Chapter 417
**Chapter 415: Reunion**
The King of Wu was in a flurry of excitement.
He had made up his mind; today, he must meet that enchanting woman who felt like a dream. He turned around and quickly adjusted his splendid robe.
Since arriving in Yanjing, the King of Wu had been staying at his sister's residence, the Yan Mansion. Princess Donglin was aware of the King’s difficult circumstances and had done everything she could to make it up to him.
The King wore a long robe made of cloud-patterned silk, the most fashionable attire in Yanjing at the moment. The sleeves billowed like flowing clouds, adorned with exquisite patterns of sandalwood and laurel. He wore a crown of white jade, and his chestnut-black curls were styled in the fashion of Donglin, braided into a long plait with a beautiful pearl from Nanchu at the end.
As he adjusted his appearance, he asked his attendant, Zhang Wulang, “What do you think of my outfit? Does it have flair?”
Zhang Wulang nodded, “It certainly has flair, but Your Highness, the west side of Luoyue Lake is not open to the public.”
The King waved his fan with satisfaction, “As long as it has flair—that’s all that matters. With my unparalleled looks, that lady will surely fall for me at first sight. Zhang Wulang, do you think I should return to Donglin as a prince? If she doesn’t want to come back with me, I’ll have no choice but to stay in Yanjing... sigh, I’ll have to think of a way to bring my mother here later, so we can be a family again.”
Zhang Wulang: ...
It’s still too early to be thinking that far ahead, Your Highness.
A warm breeze brushed against his face as the King waved his white jade fan again, looking every bit the dashing young man he hoped would catch the eye of the lady he admired.
After just a few steps, a sharp sound pierced the air.
Two gleaming swords were drawn, and two guards in black brocade appeared, blocking the King’s path.
The guards had stern expressions and coldly warned, “Ahead is a place for nobles to enjoy leisure. No commoners are allowed to approach.”
The King squinted, sizing up the two guards. They were tall and imposing, their eyes sharp, clad in dark armor that glinted coldly, exuding an air of strength.
It was clear they were not ordinary guards.
They didn’t seem to belong to the palace’s imperial guards or city defense forces; the King had seen the Daqing imperial guards before, and their uniforms were different. After a moment of thought, he speculated that these were the household servants of some military general in Yanjing.
With a smile, the King said, “I’m not a commoner. The scenery at Luoyue Lake is simply magnificent, and I believe that pavilion ahead is perfect for flower viewing. Why don’t you two pass on my request—”
The guards remained impassive, “No approach allowed. If you take another step, we will not hesitate to use force.”
Two ordinary guards, yet their presence was so intimidating that the King’s heart raced in fear.
But he couldn’t bear to leave.
That beautiful lady was so close; he longed to see her. The King explained, “I am a prince of Donglin, sincerely wishing to meet that noble lady. If you harm me, it will disrupt the peace between our two nations.”
The guards didn’t care about any prince.
With swords in hand, they advanced toward the King. Terrified, he stumbled backward, his white jade fan clattering to the ground. He hurriedly exclaimed, “Don’t use force! I’ll leave right now! I’ll leave! Oh, which household do you serve, to be so fierce!”
Faced with such overwhelming force, the King dared not act rashly and could only leave in frustration.
He retreated to a safe distance before finally stopping.
He shot a glare at Zhang Wulang, “As my attendant, you should protect my safety! Those guards drew their swords, and you ran faster than I did!”
Zhang Wulang sighed, “Your Highness, I can’t take them on.”
The King huffed, unwilling to give up as he gazed longingly into the distance. The cool pavilion by the lake was serene, but the beautiful lady was nowhere to be seen.
Perhaps she had gone home to rest.
The King felt a pang of regret but was determined not to give up.
For the next few days, he strolled by Luoyue Lake daily. Sometimes, he was lucky enough to catch a glimpse of her slender silhouette from afar; more often than not, he returned empty-handed.
...
...
Time passed quietly, and early summer arrived.
Shen Wei was busy, spending each day exercising, beautifying herself, and managing her business. As the weather grew warmer, she redecorated her sleeping quarters, opting for a simple and elegant style that felt more comfortable for the summer.
At night, Shen Wei lay comfortably on her couch, the room filled with a subtle fragrance. Freshly picked lotus flowers adorned her desk, and the cool moonlight filtered through the window curtains.
As she drifted into a deep sleep, she vaguely felt the bed shift.
Her cheek tingled.
Li Yuanjing leaned over the bed, whispering, “Weiwei, I’m back.”
Li Yuanjing returned ten days sooner than Shen Wei had anticipated. She wrinkled her nose, catching a strong whiff of dust and lingering sweat.
“I can’t believe how smelly you are,” she complained sleepily.
In the chamber, Li Yuanjing paused for a moment, then looked down at his sleeve and sniffed...
There was indeed a sour odor.
After dealing with the mess in Nanchu, Li Yuanjing had hurried back to Yanjing, wishing he could travel a thousand miles in a day, leaving no time to freshen up. He had ridden day and night, finally arriving at the royal estate in Yanjing, only to be met with her disdain after holding her for just a moment.
Reluctantly, Li Yuanjing got up and instructed the servants to prepare bathwater and soap. The night was deep, and the bathroom was filled with steam. Li Yuanjing scrubbed himself thoroughly, even washing his hair.
He changed the bathwater three times.
After putting on clean nightclothes, Li Yuanjing intended to return to Shen Wei’s room. But as he looked in the silver mirror, he saw his unkempt beard and a few strands of white hair at his temples, making him appear rather disheveled.
Li Yuanjing sighed.
He took a razor and began to shave off his scruffy beard. Just as he was halfway through, he heard the door creak open behind him and caught a glimpse of Shen Wei’s slender figure in the mirror.
He paused, turning to gaze at her for a long time.
The candlelight flickered softly, illuminating Shen Wei in a thin, light green summer shirt, her black hair pinned up with a white jade hairpin, revealing her smooth, fair neck.
She was still the Shen Wei he remembered; after all these years, she hadn’t changed.
Li Yuanjing spoke softly, “Am I disturbing you?”
Shen Wei shook her head slowly, “Not at all—after such a long journey, you don’t need to rush.”
Li Yuanjing set down the razor and said, “Weiwei, I wanted to see you as soon as possible.”
Shen Wei walked over to him, first washing her hands and drying them, then picking up the razor from the desk and moving closer to him. Li Yuanjing was clearly taken aback, vaguely guessing that Shen Wei intended to shave his beard.
But he didn’t dare to think too much about it.
Ever since he had abdicated, Shen Wei had revealed her true nature; she no longer catered to him as she once did. Li Yuanjing felt a sense of loss but could only accept it, helplessly sinking deeper into Shen Wei’s charm.
He loved Shen Wei.
Love made him submit.
“Lean back in the chair; I’ll shave your beard,” Shen Wei said softly.
Li Yuanjing’s heart raced as if touched by an invisible hand, the fatigue of his long journey dissipating.
He leaned back on the bench, tilting his neck back as Shen Wei applied a warm cloth to his face. They were close together, and he could smell the faint fragrance of lotus flowers on her.
The vibrant Shen Wei was so near.
Li Yuanjing felt utterly content.
Even if Shen Wei were to use that razor to cut his throat tonight, he would never resist.
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