When beginners practice archery, if they leave their arms exposed, the inner side of the wrist is easily struck by the bowstring, leaving bruises.
Shen Wei already had bruises on her elbow.
Looking at her left index finger, the skin was broken, and the stark red against her fair fingers was rather alarming.
Shen Wei seemed oblivious: "Wearing an armguard ruins the feel, so I took it off. Archery is quite fun—watching the sharp arrowhead pierce the target brings me great joy."
Li Yuanjing's eyes darkened.
A pang of regret suddenly rose in his heart. He shouldn’t have impulsively taught Shen Wei archery.
Archery was a man’s pursuit. How could a delicate woman like Shen Wei endure such hardship?
"Don’t practice anymore," Li Yuanjing said, examining the bruises on her arm, his heart aching.
Shen Wei smiled sweetly, her eyes curving like crescents: "Your Majesty, I’m not afraid of hardship. If I can become a master archer, I can protect you if you’re ever in danger—"
She paused, then lowered her head, adding softly: "Three years ago, when you took me to the hot spring villa, we were ambushed by assassins, and you were struck by an arrow... Back then, I thought, if only I knew archery or martial arts, perhaps you wouldn’t have been hurt so badly..."
See? She wasn’t practicing archery for herself.
It was all for His Majesty!
How touching!
Li Yuanjing recalled the incident from three years ago, his emotions surging.
He pulled Shen Wei tightly into his embrace, kissing her hair, his heart aching with tenderness and overwhelming affection: "I am a man. It’s not right to rely on a woman’s protection."
The common folk, the masses—they all sought the emperor’s protection.
Yet his Weiwei, with her delicate shoulders, actually wished to shield him.
"Someone, remove the archery target," Li Yuanjing ordered.
Shen Wei gasped in shock, grabbing his sleeve: "Your Majesty!"
Li Yuanjing stroked her hair: "Weiwei, listen to me. You don’t need to practice archery anymore. I will protect you for the rest of your life."
Shen Wei inwardly scoffed.
A lifetime was long—how could it possibly be smooth sailing all the way?
But outwardly, she feigned surprise, her eyes welling with tears: "Your Majesty is my sky. I only wish for your safety and prosperity."
The two embraced tenderly for a while until a eunuch arrived to announce that dinner was ready.
Li Yuanjing personally applied ointment to Shen Wei’s bruises, and they dined together.
Perhaps out of concern for her injuries, Li Yuanjing behaved himself that night, simply holding Shen Wei as they drifted into sleep.
Late at night, Yongning Palace was silent. Listening to the steady breathing beside her, Shen Wei quietly sighed in relief.
The "injured victim" act had worked—she wouldn’t have to practice archery anymore.
...
The next day, Shen Mieyue escorted the Yue Kingdom envoy into Yanjing City. Shen Mieyue was a renowned God of War, a protector of Da Qing’s peace, held in high esteem by the people.
For decades, in the border conflicts between Da Qing and Yue Kingdom, Yue often had the upper hand.
But since Shen Mieyue’s rise, Yue had gained no advantage in battle.
As soon as Shen Mieyue entered Yanjing City, crowds lined the streets to welcome him. Young men cheered excitedly, raising their fists and shouting, "Long live the great general!"
The news reached Shen Wei in the palace. Cai Ping chattered animatedly, her admiration unrestrained: "Mistress, General Shen Mieyue is so imposing in his armor—just like the God of War from the storybooks! The people cheered for him like he was a hero!"
"And there were children, too, skipping after him, saying they wanted to be his soldiers, swearing to follow the mighty general forever!"
Cai Ping prattled on, clearly starstruck.
Shen Wei’s frown deepened. She slammed the account book shut.
She smelled a conspiracy.
Shen Mieyue’s return to the capital was by imperial decree, so the public welcome was understandable. But suddenly, groups of young men and naive children were proclaiming their loyalty to him?
Where did that leave the emperor?
A subject whose reputation overshadowed the sovereign—this was a threat to the throne!
Shen Wei asked, "Has my elder brother entered the palace yet?"
Cai Ping replied, "Not yet. At this hour, he’s probably just escorted the envoy to the embassy."
Shen Wei quickly fetched paper and brush, scribbling a note. She handed it to Cai Ping: "Hurry! Go to the palace gates before my brother arrives and find a guard named Liu Erniu. Tell him to pass this note to my brother."
Seeing Shen Wei’s grave expression, Cai Ping immediately sobered up, carefully accepting the note: "I’ll go at once."
Cai Ping dashed off like the wind.
Alone in the room, Shen Wei clenched her brush and summoned the eunuch Ji Xiang: "Ji Xiang, contact Ye Qiushuang, the manager of Wei Yan Trading. Have her investigate who’s behind those children’s nonsense."
During her three years on Donghua Mountain, Shen Wei hadn’t been idle. She had expanded her commercial network in Yanjing, using it to gather intelligence and monitor the city’s movements.
Ye Qiushuang, the manager of Wei Yan Trading, not only handled business but also operated this vast information network in secret.
Ji Xiang accepted the order.
But then Shen Wei suddenly called him back: "Wait."
Ji Xiang turned: "Mistress, what else do you need?"
After a moment’s thought, Shen Wei smiled coldly: "Never mind. Don’t involve Ye Qiushuang. Let His Majesty uncover the instigators himself..."
Having the emperor expose the schemers would yield the greatest advantage.
If rats in the shadows dared to stir trouble, Shen Wei would fan the flames—let them burn themselves.
...
In Changxin Palace, roses bloomed in abundance.
A bowl of warm prenatal tonic was brought in. Consort Lu Xuan endured the bitter taste, sipping it slowly.
With a candied fruit in her mouth, she asked her maid: "Little Qin, how did things go?"
Little Qin replied: "Rest assured, Mistress. I’ve already sent word to the Duke of Lu. Rumors about Shen Mieyue are spreading in Yanjing, painting him as a beloved hero who overshadows the emperor."
Lu Xuan smirked, resting her chin on her hand.
How could a mere consort compete with her?
With just a small scheme, she could plant seeds of distrust in the emperor’s mind. One day, he would eradicate the Shen family entirely.
...
In Yanjing City, Shen Mieyue escorted the Yue Kingdom envoy to the embassy before turning toward the palace to pay respects to the emperor.
"General Shen." A clear voice called out—the envoy Moxun approached.
Moxun clasped his hands: "General Shen, your military exploits are legendary, and the people adore you. But as the saying goes, the higher you climb, the harder you fall. You excel in warfare but are distant from court intrigues. I only advise you: tread carefully."
Shen Mieyue gripped his horse’s reins, his voice deep: "Thank you for your concern. I know how to handle myself."
He spurred his horse, galloping toward the palace with his soldiers.
Shen Xiuming remained at the embassy to oversee the envoy’s reception. He sidled up to Moxun, grinning: "You’re kind-hearted. But my brother may be a warrior, yet he has a shrewd mind. He knows his limits."
Moxun cast a cool, lingering glance at Shen Xiuming.
With delicate features and strikingly beautiful eyes, that casual look of his carried a gaze like the gentle flow of spring water in March—rippling and splashing straight into Shen Xiuming’s heart.
Moxun said, "It’s still early. Shall I treat you to a drink, Magistrate Shen?"
"Magistrate Moxun, alcohol harms the body," Shen Xiuming replied, suppressing the peculiar flutter in his chest as he politely clasped his hands in refusal.
Moxun flashed a grin. "I know a thing or two about medicine. Back when I roamed the rivers and lakes, folks called me ‘Miracle Doctor Mo.’ If drinking ruins your health, this miracle doctor will fix you right up."
