Chapter 225
**Chapter 223: The Spiritless Shen Wei**
Lu Yun glanced to the other side of the dragon throne. On the lower seat to the right sat the recently favored Consort Shen Wei.
Furrowing her brows, Lu Yun recalled that in her past life, there had been no Consort Shen Wei in the harem, and General Shen Mieyue had no sister. Shen Mieyue, childless and young, had died bravely on the battlefield, and the emperor had posthumously honored him as the Duke of the National Army, granting him a tomb to share with the ancestral temple.
“Consort Shen…” Lu Yun murmured. Three years ago, when the emperor ascended the throne, he had disdained Shen Wei’s humble origins and sent her to the mountains to fend for herself. Later, when her true lineage was revealed, the emperor reluctantly brought her back to the palace, granting her the title of consort out of respect for General Shen.
Lu Yun scrutinized the rumored Consort Shen. While not as breathtakingly beautiful as Lu Xuan, she possessed a charm that grew more appealing the longer one looked. Dressed in an emerald silk gown that shimmered like clouds at sunset, her attire was lovely but not as exquisite as Lu Xuan’s phoenix-tail dress. The hair ornaments atop her head were also rather modest.
Consort Shen’s complexion appeared poor; her eyes were slightly swollen and red, and she looked weary, slumping in her chair of rosewood, her demeanor far from the perfection of the virtuous Consort Lu Xuan.
“Indeed, she comes from a peasant background; how could she compare to a lady raised in a prominent family?” Lu Yun couldn’t help but shake her head inwardly.
Consort Shen’s rise to favor was entirely due to her family’s influence. The emperor valued Shen Mieyue and, by extension, showed some leniency towards Shen Wei.
Lu Yun’s gaze continued downward, landing on Mei Fei Liu Ruyan, Yu Fei Zhang Miaoyu, Lan Pin Xie Fanglan, and Qiao Pin Liu Qiaoer, her lips curling in disdain. Just a bunch of nobodies.
...
On the other side of the hall, after bowing to the emperor, Shen Xiuming returned to his seat. His eyes sparkled with anticipation as he looked up. Spotting his sister, whom he hadn’t seen in years, he froze, tears nearly spilling from his eyes.
He discreetly nudged his elder brother beside him and whispered, “Big Brother, look at Sister, sigh…”
Shen Mieyue had long been aware of Shen Wei. After years apart, the timid little sister he remembered had transformed into the radiant Consort Shen.
Shen Xiuming sighed, lowering his voice. “Big Brother, look at her complexion; it’s terrible. Her eyes are red and swollen, and her lips are cracked… sigh, it’s clear she’s not faring well in the palace.”
Both consorts were women of the harem. While Consort Lu Xuan was dazzling and full of life, Consort Shen Wei appeared spiritless, her eyes tinged with red.
Shen Xiuming felt a pang of sorrow, nearly moved to tears. The struggles among the women in the harem were truly terrifying.
Shen Mieyue didn’t feel pity for Shen Wei. Though she seemed delicate, she was astute and well-connected; in the harem, she would surely navigate her way with ease! Perhaps she had simply encountered some trouble today, which explained her lack of spirit.
...
Inside the Qinghua Hall, the atmosphere was lively with song and dance. Shen Wei sat in agony on her chair, feeling discomfort all over—her back ached, her legs hurt, and every part of her body seemed to throb.
Li Yuanjing noticed Shen Wei’s unusual demeanor and smiled slightly, instructing De Shun to bring her a soft duck down pillow.
With the pillow supporting her lower back, Shen Wei finally felt a bit better. She secretly ground her back teeth, recalling the distressing events of the afternoon.
Tonight, there was a banquet at Qinghua Hall. Shen Wei was about to meet her biological brother, and she was extremely excited, having spent the afternoon preparing her appearance.
Recently, the Donglin Kingdom had sent a tribute of expensive Qinghe brocade, which the Empress Dowager generously gifted to Shen Wei. She had instructed the embroiderers from the Imperial Garment Bureau to create a stunning dress for the evening banquet.
This afternoon, she had donned the beautiful gown, styled her hair into an elegant cloud-top bun, and meticulously applied makeup using the finest powders from Qixiangzhai, spending two hours perfecting her look. Finally, when she gazed into the bronze mirror, she truly looked exquisite.
But unexpectedly, Li Yuanjing had barged in.
Having met with Shen Mieyue earlier that day, Li Yuanjing was in high spirits and wanted to share his joy with Shen Wei. Upon entering the room, he saw a radiant beauty standing before the mirror.
Her figure was as graceful as a willow, her features painted like a masterpiece, glowing like a celestial being.
“Your Majesty, you’re here,” Shen Wei turned, her eyes sparkling, her voice as soft as the spring breeze of Jiangnan, whispering sweetly into Li Yuanjing’s ears, captivating him without a sound.
Li Yuanjing was enchanted.
Shen Wei suffered for it.
Her beautiful gown was torn to shreds, the jewels in her hair scattered across the floor, and the once pristine bronze mirror was now smudged.
When it was all over, Shen Wei dared not voice her anger, merely shooting Li Yuanjing a furious glare, unwilling to acknowledge him.
Time was pressing; Shen Wei hastily dressed, her complexion poor and her spirit low as she arrived at Qinghua Hall for the banquet.
De Shun leaned in and whispered, “Consort Shen, His Majesty has sent two pearls to Yongning Palace as an apology.”
Shen Wei took a sip of tea, dissatisfied.
Two measly pearls, and he thought that would placate her?
De Shun continued, “Those pearls are tributes from the Donglin Kingdom, extracted from a thousand-year-old clam. Each is worth a fortune; you won’t find another like them in the entire Da Qing.”
Shen Wei set down her teacup.
The pearls were indeed precious; she reluctantly decided to forgive the emperor.
...
...
As the wine flowed and the atmosphere in Qinghua Hall reached its peak, an elderly envoy from the Yue Kingdom stepped forward, performing a standard diplomatic bow to Li Yuanjing. The old envoy, with graying hair, was a leading figure sent by the Yue emperor, having traveled a great distance to reach the Qing Kingdom.
At this welcoming banquet, they would not discuss the formalities of signing a peace treaty between the two nations. The old envoy clasped his hands and spoke in a deep voice that resonated throughout the hall: “Your Majesty, the Emperor of our country has always admired the customs and culture of the Qing Kingdom, as well as the kindness and bravery of its women. He wishes to seek a princess in marriage.”
A sudden hush fell over the hall.
Curious eyes turned toward him.
Princess Zhaoyang sat among the noble ladies, taking a delicate sip of spring tea.
Meanwhile, at the men’s table, Yan Yunting casually sipped his wine, dismissing the matter entirely. The Yue emperor wanted to marry a princess from Da Qing? That would surely happen.
But the Yue Kingdom was far away, and the precious princesses would not willingly endure hardship. So, following the royal tradition, the emperor would likely select a talented and beautiful woman from the clan to be named a princess and married off to a foreign land.
Li Yuanjing nodded slightly. “That’s acceptable.”
Tuoba Hongchuan had killed the old emperor and ascended the throne early, and Li Yuanjing had played a part in that rise.
They were, in essence, partners.
The old envoy continued, “Our emperor has long been enamored with Princess Zhaoyang, admiring her kindness and grace. He hopes to take her as his wife, to cherish her for life, unwavering until death.”
At these words, the hall erupted in murmurs.
Who didn’t know that Princess Zhaoyang only had eyes for the young master of the Yan family?
Yet now, the Yue emperor had directly named her as his intended bride?
Especially Yan Yunting, who looked up in shock, his wine cup slipping from his hand and crashing onto the table, the rich wine spilling over and soaking his red official robe.
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