The Perilous Palace Dream - Chapter 113
Chapter 113
Wei Lenghou glared at this reckless, foolish woman, suddenly feeling an urge to laugh out of pure rage.
“Tell me, exactly when did I sleep with you?”
When Nie Qinglin emerged from Ganquan Palace, her steps were slightly unsteady.
Nanny Shan reached out to support her, only to discover that the girl’s body was trembling violently.
“Princess, let me call for the sedan chair,” Nanny Shan said worriedly.
Nie Qinglin shook her head, her small face deathly pale.
“It is fine. I wish to walk for a while.”
The winter wind was biting and harsh, leaving a stinging sensation on her face.
Yet even the coldest wind could not cool the burning heat currently searing her heart.
Nanny Shan looked at the frail princess walking ahead with heartache, silently cursing the Grand Tutor for being so absurd.
This was no different from driving a knife straight into the child’s heart.
Walking and stopping aimlessly along the way, she eventually found herself back at her late mother’s palace.
The gates were locked tight.
After summoning a young eunuch to open them, she stepped inside.
No one had cleared the fallen leaves, and they crunched loudly under her feet.
In the desolate courtyard, even the sound of a sigh seemed to carry a faint echo.
Nie Qinglin walked into the courtyard where she had lived for nearly fifteen years.
Looking at every familiar plant and tree, she asked Nanny Shan to wait outside.
Sitting alone in the dark room, she suddenly broke into sobs.
“Mother, I always mocked you for being too devoted. But in the end, I followed the same path as you.”
Indeed, no matter how incompetent her father had been, her mother, Consort Li, had loved that man deeply.
It was because of the depth of that love that she acted so madly.
To win the heart of a man who possessed none, her mother had exhausted every effort until she lost her true self.
Recalling how her sickly mother could not even close her eyes in peace upon her deathbed, Nie Qinglin had constantly reminded herself never to end up so miserably because of love.
Yet, one wrong move led to another.
She knew clearly that this man was even more dangerous to love than her father, yet she had slowly loosened the locks on her heart, falling into the gentle trap woven by his tender words.
Now, she simply needed a little time to cry properly and mourn her fading sincerity.
Once she stepped out of these palace gates, she would leave all this useless resentment behind in these ruined halls.
When Wei Lenghou walked out of Ganquan Palace, Nanny Shan was waiting at the entrance.
His subordinate, who usually treated him with the utmost respect, maintained the proper etiquette in speech and gesture, yet her eyes held a clear, cold reprimand.
“The Princess is in her mother’s palace, weeping terribly. I worry she will harm her health. I ask the Grand Tutor to go and see her.”
The Grand Tutor was also suppressed with anger.
He shot Nanny Shan a fierce glare before heading inside.
As he entered the courtyard, he heard the muffled sobbing coming from behind the closed doors.
The towering rage he felt from being falsely accused was instantly extinguished by that pitiful, kitten like weeping.
When he pushed open the doors, the sunlight from outside revealed the small figure crouching on the floor.
She held her knees like a young child, crying helplessly into a ball.
With just one look, his anger vanished completely, replaced by overwhelming heartache.
He stepped forward, unfastened his cloak, and wrapped it around the small bundle on the floor.
“It is so cold in here. Why have you stopped caring for your own body?”
Nie Qinglin’s eyes were blurred with tears.
Before she could react to his arrival, she was pulled firmly into his embrace.
The moment she thought about how these arms had recently held another woman, Nie Qinglin felt a surge of intense loathing.
She used all her strength to push the man away, sending him sprawling to the ground.
“Do not touch me!”
The Grand Tutor simply sat cross legged on the floor, took a deep breath, and said, “You actually believe every word that foolish woman says? With her ugly appearance, I would not even bother to look at her if she were lying there for free.”
Nie Qinglin sneered inwardly.
Empress Xiao Shen was a simple soul, not someone who would frame others.
Furthermore, he had ordered prenatal tonics to be sent earlier.
Changing his tune now hardly seemed like the behavior of an honorable man.
Having cried too hard, her throat was hoarse and her head throbbed.
She tried to stand, but her legs were numb, so she ended up sitting on the floor as well.
Right then, the Grand Tutor pulled open his robes, revealing a broad expanse of his chest.
Nie Qinglin stared in disbelief at the man, thinking he was about to indulge his animalistic urges.
Her swollen eyes pained her as she forced them open wider.
“What are you doing? If you touch me, I will bite off my tongue and end my life!”
Hearing this, Wei Lenghou grew tight with frustration.
He said coldly, “The Empress claimed she scratched that man’s chest. Over this past month, you and I have shared a bed many times. Has the Princess ever seen a single scar on my chest?”
As his voice fell, her sobbing gradually quieted.
After a long silence, she asked in a raspy voice, “That day, you drank so much deer blood wine and stayed out all night. Where did you go to vent the effects of the wine?”
Wei Lenghou stood up, closed his robes, and brushed the dust from his clothes.
In the dim light, his features were cold and sharp.
He spoke in an icy tone, “I have been taking medicine for my leg injury. Divine Physician Wei warned me strictly never to drink deer blood wine, as it would worsen the potent nature of the medicine. Therefore, I gave that pot of wine to Ah Zhi to drink. I did drink a great deal of other wine, however, and fearing the smell of alcohol would bother the Princess, I rested in the palace study until the scent faded before returning to Fengchu Palace.”
Hearing this, Nie Qinglin finally understood.
If the Grand Tutor was telling the truth, then the person Empress Xiao Shen saw in the lake must have been his younger brother, Wei Yunzhi.
Wei Yunzhi was in his prime.
After drinking such potent deer blood wine, how could he have endured the heat? He must have gone to the palace lake to swim, where he encountered the Empress who had also undressed to enter the water.
Wei Yunzhi looked remarkably like his older brother.
On a dark, windy night, it would be difficult to tell them apart.
Seeing that Nie Qinglin had stopped crying, the Grand Tutor knew her intelligence had allowed her to connect the dots.
He gave a cold snort, bent down to pick her up, and walked swiftly out of the abandoned palace.
Tucked inside his cloak, Nie Qinglin wished she could simply faint.
Thinking back on her behavior just now, she felt nothing but deep embarrassment.
Upon returning to Fengchu Palace, the Grand Tutor placed her gently on the bed.
He straightened his back and, with a handsome face as cold as ice, said, “The Princess is exhausted from her weeping. Please rest well. This humble official shall take his leave.”
With those words, he prepared to depart.
Nie Qinglin timidly tugged at the corner of his sleeve and asked in a raspy voice, “Where is the Grand Tutor going?”
The Grand Tutor kept his eyes half lidded as he replied, “If I remain here, I fear I might earn the Princess’s loathing again, and perhaps drive her to bite her tongue.”
Having said that, he lightly brushed her hand away and strode out with great purpose.
Nie Qinglin sat in a daze for a while.
When she climbed down from the bed and walked toward the silver mirror, she was startled by her own reflection.
Her hair was messy and her eyes were swollen like red peaches, especially with those tear streaks running down her face.
It was no wonder people said a jealous woman looked the ugliest.
She had actually allowed herself to show such a pathetic state in front of him.
The little Princess Yong’an covered her face with her hands and crouched back down on the floor, letting out a long moan of frustration.
The younger brother, Wei Yunzhi, who had already set sail with new ships, could not escape his elder brother’s towering rage even across the vast ocean.
No sooner had he reached the docks than he was summoned back to the capital by an urgent missive from his brother.
One could not blame Wei Yunzhi for leaving without cleaning up his mess, as the situation that day had been truly prone to misunderstanding.
On the day of the Winter Solstice, his elder brother had gifted him a pot of special deer blood wine.
At first, it felt like nothing, but later his entire body became incredibly hot and restless.
Although Wei Yunzhi was not married, he was no innocent youth.
Sailing the seas inevitably meant meeting female companions whenever he docked.
That day, his brother was also half drunk.
Seeing Wei Yunzhi looking restless, he had jokingly asked if he should arrange for a beautiful palace maid to serve him.
Wei Yunzhi kept his father’s teachings firmly in mind: one must never act recklessly in the palace! Naturally, he declined the offer.
Later, he left the main hall and followed the path to the palace lake, intending to swim a few laps to dissipate the effects of the alcohol.
He never expected that after diving for a moment, he would emerge to find a woman entering the water half naked.
By the moonlight, her face was merely pleasant, but her figure was top tier.
Especially those rounded curves, which seemed ready to burst from her chemise.
After being soaked in water, the fabric clung to her every curve. With just one look, the deer blood in his veins boiled over.
His elder brother was truly too generous! Even though he had declined, his brother had insisted on arranging a maidservant anyway.
This little beauty had even been so considerate as to join him in the water.
The lake was freezing, so how could a delicate girl withstand it? It would be truly unrefined to reject her further.
The deer blood wine was simply too potent.
Once he held that soft body, it was impossible to be a man of virtue.
He could not even wait to find a bed.
Behind a wind shielded rockery, he impatiently had his way with her, going for three full rounds.
If it were not for a eunuch coming to search for him, he might not have felt satisfied even then.
The woman seemed very shy and was clearly a virgin.
Perhaps because she felt he was too rough, she, who had initially undressed to seduce him, ended up scratching his chest like a wild cat and sobbing quietly.
Wei Yunzhi felt a bit disappointed.
Worried the eunuch would find them and cause her embarrassment, he whispered for her to return and rest quickly before he followed the eunuch out of the palace.
Shortly after, because several cargo ships belonging to the family had issues at the wharf, he left the capital on business.
Occasionally, he thought of that palace maid with fondness, thinking that the next time he saw his brother, he would ask for her to be given to him as a concubine.
However, he never expected that when he saw his brother again, the man would have a grim face.
He dismissed the guards and yanked open his younger brother’s collar.
Wei Yunzhi was bewildered, watching blankly as his brother stared at the faint claw marks remaining on his chest.
Then he watched as his brother smiled slightly, showing pearly white teeth as he spoke.
“Ah zhi, congratulations on becoming a father.”
Wei Yunzhi was stunned, his mouth hanging open.
“Huh?”
Wei Lenghou continued, “Do you remember your romantic dip in the water on the Winter Solstice? My brother certainly has a way with things. You have managed to get the Empress of Great Wei pregnant.”
The younger Wei brother stood there as still as a wooden chicken.
The only thing in his mind was his father’s heartfelt words: “Your elder brother is rebellious and unfilial, making me ashamed to face our ancestors in the afterlife. Fortunately, I still have you, Ah zhi. I am counting on you to restore the honor of the Wei household.”
Although the mess of this accidental romantic debt had been cleared up, the gloom in the Grand Tutor’s heart remained difficult to dispel.
First was the matter of the flesh and blood in Shen Hong’er’s womb.
According to the Grand Tutor’s wishes, a single bowl of abortion medicine would have ended the matter.
He felt that anything sired by a fool would not be very bright and would only waste the Wei family bloodline.
However, his younger brother refused to consent, so he let him have his way.
Then there was the matter of that little Dragon Pearl! Originally, he had stormed off with a face full of resentment because he was angry about being falsely accused.
If she were a sensible woman, she should have washed her face, come to him on her own initiative to apologize, spoken some tender and considerate words, and then leaned her fragrant body into his arms.
Perhaps she might have even loosened her robes and teased him slightly.
If she had done that, he might have considered forgiving this little jealous woman.
Yet three whole days had passed, and forget about soft whispers of apology, he had not seen so much as a glimpse of her!
Thinking of this, he slammed his brush down onto the desk.
The Minister of Works standing nearby trembled in fear.
“Grand Tutor, is the design of this palace not to your liking?”
The Grand Tutor glanced at it.
There was nothing wrong with the design.
This was the residence he planned for himself and Guo’er after their wedding.
Every detail was meticulously crafted, and since the funds did not come from the national treasury, it was incredibly lavish.
He had intended to let the Princess see it, but now the little girl seemed determined to stay at odds with him.
Since he, the Marquis of Dingguo, was completely in the right, how could he be the one to bow his head first?
That morning, he specifically ordered Eunuch Ruan to have the imperial kitchen roast a tender leg of lamb to send to the Princess.
When lunch approached, he summoned Eunuch Ruan again.
“As the Chief Manager of the Palace, you should move around more to see if the noble residents lack anything. While you are at it, stop by Fengchu Palace. Mention to the Princess that I have had a poor appetite lately and cannot find anything decent to eat.”
Eunuch Ruan had recently been slapped as punishment.
Although the young eunuch carrying out the sentence was smart enough to hold back some force, the beating had improved Ruan’s memory.
He was now much more focused on grasping the Grand Tutor’s intentions.
He understood immediately and bowed.
“This servant understands. I will surely remind the Princess that the roasted lamb is your favorite and suggest she invite you to dine with her.”
He looked at the Grand Tutor expectantly, hoping he had hit the mark.
The Grand Tutor said nothing.
He picked up a memorial and focused his phoenix eyes on it, waving a hand to dismiss Eunuch Ruan.
As Eunuch Ruan left the study, he straightened his back.
He thought to himself that when the masters are fighting, the servants have to be twice as careful.
He prayed Princess Yong’an would have mercy on his old cheeks, for if they were slapped again, his teeth would surely fall out.
Next, the Grand Tutor tossed the memorial aside and stretched.
He checked his reflection in the clear water of the brush washing basin.
Today he wore a gold crown with floral patterns which made his features look exceptionally handsome.
He looked at himself from various angles, quite satisfied with his thick brows and sharp eyes.
He stood up to straighten his robes, planning to head to the Princess’s palace shortly.
After a while, Eunuch Ruan returned.
He entered the inner room and timidly looked at the Grand Tutor, who was standing before an ancient painting.
” Grand Tutor, the Princess has already started her meal. It seems she wishes to dine alone. Should I tell the kitchen to roast another lamb leg and bring it to the study instead?”
Realizing he was not going to get the meal he wanted, the Grand Tutor’s face instantly turned sour.
He stared gloomily at the painting as if he wanted to burn a hole through it.
After a long silence, he waved his hand to dismiss Eunuch Ruan again.
Nie Qinglin! What a grand imperial ego you have! It is as if I am the one who has wronged you!
Fuming with rage, he decided he did not need lunch as he was already full of anger.
However, official business still had to be handled.
Not a single part of the Wei Dynasty was easy to manage.
As he skimmed through the memorials, he could not help but feel bitter.
With so many women in the world, why was he stuck on this stubborn little girl? Did she think she had Wei Lenghou completely figured out? Even if he had slept with that foolish Empress, let alone the fact that he had not, her jealous behavior lacked all the grace of a noble lady. Was she really some wild cat that Consort Li had raised?
Just then, Eunuch Ruan’s voice came from outside, sounding joyful enough to cry.
“Reporting to the Grand Tutor, Princess Yong’an has personally brought food to visit you.”
Hearing this, the Grand Tutor’s brow slowly relaxed.
He said loudly, “Let the Princess in.”
Before long, a stunning beauty stepped through the door.
She wore a cloak of white fox fur.
Once inside, she unfastened it to reveal a crimson jacket and a long silk skirt embroidered with gold thread.
She did not look bulky in her winter clothes at all, appearing instead very charming and delicate.
He had been so angry he could not eat, yet this heartless girl seemed to have grown even more radiant.
That smooth, tender face made it impossible for him to look away once his eyes landed on her.
The Grand Tutor tried to maintain his stern composure, but his narrowed phoenix eyes were fixed entirely on the beauty before him.
