Chapter 183
**Chapter 182: The Diary of Princess Taihua**
Outside the window, Cai Ping, who had been eavesdropping, was stunned, her heart racing! No matter how she calculated, she never expected that Shangguan Qian would appear out of nowhere.
Even more surprising was that Shangguan Qian had stumbled upon the fake parchment.
If Shangguan Qian handed the fake parchment to Zhao Qing and Zhao Qing discovered the swap, then all of Shen Wei's schemes would come crashing down.
Cai Ping was extremely anxious, her mind racing as she thought of a way to resolve the situation.
"Dirty and smelly, it’s better off burned," Shangguan Qian said with disdain, showing no interest in opening the old parchment. She casually tossed it into the nearby charcoal stove.
In the cold winter, the room was always warmed by a charcoal stove.
The parchment fell into the stove and was quickly charred by the intense heat, emitting a foul odor. Moments later, it was reduced to a piece of charcoal, unrecognizable and crumbling at a touch.
Cai Ping let out a heavy sigh of relief; she didn’t have to do anything herself—Shangguan Qian had burned the fake parchment.
If Zhao Qing were to investigate later, the one who burned the parchment would be Shangguan Qian. Who would ever suspect Shen Wei?
"Miss! You can't take the pearls!" The maid, with red-rimmed eyes, tried to stop Shangguan Qian from taking the pearls, oblivious to the burning parchment.
Shangguan Qian, having burned the parchment, stuffed two pearls into her pouch and left without looking back.
The maid didn’t dare to chase after her, tears streaming down her face in distress.
Cai Ping entered the room, took the maid's hand, and comforted her, "If Zhao Qing gets angry, just tell her the truth about Miss Shangguan barging in. We, as servants, can’t dare to stop our masters from doing what they want. If Zhao Qing kicks you out of the marquis's residence, come find me. I’ll help you find a new job in Yanjing."
The maid sniffled, nodding through her tears.
...
As noon approached, the sounds of music and celebration filled the marquis's residence, accompanied by the crackling of firecrackers. Marquis Shangguan Xuan proudly brought home the Princess of Pingyang.
They paid their respects in the grand hall, and the wedding banquet lasted all day. As night fell and the temperature dropped, light snow began to fall. The bride, Zhao Qing, sat on the edge of the bright red wedding bed, unable to hide her joy.
The luxurious room was adorned with the bright red character for "happiness," exquisite candle holders, and a valuable rosewood long table. Every corner of the room exuded opulence, a level of luxury Zhao Qing had never seen before.
"Madam of the Marquis's residence," Zhao Qing thought, her lips curling into a smile. From now on, she was no longer the lowly herbalist from outside Liangzhou City; she was the esteemed wife of the marquis in Yanjing.
Wealth and honor, a lifetime of prosperity!
She could also rely on the weapon blueprints in the *Taihua Zha Ji* to gain the emperor's trust and win her husband's favor.
Creak—
The door opened, and Shangguan Xuan, dressed in a red wedding robe, walked in. Zhao Qing quickly used a silk fan to cover her face, her voice soft and sincere as she called out, "My lord, you’re back."
Her tone was gentle, laced with shyness.
Shangguan Xuan reached out and gently pushed aside the silk fan that obscured Zhao Qing's face. The red candles flickered, revealing her delicate features. In the beauty-filled Yanjing, Zhao Qing's looks were not particularly striking.
But Shangguan Xuan appreciated her intelligence and the unique courage she possessed.
They shared a cup of wedding wine.
Shangguan Xuan held Zhao Qing's hand, gazing deeply into her eyes, and said, "A Qing, I swear I will never betray you in this life."
Zhao Qing smiled sweetly, her voice soft, "A Qing believes in you, my lord."
Shangguan Xuan swallowed hard, pulling his beloved wife into his embrace, and they both fell onto the bed...
Meanwhile, heavy snow blanketed the mountain roads, the remote paths nearly hidden beneath the swirling snow.
Sun Qingmei pulled her clothes tighter around her, her delicate face chapped by the biting wind and snow, her lips cracked.
Leading her horse, she trudged through the thick white snow, resolutely making her way toward the distant Liangzhou City.
...
...
In the Liuli Pavilion, snow fell silently at night.
The King of Yan had not yet returned, and Shen Wei sat alone in the warm pavilion, reading the *Taihua Zha Ji*. Since returning from the Marquis of Zhen Nan's residence in the afternoon, she had read the book several times from cover to cover.
Shen Wei was certain that the author of this book was Princess Taihua, the founder of the Southern Chu Kingdom, Li Qingxun, from a hundred years ago.
This hasty journal was a product of Princess Taihua's boredom while trapped in a cave, nursing her injuries. Before her time travel, she had been a top student in mechanical engineering, and the weapon blueprints were detailed, with many annotations in English and Roman numerals, using only a few simplified Chinese characters.
Zhao Qing had fortuitously obtained this book but could only recognize some simple weapons. The English and Roman numerals were completely beyond her understanding.
In addition to the blueprints, Princess Taihua had written a dozen diary entries in a messy mix of simplified Chinese and English. The handwriting was so atrocious that it took Shen Wei a long time to guess and piece together just two of her entries.
**July 5, Rain, Cave Nursing Injuries**
Damn it! For the hundredth time, I’m flipping the bird at the heavens! I want to go home, I really want to go home! I just want to make a bomb and blow this stupid world to bits!
But lately, Zhang Chengxiang has been looking better and better. I want to sleep with him.
**July 15, Sunny**
Damn it! I want takeout, I want Starbucks, I want to work overtime in the lab! When will this stupid foot injury heal? I want to go home!
Today I found out that Zhang He'an's father is an official in the Sky Observation Bureau, oh, a family of fortune tellers. I had Zhang He'an read my fortune, and he was all mysterious, saying, "A Xun, your fate is predetermined by heaven..."
So boring! I’m going to sleep with him tonight!
**October 5, Rain**
My leg injury is almost healed, and Zhang He'an plans to take me back to the palace tomorrow. I don’t want to go to the palace! I want takeout, I want milk tea, I want to work overtime! I want freedom!
I want to go home; I’m really so lonely...
"What a pity," Shen Wei said, closing the parchment.
The *Taihua Zha Ji* did not record any methods for leaving this world. After founding the Southern Chu Kingdom, Princess Taihua fell ill and passed away suddenly at the age of thirty-five.
Holding the *Taihua Zha Ji*, Shen Wei's gaze fell on the bright red brazier not far away. She reached out, the old, yellowed parchment hovering above the brazier, the burning coals warming her fingertips.
If she let go, the journal from a hundred years ago would turn to ash.
In this unfamiliar tide of time, Shen Wei found herself gradually assimilating into the era.
Being too far from home would make one forget their roots. If one pretends for too long, they might forget themselves.
In the end, Shen Wei did not destroy the parchment. With a secret, indescribable sense of bittersweet anticipation, she hid the parchment away.
Outside, Cai Lian's voice called out, "My lady, the prince has returned."
Taking a deep breath, Shen Wei quickly adjusted her emotions, her beautiful face effortlessly breaking into a smile. She stepped out of the warm pavilion, and after dark, the snow piled on the eaves of the koi lanterns as the tall man returned through the white snow.
His voice was steady, "Wei Wei, come inside; it’s cold outside."
As usual, Shen Wei gently handed him a warm cloth, exchanged a few pleasantries, and walked back into the warm pavilion with the King of Yan for dinner. The two shared tender moments, like an ordinary loving couple in the freezing winter.
Outside, the snow fell silently.
...
...
In the Marquis of Zhen Nan's residence, after the wedding, Zhao Qing dutifully served tea to the old lady.
The old lady was currently satisfied with Zhao Qing and did not make things difficult for her. She even entrusted Zhao Qing with the management of the household, allowing her to take charge.
Zhao Qing was overjoyed. With the authority of a housekeeper, she would now be the most esteemed mistress of the marquis's residence, enjoying wealth and honor.
She first went to the Luofang Courtyard, intending to retrieve the *Taihua Zha Ji* hidden in the brick crevice and move it to the main house. As long as she had the *Taihua Zha Ji*, her future wealth would be secured.
But when Zhao Qing pulled out the brick from the corner, she found it was completely empty!
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