Chapter 68

This kind of direct provocation stemmed from a sense of impunity.

Great Wei had just quelled the rebellion of the Ge traitors.

The court was still in turmoil, and the southern frontiers took advantage of the situation to strengthen their position, casting covetous eyes toward the Central Plains.

If war broke out with the Xiongnu at this moment, it would mean fighting on two fronts.

Though the Grand Tutor was never one to fear war, such reckless action that risked the lives of countless Wei citizens was utterly unacceptable.

In his view, the children of a foolish emperor were just a group of useless wastes.

If sending them away could secure temporary peace, then it would be the only meaningful contribution they could make after years of luxurious living.

But due to dragon pearl’s involvement, the Grand Tutor unexpectedly developed a rare sliver of pity for that watery-eyed, soft-hearted princess.

Yet even that shred of pity paled in comparison to the weight of national interest.

Rather than saying he hesitated out of sympathy for Shaoyang, it would be more accurate to say he simply didn’t want to see displeasure on a beauty’s face.

As expected, after hearing his reply, Nie Qinglin remained silent.

The Grand Tutor reached for a damp cloth on the small table by the couch and gently wiped the fine sweat from her forehead as he said, “Later, Guo’er needn’t return to the palace. I will personally speak to Princess Shaoyang and explain the stakes. That princess seems like someone with sense. Once she understands the greater implications, you two sisters will be spared any awkwardness.”

Nie Qinglin shook her head.

“Eighth Sister is timid by nature. If the Grand Tutor speaks to her, she’ll likely be frightened. It’s better that I go and gently talk her through it…”

By the time she was dressed and came out of the study, it was already dusk.

When she returned to Fengchu Palace, the Imperial Kitchen was already informed by Eunuch Ruan and had prepared the meal ahead of Princess Yong’an’s arrival.

As it was dinner, the food was kept light.

Several delicate steamed dim sums were served in small bamboo baskets, and the bi geng congee was fragrant and subtly sweet, made with yellow rock sugar to suit the princesses’ taste.

Even the fish dumplings were made with tender eel and shrimp paste, seasoned with plum and pear, wrapped in a thin skin and steamed instead of fried.

This kind of Southern-style snack melted in the mouth with a fresh, smooth texture.

But Nie Qinglin had too much on her mind and didn’t eat much.

Princess Shaoyang, on the other hand, had a hearty appetite and polished off an entire basket of fish dumplings.

Only when she reached the last one did she suddenly come to her senses and hurriedly put down her ivory chopsticks.

Ever since returning to the palace, perhaps because she had endured so much hardship in the northern lands, she had been indulging in the palace’s fine cuisine without restraint.

This time, she had nearly forgotten palace etiquette and finishing all the food in front of her younger sister.

How disgraceful…

Nie Qinglin noticed her hesitation and smiled faintly.

She placed the last fish dumpling into her elder sister’s bowl and said, “There’s only you and me here, so why bother with all those cumbersome rules? If we restrain ourselves even over such small things, won’t we suffocate?”

Princess Shaoyang blushed at her sister’s words.

But when she looked up at her, she quickly lowered her head again and silently ate the dumpling.

Earlier that afternoon, Eunuch Ruan had summoned the princess, and a soft sedan chair had carried her away.

By the time Yong’an returned, the sun was already setting.

All the rouge had faded from her little face, and her hair had been redone.

Her expression was heavy, clouded with worries.

One couldn’t help but wonder what that King of Hell-like Grand Tutor had summoned her for.

Just now, when she glanced up, her eyes had caught sight of a crimson mark near her sister’s collarbone.

Having experienced intimacy herself, she recognized exactly what it was.

She had always thought of herself as unfortunate, yet it turned out even those who remained in the palace endured their own unspeakable humiliations… Her eyes reddened, and a few crystal teardrops silently fell into her sweet fragrant congee, adding a trace of sorrow to its flavor.

Noticing the sudden tears, Nie Qinglin quickly dismissed the servants and took her sister’s hand.

“Sister, what’s wrong? We were eating so happily, so why are you crying?”

Shaoyang wiped her eyes with a handkerchief, secretly scolding herself for being so immature.

How could she cry in front of her sister like this? Forcing her tears back, she reassured Yong’an: “You’ve lived a peaceful life behind temple gates. But now, the Grand Tutor is powerful, so much so that even His Majesty must yield. You, as a princess with no real support in the palace, must stay strong. No matter the situation, there’s always a way through it. That Grand Tutor may lack manners, but at least he’s pleasant to look at. Just treat this as a fleeting affair of romance and poetry. Later, ask the Emperor to arrange a proper marriage with a gentle, younger husband and surely even we princesses should be allowed that much, if they’re entitled to their three palaces and six courtyards!”

Nie Qinglin couldn’t help but laugh at her sister’s bold remark, especially seeing her puffy eyes like a rabbit’s.

This Eighth Princess was unexpectedly witty and she had taken the words Yong’an herself had spoken to her during the farewell before her marriage alliance, and cleverly turned them back on her now.

It was lamentable how life’s bitter experiences truly honed a person.

The once upright and rule-abiding sister who had been so shocked by those words, almost covering the Emperor’s mouth, now calmly advised her to accept lovers.

But truthfully, Shaoyang felt extremely awkward after saying that.

It was only because of the circumstances that she remembered her younger brother’s words from before and used them to comfort her sister.

Yet this wasn’t her usual way of speaking.

Seeing her sister laugh like that made her cheeks flush red to her neck, and she quickly added, “These were the Emperor’s words to me. At first, I thought they were absurd too. But when I was stranded in that desolate place, enduring all sorts of unspeakable things, it was His Majesty’s words that kept me going. He said, ‘As long as you persevere, one day you’ll return and offer your filial piety before Mother Consort’s memorial.’ I kept repeating that to myself and I did come back, didn’t I?”

Nie Qinglin’s smile slowly faded.

The words she was about to speak now felt stuck in her throat.

Looking at her sister’s face—renewed, glowing faintly with life, she found herself utterly unable to bring up the idea of sending her back to the North.

If her sister’s first departure had been endured only because of her words and the hope they offered, then sending her back now… would it not shatter her completely, forcing her to her death?

As the sisters sat, each harboring their own thoughts, a voice suddenly rang out from the door curtains—low and tinged with anger:

“So the Eighth Princess is so considerate, always thinking of others. That puts my mind at ease. I’m sure you’ll understand the importance of what comes next as well. No need for either of us to waste more effort.”

The Grand Tutor had somehow appeared at the doorway.

His handsome face could barely contain the fury beneath it.

Shaoyang recalled what she had just said…“The Grand Tutor may lack manners, but at least he’s pleasant to look at” and how she had urged her sister to treat the whole affair as nothing more than fleeting romance.

Seeing the murderous look on his face now, she was so terrified her soul nearly left her body.

Her legs gave out and she nearly collapsed from her chair.

Nie Qinglin rushed to support her sister, silently grumbling: Does the Grand Tutor make a habit of eavesdropping? Every time they had a heart-to-heart, this black-faced Grand Tutor would crash in like thunder from the sky. Even good people would be scared half to death, let alone her timid sister.

But seeing the Grand Tutor’s furious expression, she dared not confront him.

Instead, she feigned ignorance and said cheerfully, “The Grand Tutor summoned me earlier to study the founding precepts of the palace with His Majesty. He stayed by our side to supervise and guide us closely—he must be exhausted. This sweet fragrant congee is excellent for replenishing energy. Let me have Nanny Shan bring you a bowl. You’ll feel more spirited after eating.”

These words, in effect, refuted Princess Shaoyang’s private speculation while still preserving the appearance of the Marquis of Dingguo as a righteous and dignified figure, thereby easing the elder sister’s embarrassment.

Of course, the Grand Tutor knew exactly what kind of cover the dragon pearl was trying to provide.

But the suffocating anger in his chest could not be calmed.

Ever since his youth, Wei Lenghou had possessed extraordinary looks, and women had flocked to him in admiration.

But when had anyone dared to mock him like some lowly gigolo from a rabbit brothel? That Princess Shaoyang must have eaten a leopard’s gall to joke about playing with him for fun! Did the princesses in this Great Wei palace not read The Admonitions for Women?

Nie Qinglin moved quickly and nimbly.

After steadying her sister, she accepted the porcelain bowl passed by Nanny Shan, tested its temperature, and brought it personally to the Grand Tutor.

“Do eat, Grand Tutor. Whatever it is, we can talk after you’ve had your meal. I’m quite famished myself!”

The Marquis had initially come because he was worried Guo’er would find things difficult to handle, intending to step in and help.

But he hadn’t expected to overhear all that…though, truthfully, it had been Nie Qinglin who first sowed those rebellious ideas in her sister’s mind.

Suddenly, he remembered something: If he had died back in Li county, wouldn’t dragon pearl have shed not a single tear, and instead gone straight to the bridal chamber with that dog Ge to explore youthful pleasures?

For the first time in his life, he had treated a woman with sincere heart and this was how she repaid him?

The fire within him could no longer be contained.

With a loud crash, the bowl of congee in his hand was flung to the ground, the liquid splashing everywhere with a sharp sound!

Princess Shaoyang, face pale, could no longer hold on.

With a low cry, she completely fainted, slumping sideways into Nanny Shan’s arms.

Nie Qinglin grew anxious at the sight but knew she couldn’t lash out at the Grand Tutor.

So she could only lower her voice and say, “She’s just an inexperienced woman of the deep palace, Grand Tutor. Why take offense at her words? If something really happens to her out of fright, the Xiongnu side wouldn’t take it lightly either, would they?”

But the Grand Tutor grabbed her hand tightly, his expression dark.

Ignoring the unconscious Shaoyang and dismissing the servants, he pulled Nie Qinglin out of Fengchu Palace.

“Grand Tutor, slow down! Where are you taking me?”

Nie Qinglin stumbled as she was yanked forward and hurriedly protested.

Hearing her, the Grand Tutor slightly slowed his pace, but still moved swiftly toward the ancestral shrine in the palace.

Once inside, he pointed to the ancestral tablets on the altar and said, “The Princess’s heart is like the sea, unfathomable. I find I can’t quite read it anymore. You once said the words ‘do not love.’ I thought it was because you were young and didn’t understand love. But now that we’ve shared a bed, I ask you, here in the ancestral shrine…can you say something real? In your heart, do you love me as you would a husband?”

Nie Qinglin knew he was still brooding over what her sister had said.

By right, she should say something soft and conciliatory to ease his temper.

But when she looked up at his face, she suddenly recalled how it had been kissed by Princess Qike that day in broad daylight… This is the fundamental flaw in men, she thought.

They expect all women to love them, as if collecting treasures, hoarding them all in their harem but not a single bit may flow outward…

She lowered her eyes and spoke softly, “Yong’an knows she was born into royalty. Her fate is like duckweed on water. By Grand Tutor’s grace, someone who should’ve died young has managed to survive until now. Yong’an understands the meaning of ‘gratitude’ and has never blamed the Grand Tutor. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have left those words of warning in the latrine at Li county. During the days when your life and death were uncertain, Yong’an couldn’t sleep or eat, constantly worried…”

Upon hearing this, Wei Lenghou felt the fire in his chest begin to subside, warmed by the thought of Guo’er shedding tears for him.

But then, Nie Qinglin continued:

“At the time, Qinglin made a vow. Unable to repay the Grand Tutor’s sincerity, I wished that in the next life, we could be born as siblings, and I would serve you with all my heart…”

That single sentence froze the faint smile that had just begun to form on Wei Lenghou’s face.

His phoenix eyes narrowed.

He stepped forward and gripped her arm tightly.

After a long pause, he ground out the words:

“You see me as your brother?”

Nie Qinglin winced at the pain but forced herself to remain calm.

“Qinglin lost her twin brother as a child, and has always felt distant from the other royal brothers. But being with the Grand Tutor… you were always steady, responsible, never made things hard for me… As a weak and frail woman, that kind of presence brings peace of mind just like an elder brother would. Moreover, in the Admonitions for Women that you had me study, it repeatedly urges women to serve their husbands with respect and remain faithful, without jealousy, and to be tolerant of concubines.

Forgive Qinglin’s dullness, but after some reflection, I came to understand: the love between husband and wife is just like the affection between siblings! A household—husband, wife, and concubines, should get along like siblings, happy together. As a little sister, seeing her elder brother take in more sisters-in-law and carry on the family line… shouldn’t that bring genuine joy, just as the teachings say?”

Wei Lenghou’s hands began to tremble with rage.

His voice turned cold:

“Nie Qinglin, you sharp-tongued little vixen! You’re saying all that just to piss me off, aren’t you? Fine… fine! Since you’re so eager to serve, then let’s put that devotion to the test. From this day forward, you’ll follow me back to the manor and serve your new sisters-in-law!”

Nie Qinglin cursed herself inwardly.

Ever since she started talking with this Grand Tutor, her words seemed to shoot out like blunt sticks—straight, unyielding, without a hint of softness.

And now, before the ancestral spirits of the Nie clan, she’d poured out her true feelings, only to be dragged off like a slave by this arrogant official.

She could only hope her ancestors up above would open their eyes and look after the rightful granddaughter of Great Wei’s imperial line!

Wei Lenghou, ever swift in action, had already accepted this “earnest little sister” and was determined to drag her home for inspection by his other women.

Nie Qinglin wouldn’t have it.

If she really stepped into his manor, she’d be swallowed up in that deep sea of a noble household.

Clutching the shrine doors with one hand, she cried out in a low voice:

“Grand Tutor, Yong’an knows she was wrong! You have many wives at home—I am weak and can’t possibly serve them all. Please… have mercy!”

Wei Lenghou frowned and pulled harder on her arm.

“You call that an apology? If you truly understood your mistake, you’d know I need to take in even more concubines. After all, if my precious little sister doesn’t get to enjoy the joyful harmony of brotherly love among all her sisters-in-law, wouldn’t that be my greatest failure as a minister?”

“Grand Tutor… my hand… it hurts… Grand Tutor…”

While the two were locked in their stalemate, Eunuch Ruan came rushing over in a hurry.

But when he lifted his eyes and saw the scene, he nearly stumbled.

Good heavens, what kind of act was Princess Yong’an pulling now? Her little face was flushed, and she sat on the ground clutching the ancestral shrine door with one hand like a stubborn three-year-old throwing a tantrum.

What kind of image was that? And the Grand Tutor’s face was thunderous with rage…was he so fed up that he planned to drag the princess off and toss her into one of the palace’s deep wells?

It was only when the Grand Tutor glanced up and saw Eunuch Ruan that he finally let go, snorting with fury as he demanded, “What is it?”

Eunuch Ruan winced inwardly, cursing the clueless little eunuchs under him…couldn’t they see the princess and the Grand Tutor were at odds? Why hadn’t they reported earlier? And now they had to deliver this news at the worst possible moment!

But on the surface, he didn’t dare delay.

He bowed respectfully and said, “Reporting to the Grand Tutor ; just now, the imperial physician examined Princess Shaoyang and said… said she’s already more than two months pregnant.”

As it happened, this pregnancy was a stroke of fortune for Princess Shaoyang, temporarily postponing her return to the northern lands.

Nie Qinglin didn’t dare mention the matter of the Xiongnu for fear it would upset her sister.

But the Grand Tutor could not afford delays.

After brief thought, he wrote directly to Xiu Tuhong, truthfully explaining the princess’s condition and the physician’s opinion that travel would be unwise at the moment.

However, if the Xiongnu Third Prince insisted, Wei Lenghou was prepared to package up the indiscreet princess and send her off without hesitation.

Since the “reunion” between the siblings at the ancestral shrine, three days had passed, and the Grand Tutor had not spoken a single word to Princess Yong’an.

Did she really think that just because he, Wei Lenghou, held some tender feelings for her, she could trample on them at will? Since when was he someone who didn’t care about his dignity? There were countless women in the world, like rivers and streams was he really going to die of thirst just because one ladleful was missing?

Thinking this way helped suppress the restless loneliness of his sleepless nights.

He had even, in a fit of spite, called a concubine into his room the other day.

But that delicate girl who had once looked so sweet—she hadn’t even gotten close before he found her scent off, her body nowhere near as soft as that palace girl’s, and a wave of irritation hit him.

He sent her away without even letting her massage his legs.

What would it take to make that clueless girl understand that there was only one Wei Lenghou in this world and that no one else could possibly replace his brilliance?

Wei Lenghou’s late-night frustration was never vented in court, where he still carried the heavy responsibility of keeping Great Wei’s political fabric intact.

Only a few days after his letter was sent via carrier pigeon to the Xiongnu general, news arrived from the courier station—the Xiongnu army had not moved, but Xiu Tuhong himself had rushed over with several dozen personal guards.

When Xiu Tuhong stood in court, Nie Qinglin, seated upon the dragon throne, opened her eyes wide with curiosity.

She wanted to see just what kind of man this was, who had dragged her young stepmother out of the chanyu’s tent.

The man standing below the dais had clearly traveled hard and fast.

His face, though bearing traces of foreign blood, was surprisingly pleasant to look at and though who knew how long it had been since he shaved.

His eyes were bloodshot from sleepless nights, and his towering figure made the civil officials of Great Wei beside him look like scrawny chicks.

“Xiu Tuhong greets the Son of Heaven of Great Wei!”

When he opened his mouth, his pronunciation was surprisingly standard, spoken in the capital dialect of Great Wei—loud and precise, without the slightest accent.

The sheer volume of his voice made the ministers frown.

After clasping his fists in greeting, Xiu Tuhong didn’t bother with any pleasantries and got straight to the point.

“I’ve come to retrieve my wife. I ask Your Majesty and the Grand Tutor to have her brought out.”

The Grand Tutor examined him and smiled.

“Princess Shaoyang is unwell and currently recuperating in the palace. If the Third Prince is not in a rush, we can finish discussing the border matters first, and you may visit your beloved princess afterward. There’s no hurry.”

Xiu Tuhong, with the bluntness of a northern man, replied, “I am in a rush. There’s no commander at the border camp. If this drags on too long, it’ll stir unrest in the troops. I’m also quite agitated, so I must see my wife right away; for everyone’s peace of mind.”

The Grand Tutor toyed with the jade ring on his finger and lowered his eyes.

“Do these words of yours represent the will of your chanyu?”

Xiu Tuhong said, “You Han people have a saying: ‘When the general is out on campaign, he may disregard the emperor’s orders.’ Since I’m leading the army, I’ll act at my own discretion.”

The Grand Tutor laughed.

“So, what you’re saying is: the Third Prince is prepared to defy all for the sake of love?”

Xiu Tuhong frowned, eyeing the pale-faced man seated on the dragon throne.

He looked like a woman, was he the one Shaoyang had become infatuated with and fled for? The thought enraged him.

His temper, always quick to flare, was hard to suppress as he snapped, “She’s not some passing beauty; she’s my wife! And what does the Grand Tutor mean by all this stalling? Don’t tell me… you’ve developed improper thoughts about the Xiongnu princess?”

Many of the court ministers, previously puzzled about why Princess Shaoyang had returned, suddenly understood.

The Grand Tutor is truly unmatched—no wonder he’s Great Wei’s most dashing man! Even a princess married off to a foreign tribe couldn’t escape falling for him!

But then again… there had been Prince Consort Ge before this, and now this Xiongnu prince afterward.

Was the Grand Tutor obsessed with other men’s wives? Perhaps even more than the debauched late emperor?

Heavens… if he sets his eyes on their beloved wife, what then?