Chapter 413
**Chapter 411: Suffering**
Li Chengyou gazed at the aging face of Mo Xun before him, and the sturdy young man felt his eyes begin to redden with tears.
He knelt on one knee in front of Mo Xun, choking back sobs, “Mother, you’ve suffered so much, wuwuwu.”
Mo Xun: ...
Li Chengyou was still crying when a sharp knock on his head interrupted him. A cold voice came from behind, “What are you crying for? I’m not dead yet.”
Li Chengyou turned around, his tear-filled eyes meeting the youthful, slightly tanned face of a fisher girl.
Though their appearances were strikingly different, the way she had knocked on his head was eerily reminiscent of his mother.
Mo Xun chuckled softly, “You silly boy, you can’t even recognize your own mother. I’m not your mother; she is.”
Li Chengyou’s tears froze in his eyes, his expression one of shock.
Throughout their journey, he had followed his father into the Southern Chu, braving storms and hardships. All he knew was that his mother had exchanged souls with a woman from Southern Chu.
Who would have thought that the delicate girl before him was actually his mother?
His gaze fell upon Shen Wei’s frail figure, so thin she seemed little more than skin and bones.
A wave of sorrow washed over Li Chengyou. That wretched Southern Chu dog emperor had used despicable means to take his mother away, and he hadn’t even provided her with food!
Look at how emaciated she had become!
“Mother, wuwuwu, I’m late, you’ve suffered,” Li Chengyou said, tears brimming in his eyes. “Don’t worry, with a hundred thousand troops at the border, Southern Chu won’t dare to act rashly.”
He stepped closer to Shen Wei, wanting to share the hardships of the past days and to comfort his poor mother.
Shen Wei patted his strong arm, “Stop crying. Quickly help me find something—a box, a key.”
Li Chengyou, still teary-eyed, was utterly confused. “What?”
Shen Wei didn’t have time for nostalgia; every extra pair of hands would help in the search. “What are you waiting for? Help me look!”
Li Chengyou replied, “Oh, okay!”
He had no choice but to temporarily suppress his overwhelming longing and join the search for the key.
The three of them turned the sleeping quarters upside down.
No luck.
Shen Wei frowned, glancing at the smooth marble floor. Could it be that Li Yuanli had hidden a secret compartment in the chamber, stashing the key and instruments in some obscure corner?
She felt a headache coming on; it was just too difficult to find.
“Mother! There are so many portraits of you!” Li Chengyou rummaged through boxes and stumbled upon a roll of paintings on the table.
He discovered that all the portraits featured Shen Wei’s face.
Li Chengyou stared in disbelief.
What was that Southern Chu emperor up to? Why collect so many portraits of his mother?
And there were even paintings of her butchering pigs!
What nonsense! His mother was gentle, virtuous, and dignified—there was no way she would engage in such barbaric acts!
Outside, the fighting continued, the clashing of swords ringing in their ears. Shen Wei asked Li Chengyou, “How many men did you bring?”
Li Chengyou replied, “Less than a hundred. But don’t worry, Mother, there are plenty of Da Qing spies in Southern Chu, and our border troops are in place.”
Shen Wei nodded slightly.
Since they couldn’t find the key and instruments in the palace, Shen Wei decisively abandoned the search; continuing would only waste time. She walked to the door of the side courtyard and caught a whiff of the strong smell of blood in the air—both sides had suffered injuries.
Continuing the fight was not a solution.
It would only drain their energy, serving no purpose.
Shen Wei grabbed her restless younger son and spoke in a voice that was calm, almost casual, “There’s hot tea prepared inside. Everyone stop fighting and come in for a cup.”
Bang—
The fighting abruptly ceased.
Shen Wei left those words hanging and turned to enter the house. She ignored the commotion outside, lying back down to prepare for sleep. It was already quite late, and staying up was bad for her health.
She needed to ensure she got enough rest to handle matters the next day.
Clearing her mind, she soon drifted off to sleep. After a peaceful night, the next day dawned bright and sunny. The sounds of waves and birds filled the air as Shen Wei slowly opened her eyes, yawning as she got up to wash.
The South Sea courtyard was quiet.
Shen Wei opened her door and saw the Southern Chu cavalry and Da Qing Tiger Guards outside, like dragons and tigers guarding their territory, wary of each other’s every move.
It seemed both sides had reached a strange balance.
“Mother, Mother! Breakfast is ready!” Li Chengyou ran over, beaming with joy.
Seeing that unfamiliar face, he still felt a bit out of sorts.
Shen Wei entered the dining hall, where a lavish breakfast was laid out. Mo Xun sat at the table waiting for her. Meanwhile, Li Yuanjing and Li Yuanli sat across from each other, the atmosphere in the room heavy with tension.
Upon seeing Shen Wei, Li Yuanjing’s anger dissipated, and he stepped forward with joy, “Weiwei!”
Shen Wei noticed a strand of white hair at his temples.
After three months apart, Li Yuanjing looked weary, aged considerably. He grasped Shen Wei’s wrist, studying her gaunt face, his heart aching with a myriad of emotions. “You’ve suffered during this time.”
Shen Wei replied, “It hasn’t been too hard.”
Li Yuanjing scrutinized Shen Wei’s eyes.
An unfamiliar face, yet the gaze was familiar.
It was his Shen Wei.
During these days, Li Yuanjing had been consumed with thoughts of her, anxious and restless. Now that he finally saw the woman he had longed for, he was disappointed to find that Shen Wei didn’t seem to have thought much of him.
She appeared too calm and composed, without even a hint of pretense, leaving Li Yuanjing with mixed feelings.
What a heartless woman.
For twenty years, Shen Wei had successfully ensnared Li Yuanjing’s heart. He was deeply trapped, while she stood at the edge of the mire, watching coldly.
“Alright, let’s let Shen Wei eat something first,” Mo Xun called from the dining table.
Shen Wei, feeling hungry, devoured her breakfast until she was stuffed.
Once the servants cleared the table, Shen Wei rinsed her mouth and returned to the hall. She noticed the bruise on Li Yuanli’s mouth, slightly swollen, clearly a mark left from yesterday’s brawl.
Shen Wei asked Li Yuanli, “Are you seriously injured?”
Li Yuanli smirked, “Just a minor injury.”
On the other side, Li Yuanjing was about to explode!
Watching Shen Wei fuss over Li Yuanli made him feel like he had fallen into a vat of vinegar, his insides churning with jealousy. He snapped, “Weiwei, I’m injured too!”
After sharing a bed for twenty years, she had suddenly turned her concern to another man!
Li Yuanjing felt so bitter!
Shen Wei sighed, “Li Yuanli is hiding the instruments and the key. If he dies, I won’t have long to live either.”
Shen Wei wasn’t concerned about Li Yuanli; she was simply afraid he would be killed by Li Yuanjing.
Li Yuanjing snorted in annoyance.
Li Yuanli squinted slowly, smiling at Shen Wei, “To you, I still hold some value, and that’s enough.”
Li Yuanjing reminded him, “Weiwei is my wife! If it weren’t for your cursed sorcery, she wouldn’t have ended up in Southern Chu!”
Li Yuanli clicked his tongue, “Oh, brother, you were just lucky. You gained Father’s favor, your elder brother the crown prince conveniently died, and Shen Wei fortuitously ended up in your household... Your life has been smooth sailing, with others paving the way for you.”
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