Changxin Palace.
The palace maid Little Qin brought news of Princess Donglin's marriage to Consort Lu Xuan, who was currently resting during her pregnancy.
Lu Xuan set down her medicine bowl, her delicate face twisting with a hint of mockery. "Consort Shen is quite cunning—she doesn’t want any new faces in the harem, so she arranged for Princess Donglin to marry some minor official."
She had assumed Princess Donglin would enter the palace as a consort, temporarily diverting the Emperor’s favor.
But Shen Wei had acted too swiftly, blocking any new additions to the harem.
Little Qin nodded in agreement. "Everyone says Consort Shen is magnanimous. But in my eyes, she’s the most petty—she’s fooled everyone in the palace."
Lu Xuan closed her eyes briefly.
Sooner or later, she would tear off Shen Wei’s hypocritical mask.
The weather grew colder, and Little Qin handed a warm hand-warmer to Lu Xuan. Lowering her voice, she added, "Mistress, our informant just reported that Consort Shen and Doctor Mo were admiring the autumn scenery in the imperial garden. They seemed quite intimate—Consort Shen even gave him her handkerchief."
Lu Xuan reclined on the long couch, her eyes half-lidded. "With the Empress Dowager gravely ill, the Emperor busy with court affairs, and me confined due to my pregnancy, Consort Shen grows bolder by the day."
She had long since uncovered that Shen Wei had dealings with Doctor Mo back when she was a concubine in Prince Yan's Mansion.
Who would have thought that even after entering the palace, the two would carry on their secret affair right under the Emperor’s nose?
Little Qin glanced at Lu Xuan. "Mistress, Consort Shen already enjoys the Emperor’s favor. Why would she still engage in such ambiguity with Doctor Mo?"
Lu Xuan cradled the warm hand-warmer, her tone indifferent. "Whatever her reasons, a consort meeting a man in private and gifting him her handkerchief is a grave offense."
Little Qin considered this and nodded—it made sense.
Lu Xuan’s voice turned icy. "Keep watching them."
She had a feeling the moment to bring Shen Wei down was near.
...
On a chilly autumn night, the moonlight was cold and pale.
Shen Wei, who disliked the cold, had already replaced all the bedding in her chamber with thicker quilts, covered in soft golden silk. The bed curtains, door hangings, folding screens, and carpets had also been swapped for warmer ones.
Even her nightgown had been exchanged for a thicker cotton robe.
"The bed curtains are too bright. Your Majesty, which color do you think would be better?" Shen Wei nestled under the warm covers, tugging at Li Yuanjing’s sleeve for his opinion.
As autumn deepened into winter, every change in Yongning Palace’s decor was discussed with Li Yuanjing—to make him feel involved.
This wasn’t just Shen Wei’s Yongning Palace; it was their shared "love nest," decorated together.
Li Yuanjing glanced at the pale gold bed curtains and pondered briefly. "Deep purple."
Shen Wei frowned slightly. "Too dark. I think rouge-red would be better—warmer for winter."
Li Yuanjing considered it. "Agreed."
After some discussion about the curtains, Shen Wei felt thirsty and sat up to sip tea from the cup by the bed. She dabbed her lips with a light green handkerchief before burrowing back under the covers.
Li Yuanjing noticed the handkerchief and remarked casually, "I recall you were using a pale one embroidered with peonies this morning."
The one in her hand now was a fresh light green one.
Shen Wei nestled against him, her tone natural. "I ran into Doctor Mo in the imperial garden today. Her sleeve got dirty, so I lent her my handkerchief to clean it—a token of friendship between women."
Since Li Yuanjing knew Moxun was a woman, he didn’t press further.
Not long ago, the Yue Kingdom’s royal diviner had privately visited, asking Li Yuanjing to take good care of Moxun in the palace and ensure she wasn’t mistreated.
In return, the diviner had revealed the location of an iron mine within Yue Kingdom’s borders.
As the night deepened, Shen Wei and Li Yuanjing chatted idly until drowsiness overtook them. Li Yuanjing habitually wrapped an arm around Shen Wei’s waist, ready to sleep.
Suddenly, Shen Wei let out a soft hiss. "Your Majesty, be gentle—my waist still hurts."
Li Yuanjing opened his eyes, puzzled. "What’s wrong?"
Shen Wei flushed, her almond eyes glinting at him reproachfully. "What do you think? Last night on the desk was a mistake."
Li Yuanjing recalled the scene—the bright autumn moonlight, passion overtaking them as he carried her from the bed to the desk...
The guilty party, Li Yuanjing, felt a rare pang of remorse and began massaging her waist with careful precision. The rhythmic motion lulled Shen Wei into a drowsy haze, and she soon drifted off.
The next morning, when Shen Wei rose, she winced again, her pretty face contorting as she clutched her waist.
Li Yuanjing frowned and called to the maids outside, "Summon the imperial physician."
Moxun arrived, yawning and barely awake, her face unwashed.
She was brimming with resentment.
Working was exhausting!
If not for her fear of being dragged back to Yue Kingdom, she would’ve quit long ago.
After examining Shen Wei, Moxun put on a grave expression. "The Consort’s waist shows signs of strain. Ordinary ointments won’t suffice. I’ll need to administer acupuncture for a few days to ensure full recovery."
Li Yuanjing relaxed slightly. "As long as it can be treated."
He left for court soon after.
Inside Yongning Palace’s inner chamber, the scent of incense curled from the bronze burner. Moxun plopped onto a chair and asked curiously, "Consort, your waist is perfectly fine. Why the act?"
Without Li Yuanjing around, Moxun was at ease, her tone casual.
Shen Wei sipped her warm broth, a faint smile playing on her lips. "Fishing."
Rather than waiting for trouble, she preferred setting the bait herself.
Moxun clicked her tongue in admiration. "Consort, you’re full of schemes. I’m impressed."
Shen Wei chuckled. "Your cooperation is appreciated, Doctor Mo."
Moxun grinned, flashing white teeth. "Don’t worry, I’ll play along. Honestly, talking to you sometimes feels like reuniting with an old friend."
There was an inexplicable closeness between them—an unspoken familiarity.
...
Days later, in Changxin Palace.
Lu Xuan had just finished lunch and was preparing for her midday nap. With two months left in her pregnancy, her mind was restless—sleepy by day, sleepless by night.
Little Qin entered the bedchamber, dismissing the other maids. "Mistress, as you instructed, I’ve been watching Yongning Palace closely. The Emperor has been occupied with the Xie family affair these days, often away at the Ministry of Justice and Ministry of War. Consort Shen has been taking advantage of his absence—visiting the imperial pharmacy under the pretense of checking the Empress Dowager’s prescriptions, but actually meeting Doctor Mo in secret."
Lu Xuan’s drowsiness vanished instantly. Her fingers trembled with excitement. "Is this true?"
Little Qin nodded, barely containing her own excitement. "I disguised myself as a eunuch and sneaked into the pharmacy. Consort Shen entered Doctor Mo’s private quarters and stayed for nearly half an hour. When she went in, her clothes were neat—but when she came out, they were disheveled. Clearly, they undressed and... indulged in impropriety."
