Shen Wei dismissed the palace attendants, leaving only herself, Li Chengtai, and the Empress Dowager in the inner hall.
Li Chengtai lifted his little head, glancing at Shen Wei and then at the Empress Dowager, before recounting the dispute that had taken place at the Guangwen Academy.
Finally, Li Chengtai tugged at Shen Wei’s sleeve gloomily. "Master Yang Xuanji refused to take me as his student. Please, Mother and Grandmother, find another tutor for me."
Shen Wei was stunned.
The plan to build dams along the upper river sections to control the water supply downstream in the Eastern Lin Kingdom—water being the source of life—would, if successful, ensure that the Eastern Lin Kingdom would never dare to stir trouble again.
"Did your father approve this strategy?" Shen Wei asked her son.
Li Chengtai scratched his head. "I’m not sure. Father had me escorted back to Cining Palace without saying anything else."
Shen Wei patted her son’s head gently. "Since Yang Xuanji isn’t suitable, your grandmother and I will select other learned scholars to teach you. Lunch is ready—go eat something first."
Li Chengtai’s stomach had been growling for a while. After bidding farewell to Shen Wei and the Empress Dowager, he scurried off on his short legs to the rear courtyard to join his sisters and younger brother for the midday meal.
In the main chamber, the Empress Dowager was still pondering Li Chengtai’s bold river-damming proposal.
She shook her head, her tone wistful. "Sometimes, even the court officials lack the imagination of a child."
To suppress and intimidate the Eastern Lin Kingdom, the ministers had only considered military force, provisions, and trade.
Yet it was a child with a vivid imagination who came up with the idea of controlling the water supply—simple, effective, and devastating.
The Empress Dowager rose and beckoned to Shen Wei. "Come, join me for lunch. Look at you—you haven’t been eating well these past few days."
A flicker of embarrassment crossed Shen Wei’s face. Her thinness wasn’t solely due to managing palace affairs. Five nights ago, she had "fed herself to the tiger," and her waist and legs still ached faintly, leaving her with little appetite.
Shen Wei quickly stood and went to support the Empress Dowager. "Mother, I’d like some red date wine-fermented pumpkin."
The Empress Dowager’s lips curved into a tender, affectionate smile. "I already had Nanny Qian prepare it."
Nanny Qian followed behind the Empress Dowager and Shen Wei, her gaze lingering on Shen Wei’s retreating figure. For a moment, it was as if she saw the Zhao Yang Princess of years past.
Perhaps, in the Empress Dowager’s heart, Shen Wei had long been regarded as a daughter.
...
In the afternoon, Shen Wei, well-fed and content, returned to Yongning Palace for a nap.
The weather was gradually warming, and the pond in the courtyard was now adorned with lush green lotus leaves unfurling, a few buds peeking through. Shen Wei rested in the waterside pavilion, reclining on a swaying bamboo chair as she contemplated potential tutors for Chengtai.
One tutor wouldn’t be enough—she needed several.
A Confucian scholar like Yang Xuanji, who adhered strictly to tradition, could teach Chengtai literature and etiquette. But she also needed a well-traveled, open-minded scholar to broaden his perspective on the lives of the common people.
Only then could a wise and capable ruler be nurtured.
Shen Wei pressed her fingers to her forehead. Being a mother was no easy task. Every aspect of her child’s growth had to be carefully considered for his future.
A light breeze drifted through the pavilion, carrying the faint scent of lotus leaves. Shen Wei’s eyelids drooped, and she dozed off into a shallow slumber.
Half an hour later, she awoke slowly. Cai Lian presented her with a refreshing cup of mint tea and reminded her, "Mistress, Concubine Lan has been waiting at the courtyard gate for some time."
Shen Wei sipped the tea.
Without needing to ask, Cai Lian continued succinctly, "After Concubine Xue moved into Huayang Palace, Concubine Lan fell ill within days—running a low fever and growing delirious. She suspects Concubine Xue tampered with her medicine and has come to Yongning Palace today to seek your intervention."
With the Empress "ill" and confined indoors, and Consort Shu Lu Xuan in seclusion for her pregnancy, Shen Wei held the reins of the imperial harem. Any grievances among the concubines inevitably fell to her to resolve.
Shen Wei set down her white porcelain teacup. "Have Concubine Lan come to the main hall to see me."
...
Outside Yongning Palace, Concubine Lan had been waiting for quite a while. Her face was pale, her expression weary—days of illness had left her spirit drained.
Her attendant informed her that the Noble Consort was still napping. Though frustration simmered in her chest, Concubine Lan swallowed it silently. Shen Wei now controlled the harem, overshadowing both the Empress and Consort Shu. Concubine Lan dared not make a scene or offend her.
This was her first time entering Yongning Palace. The courtyard was vast and bathed in sunlight, with clusters of blooming crabapple trees. Pavilions and flowing water lent the palace an air of vitality and opulence.
Concubine Lan’s eyes burned with envy.
Before entering the palace, she had lived in a splendid estate of the Xie family. But once inside the imperial walls, she had been confined to the dreary Huayang Palace, too disheartened to tend to its gardens.
"If I ever regain my rank as Consort," she thought bitterly, "my palace will rival Yongning Palace in grandeur." Her envy only strengthened her resolve to reclaim imperial favor.
Soon, a maid summoned her to the main hall.
Concubine Lan proceeded inside.
The main hall of Yongning Palace was grand yet elegantly furnished. Her gaze settled on the seat of honor, where Noble Consort Shen Wei sat in a pale-yellow palace gown, her dark hair styled in a delicate chignon. She held an exquisite white jade cup, sipping leisurely.
Her casual demeanor carried an unspoken authority.
Concubine Lan’s heart tightened as she bowed and pleaded, "Sister Noble Consort, as the overseer of the harem, you must uphold justice for me. Tantai Yinxue has been scheming—she laced my medicine with fever-inducing herbs, weakening me and confining me to bed."
Shen Wei asked, "Do you have proof?"
Concubine Lan faltered. "I—I don’t. But I swear it was her doing!"
Shen Wei was speechless.
Accusing someone of poisoning your medicine required evidence! Without it, how could she intervene?
No wonder Concubine Lan had lost her Consort rank so quickly after entering the palace, easily suppressed by the Empress. With such poor judgment, her survival in the harem was solely due to the Xie family’s backing.
Shen Wei placed her cup down. "Baseless accusations are meaningless. Bring me evidence of Concubine Xue’s wrongdoing, and I will act."
Concubine Lan nodded hastily. "I was rash. I’ll return to my palace and examine the herbs I’ve been taking."
She curtsied and withdrew.
Shen Wei exhaled deeply, tilting her head slightly to glance at the ceiling. She had little patience for inefficiency.
If she were lodging a complaint, she would have gathered evidence, secured witnesses, and presented her case clearly and methodically.
She thought back to her modern life, when a new intern at her company would always message her with:
"Are you there?"
Unless Shen Wei replied "Yes, what is it?", the intern wouldn’t elaborate.
In any workplace, efficiency was valued. The palace maids and eunuchs around her knew better—they reported matters thoroughly without her needing to pry, saving her time.
"Ah..." Shen Wei rubbed her temples.
She disliked dealing with conflicts between concubines the most. You scheme against me, I harm you—endless bickering and tangled disputes were simply tiresome. But as Shen Wei was in charge of the imperial harem, she had no choice but to handle these trivial matters.
Cai Lian brought over a cup of tea and asked, "My lady, do you think Concubine Lan can gather enough evidence?"
