Chapter 401
**Chapter 399: Everyone Listens to Her**
As they entered the territory of Nan Chu, the carriage maintained its swift pace. Shen Wei was not idle either; she took her medicine on time every day to recover her health. In her spare moments, she would lift the curtain of the carriage to observe the myriad lives of the people in Nan Chu.
In recent years, Nan Chu had been plagued by civil wars, making life difficult for its citizens. However, after Li Yuanli secured his throne with an iron fist, he implemented a series of reforms, executing many corrupt officials and local tyrants. Gradually, Nan Chu began to regain its vitality, and the people’s lives improved.
Perhaps influenced by the founding empress of Nan Chu, the people were open-minded and adventurous, with a strong desire for exploration. There were many merchants from Nan Chu doing business far and wide, making their mark across the continent.
The carriage traveled along the official road towards the imperial city of Lijing. Inside, Shen Wei savored the unique delicacy of Nan Chu, a small round dumpling made from fermented rice, while she asked a palace maid walking outside the carriage, “I’ve heard there’s a gigantic statue of Guanyin by the southern coast. Is that true? How big is it?”
The maid, named Caizhu, had been sent by Li Yuanli to take care of Shen Wei.
Throughout the journey, Shen Wei pulled Caizhu into a long conversation, like a traveler in a foreign land, brimming with curiosity about everything.
Caizhu was getting a bit annoyed by all the questions.
With a straight face, she replied, “In response to your question, Miss, there is indeed an ancient statue of Guanyin in the South Sea. A hundred years ago, when the empress was gravely ill, the emperor had the statue cast to pray for her recovery. It stands six zhang tall and has been renovated several times over the years, still standing proudly by the sea.”
Shen Wei clicked her tongue, “The emperor seems quite devoted.”
She continued, “What’s fun or delicious in Lijing? What’s the latest popular story there? Are there any shops from Qing Guo opening in Lijing?”
Caizhu: ...
Shen Wei kept asking questions, and Caizhu was nearly out of breath, her throat growing hoarse.
Caizhu couldn’t understand why the decisive and brave emperor would travel such a long distance to bring back a fisher girl from the East.
There were no shortage of beauties in the palace.
Caizhu’s gaze fell on Shen Wei’s dark complexion, and she couldn’t help but shake her head in disbelief. This fisher girl had an unremarkable appearance, even less striking than the palace maids. Had the emperor’s taste changed to prefer such an unattractive woman?
With a sigh in her heart, Caizhu continued, “In response to your question, Lijing is the most prosperous city in Nan Chu, rivaling Qing Guo’s Yanjing. Currently, the most popular...”
Caizhu answered patiently.
Shen Wei listened attentively, nodding frequently.
Caizhu looked at Shen Wei’s plain face; she appeared to be only fifteen or sixteen, youthful and innocent, clearly without any guile. Once she entered the palace, she would surely attract the attention of many concubines.
Out of kindness, Caizhu reminded Shen Wei, “Miss, once you enter the harem, you will likely be granted the title of Jieyu, and if you’re lucky, you might even become a Guiren. Just remember, in the palace, aside from the emperor, you must never offend two people.”
Shen Wei took a sip of the distinctive clear tea from Nan Chu, raised an eyebrow, and smiled, “Who are those two?”
Caizhu’s expression turned serious as she looked at Shen Wei with pity, “One is the Qinfang, Tuoba, and the other is the Ninth Prince.”
Years ago, after Li Yuanli ascended the throne with his iron-fisted methods, the number of concubines in the harem had increased significantly. However, he had never shown particular favoritism towards anyone; to him, women were merely playthings.
Until over a decade ago, when the royal family of Nan Chu was embroiled in chaos, the Prime Minister’s daughter, Tuoba, bravely took a blade for Li Yuanli. After he quelled the turmoil, he granted her the title of Qinfang, and she gradually secured her position as the foremost among the concubines, overseeing the harem.
Li Yuanli had personally traveled to bring Shen Wei back, and this news had already spread throughout the imperial city. Once Shen Wei entered the harem of Nan Chu, she would undoubtedly face the scrutiny of the Qinfang.
Shen Wei rested her chin on her hand, “And what’s the story with the Ninth Prince?”
At the mention of the Ninth Prince, a strange fear flickered across Caizhu’s face. Just as she was about to answer, the sound of guards kneeling in unison echoed from ahead.
Caizhu quickly knelt down.
Li Yuanli had arrived.
He lifted the curtain of the carriage and stepped inside. With a smile in his eyes, he said, “I’ll accompany you into the palace.”
Shen Wei countered, “I don’t want to enter the palace. Can’t you just keep me in Lijing?”
Li Yuanli smiled lightly, “No, that’s not possible.”
Shen Wei had no retort.
The carriage slowly made its way along the royal road, entering the majestic and vast palace of Nan Chu. Shen Wei lowered her head to sip her tea, while Li Yuanli studied her face, remarking, “You’ve been enjoying yourself on this journey.”
Shen Wei didn’t seem like a captive; she appeared as if she were on a trip to Nan Chu.
She had tasted many delicious dishes along the way.
Shen Wei gently caressed her teacup and said calmly, “Crying is just another way to spend a day, and so is laughing. How I choose to live my life is entirely up to me.”
After all, she wouldn’t die just yet; she might as well treat it like a vacation.
Li Yuanli chuckled softly. Truly, Shen Wei was still the same Shen Wei he remembered.
As the carriage entered the Nan Chu palace, Lijing had been shrouded in rain for several days, but today the sun shone brightly and fiercely, casting a dazzling light over the imperial city. The once oppressive atmosphere was now infused with warmth.
After Shen Wei’s arrival, even the gloomy sky seemed to clear.
Li Yuanli thought, even if Shen Wei was not a flower of this era, he would forcefully keep her, allowing her to take root deeply in this soil.
...
...
Li Yuanli arranged for Shen Wei to stay in Chang Le Palace, the residence of the queens of Nan Chu throughout the ages.
The palace walls were towering, with twenty palace maids and eunuchs bustling about, grand and magnificent, and the courtyard was filled with vibrant roses.
Shen Wei’s gaze fell upon the roses in the courtyard, and her lips twitched slightly.
She hated roses!
After showing Shen Wei around Chang Le Palace and settling her in, Li Yuanli left to attend to state affairs. Shen Wei sat alone in the luxurious main seat, looking at the palace attendants kneeling before her, feeling as if she had been locked in a gilded cage.
“Prepare water and new clothes; I want to bathe,” Shen Wei said, her fingertip resting against her brow.
Her tone was calm, yet it carried the weight of authority.
The attendants exchanged glances, astonished, and hurriedly bowed their heads to comply.
Caizhu brought Shen Wei some tea, her heart racing with surprise. Throughout the journey, she hadn’t thought much of Shen Wei, merely assuming she was a girl the emperor had taken a temporary liking to.
Who would have thought the emperor would place her in Chang Le Palace!
Chang Le Palace had once been the residence of the female emperor and her husband a century ago, later becoming the palace of successive queens.
Caizhu couldn’t help but let her imagination run wild. Could it be that the emperor intended to make a fisher girl his queen?
Shen Wei took a sip of tea to soothe her throat and instructed Caizhu, “Find someone to cut down the roses in the courtyard and replace them with other flowers and plants.”
Caizhu quietly reminded her, “Miss, the roses in Chang Le Palace were planted by the emperor; they cannot be cut down.”
Shen Wei cast a faint glance at Caizhu.
That look was light, yet it pierced like a sharp sword into Caizhu’s heart, making her think of the Qinfang in the palace.
Clearly just a fisher girl, how had she stepped into the palace and suddenly transformed in demeanor?
In the end, Caizhu had no choice but to muster her courage to seek an audience with Li Yuanli, conveying Shen Wei’s request. To her surprise, the usually stern emperor merely smiled and said, “Let her have her way.”
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