Chapter 376
**Chapter 374: Is the Empress Less Important than the Empire?**
Shen Wei spoke as if she could see through the world: “How my body is doesn’t matter. With the Emperor’s love, the children’s care, and a peaceful nation where the people are well-fed and secure, I have no regrets in this life. Life and death are fated; there’s no need to take them too seriously.”
Cai Lian choked back tears, “My lady, you are kind to everyone, but you are so harsh on yourself…”
Shen Wei smiled gently, “Alright, you can go rest now.”
Cai Lian left.
Returning to her chamber, Shen Wei leaned lightly against Li Yuanjing. He was feigning sleep, but he heard her murmuring to herself, “If only I could go to Jiangnan…”
Her voice was filled with longing and helplessness.
She held Li Yuanjing’s hand with affection and drifted into dreams.
Li Yuanjing couldn’t sleep, his heart restless. Shen Wei had spent her life trapped in the harem for him and their children. She yearned for the distant Jiangnan, but she knew it was just a dream, a secret desire buried deep within her heart, hidden from everyone.
The person in his arms had fallen asleep, and Li Yuanjing opened his eyes in the dark. His long, bony fingers gently brushed Shen Wei’s hair.
He thought of the old man and woman at the post station. If Shen Wei continued to toil in the palace, she might never see the day of wearing flowers in her hair.
“Wei Wei…” Li Yuanjing murmured.
After sharing a bed for many years, he had envisioned a future where he would pass the throne to their son and leave the palace with Shen Wei to enjoy a peaceful old age.
But he had never considered that Shen Wei might leave him halfway through their lives.
Li Yuanjing tossed and turned, unable to find rest.
In a corner he couldn’t see, the “sleeping” Shen Wei’s lips curled into a secret smile.
Shen Wei wanted to retire early and live a comfortable life, but that depended on Li Yuanjing willingly stepping down.
She had devised a two-pronged plan.
On one hand, she would act as bait, pretending to be overworked and not long for this world, occasionally provoking Li Yuanjing. If she could awaken his resolve to abdicate, that would be the best outcome.
If Li Yuanjing remained steadfast, then Shen Wei would have to take a risk and resort to a more dangerous strategy…
---
Time flew by, and soon it was the beginning of summer.
Le You, now fifteen and the Emperor’s most cherished daughter, had a grand coming-of-age ceremony.
Li Yuanjing was reluctant to let her go.
His daughter was leaving the palace to establish her own household. He gifted her a luxurious mansion near the imperial city and personally assigned a group of palace attendants and guards to serve her. Fearing she might lack for money, he even opened a private treasury, sending her a considerable amount of gold and silver.
With his daughter leaving, his son busy with his future, and the Empress Dowager far away in Jiangnan, Li Yuanjing suddenly felt the harem was empty. Thankfully, his Wei Wei remained by his side.
As night fell, Li Yuanjing entered Yongning Palace as usual.
Shen Wei was still awake, counting the items to be sent to the princess’s residence with the palace maids.
She instructed, “Send all these golden silk nanmu wood items to the princess’s residence. They will be useful for Le You in the future.”
The maids followed her orders, checking the inventory in the storeroom. Li Yuanjing lifted the curtain and entered, finding Shen Wei still reviewing the account books.
He leaned in to take a look, “Coffin made of sandalwood? Le You isn’t even engaged yet; isn’t that a bit premature?”
When a princess married, it was customary to have a grand procession with a red bridal bed and a coffin as part of the ceremony. It was too early to prepare such things for Le You.
Shen Wei took a sip of tea and smiled, “It’s not for Le You. I had the Ministry of Internal Affairs custom-make a coffin according to my measurements.”
Li Yuanjing frowned.
Shen Wei was actually preparing a coffin for herself!
His expression turned cold as he grasped her hand, “Wei Wei, you’re just weak; with proper care, you’ll be fine. Stop thinking about life and death.”
The worries buried deep in Li Yuanjing’s heart grew like wild grass day by day.
Shen Wei smiled calmly, “I’m just being prepared for any eventuality. Your Majesty, don’t worry; I will live a long life.”
Li Yuanjing felt a pang in his heart.
Perhaps it was true that what one thinks about during the day comes to haunt them at night. That night, Li Yuanjing had a terrifying nightmare.
In his dream, the entire palace was empty, devoid of any figures. Dressed in his dragon robe, he walked anxiously along the long palace path, and the next moment, he found himself at the entrance of Yongning Palace.
There, he saw white banners hanging everywhere, turning the palace into a mourning hall. Le You and several children, wearing white mourning bands, knelt before a coffin, weeping uncontrollably.
On the plaque of the mourning hall was Shen Wei’s name. Inside the sandalwood coffin lay Shen Wei, dressed in the queen’s ceremonial robes, lifeless yet serene.
“Wei Wei!”
Li Yuanjing jolted awake from the nightmare, drenched in cold sweat. He instinctively reached out to touch Shen Wei beside him, but the space was empty; the Shen Wei who had been sleeping next to him was nowhere to be found.
Li Yuanjing was taken aback.
“Someone!”
He didn’t even bother to put on his shoes or socks, throwing back the bed curtain and rushing out. At the door, Shen Wei heard the commotion and walked in, puzzled, “Your Majesty?”
She still held a cup of unfinished tea.
The palace lanterns cast a dim light, and Shen Wei’s long hair fell over her shoulders, enveloped in a soft yellow glow. Her features remained exquisite, like an ancient painting.
Li Yuanjing strode forward and pulled Shen Wei into his embrace.
The teacup fell to the ground.
A faint aroma of tea filled the air. In that ordinary late night, Li Yuanjing made a decision: he wanted to grow old with Shen Wei.
And Shen Wei realized something—Li Yuanjing’s feelings for her ran deeper than she had anticipated.
---
In the following two years, Li Yuanjing accomplished many things.
He began to reorganize the internal affairs, reviewing officials of all ranks and promoting several new ministers. He appointed Shen Xiuming as the Minister of Personnel to assist the Crown Prince.
In diplomacy with the countries of Yue, Donglin, and Nanchu, he stationed elite troops at the borders and deployed defenses. He also sent Shen Mieyue to eliminate the desert tribes that had long been harassing the borders.
The various matters of the harem were entrusted to Zhang Miaoyu and the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, allowing Shen Wei to focus on “nurturing her health.”
Under Li Yuanjing’s careful guidance over the years, by the age of sixteen, Li Chengtai had begun to take shape as a young emperor. Late at night, Li Yuanjing summoned him to Chang’an Palace.
The palace was brightly lit, the ancient halls shrouded in darkness. Every emperor of the Qing dynasty had once handled state affairs here.
Li Chengtai, dressed in the Crown Prince’s regular attire, had grown tall, his features handsome and deep-set. When he met Li Yuanjing’s gaze, there was no trace of timidity.
“Father, did you summon me late at night for next spring’s imperial examination?” Li Chengtai asked.
Li Yuanjing shook his head, adopting an evaluative tone, “Tell me about the way of being a ruler.”
Li Chengtai replied, “The way of a ruler is to prioritize the people. To bring peace to the world, one must first correct oneself; if one is not upright, the upper ranks will be chaotic.”
Li Yuanjing nodded in satisfaction.
In these two years, Li Yuanjing had begun to let the Crown Prince take on regency duties. Li Chengtai did not disappoint; he was a born ruler.
The glazed lamps illuminated the inner hall of Chang’an Palace, where the table was piled high with memorials. Li Yuanjing casually picked up a memorial and told Li Chengtai, “Many years ago, I was still the Prince of Yan. If it weren’t for my elder brother’s illness and my third brother’s ambition, I wouldn’t be in this position.”
Li Yuanjing was a man of action.
For his deceased elder brother, for the people of the realm, he worked hard to become a wise ruler.
Now, Li Yuanjing wanted to pass the burden on to his son.
He patted his son’s shoulder, “I have arranged the internal affairs and military matters; from now on, the great Qing will be in your hands.”
Li Chengtai was not surprised.
He had been observing his father’s every move over the past two years and had guessed that his father wanted to abdicate. So, he calmly replied, “Father, rest assured. I will govern diligently and love the people, ushering in a prosperous era for the great Qing.”
Li Yuanjing’s face showed relief.
Then he thought of Li Chengtai’s age—only sixteen and still unmarried.
Many officials in the court were eager to send their daughters into the palace. The future harem of the Qing dynasty would surely be filled with intrigue and bloodshed.
Li Yuanjing, having been through it all, knew that the harem was closely tied to the court. As a young emperor, Li Chengtai, full of vigor, might be blinded by the allure of women.
Thus, Li Yuanjing advised Li Chengtai, “Once you ascend the throne, new women will naturally enter the harem. Remember, the empire is always the most important; do not indulge in lust, and do not let women cloud your judgment.”
Li Chengtai thought of his mother in Yongning Palace. Over the years, his parents had shared a strong bond. Whenever his mother fell ill, his father would neglect official documents to visit and accompany her.
Li Chengtai asked, “Father, do you not think that in your heart, Mother is less important than the empire?”
Li Yuanjing, wanting to keep his son clear-headed, declared earnestly, “In the royal family, there is no true affection! The empire and its stability come first; personal feelings come later. Your mother loves me dearly, but in my heart, there is only the empire.”
Li Chengtai nodded, half-understanding.
He casually asked, “Father, what if in Mother’s heart, you are not the most important—”
Before he could finish, Li Yuanjing interrupted him with a glare, “You young rascal, don’t speak nonsense.”
Shen Wei had fallen deeply in love with him back in the Prince of Yan’s residence. Over the years, their relationship had remained harmonious, their love as fresh as ever.
Li Yuanjing firmly believed that in Shen Wei’s heart, he held the most significant place.
In the royal family, to receive a complete and genuine love was truly rare.
Li Yuanjing cherished Shen Wei’s love. With the court stable and a successor in place, he was willing to accompany Shen Wei to Jiangnan and grow old together.
Three months later.
Li Yuanjing issued an abdication edict, citing “the dragon’s body is unwell, making it difficult to manage state affairs.”
With the transition of power, the court only experienced minor ripples, and the new Emperor, Li Chengtai, ascended smoothly.
After his ascension, Li Chengtai conferred the title of Prince of Qin on his younger brother, Li Chengyou, while all his other brothers were made princes of various regions. He changed the era name to “Yuanchang” and began his reign.
---
In Yongning Palace.
The palace attendants were busy packing their belongings. Shen Wei did not wish to stay in the palace and prepared to move to the royal villa at Luoyue Lake outside the city. After resting for a while, she planned to take a carriage to Jiangnan for a trip.
“My lady, the Dowager Consort Yu has arrived,” Cai Lian reported as she entered.
Before long, Zhang Miaoyu came in with a cheerful stride.
Seeing her beaming with joy, Shen Wei asked, “Sister Miaoyu, what good news do you have? Share it with me!”
Zhang Miaoyu replied happily, “This morning, Li Nanzhi asked the new emperor for permission to take me to the princess’s residence to live out my days, and the new emperor agreed!”
Zhang Miaoyu was overjoyed.
In her early years at the Prince of Yan’s residence, she had been secretly poisoned by the Prince’s consort, leaving her unable to bear children for life. Having raised Li Nanzhi with kindness, she never expected to find a secure future in her later years.
Living in the princess’s residence would be far more comfortable than in the harem.
Zhang Miaoyu sat beside Shen Wei, her expression filled with emotion: “I once thought I would be trapped in the palace for the rest of my life, living as a lonely old dowager. Who would have thought I could still have a fulfilling and carefree later life?”
Li Nanzhi was a dutiful girl, planning not only to bring Zhang Miaoyu to the princess’s residence but also sending someone to inquire about Liu Ruyan.
However, Liu Ruyan had declined.
Having spent most of her life pursuing “true love,” Liu Ruyan ended up with nothing. It seemed she had come to terms with it and had gone to An Guo Temple early, spending her remaining days in the company of the ancient Buddha and the flickering lamp.
Zhang Miaoyu excitedly took Shen Wei’s hand, “Sister Shen Wei, you’ll be living at Luoyue Lake? We must visit each other often!”
Shen Wei nodded happily, “Of course.”
Zhang Miaoyu rested her chin on her hand, gazing at Shen Wei with envy: “To be honest, I’ve always envied you. The emperor is so indifferent, yet he is willing to abdicate for you.”
Such beautiful and legendary stories only existed in folk tales.
But Zhang Miaoyu could understand Li Yuanjing.
Who wouldn’t love Shen Wei?
In the decaying palace, Shen Wei was so vibrant, so beautiful. She was a warm sun, drawing moths from the dark corners to her light.
---
In Xiangyun Hall, the phoenix trees in the courtyard had turned yellow, and spider webs covered the beams, making the entire palace feel eerie and desolate.
Liu Qiao’er sat in the cold little room, with coarse tea and plain rice on the table. The wind howled through the courtyard, sending the phoenix leaves swirling and causing the wooden windows to creak.
Liu Qiao’er set down her bowl and chopsticks, staring blankly out the window. Ever since she had been demoted to a noble consort, she rarely ventured outside.
In the past, she had conspired with the Liu family to sow discord between the two princes. After her plot was exposed, Liu Qiao’er lived in constant fear, terrified that Shen Wei would secretly harm her.
She dared not eat the meals sent from the imperial kitchen; she had to let her cat eat first to ensure it was still alive before she would dare to eat.
Time passed day by day in her anxiety. Liu Qiao’er became increasingly timid and cautious, filled with suspicion, and she aged rapidly, her hair turning gray.
After finishing her meager lunch, a palace maid entered to take away the bowl and chopsticks. Unable to hold back, Liu Qiao’er asked, “A few days ago, there was a great commotion outside; what happened in the palace?”
She had been shut away for so long that she was unaware of the outside world.
A few days ago, the palace had been bustling with activity. She wanted to go out and see, but fearing Shen Wei would harm her, she dared not leave her quarters.
The palace maid replied, “It was the new emperor’s coronation ceremony; the festivities were grand.”
Liu Qiao’er’s pupils dilated: “The new emperor’s coronation? Could it be that the emperor has passed away? Impossible! He is still in his prime; how could he suddenly die! I understand, it must be Shen’s scheme to harm the emperor and support her son to the throne!”
Such treasonous words made the palace maid shudder. She quickly explained, “The emperor has not passed away; he abdicated due to illness. The new emperor is the former eighth prince.”
Liu Qiao’er’s mouth fell open slightly, her expression dazed.
She muttered to herself, “The emperor is still in his prime; how could he voluntarily abdicate! It must be Shen’s doing! I must see the emperor! I must see the emperor!”
Liu Qiao’er dashed out of the palace in a frenzy.
She had endured for years, eating coarse tea and plain rice, suffering through long, sleepless nights.
She had waited for the downfall of the Dantai family, for the death of Consort Lu Xuan, thinking she would finally see Shen Wei fall into despair—yet reality struck her hard!
Shen Wei had not fallen from grace; her son had become the emperor.
Liu Qiao’er’s expression twisted.
She had plotted for half her life, endured suffering for most of her years, only to end up with nothing!
“Why is this happening? Why!” Liu Qiao’er screamed.
“My lady, you cannot go out! The third prince has been conferred the title of prince; he will take you out of the palace to live in the prince’s residence,” the palace maid hurriedly blocked the frenzied Liu Qiao’er.
Liu Qiao’er spat out a mouthful of blood and suddenly collapsed to the ground.
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