Chapter 83

Chapter 83

Wei Heng carried Sheng Zhaoning back to her bedroom.

The guards had already reported their identities to the gatekeeper, so naturally, no one dared stop them along the way.

Hearing the commotion, Zhou Wei came out from the courtyard and stood beside a pillar, one brow raised as he looked toward the two figures at the entrance.

He knew Wei Heng. The Great Wei Heir Apparent, the Crown Prince, the future emperor.

The last time Sheng Zhaoning had fallen ill, he had been the one to bring her back too.

Only this time, the situation was clearly different.

Zhou Wei looked at Sheng Zhaoning, who was curled up in Wei Heng’s arms and sleeping deeply. She was obviously drunk, yet she was unexpectedly quiet and docile.

He knew Sheng Zhaoning had always slept poorly. She startled awake easily in the middle of the night and was often plagued by nightmares. Even when she managed to fall asleep, her rest was far from peaceful.

Because of that, he had even brewed calming medicine for her, though the results had been less than ideal.

Yet he had never expected that Sheng Zhaoning would be sleeping so sweetly and soundly now. Her brows remained smooth, and there was even the faintest smile at the corners of her lips.

He could not tell whether it was because she was drunk, or because the person holding her at that moment made her feel safe.

Zhou Wei opened the bedroom door for them and watched as Wei Heng gently laid her on the bed, carefully removed her shoes and socks, tucked the covers around her, then soaked a towel in hot water and wiped her face and hands. His feelings were too complicated to describe.

Hey, you two grown men. Isn’t this getting a little intimate?

Besides, since when did the Crown Prince personally escort an official home, carry him into his room, take off his shoes and socks, tuck him in, and wipe his face?

Zhou Wei’s expression was indescribable. After watching for a while, he felt he simply could not accept what he was seeing, so he closed the door and went out, leaving the two of them alone in the room.

Outside the door, the guards stood watch on both sides, staring straight ahead.

After Wei Heng finished taking care of everything, he rose to put the towel back on the rack. Unexpectedly, the moment he stood, a hand clutched tightly at his robe.

He paused and had no choice but to stop.

Sheng Zhaoning was gripping his clothes. Her eyes were half-open, her gaze hazy and unfocused. She could only make out a vague silhouette lowering its head to look at her.

Sheng Zhaoning held tightly to the hem of his robe and refused to let go.

“Your Highness, don’t go.”

There was a hint of pleading in her voice, and paired with that slightly aggrieved expression, she looked all the more pitiful.

Wei Heng’s heart felt as though it had been fiercely squeezed. He had never imagined Sheng Zhaoning would be like this when drunk.

A little unreasonable, a little soft and delicate, and a little… clingy.

Unexpectedly, he did not find it repellent in the slightest. Instead, he felt that perhaps this was the truest version of her.

No need for those cold masks. No deliberate, cruel words spoken against her own heart.

And yet, only when she was drunk would she let down all her defenses and reveal her truest self.

For no reason he could name, a sour ache rose in his chest.

Wei Heng did not know what burden Sheng Zhaoning was carrying, or why she did not dare show her real self.

He only hoped that one day, Sheng Zhaoning could lower her guard, set down all the heavy burdens on her shoulders, do only what she wanted to do, and become the person she wanted to be.

He only wanted her to be happy.

Wei Heng did not know why he had such thoughts for her alone, but he was unwilling to avoid them.

Did he like Sheng Zhaoning?

He did.

But was it affection between ruler and subject, or did he see her as a confidant, or was there some other feeling mixed within it?

He could not tell.

That he liked her was something Wei Heng was firm about, certain of, and willing to admit.

As for what kind of like it was, he needed time to understand it clearly.

But he would never run from it.

So he sat back down beside the bed and let Sheng Zhaoning take his hand. Lowering his eyes, starlight seemed to flow through them as he said softly, “Mm. I won’t go.”

Then he sat beside Sheng Zhaoning and kept watch over her for the entire night.

Under the moonlight, the faintly cool night breeze drifted in through the window and moved between them. Their clasped hands remained tightly linked the whole time and never parted.

…

By the time Sheng Zhaoning woke, Wei Heng had already left quietly.

After a hangover, a sharp pain inevitably throbbed at her temple.

Her memories of the previous night were hazy. She did not deliberately dwell on them, only piecing together a rough account of what had happened from Zhou Wei.

When she learned that the Crown Prince had been the one to send her back, Sheng Zhaoning was visibly stunned.

A few fragmented images flashed through her mind, too swift to grasp.

All that remained was the faint scent of pine, circling in her thoughts and lingering for a long time.

The war at the border had been settled, but the Chi Family remained stationed at the Northern Border. Prince Zhenbei and his party, meanwhile, temporarily settled down in the capital.

Wei Chengjun owned a residence in Capital City not far from the imperial palace. The estate was fully staffed with maids and servants, and though no one had lived there for a long time, it had always been maintained. It simply lacked the marks of daily life.

As autumn arrived, disaster reports began coming in one after another from the northern prefectures.

Since the start of the year, there had been little rain. First came drought; now a plague of locusts had followed. Many places in the north had seen no harvest at all, and the entire court was currently locked in fierce dispute over disaster relief.

By all rights, disaster relief should have been a bitter assignment. One had to endure a rough journey to the disaster-stricken areas, sleeping in the open and eating whatever was available along the way, then share the hardships of the common people to avoid earning public condemnation.

But with great sums of silver being sent to the various prefectures, a bitter assignment had become a lucrative one. Everyone wanted to get a hand in it.

Naturally, the Emperor of Wei was well aware of the schemes involved.

As a ruler, corruption among court officials had always been something he could not tolerate.

Now that the war at the border had only just ended, the court had not even had time to catch its breath. Nearly all the remaining grain and military funds had to be allocated for disaster relief, leaving no room for the slightest loss.

For that reason, the court had argued back and forth for a long time, yet the matter of disaster relief remained undecided.

“Your Majesty, the disaster in the Northern Territory is severe. In many places, bones already litter the fields, and there are even reports of families exchanging children to eat. It is truly horrifying!”

In Taihe Hall, He Wenbo, the Grand Secretary of the Cabinet, was the first to speak, steering the discussion toward disaster relief.

The emperor had been troubled by the matter for several days already, and he intended to seize this chance to settle it with his ministers.

“The memorials from the provinces about the disaster have already piled up nearly higher than Ourself. We are naturally aware of all this. The urgent matter is to decide on a candidate for disaster relief as soon as possible and send them to the afflicted regions without delay!”

At present, the court had already set aside a sum of silver for disaster relief, yet the question of who should go had become the difficult part.

First, this person’s official rank could not be too low. Otherwise, it would be difficult for them to manage the local officials and convince the people.

Second, it would be best to choose someone strong and healthy. After all, the journey was long, and someone too frail would not be able to withstand the strain.

If they fell ill or injured themselves, the court would likely have to deal with them before they could do anything else, delaying the entire relief effort instead.

“The several lords of the Cabinet are advanced in years and may not be able to endure such hardship. Your Majesty might select a suitable candidate from among the Six Ministries and Nine Courts.”

Someone below stepped forward and said, “The Six Ministries and Nine Courts each have their own duties, all requiring specialized expertise. None of them have ever participated in disaster relief before. If they are sent rashly, I fear they may be unequal to the task.”

The first official immediately retorted, “If we do not select someone from among them, are you suggesting the Grand Secretary go in person?”

“Disaster relief is of vital importance. The slightest mistake could stir up public anger, even riots. Should we not be more cautious?”

“The disaster regions are remote. Leaving aside the complications that may arise on the road, the tasks of resettling displaced people, distributing relief grain, and suppressing unrest alone will require enormous effort. The Grand Secretary has only just recovered from a serious illness. Are we to have him rush north without pause?”

“Are you insinuating that the Grand Secretary is old and weak, and no longer up to the task?”

“You-”

The officials argued endlessly inside Taihe Hall. The Emperor of Wei’s brows drew tight as he rubbed his aching temples, deeply irritated.

When civil officials started arguing, each one came armed with reason and evidence. They could debate for three days and nights without stopping, and whoever believed he held the moral high ground refused to yield.

Seeing the quarrel grow louder and more heated, the Emperor of Wei was just about to slam the table and rebuke them when, at the head of the civil officials, a figure slowly stepped forward.

Wei Heng stood straight and tall, his crimson court robes making his eyes and brows appear even clearer and more refined.

“Your Majesty, this son is willing to go.”