Shen Wei did not beat around the bush and came straight to the point: "Once you enter the Yan residence, keep an eye on Tantai Rou for me."
Tantai Rou was the daughter of a minor official, her background seemingly clean and uncomplicated. Yet, she had gifted Shen Wei an extremely rare Southern Chu red gemstone.
It must be known that such a precious Southern Chu gemstone was exceedingly scarce—only the Southern Chu royal family could possess it.
Shen Wei couldn’t shake the feeling that Tantai Rou was hiding something, a lurking threat. She secretly tasked Shopkeeper Ye, who ran a business outside the palace, to investigate, but nothing turned up.
Shen Wei trusted her instincts; her intuition had always been sharp. She wasn’t the type to wait until disaster struck before acting.
She preferred to nip potential threats in the bud, which was why she had Princess Donglin monitor Tantai Rou up close.
"Understood. Zhenmin will not fail you," Princess Donglin replied without hesitation, nodding in agreement.
Shen Wei offered a gentle warning: "Be careful. Tantai Rou is no ordinary woman—she might be dangerous."
Princess Donglin smiled. "Rest assured, Zhenmin will not disappoint you."
Far from her homeland, Princess Donglin was like a drifting leaf in the wind, rootless and adrift. Shen Wei had extended her a lifeline, and she was determined to prove her worth.
---
Meanwhile, at the Yan residence...
Yan Yunting returned to the inner quarters, holding the imperial edict of marriage. The wedding was imminent, and the entire Yan residence was adorned with festive red silks and lanterns swaying in the cold breeze.
Yan Yunting stepped inside.
Hanging on a wooden clothing rack was the resplendent groom’s attire. Tantai Rou held a small pair of scissors, carefully trimming loose threads from the garment.
"Rou'er," Yan Yunting called softly, his heart heavy with guilt as he noticed the exhaustion in her eyes.
When he had first married Tantai Rou, he had promised her she would be his only wife.
Yet, less than a year into their marriage, he was taking Princess Donglin as his second wife.
Overcome with remorse, Yan Yunting approached her and explained, "It was the Emperor’s decree. I dared not defy it, or my entire family would suffer."
He couldn’t bring himself to admit in front of Tantai Rou that he held some fondness for Princess Donglin.
Instead, he shifted the blame entirely onto the Emperor—claiming he had no choice but to obey.
Tantai Rou’s eyes reddened as she gazed at him tenderly. "I understand your dilemma. When the Emperor forces you to take a second wife, how can a subject refuse? Once Princess Donglin enters our household, I will treat her well and ensure you face no difficulties."
Seeing her so understanding, Yan Yunting exhaled in relief.
His Rou'er was always so considerate.
He pulled her into an embrace, murmuring, "You’ve suffered because of me."
Tantai Rou lowered her lashes. "As long as I remain in your heart, I am not suffering."
The two lingered in their tender moment until the Yan family steward called for Yan Yunting from outside. As he left, Tantai Rou resumed trimming the threads on the wedding attire.
The sharp snips of the scissors echoed softly in the quiet room.
Her eyes darkened as she muttered under her breath, "Of all people, it had to be a meddlesome princess..."
Had Yan Yunting married any other woman, Tantai Rou could have discreetly arranged for her to fall ill and perish.
But an imperial princess from another kingdom was a different matter.
If Princess Donglin were to die under the Yan family’s roof, the Emperor might hold them accountable—and Tantai Rou would not escape unscathed.
Frustrated yet cautious, she dared not act recklessly.
If all went according to plan, her master—Li Yuanli, Emperor of Southern Chu—would arrive in Qing State the following year with great fanfare. She needed to prepare meticulously to ensure his safety.
---
Three days later...
Shen Wei personally presided over the wedding ceremony, escorting Princess Donglin out of the palace. The procession, accompanied by music and fanfare, made its way to the lavishly decorated Yan residence.
After seeing off the princess, Shen Wei turned back toward Yongning Palace. She chose to walk rather than ride in her palanquin—ever since falling severely ill some time ago, she had reflected deeply on her lack of physical activity.
Now, she made a conscious effort to exercise more, walking whenever possible.
As she strolled through the imperial gardens, she encountered Moxun, who was carrying a medicine chest. Dressed in the dark blue robes of a court physician and wearing a black official hat, Moxun had an exceptionally refined and handsome appearance.
With a courteous bow, Moxun greeted her: "Your humble servant pays respects to Consort Shen."
Moxun had just returned from Cining Palace.
Shen Wei paused. "Has the Empress Dowager’s condition improved?"
Moxun sighed and shook her head. "Her illness stems from sorrow and unresolved worries. Medicine can heal the body, but not the heart."
Ever since the decline of the Xie Family, the Empress Dowager had been consumed by melancholy, unable to sleep at night, her health deteriorating rapidly.
Though she had acted for the sake of the nation, indirectly sealing her own family’s fate, she was still the Xie Family’s eldest daughter—raised with their care and affection.
With hundreds of the Xie Family either dead or exiled, and her own younger brother demoted to a remote post, the Empress Dowager was undoubtedly heartbroken.
Shen Wei sighed inwardly.
The Empress Dowager was a pitiable figure.
Moxun studied Shen Wei carefully, noting how much thinner she had become after her recent illness. Suddenly, Moxun spoke up: "Consort Shen, might I have a word in private? I’d like to check your pulse."
Shen Wei’s eyes flickered briefly before she nodded. "Very well."
While the maids and eunuchs waited at a distance, the two entered an autumn pavilion. The imperial garden in late autumn was a sight to behold—withered leaves carpeted the ground, while chrysanthemums bloomed vibrantly.
Inside the pavilion, Shen Wei rested her wrist on a soft cushion as Moxun took her pulse.
"Your pulse is steady and strong—you’re in excellent health," Moxun remarked, puzzled. "Then why were you ill for ten days recently?"
Shen Wei replied, "The autumn chill comes unexpectedly. Falling ill is only natural."
Moxun propped her chin on her hand, her fair and delicate face scrunched in thought. Like Shen Wei, Moxun prioritized physical fitness and rarely fell ill.
In her entire life, she had only been sick four times.
Each time, the illness lasted exactly ten days, with identical symptoms: high fever, vomiting, dizziness, and strange, vivid dreams.
The experience was unbearable—as if her soul were being torn from her body, her mind adrift in a fog.
Despite being a renowned physician herself, Moxun couldn’t diagnose her own mysterious ailment. It resembled a common cold, yet it wasn’t.
After recovering, she had reviewed Shen Wei’s medical records and discovered an eerie coincidence—Shen Wei had fallen ill and recovered at the same time, with nearly identical symptoms.
Moxun pressed further: "When you’ve had fevers in the past, did they also leave you disoriented, plagued by bizarre dreams, as if your spirit were drifting away?"
Shen Wei shook her head. "No. Previous illnesses cleared up in five or six days. This one lingered longer."
Moxun’s brows knitted in frustration, the mystery gnawing at her.
"Don’t move—there’s a dead leaf on your hat," Shen Wei suddenly said, reaching out to pluck it away with delicate fingers.
Moxun snapped out of her thoughts. "Forgive the intrusion, Consort Shen. I should return to the imperial pharmacy."
Shen Wei gently pressed her hand down, smiling. "No need to hurry. Stay and enjoy the autumn scenery with me a while longer."
Moxun scratched her head. "Alright then. It’s not like there’s much to do at the pharmacy anyway—I’d rather avoid the tedious shifts."
A crisp autumn breeze rustled through the garden, sending dry leaves spiraling from the branches. The two admired the view together, and before parting, Shen Wei gifted Moxun her personal handkerchief.
In a secluded corner, a pair of eyes secretly observed Shen Wei and Moxun in the autumn pavilion.
After a long while, the palace spy who had been watching in stealth finally withdrew.
