A loving couple, supporting each other through thick and thin.
The bond between Shen Qingci and Su Yunqing has only grown stronger with time and experience. From childhood sweethearts to standing side by side through court intrigues, and now to a peaceful and loving family, they have always been each other's strongest support and warmest harbor.
Shen Qingci, holding the position of Prime Minister, was burdened with a mountain of official duties, often reviewing memorials in his study late into the night. Su Yunqing never wanted to disturb him, but she would always wait in the side hall, warming a cup of calming tea and preparing some delicate snacks. After he had rested a bit, she would personally hand them over, her fingertips carrying just the right amount of warmth: "Brother Qingci, take a break before you get busy again, your health is important." When faced with thorny disputes in the court, Shen Qingci would occasionally frown and mutter to himself, but Su Yunqing would not say much, only listen quietly, occasionally offering a hint from folk tales or classical stories, which often enlightened him—her intelligence was never outwardly sharp, but rather a subtle and profound understanding.
Shen Qingci knew his wife's heart well and always took care of her preferences in the smallest ways. Knowing that Su Yunqing loved flowers, he ordered people to maintain the back garden of the Prime Minister's residence like a villa in Jiangnan, where peach and plum blossoms competed for beauty in spring, lotus breezes carried fragrance in summer, osmanthus blossoms filled the air with fragrance in autumn, and plum blossoms stood proudly against the snow in winter. Whenever he had a day off, he would always decline all social engagements and accompany Su Yunqing for a stroll in the garden, watching her bend down to prune the flowers with a smile on her face, listening to her explain the habits of each flower, occasionally playing a game of chess with her, or sharing a pot of fresh tea. Time flowed slowly in this tranquil and peaceful atmosphere.
On this late spring day, Shen Qingci finished his official duties and returned home as the sun was setting. Passing through the covered corridor, he saw Su Yunqing standing beside a peony bush in the back garden, carefully pruning the withered branches with silver scissors. The sunset cast a soft glow on her clothes, and the plain hairpin tucked at her temple complemented the blooming pink peonies, making her look elegant and charming.
Shen Qingci tiptoed up behind her and gently pulled her into his arms. Su Yunqing gasped, turned around, and saw him. Her eyes instantly lit up with a smile: "Brother Qingci, you're back."
"Just finished." Shen Qingci lowered her head, the faint fragrance of flowers and fresh grass lingering around her nose, her voice as gentle as a spring breeze, "These flowers are becoming more and more beautiful thanks to your care."
Su Yunqing raised her hand and stroked a Yaohuang peony in full bloom beside her. Its petals were layered and the color was as warm and lustrous as mutton fat: "This peony is the variety you brought back from Jiangnan last year. It has finally lived up to your expectations."
Shen Qingci followed her fingertips and looked up. The peony was indeed magnificent, but it couldn't compare to the tenderness and affection in the woman's eyes. He held her hand tightly, his fingertips tracing the calluses on her palm from years of tending flowers and grinding medicine. His tone was solemn and tender: "Yunqing, no matter how many famous flowers there are in this world, none can compare to you. Meeting you and marrying you in this life is the greatest fortune of my life, Shen Qingci. Back then, in the snowstorm of Ningguta, amidst the open and hidden attacks in the court, if it weren't for you by my side, I might not have made it to where I am today."
Su Yunqing's cheeks flushed slightly as she leaned gently against his shoulder, her voice soft yet firm: "Brother Qingci, it is my good fortune to walk alongside you. Those hard days were not so bitter with you by my side. For the rest of my life, through thick and thin, I will always be with you."
A gentle evening breeze stirred, and petals fluttered down, landing on their shoulders. Shen Qingci tightened his arms, holding her even closer, as if trying to melt this deep affection, tested by time, into their very bones. Their love, without grand vows, had been brewed into the finest wine through the mundane details of daily life and the steadfast commitment through thick and thin, growing richer with each passing year, until the very end.
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