The Perilous Palace Dream - Chapter 31
Chapter 31
The blood-soaked official road near Swallow Lake was now covered with a thick layer of yellow sand and reopened for travel.
Though swords had clashed here just four days prior, none of the common folk passing by in their creaky carts could possibly imagine the danger that had once unfolded.
Inside a carriage, Imperial Physician Zhang sat with a throbbing shoulder wound, his heart racing to reach his destination.
After navigating the mountain curve, he first parked the carriage in a nearby grove, then hurried down the slope to the hidden cave where the little emperor had taken refuge.
Pushing aside the weeds and straining to move a large rock, he revealed a pale, lifeless face inside—a delicate figure with tightly closed eyes, like a jade carving devoid of breath…
Imperial Physician Zhang’s hands trembled slightly as he hesitantly checked for signs of life.
Only when he felt the faint, steady breathing did he exhale in relief.
Carefully, he removed the long needle inserted at the base of the skull—a technique to induce suspended animation—then lifted the emaciated figure and carried them to the waiting carriage before swiftly departing…
Huaxi Village lay at the northern foot of the capital.
Though geographically close, it was separated by a mountain, making it a secluded paradise untouched by the city’s bustle.
The villagers made their living growing vegetables in the perpetually damp soil, which yielded exceptionally sweet produce.
Half of the palace’s vegetable supply came from Huaxi, and thanks to their royal patronage, the government rarely bothered them, even reducing taxes so long as the crops thrived.
The village was insular, rarely accepting outsiders—land was scarce, after all.
But Old Physician Zhang was an exception.
Years ago, he had cured the village chief’s chronic illness and expressed his wish to retire there, even offering a hefty sum for a property.
Grateful, the chief insisted on gifting him a house in the east of the village, but the old physician refused until the chief accepted his payment.
Sadly, the old man passed before he could enjoy his retirement, leaving his son, Zhang Shiyu, to resign from his imperial post and settle in the village.
Of course, he wasn’t alone—he brought with him a newlywed wife.
This disappointed the village chief, who had hoped to marry his granddaughter to the earnest young man.
But when the delicate bride stepped out of the carriage, the chief’s eyes widened—good heavens! Was this not a fairy maiden descended from the heavens?
Though frail and dressed in plain cotton, her exquisite face, radiant aura, and jet-black hair put every village girl to shame.
Ah, young Physician Zhang must have seen many noble ladies in the palace, but this wife of his could outshine even the imperial concubines!
The villagers were warm-hearted.
A few aunties helped clean the couple’s new home, airing out quilts under the sun to ensure a cozy first night—hopefully soon blessed with a plump, healthy grandson.
Once the sun set and the helpers left, Zhang Shiyu bolted the door and bowed to the figure seated inside.
“Your Majesty must be exhausted. Though you bathed at the farmhouse earlier, please soak your feet. The medicinal congee is ready—after supper, you should rest.”
Nie Qinglin smiled.
“I’ve told you, don’t call me ‘Your Majesty’ anymore. If you slip up, it could bring disaster. Just call me… Lin’er.”
The name “Lin’er” instantly flushed Zhang’s cheeks red.
Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined such a day—sharing a home with the one he adored, warming her bathwater, cooking her meals, and even addressing her so intimately…
Nie Qinglin noticed his bashfulness and felt a pang of warmth.
He was truly sincere.
Days ago, when she had hatched her escape plan, she had only asked him to hide temporarily.
But Imperial Physician Zhang, to sell the ruse, had insisted on slashing his own shoulder and feigning death.
It was a gamble—she had bet that the search parties would overlook the crime scene itself, never suspecting the emperor would hide in a nearby cave.
The greatest risk was whether Grand Tutor Wei, in his fury, would execute all survivors to silence them.
Though the suspended-animation needle would wear off in four days, whether she’d have the strength to move the sealing rock was another matter.
But staying in the palace meant certain death—as summer approached, even a blind man would notice the “emperor’s” increasingly unconcealable secret.
Weighing her options, Nie Qinglin had chosen to risk it all.
Luckily, everything went smoothly. Imperial Physician Zhang had prepared a fake-death powder, and an old colleague of his father’s in the imperial hospital—who had watched Imperial Physician Zhang grow up—helped cover his “fatal relapse” after he “revealed” the emperor’s whereabouts.
With the Grand Tutor preoccupied, minor details like a lowly physician’s death went unnoticed.
As for why they chose Huaxi Village—spring was planting season, keeping the villagers busy.
Moreover, the rural community had no ties to the imperial hospital, so news of Imperial Physician Zhang’s “death” wouldn’t reach them anytime soon.
Nie Qinglin firmly believed that the most dangerous place was often the safest—Huaxi was Grand Tutor Wei’s blind spot, right under his nose.
She resolved to grow delicious vegetables here.
Perhaps one day, her greens would even end up on the Grand Tutor’s plate.
And once the palace announced the emperor’s abdication, she would spread her wings and fly far, exploring the vast, beautiful world beyond…
Lately, the village children had taken to loitering outside Physician Zhang’s fence, peeking at his fairy-like wife.
Not only was she stunning, but her cooking smelled divine—even simple beans and cucumbers tasted leagues better than their mothers’ rustic stews!
Even her cooking motions were mesmerizing, like watching an opera star.
Take peeling cucumbers, for instance:
The washed cucumbers glistened in a blue-and-white porcelain basin as the young mistress sat gracefully on a cushioned chair in the yard. A delicate paring knife in one hand, she steadied the stem with the other, and with two deft strokes, the green peel slid away like shed clothing, landing neatly on a pristine plate.
The children held their breaths as the cucumber turned from green to white.
By then, Physician Zhang would emerge from the kitchen, face smudged with soot, having fanned away the smoke.
He’d humbly invite his wife inside, where she’d take up the ladle, swirl a pre-mixed sauce like a calligrapher wielding a brush, and with a sizzle, toss in the sliced cucumbers and pork strips Zhang Shiyu had prepared.
A few quick stirs, and the dish was ready.
Then, she’d return the ladle, wash her hands in a porcelain basin, dry them with a towel, and settle back into her chair with a book.
Delicate fingers would scatter millet from a side dish, drawing fluffy chicks to peck at her feet.
With her slender neck bent over the pages, she looked every bit a noblewoman leisurely feeding golden koi in a blooming garden…
Only when Zhang Shiyu had plated the meal would she rise and join him at the table.
By then, the children would scatter, summoned home by their own mothers.
“You’ve still got soot on your nose.”
Nie Qinglin laughed, dabbing Zhang Shiyu’s nose with a handkerchief.
As his cheeks reddened again, she placed a slice of cucumber on his plate.
“This is a dish Qiao’er once taught me. Simple, but refreshing. My mother… loved it when she was alive.”
Zhang Shiyu didn’t mention that this “simple” dish had taken them three hours to prepare—most of the work done by him.
Had Lin’er not insisted, he wouldn’t have let her touch the ladle.
Who else knew this was the body of an emperor?
If only he were wealthy enough to buy a secluded estate with lush gardens and sparkling ponds, a worthy sanctuary for this rare beauty who had somehow come into his care…
Lost in thought, Zhang happily chewed the cucumber she had served him.
“Tomorrow’s market day. I’ll go buy supplies—is there anything you’d like?”
Nie Qinglin’s eyes brightened.
“Like last time—pretty dresses, hairpins, face powder…”
Zhang nodded eagerly, though he didn’t dwell on the fact that she still hadn’t worn half the outfits from last trip.
He longed to buy her every beautiful gown in the world, to compensate for the splendor this peerless beauty truly deserved…
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It feels like a reverse harem situation. Thanks for the updates!!