Chapter 407
**Chapter 405: Suspicion**
As soon as the chief eunuch finished speaking, a guard from the palace stepped in and took away Concubine Qin.
Concubine Qin was still in a daze.
By the time she realized what was happening, she let out a terrified scream, “Impossible! The Emperor wouldn’t do this to me! I demand to see the Emperor—mmph—”
Just moments ago, she had been high and mighty, but in the blink of an eye, she had fallen into the mud. The guard quickly covered her mouth with a cloth and dragged her out with swift movements.
The palace maids accompanying Concubine Qin turned pale, stumbling as they knelt on the ground. The chief eunuch looked at them with pity, saying, “You all go serve in the Yeting. Life may be hard, but at least you’ll keep your lives.”
The maids trembled as they lowered their heads and exited the Chang Le Palace.
A gentle breeze blew, leaving the Chang Le Palace in eerie silence.
Even Shen Wei hadn’t expected Li Yuanli to act so ruthlessly. Concubine Qin had served him for many years, yet he ordered her death without hesitation. Shen Wei held a warm bowl of medicine, slowly sipping the bitter concoction, her expression gradually turning serious.
Seeing Shen Wei finish her medicine, the chief eunuch respectfully took his leave.
One by one, the palace maids returned to their posts, their eyes filled with awe as they looked at Shen Wei. Who would have thought that the Emperor would value a fisherman's daughter so highly that he would kill Concubine Qin for her?
The morning sun shone brightly, glaring off the pages of the book Shen Wei was trying to read. She couldn’t focus.
She summoned the maid Caizhu and asked, “With Concubine Qin dead, who will raise the Emperor’s sons?”
Having witnessed the Emperor’s regard for Shen Wei, Caizhu was now filled with respect and no longer dared to be dismissive. She answered honestly, “Miss, Concubine Qin has not given birth to any children.”
Shen Wei was puzzled. “There are at least nine princes in the palace, and Concubine Qin was favored. How could she not have borne a son or daughter?”
Could it be that Li Yuanli was deliberately suppressing the Prime Minister’s household?
He favored Concubine Qin but wouldn’t let her bear children?
Just as Shen Wei was lost in thought, Caizhu informed her, “Miss, you may be mistaken. The Emperor has been in power for many years and has no children of his own.”
Shen Wei was bewildered. “No children? Where did the Ninth Prince come from?”
Caizhu lowered her voice, “The Ninth Prince is the late Emperor’s youngest son, ranked ninth. He is eighteen this year... During the palace turmoil, for reasons unknown, the Emperor spared the Ninth Prince’s life and even sent a tutor to teach him reading and horsemanship.”
There were many concubines in the harem of Nan Chu, yet Li Yuanli chose to raise the late Emperor’s son, which was truly baffling.
As a result, ministers in the court secretly speculated that the Emperor must have been injured during the chaos and was unable to father children...
Though Li Yuanli raised the Ninth Prince, he showed no signs of paternal affection, treating him with extreme harshness, even failing to conceal the fact that he had killed the boy’s biological parents.
Through long years of hardship, the Ninth Prince’s character had become quite peculiar. He could be merciful enough not to crush an ant crossing his path, yet cold-blooded enough to behead a minister. His relationship with Li Yuanli was extremely poor; he often offended him and was frequently thrown into the dungeons, only to be released after a while.
Caizhu kindly warned Shen Wei, “Miss, the Ninth Prince has a violent temperament. It’s best not to provoke him.”
Shen Wei fell into deep thought.
...
As night fell, Shen Wei had eaten her fill and was taking a stroll around the courtyard to aid digestion. She had recently started practicing Baduanjin, a set of exercises to strengthen her body, and had been at it for a while, until a thin sheen of sweat appeared on her forehead.
She took a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from her brow.
When she casually looked up, she found Li Yuanli standing under the eaves, gazing at her with a deep, intense look in his eyes.
Shen Wei: ...
This man was like a ghost, appearing and disappearing at will.
Shen Wei silently pouted and returned to her desk in the sleeping chamber. A maid brought in fragrant tea, and Shen Wei quietly sipped it.
Li Yuanli sat down with an imposing presence and told Shen Wei, “From now on, you will be the mistress of this harem. You can do whatever you wish, even eliminate other concubines without needing to consult me.”
Shen Wei paused in her tea-drinking.
In two days, Li Yuanli planned to issue an edict to declare Shen Wei the Empress of Nan Chu.
The one and only Empress.
If Shen Wei didn’t want to stay in the palace, he would be willing to give up the throne, taking a fortune in gold and silver to travel the world with her.
Shen Wei set down her teacup and analyzed rationally, “I’ve heard that Prime Minister Tuoba has been restless lately, trying to support the Ninth Prince’s rise to power. You killed Concubine Qin today, ostensibly to avenge me—but I think you want to use me, this beautiful disaster, to suppress the Prime Minister’s faction.”
Shen Wei didn’t trust Li Yuanli.
A man who seized the throne through iron-fisted means could hardly be a lovesick fool.
The temperature in the room dropped sharply.
Li Yuanli’s face turned frosty.
He grasped Shen Wei’s wrist and smiled, “Why do you always measure everything in terms of benefits? My feelings for you are as clear as day.”
Shen Wei furrowed her brows. “I don’t believe you.”
Is there such a thing as unconditional love in this world? Every gesture of kindness has its price, marked in the shadows.
Shen Wei didn’t trust Li Yuanli; she didn’t trust anyone.
The candlelight flickered brightly, and the sound of insects chirping filled the courtyard. Li Yuanli tightened his grip on Shen Wei’s wrist, his dark eyes filled with reluctance.
He chuckled, a hint of helplessness in his voice: “You can pretend to be the most affectionate woman in the world, but in reality, you are the coldest. You weigh every emotion on the scales of your heart.”
Shen Wei was indifferent, selfish, ruthless, and cunning; there was no one in the world more heartless than her.
She only loved herself.
No one could penetrate her heart.
Li Yuanli understood her cold nature, yet he was still irresistibly drawn to her.
Moths are always drawn to the flame.
Li Yuanli turned his head, gazing into Shen Wei’s eyes, which were filled with cold detachment.
He felt a slight pang in his heart, his voice steady and hoarse as he spoke to Shen Wei, “I will treat you well. What Li Yuanjing can give you, I can give you too. What he cannot give you, I can also provide. Shen Wei, a ruler’s words are not empty; time will bear witness to my promises.”
“Freedom, wealth, I will give you all. As long as I can stay by your side, even if it’s just for half a year.”
As the night deepened, Shen Wei returned to her chamber to rest.
Li Yuanli left, stepping into the night.
The palace lanterns inside the chamber remained lit, and Shen Wei lay on the soft bed, the words of Li Yuanli echoing in her mind.
If she could gain limited freedom, wealth, and power in Nan Chu, and then leverage Li Yuanli’s authority to connect the commercial landscapes of Nan Chu and Qing Guo...
Shen Wei lowered her gaze. During these days, she had been reading the local chronicles of Nan Chu. After the internal strife ended, there was much to be rebuilt, and many trade markets had yet to be opened.
Outside, the night was deep, and inside the room, Shen Wei began to calculate in her mind...
...
...
At the border of Nan Chu, several black steeds galloped through the night like phantoms across the mountains and fields.
“Father, there’s a city ahead. Shall we rest for the night?” Li Chengyou tightened the reins, looking at Li Yuanjing, who was riding beside him.
The two were in disguise, leading the elite Tiger Guards into the territory of Nan Chu.
The mountains and fields under the night were eerie and silent, and in the distance, the lights of the city could be seen. Li Yuanjing didn’t want to rest; his face was serious. “We must hurry to Lijing.”
Table of Contents
