A Concubine's Competitive Life in the Prince's Household-Chapter 191

Prince Yan lay back on the bed, quietly regulating his breathing. His injuries were severe, and he would need at least three days of rest before he could get up and move around. There might still be assassins searching outside, so for now, he had no choice but to stay in Liu Family Village.

His mind was hazy as he pondered how to contact his subordinates, but his eyelids grew heavy, and he soon fell back into a deep slumber.

Thanks to his robust constitution, Prince Yan recovered enough to get out of bed after just two days. That afternoon, he leaned against the wall and took slow, steady steps out of the cramped wooden hut—he needed to find a way to reach his men.

The farmer’s home was small, with only two earthen houses and a modest courtyard.

The sunlight was warm and bright. Under the shade of a lush green tree, Shen Wei sat with the white-haired Granny Liu in the courtyard, the two of them shelling beans together.

"Erniu went to catch fish. We’ll make fish soup for your husband tonight," Granny Liu said kindly.

Shen Wei smiled, her eyes curving like crescents. "Thank you, Granny Liu."

Granny Liu chuckled. "No need for thanks. Once his injuries heal, the two of you can head south—no one will ever find you there. Back in the day, my old man and I ran away together too. Now we’ve got three sons."

Out of the corner of her eye, Shen Wei noticed Prince Yan standing at the door of the hut. She pretended not to see him and continued chatting with Granny Liu, her words laced with wistfulness and sorrow.

"My husband is always so busy, never able to rest. I don’t care for wealth or grandeur, nor do I care for formalities. All I want is to grow old with him, living a simple life like any ordinary couple... But alas, it’s just a dream."

Prince Yan froze.

Weiwei… she didn’t actually enjoy the luxuries of the mansion?

Watching Shen Wei’s faintly melancholic smile, his heart stirred inexplicably. The urgency to return to the capital, which had consumed him, suddenly quieted. Ever since the Crown Prince fell ill, Prince Yan had devoted all his energy to seizing power—scheming with advisors, strategizing with subordinates for the grand plan ahead.

A peaceful life, free from burdens, had always seemed out of reach.

But now, hearing Shen Wei’s words, a flicker of longing ignited in him. If he succeeded in his ambitions, perhaps in their later years, he and Shen Wei could leave the court behind and live as ordinary folk, savoring the quiet joys of life.

"You’re a good girl. Your husband would never let you down," Granny Liu said warmly.

Shen Wei nodded. "Yes, my husband is the finest man in the world."

Prince Yan’s lips curled imperceptibly.

Silently, he leaned against the doorframe, watching Shen Wei in the courtyard. It was an utterly ordinary afternoon—the shabby yard, Shen Wei in her plain clothes, the green vines creeping along the walls—yet it carried an inexplicable sense of tranquility.

"Ma! Big brother and I caught two huge fish!" The courtyard gate swung open as two tall hunters strode in, beaming with pride.

They carried two large fish in their hands.

Liu Erniu caught sight of Prince Yan standing by the door and nearly dropped his jaw in shock. "Whoa, brother! You’re already up? You should be resting!"

Guilt gnawed at him—he had mistaken the man for a deer that night and nearly shot him dead. Liu Erniu hurried over, offering support. "Brother, you’re built like a tree! You must’ve been a soldier like my little brother, huh?"

Two years ago, when enemy troops invaded, all three Liu brothers had wanted to enlist. But knowing the dangers, they argued endlessly over who should go. In the end, the youngest, Liu Xiaoniu, packed his bags in secret and left to join the army, leaving the elder brothers to care for their parents.

Prince Yan replied calmly, "I was indeed a soldier."

Liu Erniu grinned, giving Prince Yan’s shoulder a hearty pat. "No wonder you’re tough as an ox!"

He enthusiastically helped Prince Yan back inside to rest.

After delivering the fish, Liu Daniu and Liu Erniu didn’t linger. After gulping down half a ladle of well water, they grabbed their bows and hunting tools and headed back into the mountains.

As dusk approached, Prince Yan got up again. He wasn’t the type to lie still and recuperate—being bedridden made him restless.

He stepped outside. The sun was setting, casting a golden glow over the yard. Shen Wei stood by the water vat, clutching a kitchen knife and staring blankly at the fish inside. Granny Liu was too old to handle the task, so the job of gutting the fish had fallen to Shen Wei.

Of course, Shen Wei knew how to kill a fish. She could slaughter a boar—what was a fish to her?

But she couldn’t reveal that side of herself. She pretended to be helpless, sighing as she watched the two fish dart around the vat, taunting her. She reached in, only to get splashed in the face. Undeterred, she tried again, but the fish wriggled violently in her grip, its tail nearly slapping her.

The sight was so endearing that Prince Yan couldn’t help but laugh.

Shen Wei feigned annoyance. "I… I’ve never done this before! At home, my older siblings always handled the fish and poultry. And here you are, laughing at me!" fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm

Prince Yan approached, amused. He quite liked hearing her call him "husband." Teasingly, he said, "Say it again."

Shen Wei pursed her lips and stayed silent.

Prince Yan took the knife from her and plunged his large hand into the vat. His grip was firm, effortlessly lifting the seven-pound fish. He placed it on the chopping board, tapped its head with the blunt side of the knife, and the fish went still.

With practiced ease, he gutted and cleaned it.

Shen Wei gaped, as if seeing a whole new side of him. "That’s… incredible."

Prince Yan smirked, pride in his voice. "Back in the army, I butchered chickens and sheep all the time."

Had his elder brother, the Crown Prince, not fallen ill, Prince Yan would never have stepped into the treacherous world of court politics. He would have much preferred to remain a military commander.

With the fish prepared, Shen Wei shooed him away. "Husband, go rest. I’ll handle the cooking."

The farmer’s kitchen was rudimentary, lacking the array of spices found in Prince Yan’s Mansion. Shen Wei planned to make a simple fish stew with some greens.

She rolled up her sleeves and busied herself in the cramped kitchen.

Prince Yan didn’t leave immediately. Instead, he lingered under the eaves, watching as Shen Wei deftly boiled water and cooked the fish. Her movements were skilled, her expression focused. Her dark hair was tied up with a rough cloth, simple yet lovely.

A strange emotion welled up in him. For a moment, it felt as though he wasn’t a prince of Da Qing, and she wasn’t his concubine. They were just an ordinary couple, living an ordinary life.

Shen Wei worked diligently in the kitchen.

Occasionally, her gaze flickered toward Prince Yan, who was watching from outside. A small smile curved her lips.

Isn’t this rural life wonderful?

Shen Wei had a talent for turning even the most mundane situations to her advantage. This unexpected detour to Liu Family Village with Prince Yan couldn’t be wasted—she had to extract some value from it.

She was planting a seed in Prince Yan’s mind, a subtle suggestion: What’s so great about being a prince? Always working for the Crown Prince, drowning in responsibilities. Retirement is far better—basking in the sun, shelling beans, cooking fish, living without a care.

This, too, was part of her long-term plan.

After ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌‍all, Prince Yan was in good health and likely to live a long life. Years later, when Shen Wei’s child grew up, the long-lived Prince Yan might still cling to his title of "Prince," unwilling to step aside and make way for the next generation—how inconvenient that would be.

Now, a seed of "the beauty of retirement" had been planted in Prince Yan’s heart. Over time, this lovely seed would slowly sprout, and the busier Prince Yan became with court affairs, the faster it would grow and flourish within him.

By the time their child was ready to shoulder the responsibilities of the mansion, Prince Yan would willingly lay down his heavy burdens and retire early with Shen Wei.