Chapter 326
**Chapter 324: The Great Turmoil in Yunzhou**
The state letter from Nan Chu was delivered.
Li Yuanjing's expression darkened as he opened the letter from Nan Chu, reading it swiftly. The faint fragrance of red plum blossoms filled the room, and Li Yuanjing pressed his thin lips into a straight line.
After finishing the letter, he casually set it aside.
Beside him, Li Chengtai reached out his chubby little hand to flip through the document. His voice was soft and gentle: "Nan Chu wants to discuss border trade with us, planning to send a delegation next spring to negotiate the details. They also wish to visit the ancestral shrine at Qiu Liang Palace."
Qiu Liang Palace, the former residence of the founding empress of Nan Chu, still stood intact.
Li Chengtai asked, "Father, is Nan Chu asking for peace?"
Li Yuanjing nodded. "It seems so."
Prince Heng, Li Yuanli, had failed in his bid for the throne and fled the territory of Qing Guo, returning to Nan Chu. With half of his bloodline tied to the Nan Chu royal family and through ruthless means, he had managed to ascend as the emperor of Nan Chu.
Initially, Nan Chu aimed to ally with Dong Lin to counter Qing Guo. However, the latter was effectively choked by a dam, causing the alliance to collapse before it could even form.
Now, with Li Yuanli proactively sending a state letter, it appeared he was seeking peace.
Li Yuanjing's expression was uncertain; he had always been wary of this half-brother.
He took up paper and brush, swiftly issuing two imperial edicts.
The southern troops were to continue their training, and border defenses were to be strengthened, leaving no opportunity for Nan Chu to cross the line.
...
Half a month later, in the palace of Nan Chu.
Located in the southern region, only the northern territories near Qing Guo experienced snowfall. The rest of Nan Chu had merely seen a drop in temperature since winter began, without any heavy snow.
In the opulent imperial study, the air was fragrant, with clusters of roses blooming in the corners. A soft wool cushion lay by the emperor's desk, where a plump white fox was curled up, sound asleep.
Several elderly ministers knelt on the ground, bowing their heads in supplication. "Your Majesty, the harem is without a mistress, and the realm is in turmoil. Please appoint a consort as empress to stabilize the situation."
The old ministers pleaded desperately.
Since ascending the throne, the new emperor of Nan Chu had been decisive in his actions, forging his kingdom from a pile of corpses. Li Yuanli was neither particularly benevolent nor foolish; his temperament was somewhat violent and capricious, leaving no one able to fathom his thoughts.
Though there were about ten consorts in the harem, none had won Li Yuanli's favor. Despite years of urging from the ministers, he had yet to appoint an empress.
Li Yuanli casually tossed a memorial, which landed squarely on an old minister's head. He raised an eyebrow. "The harem is without a mistress, and the realm is in turmoil... I want to see just how turbulent it can get."
The ministers fell silent.
Li Yuanli raised a hand. "If you keep babbling, you might not leave here alive today."
Cold sweat trickled down the old ministers' backs.
Nan Chu had been in chaos for years; in the last two decades, the throne had changed hands over a dozen times, with constant power struggles among the royal family, leaving the common people in dire straits. This emperor, emerging from a sea of blood, maintained his grip on the throne through sheer force.
Reasoning with him was futile.
A group of old ministers and discontented royals had repeatedly attempted to rebel, but Li Yuanli held the military power and commanded a group of ruthless assassins.
He had never adhered to decorum, having executed over a dozen potential usurpers, leaving the royal family with few survivors.
Most of those he killed were corrupt officials and greedy nobles, and as a result, his reputation among the common people was surprisingly good.
In a realm that had been in turmoil for decades, what was needed was not a benevolent ruler, but a "tyrant" to stabilize the court.
Li Yuanli waved dismissively. "Get out."
The old ministers trembled as they bowed their heads and left.
Li Yuanli leaned back against the dragon throne, his handsome brows slightly furrowed, concealing the disdain and violence in his eyes. The room was quiet, the scent of roses lingering in the air.
He closed his eyes for a moment of rest.
The white fox lay quietly on the cushion, its breathing steady.
After a while, a eunuch entered, bowing his head. "Your Majesty, the state letter from Qing Guo has arrived."
Li Yuanli slowly opened his eyes.
The eunuch held the letter from Qing Guo, reporting, "Your Majesty, rest assured, the paper has been thoroughly checked inside and out for any poison residue. You may read it without worry."
The relationship between the two emperors was strained, with both fearing that poison might be hidden within the letter. Only after careful inspection was the letter brought before the emperor.
Li Yuanli skimmed through the letter, reading it quickly, a look of disdain crossing his lips.
...
In Qing Guo.
As dusk fell, the white snow blanketed the imperial city. Li Yuanjing finished his official duties and walked back to Yongning Palace through the snow.
It was cold, and Shen Wei had spent the day nestled in the warm chamber.
Upon entering, Li Yuanjing saw Shen Wei leaning against a gilded couch, engrossed in a book. The room was cozy, and Shen Wei wore only a thin scarlet embroidered dress, her slender figure illuminated by the sunlight streaming through the window, casting a delicate halo around her.
On the table, a white jade vase held blooming red plums. Shen Wei was absorbed in her reading, her delicate fingers turning a page with a soft rustle.
It was like a finely crafted painting.
Li Yuanjing paused to admire her for a moment before stepping inside.
"Your Majesty, you're back," Shen Wei said, as if just noticing his footsteps, putting down her book.
Li Yuanjing sat beside her. "What book has you so captivated?"
Shen Wei smiled. "It's a popular tale from Yanjing City that my mother brought yesterday."
Shen Wei's mother, the Shen matriarch, occasionally visited the palace to keep her company. Concerned that Shen Wei might be bored, she had brought along several interesting stories.
Whenever Shen Wei found a moment of leisure, she would flip through these tales. Most of them were published by her own bookshop.
They often depicted passionate romances between men and women, infused with elements of modern melodramatic idol dramas, making them quite popular in Yanjing, especially among young ladies.
As these tales gained popularity, they were adapted into plays, performed in the pear garden Shen Wei had established, drawing full houses every time.
Thanks to these stories and plays, Shen Wei's new bookshop and pear garden were thriving.
"Are these tales really that interesting?" Li Yuanjing asked, intrigued. "I want to take a look."
In the biting cold, the two nestled together in the warm chamber, flipping through the illustrated tales. Suddenly, a gust of cold wind rattled the window, and a tiger guard appeared outside, seemingly with urgent news.
Li Yuanjing lifted the curtain. "What is it?"
The tiger guard replied, "Your Majesty, the people in the five counties east of Yunzhou have revolted! They’ve set fire to the county office and stormed the granaries for grain and cotton!"
Li Yuanjing's expression turned icy. "Summon the Minister of War, Sun Zheng, and Ye Qiu to the palace!"
As he prepared to leave, he turned back to Shen Wei. "Don't wait for me for dinner tonight. Rest early."
Shen Wei nodded lightly, seeing Li Yuanjing out.
It was only after Li Yuanjing's figure disappeared into the snowy night that Shen Wei returned to the warm chamber.
This winter was particularly harsh, with several northern regions experiencing localized snow disasters. The court had promptly dispatched relief grain and purchased large quantities of cotton to lower prices, striving to ensure the common people could survive the cold.
While other provinces remained calm, why had the people of Yunzhou chosen to rise up?
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