Chapter 340
**Chapter 338: The Foreign Minister Takes His Leave**
The moon hung low over the willow branches, and the fragrance of flowers filled the air.
A minister from Nan Chu approached, cupping his hands in a respectful gesture. “This humble minister pays his respects to the esteemed Consort.”
A moment of silence enveloped the surroundings.
The minister raised his gaze, locking eyes with Shen Wei, the Consort, who stood less than six feet away. Years had passed, yet her beauty remained unchanged—her fair complexion, her eyes like painted landscapes, adorned in a resplendent consort's robe that outshone even the peonies.
Shen Wei cast a fleeting glance at the strange minister from Nan Chu and said, “Seize this rogue and take him to the Dali Temple for a thorough interrogation.”
In the dead of night, a foreign minister daring to intrude upon the inner palace was practically courting death.
Shen Wei had no intention of being polite.
If he needed to be captured, then capture him; if he needed to be killed, then kill him.
The guards patrolling the palace rushed forward, weapons drawn, ready to apprehend the foreign minister.
A look of shock crossed the minister's face, as if he hadn’t anticipated Shen Wei’s decisiveness. He smirked, explaining in a leisurely manner, “Your Highness, please see reason. After the banquet at Qinghua Hall tonight, I accidentally lost my way while following the eunuch guide. The night is dark, and I became disoriented.”
Shen Wei scoffed.
Not a word of his explanation did she believe.
The guards, following orders, seized the minister by the arm. Just then, hurried footsteps approached from a distance—several young eunuchs from the Ministry of Rites. Upon witnessing the commotion at the garden entrance, they rushed forward to pay their respects to Shen Wei.
“Your Highness, we were ordered to escort the minister from Nan Chu out of the palace. After he attended to his needs, he vanished, and we searched for quite some time,” one of the eunuchs explained in a fluster. “Since the palace is about to be locked up for the night, why not let us escort this minister out?”
The eunuchs’ arrival indirectly corroborated the minister’s story.
Shen Wei lowered her gaze, contemplating for a moment. The tense international relations between Qing and Nan Chu were slowly improving; it would be unwise to let a minor incident jeopardize diplomatic ties.
With a gracious expression, she finally said, “Very well, let him be escorted out.”
The Nan Chu minister replied, “Thank you, Your Highness, for your mercy. You truly are a virtuous consort.”
Shen Wei ground her teeth.
That remark was grating to her ears.
She coldly warned, “If there’s a next time, I will have you executed on the spot.”
The minister adjusted his wide crimson sleeves, a smirk playing on his lips. “This minister understands. I take my leave.”
As the night breeze rustled, the Nan Chu minister leisurely followed the eunuchs out of the vibrant imperial garden. Shen Wei watched his retreating figure for a long while before turning to Cai Lian. “Investigate this man’s background.”
A foreign minister, newly arrived, had managed to navigate the winding paths of the inner palace to reach the imperial garden. Not a single patrolling guard had noticed him along the way.
Clearly, he was not an ordinary man.
Cai Lian nodded. “I will take care of it right away.”
...
The Nan Chu minister walked behind the eunuchs, his steps relaxed as he traversed the long palace path.
His dark eyes swept over the familiar corridors, and a sense of nostalgia for his homeland welled up within him.
As he reached a corner, the minister feigned a sprained ankle, leaning against a stone lantern along the path. He discreetly slipped a letter from his sleeve into the crevice beneath the lantern.
Before long, a young palace maid crept up to the lantern, glancing around to ensure no one was watching. She quickly retrieved the hidden letter and hurried back to the Changxin Palace of the Shuxi Consort.
“Master, the letter,” the maid, Xiao Qi, announced as she entered the inner chamber, handing the letter to the bedridden Shuxi Consort, Lu Xuan.
Since giving birth, Lu Xuan had been confined to her bed, struggling through the cold winter, her figure having withered away.
No amount of good medicine could cure her heartache. The imperial physician had come to check her pulse, subtly indicating that her days were numbered, likely not to last beyond a year.
Reclining on her soft bed, Lu Xuan held the brief letter in her hands and closed her eyes. “I can only fight to the death. Even if I die, I will drag Shen Wei down with me.”
Deep down, she knew that Shen Wei was the perfect ruler of the six palaces, benevolent and kind.
Despite her illness, Lu Xuan’s allowances from the Changxin Palace had not been reduced, and the supply of charcoal for warmth remained steady. The physician even visited regularly to check her pulse and prescribe medicine.
Yet, on the other hand, Lu Xuan understood that Shen Wei’s kindness was merely superficial. Once core interests were at stake, Shen Wei would undoubtedly shed her mask of compassion and ruthlessly eliminate any threats.
The maid Xiao Qi, tears brimming in her eyes, said, “In my opinion, as long as we keep our heads down and follow Shen Wei’s nature, we can still survive in the inner palace.”
Lu Xuan shook her head, her gaze resolute. “Where there is a Yu, there cannot be a Liang.”
She refused to live her life beneath Shen Wei, relying on her mercy and pity for survival.
...
As the night deepened, the wind swayed the palace lanterns hanging from the eaves of Yongning Palace, casting a soft glow.
Li Yuanjing returned under the cover of night, greeted by the familiar salutation of the guarding eunuchs. Stepping into the courtyard of Yongning Palace, he noticed the elegant floral fragrance had dissipated; all the flowers had been removed.
He raised an eyebrow, walking over to his small vegetable garden. Though the flowers had been taken away, the seedlings he had personally planted remained. With spring upon them, the vegetables thrived, clusters of green sprouts flourishing.
Li Yuanjing surveyed his homegrown vegetables, a sense of satisfaction swelling within him.
After admiring his handiwork for a while, he quietly entered the sleeping chamber. He had expected Shen Wei to be fast asleep, but found the room warmly lit.
Shen Wei was still awake.
A faint scent of medicine lingered in the air, pleasant and refreshing. Shen Wei leaned against the armrest of the bed, a scroll in hand, reading under the light. She had already changed into a light nightgown, her long, dark hair cascading over her shoulders, her profile beautifully defined.
The scene was utterly enchanting.
With Shen Wei present, Li Yuanjing felt a profound sense of peace.
“Still awake?” he asked as he stepped inside.
Shen Wei set down her book, her eyes lighting up. “Your Majesty, you’re back.”
Palace servants entered, carrying two basins of warm water, placing them in the room. Shen Wei slipped off her shoes and socks, revealing her delicate, fair feet, and joined Li Yuanjing in soaking them.
Soaking feet in spring was said to aid sleep.
Li Yuanjing recalled the barren courtyard. “Wei Wei, why were all the flowers moved?”
Shen Wei shrugged. “Lately, I’ve been having a tickle in my nose. I called for Doctor Mo, who said it’s pollen allergy. So, I temporarily moved the flowers and planted a few mulberry trees instead. The Silkworm Festival is approaching, so it’s a good time to practice.”
Just then, Cai Lian lifted the curtain and entered the room, holding a bowl of hot soup. “Master, I made the soup according to Doctor Mo’s prescription. Please drink it while it’s hot.”
Shen Wei had developed a pollen allergy.
Doctor Mo had prescribed a concoction made with cinnamon twigs, ginger, and dried ginger, simmered together with a bit of brown sugar to dispel the cold that had accumulated in her body over the winter.
In addition to taking it internally, she also needed to steam.
Using herbs like angelica and atractylodes to make a broth, she wouldn’t drink it but would inhale the medicinal aroma to relieve the itch in her nasal passages.
Shen Wei was always efficient; once Doctor Mo provided the prescription, servants in Yongning Palace immediately set to work.
“Let me see,” Li Yuanjing said, reaching over to touch Shen Wei’s reddened nose. “So it’s pollen allergy. No wonder you’ve been sneezing these past few days.”
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