Cining Palace.
There were constant rumors outside, but Shen Wei, the person involved, seemed relaxed and content. She wore the new clothes sent by the Empress Dowager, drank the fine tea sent from West Lake, and told the Empress Dowager about the conflict between her and the Emperor as if she were telling a story.
At the end of her speech, Shen Wei spread out her snow-white palms and complained to the Queen Mother: "Mother, I have lived in the deep palace for a long time and have only met Prince Heng a few times. The emperor's suspicion is really an unprovoked disaster."
The Queen Mother was stunned and said after a while, "Of course I believe you."
The Queen Mother had been with Shen Wei for a long time, so she naturally knew Shen Wei’s true nature.
But thinking of her son's strange reaction, the Queen Mother wondered, "Yuan Jing deliberately distanced himself from you. He seemed to have lost his mind and didn't even have basic judgment. It was really weird."
Li Yuanjing could figure it out with a little thought. When Chen Wei was in Prince Yan's Mansion, she rarely left and stayed with him most of the time.
There is no time to collude with Li Yuanli!
The more the empress dowager thought about it, the more difficult it became for her to understand Li Yuanjing's behavior. The Queen Mother murmured to herself: "I had conflicts and disputes with the late emperor in the past, but the late emperor never did this..."
Li Yuanjing and Shen Wei were in a cold war for a whole month. Li Yuanjing did not take back Shen Wei's right to manage the six palaces, did not deprive Shen Wei of her position as a noble concubine, and he did not favor other concubines.
I really can't guess what he is really thinking.
The Queen Mother took a sip of tea to moisten her throat and asked Shen Wei: "If the stalemate continues, something unexpected will happen sooner or later. Do you have a way to break the deadlock?"
Chen Wei rubbed the teacup with her fingers, her expression natural: "Mother, don't worry about me. I have my own way."
She spoke calmly and looked composed.
Obviously, the strategy had been thought out long ago.
The Queen Mother smiled helplessly: "I know you are smart. But I still have to remind you that even if a broken mirror is mended, there will inevitably be cracks."
It is really difficult to completely eliminate the strange possessiveness in a man's heart.
Chen Wei accompanied the Queen Mother to drink tea for a while. When it was time for lunch, the Queen Mother returned to her bedroom to rest. Shen Wei went to the study in the back hall of Cining Palace to visit her two sons.
The study is spacious and bright, with the scent of ink.
Li Chengtai was sitting at a small table reading a book, his small body standing straight, flipping through the book with a focused expression.
Li Chengyou was also reading a book, but he was obviously not as focused as his brother. The chubby boy held his chin with his hand, his eyelids slowly drooped, and his face almost rested on the book cover.
"It's a day off, so you should have a good rest." Shen Wei opened the curtain and walked in, reminding in a gentle voice.
Li Chengtai put down the book in his hand and called out obediently, "Mother."
Li Chengyou resisted the urge to sleep and echoed, "Mother, why are you here? Is it time for dinner? Will we have the stir-fried bamboo shoots tonight?"
Shen Wei pinched her youngest son's chubby face and said, "Of course, there will be fried bamboo shoots for dinner. Also, if you feel sleepy, take a nap and study after you get enough sleep."
After getting his mother's permission, Li Chengyou happily ran to the small bed next to the bookshelf, took off his coat and boots skillfully, covered himself with a small blanket, and fell asleep.
"Mother, my brother should study hard. How can he sleep so soundly every day?" Li Chengtai was a little dissatisfied. His stupid brother had no sense of crisis at all.
He eats and drinks every day, and sleeps when he is tired. He is lazier than a piglet.
Shen Wei smiled and said, "You won't be able to learn a few words if you read when you're sleepy. It's better to just go to sleep. Only when you're full of sleep will you have the energy to study again."
Li Chengtai pursed his lips lightly.
The youngest son was taking a nap, so Shen Wei tidied up the bed and made room for a new spot. She called Li Chengtai over and said, "You should get some sleep too. You are still young, you should get at least five hours of sleep every day."
Sufficient sleep helps bones develop well.
Li Chengtai has always been obedient to Shen Wei. He sat down beside the small bed obediently, looking at his mother who was so close, and asked sullenly: "Mother, do you sleep well every day?"
Shen Wei smiled and said, "Of course I slept well."
Without Li Yuanjing's disturbance, she slept at least four or five hours every day, and she was full of energy and vitality.
Li Chengtai lowered his head and said in a distressed tone: "Mother, you don't have to lie to me... I'm not a three-year-old child, I'm five years old."
My father neglected my mother, and everyone in the harem saw it.
Li Chengtai didn't understand why his father and mother quarreled, he just felt sorry for his mother.
Shen Wei rubbed her eldest son's round head and comforted him softly: "Chengtai, mother is really fine. Your task now is to take a good nap and grow up well."
Li Chengtai opened his small arms and hugged Shen Wei's neck. He quietly hugged his mother for a while, and murmured: "Mother, when we lived in the mountains before, you protected me. When I grow up, I will protect you and not let anyone bully you."
After a pause, he added: "Father cannot be bullied."
Shen Wei patted her son's back.
It was a warm spring afternoon, and Shen Wei sat beside the bed, watching Li Chengtai slowly fall asleep.
...
It was almost dusk when Shen Wei left the Cining Palace.
The imperial concubine's guard of honor was still ostentatious. Shen Wei leaned on the gorgeous sedan chair, flipping through the list of porcelain sent by the Ministry of Internal Affairs. As the sedan passed through the Imperial Garden, Shen Wei heard two greetings.
"Meet Noble Concubine Chen."
"Meet Noble Concubine Chen."
Chen Wei closed the account book in her hand, shifted her gaze, and saw Meipin Liu Ruyan beside the flower bed. And next to Liu Ruyan was Concubine Liu Qiaoer, who had not been seen for a long time.
Shen Wei was slightly surprised.
Among the many concubines in the harem, the ones who least like to go out are Meipin and Qiaopin.
Did the sun rise in the west today? The two veteran housewives in the palace are both out?
Liu Qiaoer said politely, "The Imperial Concubine Chen has not looked well lately. Forgive me for being so nosy. The Imperial Concubine should work less and worry less in the spring. Your health is the most important thing."
Shen Wei glanced at Liu Qiaoer indifferently.
In Shen Wei's impression, Concubine Liu Qiaoer has always been an extremely low-key woman. Back then in Prince Yan's Mansion, Liu Qiaoer avoided favor and protected herself at every turn. After entering the palace, Liu Qiaoer hid in her bedroom all day long, dressed very simply, never competed for favor, and never interacted with other concubines.
Her presence in the harem is extremely low.
It was a beautiful spring day today, and Shen Wei noticed that Liu Qiaoer was no longer dressed in that simple outfit. Liu Qiaoer put on delicate light makeup, wore new jewelry in her hair, and wore the spring dress embroidered with cranes that had just been sent by the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Shen Wei's lips curved: "You are so kind."
Liu Qiaoer said nothing more, secretly curled her lips, and stood stiffly behind Liu Ruyan.
Shen Wei wanted to leave.
Liu Ruyan, who had been silent the whole time, suddenly spoke softly, "Noble Concubine Chen, you are very upset. There is no need to hide it."
There was a hint of sympathy in his tone.
Shen Wei sat in the gorgeous sedan chair and said truthfully: "Actually, I am not depressed."
Liu Ruyan chuckled.
Shen Wei was speechless, she raised her hand, and the imperial concubine's guard of honor carried the sedan chair away from the imperial garden.
The spring breeze blew, and in Liu Ruyan's eyes, Chen Wei's departing figure had a sense of absurdity of "escaping in a hurry".
Liu Ruyan sighed slightly, and a sad look flashed across her eyes: "I used to think that among the women in the harem, Concubine Chen was the most special one. But now it seems that she is just so-so."
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