Chapter 338
**Chapter 336: Picking at Scabs**
Shen Wei rubbed her nose; the frequency of her sneezing had been alarmingly high lately. Sometimes, even in the middle of the night, she would inexplicably sneeze. Her nose felt itchy and uncomfortable.
She stood before a bronze mirror, adjusting her ceremonial attire and hair ornaments. Cai Ping entered, carrying hot soup and snacks. "Your Highness, you might not be able to eat much at tonight's welcoming banquet. You should have a little dinner to fill your stomach first."
Shen Wei sipped the hot soup and asked Cai Ping, "Has Mei Pin changed into her ceremonial attire?"
Cai Ping shook her head.
Shen Wei's expression turned slightly cold. "Go tell Mei Pin that if she refuses to change into her ceremonial attire for the banquet, she might as well not leave her quarters tonight."
In solemn occasions, the concubines must not dress in vastly different styles. According to the rules, for large events, all concubines in the palace must wear matching ceremonial attire. This attire symbolizes their status, made of luxurious satin in a rich gold-red color, embroidered with patterns of peonies, phoenixes, and cranes, all in a unified style.
In such a setting, Liu Ru Yan absolutely could not wear white; if word got out, it would be scandalous.
"Yes, I will relay the message right away," Cai Ping said, turning to head to Yu Xiu Palace. She was puzzled; Mei Pin was merely an ordinary concubine now. If she didn't want to attend the banquet, there was no need for repeated communication—she might as well not exist in the palace.
But judging by Shen Wei's attitude, it seemed she genuinely wanted Mei Pin to be present. With a head full of questions and unable to decipher Shen Wei's thoughts, Cai Ping hurried off to do her task.
In the room, Shen Wei managed to eat only a little.
Cai Lian entered to announce that Doctor Mo had arrived.
Shen Wei received her in the inner chamber.
Doctor Mo, dressed in a blue physician's robe and wearing a black cap, looked noticeably weary. She plopped down onto a nearby soft chair and took Shen Wei's pulse.
After a while, Mo Xun tilted her head and said, "Your Highness, your health is quite good; there’s no major illness. Now, tell me, what exactly is bothering you?"
Shen Wei pointed to her slightly reddened nose. "Since spring began, I've been sneezing constantly."
Sneezing might seem trivial, but it was neither too big nor too small of a problem. Sneezing every day and occasionally having a runny nose was quite unbecoming. Shen Wei, who always pursued perfection, had to find a solution to her sneezing issue.
While dining with Li Yuan Jing during the day, she couldn't help but sneeze. Li Yuan Jing didn't seem to mind; he even kindly offered her an extra layer of clothing. But Shen Wei felt uncomfortable about it.
Though Li Yuan Jing verbally expressed that he didn't mind, if Shen Wei were to sneeze in front of him every day, he might secretly start to feel annoyed.
A beauty like a painting is pleasing to the eye, but a beauty who sneezes and has a runny nose is far less enchanting.
Shen Wei had to prevent such situations from occurring.
"Let me ask you in detail," Mo Xun leaned in. "Your Highness, what are the specific symptoms of your sneezing?"
Shen Wei thought for a moment and replied honestly, "My nose itches, my eyes occasionally itch too, and I have a runny nose, but it doesn’t feel like a cold."
Mo Xun stroked her smooth, fair chin, pondering for a while as she surveyed the furnishings in the inner chamber. Finally, she stood up and dashed into the lush courtyard of Yong Ning Palace.
Moments later, Mo Xun returned, holding a bouquet of over ten blooming flowers, which she dumped onto the table. A strong fragrance filled the air, causing Shen Wei's nose to itch even more, and she couldn't help but sneeze repeatedly.
Seeing this, Mo Xun understood. "You have pollen allergy."
Shen Wei was puzzled. "In previous years, the palace was filled with flowers, and I never sneezed."
Mo Xun patiently explained, "If you didn’t avoid the cold properly in winter, the cold and wind can accumulate in your body. When spring arrives and the yang energy rises, it can lead to pollen allergies. This is easy to treat; I’ll prescribe a tonic for you to brew and drink twice a day, and you’ll recover quickly."
Shen Wei finally breathed a sigh of relief. So, it turned out she was allergic to pollen.
She instructed the palace servants to prepare the medicine and turned her gaze back to the vibrant spring courtyard, saying solemnly, "Move these flowers away and send them to the other concubines."
Cai Lian was puzzled. "If we move all the flowers, the courtyard of Yong Ning Palace will be empty."
Shen Wei sighed. "Let’s plant some vegetables for now."
Once her pollen allergy was treated, she could replant some flowers and plants.
...
As night fell, a crescent moon hung in the sky, casting its light over the willow branches.
In the Qing Hua Hall of the palace, where foreign guests were received, officials took their seats one after another, and the concubines sat in the women's section. The Empress Dowager had not fully recovered from her illness and did not attend tonight.
With a crisp announcement of "The Emperor has arrived" and "The Consort Chen has arrived," Shen Wei walked alongside Li Yuan Jing into the resplendent hall.
The officials bowed in greeting.
In the main seat, a beaded curtain separated the emperor from the officials. Shen Wei sat beside Li Yuan Jing, gazing at the sea of officials and ladies kneeling before them, a complex wave of emotions surged within her.
No wonder everyone wants to be an emperor; with such majesty, ruling over the world, who wouldn’t be tempted?
"Everyone, please rise."
The emperor spoke, and the officials and ladies returned to their places. Shen Wei sat properly in the honored seat to Li Yuan Jing's right, glancing at the ladies' section on her right.
All the concubines wore gold-red ceremonial attire, while the ladies donned their official gowns. Liu Ru Yan sat quietly at a table, rarely wearing extravagant and colorful clothing. Today, she unusually donned a splendid ceremonial outfit, still looking beautiful.
Liu Ru Yan's gaze remained cold and indifferent, like a beautiful ice sculpture. Her enchanting eyes occasionally flicked toward the emperor's dragon throne, hoping for a glance from Li Yuan Jing.
Unfortunately, the concubine had feelings, but the lord was indifferent.
Liu Ru Yan felt a pang in her heart. Tonight, she forced herself to wear that gaudy ceremonial attire, just wanting to catch a glimpse of Li Yuan Jing. But the emperor didn’t spare her a single glance. Holding her wine cup, she felt wronged and shed tears, downing the drink in one go.
"Your Majesty, the envoy from Nan Chu has arrived," announced Gong De Shun, bowing respectfully.
Li Yuan Jing replied, "Let them in."
The intricately carved doors of the hall swung open, and armored guards formed two lines as the envoys from Nan Chu strode into Qing Hua Hall. Shen Wei curiously observed these envoys.
There were about fifty to sixty envoys entering Yan Jing, but today, only the six highest-ranking officials were present. The eldest was around sixty, while the youngest was in their twenties, all dressed in deep purple wide-sleeved robes.
"Your subjects pay their respects to the Great Qing Emperor," the six envoys bowed, their demeanor neither servile nor overbearing.
Li Yuan Jing nodded slightly. "Be seated."
The six took their seats in order.
Tonight's welcoming banquet was not about discussing state affairs or trade; it was solely for drinking and dining. The music and dance from the entertainment troupe created a lively atmosphere. However, Shen Wei was well aware that the emperor of Nan Chu, Li Yuan Li, was a petty man. He sent this envoy to Yan Jing, but it was certainly not just to peacefully discuss trade.
Trouble was brewing.
Sure enough, a thirty-something envoy from Nan Chu deliberately set down his wine cup with a look of disdain. He frowned, inspecting the wine on the table. "This wine is truly hard to swallow, even worse than the dregs from Nan Chu. Great Qing Emperor, may I ask if there are no good wines in your kingdom?"
His voice was neither loud nor soft, dripping with sarcasm.
The food and drink for the welcoming banquet were arranged meticulously by Shen Wei and the Ministry of Rites, ensuring that nothing was overlooked. The wine served to the Nan Chu envoys tonight was a unique plum blossom brew from the Great Qing, rich and fragrant.
The Nan Chu envoy was clearly trying to pick a fight.
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