Chapter 37 Blow Them Away

Blushing shyly, Qin Suwen recounted to Fang Xu what had transpired in the court earlier that day. In her mind, even if she didn’t tell Fang Xu now, he would inevitably learn of it later—so why not surprise him herself? The thought delighted her.

Fang Xu listened, stunned, his mouth slightly open, at a loss for words. What exactly had Qin Suwen revealed to him? Simply that his “Wolf Is Coming” story had indeed kept the ravenous tribes beyond the frontier at bay. Of her outburst in court, Qin Suwen said nothing—she didn’t consider it worth mentioning, nor did she wish to burden Fang Xu with such matters.

“Is something wrong? Are you surprised?” Qin Suwen smiled, watching Fang Xu gape wordlessly. He nodded, mouth still open.

“You’re quite the celebrity now!” Qin Suwen covered her mouth, her eyes curving like crescent moons as she laughed.

“Wasn’t I already famous?” Fang Xu scratched his head, a little embarrassed, which made Qin Suwen pause.

“The ‘Lady Who Jumped Into the Well’—that’s quite the memorable title, isn’t it?” Fang Xu noticed her dazed expression and couldn’t help but laugh. After all, there was nothing he could do; he had once been so desperate he tried to end his life in the well. That nickname was bound to follow him forever, though he didn’t really mind.

“You knew about that?” Qin Suwen burst out laughing, unable to contain herself at Fang Xu’s funny face.

“Is it really that amusing? Why don’t I find it funny?” Fang Xu glared playfully at her, grinning through clenched teeth.

“Alright, I’ll stop teasing you.” Qin Suwen waved her hand, her smile fading.

Watching how quickly Qin Suwen could change her expression, Fang Xu marveled at the old saying: “Changing one’s face faster than flipping a book.” Qin Suwen was a model example.

“Why are you staring at me like that?” Qin Suwen grew shy under Fang Xu’s gaze and lowered her head. For reasons unknown, she always became demure around him, though to others she was the founding emperor of Great Qin.

“The tribes’ defeat means they won’t attack again for some time,” Fang Xu mused quietly.

“What do you mean by that?” Qin Suwen asked curiously. If not for Fang Xu’s story, the frontier might have fallen already. She listened intently, eager to understand his reasoning.

Qin Suwen wondered how Fang Xu could be so certain—shouldn’t they be even more vigilant against the tribes?

“Ahem, it’s simple. The tribes know their plan failed. If they attack again, our forces will be prepared. Why walk into a trap?” Fang Xu explained with a smile. Qin Suwen pondered his words.

“So what should we do? Sometimes the tribes attack daily, sometimes monthly—it’s infuriating!” Qin Suwen pouted, unaware she was acting coy.

“Are they like a monthly visitor?” Fang Xu muttered under his breath.

“What monthly visitor? Do you have any solution?” Qin Suwen tugged at his sleeve, clearly believing he could handle the tribes.

“If it were up to me, I’d blow them up with a bomb!” Fang Xu pretended to be fierce, making Qin Suwen laugh.

“What are you talking about? And what’s a bomb?” Qin Suwen asked, amused. Fang Xu was taken aback.

“You’ve never heard of a bomb?” he said, surprised.

“I’ve never heard of it,” Qin Suwen replied earnestly, gazing into his eyes. It was clear she truly didn’t know.

Fang Xu slapped his forehead, startling Qin Suwen. He gave a sheepish smile, ignoring the red mark. He had forgotten that bombs wouldn’t be invented until much later. But why couldn’t he bring them about early?

“Why not create one ahead of time?”

“Sun Simiao discovered gunpowder by accident during alchemy. With gunpowder, a simple bomb could be made.”

“But Sun Simiao lived in the Tang Dynasty, and this is the early Qin! Wait—this timeline is nothing like the history I know. Who’s to say Sun Simiao isn’t alive now?”

A glimmer of excitement sparked in Fang Xu’s eyes. Sitting in the grand hall every day was tedious—finally, he had found something interesting. Watching Fang Xu shift from frowning to smiling, Qin Suwen grew concerned.

She worried he might have lost his mind—how could a perfectly healthy person suddenly go mad?

“Are you… alright?” Qin Suwen asked, her gaze tinged with worry. Her question brought Fang Xu back to himself.

“Ahem, of course I’m fine! Who do you think your husband is? How could anything happen to me?” Fang Xu coughed lightly, a bit embarrassed. He realized his behavior might have seemed odd.

Yet Qin Suwen still looked unconvinced, which irritated Fang Xu. It seemed he needed to assert himself as her husband once again.