A Concubine's Competitive Life in the Prince's Household-Chapter 201

From time to time, De Shun, Cai Ping, and Nanny Rong in the imperial palace would inform Shen Wei about the affairs of the inner palace and the imperial court through letters.

Shen Wei needed not only to stay updated on the happenings in the inner palace but also to have a general understanding of the court's affairs.

This time, she had learned from past mistakes.

Back in the Yan Prince's residence, Shen Wei had focused solely on the inner household, concerning herself only with the trivial matters of the wives and concubines while neglecting the shifts in the imperial court. This oversight had caused her to miss the Crown Prince's "feigned illness" and the power struggle between the Yan Prince and the Heng Prince, nearly derailing her life plans.

Now, she made sure to keep abreast of both court and inner palace affairs. While she didn’t need to delve too deeply into the court's matters, she still needed a broad understanding. novelbuddy.cσ๓

Cai Lian reported methodically: "In the inner palace last month, Liu Qiao'er offended the Emperor and was demoted to Concubine Qiao, relocated to the remote Xiangyun Palace. Xie Fanglan was confirmed to be pregnant and was granted the title of Consort Lan. The Empress and Consort Lan are at odds, their conflict growing increasingly tense."

A year after the new Emperor's ascension, following a tumultuous period of upheaval in the inner palace, Xie Fanglan had emerged as the most favored. Born into the prestigious Xie family, she was charming and lovely, and the Emperor seemed particularly fond of her.

Out of thirty days in a month, the Emperor spent two nights with the Empress, two with Liu Ruyan, occasionally two or three with other concubines, but he visited Xie Fanglan's Huayang Palace as often as five times a month. Sometimes, during his leisure hours in the day, he would also stop by Huayang Palace.

As the Emperor was often occupied with state affairs during the day, the inner palace served merely as an outlet for his stress. He didn’t need to "work overtime" with his concubines every night. On the remaining dozen or so nights, Li Yuanjing rested in the Xuanming Hall, occasionally summoning ministers to discuss state affairs.

Shen ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌‍Wei took another sip of tea. "What about the court?"

Cai Lian briefed her on the major recent events in the court. After a moment’s thought, she added, "I’ve heard that the Yue Kingdom is embroiled in civil war. The Ninth Prince and the Grand Tutor are planning a 'loyalist purge,' and the capital is drenched in blood daily. With Yue’s forces withdrawing from the borders due to the conflict, our Qing State’s frontiers have become more stable. Perhaps in a couple of years, General Shen Mieyue will return to the capital to report on his duties."

Shen Wei silently committed these court developments to memory.

Though far from Yanjing, she still maintained a basic grasp of the court’s affairs.

Additionally, the shops she owned in Yanjing were thriving, expanding her commercial empire. Her businesses—sweet shops, rouge shops, grain and cloth trade, porcelain, and paper—were all growing.

With her coffers swelling, Shen Wei’s confidence grew.

"Cai Lian, fetch me paper and brush," Shen Wei said, stretching. Every two months, she would write a personal letter to the Emperor in the palace to maintain their bond.

Once the paper and brush were prepared, Shen Wei picked up the brush and began writing swiftly. In the letter, she chatted casually about amusing encounters she’d had in the mountains, expressed her affection and concern for Li Yuanjing, and shared updates on their children’s growth.

She filled ten sheets in total.

At the end, she called over her daughter, Le You. Now over two years old, Le You spent her days running around the estate, chasing cats and dogs like a lively little monkey.

"Mother, I’m here!" Le You panted as she ran over, her twin pigtails bouncing and her chubby cheeks jiggling.

She threw herself into Shen Wei’s arms and proudly held up a struggling frog. "Mother, I caught a frog!"

The frog, resigned to its fate, croaked weakly.

Of all things, the little girl had taken a liking to catching frogs. Shen Wei sighed. "Put the frog down. It’s time to write back to your father."

At the mention of her father, Le You’s eyes lit up instantly.

To prevent their bond from fading, Shen Wei told Le You stories about her father every night before bed. In her tales, Emperor Li Yuanjing was the most handsome and valiant man in the world, fighting fearsome monsters to protect Le You, which was why she had to stay in the mountain estate.

Le You immediately dropped the frog and exclaimed, "Mother, I want to write to Father!"

The frog, freed from the toddler’s grasp, scrambled frantically into the pond. Shen Wei washed Le You’s hands and dried her chubby little fingers.

Le You couldn’t write yet—she could only draw.

Clutching the brush, the two-year-old carefully drew a lopsided frog and a crude little stick figure.

Shen Wei added a note beneath: [Le You caught a frog. Her artistic skills leave much to be desired.]

Once the letter was finished, Shen Wei sealed it and had it discreetly delivered to the Emperor’s desk by the Tiger Guards.

Under the warm spring sun, Shen Wei decided to apply a face mask, soak up some vitamin D, and continue her fitness routine in the afternoon. Le You tugged at her skirt and chirped, "Mother, can I go catch frogs later?"

Shen Wei replied, "Yes. But no throwing frogs onto your brother’s bed."

Le You pouted, disappointed. "...Fine."

By the pond, the Empress Dowager was leisurely fishing. Freed from the palace, she had embraced a carefree retirement—drinking tea, fishing, picking flowers, and sunbathing.

Spotting Le You, the Empress Dowager set down her fishing rod and beamed. "Come here, my dear. The kitchen just made some sweet cakes, and I was about to bring some to you."

Le You’s eyes sparkled as she happily trotted over. Nanny Qian brought a plate with three steaming cakes.

Le You tested the temperature first, then picked up the largest cake and handed it to the Empress Dowager. "Grandmother, you eat first."

The Empress Dowager’s eyes crinkled with warmth.

After over a year together, she had grown deeply attached to the granddaughter she had helped raise, spoiling her endlessly.

Le You then took the second-largest cake and offered it to Shen Wei. "Mother, you eat too."

Only after serving her grandmother and mother did Le You take the smallest cake for herself, sitting contentedly on a little stool, swinging her feet as she munched happily.

Shen Wei sighed. "Mother, Le You eats so much she’s getting chubby. We should cut back on her sweets."

The Empress Dowager frowned. "My granddaughter isn’t chubby at all! Children need to eat well to grow strong."

Shen Wei: "..."

Typical doting grandmother.

But it was for the best. The deeper the Empress Dowager’s affection for her grandchildren, the more secure their futures would be.

Leaving Le You with the Empress Dowager, Shen Wei returned to her courtyard to continue her workout and draft plans for her expanding businesses.

...

Night fell over Yanjing City’s imperial palace.

Li Yuanjing returned to the Xuanming Hall under the cover of darkness. A eunuch approached respectfully. "Your Majesty, will you summon a consort to attend you tonight?"

Li Yuanjing waved a hand. "No need."

Burdened with state affairs—floods in the south, droughts in the north—he was exhausted from the day’s work. He had no energy for the women of the inner palace.

Though the palace was filled with beauties, none held his interest for long. No matter how enchanting they were, they eventually faded into the background, just another face in the harem.

After bathing and changing his clothes, Li Yuanjing did not retire for the night. Under the flickering glow of bright candlelight, he opened the letter from home delivered from Donghua Mountain.

As his eyes traced each line of the lively and cheerful words, the weariness in his expression melted away, and a tender smile curved his lips. It was as if Shen Wei’s radiant figure had appeared before him once more.

When he reached the last page of the letter, adorned with doodles of a frog and a little figure, he couldn’t help but let out a soft chuckle.

Li Yuanjing was a wise ruler, tirelessly working for the welfare of his people, bearing the heavy responsibility of the nation. The burden weighed on him, leaving him physically and mentally exhausted. Only when he read Shen Wei’s letters did he feel a sense of ease and comfort—like a wanderer returning home or a ship finding harbor.

He read the letter over and over three times before carefully placing the precious pages into a golden nanmu box by his bedside.

Once the chaos in Yue Kingdom settled, Qing State would be free from internal and external threats. Then, Li Yuanjing planned to find a reason to bring Shen Wei and their children back.

With that thought, he lay down and drifted into peaceful slumber.

Meanwhile, a luxurious carriage came to a stop at a post station outside Yanjing City. The carriage curtain lifted, revealing a pair of delicate, fair hands as a maid helped Lu Xuan step down.

"Miss, the city gates are locked for the night. We’ll have to stay at the official post station," whispered the maid, Little Qin.

Under the hazy moonlight, the contours of Lu Xuan’s breathtakingly beautiful face were softly illuminated.

She smiled faintly, gazing at the towering walls of Yanjing City looming in the darkness. The city resembled a colossal beast lying in wait—imposing, cold, and majestic, with countless households resting peacefully within.

This was the imperial capital of Great Qing Kingdom, the heart where the wealth of the land converged, the sacred ground where the Son of Heaven held court.

A spark of ambition flickered in her eyes as she parted her crimson lips. "No matter. Tomorrow, we enter the palace."

The spring night breeze rustled through the trees lining the official road, stirring the dark strands of hair at Lu Xuan’s temples. The Qing imperial harem, having weathered many storms, was about to welcome a formidable new contender.