The Perilous Palace Dream - Chapter 96
Chapter 96
Nie Qinglin naturally saw the look of deliberate difficulty in Nulan’s eyes, so she gave a slight smile and said, “Someone come and bring Lady Nulan a chair.”
As the saying goes, one does not strike a smiling face.
Nie Qinglin’s gentle call immediately cut off Nulan’s aggressive momentum.
When the chair was brought over, Nulan sensed that refusing to sit would make her look petty, so she lifted her chin slightly and sat down.
“Younger sister Nulan, you know that my health has always been weak. Although walking around the tent is a prayer for good fortune, I truly cannot endure…”
“Elder sister is the main consort, so whatever decision you make is naturally yours. But if elder sister refuses to walk, have you thought about the consequences?”
As Nulan spoke, her face was full of a proud smile.
After speaking, she stood up and left in a blaze of fury.
When she had gone out, Princess Shaoyang slowly rose to her feet.
Nie Qinglin quickly stood as well and asked, “Elder sister, where are you going?”
“Of course I am going to walk around the tent.”
Princess Shaoyang placed her hand on her belly and said, “I only thought of my own frail health before, but I forgot that what I carry in my belly is the bloodline of the Xiongnu royal family. If it is a boy, when he grows up he will resent me for giving him an unerasable shame before he was even born, leaving him unable to stand firm in his father’s tribe. If I cannot endure… then it simply means the bond between mother and child is too shallow. I only hope that in the next life he will remember how I carried him through these months in my womb, and become my child again. Only then, I hope I will no longer be a burden to the royal family, but simply a village woman in the countryside, able to love my child freely without worrying about national affairs and endless compromise…”
After saying these sorrowful words, Princess Shaoyang no longer shed a single tear, only showing a faint tiredness.
Nie Qinglin silently sighed.
The northern cold wind had actually made her gentle elder sister toughen.
Her thoughts shifted, and she smiled, taking her hand.
“Elder sister, you truly have no restraint, talking nonsense about the next life. In this life one must always look forward, but not too far forward. If one leaves too many regrets, even if there is a next life, one can never make up for them. It is only walking around the tent. It is not as if you are going into a forest full of fierce tigers alone. Elder sister, just go. How could a princess of the mighty Wei be defeated by a simple custom?”
As she said this, she stood up and went ahead to find Madam Gu to arrange the walking ceremony.
Once she walked out of her elder sister’s tent, the smile on Nie Qinglin’s face gradually relaxed.
That Xiu Tuhong, was he a man who cherished flowers or not.
Though he had the heart to treasure them, his ways were far too rough.
He thought of protecting her elder sister’s safety, but to put a timid rabbit together with a vicious she wolf in one place, did he truly think his wives and concubines could live together peacefully like sisters?
An hour later, the ceremony formally began.
Because of Nulan’s picky demands, the location was changed to the military training ground in the city.
The small tent had been replaced with a large command tent set in the center.
When Nulan heard that the main consort was having the ceremony, she felt a surge of delight and brought two attendant concubines with her, boarding a carriage to the training grounds.
From afar, she saw a circle of yellow brocade surrounding the field.
She felt puzzled.
Once through the curtain, the moment she stepped down from the carriage a wave of heat struck her.
She looked closely and saw hundreds of braziers burning around the command tent.
Around the tent were buried large jars whose rims were level with the ground.
Their bottoms were lined with dragon fire charcoal and filled with boiling water that sent up clouds of steam.
Wooden planks made of ginger wood were placed across the openings, and since the water contained medicinal herbs that protected the fetus and dispelled cold, the air felt warm and reassuring.
When Nulan walked inside, musicians outside the brocade began playing Xiongnu music, and Xiongnu shamans loudly recited ceremonial verses.
Princess Shaoyang wore a red satin coat and padded skirt, the long hem trailing on the ground.
The front was open, revealing her round belly.
It seemed she had applied a thick layer of oil to keep it warm, and it shone under the sunlight and rising steam.
As Princess Shaoyang in her red attire walked slowly across the steaming wooden planks with the music, she looked like a streak of rosy clouds descending into the human world.
Just then, hurried hoofbeats sounded from outside.
In a short while, a tall blue eyed man rushed in.
The Xiongnu guards outside recognized him as their prince and quickly saluted.
He waved for the guards behind him to wait outside and entered alone.
He had been busy preparing for battle against the Chanyu.
If his subordinates had not mentioned the festival by chance, he would have completely forgotten it.
Remembering it made him think of his main consort’s frail health, so he secretly set out overnight for Qinglong Pass.
Yet he still arrived late and could not stop that woman who did not know her own physical limits.
But when he stepped into the tent, he immediately felt relieved.
It was warm like spring inside, so there was no need to worry about the main consort catching cold.
He felt deeply grateful.
Grand Tutor Wei was indeed someone worthy of trust, caring for his beloved wife with such attention.
When he lifted his eyes to look at that dazzling red figure, he felt that this woman with her swollen belly was just as beautiful as when they first met in the camp.
He found that he could not look away.
Nulan had intended to give the sickly main consort a harsh humiliation, but she never expected it to backfire.
She did not know which person from the general’s residence had come up with such elaborate arrangements, turning the ordeal into something like a pleasant steam bath.
Even if she walked ten circles like this, what issue could it cause?
And she had not expected the prince to abandon all affairs and rush here.
Though she felt vexed inside, she could not show it.
She smiled and stepped forward.
“Prince, you actually came. I dreamed of you last night. It seems our hearts are connected…”
Before she finished speaking, she saw that Xiu Tuhong did not even glance at her.
His eyes were fixed on the main consort walking the circle, and she hated it deeply.
A delicate woman resorting to so many tricks just to hold a ceremony, truly shameful.
How was she worthy of her prince?
When Shaoyang finished walking, An Qiao’er immediately stepped forward to help arrange her clothes and guided her to another tent to change and rest.
Xiu Tuhong was about to follow her when Nulan blocked him.
“Prince, are you not going to watch Nulan walk around the tent? I carry what may be your first heir. Without his father’s blessing, the child will be heartbroken.”
Hearing this, the prince’s gaze shifted slightly.
He stopped and said, “Since I am here, I cannot show favoritism. Consort, please begin.”
Nulan’s competitive spirit rose the moment she stood before the prince.
She wanted to show how she was different from the useless and weak main consort.
So she ordered people to move the tent far from the warm area.
In the biting cold wind, she opened her coat and began walking around the tent with her belly exposed.
Normally, such cold wind was nothing to Nulan, but she had just stood there watching Princess Shaoyang.
Seeing the princess so graceful and composed made her chest swell with suppressed jealousy.
On top of that, she had worn a heavy cotton coat.
After being steamed by those blazing braziers, she had broken into a sweat.
Even the inner layers of her clothes had been slightly soaked.
Now, with her thin layer of sweat exposed to the cold wind and her chest opened, the cold wind rushed into her pores all at once.
She could not help but shiver from head to toe.
By the time she finally finished walking, she eagerly lifted her head to look for the prince, only to find that he had disappeared completely without a trace.
Princess Shaoyang, accompanied by Nie Qinglin, wiped away the sweat on her body and changed into a clean and thick set of clothes.
She did not wait for the prince and returned directly to the general’s residence.
Inside the carriage, she smiled while holding her younger sister’s hand and said, “All those clever ideas in your head came up with so many tricks. My whole body feels wonderfully refreshed. If the prince had not entered, I could have walked one more round.”
Nie Qinglin thought to herself that she had no such cleverness.
Everything was thanks to her ‘wise and heroic’ imperial father.
The palace had many such winter amusements.
They were all creations her father had poured his heart and soul into.
They gave Nie Qinglin inspiration and unknowingly protected his foreign tribe royal grandson.
“Why did elder sister leave so quickly when she saw the prince?”
Nie Qinglin was observant and naturally noticed that moment of emptiness in her elder sister’s eyes.
Princess Shaoyang let out a long sigh and said in a quiet voice, “The most hateful thing about men is not the heartlessness they show later when they abandon you. It is the flowery sweet words they speak in the beginning. They swear to the heavens and pledge that they will only ever have you, yet the moment they turn their face they go to accompany another woman. Younger sister, if one does not take those words to heart, then one will not suffer later from heartbreak. No matter how many wives and concubines he has, living one’s own life well is enough.”
The words she spoke came from her own emotional wounds.
More than that, she was warning her sister not to repeat her mistakes.
It seemed now that the Grand Tutor would never let go.
Her younger sister was destined to be held firmly in the grasp of a powerful man.
The wives and concubines of Wei Lenghou would only grow in number, even if he did not take the initiative to accept women.
There would always be others who actively offered themselves.
If her sister, still young, fell deeply because of the Grand Tutor’s handsome face and gentle affections, then the pain in the future would be endless.
Nie Qinglin heard this and gently squeezed Princess Shaoyang’s hand, giving a faint bitter smile.
How could she not know that every word her elder sister spoke was the truth of dealing with the world.
Yet she herself seemed unable to guard her heart against Wei Lenghou’s influence.
Although she knew the road ahead was an abyss from which there would be no return, she was still being led step by step to the edge of the cliff.
Throughout the journey, the two sisters each carried their own thoughts and sat silently in a daze.
When the carriage reached the general’s residence, the prince arrived on horseback at the same time.
Seeing the carriage stop, he dismounted immediately and stood waiting at the gate.
Princess Shaoyang was usually gentle in temperament, but now she lowered her head and did not even look at him.
She headed straight toward the residence.
They had already quarreled earlier when he escorted the main consort away.
Prince Xiu Tuhong had thought that some time apart would ease the matter.
Who would have thought that this little woman’s temper had only grown worse, as if she completely disregarded his existence.
His anger rose.
Ignoring all propriety, he reached out, lifted Princess Shaoyang off the ground, and carried her into the residence.
An Qiao’er stood there stunned.
Only after Nie Qinglin pushed her did she recover and hurry to lead the prince and princess inside.
Nie Qinglin worried the prince might vent his anger on her sister, but she could not follow them.
She could only hope Qiao’er was perceptive and would deliver word quickly if anything went wrong.
She returned to her own room heavy hearted, only to find that the Grand Tutor had already returned.
He was washing his face and hands with the help of his attendants.
When he saw Nie Qinglin entering, he wiped his face as he asked, “The ceremony is finished over there?”
Nie Qinglin nodded and entered the inner chamber first, where Nanny Shan helped her change out of her formal clothes.
Wei Lenghou could easily see that his little Guo’er seemed to be in low spirits, though he had no idea why.
After washing, he sat in the armchair and accepted the hot tea the maid handed him while waiting for the kitchen to bring lunch.
After a long while, Nie Qinglin still did not come out.
He rose and entered the inner chamber.
When he saw her sprawled on the bed as if she was about to fall asleep, he reached out to touch her forehead.
Finding it smooth and free of heat, he was relieved.
He climbed onto the bed and bent down to ask, “The princess acted swiftly and decisively early this morning. A tiny slip of paper was delivered to my military tent and turned out more effective than a golden imperial decree. One thousand soldiers were moved at once to dig pits, boil water, and bury jars at the training grounds. Lu Yuda, who was in charge, said their efficiency was astonishing, even faster than setting traps during regular drills. With such dedicated effort, I thought I would receive a reward from you. Why are you ignoring me instead?”
Nie Qinglin had absorbed some of her sister’s sorrow and, seeing Princess Shaoyang’s situation, she could not help thinking of her own future.
Although she had advised her sister not to think too far ahead, those comforting words were always more useful when advising others.
When used to comfort oneself, the effect was greatly reduced.
The moment she imagined herself locked in that palace, watching the Grand Tutor with his phoenix eyes uplifted, leading a parade of heavily pregnant wives and concubines, she felt weak all over.
She only wanted to bury herself in her blankets and sleep, to dissolve this sudden wave of youthful heartache.
When the Grand Tutor’s hand reached toward her, she dodged and pulled the blanket tighter.
The Grand Tutor had never been patient with tender romantic gestures.
Although he kept a few concubines, he had never shown flirtatious affection.
In matters of love he was practically a man outside the doorway.
Although he felt annoyed that this little girl was ignoring him for no reason, he also found her random little temper surprisingly adorable.
It was far better than her previous mask of polite and false compliments.
Seeing that she ignored him, he instead grew more spirited.
With force he tugged the blankets and successfully dug her out from under them.
Then came a chaotic string of affectionate calls.
His ability to coax a girl came naturally without a teacher.
Nie Qinglin was not a shy person by nature.
After a bright spirited girl’s sorrow, she now blushed slightly from the Grand Tutor’s teasing.
When he lowered his head again, their lips and tongues naturally entwined.
That night, Nulan’s maid rushed over to report that Nulan had developed a high fever.
Madam Gu silently recited prayers in her heart, thinking that it was fortunate the Xiongnu prince had personally come.
Otherwise, it would truly have been difficult to explain.
Because Nulan was carrying a child, she did not dare use medicine lightly.
She could only use cloths soaked in cold water to lower her fever.
She originally thought the prince would return to visit her, but when someone was sent to summon him, the prince said that he was accompanying the main consort.
He feared that coming and going might spread illness between them, so he told Nulan to rest well and that he would not come for the time being.
Nulan, who was usually as strong as a cow, truly suffered internal fire attacking the heart this time.
Her high fever would not go down and she kept coughing without pause.
Madam Gu later invited a physician who specialized in treating pregnant women.
He wanted to prescribe some gentle medicine and then use acupuncture to ease the condition.
However, Nulan was usually malicious and suspicious.
She judged others by herself and was convinced that everyone in the General’s Residence belonged to Princess Shaoyang’s side, all wishing she would fail to keep the child in her womb.
So she refused to let the physician use the needles, which delayed her illness further.
In the end the fever had not yet subsided when she felt pain in the abdomen and went into labor a month early.
Because it was her first child, the birth was extremely difficult.
After much struggle the child was finally delivered.
Although it was a boy, no matter how they slapped his bottom he made no sound.
His face was purple from suffocation.
He was a stillborn child.
At this Nulan cried out in pain, screaming and cursing, repeatedly claiming that villains in the General’s Residence had harmed her and her son.
Princess Shaoyang and Nie Qinglin felt a sense of emotion upon hearing this.
They only thought it was a pity that the innocent child in her belly had lost his life because of his mother’s pointless stubbornness.
What shocked everyone the most was that even though his eldest son had died prematurely, that Prince Xiu Tuhong did not even go to have a look.
His cold and hardened heart was truly astonishing.
Yet when the Prince prepared to leave, he took the weakened Nulan and the two concubines with him, leaving Princess Shaoyang behind at Qinglong Pass.
Not long after the prince departed, an invitation letter was delivered to the General’s Residence.
When the Grand Tutor opened it, his brows drew tightly together. In the end he slapped the table, producing a thunderous sound.
