Chapter 389
**Chapter 387: The Most Beautiful Person**
The sound of hooves echoed.
Waves crashed against the shore, and in the glow of the setting sun, several horses appeared, galloping along the beach. Shen Wei set down her basket of seashells and lifted her chin to gaze into the distance, hoping to catch a glimpse of the King of Wu.
In this remote fishing village, the King of Wu, Zhao Ziqi, was her best source of news from the outside world.
“Elder sister, let’s go home,” Yuanfu said, his dark little face clouded with worry as he cautiously tugged at Shen Wei’s sleeve. He feared that his sister might provoke the King of Wu and bring trouble upon them.
Shen Wei patted Yuanfu’s shoulder. “I just want to take a look.”
On the beach, most of the clam diggers were women. The men were either out at sea fishing or repairing their boats, leaving the task of gathering clams to the women at home.
At a glance, there were at least twenty or thirty young girls on the beach.
The sound of hooves grew closer.
The King of Wu rode in with three guards, pulling on the reins as he leisurely trotted along the shore.
Shen Wei raised her head, taking in the sight of the young king from afar. Zhao Ziqi was about twenty years old, with dark brown curly hair that was characteristic of the Donglin people. His curls flowed freely, and on one side, he had woven a delicate braid adorned with two shiny pearls at the end.
His skin was slightly tanned, and he wore a long robe of shimmering white and gold, exuding an exotic and wild charm.
In that moment, Shen Wei was reminded of the dancing man she had seen on the boat at Luoyue Lake.
Zhao Ziqi was the younger brother of the Donglin princess, and the two siblings bore a resemblance to each other.
The King of Wu had come to the beach not to admire the sunset, but to seek out his ideal of “the most beautiful woman in the world,” among the many women clamoring for clams at dusk.
Unfortunately, as his gaze swept across the beach, he only saw a group of rough-looking fisherwomen. He tightened his grip on the reins, a look of helplessness on his face. “Just a bunch of plain Janes! Not a single standout among them!”
One of the guards tried to console him. “Your Highness, Wu County isn’t large, and there aren’t many eligible women. If you’re looking for beauty, we could send someone to the neighboring county to find you one?”
The King of Wu frowned. “The neighboring county is under the domain of Brother San, who is quite the lecher. All the good girls have already fallen into his clutches.”
The guard chuckled awkwardly, unsure of how to respond.
The young king was still unmarried. With so many sons in the imperial family, who had the time to find a wife for a son who wasn’t favored? The King of Wu had to search for himself.
He muttered to himself, “My sister wrote to me, saying there are many beauties in Qing Country. Perhaps the most beautiful girl in the world is in Qing Country—”
Before he could finish, his gaze suddenly froze. Among the clam diggers, he spotted a striking silhouette.
The figure was slender, with slightly dark curls swaying in the sea breeze. In her left hand, she held a bamboo basket, and in her right, a wooden frame for collecting shells. At that moment, the setting sun cast a golden glow over the beach, and the fisherwoman stood amidst the shimmering light, as if a goddess of the sea had descended.
The King of Wu was mesmerized.
That silhouette...
It reminded him of his mother. Back in the day, she had also gathered pearls by the sea, her figure just as slender and beautiful.
He quickly urged his horse forward, racing toward that figure. “You! Turn around!”
Shen Wei placed a clam into her basket and turned around.
The horse came to a stop in front of her.
As the King of Wu saw Shen Wei’s face clearly, disappointment washed over his handsome features. Despite having such a beautiful silhouette and an elegant demeanor, her face was so ordinary.
The King of Wu’s expression soured. “Why is it you again, you ugly creature! What do you want this time? Even if I were to jump into the sea to feed the fish, I wouldn’t marry you!”
Yuanfu rushed over, anxious, and grabbed Shen Wei’s arm, wanting to kneel.
Shen Wei stood her ground.
In recent days, Shen Wei had gathered information about the King of Wu. He wasn’t inherently bad; at most, he was a spoiled young man who spent his days riding horses, shooting arrows, and chasing after his ideal beauty. He hadn’t committed any heinous acts, so he wasn’t a truly wicked person.
Shen Wei curled her lips into a smile and replied calmly, “Every land nurtures its own people. I was born in a fishing village, exposed to the wind and sun, so it’s natural for me to have dark skin and rough features. If Your Highness seeks the world’s greatest beauty, I’ve heard that the most beautiful woman is in Qing Country.”
The King of Wu, sitting high on his horse, teased, “Do you know who is the most beautiful in Qing Country?”
Shen Wei’s heart remained steady, her face betraying nothing. “Of course—I've heard that the Empress Dowager of Qing, the Shen clan, possesses a celestial beauty. With just a glance and a smile, she captivates all, leaving the beauties of the harem in her shadow. It’s a pity she passed away not long ago; truly, beauty is often fleeting.”
The King of Wu paused for a moment, then burst into laughter.
He laughed so hard he nearly fell off his horse.
Once he had calmed down, he clutched his chest and said, “What do you, a fisherwoman, know? Stop spouting nonsense. The Empress Dowager and my sister are close friends. If the Empress Dowager had died, my sister would have written to inform me long ago. Where did you hear such nonsense? Hahaha.”
The King of Wu continued to laugh.
Shen Wei’s expression slowly darkened.
By now, she had been in the body of “Yuan Xi’er” for over half a month. Donglin and Qing Country were neighboring regions; if the Empress Dowager of Qing had truly passed away, the news would have certainly reached the ears of the Donglin royal family.
From the King of Wu’s words, it seemed the Empress Dowager Shen was still alive?
Shen Wei’s thoughts became tangled.
If the Empress Dowager hadn’t died, then who was inhabiting her body? Was it the fisherwoman Xi’er? Or someone else?
Shen Wei felt momentarily lost, but soon steadied her mind. If Empress Dowager Shen was still alive, it meant she still had a chance to return to her own body and live a peaceful life.
She needed to get back to Qing Country as soon as possible!
Shen Wei had a premonition that she had been drawn into a carefully orchestrated conspiracy. Perhaps due to some unforeseen circumstances, she had ended up in Xi’er’s body by mistake.
After a moment of contemplation, Shen Wei silently clenched her fists, filled with a fierce determination. She would find the mastermind behind this!
“Ugly creature, remember to keep your distance from me in the future,” the King of Wu said, pulling on the reins with disdain as he cast a final glance at Shen Wei’s dark face before turning his horse around and leaving.
The horse gradually trotted away.
The young fisherwomen who had gathered on the beach dispersed, each one filled with disappointment.
One fisherwoman, carrying her basket, approached Shen Wei with a smirk. “Xi’er, no matter how much you show off, the prince doesn’t fancy you. If I were in your shoes, I would have jumped into the sea by now.”
Yuanfu stammered, “Qiao Jie, don’t say that. My sister isn’t well yet.”
The fisherwoman named Qiao Jie shrugged, casting a disdainful glance at Shen Wei before continuing on her way.
Yuanfu stubbornly tugged at Shen Wei’s sleeve, his voice trembling. “Elder sister, please don’t think too much about it. You’re really beautiful, I promise.”
Yuanfu was afraid that Shen Wei might be hurt and consider jumping into the sea.
Shen Wei patted Yuanfu’s head. “I won’t die. I plan to live to a hundred. Let’s gather some more clams and head to the market tomorrow to trade for money.”
Yuanfu replied, “...Oh, okay.”
The siblings diligently continued their clam digging.
Today was a lucky day; their two large baskets were filled with seafood, and they returned home with a bountiful harvest.
On the way back, Yuanfu was in high spirits, humming a tuneless fishing village song.
Thinking back to the conversation between his sister and the King of Wu, Yuanfu curiously asked, “Elder sister, is Empress Dowager Shen really the most beautiful woman in the world?”
Shen Wei awkwardly touched her nose, her heart steady. “She should be.”
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