Chapter 263
**Chapter 261: The Emperor of Nan Chu**
Li Yuanjing felt a deep sense of satisfaction in his heart.
He still remembered the days at the Yan Wang Mansion when Shen Wei was like a blank sheet of paper—innocent and naive, unaware of schemes and the intrigues of the inner court, only knowing how to love him foolishly.
As time passed, Shen Wei had been by his side long enough to learn how to protect herself under Li Yuanjing's guidance. The flower he had nurtured was slowly beginning to bloom.
“That won’t do; I must also use a trick on the Emperor,” Shen Wei said, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
Li Yuanjing raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “What trick?”
With a playful tug on his belt, Shen Wei's delicate fingers danced as she replied, “The beauty trap.”
The candlelight filtered through the thin, fragrant silk curtains, casting a soft glow on the enchanting figure beneath.
With her eyes slightly narrowed and her lips a rosy hue, Shen Wei's light nightgown slipped off her shoulder, revealing her smooth, fair skin. Her skin glimmered like jade, exuding a subtle fragrance, alluring and full of emotion.
It was utterly captivating.
Li Yuanjing felt a tightness in his throat, his voice gravelly as he said, “Then I willingly fall for your trap.”
The evening breeze rustled, causing the newly bloomed pink lotus buds in the courtyard to sway, while the koi in the pond leaped out of the water with a splash. The night was still young.
...
The next morning, as dawn broke, Shen Wei was still sound asleep in her bed. Li Yuanjing, dressed and ready, stood by the bed for a moment, watching her sleep in, feeling an immense sense of contentment.
He quietly left the chamber.
After having breakfast brought in by the palace servants, Li Yuanjing took a stroll around the vegetable garden. The eggplants he had planted were bearing fruit, the tomatoes were plump and red, and a few cucumbers had also sprouted.
He planned to plant some radishes soon, as Le You particularly enjoyed sweet radish soup.
After attending the morning court, Shen Wei had dozed off for another half an hour before slowly getting up to dress. As she changed, she pondered that merely gaining favor with the Empress was not enough; to establish a good reputation, she needed to win over the ladies of the prominent families in Yan Jing.
Thus began Shen Wei's plan.
She did not deliberately court the women from the major families; instead, she focused on the wives of officials from humble backgrounds, as well as civil and military officials. Under the banner of the Empress Dowager, she occasionally hosted gatherings for these women, chatting about daily life, sharing beauty tips, and enjoying tea and wine together.
In addition, Shen Wei took over the charitable endeavors previously led by Princess Zhaoyang, continuing to care for orphans at Anguo Temple. For the children with a talent for learning, she hired tutors; for those less inclined to study, she arranged for them to become apprentices in various shops.
Whenever a county in Qingguo faced a disaster, Shen Wei led the palace in advocating for frugality, sending the saved silver to the affected areas.
Through a series of initiatives, Shen Wei's reputation among the common people steadily improved.
...
In the palace of Nan Chu, the former Duke of Da Qing, now transformed into the new Emperor Li Yuanli of Nan Chu, lounged in the imperial garden. Clusters of blooming roses surrounded him as he casually tossed a diplomatic letter into the pond.
Splash—
The letter from Donglin Kingdom hit the water, sending up a spray of clear droplets.
“Such a small nation, utterly lacking in credibility,” Li Yuanli said lazily, sipping his tea in a pavilion. A plump white fox curled up at his feet, its paws tucked in as it slept soundly.
The official who had delivered the letter stood trembling, not daring to breathe.
Originally, Nan Chu had intended to collaborate with Donglin Kingdom to train troops and jointly attack the southern cities of Da Qing.
However, Donglin had gone back on its word, sending a letter of separation to Nan Chu, claiming it was coerced by Da Qing and could not cooperate.
Rumors from Qingguo suggested plans to build dams on several tributaries upstream of the Mingyuan River.
Building dams was inherently challenging, but a century ago, Princess Taihua had invented a new method that simplified the process, allowing for adjustable water levels. This technique became widely adopted, making dam construction no longer a daunting task.
Donglin had not anticipated Qingguo's clever strategy; most of its farmland relied on this lifeblood river for irrigation. If the river ran dry, the nation would face disaster.
Donglin quickly settled down, content to remain a vassal state, no longer daring to stir trouble.
In the pavilion of the imperial garden, Li Yuanli held a white jade cup between his long, bony fingers, a smirk playing on his lips as he asked his minister, “Which fool from Da Qing proposed the idea of damming the river?”
Since he couldn't deal with Li Yuanjing directly, he would settle for punishing the one who suggested the dam.
The minister bowed his head, his voice trembling, “The informants in Yan Jing say it was the Eighth Prince's idea.”
Li Yuanli raised an eyebrow, a hint of confusion in his voice. “Eighth Prince?”
The minister continued, quaking, “The Eighth Prince is the son of Consort Chen. Consort Chen's brother is Shen Mieyue.”
Li Yuanli inhaled sharply, Shen Wei's cunning and beautiful face flashing before his eyes.
Like mother, like son!
Shen Wei was clever, and her son was just as devious.
The minister cautiously added, “Your Majesty, the informants in Yan Jing are ready. If you give the order, the Eighth Prince can be killed within ten days.”
Li Yuanli set down his teacup. “No need; the child is still young.”
The minister was taken aback.
The decisive Emperor, known for his ruthlessness, was showing mercy towards a child today?
Li Yuanli spoke slowly, almost to himself, “That woman is smart; her son will be hard to kill.”
The wind rustled through the imperial garden, causing the clusters of roses to sway, their red petals unfurling.
Li Yuanli stood up, kicking the sleeping fox at his feet awake. The plump creature, jolted from its dreams, bared its teeth and lunged at Li Yuanli's golden-embroidered boots.
A faint bite mark was left on the edge of the boot.
The minister's eyelids twitched. This new Emperor of Nan Chu was ruthless, having climbed to the throne over a mountain of corpses, yet he kept a temperamental white fox as a pet.
Li Yuanli stretched lazily. “If I can’t wage war, I’ll have to seek peace.”
It had been a long time since he returned to Yan Jing, and he felt a pang of homesickness. He needed to find a suitable opportunity to visit his good brother Li Yuanjing.
And to see the familiar landscapes and beauties of his homeland.
...
Time passed quietly, and Shen Wei continued her tireless efforts to build her reputation.
In August, the weather was sweltering. The Guangwen Pavilion was stocked with plenty of ice, keeping the interior relatively cool.
The teaching session had ended. Yang Xuanji sat at the desk engrossed in his books; Li Chengtai practiced his calligraphy at a small rosewood table; Li Chengyou lay sprawled on a bamboo mat, sound asleep.
“Doctor Yang, Consort Chen has come to visit the two little princes,” an official from Guangwen Pavilion reminded.
Yang Xuanji set down his book. Li Chengtai put down his brush and kicked his sleeping brother awake.
Shen Wei entered the pavilion with Cai Ping, her face beaming. “It’s hot today, so I brought some watermelon for you all to try.”
Li Chengyou rubbed his sleepy eyes and jumped up. “Thank you, Mother! I love watermelon!”
He dashed over excitedly.
Cai Ping opened the food box, revealing chilled watermelon. She placed it on the small table and began slicing it into pieces. Li Chengyou grabbed the largest piece and eagerly said, “Mother, you eat first.”
Shen Wei shook her head. “I’ve already had some.”
Li Chengyou turned and handed the biggest piece to Yang Xuanji. “Here, sir, you eat.”
After passing the watermelon to Yang Xuanji, Li Chengyou returned to grab his own piece. Li Chengtai tilted his head, clearly displeased with his brother’s actions. “Chengyou, why didn’t you get me one?”
Li Chengyou, with his mouth full of watermelon, mumbled, “I didn’t dare take yours; just get it yourself.”
On this hot summer day, the chilled watermelon was exceptionally sweet, and Li Chengyou was covered in juice.
Li Chengtai wasn’t particularly fond of watermelon and only ate a small piece.
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed something strange about Shen Wei’s right hand, which seemed injured and was wrapped in white cloth.
“Mother, what happened to your hand?” Li Chengtai exclaimed.
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