Shen Wei left Chang'an Palace.
The side hall fell into silence once more, the tea on the table now cold. De Shun entered with a pot of hot water, deftly replacing the tea set while stealing a glance at Li Yuanjing, who leaned against the desk reviewing memorials.
De Shun felt uneasy.
What had happened between the Emperor and the Imperial Consort? Had His Majesty already begun to lose interest? Was the palace about to welcome a new favorite?
As De Shun’s thoughts ran wild, he heard Li Yuanjing’s voice. The Emperor commanded, "De Shun, cut down the two peach trees in front of Chang'an Palace."
De Shun bowed. "This servant obeys."
De Shun acted swiftly, summoning two young eunuchs to chop down the peach trees in full bloom.
One of the eunuchs hesitated. "Master, the blossoms are so beautiful—why would His Majesty order them removed?"
De Shun flicked his horsetail whisk and raised his chin. "The Imperial Consort’s pollen allergy hasn’t fully healed. His Majesty is concerned for her."
...
...
Shen Wei returned to Yongning Palace, her face cold and her heart seething with anger.
She dismissed her attendants and sat alone in the spacious, sunlit study, gulping down a full pot of tea in frustration.
"That petty, jealous man," she muttered under her breath.
With the noble families collapsing one after another, Shen Wei had thought her days of hardship were finally over. Yet who could have predicted that Prince Heng would emerge out of nowhere, shattering the affection she had painstakingly cultivated over the years?
Li Yuanjing was a proud and ambitious ruler. He could have countless women, but he would never tolerate his own woman harboring feelings for another man—nor would he allow another man to lay a finger on what was his.
For years, Shen Wei had played the role of a woman wholly devoted to him, pretending her heart, body, and soul belonged solely to Li Yuanjing.
She had played the part too well.
Li Yuanjing had believed it.
In his mind, Shen Wei was his and his alone. But now, Li Yuanli had appeared out of nowhere, even risking his life to dive into the water and save her.
Li Yuanli was flaunting his audacity, deliberately tainting what Li Yuanjing treasured most.
Even if Shen Wei and Li Yuanli were innocent, the Emperor’s heart would bear a deep scar—a thorn that could never be fully removed. Shen Wei was once a flawless jewel, but now she had a crack, and over time, that crack would widen into an irreparable rift.
The more Li Yuanjing cared for her, the deeper that rift would grow.
A ruler’s suspicion was always heavy.
Once the idealized image of Shen Wei shattered, Li Yuanjing would begin to notice the figures behind her—Shen Mieyue, Shen Xiuming—and the rising power of the Shen family.
"That wretched man, always making things difficult for me," Shen Wei sighed, rubbing her temples wearily.
Between lovers, once doubt took root, it signaled the beginning of the end.
Even if Shen Wei managed to reconcile with Li Yuanjing, the rift would remain. And as long as Li Yuanli lived, there was always the risk of him stirring trouble again—pouring salt on old wounds, leaving endless consequences.
Shen Wei tugged at her hair in agitation. Since arriving in this world, this was the first time she had faced such a vexing dilemma.
"No, I can’t just sit and wait. I have to find a way to turn the tables." She patted her cheeks, forcing herself to calm down.
Leaning back on the rosewood couch, her eyes flickered as she began strategizing.
...
...
Night fell, and Shen Wei dined alone in Yongning Palace. Spring brought new life, and the imperial kitchen had expanded its menu with seasonal delicacies.
One dish in particular caught her fancy—a simple stir-fried bamboo shoot. The imperial chef had discarded elaborate cooking methods, selecting only the tenderest parts of the bamboo shoots, slicing them thinly, seasoning them with Sichuan salt, and stir-frying them lightly.
The dish was refreshingly crisp and fragrant.
Shen Wei enjoyed it immensely. She instructed Cai Lian, "Reward the chef who made this. Tell him to prepare another serving tomorrow evening."
Cai Lian bowed. "This servant will remember."
Just as Shen Wei was about to indulge in the meal, the faint chime of copper bells echoed from outside.
Li Yuanjing had arrived.
Shen Wei immediately gestured for Cai Lian to rearrange the dishes—lightly disturbing the food to make it seem as though she had barely touched her meal.
The curtain lifted, and Li Yuanjing strode in with measured steps. Shen Wei set down her chopsticks and rose to greet him with a subdued curtsy. The Emperor’s gaze swept over the untouched dishes.
Clearly, Shen Wei had eaten little.
A servant brought in the Emperor’s personal utensils, and Li Yuanjing took his seat across the table, leaving an unusual distance between them.
In the past, when dining privately, they always sat close.
Facing each other like this was rare.
Shen Wei’s eyes flickered, her face betraying visible sorrow and grievance. The meal passed in silence, the clink of jade chopsticks against porcelain the only sound in the room.
Shen Wei, "lost in thought," set down her chopsticks after only a few bites.
Li Yuanjing did the same.
Summoning her courage, Shen Wei asked softly, "Your Majesty, would you like to take a walk by the water pavilion?"
Li Yuanjing glanced at her barely touched bowl, his voice low. "Accompany me to rest."
The moonlight spilled over the quiet courtyards of Yongning Palace, filtering through the lattice windows of the bedchamber. Since spring arrived, Shen Wei had redecorated the room, replacing the drapes and beddings with deep green silk and switching the incense to a lighter peach blossom fragrance.
Her pollen allergy lingered, so instead of flowers, a vase of willow branches adorned the small table beside the bed—a unique touch.
Under the glow of palace lanterns, Li Yuanjing stood by the bed, his dark eyes unreadable. "Undress me."
Shen Wei stepped forward silently, removing his black jade belt before rising on her toes to unfasten the collar of his robes.
They stood close.
With a single downward glance, Li Yuanjing could see Shen Wei’s delicate, rounded face—her lashes fluttering like raven feathers, her lips soft and pink. No matter the angle, she outshone even the most beautiful blossoms.
But flowers in full bloom inevitably attracted bees and butterflies.
Suddenly, Li Yuanjing seized her wrist, his voice laced with barely restrained bitterness. He demanded, "Shen Wei, have you ever undressed Li Yuanli?"
Shen Wei: "..."
Are you out of your mind?!
Do you want to be cuckolded?!
Her eyes reddened instantly, tears falling in heavy drops. As if pushed to her limit, she looked up at him. "In Your Majesty’s eyes, am I nothing but a promiscuous woman?"
Li Yuanjing’s heart twisted at her tears. He softened his tone. "Li Yuanli is cold by nature, yet he risked his life to save you—"
Shen Wei grew even angrier. She wrenched her hand free, her voice breaking. "Your Majesty, I bore you Le You and two sons! I lived in the wilderness for three years, endured every hardship by your side! I have loved you with my life—yet now, because of some Prince Heng who appeared out of nowhere, you doubt me? Do you truly see me as nothing more than a plaything for any man to take? Was your love for me also a lie?"
