Chapter 38

No sooner had her trembling cry escaped than hurried footsteps echoed outside the hall—yet the first to stride in was Wei Leng Hou.

He had originally planned to take the Dragon Pearl for a stroll in the imperial garden that evening, fearing she might grow stifled after being cooped up in the palace for days.

But just as he reached the hall’s entrance, he heard her voice quivering with fear.

Accustomed to her usual husky yet sweet tone, he instantly recognized the alarm in her cry.

In a flash, he dashed into the inner chamber, only to behold a writhing nest of snakes by the couch and the little figure frozen stiff beside it.

His gaze hardened.

“Don’t move!” he commanded.

By the inner chamber’s door hung the small bow he had once specially crafted for the Dragon Pearl.

Dust had settled on it from disuse, but he swiftly grabbed it, along with a handful of bamboo arrows, and drew the string taut.

Just as the foremost snake bared its fangs to strike Nie Qing Lin, a volley of arrows rained down upon the serpent swarm.

True to his reputation as a peerless archer, every arrow found its mark—each snake struck through its vital spot, convulsing before collapsing.

Seizing the moment, Wei Lenghou rushed forward, scooping up the pale-faced little emperor and carrying her out of the chamber.

Feeling the slight tremors in the delicate frame against his chest, the Grand Tutor pressed light kisses to her forehead.

“It’s alright. As long as I’m here, Your Majesty will come to no harm.”

Once his precious treasure was soothed, his voice turned icy.

“Investigate this thoroughly! How could such filth appear within the forbidden palace?”

Recalling the earlier peril and the lingering fear in the Dragon Pearl’s eyes, his handsome face darkened with murderous intent.

When Nanny Shan led a thorough search of the palace grounds, they discovered eight silver snakes had slithered into the bedchamber.

Six had been shot dead by the Grand Tutor, while the remaining two were severed by Nanny Shan’s blade before they could reach the windows.

Yet none could identify the snakes.

Physician Wei was summoned to examine them and check on the shaken Dragon Pearl.

Even the well-traveled physician studied the snakes for a long while before shaking his head.

“Though I often use snakes in medicine, I’ve never encountered this species. Judging by their fangs, they’re newly hatched, yet my silver needle test confirms their venom is lethal—even their scales secrete poison. Had these been fully grown, even I couldn’t have reversed their bite’s effects.”

Just then, Nanny Shan gasped.

Following her gaze, they saw one decapitated snake’s head had rolled onto the side table, where it was devouring the peach-shaped pastry dough on a plate.

Physician Wei quickly flicked the head away with his sword and sniffed the dough.

His eyes lit with realization.

“This dough carries the scent of Qionghai pollen… I see now! These are Phoenix-roosting Snakes.”

The Grand Tutor snorted.

“Phoenix-roosting? Such ugly creatures with a poetic name. What’s their origin?”

Physician Wei explained, “These snakes are unique to the southern frontier. Each October, when the rare golden phoenix chicks hatch, the Phoenix-roosting Snakes also lay eggs. They seek out phoenix nests, depositing their eggs among the chicks’ feathers to incubate. Upon hatching, the young snakes feed on the chicks’ blood before slithering to the ground, burrowing into the soil to feed on earth until adulthood, when they return to the trees. Since they only lay eggs near golden phoenix chicks, they’re exceedingly rare—I’ve never seen one before. But they crave Qionghai blossoms, often descending from trees to swallow the petals. That’s how I recognized them.”

The mention of the southern frontier made Wei Leng Hou’s expression darken.

“Physician Wei, lead a team to inspect the white peacock enclosure in the imperial garden.”

The results were swift: the peacocks lay dead, with clear signs of something burrowing out from beneath them.

Evidently, these Phoenix-roosting Snakes had been altered to parasitize the tribute white peacocks, smuggling themselves into the palace and lying dormant underground.

The pastry chef was soon apprehended.

Bewildered at first, he trembled like a sieve upon learning his dough had attracted a snake attack on the Emperor, swearing it wasn’t his doing.

When questioned about the Qionghai pollen, the chef vowed it was his family’s secret recipe, unchanged for generations.

A round of torture yielded no confession, and longtime customers confirmed his pastries always carried this unique floral scent.

The Grand Tutor’s face darkened further.

The pastry had been his own whim, made by a chef newly brought from Jiangnan.

Pursuing this line made it seem as though he’d orchestrated the Emperor’s near-demise.

Physician Wei, more familiar with the strange snakes, voiced his confusion.

“These snakes are deadliest as adults, swift enough to strike birds mid-flight. If this was deliberate, why lure them out prematurely?”

Perhaps it was the Emperor’s divine fortune that the pastry drew the young snakes out early, averting disaster with only a scare.

The Grand Tutor knew the true culprit was likely the southern frontier’s envoy—Princess Qi Ke.

With a wave of his hand, he ordered, “Dispatch troops to surround the embassy! Capture Princess Qi Ke alive!”

When the southern envoys’ residence was besieged, Princess Qi Ke emerged calmly, her slender figure poised at the gates.

“Surrounding an embassy at night—is this a Wei welcoming custom?” she asked with a smile.

“Smuggling venomous Phoenix-roosting Snake eggs into tribute gifts to assassinate the Wei Emperor—is this a southern neighborly custom?” Wei Lenghou countered coolly from horseback.

Princess Qi Ke arched a delicate brow.

After a pause, she asked, “Is the little emperor dead?”

The question struck the Grand Tutor’s heart like a blade.

In a flash, he snatched a sword from a guard and hurled it at her.

With a graceful twist, her pleated skirt flared as she leapt aside, evading the lethal strike.

“Our Emperor is shielded by the true dragon’s might—how could your barbaric schemes harm him? Surrender now!”

Qi Ke smiled.

“Had Grand Tutor studied us southern ‘barbarians,’ you’d know the Qi family specializes in poison—but each has their expertise. I follow my maternal lineage and am quite skilled. Had I wished to assassinate your emperor, I wouldn’t use snakes. Like this—” Her bracelets chimed as her wrists twisted, releasing a cloud of white mist.

The encircling guards inhaled the fumes, collapsing paralyzed—even the horses fell.

As the mist cleared, Qi Ke stepped over the prone Wei Lenghou.

“Had I truly wished to kill your emperor, it would’ve been this simple. Why use clumsy snakes and wait here to be caught?”

Though immobilized, the Grand Tutor could still speak.

“Are you suggesting someone framed you?”

Qi Ke smiled.

“Indeed. I underestimated my opponent—I never thought he could cultivate Phoenix-roosting Snakes to infest white peacocks… My elder brother truly is a master of serpents.”

“Your brother? Why would he plot against you?”

“In the southern frontier, women too can inherit the throne. Does that clarify things?… Since you’re ‘indisposed,’ Grand Tutor, might I propose a trade?”

Wei Lenghou smirked.

“Do enlighten me.”

Qi Ke gracefully seated herself on a servant’s back.

“My brother, soon to inherit the throne, has grown close to your Prince of Lingnan. Greedy as the snakes he keeps, he foolishly dreams of devouring Wei, blind to the ruin his ambition will bring. My father thus favors me as heir. Upon learning this, my brother Qi Da panicked, staging a coup during my mission here to imprison our father. Worse, he tampered with the tribute to kill me.”

“If you aid me in quelling the southern rebellion, I’ll ensure lasting peace between our lands once I’m queen.”

The Grand Tutor’s eyes glinted.

“What if I harbor ambitions to swallow the south myself?”

Qi Ke smiled confidently.

“Because you’re no fool like my brother. The south is a beautiful but poisonous fruit—filled with deadly miasma, treacherous terrain, and warring tribes. Even if Wei conquers it, holding it would be impossible. Supporting a peace-loving ruler is the true path to stability.”

Wei Lenghou pondered, then said, “Princess, your words are wise… but one question remains.”

“What question?” She leaned forward slightly.

In a lightning move, the seemingly paralyzed Grand Tutor struck, pressing his sword to her throat until a trickle of blood appeared.

“Princess, you misunderstand. Those who wish to bargain with me must first learn to kneel—not leave me lying down!”

His handsome face was coldly imperious, his sword hand steady, showing no trace of poisoning.

Stunned, Qi Ke could only laugh bitterly, recalling her father’s warning: “Daughter, remember—Wei Lenghou is Wei’s true ruler. Meet him with courtesy, not tricks. Such a man yields to softness, not force…”

After the snake ordeal, Nie Qinglin temporarily moved to her late mother’s palace.

Her mother had been a concubine, only posthumously honored as an imperial consort when her father issued edicts for the harem—edicts left unannounced when the Grand Tutor stormed the palace in his coup.

Now, returning to her childhood home, every plant and tree stirred memories, as if scenes from her youth played before her eyes.

As night deepened, Nanny Shan prepared the bedding and urged the Emperor to rest.

Yet lying in bed, Nie Qing Lin couldn’t shake the fear of snakes slithering out.

She’d always prided herself on courage, but now knew true dread of those slender, sinuous creatures.

Just then, a shadow swayed outside the bed curtains.

Frozen, she whispered, “Nanny Shan—”

A tall figure stepped through the drapes.

“When afraid, you call for Nanny Shan—why not your husband?”

Lifting the quilt, he gathered the trembling figure into his arms.

Recognizing the Grand Tutor, she relaxed at his familiar medicinal scent. “Must you startle We so? We thought a great serpent had slithered in!”

His eyes glinted mischievously.

“This subject does harbor a ‘great serpent,’ eager to delve into Your Majesty’s dragon form. Might the Emperor grant this humble one’s wish?”

Blushing at his vulgarity, she huffed, “After today’s fright, must you tease Me so?”

Adoring her flustered face, he propped himself up to gaze at her before finally kissing those sweet lips.

They tasted of nectar, and like the exotic snake, he longed to drain every drop of honey from them…