradually shifted from widespread poverty and ruin to prosperity and peace, with abundant troops and supplies. The stable, comfortable life brought smiles to the people's faces, and they sincerely revered and thanked the timeless emperor who had given them a happy, tranquil existence.

The Cheganlin Imperial Palace, its imperial garden filled with brocaded blossoms, birdsong, and fragrant flowers—a truly vibrant spring scene.

Yet this beauty still seemed to lose some of its luster before the stunning women in the garden whose eyes fluttered and smiles were faint.

The group of palace‑clad women, graceful in countless ways, gathered around the jade steps before the Shadow Pool, chattering merrily.

"Sister, I heard that Lady Chu gave birth to a dragon son— is it true?" the speaking woman, wrapped in snow‑white silk that highlighted her delicate figure, wore a light pink veil that reflected her snow‑like, flower‑lovelier face, making her even more enchanting.

The one addressed as 'sister' was clearly the leader; she wore a cyan silk dress, and though her looks were not as youthful and radiant as the others before the steps, she possessed an indescribable serene elegance that no other woman could match.

She spoke lightly, her voice soft and pleasant like pearls on a plate: "Qin sister, you're right. Yesterday morning the Emperor just returned from Xin Yun Palace and said Lady Chu indeed gave birth to a little prince."

The women's expressions changed at once; after a moment, the pink‑clad Qin Jieyu forced a smile and said, "This is the second prince our Qi has scarcely managed to obtain; of course the Emperor is pleased and values him. As for you, sister, you truly have a big heart!"

The cyan‑clad woman smiled indifferently and said nothing.

The other women, seeing her nonchalant demeanor, felt increasing resentment. When a blue‑clad woman spoke, her tone laced with heavy sarcasm, she said, "We could never match your generosity, sister. Otherwise, how could you alone capture the Emperor's favor and retain your prestige? Moreover, your status as Imperial Noble Consort is truly unparalleled in the palace…"

The cyan‑clad woman was Qianqian. She heard the sour‑tinged words and couldn't help a light laugh, then grew slightly melancholy. As she was about to speak, a black‑clad guard hurried past, heading toward the Emperor's office in Fengyin Hall.

"Lin guard." Qianqian, for some reason, called out to him at that moment and asked, "Why the hurry?"

The Lin guard abruptly halted, turned, and saw the myriad enchanting women in the imperial garden; he froze, his face flushing as if water could drip from it. Only when the women's tinkling laughter rang out did he snap out of his reverie, bowing quickly and replying, "Ma'am, there is a strange foreign merchant insisting on seeing the Emperor. I was about to request permission from him…"

"Foreign merchant?" Qianqian was startled and said, "On the Tianhe Continent, where could there still be a foreign country?"

The Lin guard had fully regained his composure and, upon hearing, said gravely, "Ma'am, Prime Minister Wen also found it odd, which is why he didn't drive him away. But that yellow‑haired fellow… cough… the foreign merchant's language is incomprehensible to us; the only sentence we could barely make out was 'I want to see the Emperor.' Hence I brought his token here to request an audience."

Qianqian lightly furrowed her brows, then gave a faint smile and said, "Thank you, Lin guard; you may go quickly."

The Lin guard forced an awkward smile, his posture stiff yet courteous, prompting another round of giggles from the women below. He hurriedly turned and sprinted toward the nearby Fengyin Hall as if fleeing.

For a moment the jade steps returned to their earlier soft chatter and subtle scheming, yet Qianqian felt unable to focus, her heart pounding incessantly as if foretelling an imminent event.

"Bang—!!" The palace gate of Fengyin Hall was violently slammed open; the sound and force were so great that the women by the jade steps were shaken, all looking up dumbfounded.

A tall, slender figure cloaked in violet burst from the hall, clutching a white silk whose corner bore a red emblem. He leapt to Lin guard's side and, trembling, asked, "Where is the visitor?"

The guard was clearly petrified; as one of the Emperor's personal guards, he had never seen the young man lose composure like this. Even after accomplishing unification and becoming a timeless emperor, he would merely smile calmly and ascend the throne with ease.

The urgent, angry words rang in his ears, almost a low roar: "I ask you a question!"

The Lin guard startled, cold sweat covering him, fell to his knees with a thud and stammered, "In… in Chengqian Palace, Prime Minister Wen is…"

A violet flash flickered before his eyes; when he recovered, the person he had been kneeling before had vanished without a trace.

The women at the jade steps stared blankly as the violet, handsome figure faded away, only then regaining their senses. Several patted their flushed cheeks, silently wondering if that just now had truly been the Emperor.

"Is it you?" Qianqian lowered her head, ignoring the startled gazes, murmuring to herself. Tears welled in her eyes as she looked at the flower‑like reflection in the water, and, trembling, said, "It must be you who has returned, Ying Ruo."

The silent white‑clad woman suddenly spoke, "Sister, are you talking about Empress Qin Ning?"

Qianqian snapped her head up, seeing a pair of autumn‑water eyes with infinitely complex glints. Her heart tightened, and she forced a smile, "Sito sister, what you said I can't understand."

The white‑clad woman gave a faint smile, blooming like a lone orchid in a quiet valley; her voice was sweeter than water droplets striking a jade plate: "Sister, why deceive yourself? The divine lady who descended from heaven and returned to the skies is treasured by the Emperor, revered by soldiers as a celestial being, and her empress position remains eternally vacant for her."

"In fact, the women in the harem don't believe those rumors, yet they know clearly: the only person the Emperor loves in his heart is her! — Empress Qin Ning!"

The road to Chengqian Palace was neither long nor short, yet it gave Wei Lingfeng enough time to calm himself. Thus, upon entering the grand hall, he reverted to his usual detached serenity and noble bearing. Only the hands hidden beneath his wide sleeves trembled, no matter how tightly he clenched his fists.

"The Emperor has arrived—!"

Wen Ce, hearing that startled, unprepared shout, couldn't help exhaling a sigh of relief. That yellow‑haired fellow, besides demanding to see the Emperor, answered everything nonsensically and kept darting about, poking this and that, which truly gave him a headache.

Wen Ce seized the blond‑haired youth who was about to move the precious antique, pointed at the slowly approaching Wei Lingfeng, and said, "The Emperor has arrived… don't you understand? …Em‑peror…"

The blond youth's complexion was fair, his cheekbones high, undeniably delicate. Upon grasping Wen Ce's words, his brown eyes lit up, and he bounded three steps to Wei Lingfeng, scrutinizing him from head to toe, continuously uttering praises.

After a long pause, he asked in a stiff tone, "You… are… the Emperor?"

Wei Lingfeng smiled and nodded, understanding that the youth likely took "Emperor" as his name. He thought the youth might be deliberately misleading, feeling both annoyed and amused.

"Ah—ah—" The brown eyes stared unflinchingly at him, occasionally flashing a thumbs‑up, while his mouth muttered incomprehensible sounds.

Wen Ce, seeing his insolence, frowned, a murderous glint in his eyes. Wei Lingfeng gave him a cool glance and said, "Wen Ce, you go down first. Arrange a residence and find a few clever maidservants to attend to him."

Wen Ce was startled; the glance already carried a warning. He quickly bowed, "I obey your command," and withdrew.

The blond youth, seeing everyone leave the hall, caught a flash of admiration in his gaze toward Wei Lingfeng. He tossed his not‑very‑long golden hair, uttered a few words, still completely unintelligible.

Wei Lingfeng was unhurried; he knew that since Bing Yi had given him a silk handkerchief stamped with a purple phoenix, she would certainly devise a way to resolve the language barrier.

As expected, after speaking for a while, the blond youth saw Wei Lingfeng remain unperturbed and somewhat bored. He reached into his coat, produced a bunch of keys, and, still haltingly, said, "The key, outside… the red box, Bing Yi said… give you…"

The youth's eyes widened as he realized the key he had been holding had vanished. He spread his empty hand, awkwardly smiling at the handsome man before him.

Wei Lingfeng flicked his hand, seized the key, looked at him, and said calmly, "I will order someone to arrange your lodging… thank you…"

The blond youth stared in astonishment, uttering several incomprehensible remarks, then gracefully turned and left. As he passed the doorway, he whispered a few instructions to the black‑clad man beside him.

The lofty, noble aura was undeniably innate.

"OhMyGod!" the blond youth muttered to the retreating figure, "Bing Yi, why don't you tell me Huang Shang is as terrible as Qiran actually? You nearly killed me!"

When Wei Lingfeng entered Fengyin Hall, the red box had already been quietly placed in his sleeping chamber.

After sending everyone out of the hall, he tightened his grip on the key with his slightly sweaty hand and stepped forward. With a "crack—" the bronze lock fell, and Wei Lingfeng opened the wood box wrapped in red silk, instantly staring dumbfounded.

Inside were a dense stack of over a dozen small boxes; he gave a helpless laugh, glanced at the key in his hand, and thought, "No wonder the string is so large."

The ten‑plus red‑wood boxes varied in size; the largest fit into the big box but occupied only a third of its height, placed at the bottom. The remaining boxes were stacked in order, oddly leaving almost no gaps. Each bore a strange symbol, some familiar as if seen before.

Inside the lid was tied a red rope, from which hung a sealed letter written in elegant script: "Wei Lingfeng, read this first." It truly left him both amused and exasperated.

He took it, unfolded it, and read carefully. He recalled the utter despondency he felt when first reading that letter in Maochang, now feeling a completely different mood.

Wei Lingfeng:

Enjoy the letter.

Didn't expect I'd deliver a letter to you this way, huh? The youth who delivered it is named Jason, a renowned marquis from the Aifei Continent we passed through. He's witty, quick‑learning, a diplomatic genius! Besides bringing my letter, he also brought many specialties from Aifei to present to you, so you must treat him well. Perhaps this will be the Tianhe Continent's first step toward foreign trade cooperation!

Wei Lingfeng, when you receive this letter, have you unified the world? Ascended the throne? Has the Tianhe Continent driven you crazy? …Hehe, just kidding. I only want to ask whether you still remember to smile often.

Wei Lingfeng paused, a wry smile tugging his mouth, and continued reading.

Not right? Ah, I knew it. Look how hard I've been, taking your sincere heart to travel the world, making it happy, yet you don't keep your promise. Be careful I'll go get glue to flatten your forehead. -_-

Actually, I just wanted to tell you that we're doing great. We've already visited several continents, and the name 'Wuyou' is known far and wide. Although dangers and conspiracies still appear, and we've had worries and conflicts, our mood is relaxed and our hearts are happy. So you don't need to worry about us; we really are doing well.

Enough small talk. Now it's my turn to properly introduce the gift we prepared for you. These are the fruits of our heart and blood; you must not take them lightly.

Do you see the box labeled '1'? Open it with the key bearing the corresponding number. Yes, that's the one at the very bottom—take it out, have you opened it? … Remember, obey the order; you're not allowed to open any others first!

Wei Lingfeng smiled helplessly, despising himself for having to take out all those little boxes one by one before opening the red sandalwood box marked '1'. He flipped it open, somewhat dazed—it was… a thick stack of paintings.

Wei Lingfeng reached out and carefully took the thick stack of paintings, placing them on the desk, then flipped through them one by one, growing more shocked as he looked. Some paintings are exquisite and lifelike, depicting various local customs, street architecture, mountains and rivers—clearly Qiran's meticulous brushwork. Others have simple, austere strokes, showing martial arts moves, attack postures, and weapon forging—clearly Bubu's hand. The remaining third have immature brushwork and rough execution, yet brim with vitality; among them are oddly shaped vessels and various clothing and foods—needless to say, naturally left by Bingyi.

Wei Lingfeng silently listened to the sound of pages turning, feeling unable to restrain the warm current surging in his heart. These over a hundred paintings, each delicate, soaked with heart and blood, could not have been completed in a day or two.

He roughly flipped through the paintings, then put them back into box number one. He took out the letter and continued reading carefully.

Did you see those paintings? I wish we had a digital camera—then the three of us wouldn't have to suffer so much drawing at every place we go. Well, now open boxes 2, 3, and 4. These contain respectively Qiran's collected medical texts, Bubu's integrated martial arts principles, and my records of various delicacies' cooking methods. Don't think they're useless; for a state, these are basic livelihood. You can extract the good parts, pass them to specialists, and let them spread widely among the people—perhaps yielding unexpected gains.

The contents of boxes 5 and 6 were organized solely by Qiran. It seems that after experiencing so many countries, he summarized many policies beneficial to your governance, as well as detailed local customs, administration, culture, etc., for you to study against those illustrations—should be helpful to you.

Box 7 contains a kind of long-lasting preserved food we ate in Afeier Country, specially brought for you to try. Box 8 holds a very peculiar little side sword we saw on Yixiu Continent, and…

……

Box 16, sigh, finally the last box. Wei Lingfeng, hearing Qiran say that the sixteenth of the first month is your birthday, I had Jason bring this out on that day. Although I don't know when this wooden box will reach your hands, I still want to say: Happy birthday! …

Wei Lingfeng's whole body jolted violently; he could not stop his eyes from reddening and his fingers from trembling. Last month on the eighth, the palace had held a national celebration for his birthday, even granting a three‑day amnesty. Yet no one knew that day was actually Wei Lingfeng's birthday, not Xiao Qixuan's. Just a brief 'Happy birthday,' merely a simple box of gift—only this … and that's all. He gave a faint smile, already regained his usual composure, and continued reading.

In this final box is the birthday gift I alone prepared for you. Open it and you'll find a book of jokes I carefully fabricated and collected… Well! I admit I'm boring, but I really couldn't think of anything else to give you. Besides happiness, what else could you lack? You lack nothing at all. So here are three hundred—one a day, after a year I'll arrange for someone to send you the second joke book, our three gifts, and the 'Wuyou Tianxia Lu' we're compiling. Thereafter, each year will be the same, until the day we return.

Wei Lingfeng, your earliest dream, your first longing—do you hold it in your hand? It is not greed for worldly power, nor yearning for the supreme throne, but… the deepest longing and wish in your heart. If you have already been stepping toward your dream, then what reason is there to give up, what reason to make yourself unhappy?

No matter how far you go or how long you travel, the Tianhe Continent will ultimately be our home, our place to return. Wei Lingfeng, I hope you can govern this state well, treat your people kindly, and furthermore hope… that you may be happy and joyful.

Sincerely!

Tianhe 1264 Year 1, January 16, 3 a. m. (?)

Shui Bingyi

Wei Lingfeng carefully folded the letter and laid it flat in his palm; for a long while he simply gazed at it with a faint smile. A delicate warm current trickled through his heart, a faint warmth barely perceptible, giving him an indescribable sense of comfort and ease.

In an instant he felt amused, realizing that for a moment he felt fortunate that he had never been abandoned by them…

What a chaotic mess of thoughts—Wei Lingfeng couldn't help raising his hand to wipe his forehead, smiling with three parts bitterness, seven parts helplessness, and a hint of something refreshing. 'I must have been corrupted by that girl,' he thought.

His slender, crystal‑clear fingers picked up the finely bound *Happy Every Day*; the childish cover left him dazed for a while. Then he shook his head with a light smile, Wei Lingfeng holding the book in one hand and gracefully turning the first page with the other—the neat, elegant black ink characters instantly came into view.

Happy Day One.

A day‑long travel boat encountered a storm at sea; the passengers threw overboard everything in the cabins, yet they could not stop the ship from sinking. There were eight people aboard: Li Da, Li Er, Li San, Li Si, Li Wu, Li Liu, Li Qi, and a child. Some of them had to jump into the sea to halt the sinking, but nobody wanted to give up hope of survival. So they finally decided to decide life and death by telling jokes, drawing lots to determine the order; if the joke made everyone laugh, no one would have to jump to their death.

The first to draw a lot was Li San; although he lamented his bad luck, thinking of his usual eloquence he wasn't afraid. His triangular eyes rolled around, and he began to speak vividly:

"Once there were three men: Zhang San, Qin Si, and Wang Ermazi. They traveled together in winter, and because it was freezing they sought shelter in a farmer's house to escape the snow. But the farmer's hut was too small—only two could squeeze inside, so one had to sleep in the pigsty. They drew lots; Zhang San lost and had to go to the pigsty. After a while, Zhang San came back holding his nose, saying the pig was so stinky he couldn't bear it and would rather freeze to death. Qin Si had no choice, so he took Zhang San's place in the pigsty. After a while, Qin Si also came back holding his nose, saying the pig was not just ordinary stinky—he too would rather freeze. Wang Ermazi, with no alternative, went to the pigsty himself. Soon after, the pig came over and said, 'Who are you? You reek!'"

Everyone on board burst into laughter; Li San was feeling proud, yet he noticed Li Wu wearing a blank expression, not a hint of a smile. In despair, he had no choice but to leap into the sea.

Today's joke is finished; to find out what happens next, listen to tomorrow's installment. (PS: No peeking ahead!)

Wei Lingfeng gave a slight smirk, thinking: 'Not funny, but truly stupid.' He then turned the page without a care, just to pass the time…

I said, Wei Lingfeng, you didn't listen to my advice, right? You flipped back again, right? Fine, then keep reading.

Wei Lingfeng startled, his heart inexplicably thumping—could this girl have schemed against him? He steadied himself, then thought he was overreacting, and continued reading.

Happy Day Two.

After Li San jumped into the sea, the boat continued to sink; the next to draw a lot was Li Da. Though not as lively as Li San, he also gave a decent performance:

"Once there was an official surnamed Zhang, whose temper was especially hasty. One day he went to visit a colleague; they were drinking tea and chatting when a servant hurriedly reported, 'Bad news—word from home says your sister has died.' Zhang immediately burst into loud sobs, grief‑stricken. His colleague, sitting nearby, also cried a while, seeing his sorrow, couldn't help asking, 'Your sister died—why are you crying so hard?' Zhang started, 'I was crying in such a rush I didn't notice—actually it's your sister! I'm also puzzled, because I don't even have a sister!'"

The result was still everyone laughing, except Li Wu, who remained bewildered. Li Da let out a mournful howl and, helpless, had to jump into the sea as well.

Today's joke is finished; to learn what happens next, listen to tomorrow's explanation. (PS and again PS: We told you not to peek ahead.)

Wei Lingfeng narrowed his eyes slightly; his long, fair ten fingers gleamed as if with molten light, and he swiftly flicked the page over.

Wei Lingfeng, you really lack the bearing of an emperor! How can you be so impatient, so uncultured? We told you not to flip ahead, yet you did. I gave you such sincere advice—if you don't listen, don't regret it later!

Wei Lingfeng's mouth twitched; he stopped minding those nonsense remarks and continued reading:

Happy Day Three.

The boat was still sinking; the third to draw a lot was Li Qi. Li Qi was not good with words, and he haltingly finished a story:

"There was a man who loved learning; he sold his possessions and traveled far to apprentice for three years in dragon‑slaying techniques. When he returned home, the villagers asked what he had learned, and he demonstrated by gesturing how to press down a dragon's head, step on its tail, and cut open its neck… The villagers laughed and asked, 'Where would you find a dragon to slay?'"

After he finished, none of the others laughed. Li Qi, disheartened, was about to jump overboard when Li Wu suddenly burst into loud laughter.

Everyone found it strange and asked him why he was laughing.

Li Wu wiped away the tears from his laughter and said, 'I was just thinking, Li San's joke just now was really funny!'

Seeing this, Wei Lingfeng couldn't help pressing his lips into a smile, thinking: 'This joke is at least somewhat original.' As he pondered, he realized this entry wasn't finished yet—two blank lines remained below with more story—so he continued reading, a faint smile lingering.

Although Li Wu had laughed, Li Qi had lost and therefore still had to jump into the sea. The boat's sinking slowed; it was clear that tossing over one more person would allow a safe return, so the remaining people continued drawing lots.

Suddenly Li Liu's face changed as he pointed at the child in the corner and shouted, 'Hey, there's an even bigger fool here! Lingfeng, come over and draw a lot! What are you laughing at over that book? Do you think because your surname is Wei you're the emperor?!'

^_^, today's joke is over, Wei--Ling--feng……PS: For the next two days you'll have no jokes to read.

In the spacious, bright bedchamber, large and small redwood boxes lay scattered on the floor, while the desk was piled with various books and treasures. The elegant man who could be seen daily reviewing memorials at the desk now lowered his head, fists pressed against the page before him; from below one could see his shoulders trembling uncontrollably.

When Qianqian entered, she saw exactly that scene. Before she could speak, the man on top raised his head. The smile on his face had faded somewhat, but his emotions were clearly not yet detached from certain places. His extraordinarily handsome visage flushed slightly, bearing a touch of joy, two parts regret, and seven parts unfathomable depth.

Qianqian couldn't help asking, 'Your Majesty, is this a letter from Yingruo?'

Wei Lingfeng nodded, pointing to the boxes on the floor that he had rummaged through into disarray, and said, 'These are all things she had people send over. Some of the contents are for you and for Xinhui and Xinluo.'

"Really?" Qianqian smiled delightedly, 'Then I shall first thank Your Majesty, and also thank Yingruo.'

Wei Lingfeng gave a faint nod, smiling as he carefully gathered the books at hand.

Qianqian leaned forward to glance at the blue‑covered book, unable to resist stepping a few steps closer, curious: 'Your Majesty, what were you just reading? You look so happy. I also want to share…'

"Cough—" Wei Lingfeng's embarrassed expression flashed and vanished; he gave a dry cough, then lightning‑fast slipped *Happy Every Day* to the very bottom of the memorial stack, still uneasy, his left hand idly pressing down on top, his face calm as he said, 'It's nothing. Just a boring classic. Qingyi, I'm a bit tired today, so I won't summon anyone to attend my rest. You should go rest as well.'

Qianqian's eyes dimmed; she bowed low and whispered, 'Yes, Your Majesty.'

After Qianqian left, Wei Lingfeng rather helplessly glanced at the sleeping hall, which had always been clean and spacious, but today he had made it this messy himself. He was about to summon someone to clean it, when his heart suddenly stirred, and he slowly withdrew his hand.

A faint, soft starlight rose in his eyes, carrying hints of the sour, sweet, bitter, and spicy of longing; Wei Lingfeng finally let out a long sigh, summoned attendants to serve him in changing and retiring for the night, but he did not allow them to tidy a single thing in the hall.

(End of Chapter)