Chapter 39

The dragon pearl’s skin was incredibly smooth, every inch of it enough to make one sink deep into obsession.

Were it not for the fact that she had suffered a fright during the day, Wei Lenghou truly wished to worship every part of this little one in his arms with his lips and tongue.

That night, the Grand Tutor did not return to his residence, choosing instead to share the bed with the Emperor.

Nie Qinglin gently dissuaded him a few times, mostly along the lines of how his concubines would be left waiting if he did not return.

The Grand Tutor, who was in the midst of removing his outer robe and washing his face, shot a glare at dragon pearl, who was hugging the quilt on the bed.

“This subject had Your Majesty read ‘The Admonitions for Women’ in the hopes that you would remember the ancient teaching of ‘taking the husband as the heaven.’ A woman must never serve two husbands! As for that virtuous advice urging husbands to take more concubines, Your Majesty need not learn it—it’s neither here nor there and only serves to anger people. Instead, why not bring out that fiery temper you showed when slapping that ‘little slut’? That would better suit Your Majesty’s true nature.”

Nie Qinglin had originally intended to expound further on the profound virtues of womanly conduct: if the Grand Tutor could spend his nights frolicking among flowers and willows, never again disturbing her in the bedchamber, that would be a true delight.

But the words on the tip of her tongue were swallowed back, for she knew that speaking them would only provoke the living King of Hell into another restless night.

Instead, she put on a weary, exhausted expression.

This was no act.

The dragon pearl was naturally frail, with insufficient qi and blood.

Even if a man-eating beast lay beside her, she would have to sleep first to recover her strength.

The Grand Tutor, fearing she would not rest well, ordered calming agarwood incense to be lit.

Before long, the dragon pearl had fallen asleep nestled in his arms.

That night, dragon pearl slept fitfully.

Wei Lenghou, holding her, could feel cold sweat breaking out intermittently across her body.

Who knew what nightmares plagued her dreams? Yet no matter how much she tossed and turned, not a single word escaped her lips.

When awake, she pretended to be easygoing, but in the depths of sleep, her stubborn nature revealed itself.

Recalling the cunning way this little troublemaker had feigned sleep-talk to accuse Nanny Shan, the corners of Wei Lenghou’s lips curled slightly in a cold smirk.

If only she truly had the habit of sleep-talking! At least then he could glimpse what was going through the mind of this soft creature in his arms.

Wei Lenghou stretched out a long arm, firmly anchoring the restless little one against his chest.

By the moonlight streaming through the window, he gazed at her fair, luminous face, her slightly upturned eyelashes trembling faintly with the turbulence of her nightmares.

Wei Lenghou felt as though his own heart were tightly bound by an invisible thread, rising and falling with the emotions of the jade-like beauty in his arms.

Since discovering Nie Qinglin’s secret, the Grand Tutor had ordered Eunuch Ruan to retrieve the old palace records, meticulously reviewing the volume on Consort Li.

A long-forsaken imperial concubine and her child—over a decade in the palace amounted to no more than two meager pages!

Sixth Year of Chengguang, Great Wei: Consort Li gives birth to twins—a prince first, then a princess. Elevated to Consort Li.

Ninth Year of Chengguang, Great Wei: Consort Li neglects her duties in caring for the young prince, resulting in the fourteenth prince falling into water and losing consciousness. Publicly reprimanded by Emperor Wei Ming, she is punished with kneeling in Guang’en Palace. Fortunately, the prince’s fortune protects him, and he awakens unharmed. However, the princess born to Consort Li contracts a severe illness and dies suddenly days later. Fearing a plague outbreak in the palace, the body is removed overnight.

The deceased princess was not yet three years old, her childhood name Guo’er. As she died young, she was never given a formal name or title…

These few sparse lines were the entirety of the official records regarding the “deceased” princess.

Reading this, Wei Lenghou understood everything.

Most likely, the fourteenth prince had already breathed his last after falling into the water.

Fearing she would lose her sole pillar of support in the palace and incur the emperor’s wrath over the lost heir, Consort Li had taken a desperate gamble, substituting her daughter for her deceased son, hoping the resemblance between the twins would help her weather the storm and regain imperial favor someday, perhaps even bear another son.

Wei Lenghou sneered at this point.

Fortunately, Consort Li had exhausted every trick in the book yet failed to conceive again.

Had she borne another son, such a bold, ambitious woman would never have left behind the damning evidence of a fake prince and real princess.

His little dragon pearl would likely have met the same fate as her ill-fated brother, her fragrant soul vanishing far too soon…

It wasn’t that Wei Lenghou thought too harshly of human nature—it was just that women who fought for imperial favor by any means necessary could become far more terrifying than even they themselves could imagine.

That Consort Li… it was just as well she was dead.

Wei Lenghou found that the more he learned about the jade-like beauty in his arms, the more pity and tenderness he felt.

How many twists of fate had it taken to nurture this pearl, so utterly unlike the filth and corruption of the Wei palace?

When he had thought her a prince, he had believed the favor he showed her was already lenient, almost condescending.

Now, however, he felt that even holding her at the tip of his heart or keeping her in his mouth was not enough.

This was a woman forgotten by the world, but she was Wei Lenghou’s Guo’er alone.

Wei Lenghou even regretted not having met this little Guo’er sooner, leaving her to suffer so much hardship in the palace without anyone to rely on.

That night, Wei Lenghou lay awake once more, his mind not on the southern borders or northern seas, nor on strategies of slaughter and conquest.

His eyes reflected only the one who filled his heart, and he wished for nothing more than to swallow this dragon pearl whole, if only to set his mind at ease.

This year, the young Emperor’s birthday banquet was the foremost event in the palace.

Many years ago, when Eunuch Ruan was still an insignificant little eunuch, he had watched the chief eunuchs strut about with arrogance, especially when organizing banquets with their extravagant, free-spending airs.

He had envied them beyond measure.

Now, though he had risen to become the chief eunuch of the palace, times had changed.

As the top eunuch, he no longer enjoyed the authority and grandeur of his predecessors.

The palace was nothing like it had been in the previous emperor’s time, bustling with life and spectacle.

The imperial concubines and princes were either imprisoned or demoted, each living in constant fear.

With their masters gloomy-faced, how could the maids and eunuchs serving them be in high spirits? They moved about listlessly, as though lacking a backbone.

The vast palace no longer held the lively clamor of the past.

Apart from the occasional ceremonial display during festivals, most of the time, the palace halls were as desolate and silent as a mountain temple deep in the wilderness.

This time, having received the Grand Tutor’s verbal decree to organize a grand celebration for the young Emperor’s sixteenth birthday, Eunuch Ruan was naturally overjoyed.

After the incident on the official road by Swallow Lake, even he, the chief eunuch of the inner court, had rarely been able to see the Emperor.

He had initially suspected that the Emperor had fallen out of favor and been imprisoned in the bedchamber by the Grand Tutor.

But seeing things now, that didn’t seem to be the case! Before the victory in Anxi, when the Grand Tutor’s birthday had arrived, every government office had been on high alert, thinking this was their chance to flatter and curry favor.

Yet His Excellency had cited delayed tribute payments from various regions and an empty treasury as reasons to cancel the celebrations outright—not even a single banquet was held.

From then on, not a single noble in the capital, from the elderly down to infants, dared to host birthday or celebratory banquets.

All put on solemn faces of concern for the nation, afraid their lack of insight would fail to align them with the Grand Tutor’s example.

But now, for the young Emperor’s sixteenth birthday, the Grand Tutor had personally sent a handwritten note to the Ministry of Revenue, allocating special funds for the celebration.

The note did not specify an amount—it was simply one concise sentence:

Spare no expense of Great Wei’s resources to ensure His Majesty’s delight!

The minister in charge of the Ministry of Revenue stared at this sentence, dumbfounded, before convening his advisors for a full hour of discussion.

The main question was:

What exactly is the Grand Tutor scheming this time?

Why such an extravagant celebration for the Emperor’s birthday? Was it to deliberately create the illusion that the new Emperor was a pleasure-seeking, decadent ruler? If so, how exactly should they go about this extravagance to form a stark contrast with the Grand Tutor, who bore the world’s burdens?

The Ministry of Revenue lost quite a few hairs over this, but Eunuch Ruan saw things clearly:

The ministers are overthinking this!

To him, the Grand Tutor’s words were truly in the same vein as the beacon fires lit to amuse a concubine or the thousand-mile relay of lychees—all the acts of a man so besotted with his beloved that he would pile every treasure in the world onto a single plate and present it to his heart’s delight.

Unburdened by the ministers’ concerns, Eunuch Ruan naturally intended to execute the Grand Tutor’s personal orders flawlessly, both to showcase his competence and to savor the privileges of being the chief eunuch of the inner court.

Eunuch Ruan selected a group of clever young eunuchs and assigned them to procure all necessary items for the palace.

In the following days, the palace was thrown into chaos.

Maids and eunuchs, directed by the jubilant Eunuch Ruan, scurried about in a frenzy.

First, every hall was thoroughly cleaned—not a speck of dust remained.

Even the decorative stones in the imperial garden were rearranged repeatedly, positioned just so to meet Eunuch Ruan’s artistic standards.

Old furnishings in every hall were replaced with new ones, restoring some of the luxurious grandeur of the previous emperor’s reign.

The Emperor had no heirs.

Following Wei dynasty tradition, the eldest legitimate sons of court officials were to enter the palace to present gifts, representing their households in celebrating the Emperor’s birthday.

The palace’s grand preparations, along with the Grand Tutor’s note to the Ministry of Revenue, had reached the ears of the court officials.

Like the Ministry of Revenue, the court officials’ understanding of the Grand Tutor’s true intentions was poles apart.

They assumed the Grand Tutor was merely putting on a show of loyalty for the world to see while testing the allegiance of his ministers.

This birthday banquet was clearly a life-or-death choice of sides! Those with sense would naturally distance themselves from the adult puppet Emperor, who was soon to be deposed.

Thus, apart from a few truly loyal old ministers like Grand Secretary Wu, most court officials paid little attention to the gift presentations.

On the eve of the Emperor’s birthday, the eldest legitimate sons filed into the palace, each holding ornately carved and gilded gift boxes.

They proceeded to the Xuanhe Hall, where eunuchs received the boxes, placed them on the tables, and attached name plaques.

That day, the Grand Tutor had spent the morning reviewing memorials in the imperial study.

Stepping out for some air, he noticed the procession of young masters entering the palace with gifts and decided to take a look.

But after a glance at the displayed gifts, the Grand Tutor’s handsome face, which had been perfectly pleasant moments ago, darkened with stormy displeasure.

What was all this rubbish? The golden peaches and jade carvings—commonplace trinkets—were bad enough, but not a single standout item could be seen!

As the ancients said, “Water too clear breeds no fish.”

This was especially true for those in high positions managing their subordinates.

Though the Grand Tutor had punished a batch of corrupt officials upon assuming power, he still needed to win over hearts and stabilize the situation.

The aristocratic families with generations of officials were deeply entrenched, making it unwise to uproot them entirely.

But now, when presenting gifts to the Emperor, these wealthy households were suddenly pretending to be impoverished? It almost made him consider confiscating a few of their estates to replenish the treasury!

The Grand Tutor’s good mood vanished.

In front of several young masters who had yet to leave, he casually picked up a jade ruyi scepter and smashed it against the corner of the table.

The poorly crafted scepter shattered into several pieces, scattering fragments across the floor.

“Eunuch Ruan… could it be that the little eunuchs in the hall have been dishonest, secretly swapping out the young masters’ gifts?” the Grand Tutor asked ominously.

Eunuch Ruan shrank his neck in fear, his recent jubilation shaken off.

“Replying to the Grand Tutor, even if those little slaves ate three catties of leopard guts, they wouldn’t dare commit such an audacious act!”

The Grand Tutor snorted coldly.

“If they haven’t been swapped, how could such shabby items end up here? Gather these wretched things into a box and remove them—don’t let them offend His Majesty’s eyes on the actual day!”

With that, he turned and strode out, leaving the horrified young masters exchanging bewildered glances.

News of the Grand Tutor’s displeasure at the court officials’ neglect of the Emperor’s birthday spread rapidly.

The court officials conferred among themselves, none quite grasping the Grand Tutor’s intentions.

Those with sharper minds suddenly had an epiphany: the Grand Tutor’s own birthday banquet had been canceled to preserve his reputation for integrity, but the Emperor’s banquet was a different matter! These gifts would be sealed in the imperial private treasury—wouldn’t they all end up in the Grand Tutor’s pockets?

Presenting gifts to the Emperor was presenting gifts to the Grand Tutor!

The court officials, ever efficient, sprang into action, hastily preparing new gifts.

Overnight, shops specializing in exotic foreign curiosities were packed to the brim.

Rare treasures usually kept under lock and key were snapped up in no time.

Elegant items like calligraphy, paintings, and antiques became priceless, with buyers scrambling to outbid one another.

Nie Qinglin remained oblivious to the chaos the Grand Tutor’s whim had unleashed upon the capital’s nobility.

On the day of the banquet, Nie Qinglin donned her crown and first paid respects at the ancestral temple before returning to the palace to receive the court officials’ three kneelings and nine prostrations.

After the rites, the Grand Tutor’s personally written congratulatory address on the Emperor’s coming of age was read aloud.

Seated on the throne, Nie Qinglin listened to the address with inner amusement: Truly, the foundation of a top-three palace examination graduate!

The speech was rich in literary allusions and dazzling in rhetoric, elevating a formal congratulatory text into a moving tribute that nearly brought tears to her eyes.

She almost wanted to embrace this paragon of Great Wei’s ministers and lament the hardships of her growth!

Behind the beaded curtain, she glanced subtly at the Grand Tutor standing before the hall.

Like her, resplendent in formal attire, the Grand Tutor had dressed with exceptional grandeur.

His newly tailored court robes accentuated his broad shoulders and narrow waist, his tall, straight posture drawing all eyes.

His jet-black hair was neatly bound under a high marquis’s crown, and beneath his sword-like brows, his phoenix eyes held a rare hint of amusement.

Had the long-neglected imperial concubines caught sight of him like this, they might have forgotten he was the King of Hell come to claim lives, once again entranced by the Grand Tutor’s striking looks.

When it came time to present the gifts, since they had already been submitted before the ceremony, they only needed to be announced and displayed for the Emperor.

Truth be told, though Nie Qinglin had lived as a prince for years, this was the first time she had received so many gifts.

Each was exquisite and unique… yet none seemed meant for her.

For instance, the golden-threaded jade-beaded outer robe was clearly several sizes too large—only a tall, strapping man like the Grand Tutor could carry it off.

Then there was that seventy-catty Dou Yue battle bow—three eunuchs straining to lift it couldn’t even draw the string, let alone someone as weak as her…

The eunuch announcing the gifts did not present all of them.

Some had been prearranged by the donors not to be read aloud, only to be discreetly shown to the Emperor.

Such as… this set of “Mandarin Duck Eight Pleasures Box.”

When the eunuch first presented the box to the Grand Tutor, the latter’s slightly narrowed eyes suddenly brightened with satisfaction, and he nodded approvingly.

The eunuch then brought it behind the curtain for the Emperor’s perusal.

Nie Qinglin peered into the open box but found nothing particularly remarkable—just several smooth, rounded jade pillars of varying sizes, along with a few white jade balls strung together like candied haws… It wasn’t until she spotted one carved with startling realism that she gasped in sudden understanding, her face flushing crimson.

She stole a glance and saw the improper Grand Tutor smirking at her from beyond the curtain.

The eunuch, blissfully unaware, added fuel to the fire.

“Your Majesty, this was presented by deputy minister of War, Shang. He instructed this slave to inform you that the items in this box are all made of rare warm jade. They grow warm against the skin. If their use is unclear, you may refer to the accompanying illustrated manual and… explore them with the imperial concubines. The variations are… quite numerous…”

The eunuch’s leering expression was particularly odious, as though this castrated creature understood the intricacies himself!

Nie Qinglin knew full well that this was actually deputy minister Shang Ning Xuan’s heartfelt offering to the Grand Tutor.

What a loyal minister!

After presenting two younger sisters, he now offered this set of… diversions.

Given the Grand Tutor’s earlier misconception about her being a young boy, he was clearly open to both sexes.

Deputy Minister Shang, though older, was still quite handsome—why didn’t he shave his beard, cleanse himself thoroughly, and personally serve the Grand Tutor in bed?

With such sycophantic dedication, he could surely sleep his way to a brilliant future!

As the blush on her face lingered, another gift was presented—this one rather peculiar, made not of gold or silver but of wheat straw and softwood, carved into a small box.

Opening the lid revealed a scene of two children climbing a towering tree on a patch of green grass.

The eunuch twisted a mechanism at the box’s base, and the two figures began to move—one climbing upward while the other tugged at his pants below.

This humble box had nearly been discarded by Eunuch Ruan, but its clever mechanism had caught his eye.

Thinking the young Emperor might enjoy such curiosities, he had kept it.

The childlike scene plucked a faint chord in Nie Qinglin’s memory.

It felt so familiar, as though she had seen it somewhere before…