The Prime Minister’s Daughter and the Marquis’s Fool – Chapter 118
by Little PandaThank you for coming to see her.
Lin Xizhao watched Lin Xirui’s mouth open and close, unable to hear the rest of his words.
“Ajie? Ajie!” Lin Xirui raised his voice, trying to rouse the dazed Lin Xizhao.
“Ah… Bingying, what did you just say about Bingying?” Lin Xizhao still couldn’t believe it.
Seeing Lin Xizhao’s soul-stirred expression, Lin Xirui’s face filled with worry. “Are you all right?” he asked.
He knew Lin Xizhao had heard him but was simply unwilling to believe it. He hadn’t believed it at first either, only confirming the news after asking around extensively.
“Sheng-meimei said it might be some time before she can come get you.” Lin Xirui had seen Qu Sheng. And though Qu Sheng had been calmer than him at the time, she hadn’t been much better off.
Lin Xizhao felt a wave of dizziness. “How is Adoptive Father now?” she asked.
“His Majesty has kept him in the palace. He said he’s not allowed to leave until the matter is thoroughly investigated,” Lin Xirui explained again in detail.
“Xirui, can you find a way to get me out of here?” She refused to believe Xiao Bingying was dead.
Lin Xirui saw the desperation in her eyes, lowered his gaze for a moment, then turned to look both ways outside the door. “Ajie, wait a moment.”
Lin Xizhao watched him leave. He returned shortly after, accompanied by two maidservants.
Once inside, one of the maids exchanged clothes with Lin Xizhao.
When Lin Xizhao emerged, Lin Xirui couldn’t help but stare. Even in a maid’s uniform, his sister’s presence was in no way inferior to the maid who now wore her clothes.
“You stay here. Extinguish the lamps a quarter of an hour after we leave,” Lin Xirui instructed the other maid.
The maidservant curtsied and nodded.
Lin Xirui led the two “maids” out of the room. He glanced at the guards who were watching them before leading Lin Xizhao out of the courtyard.
Lin Xizhao’s courtyard was in the inner compound, a fair distance from the main gate. But they didn’t head for the main gate; they went to the Lin Residence’s back gate instead.
Lin Xirui had already arranged for two fast horses to be waiting there. But just as they mounted, they heard Lin Jianhai’s voice.
“And where might you be going?”
The two of them froze at the sound of his voice. Knowing she couldn’t hide, Lin Xizhao didn’t bother turning away to cover her face. She looked at Lin Jianhai, who had emerged from the back gate, exchanged a glance with Lin Xirui, and said to her father, “Father, something has happened to Bingying. This daughter wants to go see her.”
“You are not to go.”
“Father!” Lin Xizhao grew frantic, her eyes welling with tears.
This could very well be their last time to see each other.
Lin Jianhai had also heard about the day’s events. But after the coroner’s1 examination, the Zhao family had already taken Xiao Bingying’s body away.
Lin Jianhai clasped his hands behind his back, balling them into fists. He avoided looking at Lin Xizhao and said to Lin Xirui, “Go to the Ancestral Hall and receive your punishment.”
“Father…” Lin Xirui started to protest, but seeing Lin Jianhai’s stern expression, his face fell. “Yes,” he mumbled.
Lin Xirui dismounted, casting a sideways glance at Lin Xizhao. Her brow furrowed. After watching Lin Xirui leave, she dug her heels into her horse’s flanks and galloped away.
“Young Miss!” the steward shouted urgently from behind.
“This daughter will return!” Lin Xizhao called back to Lin Jianhai as she urged her horse forward.
The steward saw Lin Jianhai’s face turn ashen. Lowering his head and raising his eyes, he asked cautiously, “Master, should we give chase?”
Lin Jianhai watched her leave. If he had been truly determined to stop her, he would have given the order directly. But he remained silent.
“Go and watch over her,” Lin Jianhai finally said before turning and walking back through the gate.
Zhao Residence.
After the coroner confirmed Xiao Bingying’s death, General Zhao Dian had stepped forward to bring the body back to the Zhao Residence.
Xiao Bingying had died by hanging herself. She had torn her outer robe into strips, tied them together, and hung herself from the iron bars of her prison cell.
Since the cause of death was asphyxiation, the coroner performed no further examination.
Zhao Dian and Mother Zhao had been in the middle of handling the funeral arrangements for Xiao Tong and Chen shi when they received the devastating news of Xiao Bingying’s death. Mother Zhao nearly collapsed.
This child had come to their residence not long after her birth. It was the Zhao family who had named her, the Zhao family who had taught her right from wrong…
“I should never have agreed to let her go to the Xiao Residence in the first place.”
Looking at Xiao Bingying’s body now, Mother Zhao was consumed by regret. Zhao Jiayu had begged her many times to bring Xiao Bingying back to the Zhao Residence, but her sister-in-law had obstructed her at every turn, throwing tantrums and making scenes. Xiao Bingying had only returned voluntarily to avoid causing her any more trouble.
Such a sensible child, now driven to end her own life out of fear that everyone would be endangered by fighting for her again…
Zhao Dian sighed and said to his wife, “All right, don’t be sad. Perhaps this way, she’ll suffer less.”
The matter had reached the Emperor. Regardless of whether the Prefect of the Capital Prefecture had accepted bribes, Xiao Bingying’s life could not be saved.
Killing one’s adoptive parents—what a heinous crime. It was only because the Prefect knew of her circumstances and felt some sympathy that he had spared her life. But Xiao Yaocai’s relentless pursuit had escalated the situation, and now the entire capital was discussing it. The impact was so great that if she were sentenced lightly, the high-ranking officials and nobles would never accept it.
An adopted daughter had killed a court official. If they didn’t kill one to warn a hundred,2 wouldn’t everyone be free to follow her example? A woman’s life was cheap to begin with. No matter what wrongs her adoptive father had committed, it was not her place as a woman to kill him as she pleased.
Mother Zhao looked back at her husband, unable to stop the tears from rolling down her cheeks.
She hadn’t even felt this much grief over her own brother’s death. This was the child she had watched grow up.
Mother Zhao took a towel and began to clean the dirt from Xiao Bingying’s body, weeping as she worked.
“Master, Madam, someone from the Qu Marquis Residence is here.”
Zhao Dian looked up at the steward. “Is Jiayu here as well?” he asked.
“No,” the steward replied. “Only the Young Miss of the Qu family and the two young masters.”
Zhao Dian breathed a sigh of relief. “Let them in.”
They must have come to see Xiao Bingying off.
The steward went out and returned a short while later with Qu Sheng, Cheng Xi, and the others. The moment Cheng Xi entered the room, her gaze, as if guided by instinct, fell upon Xiao Bingying’s body.
Forgetting all decorum, Cheng Xi ran toward the corpse.
Xiao Bingying’s coffin had not yet arrived; the Zhao family had already sent someone to purchase one.
Qu Sheng and the others watched Cheng Xi run over, their expressions somewhat grave, but they didn’t stop her. Though surprised to see Cheng Xi rush forward, Mother Zhao recalled how Xiao Bingying had protected her before and said nothing to hinder her.
“Bingying…” Cheng Xi murmured, reaching out to touch Xiao Bingying’s already cold fingers.
Mother Zhao had mostly finished tending to the body. Qu Ting and Qu Yu came forward to bow, and Zhao Dian and Mother Zhao rose to return the gesture.
“Thank you for coming to see her.” As the words left her mouth, Mother Zhao lost control of her emotions. Her breakdown in that moment let Qu Sheng and the others know just how much she had cared for Xiao Bingying.
“Mother-in-law, please accept our condolences,” Qu Yu said, his own heart sinking as he watched Mother Zhao cover her mouth and turn away in grief.
“Well, well, look who’s here.” Xiao Yaocai had appeared at some point. Standing outside the door and peering in at the people inside, he sneered.
His father and mother had died, and he hadn’t seen any of them rush over to pay their respects this quickly.
Everyone turned to look at the doorway. Xiao Yaocai paid them no mind. His gaze passed over the people in the room and settled further inside.
Cheng Xi was currently leaning over Xiao Bingying’s chest, her expression heart-wrenching.
Xiao Yaocai glanced at Qu Sheng and the others, who were still standing by the door, then walked over to Zhao Dian and Mother Zhao.
“Paternal Uncle, Paternal Aunt.” Xiao Yaocai still knew to offer a greeting.
Zhao Dian and Mother Zhao knew that Xiao Yaocai had lost his parents. Smelling the alcohol on his breath, they said nothing.
Xiao Yaocai walked past them toward Xiao Bingying’s body. He looked down at Cheng Xi, who was still bent over Xiao Bingying’s chest, and his expression soured. “I’d like to see if she’s really dead!”
As he spoke, he drew a soft sword hidden at his waist and lunged, stabbing at the body on the soft couch.
“What are you doing!”
Zhao Dian leaped forward, grabbing the soft sword that Xiao Yaocai had thrust out, but which Cheng Xi had caught with her bare hands.
By now, Cheng Xi’s hands were sliced open, blood dripping ceaselessly to the floor.
“Get the trauma medicine,” Zhao Dian ordered, quickly assessing the red glint in Cheng Xi’s eyes.
He hadn’t expected Cheng Xi to protect Xiao Bingying like this. If Xiao Yaocai had truly intended to kill, she would likely be dead by now.
“It’s nothing,” Cheng Xi said, her voice faint but tinged with sorrow.
Qu Sheng and the others had now gathered around. Qu Ting first tore a strip of cloth from his inner lining and helped Cheng Xi temporarily stanch the bleeding.
Xiao Yaocai, however, felt no remorse. He glanced at the crowd, then at how fiercely Cheng Xi had just protected even Xiao Bingying’s corpse. He sneered and said, “You two unnatural things,3 stop putting on this act of deep affection. She’s dead. Why don’t you go down and join her?”
Zhao Dian and Mother Zhao were stunned by his words. They looked at Xiao Yaocai, bewildered. Cheng Xi also lifted her gaze to him.
Seeing that all eyes were on him, Xiao Yaocai said deliberately, “Paternal Aunt, this woman before you and the dead one were lovers. Your favorite child liked women. You didn’t expect that, did you?” Even with Xiao Bingying dead, Xiao Yaocai didn’t forget to kick her while she was down,4 exposing her secret to the world.
“What nonsense are you spouting!” Mother Zhao wasn’t buying it. She simply assumed he was drunk and talking rubbish.
“Whether I’m spouting nonsense or not, Paternal Aunt can ask this woman right here,” Xiao Yaocai said, glancing at Cheng Xi.
Hearing this, Mother Zhao followed his gaze to Cheng Xi.
By now, a servant from the Zhao Residence had brought medicine and was redressing Cheng Xi’s wounds.
Cheng Xi looked up and shot Xiao Yaocai a glance but offered no explanation. Mother Zhao, for her part, didn’t ask.
After the servant finished bandaging Cheng Xi’s hands, Qu Sheng and the others stood before Xiao Bingying’s body. Xiao Yaocai watched them, seeing that they had no intention of leaving. He observed the grief in Cheng Xi’s eyes as she looked at Xiao Bingying—a sight that would move anyone to pity5—and a flicker of lust stirred within him again.
His sword was gone, so he sidled up to Cheng Xi and whispered, “Why don’t you come back to me? I’ll petition His Majesty to have you returned to me.”
Cheng Xi shot him a cold look. Xiao Yaocai raised an eyebrow, the very picture of someone overcome with lust6 and indecency.
Mother Zhao, standing nearby, heard him. She frowned and looked up at Xiao Yaocai. He was now reaching for Cheng Xi. But before she could step forward to intervene, Qu Yu had already strode over and blocked his hand.
“Get lost!” Qu Yu said in a low, cold voice. He had never tolerated Xiao Yaocai, even if he was Zhao Jiayu’s biaodi.
Blocked, Xiao Yaocai looked up at Qu Yu. Seeing the cold expression on his face and hearing his words, he flinched and hastily retreated several steps.
Everyone was gathered around Xiao Bingying. Xiao Yaocai stared for a while longer but couldn’t spot anything unusual. After a moment, Zhao Dian walked over to him. “There’s no one at your residence right now. You should head back first. I will come over after I’ve settled Bingying’s body.”
Funeral banners and other items were still being hung at the Xiao Residence. Xiao Tong and Chen shi had already been placed in their coffins. Although few people would come to offer condolences at night, the head of the family still needed to be present.
Xiao Yaocai held back the words burning in his throat. He felt that since Xiao Bingying had murdered her own father and mother, she should be thrown into a mass grave for the dogs to eat. Yet the Zhao family was treating her like a treasure, bringing her into their home without any regard for the bad luck she brought. They couldn’t even tell friend from foe. He had no idea what kind of bewitching potion Xiao Bingying had fed them.
Fuming, Xiao Yaocai turned and left without a backward glance.
Just as Xiao Yaocai departed, Lin Xizhao arrived. She had come alone on horseback, still dressed in the clothes of a Lin Residence maid. The Zhao family steward guided her all the way to the courtyard where Xiao Bingying had once lived.
Lin Xizhao’s steps were so quick today she could hardly believe it herself. As soon as she reached the doorway, she leaned against the frame, panting. “Bingying.”
Everyone turned toward the door at the sound of her voice. Qu Sheng’s head shot up.
“Jiejie.”
Qu Sheng hurried over to support Lin Xizhao by the door.
“Sheng’er.” Lin Xizhao looked up at Qu Sheng. She thought she had just seen someone lying inside the room, dressed in Xiao Bingying’s clothes.
Qu Sheng saw Lin Xizhao’s delicate brows knit together, as if she couldn’t accept the reality of Xiao Bingying’s death. She met her gaze and took her hand, leading her into the room.
The others made some space. Qu Ting and Qu Yu resumed their discussion with Zhao Dian about simplifying Xiao Bingying’s burial.
Xiao Bingying had died a criminal. The Zhaos were an official’s family, and moreover, Xiao Bingying had killed Mother Zhao’s own brother and sister-in-law. If the Zhao family were to hold a grand funeral for her, it would invite a great deal of gossip. They feared a Censor might say something to the Emperor that would jeopardize Zhao Dian’s future prospects.
Qu Sheng led Lin Xizhao to the side of Xiao Bingying’s body. Lin Xizhao’s eyes swept over the body again and again, the sorrow in them no longer possible to suppress.
Lin Xizhao knelt at her side. Her trembling fingers lightly touched Xiao Bingying’s body, stroking over her brows and eyes before hovering over her skin. A moment later, Qu Sheng’s hand covered Lin Xizhao’s, pressing her fingertips against Xiao Bingying’s neck with some force.
Lin Xizhao was startled. Fearing she would harm the body, she started to pull her hand back, but then her expression froze.
Quickly, Lin Xizhao turned to meet Qu Sheng’s gaze, which had been fixed on her all along.
Their eyes met for an instant. Lin Xizhao then looked to the side, at Cheng Xi, who was kneeling on a rush cushion, keeping watch over the body.
Cheng Xi’s expression was still mournful, betraying no other emotion. But when she looked at Lin Xizhao, her gaze paused for a fraction of a second.
Lin Xizhao remained stunned for a moment. A short while later, her fingers, matching the sorrow on her face, resumed their gentle caress.
“The weather is hot. Bingying-meimei’s body cannot be kept for long. Why don’t we bury her tomorrow?” Qu Ting suggested.
Zhao Dian looked at his wife. They exchanged a glance, and Zhao Dian said, “We will do as my virtuous nephew suggests. After a simple memorial tomorrow, we will have her buried in our Zhao family’s ancestral grave.”
Xiao Bingying was an unmarried young woman and a junior. Aside from these friends, no one else would come to pay respects. This was for the best.
As they were talking, a servant came in to report that the coffin had been purchased.
Qu Ting and the others carefully lifted Xiao Bingying’s body into the coffin and had it carried to the main courtyard.
A mourning hall had already been set up for Xiao Bingying. Qu Sheng and the others followed.
There was no one to hold a vigil for her, so the few of them knelt there.
Not long after Lin Xizhao arrived, a few people from the Lin Residence came after her. Lin Xizhao didn’t make things difficult for them, but she still wanted to speak with Qu Sheng for a while.
“Jiejie should go back first. After I see Bingying-jiejie off on her final journey, I will come find you,” Qu Sheng said, making no attempt to hide their closeness from the outsiders present. She soothed Lin Xizhao while burning joss paper,7 urging her to return with the Lin family guards.
Lin Xizhao was reluctant to leave. She had only just seen Qu Sheng.
When Qu Sheng didn’t get a response, she turned to look at Lin Xizhao. Seeing the reluctance in her eyes, Qu Sheng took her hand, raised it to her lips, and kissed it. “It’ll be all right,” she whispered.
Lin Xizhao bit her lower lip, not daring to look up at the others around them.
“Sheng’er will see jiejie out.” Qu Sheng stood up, helping Lin Xizhao, who had been kneeling beside her, to her feet.
The Lin family guards glanced over as Qu Sheng took Lin Xizhao’s hand and led her out of the mourning hall.
Qu Sheng walked Lin Xizhao out of the Zhao Residence, then turned her head and called out, “Feng Qi, see Jiejie safely back to her residence.” Lin Xizhao was under house arrest, so Lin Jianhai wouldn’t allow anyone from the Qu Marquis Residence over.
“Yes.” Feng Qi accepted the order and walked toward a prepared horse.
Lin Xizhao walked to the horse and turned back to look at Qu Sheng. The reluctance in her eyes made Qu Sheng almost want to keep her there.
Qu Sheng walked over quickly and pulled Lin Xizhao into her arms. Lin Xizhao did not push her away.
Feng Qi looked away, but the Lin family guards did not avert their eyes.
Qu Sheng kissed Lin Xizhao’s forehead. Gazing at her soft, rosy lips, her heart and body waged a war, but in the end, she restrained herself.
Xiao Bingying had just died. She couldn’t do something like that in front of the Zhao Residence.
Qu Sheng lifted Lin Xizhao onto the horse’s back, gave Feng Qi an instruction, and patted the horse Lin Xizhao was riding.
The horse began to walk, but Lin Xizhao was unwilling to turn and face forward.
Only when Lin Xizhao’s horse had turned into another alley did Qu Sheng lower her eyes, her brow furrowed.
At that same moment, someone came galloping toward them on horseback in a great hurry.
Zhao Jiayu dismounted, her eyes darting rapidly as she stared at the white lanterns that had just been hung over the residence gate. Her face tensed.
“Little Sheng’er, where’s my ajie?”
Qu Sheng looked in the direction Zhao Jiayu had come from. The brow she had just relaxed furrowed once more.
That was the direction of the Xiao Residence.
Before Qu Sheng could speak, Zhao Jiayu was already running inside.
Qu Sheng watched her run and gave chase.
“Jiayu,” Qu Sheng called, but Zhao Jiayu only ran faster.
For the past two days, Zhao Jiayu had felt a constant sense of unease. It had also been a long time since she had seen Xiao Bingying. Just yesterday, she had pestered Qu Sheng to take her, but Cheng Xi had said her body wasn’t fit for travel.
Today, she had stayed at home. Everyone except for her Third Sister-in-law had gone out. Seizing the opportunity while Qu Yu was away, she had snuck out. She wasn’t supposed to move around, but riding a horse slowly should be fine, right?
But when she reached the gates of the Xiao Residence and saw the white funeral banners fluttering above the gatehouse, she grabbed a gatekeeper and demanded to know everything.
When she heard the servant say that Xiao Bingying had killed her own uncle and aunt, she was completely stunned. But before she could enter the residence to find out the truth, Xiao Yaocai had returned.
Seeing Zhao Jiayu standing by his gate, Xiao Yaocai was filled with rage. It was all because of Zhao Jiayu’s constant protection of Xiao Bingying. If not for that, how would Xiao Bingying have dared to do such a thing?
“What are you doing here?” Xiao Yaocai asked in an unfriendly tone.
Zhao Jiayu blinked her vacant eyes, as if holding her breath, wanting Xiao Yaocai to confirm that what the servant had said was a lie.
“They… they just said my uncle and aunt were killed by Ajie. Is it true?”
Xiao Yaocai sized up the innocent-looking Zhao Jiayu and snorted. “Can’t you see what’s hanging up there?” He raised his head and pointed at the funeral banners on the gate plaque.
Zhao Jiayu followed his angry gesture and looked up, confirming that the servant had not lied.
She stared blankly at the fluttering white cloth for a moment, then remembered that Xiao Bingying was the killer. What about Xiao Bingying?
“Where’s Ajie? Where is Ajie?”
“Dead!” Xiao Yaocai snapped.
Stunned by his vicious tone, Zhao Jiayu’s eyes widened. “What did you say?” she asked again.
“I said she’s dead, dead, dead! Can’t you understand human speech?” Xiao Yaocai had no patience for her. “Her body is at your Zhao Residence. Your own father and mother personally went to get it!”
Hearing Xiao Yaocai’s roars, Zhao Jiayu’s entire body tensed in fear.
But the shock was not from his tone, but from his words.
Xiao Bingying was dead.
Zhao Jiayu stared blankly at Xiao Yaocai for a moment, then took two steps back in disbelief. Stumbling on the steps, she steadied herself and ran toward the horse she had just ridden.
Zhao Jiayu had galloped all the way here, with no regard for her own condition. Qu Sheng caught up to her and tried to stop her, but couldn’t hold on.
Zhao Jiayu brushed aside the hand Qu Sheng extended to grab her and kept running forward. It wasn’t until she entered the main courtyard and saw the fully arranged mourning hall that her steps finally slowed.
By now, Mother Zhao and the others had noticed her and were all looking over. Qu Sheng followed behind Zhao Jiayu. Having failed to stop her earlier, all she could do now was stay by her side.
Zhao Jiayu walked slowly into the mourning hall. Everyone stood up nervously.
Zhao Jiayu’s gaze was unfocused. She turned her head toward her mother, but her eyes were fixed sideways on Xiao Bingying’s coffin.
“Where… where’s my ajie?” The first word barely came out.
“Wife!”
Qu Yu rushed toward Zhao Jiayu, catching her just as her body went limp and she was about to collapse.
“Doctor, how is she?” Zhao Dian asked anxiously as the doctor emerged from the inner room.
The doctor shook his head and began writing a prescription. “She is in great danger and will very likely miscarry. I’m afraid the child cannot be saved. I will prescribe some medicine, but whether it can be saved will depend on her fate.”
“What do you mean, it can’t be saved?” At that moment, Zhao Dian began to have serious doubts about the doctor’s skills.
Footnotes
- A coroner, or ‘wuzuo’, was an official in ancient China responsible for examining bodies to determine the cause of death, similar to a modern medical examiner.
- ”Kill one to warn a hundred” is a Chinese idiom (‘sha yi jing bai’) meaning to make an example of someone to deter others.
- The term used here, ‘bulun-bulei’, literally means “neither fish nor fowl.” It is a derogatory idiom for something that defies convention or is considered inappropriate and unnatural.
- The idiom used, ‘luojing-xiashi’, literally means “to drop stones on someone who has fallen into a well.”
- The idiom ‘wojian-youlian’ means “even I would feel pity upon seeing her.” It originates from a historical story and is used to describe a woman’s exquisite, touching beauty, especially when she appears delicate or sorrowful.
- The idiom ‘seyu-xunxin’ literally means “heart smoked by lust,” describing someone completely consumed by carnal desire.
- Joss paper, or ‘zhiqian’, is paper made to resemble money or other valuables. It is burned as an offering to the deceased for them to use in the afterlife.
No way Bingying is dead gosh I can’t stop crying 😭😭😭🤧🤧