Chapter 3 Incompatible Values ​​"What's the use of dating guides...?"

Chapter 3 Incompatible Values ​​"What's the use of dating guides...?"

"Are you a system that guides me in finding love?"

Yes, yes!

After thinking for a moment, Tian Tong added, "Your Majesty's identity is perfect for finding a partner and building a harem!"

The benzoin incense floated softly. Since the Jade Mirror left, the Emperor had some time alone. He closed his book and lay flat on the bed.

Ying Xi had just learned a new word from Tian Tong: dating.

In the Qin Dynasty, there was a similar written expression for this term: 谈婚论嫁 (to discuss marriage).

However, Tian Tong seemed to disagree. He said that dating doesn't necessarily lead to marriage, which puzzled Ying Xi, though he didn't say it outright.

As a newly reborn emperor, Ying Xi tries to understand all the anomalies.

He has excellent cognitive abilities. Although he is at the top, he is proud yet polite. His voice is magnetic and pleasant, which makes Tian Tong extremely satisfied. He is happy to chatter away in front of his host.

"Your Majesty, I will definitely help you conquer all the NPCs in the Qin Dynasty!" Sweet Commander seemed to pat his chest in assurance.

However, it had no image in front of Ying Xi, so Ying Xi could only perceive it through hearing and roughly understand the meaning of the strategy.

Ying Xi asked calmly, "What's the use of strategies, dating...?"

Sweet Tong got stuck.

It's as if a huge problem has been dumped on my head, so macroscopic that it's impossible to describe.

Sweet Tong never expected that its capable and charming host would be emotionally clueless, leaving it somewhat dumbfounded.

However, I tried to enlighten you: "If Your Majesty has a partner, then you'll have someone to keep you company."

Ying Xi glanced through the door at the hundreds of guards waiting there, along with palace maids and eunuchs at their beck and call: "I have..."

"Ahhh, my boyfriend!?"

"Your subordinate."

“Oh. But they can’t confide in anyone; their confidants are their closest friends,” Tian Tong explained. “Your Majesty can whisper secrets and share your innermost thoughts.”

Ying Xi seemed to be deep in thought.

He knew all too well that as emperor, confiding in anyone would only harm himself and others.

Ying Xi calmly stopped her: "I don't need it."

"Well..." Tian Tong still seemed to want to persuade him.

But since they had discovered their differing opinions, Ying Xi had no intention of wasting any more words. The emperor stopped answering, his dignified silence effectively shutting up the system.

Sweetie hummed softly, sounding aggrieved.

Ying Xi: "I will continue to carry out my mission for the time being, so as not to make things difficult for you."

Sweetheart immediately perked up: "Thank you, Your Majesty!"

"You're welcome, get some rest." Ying Xi closed her eyes as well.

Tonight, he abandoned the emperor's eternally supine sleeping position; he lay on his side with his legs bent, his body rubbing gently against the bedding.

Before logging off, Sweetie muttered softly, "I've seen His Majesty's portrait. His Majesty is so handsome, and His Majesty's voice is so similar..."

"Um?"

"Like ice colliding with jade!" Sweet Tong exclaimed with a grin.

***

The night wind stirred the candlelight, causing the flame to flicker. The mourning hall of the Xie family mansion was filled with a dim, ever-changing light. The funeral banners swayed in the night wind, and the paint on the doors was peeling and faded.

In fact, the former Duke of England had already passed away seven days prior.

But now that he had brought back the half of his father's remains, pieced together from the battlefield, to Chang'an, Xie Qianli hoped to keep vigil in Chang'an and guide his father's spirit home.

He had removed his armor and washed away the filth from his body.

But he stayed up all night, waiting in the mourning hall, hoping to hear his father's brisk footsteps suddenly appear outside.

His father was not old, spoke with a strong voice, was kind and generous, and was still able to draw a heavy bow.

He never imagined that his father would be defeated when the enemy and himself were evenly matched.

He never expected that before he knew he couldn't escape, his father would release a falcon to deliver his dying wish: that he continue to be loyal to the court.

The falcon made a few sad coos.

Xie Qianli's profile was tall, with a straight nose. He recalled the moment his father spoke his last words, and at the same time, he recalled Ying Xi's face, which had remained unchanged for many years and was still considered to be exceptionally beautiful.

Xie Qianli's Adam's apple bobbed.

His fingers, which were placed in front of the prayer mat, were taut, the tips almost embedded in the floor, his nails broke, and splinters of wood pierced between his fingers, but Xie Qianli was completely oblivious to the pain.

“General.” Deputy General Feng Ze, his eyes sunken, walked slowly and heavily into the mourning hall.

The Feng family followed the Xie family for two generations. Feng Ze's father was a comrade of Xie Ji, and Feng Ze grew up with Xie Qianli.

Since the death of the Duke of England, Fengze was also devastated and became extremely thin within a few days.

Feng Ze knelt in the mourning hall, choking with sobs, and kowtowed.

Then he reported to Xie Qianli: "I inquired in the court and heard that the emperor saw the memorial announcing the death at noon and then directly ordered a song and dance performance to be arranged in the Shanglin Garden."

This behavior may, as the emperor said, be due to overwhelming grief and a desire to distract himself.

It's also possible they're celebrating in secret.

But most people would assume that Ying Xi was happy to get rid of a thorn in her side.

Feng Ze said with grief and indignation, "General Xie... Duke of Ying... he..." Feng Ze's voice choked with sobs, and he could no longer speak.

Feng Ze had no choice but to put his words into action, and kowtowed several more times before Xie Ji's memorial tablet.

Xie Qianli composed himself, appearing as steady as a pine or cypress.

When his father was still alive, he could occasionally have the temperament of a young man, but now he had to shoulder all the military affairs left by his father, so Xie Qianli could only act as the new Duke of England.

Xie Qianli subtly curled his bloodied fingers: "Is there anything else unusual about him?"

"After receiving the bad news, the emperor has not read the memorials yet, went to bed early, and punished Yu Jing. I heard that Yu Jing has a head injury."

"Understood." Xie Qianli nodded.

The candlelight flickered for a moment, blurring time in an instant, and the image of the young Ying Xi flashed quickly before Xie Qianli.

Xie Qianli said in a deep voice, "He has never neglected his duties unless something extremely serious happens. If he wants to consolidate power, he should be even more diligent in his duties now."

Moreover, why would Ying Xi wipe that blood-stained spear...?

All that was needed was a polite greeting and a word of comfort.

There was no need for him to do anything unnecessary!

Xie Qianli frowned, then took a deep breath and said, "I want the truth about my father's death to come out. I will never wrong anyone. Investigate further."

"Yes," Fengze replied.

***

This was the most relaxing night Ying Xi had ever had since her rebirth.

Ying Xi slept for a full four hours.

He wanted to sleep some more, but he couldn't sleep due to physiological reasons, and his long-standing sleep habits couldn't be broken overnight.

Ying Xi had come to understand the principle of moderation in this life, so he did not force it. He woke up to the morning light and dressed with the help of the jade mirror.

“It’s chilly in early spring, so I’ve prepared two outer garments for you,” Yu Jing said as she adjusted the emperor’s inner garments. “One is a dragon and cloud pattern, and the other is a magnolia blossom pattern. They are the same color. Your Majesty, please choose whichever one you prefer.”

Beside the dragon bed in the emperor's bedchamber, two eunuchs held up clothes hangers, displaying two garments before the emperor.

Yu Jing usually handles official business strictly and doesn't put in too much effort.

Jade mirrors have undergone significant changes in recent years.

Yu Jing's use of her brain made Ying Xi feel comfortable. Of course, she also learned from yesterday's lesson and dared not speculate on Ying Xi, leaving the emperor with ample room for choice.

Ying Xi pointed to the snow-white magnolia patterned dress she was wearing.

After getting dressed, according to court custom, one should go for a short stroll before having breakfast, and only then should one deal with official business.

In her previous life, the Qin Dynasty was beset by internal and external troubles, and Ying Xi was unwilling to give up any office time.

This life is different; he knows what the situation is like in the Qin Dynasty.

He had anticipated this, so he was no longer anxious.

Ying Xi relaxed and breathed in the fresh air outside. He heard birds chirping and saw long-tailed magpies that he had never noticed before, as well as a beautiful blue bird that he couldn't name.

Interesting, Ying Xi chuckled to herself.

Yu Jing playfully pointed out other birds in Weiyang Palace to the emperor, showing harmony between master and servant.

After my walk, I went back for breakfast.

Breakfast also seemed to become much more enjoyable.

Unfortunately, the emperor had an ironclad rule that he could not eat more than three times when dining, otherwise Ying Xi, in a good mood, could have had a few more bites.

Yingxi felt that her body, which was almost exhausted from working so hard, should also start to recover.

Since his rebirth, office work has become the easiest task, because he has seen and approved all the upcoming memorials.

While I can't possibly remember every word of the previous life's replies, I at least have an impression of them, which increases efficiency countless times.

Ying Xi quickly flipped through the pages in the study and found that it was indeed very similar to her previous life.

—So, he was going to die this year anyway?

Ying Xi can now feel the preciousness of life.

If he still had some "what's the use" attitude yesterday, now he is completely unwilling to die.

They wanted to play, they wanted to live, but they didn't want their country to be destroyed by the Xiongnu.

Ying Xi planned to take some time to figure out how to break the deadlock.

He finished all the day's official duties in less than half an hour, leaving Yu Jing and the other eunuchs astonished.

Then look at the emperor. He put down his vermilion brush and stood up from his dragon throne.

"Jade mirror".

"Your servant is here!"

Ying Xi faced the large window of the study, his hands behind his back, gazing at the layers of palaces, looking out at the imperial palace he had never been able to leave since his ascension to the throne in his previous life.

Ying Xi said, "Make preparations, I intend to travel incognito."

The jade mirror has lost count of how many times it has made me freeze in place lately.

Huh? Traveling incognito? And on an overseas trip?

The jade mirror trembled.

The imperial palace still retains some semblance of a great power's dignity, but in Chang'an, the gap between rich and poor is vast. With the court riddled with problems, many rumors circulate that the Qin Dynasty is doomed... Going out like this is just asking to displease the emperor...

“Slave—” But Yu Jing only pondered for a moment and did not dare to stop him, because the emperor’s stern gaze silently pressed down, and Yu Jing was completely defeated.

"This servant will prepare immediately."

The emperor chose to leave the palace in the afternoon.

Too early and the ministers will come looking for you; too late and you won't be able to explore the imperial city much. The beginning of the 11 PM is just right.

Having just left the palace buildings, we first arrived at Zhuque Street, the main thoroughfare of Chang'an.

Zhuque Street is famous for its grandeur and width, capable of accommodating dozens of carriages side by side at the same time, and it leads straight to the palace.

However, normally no one would dare to step on Suzaku Street, as it is also known as the Imperial Road.

The main gate of the palace was only opened on important occasions such as the emperor's formal travels, the return of meritorious officials to the capital, and the wedding of the empress. The Vermilion Bird Avenue was only used occasionally.

In fact, Yingxi would feel that the resources were wasted.

However, many people also believe that this was a move by the emperor to demonstrate his authority.

Ying Xi didn't grow up in the palace, so she had reservations about this.

However, Yu Jing seized upon the topic of Zhuque Avenue and had to quickly praise it.

Yu Jing, sitting below Ying Xi in the carriage, pointed out at the opportune moment: "Your Majesty, look how magnificent this imperial road is! If you were to go out to offer sacrifices at the ancestral temple, your entourage would stretch for miles along the imperial road, with dragon flags waving, a magnificent sight. Who in the mighty Qin Dynasty could match you?"

Compared to Yu Jing's usual style, he was very exaggerated today.

Ying Xi glanced at him: "Quiet."

But Yu Jing had to grit his teeth and continue, because this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and once he left Zhuque Street, he would never be able to boast about it again.

As expected, the carriage continued its journey, bypassing the main road and winding its way to several small streets where the residents of Chang'an City gathered.

The main street, which had been wide open just moments before, was bathed in sunlight, but now the narrow alleyway in front of us was cluttered with haphazardly erected sheds overhead and dirty water flowing across the ground.

Some homeless people lie casually on the street, often with a chipped or broken bowl in front of them.

Some refugees, having been ill for a long time, lay on the ground unable to move. When dirty stray dogs passed by, they would take away the dry food from their bowls.

Even the situation for city dwellers wasn't much better.

Most of the common people wore short, coarse cloth clothes, had sallow complexions, and were thin.

Ying Xi could hardly describe the fear and envy on the faces of the common people when they saw the carriage.

As his carriage passed by, his gaze happened to meet that of several women outside the carriage.

As the carriage drove away, a few people behind it murmured, "Whose young man is this, out for a spring outing?"

"Reincarnation is also a skill."

“Anan asked you to find her a concubine for a wealthy family. You practically carried her there. Although the family is only a low-ranking official, the government office is big and lucrative. Besides, given our status, we can't even get close to officials.”

"Never underestimate clerks. These days, officials are corrupt, and so are clerks. A local official is more powerful than a county magistrate, and a clerk can be just as influential as an official."

The more Ying Xi listened, the more her brows furrowed.

He gestured for the carriage to stop by the roadside so he could listen carefully.

Yu Jing's forehead was covered in cold sweat. If the emperor were to take his anger out on her, he would be the first to do so.

Fortunately, Ying Xi didn't hold a grudge against anyone, though her expression wasn't very friendly.

Yu Jing was about to take a deep breath.

Unfortunately, those women, being so outspoken, thought no one was listening and suddenly hurled a few curses at each other: "Bah! What a lousy court and rotten emperor! The world is getting worse and worse!"

"He had just ascended the throne when there was a snow disaster in the northwest, a famine in the southeast, an epidemic in the capital, and uprisings everywhere."

"The emperor killed the Duke of Ying, and everyone says this is like destroying one's own Great Wall. If things continue like this, the Qin Dynasty will be doomed sooner or later!"

"Some martial arts figures in the city couldn't stand it anymore and wanted to force their way into Weiyang Palace and change the dynasty directly..."

"To speak ill of the monarch, to spread rumors, and to sow discord among the people."

"Arrest him!"

Before Yu Jing could ask Ying Xi for her opinion, a patrol team from the city happened to be patrolling the streets near the carriage.

At the sergeant's command, the soldiers moved out. Several women were unaware that they were about to be imprisoned. They cried out in pain, but skillfully searched their bodies for copper coins.

Ying Xi carefully observed from inside the car.

In her previous life, Ying Xi knew of rumors circulating in the city that were detrimental to the court, and indeed issued an order that patrol teams could investigate and make arrests.

But as things stand now, he feels this has become a means for his subordinates to amass wealth.

Ying Xi was not happy.

When Yingxi saw that because the money given was too little to redeem them from their crimes, the women were all strung together with ropes and taken away to wait for their families to redeem them, Yingxi's face became extremely gloomy.

Ying Xi: "Have them released."

Yu Jing nodded slowly.

"Go to the Jingzhao Prefecture again, and waive their privilege of arresting people. Release those who have insulted me."

Yu Jing: "This...this—yes! This servant obeys the decree!"

I think this emperor's magnanimity isn't just enough to support a small ship, it's enough to support an entire ocean. Yu Jing jumped off the carriage and did as instructed.

Fearing being recognized, Ying Xi also left the carriage.

A voice then rang in my ears.

Sweetie woke up: "Newbie quest completion reward: Charm +500."