Chapter 316
**Chapter 314: Taking the Initiative**
Shen Wei wasted no time and got straight to the point: “You’ve entered the Yan residence to keep an eye on Dan Tai Rou for me.”
Dan Tai Rou was the daughter of a minor official, her background seemingly clean and simple. Yet, she had gifted Shen Wei an extremely precious South Chu ruby. It’s worth noting that this rare gem, a top-quality ruby from South Chu, was so scarce that only the royal family could possess it.
Shen Wei had a nagging feeling that Dan Tai Rou was a problem, a hidden threat. She discreetly instructed Ye Zhanggui, who ran a shop outside the palace, to investigate, but he found nothing.
Shen Wei trusted her instincts; her sixth sense had always been spot on. She wouldn’t wait for a crisis to hit her before figuring out how to deal with it. She wanted to nip any potential danger in the bud, which was why she had asked Princess Donglin to keep a close watch on Dan Tai Rou.
“Understood, Zhen Min will take care of it,” Princess Donglin replied without hesitation, nodding in agreement.
Shen Wei kindly reminded her, “Be careful. Dan Tai Rou is not someone to be underestimated; she could be quite dangerous.”
Princess Donglin smiled, “Don’t worry, Zhen Min won’t let you down.”
In this foreign land, Princess Donglin felt like a drifting leaf in the wind, a piece of floating grass in the water. Shen Wei was willing to lend her a hand, but she had to work hard to prove her worth.
...
Meanwhile, at the Yan residence.
Yan Yun Ting returned to the inner courtyard with the imperial edict for marriage. With the wedding approaching, the Yan residence was festooned with decorations, bright red drapes hanging from the eaves, and red lanterns swaying in the cold wind.
As he entered the house, he saw the magnificent wedding attire hanging on a wooden rack. Dan Tai Rou was trimming the excess threads from the wedding gown with a small pair of scissors.
“Rou Er,” Yan Yun Ting said, noticing the weariness in her eyes, and his heart filled with guilt.
When he had first married Dan Tai Rou, he had promised her that she would be his only wife. Yet, less than a year into their marriage, he had taken Princess Donglin as well.
Yan Yun Ting felt a pang of guilt as he approached Dan Tai Rou. “I can’t go against the Emperor’s will. If I do, my family will suffer.”
He couldn’t admit his feelings for Princess Donglin in front of Dan Tai Rou. He shifted the blame onto the Emperor. The Emperor commanded him to marry, and he had no choice but to comply.
Dan Tai Rou’s eyes reddened, her beautiful gaze lingering on him as she said gently, “I understand your predicament. The Emperor forces you to take a concubine; how can a subject defy the imperial decree? Once Princess Donglin enters the household, I will get along with her and won’t make things difficult for you.”
Seeing Dan Tai Rou’s understanding nature, Yan Yun Ting let out a heavy sigh of relief. His Rou Er was always so considerate.
He pulled Dan Tai Rou into his embrace, touched. “I’m sorry for putting you through this.”
Dan Tai Rou lowered her gaze. “As long as you hold me in your heart, I won’t feel wronged.”
The two shared a tender moment, but soon the housekeeper called for Yan Yun Ting from outside. He reluctantly stood up to leave, while Dan Tai Rou continued to snip away at the threads of the wedding gown.
The sharp scissors made a soft snipping sound as they cut through the threads.
Dan Tai Rou’s expression darkened as she muttered to herself, “And now there’s a troublesome princess…”
If Yan Yun Ting had married another woman, Dan Tai Rou could have quietly taken action to ensure that woman fell ill and died. But he had married a foreign princess. If Princess Donglin were to die in the Yan residence, the Emperor might punish Dan Tai Rou.
Feeling anxious, Dan Tai Rou dared not act rashly. If all went as expected, her master—the Emperor of South Chu, Li Yuanli—would make a grand entrance to Qingguo next year. She needed to prepare thoroughly to ensure Li Yuanli’s safety.
...
Three days later, Shen Wei personally presided over the wedding, escorting Princess Donglin out of the palace. The procession was lively, with music and fanfare as they arrived at the festively decorated Yan residence.
After sending off Princess Donglin, Shen Wei turned to return to Yongning Palace. She didn’t take the noble consort’s palanquin; after a recent illness, she had reflected deeply and realized she had neglected her fitness.
So, she made a point to exercise more, opting to walk whenever possible.
As she strolled through the imperial garden, she encountered Mo Xun, who was carrying a medicine box. Dressed in a deep blue physician’s robe and wearing a black cap, he looked particularly handsome.
Mo Xun cupped his hands in greeting, saying politely, “This humble servant pays respects to Consort Shen.”
He had just returned from Ci Ning Palace.
Shen Wei paused and asked, “Has the Empress Dowager’s condition improved?”
Mo Xun sighed and shook his head. “She’s troubled and cannot find peace. Medicine can only heal physical ailments, not the pain of the heart.”
Since the downfall of the Xie family, the Empress Dowager had been in low spirits, unable to sleep at night, and had fallen ill. For the sake of the nation, she had indirectly sent her family to their doom. Yet, she was still a daughter of the Xie family, raised with care and affection, and she had feelings for them.
With hundreds of the Xie family dead or exiled, and her own brother demoted to a remote province, the Empress Dowager must be suffering greatly.
Shen Wei sighed inwardly. The Empress Dowager was indeed a pitiful figure.
Mo Xun, carrying the medicine box, looked at Shen Wei with concern. She had lost weight after her recent illness. Suddenly, Mo Xun spoke up, “Consort Shen, may I have a private word with you? I’d like to take your pulse.”
Shen Wei’s eyes flickered, and she nodded with a smile, “Of course.”
The palace maids and eunuchs waited a short distance away as Shen Wei and Mo Xun entered a pavilion. The autumn garden was uniquely beautiful, with fallen leaves carpeting the ground and chrysanthemums blooming vibrantly.
Inside the pavilion, Shen Wei placed her hand on the soft cushion.
Mo Xun took her pulse. “The pulse is steady and strong; you’re in good health,” he remarked, puzzled. “But why were you ill for ten days recently?”
Shen Wei replied, “It’s normal to fall ill as the weather turns cool in autumn.”
Mo Xun rested his chin on his hand, his fair and handsome face clouded with confusion. Like Shen Wei, he enjoyed exercising and rarely fell ill.
Throughout his life, Mo Xun had only been sick four times, and each time it lasted ten days, with symptoms of high fever, vomiting, dizziness, and strange dreams.
Being sick felt terrible, as if his soul were leaving his body, his head spinning.
Though he was a skilled physician, he couldn’t diagnose his own strange illness. It seemed like a cold, but it wasn’t.
After recovering, Mo Xun reviewed Shen Wei’s pulse records and found that they had fallen ill at the same time, with nearly identical symptoms.
Mo Xun asked Shen Wei, “When you had a cold before, did you also feel dizzy and have strange dreams, as if your soul were flying away?”
Shen Wei shook her head. “Not at all. I used to recover quickly, usually in five or six days. This time, it lasted longer.”
Mo Xun furrowed his brow, deep in thought.
“Don’t move; there’s a dry leaf on your hat,” Shen Wei suddenly said, reaching out to carefully remove the leaf from Mo Xun’s hat.
Mo Xun snapped back to reality. “Excuse me, Your Highness. I should return to the Imperial Medical Office.”
Shen Wei suddenly held his hand, smiling brightly. “No rush; stay with me a while to enjoy the autumn scenery.”
Mo Xun scratched his head. “Alright, there’s nothing pressing at the office. I don’t want to be on duty anyway; it’s exhausting.”
The autumn wind rustled, and leaves fell from the branches in the imperial garden. Shen Wei and Mo Xun admired the autumn scenery together, and she even gifted him her personal handkerchief.
In a secluded corner, a pair of eyes secretly observed Shen Wei and Mo Xun in the pavilion. After a while, the spy slipped away.
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