Chapter 133
**Chapter 133: Ties That Bind**
...
Shen Wei woke up groggily in the afternoon. After drinking the medicinal soup that Cai Ping had brought her, she still felt a dull pain in her abdomen.
Curiously, Shen Wei lifted the covers to take a look. Her belly resembled a deflated balloon, sagging and loose, with dark patches around her navel that made it look quite unappealing.
However, it wasn't too serious; with proper care, her belly should recover quickly.
Cai Ping helped Shen Wei lean against the headboard while handing her a bowl of nourishing fish soup. With a bright smile, she informed Shen Wei, "Last night, you fell into a deep sleep and didn’t wake up until this morning. The prince stayed by your side all morning. He only left when someone from the East Palace came to summon him for a meeting. He even elevated you to the status of a concubine, and the steward sent over two maids and two eunuchs."
Shen Wei managed to drink most of the fish soup, feeling a bit more alert.
Cai Lian then brought in the baby.
This was Shen Wei's first time seeing her own child.
Tilting her head, Shen Wei curiously examined the tiny infant wrapped in swaddling clothes. The baby's face was wrinkled and red, with sparse hair, and she was sound asleep with her eyes closed, looking rather unappealing.
Cai Lian smiled and asked Shen Wei, "The physician has checked, and the little one is very healthy. Would you like to hold her?"
Shen Wei: ...
Staring at the baby so close, Shen Wei felt a strange wonder—she had actually given birth to a person.
She remembered that in her previous life, several female employees at her company had given birth. After having their children, they seemed to transform completely, overflowing with maternal love, revolving their lives around their babies, and flooding their social media with pictures of them.
But now, as a new mother holding her tiny infant, Shen Wei didn’t feel much joy.
Perhaps her maternal instincts hadn’t kicked in yet, or maybe she hadn’t adjusted to her new identity as a mother. In any case, as she looked at her child, she felt a sense of unfamiliarity, even strangeness.
It felt like a dream.
A year ago, when she first crossed into this world, Shen Wei was consumed by the pressures of survival. In this feudal era, she constantly calculated people's hearts, wearing a mask of hypocrisy to navigate the social scene, yet deep down, she never truly felt like she belonged to this world.
But now, suddenly having a child—a living, breathing life—made her heart sink. She realized she was irrevocably tied to this era, unable to escape for a lifetime.
If the Yan Wang encountered danger again, Shen Wei could no longer entertain thoughts of "abandoning everything and running away." The child had become her anchor; one of her feet was already shackled, locking her within the grand walls of the prince's residence.
Shen Wei lowered her gaze, suppressing the bitterness welling up inside her. She forced herself to stop thinking further; if she did, she might fall into postpartum depression.
She said softly, "Take the baby back. Remember, someone must always be there to care for her."
Cai Lian replied, "Of course."
Shen Wei continued, "Everyone in the Liuli Pavilion will receive a monetary reward. Make sure to properly instruct the two maids and eunuchs just sent over; they must not harbor any ill intentions. Also, the two midwives will receive fifty taels each as a reward."
Shen Wei knew she wouldn’t stop at just one child.
By offering sufficient rewards to the midwives, they would surely be diligent when she gave birth again.
The best way to win people's hearts—money!
Emotional appeals were useless; money was the truth. As long as the funds were in place, the servants would naturally remain loyal.
"Send Mama Rong to the Wen Temple; she knows what to do. Also, with spring approaching, fetch some fine materials from the storeroom. I want to make two new dresses for myself and two for the prince. During my confinement, have the kitchen pay close attention to the diet, and be wary of anyone trying to cause trouble."
Shen Wei calmly arranged everything, covering all the details she could think of. As she spoke, drowsiness washed over her again. Giving birth had drained her energy, and she lay back down to rest.
Before sleeping, she reminded Cai Ping to apply ointment on her belly to help restore the loose skin.
...
...
The news of Shen Wei giving birth to a daughter quickly spread throughout the prince's residence.
In Qixue Pavilion, Liu Ruyan was taking a stroll in the courtyard. With spring just beginning, the weather was still chilly. The plum tree in the yard was shedding its petals, and green buds were starting to sprout on its bare branches.
Wearing a thin white dress, Liu Ruyan looked up at the green shoots on the plum tree. As she gazed, tears began to fall slowly, and soon she started coughing.
"Your Highness, it's chilly outside. You should come in and drink your medicine," Xue Mei urged, holding a bowl of freshly brewed medicine, her tone earnest. "The physician said you shouldn’t move around too much; catching a chill could easily trigger your old ailments."
Liu Ruyan clutched her chest as she coughed, her eyes devoid of light. "If my life is lost, then so be it. Like fallen blossoms, who would care if I die... The prince hasn’t visited me in two months."
Xue Mei: ...
Didn’t you have an inkling as to why the Yan Wang hadn’t come?
Liu Ruyan took the medicine from Xue Mei’s hands, forcing down a couple of bitter sips, and casually asked, "I heard Shen Wei gave birth to a daughter and was elevated to concubine?"
Xue Mei nodded. "Even though it’s a daughter, the prince was quite pleased and rewarded the servants in the Liuli Pavilion."
Tears of envy streamed down Xue Mei's face.
If she had gone to serve Shen Wei back then, she would have received a share of those rewards too.
Liu Ruyan lowered her gaze, lost in thought. "When I gave birth to Nan Zhi, the prince was equally delighted. But what happened afterward? He sent Nan Zhi to the East Palace... cough, cough... Shen Wei is just following the same path as I did."
She felt sympathy for Shen Wei.
Having a daughter only meant making a wedding dress for someone else.
Xue Mei numbly agreed, "Yes, Your Highness, you’re right. Please drink your medicine first."
...
In Mingyue Courtyard, spring still felt like an icy cave.
Liu Qiaoer was busy sewing clothes for her child.
Upon hearing that Shen Wei had given birth to a daughter, a mocking smile crossed Liu Qiaoer’s lips. "Shen Wei is out of luck. If she had given birth to a son, she might have had some support in the future."
When the Yan Wang ascended the throne, his sons would instantly become princes.
Once the princes came of age, they could take their birth mothers to remote fiefs, far from the court's intrigues. But Shen Wei had given birth to a daughter; a princess was merely a tool for royal marriages and to win over subordinates.
Having a daughter was worse than having none at all.
Liu Qiaoer shook her head inwardly and continued sewing new clothes for her child. Though she no longer enjoyed the Yan Wang's favor, she at least received enough monthly silver to live comfortably.
"Shen Wei's misfortune is still to come," Liu Qiaoer murmured to herself.
The prince's residence was small; Shen Wei had to rely on luck to gain favor. The harem was vast, and sooner or later, that terrifying woman would find a way to eliminate her.
...
In Kun Ning Palace.
On a spring morning, Mama Qian brought a bowl of beauty ointment to apply on the empress's face. This ointment was a beauty recipe that Shen Wei had once gifted to the empress.
After using the beauty ointment for a while, the empress noticed that the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes had indeed diminished, and her skin appeared visibly smoother and fairer.
As Mama Qian applied the ointment, she reported, "Your Majesty, Shen Wei from the Liuli Pavilion gave birth last night to a healthy girl."
The empress paused, momentarily taken aback.
Her tone inevitably carried a hint of disappointment. "What a pity it’s a girl. But then again, having a daughter isn’t so bad. I am a woman myself; I mustn’t belittle my own kind."
The empress had a good impression of Shen Wei and intended to cultivate her as a capable manager of the prince's residence. Shen Wei's successful delivery was also a contribution to the royal lineage.
"Mama Qian, select the two best wet nurses to send to Shen Wei to care for the child. Additionally, grant her a hundred taels of gold, twenty bolts of brocade, and two ginseng roots. Order the Imperial Medical Bureau to prepare a prescription to help her recover. With a granddaughter just born, I am quite pleased; I will take out the white jade necklace I brought as a dowry and give it to the child."
Such rewards were already quite generous.
They clearly demonstrated the empress's regard for Shen Wei.
Mama Qian immediately accepted the order and sent someone to the storeroom for the gifts. Meanwhile, the empress leaned back on the soft couch, gazing at her increasingly aged face in the mirror. Day by day, she was growing older, her energy waning, and she could do little to assist the Yan Wang.
Elevating the capable Shen Wei to be the Yan Wang's virtuous consort was also paving the way for him.
"Once the child reaches her full moon, we’ll find a reason to promote her to a side consort." The empress fell into deep thought.
A woman from a farming background being exceptionally elevated to the status of a prince's side consort would likely face strong opposition from Concubine Qian and the Heng Wang faction.
At that time, it would spark yet another round of courtly disputes.
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