==Chapter Three==
When the warm sunlight filtered through the window, Shi Yuan was not yet fully awake. Unconsciously, she tilted her head to avoid the glaring rays. With that slight movement, she sensed something amiss.
She was not alone on the bed.
Her cheek was nestled against someone’s chest. During last night’s unrestrained moments, she had left many marks, some deep and some shallow, all over his body. As she took in the sight, Shi Yuan’s mind cleared instantly. In the darkness of night, it hadn’t seemed like much, but in the light of day, it felt rather embarrassing. Not daring to look too closely, she buried her flushed face, her forehead inadvertently pressing against a certain rosy spot.
She remained oblivious until a hand patted her waist. His voice, still groggy, carried a hint of indescribable weariness:
“Stop fussing.”
Shi Yuan stiffened at the touch. She lifted her face, gazing at him with wide, pleading eyes. Her black hair was slightly disheveled, and a flush spread across her fair skin, trailing down her neck and disappearing beneath the brocade quilt—a scene brimming with springtime allure.
Qi Chuyan sighed silently, roused from sleep by her antics, and opened his eyes to look at her.
Her eyes, filled with a spring-like tenderness, met his. With such striking beauty, she might have been unappealing if she were dull or wooden, but she was both delicate and lively, the blush on her cheeks startlingly vivid. Seeing him open his eyes, she leaned in again, pressing soft, lingering kisses against his lips.
She looked utterly captivating, yet her kisses were clumsy, leaving his chin damp and sticky. She even licked him with the tip of her tongue, smearing saliva everywhere, all while softening her voice to a gentle, watery tone:
“Your Majesty, you’re awake!”
Her intentions were so transparent, her desire to please almost blatantly displayed.
Yet her voice was sweet without being cloying, carrying a joy so palpable it seemed she might float away with happiness.
Qi Chuyan felt like laughing, and he did, causing the woman to look at him in confusion. Without a word, he lowered his head and returned her kisses.
Reassured, a hint of smugness flickered in the corners of her eyes and brows.
Shi Yuan was indeed feeling smug. When she arrived yesterday, she had been somewhat uneasy, but after a night, that unease had faded. What did it matter if he was the Emperor? In the end, he was still just a man. With her stunning looks, even the Emperor was bound to like her.
Flushed with confidence, she grew bolder.
She soon ended the kiss, tilting her face upward as she called out in a rapid stream:
“Your Majesty, Your Majesty, the imperial summer palace is so beautiful! Is the imperial palace this beautiful too?”
Qi Chuyan felt like laughing again, wondering how this little creature had developed such shallow thoughts. The way she asked—roundabout yet poorly concealed—was telling.
Her words seemed to assume he would take her back to the palace.
But she ought to know that a woman like her, even after serving him, might only share a fleeting night of passion.
Yet she smiled with curved eyes and upturned lips—so delicate, so sweet, so vibrant and radiant. Her features were so full of affection, as if everything she did was perfectly natural.
And so, the words on Qi Chuyan’s lips transformed into:
“Naturally, it is beautiful.”
Mimicking her, he spoke in the simplest terms. As expected, she grew even happier, her delight infectious, spreading to those around her. Since waking, Qi Chuyan’s lips had remained curved in a smile.
Shi Yuan was still not done. Her amorous eyes fixed intently on Qi Chuyan, as if expecting something, waiting for something.
So utterly skilled at beguiling.
A glint of amusement lit Qi Chuyan’s eyes. He deliberately paused for a moment, watching as she was about to droop her eyelids in disappointment, before finally saying with a smile:
“When the time comes, I’ll arrange an even more beautiful palace for you to live in. How does that sound?”
Shi Yuan didn’t ask any more questions. Covering her lips, she giggled quietly, quite pleased with her own cleverness.
With such an indirect question, she had secured the Emperor’s promise to take her back to the palace. How could she not consider herself clever?
She clung to him again, pressing affectionate kisses, and so everything that followed unfolded naturally. At the imperial summer palace, there was no morning court assembly, and Qi Chuyan had never been one to hold back. Thus, on this day, he remained at the Tinglan Pavilion until after the midday meal before finally departing.
Zhou Liming waited outside, attending to his duties. Hearing the sound of water being called for from within, he couldn’t help but glance up at the daylight sky.
Wiping the cold sweat from his forehead, he could only feel grateful that they were outside the palace. Otherwise, rumors of the Emperor indulging in pleasure during daylight hours would have been unpleasant to hear.
Hot water was carried into the chamber. Qi Chuyan personally carried her into the bathing room. She was small and soft, her legs hooked around his waist and her arms wrapped around his neck as he lifted her effortlessly. Unable to resist, he gave her a gentle bounce, his narrow eyes lowering slightly as he chuckled lazily:
“How are you so light?”
She tightened her legs around him, tilting her face up to ask, “Does Your Majesty not like it?”
Qi Chuyan’s smile was faint, his tone equally soft:
“It would be better if you gained a little more flesh.”
Shi Yuan tilted her head thoughtfully.
Living in Wuzhou, where women were often admired for their delicate beauty, most were raised to be slender, with waists so narrow they could be encircled by a single hand—enough to evoke pity at a glance. But Shi Yuan did not have that kind of bony, fragile frame. Perhaps because she had lacked good food in her childhood, she later developed a particular fondness for eating, which resulted in her well-proportioned figure, soft yet not without substance.
Feeling she lacked that delicate grace, she often let tears gather at the corners of her eyes. Fortunately, she was blessed with lovely features and a face no larger than a palm. With just a slight furrow of her brows, she could easily assume the pitiable appearance of a fragile beauty.
Before her debut, she had fretted over this, but Mama had looked at her, pausing unusually long before finally forcing out the words:
“Just as you are—it’s fine.”
Shi Yuan was instantly reassured. She knew she wasn’t particularly clever, but she understood the importance of listening to those who were.
After bathing and freshening up, Shi Yuan changed into the new clothes brought by the palace attendants. She couldn’t identify the brocade, but it felt exceptionally comfortable against her skin, and the colors were bright. Standing before the bronze mirror, she twirled around, growing fonder of the outfit with each glance. Unable to contain herself, she threw herself into Qi Chuyan’s arms nearby, cleverly redirecting her delight in the clothing into:
“Your Majesty, I like you so much!”
It was so obvious that Qi Chuyan found it difficult to pretend he couldn’t see her true intentions. For a moment, he could only laugh helplessly.
But Shi Yuan didn’t notice.
After throwing herself at Qi Chuyan, she quickly withdrew, because she was hungry. Having been busy all night and missing breakfast, then fooling around again, the only thing keeping her spirits high was this luxurious, exquisite gown. Happily, she made her way toward the outer hall.
Zhou Liming watched with trepidation, nervously preparing to remind her of proper decorum. Qi Chuyan shot him a glance, and Zhou Liming, startled, quickly lowered his head and fell silent.
The meal was sumptuous, the round pearwood table laden with dishes. Shi Yuan didn’t bother counting them. Life at the Shen Mansion had also been luxurious, but she could sense the difference between the two places. Everything in the imperial summer palace—clothing, food, lodging, and travel—was more refined, each detail exuding an air of noble elegance.
Shi Yuan couldn’t help but smile, feeling as though she were floating on air.
Once again, she silently expressed her gratitude toward Shen Wenjun in her heart—truly, Shen Wenjun was an exceptionally good person.
Qi Chuyan had no idea that Shi Yuan was feeling grateful toward Shen Wenjun. After lunch, he gave some instructions and returned to the Hall of Diligent Governance.
His southern inspection tour had already lasted for some time, and in the coming days, he planned to set off back to the capital. There were many matters to handle, and being able to stay with Shi Yuan for so long was already a rare luxury.
When Shi Yuan learned that they were preparing to return to the capital, she didn’t feel sad at all—only pleasantly surprised.
She was about to go to an even more prosperous place—how could that not make her happy?
She simply made the most of her time to explore the imperial summer palace. Having come all this way, it would be such a pity to only stay in the Tinglan Pavilion.
During their days at the summer palace, Qi Chuyan had slept in her quarters every night. Shi Yuan was quite accustomed to this. Back at the Shen Mansion, except for the first and fifteenth days of the lunar month, Shen Wenjun would always stay in her courtyard. At first, she had been a bit apprehensive, worried that the mistress might be displeased and would cause trouble for her.
But later, she realized that the mistress was an extremely kind person, not at all resentful that she had monopolized Shen Wenjun—almost as if she wished Shen Wenjun would stay with her all the time.
Shi Yuan didn’t understand it, but knowing that the situation was favorable to her, she was simply happy and couldn’t be bothered to think too deeply about the reasons.
On this day, as usual, Shi Yuan saw Qi Chuyan off and then went to the hot spring within the summer palace. After soaking until she felt utterly relaxed, she had just returned to the Tinglan Pavilion when she received unexpected news—the mistress had actually come.
Shi Yuan was puzzled. Why had the mistress come?
Sun Yun Ning looked at Shi Yuan and, seeing her rosy complexion and delighted expression, felt a sense of relief.
These past few days, the atmosphere in the Shen Mansion had not been particularly pleasant.
She had always known that Shen Wenjun was fond of Shi Yuan. For her, matters of romantic affection were of little importance. She had legitimate sons and daughters, and Shen Wenjun was willing to show her the respect due to a principal wife—that was enough. Moreover, her feelings toward Shen Wenjun were a mix of gratitude and fear, with nothing more beyond that.
They simply treated each other with mutual respect.
But Shen Wenjun had been unusually somber these past few days, casting a pall over the mansion. Fortunately, he had been staying in the front courtyard recently, which allowed Sun Yun Ning to breathe a little easier.
Because of this, she couldn’t help but worry about Shi Yuan, concerned that her simple and straightforward nature might displease the Emperor.
But now, seeing Shi Yuan’s condition with her own eyes, it seemed better than she had imagined.
Indeed, although Shi Yuan was simple-minded, her charming and lively nature was something few could dislike.
Feeling somewhat reassured, Sun Yun Ning broached the main reason for her visit. She had come with serious matters to discuss. Worried that Shi Yuan might not fully understand, she explained everything in the simplest terms possible. As soon as she finished speaking, Shi Yuan looked utterly astonished, her voice rising slightly:
“Madam, are you saying that from now on, the master and I will be like siblings?”
Sun Yun Ning felt another pang of headache and concern. With such a straightforward temperament, could she really survive in the inner palace?
She nodded in confirmation. “Yes, from now on, you will be a female relative of a collateral branch of the Shen family—the master’s cousin.”
There was no other way. Shi Yuan’s background was not honorable—she couldn’t be introduced as someone from the pleasure quarters who had once been Shen Wenjun’s concubine. Fortunately, it seemed the Emperor was currently somewhat pleased with her and willing to make arrangements on her behalf. With this change in identity, she would henceforth be considered a young lady from an official family.
Shen Wenjun was young and promising, with a bright official career ahead. The Shen family was a century-old aristocratic clan. Since she had changed her surname, her fate was now intertwined with the Shen family—prosperity and decline were shared. From this point onward, entering the inner palace, she would no longer be alone.
Shi Yuan naturally understood the weight of this. Her eyes reddened again, brimming with tears, her voice soft and tender:
"Madam, you and the master are both so kind."
She knew how to be grateful, and Sun Yun Ning felt comforted by this. Yet, Sun Yun Ning did not forget to remind her:
"It is also because the Emperor cares for you."
Without the Emperor's approval, even if Shen Wenjun had such intentions, it would have to go through the Shen family's elders. After careful deliberation by the family, some matters might have already been settled.
Shi Yuan, from now on, would be called Shen Shiyuan.
Upon hearing this, Shen Shiyuan realized something. She nodded solemnly and said:
"I understand. I will properly express my gratitude to the Emperor."
Sun Yun Ning coughed lightly, not daring to imagine how she planned to show her gratitude to the Emperor.
Author's Note:
Daughter: Wealth and glory, come to my bowl!
Xiao Qi: …
【So adorable!】
【The Wuzhou arc is over. Next up is the palace intrigue content.】
【Another bonus chapter! I think this is the first time I’ve posted three chapters in a row since starting this story.】
【Out of drafts, can’t hold onto any more.】