Li Nanzhi placed the food box on the desk.
Liu Ruyan did not move, only saying indifferently, "The fish soup is too greasy, hard to swallow."
Li Nanzhi wanted to say the fish soup was delicious, but the words remained unspoken.
In previous years, Li Nanzhi had lived in the Eastern Palace of the late Crown Prince. After the Crown Prince's death and the Crown Princess's suicide, Li Nanzhi was sent back to Liu Ruyan to be raised.
Li Nanzhi had thought she would finally receive the long-overdue love of a mother. But in truth, in the three years since her return, she had received little affection from her mother.
Liu Ruyan was always sorrowful.
No matter how hard Li Nanzhi tried to please her, how obedient and filial she was, she could never earn a genuine smile from Liu Ruyan.
Liu Ruyan set down her white jade wine cup and slowly walked toward Li Nanzhi, her voice soft as she asked, "You went to Yongning Palace?"
Li Nanzhi nodded. "Yes."
Afraid of angering Liu Ruyan, she quickly added cautiously, "If Mother is unhappy, Nanzhi won’t go to Consort Chen’s place anymore."
Perhaps the words "Consort Chen" stirred something in Liu Ruyan. She gave a bitter smile, tears slipping down her cheeks. "Consort Chen... 'The fragrance of spring honors the imperial stars.' What sincerity lies behind the Emperor’s choice of her title? How much is real, how much is pretense?"
In this desolate harem, there was no such thing as an emperor’s true affection. Countess women who had once basked in imperial favor ended up as lonely spirits in the depths of the palace.
The Emperor’s favor toward the Shen family was nothing more than a means to win over Shen Mieyue.
Li Nanzhi’s small face was blank with confusion—her mother was sad again for no reason...
"Rest early. Don’t bring fish soup in the future. Your mother doesn’t like it." With those words, Liu Ruyan returned to the balcony, leaning against the railing to gaze at the moonlight.
Li Nanzhi silently turned and walked down the stairs to her own small room.
She lay in her warm bed, tucked under the covers. The head maid of Yuxiu Palace, Xue Mei, entered to extinguish the candles.
"Auntie Xue Mei," Li Nanzhi called out, peeking from under the blankets with wide eyes.
Xue Mei smiled and approached. "What is it, little mistress?"
Li Nanzhi asked, "Can I wear a pink spring dress tomorrow?"
At just over ten years old, Li Nanzhi was at the age where she loved dressing up. Yet Liu Ruyan only provided her with plain, subdued clothing.
Xue Mei lowered her voice. "Of course, but we must be careful not to let Her Ladyship see."
Li Nanzhi’s eyes curved into crescents. "Okay!"
...
Night enveloped Kunning Palace.
In the study, Li Chengzhen sat in a chair while the Empress quizzed him from a book. If he answered incorrectly, she would scold him harshly.
Fortunately, tonight he performed well. The Empress finally showed a pleased expression, patting her youngest son’s shoulder. "You are my only son, the future of both me and the Tantai family. You must never slacken."
Li Chengzhen nodded silently, clenching his fists in secret.
The Empress had an old maidservant escort him to his room to rest.
At the doorway, Li Chengzhen suddenly turned back. "Mother, can the lamp in my room stay lit tonight?"
He feared the dark.
Back in Prince Yan’s Mansion, a bold concubine had once kidnapped him and slashed his face before being killed by guards. Though his wounds had healed, the psychological scars remained.
Every time he closed his eyes, the ghastly image of the concubine’s death haunted him, chilling him to the bone.
The Empress frowned. "You are twelve now, nearly a man. How can you fear the dark? What would your father think if he knew?"
A prince afraid of the dark would be a laughingstock if word got out.
Li Chengzhen muttered, "But... I keep having nightmares."
The Empress scolded, "A man should not speak such cowardly words!"
Li Chengzhen fell silent, lowering his head, his eyes simmering with frustration. A palace maid led him back to his room.
As she prepared his bedding, the maid whispered, "If you’re afraid, young master, just call for me. I’ll be right outside—"
Before she could finish, a teacup smashed against her forehead.
Blood trickled down instantly as she dropped to her knees in terror.
Li Chengzhen’s eyes burned with fury. "Kneel by the bed and keep watch! If you dare run, I’ll report you to Mother tomorrow and have you executed!"
A fire smoldered deep within him—years of suppressed torment and mental strain.
Since his elder brother’s sudden death, no one remained to share his burdens. The flames in Li Chengzhen’s heart grew fiercer, gnawing at his mind, turning him volatile and cruel.
The maid trembled on the floor, too frightened to make a sound.
...
In the main chamber of Kunning Palace, the Empress was in high spirits. Recently, Chengzhen had made remarkable progress in his studies, archery, and horsemanship.
If he continued like this, her son would undoubtedly become the most outstanding prince, worthy of inheriting Qing State’s throne.
Changing into her nightgown, the Empress asked Granny Liu, "Did the Emperor spend the night in Yongning Palace again?"
Granny Liu replied, "Yes."
The Empress sneered. "Consort Chen’s triumph is temporary. Her two sons grew up in the mountains, still uneducated—how can they compare to my Chengzhen?"
Granny Liu remained silent.
The Empress then thought of Li Yao and Li Wan'er, who lived in the adjacent courtyard. She was deeply disappointed in Li Yao—an ungrateful wretch who, the moment Shen Wei returned to the palace, rushed to Yongning Palace to curry favor.
What a waste of a daughter, always siding with outsiders.
But the Empress was no longer the same woman she once was. Years of setbacks had taught her caution.
She instructed, "Granny Liu, stop withholding supplies from Baozhu Hall. Pick two new bolts of fabric from the treasury and have a fine dress made for that girl."
Though she resented Li Yao, the Empress now took care to avoid giving Shen Wei any ammunition.
She would feign concern, ensuring Li Yao lacked for nothing—at least until she came of age. Then, the Empress planned to use her as a political pawn to secure alliances for Chengzhen’s future.
Granny Liu bowed. "Understood."
Before bed, the Empress asked, "Have the servants we planted in Yongning Palace sent any news?"
Granny Liu shook her head. "Consort Chen replaced all the palace maids and eunuchs upon her return, using only her own people. Yongning Palace is impenetrable—it’s impossible to insert spies."
The Empress scoffed. "Sooner or later, I’ll expose her hypocritical façade."
Granny Liu drew the bed curtains and quietly retreated.
...
Dawn broke over Yongning Palace.
Li Yuanjing, dressed in black-and-gold court robes, stretched lazily, his body pleasantly sore—more blissful than an immortal.
It had been three years since he last felt such exhilaration.
Only his Weiwei could satisfy him so perfectly.
Once tasted, never forgotten.
Refreshed, Li Yuanjing headed to morning court. Shen Wei slept for another half-hour before reluctantly rising. The moment her feet touched the floor, her legs gave way, nearly sending her collapsing to the ground.
Her legs were weak.
Her back ached.
She felt utterly shattered.
The palace maids had prepared a bath of steaming water. Shen Wei slumped weakly over the wooden tub, her fair back marred with bruises in shades of blue and purple. The misty warmth of the herbal water, infused with medicinal herbs to soothe blood stagnation, did little to ease her soreness. With a resigned sigh, she thought, "He really is something..."
As formidable as ever.
Even after three years of rigorous training to strengthen her body, Shen Wei could barely endure it.
She couldn’t fathom how Li Yuanjing, now the Emperor, managed to maintain such relentless stamina despite his daily immersion in court affairs. Did he still find time to practice archery and horseback riding?
"Your Highness, the decoction is ready. Please drink it while it's warm," Cai Lian said as she entered, carrying a bowl of contraceptive medicine.
Gritting her teeth against the bitterness, Shen Wei downed it in one go before quickly popping a candied date into her mouth to chase away the taste.
Three children were enough—she had no intention of bearing more. It drained her vitality and weakened her body.
After her bath, Shen Wei drowsily finished her breakfast. Still aching, she decided to retreat to her chambers for a nap.
Just then, Cai Ping rushed in to announce, "Your Highness, the Zhao Yang Princess and Consort Yu have arrived."
