Chapter 384
**Chapter 382: Li Yuanjing's Transformation**
"Seems like the folks from Donglin Nan楚 are quite something. I heard that over there, the men dance and even show off their bellies!"
"Such handsome men! Come take a look, haha!"
The chatter was incessant.
In the past decade or so, the Kingdom of Qing had flourished, and its people enjoyed a prosperous life. Naturally, the social customs had become more open. It was no longer a rare sight to see a group of men dancing.
Shen Wei, curious about the commotion, turned to look and saw four young men from Donglin dancing on the deck of a flower boat. They were all in their early twenties, strong and fit, dressed in traditional dance attire from Donglin, with bells tied around their waists. Their movements were fluid and beautiful, and their chiseled chests drew gasps and cheers from the crowd.
As the dance concluded, thunderous applause erupted around them. Many spectators pulled out silver coins and flowers, tossing them onto the flower boat as rewards for the dancers.
Shen Wei watched intently, reaching into her pocket to pull out some coins, intending to throw them onto the boat. Just as she was about to toss them, Li Yuanjing grabbed her wrist.
His expression was dark.
"Giving them money is no different from visiting a brothel! Weiwei, what kind of behavior is this?" Li Yuanjing's jealousy was palpable.
Shen Wei shot him a strange look and retorted, "Back in the palace during night banquets, the women from the music troupe sang and danced before the ministers. Why is it acceptable for men to enjoy women's performances but not for women to appreciate men?"
Before Li Yuanjing could respond, a pair of young girls passed by.
Having overheard Shen Wei, one of them giggled and teased, "Uncle, everyone has an appreciation for beauty. You may look decent, but alas, you're getting on in years. Your wife is young and beautiful; of course, she prefers handsome young men!"
The girls left behind a trail of laughter like silver bells, and Li Yuanjing's face darkened further.
The words echoed in his mind—"alas, you're getting on in years."
Alas, getting on in years...
For the first time, Li Yuanjing felt a deep sense of crisis about his age. The lantern festival by the lake was lively, with lights shimmering everywhere, and under the colorful lanterns, Shen Wei looked like a painting, her age almost indiscernible.
As for Li Yuanjing, despite his regular exercise and hard work for the kingdom, his appearance had lost its youthful vigor.
"I'm tired. I'm going home," Shen Wei said, oblivious to Li Yuanjing's tangled thoughts, and turned to head toward the royal estate.
Li Yuanjing remained silent throughout the walk.
As night deepened, Shen Wei, feeling drowsy, washed up and fell into bed, naturally locking the door behind her.
Yet, Li Yuanjing slipped in, skillfully crawling under the covers. Shen Wei, half-asleep, kicked him twice, but when he didn’t budge, she decided to ignore him.
Although Shen Wei had revealed her "true self," she had no intention of severing ties with Li Yuanjing completely. Their bond was too deep to be easily broken.
They would just have to make do.
In a half-dream, half-awake state, Shen Wei seemed to hear Li Yuanjing's voice, as if he were asking her—or perhaps asking himself—"Am I really getting old?"
Shen Wei, overwhelmed by sleepiness, leaned against her soft pillow and drifted off.
...
The next day, as Shen Wei got up to wash, she overheard Cai Ping muttering, "My lady, the retired emperor got up very early this morning. He practiced a set of Wu Qin Xi (Five Animal Play) and then sparred with the guards in the training yard for half an hour before heading to the study to read. He even called for the imperial physician. It's quite strange."
In the past, Li Yuanjing would never have practiced anything like Wu Qin Xi in the morning.
After a moment of thought, Shen Wei suddenly understood.
It seemed Li Yuanjing had been affected by the previous day's events, feeling that he was "aging and losing his charm," and had started to exercise actively.
For the next half month, Li Yuanjing maintained his daily workout routine, striving for improvement. Until one night, after Shen Wei had bathed and was about to return to bed, the impeccably dressed retired emperor stealthily climbed into her bed.
This time, Li Yuanjing was prepared. Boldly, he wrapped his arms around Shen Wei's waist, loosening her clothing.
Shen Wei caught the fire in his dark eyes and gasped, "You..."
The rest of her words were silenced.
The light curtains fell, and the bed creaked throughout the night.
The next morning, when Shen Wei awoke, she found that her body didn’t feel as sore as usual; a lingering sense of pleasure remained deep within her bones.
This was something she had never experienced before.
Li Yuanjing, satisfied, held her close and asked, "Weiwei, was that enjoyable?"
Shen Wei fell silent for a moment.
Last night, amidst the rain and wind, Li Yuanjing had indeed shown remarkable improvement. She couldn’t help but ask, "What kind of medicine did you take?"
Li Yuanjing's face darkened, and he emphasized, "How could I rely on medicine for that! I am strong and healthy; I don’t need such things!"
Seeing Shen Wei's puzzled expression, he added proudly, "I exercise diligently every day and have been studying various techniques in the study for days. Naturally, I’ve made great progress."
Wasn’t Shen Wei the one who had complained about him being too rough in bed?
Li Yuanjing had taken the initiative to study diligently, learning from books and applying what he learned.
He also exercised every day to ensure he had plenty of stamina, not inferior to those pretty young men.
After a moment of silence, Shen Wei suddenly changed the subject, "In a few days, we’ll go to Jiangnan to see Mother. After that, I plan to travel around Qing."
Pausing, she quietly added two words: "Alone."
Alone, meaning without Li Yuanjing.
Li Yuanjing exploded instantly.
The pleasant thoughts he had just entertained scattered like leaves in the wind. He tightened his grip on Shen Wei's waist, his gaze heavy: "The journey is fraught with danger; how can you go alone? I will accompany you!"
Shen Wei's clear eyes swept over Li Yuanjing as she patiently explained, "Chengtai has just ascended the throne, and the court is still unstable. If you stay in Yanjing, you’ll be a stabilizing force for the officials; no one would dare to act rashly."
"I won’t be gone long. I’ll definitely return to the capital in three to five years."
Li Yuanjing raised his voice, as if he had heard the most absurd thing: "Three to five years?"
He could hardly adjust to even a day without Shen Wei. The thought of her abandoning him for three to five years was unacceptable.
Li Yuanjing couldn’t accept it.
He had been trying hard to change his old habits, attempting to re-enter Shen Wei's heart, but she wasn’t giving him any chances and was actually thinking of leaving!
Shen Wei's cool voice reached Li Yuanjing's ears: "I’m not asking for your opinion; I’m just informing you."
Having spent twenty years in the inner courtyard, waking up to the same square walls, Shen Wei had longed to travel the world, to see the vast lands of Qing and experience the beauty and culture of different places.
Li Yuanjing: "No way, I won’t allow it!"
Shen Wei looked at him with a hint of sadness: "Are you going to imprison me, retired emperor?"
Li Yuanjing: ...
For a fleeting moment, he had indeed entertained that thought.
Shen Wei continued, "Life is long; I want to see the world—"
The rest of her words caught in her throat as she suddenly clutched her head in pain, an inexplicable dizziness washing over her, as if it were trying to tear her soul apart.
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