Chapter 370
**Chapter 368: Li Nanzhi's Coming of Age Ceremony**
The imperial harem was not just home to her alone!
Shen Wei felt a wave of regret wash over her. Last year, when Mo Xun left the palace, she should have secretly asked him to give Li Yuanjing a strong dose of medicine to diminish his formidable strength.
After a moment of despondency, Shen Wei quickly shook off her lethargy, washed up, and began jogging around the courtyard to keep fit.
Li Yuanjing was a tiger at thirty; she had to work hard to strengthen her own body.
Shen Wei was not one to back down, refusing to slack off for even a moment.
With determination, she pushed herself, ready to see who could outlast whom!
After jogging twenty laps and stretching her muscles, Shen Wei turned her attention to the palace affairs of the day.
...
While Li Yuanjing busied himself with court matters, Shen Wei was occupied with the affairs of the harem. They each had their own tasks during the day, and at night, they were also busy in the hibiscus-draped chambers.
As they rushed about, time flew by, and before they knew it, another year had passed.
Shen Wei, generous in spirit, allowed the Yuxiu Palace to plant plum trees, and dozens of them were transplanted into the barren soil. With the arrival of spring, the plum trees began to sprout green leaves.
However, Liu Ruyan could not find joy in the sight of the plum trees in the courtyard.
Every time she painted in the study, she would look up and see the courtyard filled with plum trees, always feeling it was Shen Wei's charity.
The food given out of pity made her feel a twinge of disgust whenever she saw the plum trees stretching their green leaves.
The Emperor had not set foot in Yuxiu Palace for some time, and the other concubines in the palace were unwilling to associate with Liu Ruyan. Even the servants who attended her avoided conversation.
Liu Ruyan felt a deep sense of frustration.
She felt lonely and lost, sensing herself slowly rotting away in her prolonged solitude.
No matter how warm the sunlight was, it could not dispel the chill in her heart. She felt like a cold plum blossom in winter, out of place among the vibrant flowers of other seasons.
Not wanting to stay in Yuxiu Palace, Liu Ruyan took a palace maid to the Imperial Garden to enjoy the spring scenery.
The garden was alive with color, peach blossoms, apricot blossoms, and pear blossoms were in full bloom, and butterflies danced about. Dressed in white, Liu Ruyan walked among the flowers, her brows and eyes tinged with sorrow.
Suddenly, she heard lively laughter coming from a nearby pavilion.
The laughter was as sweet as silver bells.
A palace maid calmly reminded her, “Your Highness, over there are Princess Nanzhi, Princess Leyou, and Concubine Yu. When you see Concubine Yu, be sure to pay your respects.”
In the palace, there were strict hierarchies; Zhang Miaoyu was a concubine, while Liu Ruyan was merely a consort. Being of lower rank, she had to bow and greet them.
Liu Ruyan did not respond. Instead, she gazed into the distance, through the blooming pink peach blossoms, and spotted Zhang Miaoyu with the two princesses not far away.
In the perfect spring light, Zhang Miaoyu was in an open area, flying kites with the two princesses.
Leyou had crafted a majestic eagle kite, while Li Nanzhi had made a beautiful butterfly kite, both princesses sending their kites soaring high and far.
But no matter what Zhang Miaoyu did, her kite wouldn’t take flight. Li Nanzhi handed her kite to a palace maid and cheerfully ran over to help Zhang Miaoyu, creating a warm and joyful scene.
“Concubine Yu, you need to run first to catch the wind and let the kite fly!” Li Nanzhi, dressed in a lovely pink spring outfit with her hair styled in adorable double buns, had eyes that sparkled like crescent moons.
Zhang Miaoyu, panting and wiping the sweat from her forehead, plopped down on a rosewood chair. “I can’t run, I’m exhausted!”
Li Nanzhi took Zhang Miaoyu’s hand and pouted, “The Empress said you should exercise every day; being too plump isn’t good for your health. Come on, let’s run and fly the kite together, okay?”
Her voice was soft and sweet, her big eyes filled with hope.
Zhang Miaoyu couldn’t bear to disappoint Li Nanzhi, so she nodded reluctantly. “Just for a little while. If the kite doesn’t fly, I’m done running.”
Li Nanzhi beamed, “Great!”
With the spring breeze blowing, Li Nanzhi pulled Zhang Miaoyu to run and fly the kite. The kite swayed in the wind and slowly ascended into the sky.
“It’s flying!”
Li Nanzhi clapped her hands in delight.
The spring flowers bloomed, and the girls’ laughter rang out, clear and melodious. This warm and beautiful scene pierced Liu Ruyan’s heart.
Liu Ruyan had been living in seclusion, detached from the world, and she hadn’t seen her daughter in a long time.
She had never seen Li Nanzhi so happy, carefree, and full of life.
“Concubine Yu, the kite fell! Oh no!” Li Nanzhi, distracted, noticed that Zhang Miaoyu’s kite string had snapped, and the kite plummeted straight down, landing with a thud on a peach tree.
Li Nanzhi hurried to retrieve the kite.
She ran to the peach tree, tiptoeing to reach the kite caught in the branches. As the kite fell from the tree, Li Nanzhi held it up and, looking up, caught sight of Liu Ruyan behind the peach tree.
Their eyes met.
Li Nanzhi’s smile froze; she hadn’t expected to run into Liu Ruyan in the Imperial Garden. Lowering her head, she spoke in a calm tone, “Mother Concubine, may you be well.”
Liu Ruyan replied coolly, “Mm.”
Holding the kite, Li Nanzhi turned and ran back to Zhang Miaoyu. She handed the kite to Zhang Miaoyu, who didn’t take it right away but first pulled out a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from Li Nanzhi’s forehead.
Before long, the kite was flying again.
The girls’ laughter rang out once more.
Liu Ruyan stood behind the peach tree, watching her lively daughter not far away. The girl who once carefully called her “Mother Concubine” had now become someone else’s daughter.
A wave of uncontainable bitterness surged in Liu Ruyan’s heart, and sorrow welled up within her.
Liu Ruyan returned to Yuxiu Palace in a daze, where the plum trees were thriving.
She gazed at the flourishing plum trees, and as the wind picked up, her vision began to blur.
...
The children in the palace grew day by day. Following Li Wan'er and Li Yao, Li Nanzhi also reached the age of coming of age, and a grand ceremony was held in the harem.
In Yuxiu Palace.
Liu Ruyan, looking pale and frail, leaned on a chair reading, her face devoid of vitality, resembling a soulless wooden figure.
A palace maid brought in some tea and reminded Liu Ruyan, “Your Highness, today is Princess Nanzhi’s coming-of-age ceremony. All the concubines are in attendance. Will you be going?”
Liu Ruyan lived like a recluse, rarely participating in palace banquets. The maid was merely following protocol, not expecting Liu Ruyan to attend her own daughter’s ceremony—despite being Li Nanzhi’s biological mother.
To everyone’s surprise, Liu Ruyan set down the *Book of Songs* and replied softly, “I’ll go take a look.”
The maid was taken aback.
Liu Ruyan stood up, intending to leave with the maid. As she stepped over the threshold of Yuxiu Palace, she suddenly paused, looking down at her plain white dress.
Li Nanzhi was coming of age, in the bloom of youth.
Wearing all white wouldn’t do.
In the maid’s astonished gaze, Liu Ruyan returned to her chamber, opened the wardrobe, and selected a rarely worn light purple satin dress with a cross-collared design from the array of plain garments.
After changing, Liu Ruyan called for the maid, “Help me get ready.”
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