The Perilous Palace Dream - Chapter 95
Chapter 95
When Nie Qinglin saw that it was the Grand Tutor, she hurriedly tried to pull the nearby silk blanket to cover her disheveled self.
“Didn’t the Grand Tutor say you were too busy with official duties and would not be returning to the General’s Residence these few days?”
If she had not heard from Nanny Shan earlier that he would not be coming back, she would not have dared to remove her robe and apply scented balm so boldly in the early morning.
“I hurried to finish my work so that I could return and keep the Princess company. I would not want you to feel lonely and let your mind wander elsewhere,” said the Grand Tutor.
Nie Qinglin thought he was joking, yet his expression remained serious, his handsome face taut as a drum.
Seeing that the Princess kept hiding under the blanket, he reached out and with firm strength pulled her back into his arms like a slippery little fish.
Nie Qinglin pressed against his strong chest and cried out in alarm, “In a while, the General’s wife will come to discuss matters with me. Please, Grand Tutor, do not cause trouble.”
But once he had her in his arms, how could he be willing to let go?
He turned her over gently, her face resting against the soft bedding, the faint fragrance of balm lingering in the air.
The Grand Tutor’s jealousy had been stirred ever since Nie Qinglin had jested the previous night about selecting that lowly bastard Ge Qingyuan into the harem.
Feeling a sense of rivalry,he felt he needed to exert more force to demonstrate his skill and thwart this ignorant young princess’s unrealistic ambition to “choose a concubine.”
The Grand Tutor completely held nothing back, riding his horse hard and fast all the way.
The bed shook so violently it was like an earthquake, and Princess Yong’an screamed herself hoarse.
She truly felt that after enduring this ‘first half of the night,’ she would have no strength left to enjoy the ‘second half of the night.
Yet even after gaining the upper hand, the Grand Tutor still acted righteous.
Resting lazily against the bed, his strong arm bare, he began lecturing her with a straight face.
“The Princess is still young and may sometimes be carried away by fanciful thoughts. But you must understand that too much indulgence in such matters can harm the body. You should not be greedy for pleasure and neglect your well-being.”
Although Nie Qinglin was young, she was not naive.
Knowing that he was merely turning things around to his advantage, she caught her breath and frowned slightly, replying with a hint of annoyance, “The Grand Tutor knows this could harm the body, yet you are not young yourself and still refuse to restrain your own behavior.”
Normally, such words would have made him laugh and kiss her to silence.
But last night, after handling military reports in the camp, he had idly compared himself with that so-called ‘Concubine Ge’ in the reflection of his ink basin.
Though he found himself no lesser in any way, the thought of being older still left a faint sting of envy.
He was a man in his prime, tall and vigorous, yet he could not help suspecting that the Princess might harbor a soft spot for the youthfulness of another.
No amount of tea could calm that uneasy jealousy burning within him.
Now, hearing Guo’er call him ‘old’ truly hit a nerve.
He pulled the sweaty little fish into his arms, and his fingers flew, employing his bedroom method of ‘interrogation.’
Guo’er was finally reduced to tears, sobbing and begging for mercy…
Such frivolous messing around was the best way to waste time. By the time the Grand Tutor finally let go and got out of bed, it was already near noon.
After Nie Qinglin rested lazily on the bed for a while, she was helped by Nanny Shan to wash off her makeup and then reapply powder and tidy herself up.
It was then that Nanny Shan said, ‘Madam Gu just sent a servant to say that if the Princess has a moment, she is waiting for the Princess in the front hall to have tea together.’
The tea meeting had been arranged early in the morning.
Because of the Grand Tutor’s unannounced visit, Nie Qinglin had almost forgotten about it.
Realizing that Madam Gu had likely been waiting for some time, her cheeks grew warm with embarrassment.
She quickly changed into proper attire and, accompanied by her attendants, made her way to the front hall.
This Madam Gu was past thirty.
Although there were fine lines at the corners of her eyes, she still retained her charm and graceful bearing.
Do not be misled by her being the wife of a border general, for she came from a noble lineage.
She was the great-granddaughter of Marquis Xuanping, Cao Long, a first-rank noble who had once expanded the territories of Great Wei.
However, by her father’s generation, the family had already begun to decline.
Her father, though inheriting the title of marquis, held no real post at court.
Moreover, for having offended the nephew of the powerful Minister Rong, he was punished by the late emperor, stripped of part of his fief and forced to move out of the capital.
The once-glorious family fell into such decline that even local gentry began to look down upon them.
Her family once hoped to climb back into favor by arranging her marriage into the household of her cousin, Prince Anrong, even if only as a concubine, for that would still be a connection to the imperial clan.
But the great-granddaughter of this former hero carried pride in her bones.
Prince Anrong was notorious for his debauchery, frequenting the streets with male courtesans and disreputable companions, and his name was thoroughly disgraced.
She despised his conduct and refused to accept such a marriage.
Instead, she begged her father insistently to let her marry Gu Shun, a then-unknown martial scholar.
Now, it seemed Madam Gu’s eye for character had indeed been sharp.
Prince Anrong, Nie Sheng, had been blind in his choices and took the nephew of Prince Anxi as his son-in-law, which led to his downfall.
After the Grand Tutor pacified the rebellion in Anxi, even though he had once shared wine and conversation with Prince Anrong, he did not let past friendship cloud his judgment.
Remembering how the prince had once tried to offer him a male concubine and spread slander that the Grand Tutor admired men, his anger flared.
He ignored all former ties, had Prince Anrong imprisoned, and later executed.
The once-proud princely residence was thus destroyed.
As for Gu Shun, being an old subordinate of Wei Lenghou and a man of both literary and military talent, he gained the Grand Tutor’s favor and was entrusted with the important task of guarding Qinglong Pass.
His future prospects were boundless.
Although Madam Gu’s family had fallen into decline, she had grown up amidst the grandeur of a marquis’s household.
Her manners and bearing were therefore far superior to those of the wives of minor border officials.
On this day, she had carefully arranged a tea gathering in the front hall to receive an honored guest from the Grand Tutor’s residence.
When the Third Madam of the Wei household entered the hall, Madam Gu rose with a smile to greet her.
Having borne three sons, she could tell at a glance from the faint marks on the Third Madam’s hair and the still-damp traces of water that she had only recently risen and dressed.
Thinking of how the Grand Tutor had returned to the General’s Residence early that morning and only just departed, Madam Gu immediately guessed the cause of the delay.
She could not help but secretly remark to herself that the Grand Tutor, once known for placing duty above all else, had been thoroughly bewitched by this concubine of humble birth.
To have him stay behind closed doors in broad daylight was proof enough that this woman followed the seductive path of a temptress like Daji. Thus, though she maintained a polite smile and treated her guest with outward warmth for the sake of her husband’s career, she inwardly looked down upon her.
(T/N: Daji is a well-known figure in Chinese mythology and history. She’s often described as a stunningly beautiful woman whose charm and cruelty led to the downfall of the Shang dynasty.)
“I was delayed by some matters and have kept Madam Gu waiting,” Nie Qinglin said with a smile after taking her seat.
“I am but a woman of leisure,” Madam Gu replied gently.
“Even with free time, I have nothing more important to do than embroidery to pass the hours. So there is no delay at all. I recently acquired some fine new tea. Since Princess Shaoyang is with child and cannot drink it, I thought it best not to disturb her. It is perfect timing to share it with the Third Madam instead.”
As she spoke, several maids brought out intricate tea utensils from behind a small screen and arranged them neatly upon a rosewood tea table.
It was clear that Madam Gu was fond of the tea ceremony and had studied it with care.
The utensils she had prepared were exquisitely made and complete in every detail, numbering more than a dozen pieces.
Nie Qinglin casually picked up one of the teacups and rubbed it lightly between her fingers.
The fine purple clay felt smooth to the touch.
Seeing the single character “Qing” carved at the bottom, she could not help but exclaim, “No wonder the shape of this teaware feels so elegant and refined. It is actually the work of Lord Shensi himself.”
Madam Gu was taken aback.
People often praised the calligraphy of Lord Shensi from the previous dynasty, yet few knew that he was also a master craftsman of purple clay pottery.
Because he loved his creations too deeply, he feared that others might pursue them blindly for his fame rather than appreciate the true beauty of the clay.
Thus, he never signed his full name, leaving only the single character “Qing” in seal script.
Lord Shensi was even more meticulous in pottery than in calligraphy.
In his entire life, he left behind only three complete sets of teaware.
All others, which he considered imperfect, he shattered with his own inkstone rather than allow them to circulate and bring shame to his art.
The tea set she owned was part of her dowry, brought from her maiden home.
Because her late grandfather and Lord Shensi had been close friends, this precious set had been obtained through that friendship.
She had inherited it from her father and cherished it like a treasure.
Every half a month, she would bathe and cleanse herself before boiling tea leaves to pour over the teapot for maintenance.
Even when her family fell into decline, she had never abandoned this costly habit.
Today, the tea set was prepared for Princess Shaoyang.
Since the princess came from the palace and was a noble figure, it was only fitting to use such fine ware to uphold the honor of the general’s household.
Unexpectedly, the princess, having conceived, could no longer drink tea.
She merely planned to stop by for a brief visit, but due to the fatigue of her journey, she felt unwell and had sent word to decline the invitation.
Thus, the exquisite tea set was now to be used for entertaining a concubine of humble origin.
Madam Gu was deeply frustrated.
Yet she could not replace the tea set in front of the servants, lest it invite gossip and stir unnecessary trouble.
Still, the feeling in her heart was like offering her cherished daughter into the hands of a frivolous young rake.
Who would have thought that this seemingly coquettish woman from a modest family would, with a few words, correctly identify the origin of the tea set? Madam Gu was astonished.
“Third Madam, you have quite the discerning eye. It seems you are also a connoisseur of tea!”
The refined are easiest to befriend; everything depends on that word “understanding.”
Once resonance is found, it no longer matters whether one was born a woodcutter or a concubine—one’s heart delights in sharing and displaying knowledge.
Madam Gu at once brought out the tea leaves she intended to brew and invited Nie Qinglin to taste and discuss them.
Nie Qinglin actually preferred fruits and small snacks over tea, but her sixth imperial brother had been an avid tea lover.
During their studies in the academy, she had been forced to sit with him and sample every tribute tea available.
Her sensitive palate could never quite forget those flavors.
That little bit of accumulated knowledge was enough for her to hold her own with Madam Gu.
Taking up the purple bamboo teaspoon, she examined the leaves, sniffed their fragrance, and said, “Madam Gu is no ordinary woman. Although the base of this steamed green loose tea is not of famous origin, it was clearly crafted by a masterful hand. The roasting is perfect, one degree more and it would scorch, one less and it would taste raw. If brewed with snow water collected from plum blossoms, the flavor would be especially mellow.”
The fine wrinkles at the corners of Madam Gu’s eyes smoothed as she smiled.
“Third Madam and I seem to think alike. I have a jar of last year’s plum-blossom snow water buried under the plum tree in the courtyard. I just unearthed it earlier, let us taste it together.”
When the tea water came to a boil, the hall was filled with fragrant incense and calm air.
Madam Gu’s practiced movements flowed like water over mountains as she poured and brewed, producing a pot of aromatic tea.
Watching the Third Madam gracefully lift the cup, her cherry lips parting slightly as she tasted in quiet concentration, Madam Gu’s earlier contempt vanished completely, washed away with the hot tea.
She thought to herself: no wonder the proud Marquis Wei favors this woman so deeply.
Her beauty is already of a peerless kind, yet her insight and composure are extraordinary.
Her every movement carries a natural grace without any trace of girlish affectation.
She is in no way inferior to noble ladies born of high rank.
If she were a man possessing such inner and outer refinement, perhaps she too would be adored and doted upon, leaving matters of state behind for tenderness at her side.
Yet how long could such a beauty hold the Grand Tutor’s favor? She reflected on her own past…born into a prestigious family, married to her husband, sharing deep affection and mutual respect in their youth.
But after bearing three sons, her figure changed, her beauty faded, and his love waned.
Two concubines had since joined the household.
Fortunately, her husband still respected her position as the primary wife, and since the concubines had borne only daughters, her standing remained secure.
Though her heart was often heavy, it brought her some comfort that no scandal of favoring concubines over the wife had ever occurred.
This was the sorrow of all women.
No matter how learned or capable, they still needed a man’s name to uphold the family’s honor.
At times, sitting in her splendid hall and sipping fine tea, she could not help but wonder: if her husband had never advanced in rank and remained the nameless martial scholar he once was, would life have been simpler and more peaceful?
Yet after seeing Princess Shaoyang enter the mansion yesterday, that sense of injustice in her heart was dispelled, replaced by satisfaction.
The princess, a daughter of the late emperor, how exalted her birth…still had to endure the humiliation of remarriage and raising another’s son.
And the concubines in Prince Hong’s residence were said to be even more arrogant than the official princess consort.
The sight had truly opened her eyes. Instantly, she felt her own household tranquil and her life quite content in comparison.
In truth, the tea gathering today had been arranged for one important matter, something she needed to discuss with Princess Shaoyang.
In a few days, it would be the Xiongnus’ grandest festival, the “Bikeha” Festival, said to be held in remembrance of their ancestors.
Nie Qinglin, who enjoyed reading unofficial histories and secret tales, had once read a passage claiming that the Xiongnus were descendants of Xia Jie, the tyrant of the Xia dynasty.
After Xia Jie lost his kingdom and died in exile three years later, his son Xunyu led his father’s beautiful wives and concubines northward, away from the chaos.
They lived by herding cattle and sheep, moving wherever water and grass could be found, thus beginning their nomadic life.
According to legend, the “Bikeha” Festival commemorated the event when Xunyu lay with several of his stepmothers.
His numerous acts of coupling moved the gods, who took pity and blessed the Xia clan with ten divine sons.
From then on, their descendants flourished in number, their herds multiplied, and their warriors grew ever stronger.
When Nie Qinglin first read this, she had found it absurd.
The thought of one man’s stepmothers all giving birth on the same day seemed nothing more than a farce of human relations.
Even her own father, the former emperor who had taken indulgence as his life’s pursuit, could never have accomplished such a thing.
Yet now, seeing the customs of the Xiongnus, it seemed their descendants had inherited and continued such ancient traditions with great seriousness.
At the very least, Xiu Tuhong’s conduct was strikingly similar to that of his ancestor Xunyu.
The Xiongnus believed that celebrating the Bikeha Festival would bless their herds for the year, keeping them healthy and abundant, and that their women would bear more children.
On this day, they would slaughter cattle and sheep as offerings to the gods.
Pregnant women, their bodies anointed with fragrant oil, would walk three times around the camp to pray for the prosperity of the tribe.
Since Prince Hong’s two wives were both pregnant, the upcoming Bikeha Festival at Qinglong Pass could not be treated lightly.
The secondary consort, Lady Nulan, sent word to the steward of the general’s residence, instructing him to inform the general of the arrangements.
General Gu did not care for the Xionnus, but since he had to obey the Grand Tutor’s orders, he dared not neglect these Xiongnu women.
Still, he could not be bothered with the details and left everything for his wife to handle.
The food and customs of the northern lands were entirely different from those of the Central Plains.
To properly entertain Xiu Tuhong’s wives and concubines, Madam Gu was run off her feet.
With the Xiongnu’s women busily preparing for their festival, the household was in complete chaos.
That day, although Princess Shaoyang did not come, Madam Gu noticed that the princess and the Third Madam shared a close relationship.
Wanting to discuss details regarding the princess’s reception, she took the opportunity to ask the Third Madam whether there were any instructions from the Grand Tutor.
Nie Qinglin was unfamiliar with the Xiongnus’ customs, so after the tea gathering, she went to ask her Eighth Imperial Sister.
However, upon hearing it, her sister frowned deeply and replied with displeasure, “A festival? It’s nothing but another excuse to disgrace women. Pregnant as they are, they still have to bare their bellies and walk around the camp…how utterly shameful.”
Knowing her sister’s distaste for Xiongnu customs, Nie Qinglin said gently, “Since we are back at Qinglong Pass, which can be considered our home, there is no need for us to participate in such a festival. Let Madam Gu make arrangements for Lady Nulan alone.”
After receiving Nie Qinglin’s reply, Madam Gu prepared the slaughtered cattle and sheep, and in the courtyard of the residence, she set up a single tent for Lady Nulan to walk around in her ritual.
Yet even with all this preparation, Lady Nulan found countless faults with it.
On the morning of the Bikeha Festival, Lady Nulan arrived in full fury, bringing along two attendants and several others, storming straight into Princess Shaoyang’s quarters.
At that time, Nie Qinglin was playing flower tiles with her imperial sister.
When Lady Nulan barged in without announcement, Princess Shaoyang was so startled that her fair hand trembled, scattering the tiles across her lap.
“The Bikeha Festival is the most important celebration of our Xiongnus, yet the general’s wife of Wei prepared only this tiny, shabby tent for me. As the principal consort, you are delicate and weak, refusing to take part in the ritual walk. Are you trying to bring misfortune upon the Prince’s entire tribe?”
Lady Nulan did not even bow.
She raised her voice as soon as she entered, her tone full of accusation.
Nie Qinglin slowly straightened her posture and gently set down the flower tiles in her hand.
Her eyes turned cold as she gazed steadily at the secondary consort.
Shan Tiehua had just returned from the northern frontier and naturally understood the current political situation there.
Although Xiu Tuhong and Xiu Tulie appeared to maintain peace on the surface, their two factions had already begun to draw clear lines of allegiance.
Lady Nulan’s father, after weighing both sides carefully, had ultimately decided to side with his son-in-law, Xiu Tuhong.
The Gerfan tribe under his command possessed formidable strength.
Now that Xiu Tuhong treated the tribe’s chieftain with utmost respect, Lady Nulan’s confidence had grown even stronger.
If she were to give birth to the first son this time, and her husband ascended to the throne of the chanyu with her father’s support, then to secure the allegiance of her father’s tribe, she would certainly be established as the chief consort, the Yanshi.
As for that frail Wei princess sent in marriage for political alliance, she was nothing more than a weak and delicate woman who had momentarily captured the prince’s curiosity.
The child she carried, tainted with Han blood, would never be worthy of the royal tent of the Xiongnus.
Thinking of how that alluring little enchantress, once favored by the late chanyu, had bewitched the prince night after night while she herself lay alone in desolation, Nulan’s heart filled with jealousy and resentment.
Had it not been for that night when the prince, drunk and disoriented, mistakenly entered her chamber and possessed her with fierce passion until dawn, she might never have known his favor.
Fortunately, she conceived afterward, and since then, the prince had treated her with more regard.
But to ensure her future, she thought it best to act while he was preoccupied with the struggle for the throne in the distant northern territories.
If she could make that delicate princess miscarry, it would prevent her from bearing a son and using her charms to once again divide the prince’s affection.
The ritual of walking around the tent was a crude northern custom.
The festival took place near winter, and in such bitter cold, pregnant women were required to bare their bellies and walk in the wind, a true ordeal.
Each year, there were always women with weak bodies who, after enduring the freezing wind, miscarried or even died with their unborn children.
Yet the northern tribes, valuing strength and survival of the fittest, believed that a child unable to endure such trials was destined to be weak and unworthy to live, nothing more than prey for wolves.
For generations, this barbaric custom had never been abolished.
Nulan herself was strong.
Even while pregnant, she continued to wash her limbs with icy water and thus feared no chill.
But Princess Shaoyang was different.
Perhaps because of her petite frame or because her child was large, she had suffered greatly throughout her pregnancy and relied constantly on medicines to preserve it.
If she were forced to walk several rounds in the cold wind to the sound of the ritual drums, it would surely make her gravely ill.
However, if Princess Shaoyang were to lose her child for this reason, no one could accuse Nulan of wrongdoing when the matter reached the prince.
After all, she would only have been following the sacred will of their ancestors.
It would merely prove that the Han woman’s body was unfit to bear a child with the royal Xiongnu bloodline.
But if she refused to take part in the ritual, the entire tribe would see it as an insult to their ancestors.
In such a sacred festival, that would be blasphemy against the gods themselves.
If even a single lamb were to die within the year, the people would blame the princess for angering the spirits by refusing to perform her duty.
Then, no matter how much favor the prince showed her, she would lose the hearts of the people, rendering her powerless.
Thinking of this, Nulan arched her brow.
That very morning, frost had fallen, and one could see their breath freeze in the air.
The cold was biting.
She thought it a sign of divine favor.
All she needed was to play her part well, persuade the general’s household to prepare a larger tent and extend the walking route.
Then she could make that Han princess tremble in the icy wind until she miscarried her unborn child.
H
Hehe. Wei continues to drown in vinegar. Thanks for the updates!