Chapter 410
**Chapter 408: I Will Die with You**
The palace maid was still trying to persuade her when a eunuch's voice announced the arrival of the Emperor. Shen Wei did not rise to greet him. Li Yuanli lifted the curtain and entered, taking a seat on a nearby chair.
Noticing the medicinal soup on the table, Li Yuanli raised an eyebrow. "Good medicine is bitter. If you're afraid of the taste, I can have someone bring you some sugar."
Shen Wei looked up at him. "Did Mo Xun not tell you? My body is beyond saving."
Li Yuanli fell silent.
In fact, when Li Yuanli first prepared to use the device to bring Shen Wei's soul back, Mo Xun had warned him repeatedly that in her current body, Shen Wei would only have six months to live at most.
Li Yuanli had initially dismissed it.
After Shen Wei transformed into "Yuan Xi'er," he provided her with the best health tonics every day, but her body was like an endless abyss; no amount of precious herbs could restore her.
It was then that Li Yuanli realized Mo Xun had not been lying.
"I will die in six months at most," Shen Wei thought, feeling a surge of frustration.
She had been living her life just fine, and who would have thought that Li Yuanli would suddenly barge in at midnight, disrupting her plans for the rest of her life?
Shen Wei found Li Yuanli increasingly intolerable.
Li Yuanli seemed oblivious to the complaint in her tone. His dark eyes locked onto hers, his voice steady and calm. "So what if you die? I will die with you."
Shen Wei was taken aback.
A chill crept up her neck.
What a madman!
Li Yuanli continued nonchalantly, "I've been cooped up in the palace for too long. Where do you want to go? I’ll accompany you."
Without a second thought, Shen Wei replied, "Qingguo Yanjing."
Li Yuanli raised an eyebrow, a half-smile playing on his lips. "The South Sea is beautiful, famous for its pearls. There are ruby mines in the nearby mountains, and the statues of Bodhisattvas left by our ancestors. How about I take you to the South Sea?"
Shen Wei truly did not want to stay in the palace.
Leaving the palace would give her a chance to escape.
So she nodded decisively. "Alright."
Li Yuanli saw through her thoughts. He gazed deeply at Shen Wei, his voice heavy with suppressed emotion. "Shen Wei, even if you want to run, wait a little longer..."
The moon cannot be grasped.
Let the moonlight fall upon her; even a moment longer would be nice.
...
Shen Wei had thought that Li Yuanli's mention of going to the South Sea was just a passing jest.
To her surprise, a few days later, Li Yuanli had actually prepared a cavalry unit, ready to head south along the official road.
All matters in the palace were handed over to the Ninth Prince, Li Mi.
It was said that in the Council Hall, Li Mi and Li Yuanli had a fierce argument. In a fit of rage, Li Mi even drew a guard's sword and struck the table, severing it in two.
Several eunuchs fainted from shock.
But in the end, Li Yuanli still took Shen Wei out of the palace. The long official road stretched ahead, and the city of Lijing loomed majestically in the morning light.
Shen Wei lifted the curtain of the carriage and saw the young Ninth Prince standing on the wall, his wide black and gold robe billowing in the wind.
Shen Wei couldn't understand the relationship between Li Yuanli and Li Mi. She asked Li Yuanli, "Aren't you afraid Li Mi will seize the opportunity to usurp the throne?"
Li Yuanli leaned against the luxurious carriage wall and countered, "Shen Wei, are you concerned about me?"
Shen Wei cursed inwardly.
The carriage moved slowly, flanked by the cavalry. After leaving Lijing, Mo Xun boldly stopped the carriage outside the city, insisting on joining the group.
The cavalry brought her before Li Yuanli.
Li Yuanli rubbed his temples. "I have already let you out of the palace. Why do you still want to follow?"
Mo Xun, carrying a medicine box, retorted angrily, "Is this how you speak to your ancestors? You unfilial descendant! The Southern Chu cavalry was left by me, and now this bunch of cavalry is actually capturing our ancestors."
Li Yuanli looked at Mo Xun with indifference.
Mo Xun stood her ground. "I want to go to the South Sea too."
Shen Wei leaned out of the carriage, glancing at Mo Xun and then at Li Yuanli. "Let her come along."
With Shen Wei's words, Li Yuanli naturally agreed.
However, Mo Xun could not share a carriage with Shen Wei. Cursing under her breath, Mo Xun climbed into the carriage meant for cargo at the back.
The caravan continued along the official road.
Heading south.
Along the way, Shen Wei spotted her shop in Southern Chu.
Unfortunately, Li Yuanli was too vigilant, and Shen Wei had no way to contact her shop.
Most of the time, Li Yuanli quietly walked beside Shen Wei, like a persistent adhesive. He watched her every frown and smile, every move, as if he wanted to etch her into his very bones.
Shen Wei's body was indeed weak, making escape impossible. She decided to temporarily give up on fleeing and instead enjoy the scenery along the way.
Winter had passed, and spring was bright. As the caravan traversed the mountains and fields, Shen Wei saw the blooming wildflowers; as they passed through towns, she spotted a little girl selling flowers; while crossing the river on a boat, she even saw dolphins surfacing.
The journey was quite enjoyable.
After more than a month of travel, the caravan stopped in a bustling town in southern Southern Chu. The best inn in the town center was booked, and as the moon rose over the willow trees, Shen Wei and Mo Xun feasted and then studied the map of the South Sea under the lantern light.
"The sea to the south of Southern Chu is vast and boundless; escaping by sea is unlikely," Mo Xun analyzed.
Shen Wei traced a line along the edge of the Southern Chu map with her finger. "I remember there are trade routes over the sea. Merchant ships transport South Sea pearls, bypassing the strait to reach the west side of Qingguo."
Mo Xun gasped. "That's tough! Li Yuanli watches you every day. Unless we kill him, we won't have a chance to escape. But if we kill him, Southern Chu will surely descend into chaos. Your fragile body can't withstand a long sea journey."
Shen Wei sighed inwardly.
With her poor health, even escaping was difficult.
Mo Xun looked out the window at the darkening sky and yawned. "I'm going back downstairs to sleep. You should get some rest too."
Mo Xun left, yawning all the way.
Shen Wei, not willing to give up, continued studying the map of Southern Chu. The incense burner in the room was lit, and a subtle fragrance wafted through the air.
Creak—
The door to the private room opened.
Shen Wei didn’t look up; the only ones who dared to intrude into her room at this hour were Li Yuanjing before, and now Li Yuanli.
Heavy footsteps approached, and Shen Wei caught a whiff of rich wine. Li Yuanli's broad black robe draped over the Southern Chu map, and he smiled. "You really are bold, searching for ways to escape right under my nose."
Shen Wei replied lazily, "It's all about making an effort."
After staring at the map for too long, her eyes were starting to blur.
Shen Wei rubbed her eyes, intending to wash her face. Just as she took a couple of steps, Li Yuanli suddenly tugged at her sleeve.
Perhaps it was the intoxicating aroma of the South Sea wine, or maybe Shen Wei's desire to escape was too obvious; after a few sips, Li Yuanli felt a bit lightheaded. He coldly questioned, "Are you unable to let go of the shops in Qingguo, or is it the people of Qingguo you can't forget?"
The question was too pointed. Shen Wei raised her eyebrows and forcefully pulled her sleeve back. "Don't pry too much."
Rip—
The thin, light-colored sleeve tore.
Shen Wei felt a chill on her right shoulder as the torn sleeve brushed against her arm, now clutched in Li Yuanli's hand.
With the fabric gone, her smooth shoulder was exposed. Shen Wei had not been exposed to the wind and sun for some time, and her skin had become much fairer, the candlelight highlighting the delicate beauty of her shoulder and neck.
Li Yuanli's gaze fell on Shen Wei, captivated, his dark eyes flickering with a deep flame.
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