Chapter 76

Nanny Shan had hit the nail on the head.

The romantic air of handwashing and soup-stirring in that little kitchen could no longer continue.

Dinner was a bit subdued, but fortunately, the dishes were refined and brightened up the table.

The Imperial Kitchen had used freshly picked fruits and vegetables from the imperial fields.

They even went to the trouble of using rice and flour personally planted by the Grand Tutor to craft some fancy dishes.

Though the health-boosting porridge used ordinary rice grown by the Grand Tutor, it was mixed with fragrant rice from Jiaozhi.

At a glance, the porridge looked like a simple bowl of boiled white rice, but once the porcelain lid was lifted, the aroma burst forth, showcasing the Grand Tutor’s exceptional farming skills.

Freshly harvested wheat had been ground into flour, kneaded into dough, and made into wrappers filled with pea shoots and frog meat shreds, then fried into crispy, tender spring rolls.

The rest of the dishes also highlighted the natural flavors of the ingredients.

Compared to the usual rice and flour meals, tonight’s tasted far more delicious and smooth.

Nie Qinglin had no idea the Imperial Kitchen’s flattery was so artfully concealed.

She simply assumed that the ingredients the Grand Tutor grew really were superior.

Thinking of that pot of burnt mess in the small kitchen earlier, she actually felt a rare sense of embarrassment.

After the meal, she earnestly said, “During the field sacrifice, it should have been me plowing the land, yet the Grand Tutor took on the task. I had originally wanted to prepare some dishes today myself, but for some reason, I completely lost my touch. I’ll have to practice my cooking in the coming days. I must make sure the Grand Tutor tastes my food before he departs for the expedition.”

The Grand Tutor was sipping snow fungus and red date soup.

Upon hearing the princess’s words, a faint smile appeared on his face.

“Then I shall trouble the princess.”

With that, his expression relaxed, and he set down the soup bowl, pulling the princess to lie on the soft couch by the window to admire the starry night sky.

Although Nie Qinglin’s post-meal circulation issues had greatly improved, she still habitually needed a short nap after being full.

The climate at the palace was cool, and the night air slightly chilly.

Nestled against the Grand Tutor’s broad chest, wrapped in his warmth, she dozed off despite his occasional soft pecks on her cheek.

When she awoke, she found herself lying on the grand bed, not knowing when she had been moved there.

That handsome man with thick eyebrows and phoenix eyes was gently unfastening her outer robe, preparing to dress her in a light sleeping gown.

“You’ve already slept for half an hour. I thought you were going to sleep straight through till morning!” the Grand Tutor said as he saw her slowly open her eyes.

Though awake, Nie Qinglin remained lazy, blinking her sleepy eyes and letting the Grand Tutor change her clothes.

Once she was in the soft silk gown, she felt a bit chilly and instinctively snuggled closer to his chest.

This languid and adorable manner made her seem just like a little cat.

The Grand Tutor’s heart melted again, he could never get enough of his little Guo’er.

He didn’t even bother to fasten her robe; instead, he left it open as he began kissing down from her delicate white neck.

Nie Qinglin became more alert and reached out her fair arms to push him away.

“Didn’t we already mess around plenty last night? Why are you being ridiculous again today? If the Grand Tutor keeps overindulging like this, what will you do if your health suffers?”

The Grand Tutor couldn’t stand being called old.

His phoenix eyes narrowed slightly.

“Is my little Guo’er afraid there won’t be enough in the future? I’ve saved plenty just for you…”

This Marquise of Dingguo, who maintained a cool and noble demeanor during the day, would revert to his true nature at night.

Such shameless talk left the princess utterly speechless.

She could only glare at this licentious Grand Tutor, her cheeks flushed.

“Last night, you forced Yong’an to ride that strange bed until it bounced… My waist and legs are still sore, I can’t even stretch properly. I beg the Grand Tutor to have some mercy.”

The Grand Tutor had already lowered his head and mumbled against her skin, “If the princess is tired, she can just fall asleep; I’ll do the rest…”

“……”

Even if Nie Qinglin had no sense of shame, how could she fall asleep with the breathtakingly handsome Grand Tutor lying on top of her? Not to mention, the bed was an antique piece from the mansion of the late fabulously wealthy Marquis Yun—it had a canopy intricately painted with risqué and heart-racing scenes, even more explicit than illustrations in theatrical playbooks, meant to entertain those lying on the bed.

Fortunately, the Grand Tutor was still somewhat gentle and didn’t use any strange techniques.

Even so, every move was solid and forceful.

Though they only went through one round before he stopped, dragon pearl was already soaked through her thin robes with rain and dew, gasping for breath.

The bedding beneath them would need to be changed entirely.

The Grand Tutor knew that once he returned, he would have to prepare to mobilize troops to the southern frontier, and such leisurely days at the traveling palace would become rare.

Thus, he spent as much time as possible at Princess Yong’an’s side while still here.

But such peaceful days were short-lived.

Once the idyllic summer retreat ended, they had to return to the capital.

Shen Hong’er, who had been injured, was sent directly into the palace and assigned a governess to teach her palace etiquette.

Although Consort Shu worried about her little cousin, she couldn’t get any answers.

It wasn’t until an imperial edict was issued to announce that the niece of Shen Mansion’s great scholar would be made empress, along with the daughters of the vice ministers of the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of Rites being named concubines, and that the grand wedding would be held soon, that her heart was finally at ease.

While the entire capital buzzed with joy and excitement over the emperor’s upcoming wedding, the Grand Tutor was quietly preparing for the autumn campaign.

Perhaps inspired by that mechanical bed, the Grand Tutor devised a clever new idea.

He had the same craftsmen who made the bed construct larger spring-fitted rowing boats.

When the mechanisms were activated, they would rock and roll in all directions.

Soldiers trained on them as if caught in a stormy sea.

But the Grand Tutor himself couldn’t ride these boats.

After just a brief test, he turned pale and nearly vomited.

His face remained grim for several days, terrifying the soldiers so much they wanted to sob into their blankets.

Recently, the Grand Tutor had also selected several capable commanders from among the southern-born officers.

He even personally wrote to his younger brother, asking him to yield a few talented men.

The Wei family’s naval fleet had long maintained its own guard ships, and the commanders were all veterans with rich experience fighting sea pirates.

So, upon receiving a letter from his elder brother, he delegated two men to come assist.

Shao Yuan and Shao Liang were brothers, renowned for their prowess in naval combat.

They had once used just two warships to sink dozens of pirate vessels attacking merchant convoys.

After a detailed discussion between the Grand Tutor and the two Shao brothers, he gained significant insight and even began to form a preliminary plan for the upcoming southern campaign.

Military training was in full swing, and as the emperor, it would have been inappropriate not to show her face at least once.

By now, autumn was nearly upon them.

However, the sun remained scorching.

When Nie Qinglin’s imperial carriage arrived at the military training grounds outside the capital, the sun was blazing fiercely.

On the baking-hot, yellow-dirt training field, many soldiers were training shirtless.

The Grand Tutor, who valued martial strength, was especially focused on this campaign to pacify the southern regions.

He had actually come in person to the field and was training alongside the soldiers.

When the emperor reached the observation tower beside the training ground, a fierce combat drill was already underway.

The Grand Tutor was fighting ten men alone, surrounded by a group of soldiers.

He wielded a wooden staff with great ferocity.

It didn’t look like a training drill, it looked more like he intended to beat every one of them to death.

Each blow landed with vicious intensity.

In just a few moments, the Grand Tutor had knocked down all ten brawny soldiers.

His expression remained grim, clearly dissatisfied with their performance.

But when he stood upright, he didn’t scold the soldiers instead, he turned and berated the instructor standing nearby:

“Did you see that? Even if it’s just a drill, it must be treated as life-or-death combat! That flowery nonsense you were leading earlier, what was that? Were you preparing them for a stage performance? If you’re already afraid of injuring the soldiers now, how will they learn to survive and kill in battle?

On the battlefield, blades and swords show no mercy. It will be a hundred times more brutal than this! You must have the resolve to fight with your back to the river, ready to die. If you’re useless and get hacked to death by the enemy, then tomorrow your wives and daughters will suffer humiliations far worse than death by the blade. If you can’t take that pain, then go the hell home and crawl into your wife’s warm bed. Don’t come out here and disgrace yourself!”

That final burst of crude language was shouted at full volume to everyone on the field.

In that moment, every soldier’s eyes widened like starving wolves from the snowy peaks, and they roared in unison:

“No cowards in the Black Banner Army! Kill! Kill! Kill!”

The deafening war cry shook the heavens and seemed seared into the heart of every soldier, so much so that not a single bird remained in the sky.

Even Nie Qinglin was stunned where she stood atop the tower, unable to move.

It was no wonder the northern Xiongnu feared the Black Banner Army under the Grand Tutor’s command.

With such bloodthirsty generals and troops, the army had a distinct and terrifying spirit.

This, too, was why Lord Wei had led them to so many miraculous victories.

And the one who had instilled that fearsome spirit… was that heroic man standing on the training ground.

In that moment, Nie Qinglin suddenly recalled her childhood, the very first time she laid eyes on Lord Wei.

Back then, the Grand Tutor had already been promoted from a military inspector to a field marshal leading troops directly into battle.

Because the emperor had placed his trust in corrupt ministers, supplies had been delayed, and Lord Wei suffered a defeat at the front lines.

Had it not been for Prince Yonghe’s intervention, the Grand Tutor would have taken the full blame for the loss.

She remembered that day clearly, it was the Lantern Festival.

Her father, the emperor, stood atop the city gate tower with his concubines, princes, palace maids, and ministers, all admiring the dazzling fireworks in the sky.

Meanwhile, the Grand Tutor, accompanied by several of his top generals, had traveled day and night to reach the capital.

Dust-covered, he stood beneath the tower to personally plead guilty before the monarch.

Her father and the imperial consorts laughed heartily at the sight of the kneeling warriors.

Even the consort beside her laughed nonstop.

Yes, it was the depths of winter, and those burly men below had no wool hats.

Every single one of them had shaved their heads completely bare.

Even the Grand Tutor, normally as handsome as an immortal was no exception.

Beneath the sparkling fireworks, those shiny bald heads glistened as they knelt humbly on the ground.

How could such a sight not provoke laughter?

All the nobles and officials above looked on, some gloating, others delighting in his misfortune.

The Grand Tutor had many enemies at court.

He had declared that day:

“We ministers were incompetent, causing defeat on the battlefield and bringing shame to His Majesty. Yet His Majesty, in his great mercy, spared our lives. But I dare not act as though nothing happened. The entire army has shaved their heads to symbolize the beheading we deserve. I beg Your Majesty to issue a decree allowing me to lead the troops to reclaim the lost territory. I swear this will be a swift campaign and will not cost the court even one grain more of rations. I humbly beg for Your Majesty’s approval!”

His loud plea was drowned in the laughter of the crowd, yet not a trace of shame or embarrassment showed on his face.

His long, narrow phoenix eyes remained calm and composed.

Nie Qinglin remembered the Grand Tutor kneeling then.

She remembered that while others laughed at the absurd scene, she herself could not.

All she could feel was that the man kneeling below the city gate was a crouching tiger, a coiled dragon ready to leap from the abyss.

Her heart stirred with an unspoken emotion, and only one thought remained: This is a true man!

That time, her father, the emperor, was unexpectedly pleased, and despite Minister Rong’s objections, granted the Grand Tutor’s request.

He was curious to see what spectacle this “shaved-head monk army” might produce next.

What followed was the famed “Ten Victories in One Night” that all of Great Wei would come to know.

The bald-headed army on the frontier fought like ignited gunpowder, as if fueled by a wrath built up over ten thousand pounds of fury.

Wherever they went, they swept through enemy lines as if no one stood in their way, defeating the Xiongnu forces so thoroughly that they fled in disarray.

For a time, many young scholars and patriots inspired to don sword and armor would shave their own heads at home to show their resolve in abandoning the brush for the sword.

Soldiers in uniform with bald heads were celebrated and admired in towns and villages across the land.

When Lord Wei returned to court leading his troops again, their hair having grown back into awkward tufts, not a single person dared to laugh anymore.

This was Lord Wei, Marquis of Dingguo.

Anyone who underestimated him would pay for it—in blood, tears, or their very lives.

“Your Majesty, the sun is far too strong here. You should move inside to rest,” came the sharp voice of Eunuch Ruan, pulling Nie Qinglin from her reverie.

She nodded and turned to enter the inner chamber.

Shortly after, the Grand Tutor came upstairs as well.

From afar she hadn’t noticed, but now that he was closer, she could see that his shoulders were reddened, the skin peeling slightly from sunburn.

“Why is the Grand Tutor bare-shouldered? The sun has been harsh lately; sunburn is no trivial matter,” Nie Qinglin said, frowning slightly at the sight of the flaking white skin.

But the Grand Tutor didn’t care much.

He had inherited his mother’s skin, which never tanned, only peeled.

Every year, the sun would burn him like this a few times.

He had grown used to it.

Still, seeing this little emperor frown over his sunburn made him secretly wish his whole body would burn, just for the sake of winning a bit more imperial affection.

Nie Qinglin recalled that her maids had brought with them some fragrant hibiscus and osmanthus salve, blended with snow ginseng, excellent for the skin.

However, the Grand Tutor refused to let the maids apply it.

From his expression, it was clear he wanted the emperor’s personal care.

So she had no choice but to send Eunuch Ruan to fetch warm water.

After wiping off his sweat, she took out the small flat box, scooped out a spoonful with a silver ladle, and gently applied it to his broad shoulders, smoothing it out evenly with her delicate fingers.

“I was worried about the hardships you might face on this campaign,” Nie Qinglin said softly, “but after seeing the fighting spirit on the field today, I think I need not worry about you anymore.”

The Grand Tutor didn’t wish to discuss state affairs and changed the subject to the upcoming royal wedding: “The day after tomorrow is Your Majesty’s grand ceremony. I heard from Madam Shan that Your Majesty seems somewhat troubled lately. Just follow the prescribed rituals; everything else can be left to others.”

With no one else in the room, the Grand Tutor pulled Qinglin into his arms after the salve was applied and said this gently.

“How thoughtful of the Grand Tutor, you’ve managed everything from my meals to my wedding. But We wonder…” she lowered her gaze slightly, her large eyes sparkling, “how We shall spend the wedding night?”

The Grand Tutor was unfazed.

“If Your Majesty fears the wedding night won’t be exciting enough, I will make the arrangements. I guarantee Your Majesty will never forget that night.”

How could Nie Qinglin not hear the teasing undertone in those words? She pursed her lips tightly and glared at him.

The Grand Tutor, smiling, clasped her delicate hand like a blade and said,“My little Guo’er has long grown up as a boy and truly carries the charm of a handsome young man. You’ve even managed to steal a woman’s heart. That Shen Hong’er, since entering the palace has done nothing but dig into Your Majesty’s sleeping habits and preferences. Truly set on becoming a good empress! I’m honestly a bit worried… that the two of you might end up playing some mock imperial couple tricks together. I must warn Your Majesty: no matter the gender; if anyone lays a hand on you in such a way, don’t blame me for being merciless. I’ll kill first and ask questions later.”

Nie Qinglin frowned.

“The Grand Tutor swings both ways and now assumes everyone else does too?”

This hit a sore spot.

The Grand Tutor was visibly rattled, reminded of his own youthful confusion and humiliation when he’d once mistaken admiration for infatuation with a fellow young man.

His face darkened slightly.

Intent on “punishing” the emperor who now knew his secret, he pulled her close to settle the matter behind closed doors.

Only after spending some time in private “rewarding the general” did Nie Qinglin finally emerge with the Grand Tutor to stand atop the tower and summon the soldiers below.

The soldiers of the Black Banner Army were all personally trained by Wei Lenghou.

In their eyes, there was only the Grand Tutor and no emperor at all.

But upon seeing the emperor in person this time, they couldn’t help but silently sigh in their hearts: Truly a refined noble raised by the royal family.

Those delicate features were unlike those of an ordinary young man; something about him stirred a faint sense of pity, as if bullying him would feel too cruel.

After the troops had knelt to express gratitude for the emperor’s vast grace, Nie Qinglin prepared to return to the palace.

As the imperial carriage exited the military camp, seated high within, she naturally spotted the vehicles and horses waiting respectfully by the roadside.

Among them, a striking figure stood out.

Princess Qike, dressed in the distinctive style of the Southern Frontier, the hem of her skirt swaying lightly.

Seeing the emperor’s imperial carriage approaching, she did not bow or salute like the others.

After all, she was once a proud princess of the Southern Kingdom.

Though now fallen from grace, the dignity of the royal bloodline remained unbroken.

Nie Qinglin noticed the direct, unflinching gaze the princess cast her way.

In response, she slightly raised her chin, curved her large eyes into a polite smile, and gave a subtle nod.

The princess, seeing that this little emperor was not offended but instead responded with such poise and ease, found it rather intriguing.

With a touch of amusement, she returned the gesture with a coquettish smile of her own.

As the imperial procession moved forward, a sudden thought crossed Nie Qinglin’s mind:

Is the Grand Tutor always this tender and affectionate with every woman in private? Is that why so many beautiful women willingly throw themselves at him, one after another?