The Perilous Palace Dream - Chapter 116
Chapter 116
Seeing the Princess show a look of confusion, the Marchioness suddenly realized she must have said something she shouldn’t have.
Fearing that further talk would only invite displeasure, she promptly stopped herself and smiled, “I only vaguely heard my Marquis mention something like that; it was likely just my mishearing… Look at my memory! Weren’t we just talking about having tea? In truth, I recently hired a new pastry chef whose kumquat thin pancakes pair best with tea…”
Nie Qinglin politely declined the Marchioness’s warm invitation and returned directly to the palace.
However, just as the carriage drove out of the lane’s entrance, she said, “In a moment, do not pass through the East Gate. It is too noisy along that way; let us take the northern side instead.”
Thus, the carriage adjusted its direction, taking a longer detour as it traveled onward.
As they passed by the official post-house designated for entertaining foreign envoys, Nie Qinglin slightly lifted the curtain to glance at its unusually bustling entrance.
Sure enough, a carriage bearing Xiongnu banners was parked right at the post-house door.
Nie Qinglin’s days of enduring hardship in the Moha Tribe had not been spent in vain; at the very least, under An Qiao’er’s explanations, she had learned to recognize and understand Xiongnu banners.
The emblem on that banner was a lion’s head—the mark of Xiu Tuhong’s tribe…
With her sharp eyesight, Nie Qinglin recognized at a single glance that the woman who had just stepped down from the carriage was actually Lady Gu of Qinglong Pass.
In her arms, she seemed to be holding an infant…
That single glance caused Nie Qinglin’s face to turn pale.
Her hand slackened, and she fell back onto the cushion.
By the time she wanted to call for the carriage to stop, it had already driven far away.
Nie Qinglin had every intention of instructing the carriage to turn back, yet a sudden thread of timidity welled up in her heart.
In the end, she made no sound, merely letting the carriage carry her back into the palace.
Upon returning to Fengchu Palace, Nie Qinglin did not even change her clothes, sitting blankly on the chair instead.
She wanted to convince herself that she was overthinking, yet found that no matter how she tried, it made no sense… Why would Lady Gu be riding in a carriage belonging to Xiu Tuhong’s tribe? And what was this about a Xiongnu princess that the Marchioness had mentioned? It seemed that no matter which direction her thoughts turned, they all pointed straight toward a terrifying conclusion.
Nie Qinglin could sit still no longer.
She summoned an errand-running junior eunuch to check if the Grand Tutor was currently in the Imperial Study within the palace.
Over these past few days, due to the unrest among the Xiongnu, the Grand Tutor was always busy until late; sometimes when he arrived, she had already tossed and turned before falling asleep.
After a while, the junior eunuch reported that the Grand Tutor had returned to the Imperial Study.
However, he had sent word to the Princess saying that he was busy with affairs today and would not come to see her.
Furthermore, he had instructed the Palace Inner Bureau to deliver a set of rouge and cosmetics refined from high-mountain red rosewood blossoms, a tribute from Xixiang Country, for the Princess to mix and pass the time with.
If she found it to her liking, she could use it to apply her makeup on the day of her wedding.
The red rosewood blossom bloomed only once every fifty years; its color was a proper and vibrant red, and rouge made from its floral juice did not easily fade, remaining unblurred even when stained with sweat.
Had she received such a gift at any normal time, Nie Qinglin would surely have opened the box with great interest to mix it.
Today, however, she grew increasingly certain that the Grand Tutor was definitely hiding something from her.
Although the Grand Tutor often sent her things on ordinary days, he would never be in such a leisurely mood as to personally order the mixing of minor things like rouge.
Could such a perfunctory, child-coaxing tone fail to arouse suspicion?
Nie Qinglin stood up and instructed Nanny Shan to help her change her clothes.
Seeing the silk skirt and ethereal robes Nanny Shan brought over, she did not reach out to take them, saying softly instead, “Put the Dragon Robe on for Us.”
Nanny Shan looked up at the Princess in shock, only to see something brewing in the depths of the Princess’s eyes…
When Nie Qinglin stepped into the study, the ministers discussing state affairs inside fell silent all at once, offering their respects to the Emperor one after another.
In the past, they had not realized it.
Now, however, those who could step into the Imperial Study were all nobility of the court, and they naturally knew that the Emperor was actually female.
It was only due to the oppressive might of the Grand Tutor’s “calling a deer a horse” that they could not tear down this layer of paper.
Yet in their hearts, they secretly cursed themselves for their past blindness—that such a pretty and charming female Emperor had not aroused their suspicion before was truly a disease of the eyes.
The Grand Tutor had not expected Nie Qinglin to suddenly enter the study wearing the Dragon Robe while he was discussing state affairs with the ministers, and his brows could not help but furrow slightly.
Nie Qinglin, however, acted as though she did not notice the Grand Tutor’s displeasure, speaking with steady composure, “We have matters to discuss with the Grand Tutor. My esteemed subjects may take your leave first.”
Hearing the Emperor speak, the ministers naturally looked up at the Grand Tutor’s expression.
Seeing him wave his hand, they retreated directly outside.
“What matter brings Your Majesty to seek this servant?”
The Grand Tutor did not rise, remaining seated in his chair as he asked in a calm tone.
Nie Qinglin looked directly into the Grand Tutor’s pair of phoenix eyes and asked point-blank,”What has happened to Eighth Imperial Sister?”
Guo’er rarely spoke so directly, not even bothering to beat around the bush.
The Grand Tutor knew her exquisite mind and did not know where she had caught wind of this; one must know he himself had only received the news three days ago, and had only learned at noon today that the Xiongnu carriage had reached the capital.
Had he known earlier that they would arrive so soon, he would never have allowed the Little Dragon Pearl to go out and tour the Marquis Consort’s Manor.
He had originally intended to keep it from her, yet she insisted on knowing… The Grand Tutor thought for a moment and said, “It is better for the Princess not to know.”
Nie Qinglin pressed her lips together slightly and said, “What We are wearing now is the Dragon Robe, not Princess Yong’an, whom the Grand Tutor conferred.”
The Grand Tutor’s face turned cold.
After a long moment of seeing that the little monarch in the Dragon Robe showed not the slightest retreat, he knew in his heart that she was determined to know the truth today.
Finally rising to his feet, he walked close to her and said softly, “Princess Shaoyang… has passed away.”
Although she had vaguely guessed it in her heart, hearing this news verified with her own ears still caused Nie Qinglin’s body to go weak.
Had the Grand Tutor not caught her in time, she would have collapsed onto the ground.
Seeing Guo’er’s face instantly lose all color, the Grand Tutor’s heart tightened.
He felt secretly annoyed at himself for speaking too quickly, hastily lifting her into his arms to lay her on the soft couch in the inner chamber.
Unbuttoning the collar of her Dragon Robe, he gently rubbed that slender, fair neck of hers, looking at her dazed state as he said, “If your heart aches, then cry it out; do not bottle it up.”
Only then did Nie Qinglin look toward the Grand Tutor, her voice trembling as she asked further,”Eighth Imperial Sister… how did she pass…”
The Grand Tutor thought for a moment and said, “The exact details are not entirely clear at present. It seems Xiu Tuhong was ambushed by assassins, and the consort, along with her carriage, fell into a mountain ravine and was swept away by a great river. The fragments of the carriage were washed to pieces, and after several days of searching, no trace of her was found… That river has always been torrential, and falling from such a height…”
The Grand Tutor did not finish the remaining words, but his underlying meaning was perfectly clear.
Hearing up to this point, tears gushed forth from Nie Qinglin’s eyes all at once.
Her Eighth Imperial Sister had been so timid; how terrified must she have been when she fell off the cliff all alone? Imagining the ice-cold water surging into her nose and throat, Nie Qinglin felt her own throat choking up to the point of being unable to breathe.
This sight naturally pained Wei Lenghou immensely.
Yet he knew that having her cry her heart out in his arms right now was better than her hiding under the covers and wetting half the bed in tears by herself.
Thus, he merely held her, allowing the beauty’s tears to soak his chest.
With great difficulty, when her choking sobs gradually quieted down, Wei Lenghou kissed her red, swollen eyes and said softly, “Right now, Xiu Tuhong is also in a difficult situation. Fearing that his beloved daughter would be dragged into it, he dispatched a trusted general to send his daughter past the pass, entrusting General Gu of Qinglong Pass to deliver the young princess to the capital. Fearing the young princess might suffer a mishap on the road, General Gu suggested that his wife, along with two wet nurses, personally escort the young princess into the capital.
“Currently, the young princess has been settled in Suiyue Palace. If you, her aunt, only know to blindly grieve and ruin your body with tears, who can the infant still in her swaddling clothes rely on?”
As the saying goes, a mother becomes strong in the face of adversity.
Though Nie Qinglin was only her aunt, the thought of her pitiful sister’s infant still in swaddling clothes made her force herself up from the Grand Tutor’s embrace, sobbing as she insisted on going to see her.
“Although Princess Jiarou is young, it is not good for you, her aunt, to see her with eyes red as peaches like this. Go see her tomorrow instead.”
Saying so, the Grand Tutor called for Eunuch Ruan, instructing him to dismiss the ministers first while he himself accompanied Nie Qinglin back to Fengchu Palace.
After retrieving ice to cool a towel, he personally applied it over her eyes.
Nanny Shan had originally suspected the Princess had been reprimanded by the Grand Tutor for intruding into the study and thus cried out of grievance.
Seeing the Grand Tutor caring for her so meticulously, however, it did not seem to be the case.
Only then did she put her mind somewhat at ease, silently carrying the basin of water as she withdrew.
“Does the Grand Tutor know who was behind the assassination of Xiu Tuhong?”
Long after they had changed clothes and laid down, having kept her eyes closed for a long while, Nie Qinglin spoke up to ask.
” Xiu Tuhong’s side consort colluded with Ge Qingyuan. After discovering Xiu Tuhong’s whereabouts, he dispatched dead-servant assassins to attack him and the consort…”
Hearing this sentence, Nie Qinglin’s heart tightened once again.
If it were possible, she truly wished she could have hardened her heart back in that Xiongnu tent and personally stabbed Ge Qingyuan to death with a sword.
Without him, Imperial Sister would not have met a tragic end in that ice-cold river, nor would little Jiarou have lost her mother at such a young age… Truly, one wrong step led to every step going astray…
Just as she was blaming herself incessantly, the Grand Tutor embraced her from behind, reaching out to hold the wrist she had placed beside her cheek, “Guo’er, do not overthink things. It is all this Marquis’s fault. Originally, I only intended to let the two Xiutu brothers fight internally for mutual restraint, intending to step in and intervene only after the Xiongnu’s strength was nearly depleted, supporting Xiu Tuhong to become the new Chanyu. I never expected that a moment’s hesitation would harm Eighth Princess…”
Hearing his words, Nie Qinglin gave a faint, bitter smile and said in a raspy voice, “What fault does the Grand Tutor have? Those who act as rulers must put the overall situation first. Though I am overly sentimental and lack the Grand Tutor’s decisive sharpness in settling the world, I also know that this is how things ought to be… As daughters of the royal family, we enjoy fine clothes and luxury from childhood, and must repay it all upon reaching adulthood. I only hope they can find Imperial Sister… Even if she cannot return to Great Wei alive, her remains should be brought back to her homeland to be buried alongside Imperial Concubine Mother.”
The next day, Nie Qinglin woke up very early, yet upon getting out of bed, she found the man was no longer beside her.
After washing up, she did not even bother to eat before rushing off to visit Princess Jiarou, her imperial sister’s orphaned child.
The little princess was sleeping soundly, her tender, chubby cheeks in the cradle resembling freshly steamed egg custard.
When Nie Qinglin gently lifted her up, perhaps because she had slept her fill, the infant opened her eyes, looked at her aunt in front of her, licked her tongue, and parted her small mouth in a smile.
That endearing and well-behaved appearance truly made one’s heart ache for her.
Seeing the little princess, the rims of Nie Qinglin’s eyes could not help but turn red once again.
