Chapter 424
Autumn passed, and winter came.
With the arrival of spring, the marriage of Princess Le You was brought to the agenda. Le You wished to marry Liang Huaichuan, but Li Yuanjing did not agree. Liang Huaichuan was skilled in martial arts and was destined to lead troops into battle in the future. If Le You married a military man, their life together would inevitably be marked by long separations. Li Yuanjing could not bear the thought of his beloved daughter suffering in her marriage.
Seeing her father’s disapproval, Le You turned to Shen Wei for help.
In the pavilion by the lake, where spring flowers had just begun to bloom, Shen Wei held the Taihua Notes in her hand. She lifted her gaze to Le You, who had come seeking her aid, and said, "Marriage is no trivial matter for a woman. If you marry the wrong person, your whole life could be ruined."
Le You, as she had done in childhood, rested her head on Shen Wei’s lap, her cheeks flushed. "I don’t know why, but whenever I see him, I feel happy and at ease. Mother, I love Liang Huaichuan—I truly do."
There had been no great trials between her and Liang Huaichuan. They had met in humble circumstances and fallen in love in the bloom of youth. For the rest of her life, Le You wished to stay by his side.
Shen Wei sighed. "The southern state of Chu is restless. Your younger brother values Liang Huaichuan’s talents and will surely send him to guard the border. A life of battle is fraught with peril—one misstep could cost him his life. Your father fears you will spend your marriage in loneliness, which is why he opposes this match."
Le You pleaded, "Mother, the Da Qing army has a hundred thousand soldiers stationed at the borders, a hundred thousand men separated from their wives. If they do not complain, how can I? Besides, Liang Huaichuan will be protecting our nation and ensuring the safety of millions."
Liang Huaichuan was a man of great ability—keeping him in Yanjing City would be a waste. Le You wanted him to fulfill his ambitions.
Shen Wei stroked her daughter’s back. "I will speak to your father. Consider this matter settled."
Le You beamed. "Thank you, Mother!"
The two spoke for a while longer.
Before leaving, Le You suddenly paused and turned back to look at Shen Wei. Under the bright spring sunlight, her mother’s face remained as youthful as ever.
Unable to help herself, Le You murmured, "Mother... I’ve always felt that you’re not truly happy."
Shen Wei set down her teacup and smiled faintly. "Don’t overthink it."
Le You shook her head.
Perhaps it was their shared blood, or perhaps it was the bond between mother and daughter—but as she grew older, Le You had come to sense that her mother was not as content as she appeared.
Deep within Shen Wei’s heart lay a desolate wasteland.
Le You whispered, "Father loves you. My brothers and I love you. You are the most honored woman in Da Qing, lacking nothing... Mother, why aren’t you happy?"
Shen Wei had no answer.
She called for the palace attendants to escort Le You out.
The waters of Luoyue Lake shimmered under the spring sun, and along its banks, peach blossoms bloomed brilliantly, swaying in the breeze. Shen Wei flipped through the Taihua Notes, and a petal drifted onto the book’s cover.
She picked up the delicate pink petal, thinking that she should be happy. Her children had grown, Li Yuanjing loved her, and she possessed vast wealth and influence.
Yet in her dreams, she often returned to her past life in the modern world.
She dreamed of muddy paths from her school days, of university canteens, of countless nights working late with her employees—but rarely of Li Yuanjing or her children.
Crushing the petal in her fingers, Shen Wei gazed at the radiant spring scenery and recalled a line of poetry:
If the spring wind pities the flowers,
Would it grant me youth once more?
...
With Shen Wei’s intervention, Le You’s marriage was swiftly arranged. Li Chengtai issued an imperial decree, betrothing his elder sister, Princess Le You, to the youngest son of the Liang family.
The wedding procession began at the palace.
On the morning of the ceremony, Le You bathed early and was dressed and adorned by palace maids and elderly matrons.
Shen Wei had prepared an entire chest of hairpins and jewels. She personally adorned Le You’s hair with phoenix crowns and ornaments.
The silver mirror gleamed brightly. As Shen Wei looked at her radiant daughter, she felt as though time had slipped through her fingers like sand. Eighteen years ago, Le You had been a chubby, crying infant—now she had blossomed into a stunning young woman.
A bittersweet ache filled Shen Wei’s heart.
Le You had been her first bond with this era, the first chain that bound her here. Yet blood ran thicker than water, and maternal love still flowed in her veins. Watching her daughter marry, Shen Wei’s eyes stung.
"Mother, don’t be sad," Le You said, squeezing her hand. "Even after marriage, I’ll visit you and Father often."
Shen Wei told her, "The world says a wife obeys her husband, and a child obeys their parents. But Le You, I want you to remember—you are Da Qing’s most honored princess. Put yourself first, understand?"
Le You nodded obediently.
Outside, the music of drums and pipes swelled as the groom’s procession arrived at the palace gates. Shen Wei handed Le You a phoenix-patterned fan to veil her face, and Le You stepped out, holding it before her.
The wedding procession was magnificent—officials, attendants, and children moved in orderly fashion under the direction of the Ministry of Rites. The ten-mile bridal parade turned Yanjing City into a sea of celebration.
After the elaborate ceremonies, the groom mounted his steed and escorted Princess Le You from the palace to her new residence.
Shen Wei and Li Yuanjing stood atop the high palace walls, watching the red silks flutter in the distance.
"The wind is strong here—don’t catch a chill," Li Yuanjing said, draping his cloak over Shen Wei’s shoulders. He, too, wore ceremonial robes.
Side by side, they watched Le You’s red bridal carriage grow smaller in the distance. Shen Wei sighed softly, emotions swirling in her chest. Li Yuanjing took her hand, and they descended the walls together.
After Le You’s wedding, Shen Wei’s niece, Shen Mingyue, departed for Liangzhou. Rumor had it that Prince Wu of the Eastern Lin Kingdom had followed her there, setting up business in Liangzhou and frequently visiting the general’s residence to see her.
Shen Wei was curious about how things would unfold, but Liangzhou was remote, and news traveled slowly. Suppressing her curiosity, she rested for a time before planning a trip to the south to escape the summer heat, then onward to the Yue Kingdom to visit Zhao Yang.
Li Yuanjing, who had long wished to leave court life behind, eagerly made preparations to accompany Shen Wei on her travels.
Carriages were readied, guards assembled.
On a clear, sunny day, Li Yuanjing helped Shen Wei into their carriage, and they set off southward. The long road stretched ahead, flanked by attendants and guards.
Shen Wei, having slept late the night before, dozed against the soft cushions. Li Yuanjing tucked a fur blanket around her, studying her sleeping face—her rounded cheeks, long lashes, and softly parted lips.
He remembered that night years ago in Prince Yan’s Mansion, when he had walked through the dark courtyard to her quarters. Lifting the gauzy curtains, he had seen her enchanting beauty for the first time.
From then on, Shen Wei had entered his world.
The past played vividly in his mind, yet the years had flown by in a blink. The concubine he had once treated as a plaything had become the most precious treasure of his heart.
As the carriage rolled onward, Li Yuanjing gently held Shen Wei’s fingertips and whispered, "Weiwei, do you love me?"
Shen Wei, deep in sleep, gave no answer.
A pang of regret touched Li Yuanjing’s heart.
Still, he thought, spending the rest of his life watching Shen Wei grow old beside him would be enough.
[The End]