Chapter 61

“Where was this note found?” the Grand Tutor asked, his expression murderous.

“Reporting to the Grand Tutor, it was discovered in Li county. The innkeeper reported it to the authorities the moment he found it and didn’t delay for even a second.”

The Black Banner Army, prepared to head to the Southern frontier, had assembled outside the city early in the morning.

Steward Liu had even packed the Grand Tutor’s belongings, ready for departure… but now everything had to be put on hold.

The note was written in a familiar hand, though hurried and messy.

The gist of it was that someone had been captured by the Xiongnu and was being taken by a roundabout route back to the Northern frontier.

It was unclear how many soldiers the Xiongnu chanyu had sent out.

The Grand Tutor figured this was the perfect excuse to bring the elite troops outside the city to Lixian…

Nie Qinglin!

He wanted to see for himself which lover could have driven her to risk everything in such a reckless elopement!

At this moment, Princess Yong’an was being tossed around on a large ship.

The old woman who had inspected her body was surnamed Shen, and her wrinkled face always drooped.

She looked at Nie Qinglin with pure hatred in her eyes.

Nie Qinglin paid no attention to Shen Mama’s biting remarks.

Her mind was focused on something else.

Would Wei Lenghou really come after her? She touched the jade Buddha pendant hanging around her neck and it felt so heavy, as if it weighed down her entire neck.

Wei Lenghou will definitely come.

That man was vicious and petty.

The mere word lover might have already burned away all of his usual strategic foresight…

If Wei Lenghou had really been deceived by Ge Qingyuan, as Ge had claimed, then would he pursue by land or by water?

It had to be by water.

Water was faster.

Only by water could he reach the lower stream by tonight…

But Ge Qingyuan would surely wait until Wei Lenghou took the land route before releasing the floodwaters.

With no preparation, they would surely be trapped in the raging waters, especially since.. he didn’t even know how to swim…

If the situation weren’t so dire, Nie Qinglin might’ve even laughed at the supposedly all-capable “Demon Flood Dragon.”

(T/N: Nie Qinglin nicknamed Wei Lenghou “Demon Flood Dragon.” This was due to Wei Lenghou’s position in the imperial court, where his seat, the Flood Dragon Throne, was just a step below the emperor’s own Dragon Throne.)

Her cabin had no portholes, only a faint little oil lamp flickering.

Before long, the lamp ran out of oil and the room sank into darkness.

Nie Qinglin was about to close her eyes and rest when she noticed a faint glow on her chest.

Opening her eyes wide, she saw it was the jade Buddha and it was glowing faintly in the dark.

Who knew what kind of jade it was…

She reached for the sachet she carried, filled with fine floral powder.

She’d brought it for summer, to dab away sweat with a scented handkerchief.

A thought occurred.

She unclasped the iron oil lamp fastened to the desk, removed the jade pendant, wrapped it in a sheet, and began smashing it with all her strength…

—

When they disembarked, Nanny Shen and several burly men in black rushed her along.

To make Wei Lenghou believe the scene, Ge Qingyuan had ordered that Princess Yong’an must circle around Li county.

Wei Lenghou had spies there and had already sent out her portrait via carrier pigeon.

As long as she showed her face, the Grand Tutor would believe it all and ride straight into his own grave!

When they got off the boat, the sun was just right.

Princess Yong’an clutched her stomach and groaned faintly.

Nanny Shen frowned and allowed her to use the latrine at the dock.

Worried, Nanny Shen checked the place afterward to make sure there was nothing suspicious, then continued escorting the princess to Li county.

They stayed at an inn but secretly exited the city through an underground passage.

Ge Qingyuan’s meticulous planning was evident.

Following the river again, Ge Qinglin finally reunited with Old Lord Ge.

It was now midnight.

Stars shimmered faintly overhead, the moon hiding behind thick clouds, as if it couldn’t bear to watch the impending catastrophe.

Ge Qingyuan stood high atop the watergate dam, smiling as he waited for the princess’s arrival.

“Princess, you’ve had a hard journey. I’ve been awaiting you for a long time,” he said, stepping forward to tightly grasp Nie Qinglin’s delicate hand, leading her to the iron winch of the  sluice gate.

“I know the princess was bewitched by that traitor Wei, youthful and naive, still unwilling to let go of that charming Wei Lenghou. But Your Highness, your husband-to-be can only be me. I’m deeply suspicious by nature. If my lovely wife were to lie beneath me each night, offering her affections while thinking of another man… I fear I might grow resentful. So, better I give you this chance. Open this sluice gate with your own hands and sentence that traitor Wei to death. Then I shall bear no grudge and will cherish you dearly. What do you say?”

As he spoke, he forcefully dragged her to unlock the iron chain.

Nie Qinglin struggled, but his large hand held her firmly.

The lock was undone, and dozens of servants began turning the iron winch.

The gate slowly opened.

It had rained nonstop in recent days, and summer’s waters were already high.

The rushing waters of the Yuquan River surged into the canal, pouring downstream like a beast unleashed.

Li county sat in a low basin between mountains, like a bowl nestled among the hills.

Within two hours, it and the surrounding regions would be a vast sea.

Ge Qingyuan had already received a secret report that the Marquis of Dingguo had landed from the ship, perfect timing!

That cold-blooded Lord Wei had actually been willing to throw away everything for a woman, how surprising!

But it didn’t matter.

The woman that the Grand Tutor treasured most was now in his arms.

From this day forth, she would belong only to Ge Qingyuan!

With that thought, he suddenly spun the beauty around, covering her from view with his cloak, and lowered his head to kiss her lips, a reward to himself.

But before he could savor the softness, sharp teeth sank into his tongue.

Ge Qingyuan cried out in pain, immediately gripping the princess’s chin, his instincts ready to slap her.

But just as his palm neared her delicate cheek, he suddenly recalled her fragility and pulled back slightly.

Still, the wind from his slap made her little face twist to the side.

Seeing her pitifully turned face, Ge Qingyuan felt a rare moment of regret.

This princess was just disobedient, light punishment would do.

There were plenty of silent, bloodless tricks to tame her.

He’d nearly gone too far just now.

He reached out to check her face for injuries—

But Nie Qinglin slowly raised her head and stepped aside on her own.

She looked at the fully opened floodgate, the sluice waters crashing down like a city wall.

In that moment, the roaring torrent surged forth, and she closed her eyes, asking quietly:

“Lord Ge, when you look at this flood, do you think you’ll sleep well ever again?”

Ge Qingyuan’s hand missed its target.

His tongue still throbbed, and his heart chilled.

He turned and watched the flood rushing away like ten thousand warhorses, but his eyes gleamed with excitement.

“Since my mother’s passing, I’ve long forgotten what peaceful sleep feels like. I only hope this flood washes away the burdens on my heart and brings me a few nights of rest… Those who achieve greatness don’t fuss over trifles. If these commoners must die to bring peace to the land, so be it!”

With that, he ignored Princess Yong’an completely.

Just a woman. Soft-hearted. Shortsighted.

But it didn’t matter.

Everything was going as planned.

Wei Lenghou was deep inland, far from the docks.

Even if the Black Banner Army were all expert swimmers, they wouldn’t survive the flood!

He and Wei Lenghou had been at odds for so long.

Now, finally, victory was his!

Grabbing the sullen Princess Yong’an, Ge Qingyuan pulled her into the carriage and asked Nanny Shen for some ointment.

He gently applied it to the cheek scratched by his palm earlier.

“I lost my temper just now. My strength slipped. Please don’t take offense, Princess. I hope you’ll become more gentle in the future, it’ll help us get along better.”

This time, Nie Qinglin didn’t flinch.

She lowered her gaze slightly and sat obediently in his arms, lost in thought…

Once Wei Lenghou was eliminated, the time would come to purge the capital!

Although his early supporter Shang Ningxuan had been poisoned to death for being exposed too soon, the newly appointed Deputy Minister of War had already been poisoned in his home.

The agents he planted in the ministry had secured the military tokens and were dispatching troops to stabilize the capital.

And for that, he had to thank Princess Leyao, she had incited many young courtiers, seized their weaknesses, and now they were all under his control.

As the carriage rolled toward the city gates, the first rays of dawn shone on the wide-open gates, welcoming the rise of a new ruler.

Standing at the gates, greeted by the troops, Ge Qingyuan threw his head back and laughed, his era had finally arrived!

—

News of the flood in Lixian quickly reached the imperial court.

Wei Lenghou was reportedly trapped there, his fate unknown.

But everyone knew in their hearts that without divine intervention, the Marquis of Dingguo would not survive.

As chaos and panic spread through the leaderless court, the long-retired Elder Lord Ge suddenly returned.

His dormant faction resurfaced in full force.

With the Black Banner Army absent, the surrounding garrisons submitted memorials requesting Elder Lord Ge to take charge.

With his spotless reputation, support rallied instantly.

Years of scheming were finally paying off.

The young emperor… suddenly fell ill, his life hanging by a thread—

After Nie Qinglin was brought back to the palace, she was imprisoned in the Fengchu Palace.

The palace remained the same, but everything else had changed, though the furnishings were familiar, the people were not.

Nanny Shan and the mute palace maids had disappeared without a trace, and the place was now filled with unfamiliar faces.

That sharp-tongued Nanny Shen had become the new head maid of Fengchu Palace.

Even the smooth-talking Eunuch Ruan had been thrown into the dungeon.

Fortunately, for now, Ge Qingyuan’s focus was entirely on gaining merit and prestige in court, and he hadn’t yet come to disturb her in the palace.

However, the bridal crown and ceremonial robe had already been sent in and five days from now, Ge Qingyuan intended to bring her into his residence and marry her on the same day.

In these short two days, Nie Qinglin hadn’t slept a wink.

Occasionally, when she was too exhausted and briefly shut her eyes, she would only dream of one person, the one with those slightly upturned phoenix eyes, sometimes haughty, sometimes wearing a faint smile.

Several times, she even felt someone approaching her side, bringing with them a familiar scent, wrapping an arm around her, and whispering softly beside her ear, “Why are you sleeping so cold again? You should cover yourself with a blanket…”

But when she opened her eyes slightly, it was only cold and empty around her.

Two days had passed already… The words she had painstakingly written with crushed jade powder mixed with scented powder on the latrine floor…had Grand Tutor Wei seen them?

She had resorted to that method out of desperation, knowing it might not work.

The letters written with crushed jade powder were faint during the day but would glow softly at night.

Hopefully, one of the Black Banner Army men might notice it when disembarking and realize Ge Qingyuan’s plan to poison and flood the city.

But even if the warning was received in time, what could be done? At most, Wei Lenghou might have made it back to the ship in time, but the commoners in the surrounding counties still couldn’t be saved.

Besides… two days had passed, and there had been no word from Wei Lenghou.

Old Lord Ge and his son had been manipulating the court without resistance.

That man… the undefeated god of war…was he truly… Nie Qinglin quickly quelled the surge of sorrow rising in her heart.

She refused to dwell on the possibility that he might already be dead.

Right now, the most urgent task was figuring out how to stop the Ge family from overturning the imperial order.

Ge Qingyuan was not Wei Lenghou.

Although Wei Lenghou was domineering and ruthless, he was still a man with ambition.

After the coup, all his governing measures prioritized the empire and its people.

But what was Ge Qingyuan? A venomous man filled with hatred for the Great Wei dynasty.

Just the flooding of Li County alone showed how he would treat the people of Great Wei in the future.

Now, she could no longer afford to survive through passivity and compromise as before.

Her mother, the consort, used to sigh often that life in the imperial family left one no room to decide their fate.

Nie Qinglin wholeheartedly agreed with that.

Though she was never very diligent in her studies, she had still received a prince’s education.

Beyond these palace walls was a vast world, and within these walls, every word and action could shake it to its foundation.

Suddenly, Nie Qinglin sat up and she had just remembered the secret passage in the palace.

Since this was once Princess Leyao’s old residence, Ge Qingyuan naturally knew about the passage and had it blocked off.

But what he didn’t know was that when the Grand Tutor had ordered renovations, he had added another exit that led directly outside the palace walls.

Normally, the Grand Tutor came in openly through the back gate and never used it.

Thinking of this, she waited until late at night and crept quietly to the bookshelf beside the secret passage entrance in the inner chamber.

But just as she was about to open it, a noise came from the other side of the door.

Before she could even gasp in surprise, a hand covered her mouth.

A sharp dagger was pressed against her neck.

“Princess?” the intruder whispered.

It was Nanny Shan!

After seeing it was her, Nanny Shan lowered the dagger.

Her eyes were red and swollen, clearly she had cried hard before.

Her reddened eyes fixed tightly on the princess.

She seemed to hold her breath for a long while before finally speaking in a stiff voice:

“I hadn’t planned to come. But I remembered the Grand Tutor’s repeated instructions when he sent me into the palace, if chaos ever broke out in court and he met with danger, I was to escort the princess out of the palace safely and deliver her to his younger brother’s ship. Wherever the princess wished to go, the Grand Tutor’s brother would protect you. The Grand Tutor worried too much! He only thought of ensuring his beloved’s safety for a lifetime but never considered whether she even had him in her heart! A clever princess like you surely lived like a fish in water, why would you need anyone’s protection? I only came to fulfill the Grand Tutor’s final wish. But I didn’t expect that after you plotted against him, you’d stay here enjoying riches, or perhaps go off to live a wandering life on the sea?”

Nie Qinglin was stunned.

That man… he had thought of everything…

She felt something that had been repressed in her chest these past few days suddenly begin to stir and spread.

Seeing the princess remain silent, Nanny Shan assumed she was unwilling and turned to leave.

Nie Qinglin hurriedly called out in a low voice, “General Shan, please wait!”

Shan Tiehua turned back in surprise, not understanding why the princess had called her that.

When she turned, she saw that Nie Qinglin had already knelt on both knees.

She frowned slightly and said with disgust, “Why are you doing this, Princess? If you feel guilty, then once the flood in Li County recedes, beg that Ge traitor to retrieve the Grand Tutor’s body and give him a proper burial. That would at least repay his sincere care for you!”

Nie Qinglin held back the bitterness rising in her nose and said, “This kneel is not to beg General Shan on my own behalf but it is on behalf of the people of Great Wei. Whether you believe me or not, what happened to the Grand Tutor was not what I intended, though I cannot escape blame. But now, with the Ge family stirring chaos, it is the commoners who will suffer. If you’re willing to believe me, please deliver a letter to Elder Wu for me. Nie Qinglin will owe you a great debt, General Shan.”

Shan Tiehua frowned as she looked at the kneeling princess.

That beautiful face seemed faintly haggard and not at all as carefree and comfortable as she had imagined.

“What do you want with Elder Wu?” she asked.

“Now, the court is full of officials and generals, loyal and treacherous, indistinguishable from each other. But although Grand Secretary Wu holds no real power, he is a man difficult to bribe. I shall write a letter in the Emperor’s tone, earnestly requesting Grand Secretary Wu to secretly contact the vassal prince of Langxi, Nie Yunchang. Langxi is not far from the capital, and with the summer wind blowing in the right direction, it will take only three days to arrive.

This royal uncle of mine is a straightforward man and was once a student of Grand Secretary Wu.

Their bond as mentor and student is deep. At present, the upheaval in the capital has yet to spread beyond it. If he sees my royal decree calling for aid to the throne, and with the earnest plea from his old teacher, he will surely bring troops to protect the imperial seat.

Although Ge Qingyuan has many troops in the capital, a large portion of them have been dispatched outside Li county to strictly guard against the Grand Tutor’s men attempting a rescue. Even if he tries to redeploy them now, they won’t return in time. General Shan… I entrust this to you!”

Shan Tiehua was stunned as she listened.

Although she had spent much time with this young princess, she had never realized the girl harbored such strategic foresight.

Hearing her speak with such clarity and structure now, it was evident she had pondered this for quite some time.

Ever since the Grand Tutor’s misfortune, Shan Tiehua had hated that traitor Ge to the bone.

If what the young princess said could truly lead to capturing that traitor and having him executed a thousand times over, it would bring comfort to the Grand Tutor’s soul in the afterlife…

Shan Tiehua was not one for delicate calculations, but once she made a decision, she would not waver.

She only said to the princess, “Since the Grand Tutor cherished Your Highness so dearly, this servant shall trust in his judgment and trust Your Highness this once. I only hope that Your Highness will first come with me. If chaos breaks out in the palace, it could bring harm to Your Highness.”

But Nie Qinglin only gave a bitter smile and slowly shook her head.

She said gently, “I fear I cannot leave. Ge Qingyuan is meticulous and calculating. If I suddenly disappear, he will grow suspicious and be on guard. I will explain everything clearly in the letter to Grand Secretary Wu and the Prince of Langxi. Once the turmoil in the capital is settled, they shall escort the Sixth Prince back to the palace, restore the imperial surname, and inherit the throne… As for me… please don’t worry, General Shan. I will be fine.”

Shan Tiehua found that when this princess spoke, she had a certain persuasiveness.

That phrase “I will be fine” even seemed spoken with full confidence, and in the end, Shan Tiehua was persuaded.

When Nie Qinglin finished writing the letter and handed it to Shan Tiehua, who then left the palace through the secret passage, only then did she finally breathe a sigh of relief.

When the nest is overturned, how can any egg remain whole? With the court in such chaos, she could only use her frail body to resist the storm that was about to descend…

For the next several days, there was no news from inside or outside the palace.

That illegitimate son of the Ge family, who had reclaimed his true name, hurriedly held a coronation ceremony.

The few remaining imperial concubines in the palace stood on the steps of the ancestral temple to serve as part of the ceremony.

Nie Qinglin was also there, supported by Nanny Shen, standing beneath the ancestral hall.

After the new emperor paid homage to his ancestors, he quietly took his seat on the dragon throne, accepting the bows from officials and concubines.

When Nie Qinglin looked up, Grand Secretary Wu was not among them, rumor had it that he was bedridden with illness and could not rise.

The person on that flood dragon throne had changed.

No longer could one see that upright, immortal figure of the past.

In his place sat Lord Ge, now full of ambition, seated steadily upon the court hall, his face exuding confidence and control.

The new emperor’s ascension was declared a cause for celebration throughout the land.

Even more joyous news came when the recently abdicated emperor fell gravely ill and issued a decree commanding that his beloved younger sister marry the new Grand Tutor, Ge Qingyuan, at once, to bring some cheer to her ailing elder brother, who still worried over her marriage prospects.

The princess’s wedding was scheduled for the second day after the new emperor’s ascension.

Early in the morning, the Fengchu Palace was bustling with people.

“Don’t move, Princess, or you’ll shred your skin!” Nanny Shen was directing several palace maids to hold down the unwilling princess while a woman specialized in facial grooming twisted a cotton thread, depilating Nie Qinglin’s face to cleanse it.

That usually shrewish face of Nanny Shen now glowed with joy.

The thin brows drawn with charcoal pencil, the wrinkles around her eyes smoothed out with pride, she said smugly, “Princess, move faster. Add more rouge. Make yourself look tender and lovely, only then will you win the Grand Tutor Ge’s favor. If you remain this indifferent, I fear that within days of entering his residence, he’ll tire of you and take a concubine early!”