Chapter 28

Princess Shaoyang truly had a timid disposition.

Just a moment ago, her imperial brother’s shocking and outrageous words had left her eyes wide in fright.

Then, turning her head and catching sight of Grand Tutor Wei standing outside the hall with his hands behind his back and an expressionless face, she suddenly found herself unsure if her earlier outburst and complaints had reached the Grand Tutor’ ears.

She took a sharp breath in, only to forget how to breathe out again.

Nie Qinglin, on the other hand, let out a faint smile.

“Didn’t the Grand Tutor say he was going to the front court for discussion? What brings you here to Me instead?”

Wei Lenghou did have court business, but when he casually asked Eunuch Ruan what His Majesty was up to, the eunuch answered honestly that the emperor was currently speaking with Princess Shaoyang, who was preparing for a marriage alliance with the Xiongnu.

Wei Lenghou’s mind turned quickly.

He told the attending ministers to go have some tea and rest for a bit, then with a turn of his heel, came straight to the emperor’s chambers.

He had originally come out of concern that Princess Shaoyang might throw a tearful tantrum, refusing the marriage proposal.

The little Dragon Pearl was soft-hearted and agreeable—he feared he might be swayed, so he came with the intention of helping extricate him from the situation.

Never did he expect that the young emperor would be holding up the scene alone—and was even coaxing his imperial sister to marry into another household!

“The ministers of the front court are all resting. This humble servant thought I hadn’t yet come to pay respects to Your Majesty today, so I dropped by on the way. I pay my respects to the Emperor, and greet Princess Shaoyang.”

As he spoke, he bowed to both.

Seeing that this plague-god of a Grand Tutor didn’t appear to be entering in a fit of blame or reproach, Princess Shaoyang finally dared to take a few tiny breaths.

She didn’t even dare to remain seated to accept the courtesy.

Hastily rising, she bid farewell to the emperor with reddened eyes and a pale face, then hurried back to her palace courtyard with her maids trailing behind.

Once the princess had left, Grand Tutor Wei sat down in the seat she had just vacated.

Turning his handsome face slightly, he looked the emperor up and down.

Nie Qinglin lowered her head slightly, avoiding that irritating gaze.

“Why does the Grand Tutor look at Me like that?”

The Grand Tutor gave her another look, then said blandly, “This humble servant was just feeling fortunate that Your Majesty is not a princess.”

Nie Qinglin cast a quick glance at the Grand Tutor and laughed.

“And why would the Grand Tutor say such a thing?”

“If Your Majesty were a princess, then the man who married you would surely live on edge—always cautious, always treading on eggshells. Likely, before the pillow had even warmed, he’d be dismissed and sent packing, only to be replaced by someone younger and more tender.”

Nie Qinglin couldn’t help but smile faintly.

That sudden remark from the Grand Tutor had startled her just now—she had thought he’d found some flaw in her conduct.

She knew well that her earlier words had stabbed right at the Grand Tutor’s tender spot, making him quite displeased.

But then again, the things she had just said were truly unfit to come from a man’s mouth.

What accomplished man wouldn’t dream of being surrounded by beauties, of spending his nights among tender blossoms of all four seasons?

If she had truly been born a woman, and had dared to utter such things—encouraging her own elder sister to remarry her stepson—she’d likely have already been bound with stones and sunk into the old well of the palace.

How lucky, how lucky indeed!

At the thought, she laughed and said, “The words We used to comfort royal sister—how could the Grand Tutor take them seriously? Men and women are different, hardly comparable. If things were truly as We said, wouldn’t the whole structure of noble households fall into chaos? When there are many women in a household, at most there will be bickering and face-scratching. But if we were to lock that many men in one place…”

Here, she suddenly paused.

Somehow, she was reminded of the sight of the Grand Tutor entangled in fierce combat with Xiu Tulie—how thrillingly spectacular that had been!

The Grand Tutor couldn’t be bothered to spar over such childish nonsense.

Instead, he asked, “Just now, hearing Princess Shaoyang’s tearful complaint, this humble servant felt rather uneasy. But I chose her precisely because of her gentle and accommodating nature—she lacks the willfulness and temper of most princesses. Once over there, she would be able to go with the flow, win over the favor of the old Chanyu, and maintain peace at the borders. It’s no small matter, this marriage alliance… Does Your Majesty also blame me for sending the princess far away?”

Nie Qinglin smiled, doing her best to cover the fury in her eyes.

“How could We blame the Grand Tutor? When the blood of our soldiers is shed, it is also the day delicate women must sacrifice themselves for the nation. If, under the name of a marriage alliance, we can secure decades of peace at the frontier, then sister’s royal birth is not in vain. Besides, beloved minister… if the state treasury allows, We hope the Grand Tutor can see to it that royal sister’s dowry is properly prepared—plenty of rouge and powder, jeweled hairpins and jade earrings. Let her go adorned in splendor. Should she win favor upon arrival, she might shield the soldiers of Wei from a few more storms.”

Wei Lenghou realized that lately, he had finally begun to grasp the turning points in this dragon pearl’s tangled web of half-truths and veiled meanings.

Just like now—the words were tender, the expression properly humble.

But that sincerity never made it into the eyes.

Silk hiding a needle, stabbing straight at the heart’s acupoint—dead on target.

A loud “pa!” rang out — the small tea table beside Grand Tutor Wei was smashed to pieces by a slap of his palm.

Looking again at the man, his face had already turned a livid shade of iron-blue from rage.

Nie Qinglin immediately knew to shut her mouth, silently worrying whether she had overplayed her hand.

Would the Grand Tutor come forward and strangle her neck right there?

But after Grand Tutor Wei shattered the table and crushed the teacup that had rolled to his feet into fine shards, he said nothing more.

He simply rose and left the bedchamber.

Eunuch Ruan had heard the commotion from outside long ago and was wondering to himself: What happened? Could it be that the Grand Tutor’s brief moment of interest has already passed?

An Qiao’er entered and, upon seeing the mess of debris scattered across the floor, was startled into a jump.

She couldn’t help but scold her young master: “Your Majesty, this servant knows how much you care for Princess Shaoyang, but as things stand, we can barely look after ourselves. Why… why must you still insist on sticking your neck out!”

Nie Qinglin was lying sideways on a small couch to one side, lightly patting her own chest over and over again.

“Aiyo… Qiao’er, don’t scold me just yet — come, quickly feel my chest, it’s pounding like mad!”

Seeing her little emperor so carefree and heartless, An Qiao’er was too angry to even know what to say.

Only after Qiao’er, cheeks puffed with frustration, reached out to help soothe her chest did Nie Qinglin’s smile fade a little.

In a low voice, she said: “At last, I’ve found that beloved official’s weak spot. If I didn’t provoke him a little, I fear that with him coming to the bedchamber every single day, constantly scheming how to peel off my dragon robe, I’d be found out sooner or later!”

Only then did An Qiao’er realize that her young master had done it on purpose.

But… would it work?

She had clearly heard it just now from outside — His Majesty had slyly mocked the Grand Tutor as dim and incompetent, relying on women to curry favor with the Xiongnu.

And though the Grand Tutor had been so furious that he smashed all these things, not a single harsh word had he directed toward the emperor.

To make the Grand Tutor swallow such indignity — dry-swallow it without even a sip of water to help — probably only her own little master could do such a thing… This is hard, truly hard…

The farewell ceremony for Princess Shaoyang was held at noon, when yang energy was at its peak.

The procession sending the princess off for her marriage alliance was grand and imposing beyond expectations.

By reason, a princess from the reign of the former emperor shouldn’t have warranted such elaborate treatment.

Yet the number of attendants and carriages, and the wealth of her dowry, even surpassed those given to the most favored princesses when the previous emperor was alive.

Even Xiu Tulie himself wore a face full of surprise — he hadn’t expected the stepmother that his father was marrying would hold such weight within the imperial family of Great Wei.

His manner of speech toward Princess Shaoyang was, accordingly, a touch more respectful.

Nie Qinglin understood clearly — this was the Grand Tutor giving her some face.

She sincerely expressed her gratitude to him.

But Grand Master Wei’s expression remained grim and steely.

He stood atop the towering city gate, watching the princess’s escort fade into the distance, silent for a long time.

In the end, he almost seemed to mutter to himself:

“This minister does not speak of matters he cannot guarantee — so I dare not promise there will be a day when Your Majesty’s imperial sister can be welcomed back.
But this minister swears an oath to the heavens —This will absolutely be the last frail woman to shield the blades for the warriors of Great Wei.”

Nie Qinglin knew that Grand Tutor Wei was thin-faced and held grudges — that bout of words a few days ago had truly wounded the iron-blooded heart of a man.

Back when the late emperor still lived, he had always been the main advocate for war in the court.

But now, with herself holding the reins of power in Great Wei, she too had come to understand the bitter truth that a clever housewife cannot cook without rice.

Who knew how many steadfast men’s spines had been silently ground to dust in the dark before the Grand Tutor finally made the decision to negotiate peace with the Xiongnu?

Her own words back then had indeed cut deep — thinking on it now, she did feel somewhat guilty toward the Grand Tutor, who had patched over the broken window paper on behalf of her imperial father…

Nie Qinglin said nothing in reply, but she knew in her heart: a few years down the road, once Great Wei had recovered and regained its strength, a battle of life and death with the Xiongnu would be inevitable.

After sending off the princess, Prince of Xiu Tulie — whose arrival had stirred up a storm in the capital — also departed.

With that source of unrest gone, the capital returned to its usual bustle and splendor.

Because of the trouble stirred up at the teahouse the last time, the Grand Tutor had stopped bringing His Majesty out in disguise to tour the streets.

Nie Qinglin had assumed the Grand Tutor would need a few more days to patch up his wounded pride, but unexpectedly, the very next day after sending off Princess Shaoyang, he came to see the emperor as if nothing had happened.

But the Grand Tutor did not come empty-handed — he brought along a snow-white filly to present to His Majesty.

That mare had a gleaming coat, long slender legs, and while flicking her tail, the large eyes on her long face fluttered with thick lashes, soft and charming.

Nie Qinglin only took one look and was utterly smitten.

She personally bestowed upon the mare an imperial name — “Jiao Niangzi,” meaning “Fair Lady of Peerless Beauty.”

Once Jiao Niangzi had been fitted with a saddle, and the emperor — with the Grand Tutor’s help — mounted her, she truly experienced the exhilaration of a true man: riding a fine steed, bearing a beauty on its back, it was an unmatched feeling of power and swagger!

It was already spring, and the canals around the city had long since thawed — a perfect season for spring outings.

Not far from the outskirts of the capital, right next to the military camp, lay the royal racetrack.

Each year, when the grass began to grow and orioles started to sing, the racetrack would grow lively with fresh green and people.

Taking advantage of a court recess, the Grand Tutor personally accompanied His Majesty to the racetrack to ride through the shallow spring grass.

But since His Majesty’s riding and archery skills were both poor, the Grand Tutor once again had to personally teach by staying close at hand.

With the weather warming, their clothes were lighter than in winter.

When the Grand Tutor pulled the emperor up to ride together on his own horse — Gale Flame — it was the first time he realized: though this little dragon might be lacking in some areas, his imperial backside was round and pert indeed.

When Gale Flame took off galloping, each jolt and bump was soul-stirring and spirit-shaking…

Nie Qinglin’s whole focus was on the reins and staying balanced, and naturally didn’t notice the arm around her gradually tightening, pulling her closer and closer to the person behind.

The Grand Tutor was getting on in years — after just one lap, not even fully warmed up, his breath was already growing heavier…

Truth be told, the emperor wasn’t feeling too comfortable either.

She only felt that the saddle behind her had grown uneven, bumpy, and oddly shaped, not quite fitting properly.

Just when she was getting into the rhythm of riding, the Grand Tutor, holding her tightly, suddenly spurred the horse and galloped toward a military tent pitched beside the racetrack.