Chapter 416
**Chapter 414: She’s Back**
...
In the Kingdom of Qing, at the royal estate in Yanjing.
When Shen Wei awoke, it was already late spring, a month later. As she stirred, her body ached all over. Looking down at her palms, she noticed she had lost weight; her bones were clearly visible.
“Mother!”
“Mother!!”
Exclamations rang in her ears.
Shen Wei raised her eyes and saw Le You, who had also lost weight. With tears in her eyes, Le You rushed into Shen Wei’s embrace.
Shen Wei patted her daughter’s back. “I’m fine. Tell me, what’s been happening in Yanjing lately?”
Le You, still sobbing, choked out the news of the city’s affairs.
Li Yuanjing and Li Chengyou were still on their way back from Nanchu, returning to Yanjing from the South Sea, a journey that would take at least a month. They had been riding hard, pushing their horses to the limit.
The Ninth Prince of Nanchu had held a grand funeral for the late emperor and, in a ruthless move, eliminated a group of stubborn old ministers, stepping over their corpses to ascend the throne.
The situation between Nanchu and Qing was tense, and Li Chengtai had been busy these past few days, overwhelmed with responsibilities.
Shen Wei said, “Help me outside for a walk.”
Le You immediately assisted her, careful and gentle. The familiar royal estate in Yanjing greeted them, with the shimmering waters of Luoyue Lake outside. Shen Wei stood by the lakeside, closed her eyes, and felt the warm sunlight on her skin.
Her pores relaxed.
It was warm and incredibly comfortable.
How wonderful it is to be alive...
In the late spring, the tender green lotus leaves in Luoyue Lake had begun to unfurl, and pleasure boats glided slowly across the water, with the majestic Yanjing city in the distance.
Shen Wei felt as if she were in a dream, as if she had just awakened from a long slumber, where Yuan Xi’er, Yuan Fu, and Li Yuanli were all mere phantoms.
Not long after Shen Wei woke up, Li Chengtai in the palace received the news and rushed over without delay. Seeing Shen Wei, now awake and alert, his nose tinged with emotion, and his eyes reddened instantly.
“Mother…” Li Chengtai’s voice trembled.
Shen Wei patted his shoulder. “Don’t cry, I’m fine. The new emperor of Nanchu has ascended; that kid is no simple character. You need to keep an eye on him.”
The new emperor of Nanchu was the Ninth Prince, Li Mi. He had suffered greatly under Li Yuanli’s harsh treatment since childhood, but his resolve was strong, and his methods were cunning.
With the change of power, the old guard was making a grand exit, leaving the stage to the newcomers.
“Mother, I understand.” Li Chengtai’s tears were brimming in his eyes; his mother was still the caring mother he knew.
Li Chengtai had brought imperial physicians and countless precious herbs, unwilling to leave the estate, dedicating himself to accompany Shen Wei for three days.
Finally, Shen Wei could no longer bear it and gave him a gentle push back to the palace to handle state affairs.
Shen Wei’s body was still very weak. She approached the silver mirror and noticed her skin had darkened slightly, with faint lines at the corners of her eyes. Shen Wei exclaimed in dismay and hurriedly set about her beauty and fitness routines.
She was determined to stay fit and youthful!
Striving to live to a hundred!
In between her workouts, Shen Wei also summoned Ye Zhanggui from Yanjing to discuss plans for opening shops in Donglin and Nanchu. During her time as “Yuan Xi’er,” she had gathered a wealth of commercial information from Nanchu and knew which shops would be suitable to open there.
Life was returning to normal, and without Li Yuanjing’s interruptions, Shen Wei was thoroughly enjoying her leisurely days!
Comfortable, carefree, and free!
“Your Highness, a letter from the Taishang Huang.” At the royal estate by Luoyue Lake, Cai Lian presented an urgent letter.
Shen Wei was engrossed in studying the commercial landscape of Nanchu and didn’t look up. “Set it aside; I’ll read it when I have time.”
Li Yuanjing had rushed to Nanchu in a hurry, and after Shen Wei’s rescue, he hurried back to Yanjing. The journey was long and arduous; he wished he could sprout wings to fly to Shen Wei’s side.
But alas, the road ahead was still long.
Li Yuanjing could only write letters, conveying his longing in advance.
After finishing her plans for the shops in Nanchu, Shen Wei savored a fragrant cup of lotus flower tea before leisurely opening the letter from Li Yuanjing. It was short, filled with concern, and he hoped for a reply.
Shen Wei thought for a moment; indeed, Li Yuanjing had been through a lot lately. She took out paper and pen and wrote him a brief reply.
...
...
In Yanjing, at the Yan residence.
The King of Wu had been feeling downcast these past few days. He had learned that Yuan Xi’er had died in Nanchu, and a mix of emotions swirled within him, tinged with a hint of sadness.
Though Yuan Xi’er was not particularly beautiful, she had been his unwed concubine. The King of Wu reclined on a chair, trying to digest his inner sorrow.
Princess Donglin entered the room, glanced at her gloomy brother, and comforted him. “Yuan Fu has gone to Nanchu to bring back his sister’s body. I gave him some silver; it should be enough for a decent coffin for Yuan Xi’er.”
The King of Wu sighed, “Sister... what if we bury Yuan Xi’er in the Wu royal residence? When I pass, she could rest in the same tomb as me.”
Yuan Xi’er’s greatest wish in life had been to marry him.
The King of Wu wanted to fulfill that wish.
Princess Donglin replied sharply, “Yuan Fu disagrees. He wants to bury her next to their parents.”
The King of Wu felt a pang of disappointment.
Having spent so long in the Yan residence, enjoying delicacies and fine silks, the King of Wu gradually felt an emptiness within. Especially after hearing the news of Yuan Xi’er’s death, he felt even more hollow.
He stood up. “Sister, I’m going out for a walk. Don’t wait for me for dinner.”
Princess Donglin said, “Take two guards with you, and don’t stay out too late.”
The King of Wu left the Yan residence, troubled.
Yanjing was still bustling, with crowds filling the streets, the aroma of food wafting from the taverns, and flower-selling maidens looking lovely. Yet the King of Wu felt a heaviness in his heart, finding little joy in anything.
Finally, it was his guard, Zhang Wuge, who suggested, “Your Highness, how about we go to Luoyue Lake to admire the lotus? I’ve heard there are many beauties there.”
The King of Wu nodded, albeit reluctantly.
When the carriage arrived at Luoyue Lake, it was late spring, and the lakeside was alive with blooming flowers and throngs of visitors. Pleasure boats were docked along the shore, filled with laughter and chatter. The King of Wu waved his jade fan and sighed, “The merriment belongs to them; I’m just a lonely handsome man.”
Zhang Wuge: ...
The King of Wu, feeling overwhelmed by the crowd, turned and sought a quieter spot along the lakeside. Zhang Wuge reminded him, “Your Highness, we can’t go further west. I’ve heard that’s where the princesses and princes of the Kingdom of Qing have their estate, and outsiders aren’t allowed near.”
The King of Wu replied irritably, “I know what I’m doing. It’s just that with Yuan Xi’er gone, my heart feels heavy... If I think about it, Yuan Xi’er was quite remarkable—graceful, brave, and intelligent.”
In a world full of beauties, there were few who were both clever and courageous.
The King of Wu felt regret.
If he had known earlier that Yuan Xi’er’s life would be so short, he should have married her sooner, settled her in the royal residence, and perhaps she would have lived.
The King of Wu closed his eyes, a wave of sorrow washing over him. “Such a beauty is hard to find again. In this life, I fear I may never love another woman—”
Before he could finish, the movement of his jade fan paused. He spotted a breathtaking figure in a pavilion by the lake not far away.
The lush green lotus leaves unfurled, and a thin veil fluttered in the lake breeze. The woman rested her chin on one hand, her dark hair cascading over her shoulders, as she admired the beautiful lakeside scenery of late spring and early summer.
The King of Wu’s heart raced!
What a beautiful silhouette, as if she had appeared in his dreams a thousand times!
His intuition told him that this must be the extraordinary woman foretold by the national master of Yue!
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