The diplomatic missive from Southern Chu was presented.
Li Yuanjing's expression darkened as he opened the letter from Southern Chu, scanning its contents swiftly. The faint fragrance of red plum blossoms drifted through the chamber as his lips pressed into a thin line.
After reading the missive, he set it aside carelessly.
Beside him, the chubby-fingered Li Chengtai reached out and flipped open the document. His voice was soft and sweet: "Southern Chu wishes to discuss border trade with Da Qing. They plan to send an envoy next spring to negotiate the details. Additionally, they request permission to visit the Autumn Cool Palace to pay respects to their ancestral ruins."
The Autumn Cool Palace—once the residence of Southern Chu's founding empress.
It still stood, untouched by time.
Li Chengtai asked, "Father, is Southern Chu seeking peace?"
Li Yuanjing nodded slightly. "In a manner of speaking."
Prince Heng, Li Yuanli, had failed in his bid for the throne and fled Da Qing's borders, returning to Southern Chu. With half of Southern Chu's imperial blood flowing through his veins, he had risen through ruthless tactics to claim the throne.
Southern Chu had initially sought an alliance with Eastern Lin to retaliate against Da Qing. However, Eastern Lin found itself strangled by a dam project, and the alliance crumbled before it could take shape.
Now, Li Yuanli of Southern Chu had taken the initiative to submit this diplomatic letter—seemingly extending an olive branch.
Li Yuanjing's expression remained inscrutable. Toward this half-brother, he harbored nothing but wariness.
Taking up brush and paper, Li Yuanjing swiftly issued two imperial decrees.
The southern armies were to continue their drills, and border defenses were to be reinforced, leaving no room for Southern Chu to overstep.
...
...
Half a month later, in the Southern Chu imperial palace.
Southern Chu lay to the far south, where snowfall was rare except in the northern regions bordering Da Qing. For most of the kingdom, winter brought only cooler temperatures, not the flurries of snow.
In the opulent royal study, the scent of roses lingered as clusters of blossoms bloomed in the corners. A plush woolen cushion rested at the edge of the emperor's desk, where a plump white fox lay curled in deep slumber.
Several elderly ministers knelt on the floor, kowtowing as they pleaded, "Your Majesty, a kingdom without a queen is a kingdom without peace. We implore you to name an imperial consort as empress to stabilize the court."
The old ministers begged tirelessly.
Since ascending the throne, the new emperor of Southern Chu had ruled with an iron fist, carving his kingdom from bloodshed. Li Yuanli was neither benevolent nor tyrannical—his temperament oscillated between ruthlessness and caprice, leaving none able to decipher his thoughts.
Though the Southern Chu harem housed over a dozen consorts, none had won Li Yuanli's favor. For years, his ministers had urged him to name an empress, yet he remained unmoved.
Li Yuanli tossed a memorial dismissively, letting it land squarely on one minister's head. He arched a brow. "A kingdom without a queen is a kingdom without peace, you say? Then let us see just how unpeaceful it can be."
The ministers fell silent.
With a flick of his hand, Li Yuanli declared, "If you persist in this noise, you may leave your heads here today."
Cold sweat dripped down the ministers' backs.
Southern Chu had been mired in chaos for decades, cycling through over a dozen emperors in the last twenty years. The royal family had torn itself apart in endless power struggles, leaving the people to suffer. The current emperor had emerged from the carnage—a conqueror who wielded violence to quell disorder and secure his throne.
Reason held no sway with him.
Once, a faction of ministers and disgruntled royals had repeatedly attempted rebellion. Yet Li Yuanli commanded both the military and a shadow force of assassins.
He had no patience for courtly decorum. In wave after wave of purges, he had slaughtered nearly every Southern Chu royal with a claim to the throne, leaving few survivors.
Most of those executed had been corrupt officials and greedy nobles. Ironically, this bloodshed had earned Li Yuanli considerable favor among the common folk.
After decades of turmoil, Southern Chu needed no benevolent ruler—it needed a "tyrant" to impose order.
Li Yuanli waved them off lazily. "Get out."
Trembling, the ministers bowed and retreated.
Leaning back in his dragon-carved throne, Li Yuanli closed his eyes, his handsome features veiling the disgust and brutality beneath. The study was silent save for the faint fragrance of roses and the steady breathing of the sleeping fox.
A eunuch soon entered, head bowed. "Your Majesty, the diplomatic letter from Da Qing has arrived."
Li Yuanli opened his eyes slowly.
The eunuch presented the missive, adding, "Rest assured, Your Majesty—the paper has been thoroughly inspected for poison. It is safe to read."
Given the strained relations between the two emperors, both sides took precautions against poisoned correspondence. Only after rigorous checks would such documents reach the throne.
Li Yuanli skimmed the letter, his lips curling in disdain.
...
Da Qing.
As dusk settled over the snow-blanketed capital, Li Yuanjing concluded his duties and made his way through the frost to Yongning Palace.
The cold kept Shen Wei confined to the warmth of her chambers.
Entering the heated pavilion, Li Yuanjing found her reclining on a gilded divan, engrossed in a book. The room was cozy, and Shen Wei wore only a thin crimson robe embroidered with plum blossoms, her slender frame bathed in the soft light filtering through the latticed window behind her.
A vase of white jade held blooming red plum branches nearby. Lost in her reading, Shen Wei turned a page with delicate fingers, the sound faint as a whisper.
The scene resembled an exquisite painting.
Li Yuanjing paused to admire it before stepping inside.
"Your Majesty, you've returned." Shen Wei seemed to notice him only then, setting the book aside.
Li Yuanjing took a seat beside her. "What has you so captivated?"
Shen Wei smiled. "A popular romance novel from the capital. My mother brought it yesterday."
The Shen Clan matriarch occasionally visited the palace to keep Shen Wei company, always bringing along the latest fashionable tales to stave off boredom. These novels were almost exclusively published by Shen Wei's own printing house.
Most revolved around passionate love stories, infused with elements reminiscent of modern melodramas. They were wildly popular in the capital, especially among noble ladies.
The novels' success had even spawned stage adaptations, performed to packed houses at the opera house Shen Wei owned.
Between the books and the plays, her printing house and theater had become immensely profitable.
"Are these stories truly so entertaining?" Li Yuanjing's interest was piqued. "Let me see."
Huddled together in the warmth, the two perused the illustrated novel. Suddenly, a gust of wind rattled the window lattice, and a guard appeared outside, urgency in his stance.
Li Yuanjing lifted the curtain. "What is it?"
The guard reported, "Your Majesty, the people of Yunzhou's eastern counties have revolted! They've set fire to the magistrate's office and raided the granaries for food and cotton!"
Li Yuanjing's face hardened. "Summon Sun Zheng and Ye Qiu from the Ministry of War at once!"
He turned to leave but paused, telling Shen Wei, "Don't wait for me tonight. Rest early."
Shen Wei nodded, seeing him off until his figure vanished into the snowy twilight before returning to the warmth of her chambers.
This winter had been unusually harsh, with minor snow disasters plaguing the north. The court had distributed relief grain and stockpiled cotton to lower prices, ensuring the people could endure the cold.
Most provinces had remained calm—why had Yunzhou alone erupted in chaos?
