Chapter 244
**Chapter 242: Longevity Noodles**
The old lady of the Dantai family left the imperial palace.
At the same time, Gonggong Deshun delivered the seals for managing the harem to Yongning Palace. There were two seals in the harem: one with the Shufei, Lu Xuan, and the other with Shen Wei.
The Neiwufu had sent over the harem's account books.
Without needing Shen Wei to instruct them, Cailian, Caiping, and Mama Rong had already organized their respective duties and were taking over the harem affairs in an orderly manner.
Shen Wei toyed with the small seal in her hand, made of white jade, intricately carved into the shape of a phoenix in flight. This tiny piece represented the highest authority in the harem.
Resting her chin on her hand, she murmured, “I need to find a way to get the one from Shufei.”
Two tigers cannot share one mountain; there’s no way for two people to jointly manage the harem. The power and wealth of the harem must be firmly in her grasp.
Shen Wei’s intelligence network revealed that Lu Xuan was already pregnant, though it had not yet been announced.
Since Lu Xuan was with child, and the early stages of pregnancy were unstable, she should prioritize her offspring and not exhaust herself managing the harem.
After a moment of contemplation, Shen Wei instructed Caiping, “Go fetch Doctor Mo.”
Caiping nodded eagerly, “Yes, I’ll go right away.”
...
...
In Changxin Palace.
News of the Empress's “serious illness” had arrived, and Lu Xuan clutched the harem's account books, her delicate willow-leaf brows furrowed.
She had thought that with the Empress's downfall, the Emperor would allow her to manage all matters of the harem.
Instead, the Emperor had supported Chen Fei back to her position.
Lu Xuan felt a sense of foreboding as her slender fingers caressed her still-flat abdomen.
Two months pregnant, the pregnancy was still unstable.
Lu Xuan had planned to announce her pregnancy at the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet, adding joy to joy. But with Shen Wei suddenly taking half of the harem's power, if Lu Xuan declared her pregnancy now, Shen Wei might use the excuse of “the heir is paramount” to seize the other half of the power.
Lost in thought, Lu Xuan clenched her fingers tightly: “No, I must wait until the pregnancy stabilizes before announcing it.”
She couldn’t afford to relinquish her power in the palace.
With the power she held, she had secured numerous benefits for the Lu family. Losing that power would harm the family’s interests.
Tomorrow’s birthday banquet for the Empress Dowager must be low-key.
...
...
On the fifth day of the fifth month, dawn broke softly.
Today was a day off, and there was no need to attend court. Li Yuanjing had not yet risen; the morning light outside was faint, and he lazily dozed with his eyes closed.
Shen Wei’s chamber was truly comfortable, with soft pillows and fluffy bedding like clouds. The beautiful silk curtains added a touch of elegance, and a small table by the bed always held fresh flowers.
Li Yuanjing loved this cozy and relaxed environment, which washed away his fatigue.
Though his eyes were closed, he wasn’t fully asleep; his consciousness was still clear. He vaguely sensed the bed shifting—Shen Wei was getting up. She moved quietly, dressing before leaving the chamber.
“Your Highness, you’re up so early,” Cailian whispered at the door.
Shen Wei pressed her finger to her lips, “Shh, keep it down. Don’t disturb the Emperor. It’s a day off; let him sleep a little longer.”
Cailian replied, “You really care about the Emperor, Your Highness.”
Li Yuanjing, half-awake, couldn’t help but smile slightly.
Time passed, and soon the voices of Li Chengtai, Li Chengyou, and Le You could be heard outside.
Li Yuanjing’s sleep was light, and he slowly opened his eyes. Pulling back the bed curtains, he saw the clear sunlight streaming in through the window, illuminating the room, which was filled with a subtle fragrance.
He heard the clattering of bowls and chopsticks from the next room.
Getting out of bed, he donned his clothes without waiting for the palace maids to assist him. After dressing, he walked towards the neighboring room.
The sun was up, and the begonia flowers in the courtyard bloomed vibrantly. The door to the room was wide open, revealing Shen Wei and the three children sitting at the table, enjoying longevity noodles.
Today, the fifth day of the fifth month, was the Empress Dowager’s birthday, as well as the birthdays of Li Chengtai and Li Chengyou. Li Chengyou, with a hearty appetite, quickly finished one bowl and, still wanting more, raised his empty bowl and exclaimed, “Mother, I want another bowl!”
Shen Wei smiled and ruffled his hair, “Wait a bit; there’s breakfast coming up. Don’t fill up too much.”
Li Chengyou grinned, “Mother, your longevity noodles are so delicious! I’m only having noodles this morning.”
Shen Wei exchanged a glance with Cailian, who promptly served Li Chengyou another bowl of noodles, arranging it beautifully.
The noodles Shen Wei cooked weren’t the best in taste, but they were creative. She rolled the dough into strips, boiled them, fried a few eggs, and carved words and shapes into slices of carrot.
On the carrot slices, she inscribed “Happy Birthday” and carved little rabbits and tigers, all of which were boiled together.
Finally, she scooped the cooked noodles into a bowl, added a flavorful broth, and topped it with eggs, the “Happy Birthday” carrot slices, little animal designs, and blanched greens, creating a visually appealing and delicious bowl of noodles.
The children loved it.
“Mother, Le You wants a bowl too, with a little rabbit carrot!”
“Let’s send a bowl to Grandmother; she’ll definitely like it.”
“Mother, I want the little tiger!”
The room was filled with warmth and laughter.
Li Yuanjing stood at the door, gazing at the cozy scene inside, his heart feeling as if it had been brushed by soft feathers. In this moment, Shen Wei was not Chen Fei, and the children were not princes and princesses; they were simply an ordinary mother and her children in the world.
Peaceful and beautiful.
If there ever came a day when he was no longer an emperor, he would want to live such a simple and tranquil life with Shen Wei.
Le You, with her keen eyes, was the first to notice Li Yuanjing outside. She happily set down her bowl and dashed over, “Father, do you want to eat the rabbit longevity noodles? They’re so good! Mother carved the little rabbit so round and chubby!”
Li Yuanjing patted his daughter’s soft hair, “Father would love to.”
Li Yuanjing took a seat, and Cailian brought over the cooked noodles.
Shen Wei’s eyes sparkled, “Your Majesty, try some. The greens are freshly picked from the garden, crisp and tender.”
Shen Wei no longer enjoyed gardening.
The vegetables and fruits in the courtyard were all planted by Li Yuanjing during his leisure time.
Whenever Shen Wei craved something, she would openly go and pick the radishes and greens he had planted. Li Yuanjing would turn a blind eye, secretly feeling a sense of satisfaction.
After finishing the longevity noodles, Le You had the kitchen prepare another beautiful bowl of longevity noodles, which a close palace maid carefully placed in a food box. Le You quickly ran back to Cining Palace to share it with the Empress Dowager.
Once Le You left, Li Yuanjing asked his two sons, “What gifts do you want for your birthdays?”
The two boys exchanged glances.
Before Li Chengtai could speak, Li Chengyou excitedly raised his chubby hand, “Father, I want a horse! I want to learn to ride!”
Li Yuanjing nodded, “Alright.”
Li Chengyou jumped up in joy, “Thank you, Father! You’re the best!”
The children’s straightforward admiration warmed Li Yuanjing’s heart. In a good mood, he turned to Li Chengtai, “And you? What do you want?”
Li Chengtai pursed his lips slightly, raising his face that resembled Li Yuanjing’s, and said softly, “I don’t want anything; I just want Mother to be safe and sound.”
Li Yuanjing: ...
Table of Contents
