"Within just two short months, you’ve uncovered such hidden information?" Shen Wei was genuinely surprised.
Princess Donglin smiled. "The Empress of Southern Chu once said: 'Fortune favors the prepared.' Since I wish to pledge my loyalty to the Imperial Consort, I must demonstrate all my capabilities."
Princess Donglin was far from just a pretty face.
Her mother had been a pearl diver in Donglin, noticed by the lustful emperor for her striking beauty and taken into the imperial harem. Though Donglin was a small kingdom, its palace housed over a hundred concubines, locked in endless scheming and rivalry.
Having grown up in such a ruthless environment, Princess Donglin had developed a sharp wit far beyond ordinary people.
"Tantai Rou is meticulous in her actions. She adds sedatives to the calming tonic she prepares for Yan Yunting. Every fortnight, she sends a carrier pigeon southward with a message."
"Tantai Rou is fluent in the language of Southern Chu and well-versed in its customs. I’ve investigated—her father once worked at a horse ranch in the south, one that was previously owned by Prince Heng."
"I believe she must be a spy planted by Southern Chu."
Princess Donglin laid out every detail she had uncovered, presenting not only her reasoning but also physical evidence—remnants of the tonic and fragments of Tantai Rou’s unburned letters—all shown to Shen Wei.
Her case was thorough and well-supported.
Shen Wei, impressed by both Princess Donglin’s sincerity and intelligence, nodded. "Southern Chu will send an envoy to Qing State after spring arrives. Tantai Rou will surely make her move then. Keep watching her, but be cautious."
Princess Donglin eagerly agreed. "Of course! I won’t disappoint Your Majesty’s expectations."
Shen Wei then had Cai Lian bring over an embroidered box. Inside were banknotes worth five thousand taels of silver.
"Yanjing City is a den of extravagance, and every corner requires greasing palms," Shen Wei said. "Take this silver. If it’s not enough, you may ask for more."
The Yan family was not among the wealthiest nobility. Their household had few servants, and their estate paled in comparison to other grand mansions. As a fourth-rank official, Yan Yunting’s monthly stipend was only a hundred taels, and the family’s land and shops yielded modest profits.
Shen Wei’s gift served a dual purpose—it facilitated Princess Donglin’s future investigations while also securing her loyalty.
Shen Wei had always been generous.
In both court and household politics, loyalty and sentiment were unreliable currencies. Money, however, was the most effective way to win hearts.
Those who pledged allegiance to her were always handsomely rewarded.
Princess Donglin accepted the box, her fingers trembling slightly. Five thousand taels was nearly half the Yan family’s entire fortune.
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" she exclaimed gratefully.
Shen Wei also gifted her five bolts of fine brocade and two cases of jewelry before having Nanny Rong personally escort Princess Donglin out of the palace. This gesture was a clear signal to the court—the Imperial Consort and Princess Donglin were now close confidantes.
With such backing, no one in the Yan household would dare slight Princess Donglin.
After the princess left, Shen Wei sipped warm black chicken soup in her cozy chamber, murmuring to herself, "Colluding with the Lu family, or a spy for Southern Chu..." A vague sense of unease settled in her heart.
---
Meanwhile, Lu Yun, brimming with dreams of the future, settled into her sister’s palace quarters.
She could hardly wait to meet the Emperor.
After much deliberation, Lu Yun dressed meticulously and slipped out alone to the imperial gardens, dismissing her attendants.
She remembered her prophetic dream vividly—she and the Emperor would meet by chance in the gardens.
It was winter then, too, snow falling gently as crimson plum blossoms bloomed. The Emperor, clad in dark robes, had smiled at her and said, "So you are the Empress’s younger sister? You are quite lovely."
"It should be just ahead," Lu Yun murmured to herself, holding a white oil-paper umbrella as she wandered beneath the plum trees, her snow-white fox-fur cloak trailing behind her.
The blossoms were a vivid red, their petals dusted with snow, their cold fragrance intoxicating.
Though her cheeks were flushed from the chill, Lu Yun felt no discomfort—her heart burned with anticipation, hoping to encounter the handsome Emperor and capture his favor in one stroke.
Gazing at the radiant blossoms, she couldn’t resist reciting a verse:
"Amidst the ice and snow, this noble form stands, unlike the peach and plum, lost in worldly dust."
No sooner had the words left her lips than a voice, cold as frost, spoke behind her:
"How fitting—'unlike the peach and plum, lost in worldly dust.'"
Startled, Lu Yun turned to see Consort Mei, Liu Ruyan, approaching gracefully. Snowflakes drifted around her as she moved, her silver-white winter robes making her seem like a celestial being descended to earth.
Xue Mei held an umbrella for her as the two entered the grove of plum trees.
Lu Yun recognized Liu Ruyan.
In the Qing State’s imperial harem, Liu Ruyan was renowned for her ethereal beauty and extraordinary talent. Yet, for some reason, the Emperor favored the flamboyant Imperial Consort Shen Wei over the refined Consort Mei.
Suppressing her wariness, Lu Yun curtsied with an innocent smile. "This humble subject, Lu Yun, greets Consort Mei. May Your Highness be well."
Liu Ruyan paused beneath a fiery red plum tree, studying Lu Yun. "The cold keeps the other consorts in their chambers, playing cards by the fire. Why do you wander alone among the blossoms?"
Lu Yun couldn’t admit she was here to seek the Emperor.
Instead, she offered a polite lie. "The plum blossoms are too beautiful to miss. I came to admire them."
Coincidentally, Lu Yun was dressed in a delicate silver-white winter gown that day.
Liu Ruyan’s gaze swept over her attire, a flicker of approval in her eyes.
"Kindred spirits are rare," Liu Ruyan said. "Would you join me in the pavilion, Miss Lu? We may warm ourselves by the fire and enjoy the blossoms together."
Lu Yun forced a smile. "It would be my pleasure."
The pavilion was open on all sides, its drafty gaps shielded only by thin bamboo screens. A brazier glowed in the center, its plum-wood embers radiating a feeble warmth.
A pot of plum-blossom tea steeped atop the coals.
Lu Yun sat stiffly, her back trembling from the cold. She glanced at Liu Ruyan, whose face remained serene, her melancholic eyes fixed on the blossoms outside.
Is this woman even human? Lu Yun wondered silently. How is she not freezing? Or is her gown lined with some magical warmth?
"Jade bones fear no miasma’s breath, for icy grace holds immortal air," Liu Ruyan murmured, reciting another verse.
Then she sighed softly. "Miss Lu, why do you love plum blossoms?"
Lu Yun nearly rolled her eyes.
If not for the Emperor, she wouldn’t have braved the snow to look at flowers. She didn’t care for plum blossoms at all! On a freezing day like this, she should be curled up under blankets, fast asleep.
Only a fool would wander outside for this.
But she pasted on a polite smile and lied smoothly. "I once met someone dear to me beneath these blossoms. That is why they hold such meaning for me."
Liu Ruyan’s eyes widened slightly. She studied Lu Yun for a long moment before sighing again.
"Truly, kindred spirits are rare. The Emperor and I also met beneath plum blossoms."
How… coincidental, Lu Yun thought dryly.
