Chapter 330
**Chapter 328: An Unexpected Encounter in the Imperial Garden**
“Have you really uncovered such secretive information in just two months?” Shen Wei was genuinely surprised.
Princess Donglin smiled, “The Empress of Nanchu once said: Fortune favors the prepared. If I wish to ally with the noble consort, I must show all my capabilities.”
Princess Donglin was not just a pretty face. Her mother was a pearl diver from Donglin, whose beauty caught the eye of the lustful emperor, leading her to the imperial harem. Despite the small size of Donglin, the harem was filled with over a hundred concubines, constantly embroiled in power struggles.
Growing up in such a ruthless environment, Princess Donglin naturally possessed a cleverness that surpassed others.
“Dantai Rou is cautious in her actions. She added a sleeping aid to the calming tea she gave Yan Yunting. Every half month, she sends messages via carrier pigeons, which fly south.”
“Dantai Rou is well-versed in the literature of Nanchu and understands its customs. I’ve checked, and her father once worked at a horse farm in the south, which was previously a breeding ground for the Heng Wang.”
“I suspect she is a spy lurking in Nanchu.”
Princess Donglin detailed the clues she had discovered to Shen Wei, even opening her small pouch to show the remnants of the calming tea and the unfinished letters from Dantai Rou.
Her reasoning was sound, and the evidence was substantial.
Seeing Princess Donglin’s sincerity, Shen Wei also admired her intelligence.
Shen Wei said, “After spring arrives, Nanchu will send a delegation to Qingguo, and Dantai Rou will surely take action. Keep a close watch and be careful in everything.”
Princess Donglin nodded excitedly, “Yes! I won’t let the noble consort down.”
Shen Wei had Cai Lian bring over a brocade box.
Inside the box were five thousand taels of silver notes.
Shen Wei said, “Yanjing is a nest of wealth, and everything requires careful handling. Take this silver; if it’s not enough, feel free to come to me for more.”
The Yan family was not among the wealthiest, with few servants and a residence that paled in comparison to other noble houses. Yan Yunting, a fourth-rank official, earned only a hundred taels a month, and the profits from the Yan estate’s lands were not high.
By giving silver to Princess Donglin, Shen Wei not only facilitated her future intelligence-gathering but also subtly bought her loyalty.
Shen Wei had always been generous. In the workplace and within the inner court, discussing feelings and loyalty often yielded poor results; offering money to win hearts was the most practical approach. Those loyal to her would be richly rewarded.
Princess Donglin accepted the brocade box, her fingers trembling slightly. Five thousand taels of silver was nearly half the Yan family’s fortune.
She exclaimed, “Thank you, noble consort!”
Shen Wei also gifted her five bolts of silk and two boxes of jewelry, finally having Mama Rong personally escort Princess Donglin out of the palace. This act was almost a public declaration that the noble consort and Princess Donglin were close friends.
The people of the Yan household, seeing the favor of Consort Shen, dared not treat Princess Donglin with any disrespect.
After Princess Donglin left, in the warm chamber, Shen Wei continued to savor the warm black-boned chicken soup.
“Colluding with the Lu family, or is it a spy from Nanchu…” Shen Wei murmured, a vague sense of foreboding rising within her.
...
On the other side, Lu Ying, filled with boundless hopes for the future, settled into her sister’s palace.
She could hardly wait to meet the emperor.
After much thought, Lu Ying carefully dressed up, forbidding her maid from following, and set off alone to the Imperial Garden.
She remembered clearly that in the dream that foretold her future, she had an unexpected encounter with the emperor in the Imperial Garden.
It was winter again, snow falling softly, and the red plums in the garden were in full bloom. The emperor, dressed in a dark robe, smiled at her and said, “You must be the queen’s sister? You’re quite lovely.”
“I should be up ahead.” In the Imperial Garden, Lu Ying held a white oiled paper umbrella, draped in a snow-white fox fur cloak, lightly stepping among the red plum trees.
The red plums bloomed vibrantly like blood, the white snow resting on the petals, releasing a refreshing fragrance that filled the air.
Lu Ying’s cheeks were flushed from the cold, yet she felt no chill; her heart was ablaze with anticipation, hoping for a chance encounter with the handsome emperor that would win her his favor.
Gazing at the stunning red plums, she couldn’t help but recite a poem: “In the icy woods, I stand alone, unlike the peach and plum that mingle with the dust.”
As soon as she finished, a cool voice came from behind her, “What a lovely line about ‘unlike the peach and plum that mingle with the dust.’”
The voice was as cold as ice.
Lu Ying turned in surprise to see Mei Fei Liu Ruyan approaching gracefully. Snowflakes danced around her, and Liu Ruyan, dressed in a silver-white winter gown that rivaled the frost, looked like a fairy descended from the heavens.
The snowflakes sheltered Liu Ruyan as they walked into the grove of red plums.
Lu Ying recognized Liu Ruyan. In the harem of Qingguo, Liu Ruyan possessed an ethereal grace, stunning beauty, and remarkable talent. Yet, for some reason, the emperor favored the more flamboyant Consort Shen, neglecting Liu Ruyan.
Suppressing her wariness, Lu Ying displayed an innocent and bright smile, respectfully greeting, “This humble girl, Lu Ying, pays her respects to Mei Fei. I hope you are well.”
Liu Ruyan took a few steps, pausing beneath a fiery red plum tree. She furrowed her brow, looking at Lu Ying, “It’s quite cold today. All the concubines are in the warm chambers avoiding the chill, playing cards, unwilling to venture out to admire the plum blossoms. Why are you wandering alone in the plum grove?”
Of course, Lu Ying couldn’t say she had braved the snow to seek out the emperor.
So, she casually made up an excuse: “The red plums are in full bloom, a sight too beautiful to miss. I came here to enjoy the blossoms.”
Today, Lu Ying happened to be wearing a charming silver winter gown as well.
Liu Ruyan’s gaze swept over Lu Ying’s attire, and a hint of appreciation flickered in her beautiful eyes.
“Finding a kindred spirit is rare,” Liu Ruyan said, “Miss Lu, why not join me in the pavilion to warm up and enjoy the plums together?”
Lu Ying forced a smile, “That sounds wonderful.”
The pavilion in the red plum courtyard was drafty, with only thin mats covering two openings. A warm charcoal stove was placed inside, with plum blossom charcoal burning brightly, providing a faint warmth.
A pot of plum blossom tea was also warming on the stove.
After sitting in the pavilion for a while, Lu Ying’s back began to shiver from the cold. She glanced at Liu Ruyan sitting opposite her, whose face was as pale as snow, seemingly unfazed by the cold, as she gazed at the plums with a pair of affectionate, worried eyes.
Lu Ying secretly marveled; could this Mei Fei be a fairy? Was she not afraid of the cold? Or was her clothing particularly warm?
“Jade bones do not fear the miasma, ice-like grace carries a celestial breeze,” Liu Ruyan softly recited an ancient poem.
Then, with a gentle sigh, Liu Ruyan asked, “Miss Lu, why do you like plum blossoms?”
Lu Ying rolled her eyes internally. If it weren’t for the emperor, she wouldn’t have braved the wind and snow to admire flowers. She didn’t like plum blossoms at all! On a freezing snowy day, one should be snuggled up in bed, sleeping soundly.
Only a fool would go out to see flowers in such weather.
Maintaining her polite facade, Lu Ying quickly fabricated a lie, “I have a beloved, and we met beneath the red plum tree, so I can’t help but remember it.”
Liu Ruyan looked slightly surprised. Her affectionate eyes fixed on Lu Ying, and after a moment, she sighed deeply, “Indeed, finding a kindred spirit is rare. I too met the emperor beneath the plum trees many years ago.”
Lu Ying silently scoffed: Oh, what a coincidence.
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