Chapter 417
Prince Wu paced excitedly, his heart aflutter.
He had made up his mind—today, he must meet the ethereal beauty who had captured his thoughts. Turning around, he hastily adjusted the opulent robes draping his figure.
Since arriving in Yanjing City, Prince Wu had been staying at his elder sister’s residence, the Yan Manor. Princess Donglin, aware of his struggles, had done everything in her power to compensate him.
The prince’s attire was a cloud-patterned brocade robe, the latest fashion among Yanjing’s elite. Its sleeves flowed like drifting clouds, embroidered with intricate laurel motifs from the Sandalwood Palace. A white jade crown adorned his head, while his chestnut-black curls, styled in the fashion of Donglin, were braided into a long plait, its end embellished with a lustrous pearl from Southern Chu.
After smoothing his appearance, Prince Wu turned to his guard, Fifth Zhang, and asked, “How do I look? Majestic, no?”
Fifth Zhang nodded. “Majestic indeed, Your Highness. But the western shore of Luoyue Lake is off-limits to commoners.”
Pleased, Prince Wu fanned himself with a white jade-handled fan. “Majestic is all that matters. With this peerless visage, that maiden is sure to be smitten at first sight. Tell me, Fifth Zhang, should I even return to Donglin as a prince? If she refuses to accompany me, I might as well stay in Yanjing City... Ah, but I’ll find a way to bring my mother here later. Our family must reunite.”
Fifth Zhang: ...
The ink hasn’t even dried on this fantasy, yet Your Highness is already planning a lifetime.
A warm breeze caressed Prince Wu’s face as he fanned himself again, embodying the grace of a young nobleman longing for his beloved.
But after just two steps—whoosh!
Two gleaming sabers flashed from their scabbards as a pair of black-clad guards materialized before him.
Their expressions icy, they warned, “This area is reserved for nobility. Commoners are forbidden to approach.”
Prince Wu narrowed his eyes, studying the guards. Towering and sharp-eyed, their dark armor gleamed with an intimidating sheen, marking them as no ordinary sentinels.
Nor were they imperial guards or city patrol—Prince Wu had seen the Great Qing’s palace guards before, and their uniforms differed. After a moment’s thought, he surmised they belonged to some military lord or general in Yanjing.
With a charming smile, he declared, “I am no commoner. The scenery by Luoyue Lake is splendid, and that pavilion ahead seems perfect for admiring the blossoms. Might you two kindly announce my arrival—”
The guards remained stone-faced. “Advance no further. One more step, and you will be cut down.”
Their sheer presence sent Prince Wu’s heart racing. Yet he couldn’t bear to leave.
The maiden of his dreams was so close—how could he not try? “I am Prince Wu of Donglin,” he insisted. “I come in good faith to meet your master. Harming me could jeopardize the peace between our nations.”
The guards cared not for titles.
Sabers leveled, they lunged. Prince Wu stumbled back, his precious fan clattering to the ground. “No violence! I’m leaving! I’m leaving!” he yelped. “Good heavens, whose servants are you, so ruthless!”
Faced with overwhelming force, Prince Wu had no choice but to retreat in defeat.
Only when he was a safe distance away did he stop, glaring at Fifth Zhang. “As my guard, your duty is to protect me! Yet when those two drew their blades, you fled faster than I did!”
Fifth Zhang sighed. “Your Highness, I’m no match for them.”
Grumbling, Prince Wu cast a longing gaze toward the distant lakeside pavilion. The waters shimmered, but the fair maiden was nowhere to be seen.
Perhaps she had retired for the day.
Though disheartened, Prince Wu refused to give up.
For days afterward, he returned to Luoyue Lake, hoping for another glimpse. On rare occasions, he caught sight of her slender silhouette in the distance. More often, luck eluded him.
...
...
Time flowed unnoticed, and summer arrived.
Shen Wei had not been idle—her days were filled with training, skincare, and business ventures. As the heat intensified, she redecorated her chambers from top to bottom, favoring simplicity and elegance for the season.
One evening, she lounged contentedly on a daybed, the room suffused with the delicate fragrance of freshly picked lotuses. Moonlight filtered through the gauze curtains as she drifted into slumber.
Then, the bed shifted slightly.
A tickling sensation brushed her cheek.
Li Yuanjing leaned close, whispering, “Weiwei, I’ve returned.”
He was back ten days earlier than Shen Wei had expected. Her nose twitched—the scent of dust and lingering sweat clung to him.
Half-asleep, she wrinkled her nose. “You reek.”
Li Yuanjing froze. After a pause, he sniffed his sleeve...
Indeed, he smelled rancid.
After resolving the mess in Southern Chu, he had raced back to Yanjing City without rest, pushing his steed to its limits. He had longed to hold Shen Wei the moment he arrived—only to be rebuffed.
Reluctantly, he rose and ordered servants to prepare a bath with soapberries. Deep into the night, steam filled the bathing chamber as he scrubbed himself thoroughly, washing his hair three times over.
Once cleansed and dressed in fresh sleepwear, he prepared to return to Shen Wei’s side. But the silver mirror revealed an unkempt man—unkempt stubble, a stray white hair at his temple.
Li Yuanjing sighed.
He picked up a razor, halfway through shaving when the door creaked open. Light footsteps approached, and Shen Wei’s slender figure appeared in the mirror’s reflection.
He stilled, turning to gaze at her.
In the flickering candlelight, she wore a light green summer robe, her ebony hair pinned up with a white jade hairpin, revealing the graceful curve of her neck.
She was just as he remembered—unchanged after all these years.
Softly, he asked, “Did I disturb you?”
Shen Wei shook her head. “Not at all. The journey was long—you needn’t have rushed.”
Setting the razor down, Li Yuanjing murmured, “Weiwei, I wanted to see you sooner.”
Shen Wei stepped closer. First, she washed her hands, drying them meticulously before picking up the razor. Li Yuanjing watched, hardly daring to believe it—was she about to shave him?
Since his abdication, Shen Wei had shed her former docility, no longer catering to his every whim. Though it pained him, Li Yuanjing had accepted this change, helplessly enthralled by her allure.
He loved her deeply.
And love had humbled him.
“Lean back,” Shen Wei said quietly. “I’ll shave you.”
Li Yuanjing’s heart swelled, as if an invisible hand had soothed his weariness from days of hard travel.
Reclining in the chair, he tilted his head back. Shen Wei pressed a warm towel to his face. Their proximity allowed him to inhale the faint lotus fragrance clinging to her.
Here she was—vibrant, real, within reach.
Li Yuanjing was content.
Even if Shen Wei were to slit his throat with that razor tonight, Li Yuanjing would not resist.