Chapter 342
**Chapter 340: The Silkworm Ceremony**
In the courtyard, several mulberry trees stretched their branches and leaves. Shen Wei held a golden hook for picking mulberry leaves in one hand and a small bamboo basket in the other, practicing her leaf-picking skills.
Cai Lian approached with the information she had gathered, reporting to Shen Wei, “My lady, I’ve followed your instructions and found out about the South Chu envoy who intruded into the Imperial Garden that night.”
Shen Wei carried her small bamboo basket back to the pavilion by the water.
She opened the letter Cai Lian handed her, scanning the details about the South Chu envoy. His name was Lu Xiao, a thirty-year-old promising official holding a significant position in the Honglu Temple of South Chu, making him the main spokesperson for the South Chu delegation.
Cai Lian had even secretly sent someone to sketch Lu Xiao’s portrait and had it verified by South Chu merchants in Yan Jing, all of whom confirmed that the person in the painting was indeed Lu Xiao.
“It seems he is truly a genuine South Chu official,” Shen Wei muttered, flipping through the gathered information three times before tossing the papers into a small bronze furnace.
Flames licked at the pages, quickly turning them to ash.
After a moment of contemplation, Shen Wei decided not to let her guard down. She instructed Cai Lian, “Go and inform De Shun about the South Chu envoy’s nighttime intrusion into the Imperial Garden. Find a way to let the Emperor know.”
“Understood,” Cai Lian replied.
As Cai Lian left, Shen Wei returned to the courtyard to continue picking mulberry leaves. Li Yuanjing was no fool; if Shen Wei could sense the South Chu envoy’s odd behavior, he would surely notice it too.
There was no need for Shen Wei to worry; Li Yuanjing would take precautions on his own.
Shen Wei had never fought her battles alone. With Li Yuanjing as her sturdy support, she felt secure. If he faltered, she could always run away.
Time passed quietly, and the breath of spring grew stronger. The South Chu envoys temporarily settled in Yan Jing, discussing the details of border trade and the import and export of goods with the officials of the Qing Kingdom.
Given the importance of national commerce, every detail required careful consideration, causing the negotiations to progress slowly.
After about ten days, the Qing Kingdom welcomed its two most significant ceremonies of spring—the Plowing Ceremony and the Silkworm Ceremony.
The Ministry of Rites began preparations, and according to tradition, the ceremonies would be held at the Imperial Farm on the outskirts of Yan Jing on the same day. Officials from the Ministry were so busy that they hardly had time to return home, working day and night to organize the events.
As dawn broke, the sound of horns and drums echoed throughout the palace, a solemn and commanding presence.
Inside the desolate Kun Ning Palace, the ground was littered with withered branches and leaves.
In the Buddhist hall, incense curled in the air as the Empress, kneeling on a mat and reciting scriptures, suddenly opened her eyes. Her face was lifeless, and as she turned her gaze, she set down the scripture and slowly walked out of the hall.
Leaning against a yellowed wooden pillar, the Empress strained to hear the solemn music of the ceremonies, realizing, “Today is the Plowing and Silkworm Ceremonies…”
Time seemed to drag on in the cold Kun Ning Palace, and before she knew it, another spring had arrived.
In previous years, the Empress presided over the Silkworm Ceremony.
This year, it was likely to be Shen Wei in charge.
A cold, bitter laugh escaped the Empress’s lips, a wave of bitterness surging within her. She stumbled back into the Buddhist hall, kneeling once more on the mat, raising her murky eyes to gaze at the compassionate statue of the Bodhisattva.
With her hands clasped together, she fervently prayed, “Bodhisattva, please don’t let that Shen woman become too proud. Better yet, let her lose the Emperor’s favor forever. May her children perish, and may that old hag, the Empress Dowager, also meet her end.”
The Buddhist hall was silent, the courtyard overgrown with weeds.
The Empress, like a madwoman, continued her rambling prayers before the statue, yearning for the heavens to unleash misfortune upon Shen Wei, dragging her into an abyss from which there was no return.
...
The palace gates swung open, and the ceremonial procession set off. Shen Wei and Li Yuanjing rode in a royal carriage, making their way along the royal path toward the Imperial Farm on the outskirts of Yan Jing.
The Imperial Farm was not far.
The fertile fields and mulberry groves had long been prepared. The so-called Plowing and Silkworm Ceremonies were more like a grand performance staged by the earthly emperor for the heavens.
The royal carriage moved smoothly. Inside, Shen Wei and Li Yuanjing wore ordinary attire. Observing Li Yuanjing’s expression, Shen Wei noticed he seemed preoccupied today, so she tenderly took his hand, saying, “Your Majesty, we still have a ways to go to the Imperial Farm. Let’s take a moment to rest.”
Li Yuanjing’s handsome face remained composed.
“I’m not tired,” he replied.
Shen Wei looked at him with her big, curious eyes. Li Yuanjing smiled gently, affectionately brushing his fingers across her rounded face, and said nothing more.
The Imperial Guards cleared the way, followed by civil and military officials, as the black and gold banners of the Qing Kingdom fluttered in the wind. The carriage soon arrived at the Imperial Farm on the outskirts of Yan Jing.
After parting ways with Li Yuanjing, Shen Wei followed the officials from the Ministry of Rites toward the nearby mulberry grove. The area outside the grove had been cleared, with dozens of tables and chairs set up, and noble ladies and matriarchs were already waiting.
Shen Wei noticed that four armed guards had appeared behind her. She paused, her gaze falling on the guards’ arm guards, which bore fierce tiger patterns.
They were the four Tiger Guards.
“Why are you following me instead of protecting the Emperor?” Shen Wei asked.
One of the Tiger Guards cupped his hands in salute. “Your Highness, we have been ordered to protect you closely.”
Shen Wei felt a bit surprised.
The Silkworm Ceremony was not long, and most participants were defenseless women. The area was well-guarded by the palace guards and patrolling soldiers, making it quite safe. In contrast, the Plowing Ceremony on Li Yuanjing’s side was filled with elaborate rituals and would take much longer, logically requiring more stringent security.
Yet, Li Yuanjing had specifically dispatched four elite Tiger Guards to protect Shen Wei.
A frown creased Shen Wei’s brow as an uneasy premonition stirred within her.
Upon arriving at the Silkworm Ceremony site, the ladies present all rose to greet her. Shen Wei scanned the crowd and noticed that most of the palace’s concubines were present, except for Liu Ruyan and Lu Xuan, who were absent.
Liu Ruyan had always disliked crowds and refused to attend.
Lu Xuan was too ill to even get out of bed and had not participated.
Attending the Silkworm Ceremony was a great honor, so nearly all the prominent ladies in Yan Jing were present, yet the wife of the Right Assistant Minister of Rites, Dan Tai Rou, was notably missing.
Shen Wei called over Princess Dong Lin and quietly asked, “Where is Dan Tai Rou?”
Princess Dong Lin replied, “Your Highness, Dan Tai Rou has caught a cold these past few days and cannot attend the Silkworm Ceremony. I secretly sent five or six doctors to check on her; she isn’t faking it—she’s genuinely ill. Of course, it’s also possible she’s taken some suspicious medicine that mimics cold symptoms. I’ve kept an eye on her around the Yan residence.”
Shen Wei pondered this.
It was quite a coincidence that Dan Tai Rou fell ill shortly after the South Chu delegation arrived in Yan Jing.
...
The sun shone brightly, and the mulberry grove was lush with green leaves. Dressed in her ordinary attire, Shen Wei led the ladies into the grove to pick mulberry leaves according to the Silkworm Ceremony’s procedures.
Throughout the event, Shen Wei remained highly vigilant, fearing an assassin might emerge from the shadows.
However, until the Silkworm Ceremony concluded, the surroundings remained calm—no assassins, no unusual occurrences.
The ladies enjoyed the springtime flowers and greenery outside the mulberry grove, reveling in the moment. Shen Wei sat alone under a tent, sipping a bowl of soup for her pollen allergy, and asked Cai Lian, “When will the Plowing Ceremony on the Emperor’s side end?”
Table of Contents
