Chapter 312
**Chapter 310: The Princess of Donglin**
A few months ago, the Kingdom of Qing began constructing dams upstream on the river, causing immediate panic in the downstream Kingdom of Donglin, which quickly sought to curry favor with Qing. To demonstrate their sincerity, Donglin sent their princess to Qing.
As winter approached, the Donglin princess was traversing mountains and rivers, set to arrive in Yanjing City in a couple of days. Shen Wei, who oversaw the six palaces, naturally had to prepare a place for the Donglin princess to stay. If the Donglin princess turned out to be a formidable character, Shen Wei would have to handle her with care.
“Status?” Li Yuanjing raised an eyebrow. “I’ve said before, I won’t take her into the harem.”
Shen Wei narrowed her beautiful eyes, a look of skepticism on her face. “I can’t take the emperor’s words at face value. The Donglin princess is charming and clever; if you see her, you might just lose your heart.”
Li Yuanjing set down the map of the harem and pinched Shen Wei’s slightly thinner cheek. “Hearing that makes me feel a bit sour.”
Shen Wei let out a soft huff.
The palace lanterns cast a dim yellow glow, and Shen Wei’s face, like a blooming hibiscus, was strikingly beautiful, her eyes sparkling with life.
Li Yuanjing found himself entranced, unable to help but say, “With you, I have enough.”
In the midst of the turbulent world, Li Yuanjing truly felt content. He had Shen Wei, children, and a peaceful nation. The harem was relatively tranquil; if he were to take in a consort from a rival nation, it might stir up trouble again.
Shen Wei was unlike any other woman; she resonated with him on a deeper level, their souls in harmony. What was even more precious was the vibrant energy she brought, breathing life into the otherwise stagnant harem.
Shen Wei filled a void in Li Yuanjing’s heart, and he was already satisfied.
With a shy and timid demeanor, Shen Wei seemed genuinely touched. “Having the emperor is enough for me.”
The two exchanged a smile.
As night fell, they shared dinner together. Shen Wei didn’t take Li Yuanjing’s words to heart. A man’s words were just that—words; there was no need to take them too seriously.
As night deepened, the gentle candlelight cast a warm glow on the bed curtains. On the bed, Li Yuanjing held Shen Wei’s hand, reluctant to let go.
Shen Wei’s hand was delicate and fair, warm in his grasp. Li Yuanjing sighed, recalling, “A few days ago, you were ill, your hands and feet cold. I was so anxious.”
Shen Wei looked up. “What are you anxious about, Your Majesty?”
Li Yuanjing caressed her palm, gazing at her face, and said wistfully, “I was worried you might be gone.”
It was a deep-seated worry, impossible to ignore.
The last time Li Yuanjing felt such inexplicable anxiety was three years ago when he was vying for the throne against Prince Heng. The situation in Yanjing was tense, and he had placed Shen Wei in a small courtyard outside the city for her safety.
While he was inside Yanjing planning military defenses, an overwhelming urge to see Shen Wei struck him. He rode out to the courtyard, and at the entrance, surrounded by blooming roses, he ran into Shen Wei, who had come out looking for him.
In the depths of the bed curtains, Shen Wei moved closer to Li Yuanjing, grasping his large hand in return.
She whispered, “Your Majesty, I’m well now. I won’t leave.”
Li Yuanjing spoke, half warning, half pleading, “Promise me you won’t fall ill again.”
His strong body enveloped her, surrounding her in the small space. Their hair fell and intertwined.
The bed curtains swayed gently.
Shen Wei was sweating quite a bit.
Perhaps considering that Shen Wei had just recovered from her illness, Li Yuanjing was unusually gentle, accommodating her every preference.
Shen Wei’s fingers clutched the newly changed embroidered quilt, her brow furrowed, her voice muffled and indistinct, lost in the haze of her discomfort.
As the night deepened and the dew thickened, the precious tribute chrysanthemums in the courtyard of Yongning Palace glistened with moisture. A gust of wind blew, causing the cold dew to slide off the petals and seep into the autumn earth.
...
...
On a cold, deep autumn night, the princess of Donglin arrived at the official post station outside Yanjing City.
The candlelight flickered, and the wind rattled the window panes.
Inside the post station’s bedroom, the Donglin princess changed into thick nightclothes, leaning against the bed while flipping through a book titled *The Chronicles of the Female Emperor of Nanchu*. A maid entered with a basin of warm water. “Princess, it’s late. You should read tomorrow instead; don’t strain your eyes.”
The Donglin princess turned a page. “I can’t sleep.”
Tomorrow, she would enter Yanjing City and pay her respects to the Emperor of Qing. The thought made her anxious, so she turned to reading to relieve her stress.
The maid wrung out a damp cloth and sat by the bed, wiping the princess’s palms.
The Donglin princess’s fingers were as delicate as green shoots, her skin soft and pale. The maid smiled brightly. “The Emperor of Qing will be your future husband. You’re beautiful and outstanding; you’ll surely win his heart.”
The Donglin princess set down her book, shooting the maid an annoyed glare. “What kind of person is the Emperor? He won’t be easily swayed by beauty. I’m just a princess from a small border nation; he won’t take me seriously.”
The maid was taken aback, hesitating before speaking. “But... but His Majesty has repeatedly instructed that you must win the Emperor’s heart.”
Donglin was a small nation, reliant on Qing for its livelihood, surviving on the scraps that fell from Qing’s table.
If the Donglin princess could become the Emperor’s confidante, whispering sweet nothings in his ear, the benefits for Donglin would be immeasurable.
The Donglin princess flipped another page, her lovely face filled with resignation. “The Emperor has a favored consort, Consort Chen. I know my place; I can’t compete with her.”
The maid asked, puzzled, “But Consort Chen was just a farmer’s daughter—”
The Donglin princess tapped the maid’s head lightly, exasperated. “A farmer’s daughter who has risen to such a position is proof enough that she’s not to be trifled with. I’ve heard that Consort Chen is exceptionally beautiful and a virtuous woman, well-regarded among the people.”
“Her brother is the General of the State, and her younger brother is Shen Xiuming—the one who cut off the water supply while building the dam! The Emperor dotes on her, and the Empress Dowager protects her. With her brothers thriving in their careers, how can I, an outsider princess, compete with her? Only those foolish women would be so naïve as to oppose Consort Chen.”
The maid felt disheartened.
The princess’s words were reasonable, each one hitting home.
With a sigh, the maid asked, “Then what will you do, Princess...?”
The Donglin princess clutched her book, closing her eyes briefly, and lamented, “The Emperor of Qing is wise and strategic, the Emperor of Yue is far-sighted, and the Emperor of Nanchu is decisive in battle. My father, however, is utterly incompetent.”
The maid was taken aback, unsure how to respond. “Princess, please don’t say such things.”
The Donglin princess replied bitterly, “I’m not speaking nonsense. My father is foolish and inept, and my dozens of brothers are all lecherous and dim-witted. Donglin has no future. I almost wish Qing would swallow Donglin whole; if the regime changes, at least the people of Donglin could live better lives.”
Unfortunately, she was not a man, unable to realize her ambitions.
With threats looming over Donglin, her father didn’t think to train the army or strengthen their defenses; instead, he pushed a weak girl like her out to face the storm. Her dozens of brothers, drained by wine and lust, were utterly useless.
On the way to Qing, the Donglin princess had thought of escaping more than once. She wanted to emulate Princess Taihua from a century ago, to establish her own power and dominate a region.
But alas, the guards were vigilant, and she could only arrive at Yanjing City with a heart full of resentment.
As the night deepened, the Donglin princess sighed, “There’s always a way out. As the Female Emperor of Nanchu said, no matter how dire life gets, one must find a better way to live it, so as not to waste this life.”
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