Chapter 2: First Encounter

Wei Lian had enough of the days of hardship.

He can endure suffering, but it did not mean he wanted to continue to be like this.

In the Chu Palace, before he was six years old, he was a poor little thing that no one cared about. He lived a life that was no different from the small eunuchs in the palace.

At that time, there was a favored consort who had already entered the palace for two years, but carried no child, and therefore couldn't balance her feet in the harem. Wei Lian took note of the timing, and purposefully ran into imperial flower garden to knock into the consort's arms. The servants immediately reproached him in saying that he did not have eyes, and wanted to drag him out to beat him with a stick.

"Don't know where the little eunuch that wasn't taught proper etiquette came from. How dare he knock into mistress."

Little Wei Lian raised his head, revealing his snow white cute face, and stubbornly said: "I'm not a little eunuch; I am Prince Lian."

This is actually a prince.

The favored consort hurriedly made people release him, and sent people for inquiry. Only then did she discover that this child was the Chu Kingdom's seventh prince. His mother had died early, and he was alone in the palace with no one to rely on.

This was pretty similar to herself. The favored consort had a moment of self-pity. Her clan was not of high status, so she had nothing to rely on in the palace but the king's favor. But, how long could this favor last? The palace doctor said her body was weak, and it would be hard to get pregnant. To be in the palace with no child to protect her is not favorable in the long term.

Now that she met the seventh prince, a new idea started to be born.

After that, the favored consort began to pay attention and take care of Wei Lian. Wei Lian also pretended to not know anything, and gave looks of yearning and adoration towards the favored consort. After the people in the palace saw the change in wind, his days also became easier to pass.

Another month later, the favored consort still did not have a child, and finally gave "It is lonely in the palace, I wish for a child to accompany me," as a reason to take Wei Lian to live under her wing. Naturally, the King of Chu would agree to his favored consort's request.

Because of this, Wei Lian fully got rid of the ridicules and insults, as well as his life of hunger and cold.

The favored consort held no motherly love towards Wei Lian; there were just needs and benefits. She believed that the child didn't know anything, but didn't know that Wei Lian knew everything.

As a six year old child that year, his heart of mind was already as clear as a mirror. He had already calculated this scenario before he purposefully knocked into the consort in the imperial flower garden.

Wei Lian didn't need a poignant mother's love. The favored consort needed a son to stabilize her position; he also needed backing to better his situation. In the exchange of interests, each take what they need, nothing more.

He did not mind to have an extra mother.

He did not expect that after only half a month, the favored consort was found to have a pregnancy pulse. Since she had her own son, she also became colder towards him. As Wei Lian didn't cry or whine, the favored consort started to have some pity. She thought of this child as a lucky star, and because she adopted him, it's not like she can kick him away and make herself seem cruel.

Wei Lian continued to live well.

It's just that when the pressure of the Qin army came, and the Chu Kingdom needed a hostage, Wei Lian was still the one that was of least importance.

It was easy to be given up.

_

He knew how to look after his own interests when he was that young, so how could he not now?

No one knew more than Wei Lian of how snobbish and pragmatic the people in the palace were. He can be pushed around by anyone today because he is disliked by the king. But if he entered the king's vision, he can pick whatever delicacies he'd like tomorrow. There would be fast horses to send it even if it was the lizhi that was 800 miles away.

So the issue came.

He needed to first meet the King of Qin.

According to the animosity between the two kingdoms, it would be merciful if the king didn't kill him, not to mention summon him.

There's no way if he expected the other to contact him first.

If the mountain doesn't come to me, then let me go to the mountain.

Wei Lian grew up in the palace, and often saw the tactics the concubines used to fight for favor. He didn't want the king to be wholly devoted to him; he just wanted to raise some points of interest, so it can be easier to survive in the palace.

He hasn't seen the king yet because he had heard of the rumors.

King Ji Yue of Qin, the cold-blooded war maniac, is cruel and merciless. His brothers all died from fighting for the throne, and in the end, the queen dowager was the one who supported the nine year old Ji Yue to the throne. She proclaimed to be handing over power, but in reality looked upon the young king as a puppet.

However, when the King of Qin was fourteen, he had already eradicated the dowager's relatives, and personally cut off the head of the prime minister. He uprooted all the officials who opposed him, wiping out nine generations of their family. At that time, there was a river of blood in the city of Yong Ping, even the sky looked as if there was a crimson color to it.

Then he locked up the queen dowager for multiple months, and at the prospect of the everyone's criticisms, granted her the white sash (to hang herself).

He used a lightning quick stratagem to suppress inner turmoil, and set his target towards the six kingdoms.

At fifteen, he destroyed Xia.

At sixteen, he cut down Chen.

At seventeen, he fought Liang.

At eighteen, he continuously took over Yan and Lu.

At twenty-one, he attacked Chu.

Never lost in war.

The people who respected him praised him as a natural god of war, fated to be born as king. The people who feared him denounced him as the Yama (king of the underworld) on earth, a tyrant.

.....This had nothing much to do with Wei Lian.

He only knows that this person is extremely difficult. He wanted to raise the king's interest, but if he didn't do it right, it would be to send his life.

He needed to try at least.

The King of Qin didn't set up a harem, and hasn't shown interest towards anyone. Relationships with men are trending now, but no one knew whether the king liked men or women, not to mention what type.

Wei Lian is thinking of how to set up his own character that can raise the king's interest.

In the eyes of those who only ever thought of fighting to take over the world, they probably doesn't know to be kind or treasure the jade.

It is definitely not feasible to be subservient and seductive. The king probably saw many of these types of people. Wei Lian would also be disgusted to act like this.

A noble and clean personality, aloof and proud?

That doesn't do. If he's so lofty why would he go seek the king? This cheap trick of being both welcoming and rejecting cannot be presented to the king to lose face.

Then.....show off my abilities and go neck in neck with him?

The strong would feel a desire for domination. Except before that happens, he would be probably be dragged off and chopped. The King of Qin would not allow a threat to remain by his side. Any king wouldn't.

Wei Lian continued to reject several proposals, and felt this was a huge headache.

How could he vie for his affections when he doesn't even comprehend the King of Qin?

Wei Lian reopened a small slit of the window, and the cold wind that blew in front of his face awoken his spirits a bit.

The sky is already somewhat dark. The servants on the palace lanes are still sweeping the snow, and there was also a eunuch overseer that was urging people to work.

His thoughts moved.

Green Bamboo Court was situated in a remote place and usually had hardly anyone around. This palace lane was also the only way to reach the cold palace. At night, it was cold and creepy, and even fewer people walked pass this lane.

The snow fell for several days, but no one felt the need to sweep it until today. This means there's someone important that is going to pass by.

The Qin palace didn't have any concubines. An event like a favored consort haughtily going towards the cold palace to ridicule a ruined consort is not something that can happen. Then the person passing by can only be.....

the King of Qin.

This is a once in a lifetime opportunity.

The king's whereabouts are not easy to track. Wei Lian was originally thinking about how to coincidentally meet the king. Now he knew how with no effort put in at all.

Wei Lian had sought some information from palace maids before. Allthough he was not welcomed by the Qin people, he was born with a good visage, and was polite and elegant. He easily wooed a bunch of palace maids who had blushing faces and pounding hearts into spilling whatever he asked.

For example, he learned of an event.

The king's birth was also not high. His mother was the out-of-favor Yun concubine. When he was little, he lived with his mother in the cold palace, and they only had each other.

Yun concubine went crazy in the cold palace, and on one particular snowy night, jumped down a well, leaving behind her only a pair of footprints in the snow.

Afterwords, when the King of Qin ascended to the throne, he was controlled by the queen dowager. He never went to look for the dried well where his mother died.

Only when the queen dowager died did he command people to take his mother's remains and bury them properly.

Whenever there was snowfall at night, the young king would sometimes go to the cold palace to sit for a while on the small, dusty, and decaying bed.

Or stay for an entire night.

_

Wei Lian thought in some aspects they were pitifully similar.

The difference is, he doesn't even have a childhood with a mother, and so there was no warmth to seek for.

The King of Qin was originally the queen dowager's chess piece, but in the end the chess piece flipped over the chess board, and refreshed the power relationships of the world.

Wei Lian is the Chu Kingdom's abandoned piece, and whether this forsaken chess piece can refresh his useful value, no one knew.

At present, Wei Lian closed the window, and tugged his snow fox garment. 

When he was about to get up, Chang Shou couldn't help but ask: "Prince, where do you want to go?"

Wei Lian pushed the door: "To go wait for the rabbit."

Chang Shou quickly spoke: "Prince should add another piece of clothing!"

"No need. Also, you guys are not allowed to follow me." If he didn't have a thin body with few clothes on, how could he reveal his miserable living conditions?

"Ah, prince! This——" Chang Shou helplessly looked towards Chang Sheng, "It is cold outside!"

Chang Sheng stopped him: "The prince has his own plans."

_

The accumulated snow was very deep. Even the palace lanes that were already swept were slippery. One could slip with the slightest inattention. The servants that were sweeping had already finished and left. The entire ground was a field of white. 

Wei Lian stood in the wind and snow wearing a white cloud brocade gown wrapped in a snow fox shawl. His black hair flowed like satin behind his back, his lips were red, his teeth were white, and his features were like a work of art.

His outfit came from the Chu Kingdom. He was considered a tribute, so it could not be too cheap. The Chu Kingdom valued the color white, and was fond of large sleeves that floated like air. The outfit made Wei Lian seem even more elegant and ethereal.

Wei Lian didn't wait too long. From far away, a black dragon sedan was carried over. The front and back had twelve palace servants, a eunuch manager, and several guards. It was mighty and showy.

Even if one was close to deaf, one would not miss this spectacle.

Wei Lian's ears slightly moved, and pretended to just find out as he turned his body. His fox shawl grazed against the floor, producing a nice looking spin.

He looked at the sedan, seemed startled for a moment, then lowered his eyes and quietly knelt in the snow. 

Opposite of the Chu Kingdom, the Qin Kingdom valued the color black. A black dragon carved sedan with twelve attendants made it very easy to know who was coming.

As the sedan moved closer step by step, Ji Yue noticed the youth that was kneeling by the road. 

There were multiple people who kneeled on the journey, and not one received a gaze from Ji Yue. But this one could not be ignored.

The youth kneeled in the snow, and wasn't blocking the path. His eyes were lowered, revealing a white long neck and flawless side face.

His lips were gorgeous, as if they were a red plum blossom in the snow. 

There was a natural delicate aura to his figure.

As the sedan was about to pass, Ji Yue willfully commanded: "Stop."

The eunuch manager Li Fuquan immediately cried out: "Stop!"

The sedan was stably put down.

"Who is that?" Ji Yue asked as he sat on top of dragon sedan.

Li Fuquan hurriedly asked in a loud voice: "Who is ahead?"

Wei Lian clamped his lips, and pressed his forehead against the ground in serious etiquette. Only then did he get up and reply: "Hostage Wei Lian greets the King of Qin."

Wei Lian.

This name is very unfamiliar.

But, Wei is the surname of the Chu Kingdom.

Ji Yue thought for a moment, and finally remembered that half a month ago, the Chu Kingdom came to negotiate for peace, and sent many treasures and a hostage. In Ji Yue's heart, the hostage and the lifeless items were the same, merely spoils of war.

His close attendant asked him how he should handle the Chu Kingdom's hostage.

Originally, he thought of killing him, but then changed his mind, and said: "Put him in the harem."

His intentions were indeed to humiliate him, but since he was busy with many things, he had already put this to the back of his head.

Looks like this is a rare beauty.

However, Ji Yue was not interested in beauties. He is usually moody and unpredictable. He can be willing to ask Wei Lian a question now, and at the next moment suddenly kill him.

Ji Yue straightened his body: "The air is cold and the ground is freezing, why do you remain outside?"

Wei Lian remained kneeling and didn't dare look up.

But he could hear the king's voice that was young and melodious.

It was completely different from the shady and harsh voice he had imagined.

Translator Notes: 

Looks are annoying to translate because 4 word metaphors in Chinese is 10-20 in English. Also, it seems redundant in English.

Me: Haha let's just cut some words and metaphors that make no sense in English

*kneels down in repentance*

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