Chapter 341
**Chapter 339: The Great Undertaking of Weight Loss**
Li Yuanjing's fingers were cool to the touch, calloused from years of martial training.
His fingertips grazed Shen Wei's nose, sending a ticklish sensation through her.
Shen Wei smiled and nudged Li Yuanjing's hand away, her sparkling eyes meeting his. The corners of her rosy lips curled up, “Your Majesty, please don’t touch me, or I might sneeze again.”
Li Yuanjing playfully pinched her nose, teasing, “What are you afraid of? I don’t mind.”
Shen Wei pouted in mock annoyance, her smile brightening the night.
After soaking their feet, warmth spread from their soles throughout their bodies, making them feel cozy and relaxed. Li Yuanjing wrapped his arm around Shen Wei as they rested, the moonlight spilling into the courtyard, illuminating clusters of tender green seedlings that were thriving.
...
The next day, Li Yuanjing felt refreshed as he headed to court. Before leaving, he took a stroll around his vegetable garden.
Shen Wei had finished her breakfast and was inspecting the newly transplanted mulberry trees in the courtyard of Yongning Palace. The leaves were slightly wilted, still adjusting to the soil after being moved.
Fortunately, the Imperial Household had the best gardeners, and the soil in Yongning Palace was the most fertile, so the mulberry trees would adapt quickly.
Shen Wei’s pollen allergy hadn’t improved, so all the flowers in the courtyard had been moved away. She chose to plant mulberry trees, partly to prepare for the upcoming Silkworm Ceremony; and partly, once the trees grew lush, to raise silkworms that would feed on the leaves.
After the silkworms spun their cocoons and produced silk, she planned to make a silk quilt for the Empress Dowager. The leftover scraps would be used to create a comfortable nightgown for Li Yuanjing, showcasing her care for him.
Moreover, she intended to spread the word about her efforts in raising silkworms and making clothes in the harem to the common people.
In the eyes of the public, the palace concubines were like celestial beings, untouched by the mundane world, adorned in gold and silver. Shen Wei wanted to establish a down-to-earth image, bridging the psychological gap between herself and the people of Qingguo.
The reputation of Consort Chen had to be crafted and disseminated by herself; a golden cup or silver cup could never compare to the praise of the people.
In case she and Li Yuanjing ever fell out completely, and he sought to harm her, the masses would surely come to her defense, and loyal ministers in the court would speak up for her.
This was called a battle of public opinion.
After inspecting the mulberry trees, Shen Wei returned to the palace to study the itinerary for the Silkworm Ceremony throughout the dynasties.
Cailian entered with a bowl of medicine for her pollen allergy. Shen Wei drank half of it and instructed Cailian, “Go to the storeroom and fetch a piece of floating light brocade to send to Mei Pin. She reprimanded the envoy from Nanchu at last night’s banquet, asserting our nation’s prestige, so she deserves some recognition.”
Cailian replied, “Yes.”
Cailian took the floating light brocade to Yuxiu Palace.
Shen Wei continued sipping the remaining half of her medicine.
She had always believed that there were no useless people in the world, only those who were misplaced. Take Liu Ruyan, for instance; she prided herself on her aloofness but had poor relationships in the harem.
Her sharp tongue had its pros and cons. In important situations, Liu Ruyan could leverage her talent, using elegant language to put the Nanchu envoys in their place.
By rewarding Liu Ruyan with the floating light brocade, Shen Wei hoped she would understand a simple truth: **“You reap what you sow.”**
No one would treat you well for no reason; if you wanted something, you had to offer something of equal value in return.
Shen Wei continued to review the details of the Silkworm Ceremony, committing every aspect to memory. The ceremony was a significant national event, consisting of three parts: the worship of the first silkworms, the tending of the mulberry trees, and the offering of cocoons for silk production, all of which had to be executed flawlessly.
After a while, Cailian returned, holding a box containing the floating light brocade. “Mistress, I followed your instructions and delivered the floating light brocade to Mei Pin. However, she refused to accept it, claiming she doesn’t want to accept charity.”
Shen Wei was at a loss for words.
She wanted Liu Ruyan to grasp the principle of “you reap what you sow,” but Liu Ruyan simply wouldn’t accept it.
If she didn’t want it, then so be it!
Shen Wei couldn’t very well go to Yuxiu Palace herself and beg Liu Ruyan to accept the floating light brocade.
With a sigh, she said, “Forget it, just send the floating light brocade to Yu Fei instead.”
...
Zhang Miaoyu received the precious floating light brocade and was overjoyed, practically bouncing with excitement.
She immediately had the embroiderers from the Clothing Bureau start working, and within two days, they crafted a stunning spring dress from the brocade. The remaining fabric was used to make two beautiful cardigans for Li Nanzhi.
Zhang Miaoyu couldn’t wait to try on her new outfit and looked in the mirror. Under the bright sunlight, the floating light brocade shimmered with a beautiful silver sheen, like rippling water, dancing gracefully across the satin.
“Nanzhi, do you think this outfit looks good on me?” Zhang Miaoyu eagerly asked Li Nanzhi.
Li Nanzhi tilted her head, frowning slightly, “It looks nice, but it seems like you’ve gained some weight, Your Grace. How many times have you tried the weight loss diet that Consort Chen gave you? The old matron has been urging you to exercise daily; have you done any of that?”
A fleeting look of embarrassment crossed Zhang Miaoyu’s face as she scratched her head, “I’ll think about losing weight later; it’s not urgent.”
Losing weight was out of the question; she had no intention of doing so in this lifetime!
Aside from eating, she had no other aspirations.
Zhang Miaoyu pinched Li Nanzhi’s cheek, changing the subject, “It’s time to head to the Guangwen Academy for your lessons. I’ll take you there.”
The two of them, one big and one small, held hands as they walked out of the palace.
The spring sun was bright and warm, bathing them in a cozy glow. Zhang Miaoyu squinted her eyes in comfort, planning to take a lovely afternoon nap when they returned to the palace.
Just as they stepped out of the hall, they unexpectedly ran into Liu Ruyan from the neighboring Yuxiu Palace. Liu Ruyan was dressed in simple white robes, flanked by two palace maids.
Li Nanzhi lowered her head and quietly greeted Liu Ruyan. Liu Ruyan ignored her, her beautiful eyes lingering on the exquisite floating light brocade dress that Zhang Miaoyu wore.
“Oh, where are you off to?” Zhang Miaoyu greeted cheerfully, deliberately flaunting her brocade, making the silver satin skirt shimmer.
Liu Ruyan replied coolly, “Such fine fabric, and you’re wasting it on yourself.”
Zhang Miaoyu shrugged, completely unfazed by the comment, and confidently declared, “I like it, and I’m going to wear it. I’m even going to make socks and insoles from the leftover fabric. What’s it to you?”
A twinge of regret stirred in Liu Ruyan’s heart.
When Shen Wei had sent her a piece of floating light brocade, she had pretended to be modest and refused it. But now, seeing Zhang Miaoyu in the brocade, Liu Ruyan felt a pang of envy.
If only she had accepted it back then.
Suppressing the bitterness in her eyes, Liu Ruyan turned and walked away with her maids.
Zhang Miaoyu clicked her tongue, holding Li Nanzhi’s hand as they continued toward the Guangwen Academy.
“How strange, all the flowers along the palace path are gone, replaced by potted plants that aren’t blooming,” Li Nanzhi remarked, curiously looking around.
In previous springs, the harem was a riot of colors, bursting with blooming flowers.
This spring, the flowers had been moved away before they even finished blooming.
Along the long palace path, not a single flowering pot could be seen, only lush greenery.
Zhang Miaoyu sighed, “Your Consort Chen has developed a pollen allergy, and the Emperor is quite concerned, so he ordered all the flowers along the palace path to be removed, leaving only those in the Imperial Garden.”
Li Nanzhi blinked, exclaiming, “Father is really good to Consort Chen!”
Zhang Miaoyu gazed at the clusters of green plants, a wistful expression crossing her chubby face as she murmured, “I hope the Emperor continues to treat Consort Chen well. With her in charge of the harem, we can live in peace. My right eyelid has been twitching non-stop lately; heaven help us, I hope everything goes smoothly.”
The long palace path was alive with vibrant greenery, the leaves swaying in the breeze.
A gust of wind picked up.
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