The long-tail boat swayed as it set off into the depths of the lotus leaves and blossoms.
Li Yuanjing stood on the shore, watching Shen Wei seated at the edge of the boat. Her face was radiant with a smile, brimming with vibrant energy, more dazzling than the summer sun. The vast expanse of pink lotus flowers in full bloom paled in comparison to her.
Li Yuanjing gazed at her, entranced, before suddenly furrowing his brows deeply.
"Something’s wrong! Shen Wei actually disobeyed me!" The strange discomfort in his heart grew heavier.
By noon, Shen Wei had not returned.
Li Yuanjing dined alone.
The imperial chefs at the royal estate were masters of their craft, serving exquisite delicacies. Yet, faced with a table full of sumptuous dishes, Li Yuanjing found them hard to swallow.
Without Shen Wei by his side, even the most delicious food tasted like wax. This was far from the retired life he had envisioned!
Shen Wei had gone off boating, leaving him alone in the royal estate to eat his midday meal in solitude. Holding his white jade chopsticks, Li Yuanjing felt deeply unsettled.
...
As dusk approached, Shen Wei returned, laden with spoils.
She had gathered fresh lotus seed pods, along with plenty of lotus flowers and leaves. Bustling about, she instructed the palace attendants to peel the seed pods, arrange the lotus flowers in vases throughout the estate after reviving them, and send the leaves to the kitchen to be used as wrapping for glutinous rice chicken.
Dinner was a "lotus" feast.
Every dish on the table was connected to the lotus.
"Try the glutinous rice chicken wrapped in lotus leaves," Shen Wei said, noticing the gloom on Li Yuanjing’s face. With a smile, she personally handed him a chicken leg from the dish.
The meat was tender and fragrant, infused with the richness of glutinous rice and the fresh aroma of lotus leaves.
Li Yuanjing took a bite—it was delicious.
His expression softened slightly as he looked at Shen Wei. "Shen Wei, did you go boating today just to gather ingredients for this meal?"
Shen Wei rubbed her nose bridge. "You could say that."
Mostly, she had gone for fun.
Gathering ingredients for cooking was just a bonus.
The gloom that had weighed on Li Yuanjing’s heart for days dissipated instantly.
His Shen Wei still cared for him, just as she always had.
"You’re not in the best health. Leave such tasks to the servants from now on," Li Yuanjing said.
Shen Wei nodded absentmindedly, letting his words go in one ear and out the other.
After enjoying a satisfying dinner, Li Yuanjing felt at ease. He wanted to take Shen Wei for a lakeside stroll, but just then, a palace attendant arrived with a report: "Your Majesties, the merchant Ye from Yanjing City requests an audience."
Li Yuanjing knew of Merchant Ye—her full name was Ye Qiushuang, a renowned business magnate in Qing State. Over the years, her shops had flourished across Qing State, Yue Kingdom, Southern Chu, and Eastern Lin, making her the wealthiest merchant in Qing State.
Though a merchant, Ye Qiushuang dutifully paid her taxes and even voluntarily contributed funds when the Qing State treasury was in need. She never engaged in unlawful activities and remained fiercely loyal to the state.
Thus, during his reign, Li Yuanjing had never troubled her and had even implemented policies to support her enterprises.
"Why has she come?" Li Yuanjing raised an eyebrow, slightly puzzled.
Considering Ye Qiushuang’s long-standing support for the treasury, he decided to grant her an audience.
Turning to Shen Wei, he said, "Shen Wei, you should rest first. I’ll join you after meeting with Merchant Ye."
Shen Wei propped her chin on her hand and asked the attendant, "Whom does Merchant Ye wish to see?"
The attendant bowed respectfully. "Your Majesty, she requests an audience with you."
Shen Wei smirked and said to Li Yuanjing, "You should rest first. I’ll join you after meeting with Merchant Ye."
Li Yuanjing: "..."
Under his stunned and bewildered gaze, Shen Wei leisurely made her way to the front hall to receive the wealthiest merchant in Qing State, leaving Li Yuanjing behind.
Pacing restlessly in his chamber, Li Yuanjing found the situation unbelievable.
Shen Wei had spent most of her life in the palace, rarely interacting with merchants. When had she become acquainted with Ye Qiushuang?
He waited and waited, but it was late into the night before Shen Wei finally returned, yawning and stretching as she entered the bedchamber.
The moment she stepped inside, Li Yuanjing seized her wrist. Under the bright glow of the palace lanterns, his handsome face darkened with suspicion. "Shen Wei, when did you start associating with Merchant Ye?"
Shen Wei blinked. "Southern Chu has been politically stable these past two years. I want to expand my cotton, leather, and bookstore businesses there, so I summoned Ye Qiushuang to arrange the groundwork."
Li Yuanjing grew even more suspicious. "Why would she follow your orders?"
Shen Wei shrugged, no longer hiding the truth. "Because I’m her silent backer."
Li Yuanjing: "!!!"
A bolt of realization struck him, leaving him utterly stunned.
Shen Wei freed herself from his grip and called for hot water to be brought in.
On this summer night, behind a folding screen, she undressed and stepped into the bath. Warm water enveloped her skin, lotus petals floating on the surface. Shen Wei closed her eyes in contentment, the fatigue of the day melting away.
Li Yuanjing, still grappling with the revelation, pushed aside the screen. "Shen Wei! You’ve been Ye Qiushuang’s backer all this time, and you kept it from me—"
His words died in his throat.
Shen Wei lay against the edge of the tub, her jade-like arms resting lazily on the wooden rim. Her damp hair clung to her skin, and her eyes were already shut—she had fallen asleep.
Droplets clung to her lashes, and the steam had flushed her cheeks pink.
Li Yuanjing halted, swallowing his questions. He fetched a soft towel, lifted Shen Wei from the water, dried her gently, and combed her hair before dressing her in fresh sleepwear.
Shen Wei dozed through it all, allowing him to carry her back to bed without stirring.
Attending to Shen Wei like this was something Li Yuanjing had grown accustomed to over the years.
Late into the night, Li Yuanjing tossed and turned, unable to sleep.
Finally, he rose and went to the window, summoning his elite guards. "Investigate how Merchant Ye built her fortune."
The guard bowed. "At once."
After the guard departed, Li Yuanjing returned to the bedchamber. Shen Wei slept peacefully, her expression serene. He traced her face with his fingers, marveling at how, despite sharing a bed for years, he had believed he knew everything about her.
Only after abdicating had he discovered that Shen Wei was an inexhaustible treasure trove—full of secrets.
He had never scrutinized her before because he trusted her. Now, he wanted to uncover her mysteries—not out of doubt, but out of curiosity.
...
The guards worked swiftly.
Within three days, a detailed report on Ye Qiushuang’s "rags-to-riches" story lay on Li Yuanjing’s desk.
In the study of the royal estate by Luoyue Lake, Li Yuanjing pored over the thick stack of documents.
The wealthiest merchant in Qing State, Ye Qiushuang, had once been a concubine candidate for the Prince of Yan’s household? Shen Wei had provided her with funds, helping her start from scratch in Yanjing City and gradually expand her business.
The name of her first shop was—Wei Yan Ji.
Li Yuanjing’s gaze lingered on the characters "Wei Yan Ji," the famed pastry shop of Yanjing City, and a hint of sweetness crept into his thoughts.
He had heard of Wei Yan Ji but never realized it was Shen Wei’s venture.
Wei Yan… Wei Yan—could it be a play on "Shen Wei" and "Prince of Yan"?
A spark of realization lit up Li Yuanjing’s eyes.
Could this have been Shen Wei’s subtle way of declaring her love for him all along?
