novelkee Chapter 598 Wei Ji Visits the Newspaper Company
Chapter 598 Wei Ji Visits the Newspaper Company
Wei Ji stood up and bowed deeply: "Thank you for your guidance, Princess."
Ying Wuyou helped him up: "No need to thank me. You chose this path yourself. From the day you decided to change your surname to 'Wei,' you had already made your choice."
Yes, Wei Ji, no longer Ji Ji. This surname is both a commemoration and a separation. A commemoration of the vanished Wei state, and a separation from that former identity.
After leaving the princess's residence, Wei Ji went to the residence of the Marquis of Guiming.
This was the residence bestowed upon Wei Jia by the King of Qin. Located west of Xianyang, it wasn't luxurious, but it was spacious enough. It had three courtyards, a garden, and a pond, which was quite generous for a surrendered ruler.
Wei Ji entered the mansion and found his father sitting in the pavilion in the garden, staring blankly at the withered lotus leaves in the pond. In early spring, the lotus leaves were yellow and withered, the stems were broken, and the scene was one of desolation.
“Father,” he called softly.
Wei Jia turned his head, saw his son, and a smile appeared in his eyes: "Ji'er is here."
Wei Ji noticed that his father had aged considerably. In just one month, his hair had turned completely white, and the wrinkles on his face were as deep as if etched by a knife. His former imposing presence was gone, leaving only the weathered look of an ordinary old man.
“I heard everything at today’s grand court assembly.” Wei Jia pulled his son down to sit, his hands were cold. “You’ve been awarded the title of Guest Minister, very good, very good.”
His tone was calm, but the hand holding Wei Ji's was trembling slightly.
“Father…” Wei Ji didn’t know what to say. Comfort? Sympathy? Neither was appropriate.
Wei Jia waved his hand: "No need to comfort your father. I've thought a lot these days. It's already a blessing that a king of a fallen kingdom could die peacefully. The King of Qin even bestowed a mansion and a title upon you, giving you a future... He has done more than enough."
He gazed at the pond and said softly, "Do you know what your father regrets most?"
Wei Ji shook his head.
"My biggest regret is not reforming sooner." Wei Jia smiled bitterly, his smile full of bitterness. "It's not that Wei lacked capable people or opportunities. During the reign of Marquis Wen, Li Kui implemented reforms, and Wei became powerful for a time, dominating the Central Plains. But what happened later? The nobles controlled the government, land annexation became serious, and the people suffered. I know these things and I want to change things, but I can't."
He sighed, his voice aged: "Those nobles, those hereditary officials, they have enjoyed privileges for generations, how could they possibly give them up? The moment I make a move, they unite to oppose me. The imperial family, the empress's relatives, the old ministers... they are all obstacles. So we can only drag it out, and in the end, the country collapses."
Wei Ji listened silently. He knew his father was telling the truth. The decline of the Wei Kingdom was not a matter of a day or two, but rather a result of accumulated problems that were difficult to reverse. Like the withered lotus in this pond, its roots and stems had long since rotted, and no matter how much it was repaired on the surface, it could not survive the winter.
“Qin is different,” Wei Jia continued, his eyes filled with complex emotions. “When Shang Yang reformed, how many people were killed? How many nobles were exiled? But Duke Xiao of Qin persisted, King Huiwen of Qin persisted, and generation after generation of Qin kings persisted. Now you see, Qin has no hereditary nobles, only military merit titles; no fiefdoms, only prefectures and counties. The common people have land to cultivate, the soldiers have military merits to earn, and the officials have assessments to be promoted… This is the way to a strong country.”
He looked at his son, his gaze suddenly sharpening: "Ji'er, you are right. Times have changed, and Qin truly represents the future. It's better for you to follow Qin than to stay with that mess in Wei. I... I ruined Wei, and I can't let you ruin your future too."
Wei Ji's eyes welled up with tears: "Father..."
"Alright, let's not talk about that anymore." Wei Jia patted his hand and changed the subject. "You're a guest minister now, so you need to do your job well. Is the King of Qin going to abolish the title of King and adopt a new one?"
"Yes. The Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of History are discussing it and will submit a report within three months."
Wei Jia nodded: "That's right. With the world unified, there should be a new atmosphere. But..." He paused, looking eastward, "I wonder what the new title will be. Emperor? Heavenly Emperor? Thai Emperor?"
"Your subject does not know either. But the princess said that the new title should reflect achievements and also have profound meaning."
“Princess…” Wei Jia murmured, “That twelve-year-old girl has such insight. Ji’er, you should learn more from her. I can see that she holds a very important place in the King of Qin’s heart, and she will surely be someone who influences the court in the future.”
"Your subject understands."
The father and son chatted for a while longer about everyday things. Wei Jia asked about the courses at Daqin Academy, the newspaper department, and his experiences in Xianyang. Like an ordinary father, he cared about his son's life, asking detailed questions and listening attentively.
As Wei Ji left the Marquis's residence, he was filled with mixed emotions. His father had changed; he was no longer the aloof King of Wei, but an ordinary old man, a father who cared for his son. Perhaps this was his destiny. To lay down his burdens and spend his later years in peace was not such a bad thing.
He walked through the streets of Xianyang, the spring breeze caressing his face, bringing with it the hustle and bustle of the city. The cries of vendors selling pancakes, the laughter of children, the creaking of wheels rolling over the stone pavement... these sounds intertwined, creating a vibrant and lively atmosphere.
Wei Ji suddenly thought that perhaps unification really wasn't a bad thing. With the wars over, the people could live in peace, merchants could trade, farmers could cultivate the land, and students could study... Wouldn't such a life be better than living in constant fear of war?
He quickened his pace and headed towards the Newspaper Department.
February 17th, at the Newspaper Administration Office.
This was Wei Ji's first visit here as a guest minister. The Newspaper Bureau was a department proposed by Ying Wuyou. Located in the southeast corner of Xianyang Palace, it was originally an idle government office, which was renovated into its current form. A black plaque with gold lettering hangs in front of the gate, bearing the five large characters "Great Qin Newspaper Bureau" in vigorous strokes.
The official in charge was Ying Gaoshan, Ying Wuyou's elder brother. He was very polite to Wei Ji, personally greeting him at the door. Ying Gaoshan was about eighteen or nineteen years old, with a handsome face and elegant manners. He resembled Ying Wuyou somewhat, but had a gentler temperament.
“Wei Keqing, I’ve long admired you.” Ying Gaoshan bowed respectfully. “Jiayang instructed that your main role is to learn and advise, not to be in charge of specific affairs. Let me show you how the Newspaper Division operates.”
Wei Ji quickly returned the greeting: "Thank you for your trouble, young master."
Ying Gaoshan smiled slightly: "There's no need to address me as 'Young Master.' Here, I am the Director and you are the Counselor. You can address each other by our official titles."
Wei Ji's heart skipped a beat. This Qin prince was indeed approachable. He had long heard of Ying Gaoshan—the fourth son of King Ying Zheng of Qin, who was not particularly outstanding among the princes. However, because he was the elder brother of Princess Jiayang, he was assigned to work in the Newspaper Department.
Ying Gaoshan was well aware of his position. Although he was also the King of Qin's biological son, he had many siblings, and he was neither outstanding in literature nor martial arts. If it weren't for Jiayang, his father might not even remember him. It was because of Jiayang that he was able to become the Director of the Newspaper Bureau. He had no other ambitions than to manage the Newspaper Bureau well and make things easier for Jiayang. Now that Jiayang wanted to use Wei Ji, he didn't care about Wei Ji's background; he only knew that Wei Ji was someone useful to Jiayang.
“Counselor Wei, please follow me.” Ying Gaoshan led the way.
Wei Ji followed him into the Newspaper Office. The office was spacious, divided into several areas, each bustling with clerks. The air was filled with the scent of ink and paper, and a... vibrant atmosphere.