The Perilous Palace Dream - Chapter 103
Chapter 103
Because Princess Shaoyang was pregnant, wet nurses had always been kept at the traveling lodge, but since Princess Shaoyang gave birth a full two months early, the situation was naturally critical.
Although Nie Qinglin had not given birth herself, she knew that the path of childbirth in the palace was always extremely bloody.
Especially since her Eighth Imperial Sister was having her first child and it was a premature birth, the wet nurses certainly could not handle it.
At this time, there were no reputable physicians with known backgrounds in the city.
Hearing this, Nie Qinglin immediately said, “Go find Zhang Shiyu! Quickly!”
Because she had asked Qiao’er to follow all the way, the child and Zhang Shiyu had naturally also left the frontier and followed them, settling in the servants’ quarters of the traveling palace.
Due to her anxiety for her Imperial Sister, she completely disregarded the Grand Tutor’s expression.
Fortunately, the Grand Tutor felt that the little imperial physician was not a threat, and he did not stop her.
He merely called over the steward of the traveling lodge and asked why the princess had an accident.
The head maid of the traveling lodge happened to be in the room at the time, and she stammered in fear, “The Prince came today, and the Princess Consort looked rather unhappy. We dont know what was said, but the Princess Consort suddenly cried out about abdominal pain…”
As they were speaking, Zhang Shiyu rushed over carrying his medicine chest.
Before he could even spare a glance for Nie Qinglin, he hurriedly entered the inner chamber.
A short while later, Imperial Physician Zhang and his chest flew out of the inner chamber, falling onto the ground in disarray.
The wounds on his body had not yet fully healed, and the pain instantly made his face change color.
They saw Prince Xie Tuhong, with his tower like body, blocking the entrance to the inner chamber, glaring and saying, “Are all you Central Plains people delivered by men?”
Nie Qinglin was worried about her sister.
Seeing the Prince treat the life saving physician this way, she also felt a surge of anger.
Just as she was about to speak, Wei Lenghou spoke in time, “The Princess Consort’s situation is critical. If the Prince only wants the heir apparent to be safe, a wet nurse plus a pair of scissors is enough. If you want the Princess Consort to be safe, this imperial physician must enter to save her life. Please choose, Your Highness!”
Xie Tuhong’s blue eyes flashed with struggle.
Finally, he spoke, “If he can ensure the safety of the Princess Consort and the child, then all is well. Otherwise, he shouldnt think of surviving!”
Qiao’er, upon hearing this, lost her composure for a moment and nervously went to pull the Princess’s hand.
Nie Qinglin patted her reassuringly to show that Zhang Shiyu would be fine.
When he arrived, the sister who had initially stabilized suddenly took a turn for the worse.
If the sister and child were safe, then all was fine.
But if something went wrong, she would certainly have to properly question what the Prince had done! How could she allow him to behave recklessly and kill people within the borders?
Zhang Shiyu was also resolute.
Due to his experiences with the Xiongnu in the Northern Frontier, he deeply hated the Xiongnu people.
After climbing up from the ground, he covered his chest and glared at Xie Tuhong, saying, “If Your Highness truly cares about the Princess Consort, please leave the inner chamber to avoid disturbing the Princess Consort’s delivery.”
Just then, another scream of agony came from Princess Shaoyang inside the chamber.
Xie Tuhong’s chest rose and fell.
After taking several deep breaths, he finally moved aside, allowing Zhang Shiyu to enter.
Although Zhang Shiyu had been an imperial physician, it was his first time assisting with childbirth.
Seeing Princess Shaoyang crying out incessantly from the pain, he was also sweating profusely with anxiety.
After checking her pulse and applying acupuncture, he announced, “Pardon this humble ones boldness,” and placed his hands on Princess Shaoyang’s abdomen, massaging downwards.
Hearing Princess Shaoyang’s screams inside, Xie Tuhong’s face outside was alternately green and white.
He would rather take a few arrows or two knife cuts himself than see the beauty inside suffer so much.
Nie Qinglin also tightly clasped her hands, feeling uneasy.
Princess Shaoyang was tormented for half the night in the room.
Even her screams eventually lost strength.
Finally, the cry of a child was heard, a baby girl, though her voice was much smaller than a normal infant’s.
Hearing the baby’s cry, Xie Tuhong darted into the room.
Nie Qinglin and Qiao’er finally relaxed.
Before long, the door curtain was lifted, and the exhausted Zhang Shiyu slowly walked out.
Qiao’er happily rushed forward to help support him.
Nie Qinglin stood up, thought for a moment, and then slowly sat back down, saying, “Thanks to Mr. Zhang.”
Zhang Shiyu did not dare to look up at Nie Qinglin.
He only said with a trembling voice, “I dare not accept your thanks. This is a doctor’s duty. Moreover, for the Eighth Princess, Zhang Shiyu would not hesitate even to be ground to dust.”
He also had countless words stuck in his heart, but he did not know where to begin.
Qiao’er looked at her nominal husband, and then at the Princess, her expression also slightly tinged with sorrow.
Nie Qinglin said, “Mr. Zhang, you have worked hard. Qiao’er, take Mr. Zhang down to rest properly first.”
It was already late at night.
Nie Qinglin was never one for staying up late.
Now that she heard the news of her Imperial Sister and the child being safe, a heavy weight was lifted from her heart, but the fatigue from climbing the mountain earlier in the day now completely washed over her.
The Grand Tutor naturally noticed the faint dark circles under her eyes, and he led her back to her room.
“The Eighth Princess is naturally being looked after, especially with the Prince guarding her. It is also inconvenient for you to visit. Go to bed now. It wont be too late to see her tomorrow,” the Grand Tutor knew the Dragon Pearl was worried about her Imperial Sister, but he still personally took off her small calfskin high boots, smoothly removed her white socks, and began to massage her feet.
Previously, it was always a concubine who waited on the Grand Tutor this way.
Now, putting his experience to use serving the Princess, his technique was quite practiced.
Nie Qinglin suddenly felt a bit shy, so she pulled her foot back: “I haven’t even bathed yet. How could the Grand Tutor just start touching me?”
The Grand Tutor, however, placed her small foot to his nose and sniffed it.
Nie Qinglin shrieked in embarrassment, gave a kick, and almost hit the Grand Tutor’s handsome face.
“There’s no smell at all. In fact, it smells quite fragrant. If the Princess feels bad, why dont you give this Marquis a foot rub just like this?”
Saying this, the Grand Tutor removed his own boot and stretched his large foot straight toward the Princess.
The Grand Tutor was famous for his looks in all the palaces, but his large foot still carried a common man’s scent.
Having galloped all day carrying a beauty, he was covered in hot sweat.
Nie Qinglin was used to various kinds of precious incense, and she had never smelled this kind of novelty before.
She was immediately overcome by the smell and fell straight onto the pillow.
When she looked up at that handsome face again, she felt a subtle sense of being torn.
“Grand Tutor, you’ve been working hard all day, you should go wash up…”
The Grand Tutor, however, was somewhat annoyed by the Princess’s rejection, and another round of playful roughhousing ensued on the bed.
The next day, Nie Qinglin woke up without needing to be called, but the Grand Tutor had actually woken up even earlier than her. The other side of the bed was already empty. After being served and washed by Nanny Shan, she went to visit her Imperial Sister.
In the morning, Zhang Shiyu came to take Princess Shaoyang’s pulse and administer acupuncture.
As soon as he finished the treatment, Nie Qinglin walked into the inner chamber to visit Princess Shaoyang.
She saw Xie Tuhong sitting happily next to Princess Shaoyang, holding the infant.
The baby was smaller than a typical newborn and was crying softly, which made one feel pity.
Seeing Nie Qinglin enter, Xie Tuhong stood up and said, “Thank you very much, Princess. You keep Shaoyang company and chat. I’ll go call the wet nurse.”
Nie Qinglin walked to the bedside and asked, “Eighth Sister, are you feeling better?”
Princess Shaoyang looked up at her, her lips moving, unsure whether to speak or not.
Finally, she told everyone in the room to leave.
Only when the two sisters were left in the room did she stare intently at Nie Qinglin’s face and hesitantly ask, “Your Majesty?”
Nie Qinglin’s gaze tightened upon hearing this, and she couldnt help but freeze.
It turned out that Xie Tuhong had intercepted a secret letter a few days ago.
It was from Ge Qingyuan to his underground contact in the capital, requesting the contact to spread the news and evidence that the Princess and the Emperor were the same person.
He emphasized that this must be done before Wei Lenghou usurped the throne, so that all the court officials would know about it.
Xie Tuhong’s first reaction was a dismissive smile, thinking Ge Qingyuan was spreading rumors.
But when he carefully considered the contents of the letter and recalled his interactions with both the Emperor and the Princess, he felt that this matter might not be groundless.
He knew that if this matter were true, there would certainly be turmoil in the capital, and Princess Shaoyang, who was accompanying the Princess back, would also likely be affected.
Therefore, he came to Pingyang to inform Princess Shaoyang, preparing to take her back to the Northern Frontier.
Such absurd words naturally made Princess Shaoyang laugh at first, but after the laughter, the instincts of a royal person made her hair stand on end… If all of this were true… Due to her emotional fluctuations, combined with her prolonged emotional distress during this time, her child was suddenly born prematurely.
Now that there were no outsiders in the room, she tentatively asked the question.
But just that single question made her realize that this wildly absurd rumor might actually be true!
Nie Qinglin slowly calmed her breathing: “Is Imperial Sister missing the Emperor? Why are you calling your sister your brother?”
But Princess Shaoyang’s face was pale.
She managed to gather a little strength and tightly grasped her hand: “Does my sister still intend to hide it from me? How could you be so bold! In the future… will anyone truly look out for you, and how will this end?”
Nie Qinglin smiled and squeezed Princess Shaoyang’s hand in return.
She did not ask where her sister had heard the news, but simply said, “Sister, you have just finished giving birth. Your body is still weak, so dont talk for now. I just heard the Prince’s intention to take you back to the Northern Frontier. This first child of yours being a girl is actually a good thing. Even if the Prince’s household is complicated, they wouldnt go so far as to harm a baby girl with no right of inheritance. The unrest in the Northern Frontier has subsided somewhat. You dont need to worry about me here, Sister. No matter what the circumstances, the bond between us sisters will not change. But now that you are a mother, you have an extra concern. Remember! Dont inquire about anything that doesnt concern you, Sister, lest you suffer unnecessary implication.”
After saying this, she actually stood up and hurried out, ignoring her sister’s calls.
Stepping out of the room, Nie Qinglin felt a cold sweat break out.
She hoped her sister would leave quickly, and by no means let the Grand Tutor know.
Otherwise, with the Grand Tutor’s dark intentions, there would certainly be unexpected complications.
She was only afraid that on this return to the capital, the palace there would bring forth countless new troubles.
And with nowhere else to go, she would have to return to that perilous palace and face numerous trials of suppression and conflict.
