The Prime Minister’s Daughter and the Marquis’s Fool – Chapter 126
by Little PandaFourth Brother Still Hasn’t Returned?
Water was still dripping from Lin Xizhao’s fingertips. When she heard the maid’s announcement, she lowered her gaze for a moment and said, “Tell Father I will be there shortly. Have him wait in the room for a moment.”
Lin Xizhao didn’t hurry over. Qu Sheng would be finished with her bath soon, and she didn’t know what Lin Jianhai wanted. If she delayed too long, she was afraid Qu Sheng would get chilled from soaking.
After the maid left, Qu Sheng turned around in the bathing tub and asked, “Jiejie, aren’t you going to go first?”
Lin Xizhao smiled, her brows curving. “There’s no rush. It’s probably about the Empress. As long as I find out tonight, it doesn’t matter if it’s a little earlier or later.” What could be more important than Qu Sheng?
Of course, making Lin Jianhai wait for them was indeed impolite. But Lin Jianhai knew she was helping Qu Sheng bathe, yet he still insisted she come out. She figured he was probably still feeling uncomfortable after seeing Qu Sheng embrace her in the courtyard the other day. Besides, he was the one being rude first.
When a young lady was bathing, he should have known to leave the courtyard and wait. She didn’t know what had gotten into her father.
Although such things wouldn’t happen all the time, Lin Jianhai would have to get used to it. She and Qu Sheng still had a long road ahead of them. If she compromised on something she shouldn’t and caused her little lover to feel insecure, she would have to spend ten times the effort to mend that tiny crack.
Therefore, she could only wrong her father for now.
Lin Xizhao finished washing Qu Sheng’s back and took her hand, guiding her out of the tub. Because Lin Jianhai was waiting outside, this moment, which would normally stir improper thoughts in Lin Xizhao toward Qu Sheng, was one where she exercised restraint.
Lin Xizhao helped Qu Sheng dry off and change into her clothes, then led her to the reception hall in the small courtyard.
Lin Jianhai was sitting there, staring at the tea in his cup. When Lin Xizhao and Qu Sheng entered the room, they curtsied and performed their salutations. Lin Xizhao smiled. “Xizhao pays her respects to Father. Why has Father come at this hour?”
Lin Jianhai nodded at her words, an unnatural smile on his face. His gaze flickered to Qu Sheng, who, while not scowling, did not look pleased. “This father only heard around noon that the Empress summoned you to the palace. What did you talk about?”
Lin Xizhao glanced sideways at Qu Sheng, her face still wearing a sweet smile. “Doesn’t Father already know everything? Why are you thinking to ask this daughter now? Or is it that the Attending Eunuch Official in the Empress’s bedchamber didn’t give you a detailed report?”
Lin Xizhao knew perfectly well who had told the Empress that Qu Sheng was no longer a fool.
Hearing this, Lin Jianhai’s gaze toward Lin Xizhao turned awkward for a second. He feigned a light cough. “This father was just worried about you. I heard that Little Sheng’er struck His Highness the Crown Prince—”
“Is Father worried that the Empress and the Crown Prince will punish us?” Lin Xizhao asked softly.
Lin Jianhai was a man of great literary talent, but he was hopelessly clumsy with words. He looked at Lin Xizhao, feeling a pressure from his daughter that he had never felt before.
Lin Xizhao’s smile was gentle and warm, but the words she spoke were so jarring.
Lin Jianhai looked at Lin Xizhao for a few moments before his gaze darted away. “The Crown Prince is the future sovereign. For you to act like this, I’m afraid you will incur the Crown Prince’s resentment.”
“Father need not worry about this matter. At the time, this daughter repeatedly made it clear to the Crown Prince, and both the Crown Prince and the Empress stated they would not pursue the matter. So there is no need to dwell on it.” Although Lin Xizhao said this, she did have this concern in her heart.
Just as Lin Jianhai was about to say something, Lin Xizhao had already changed the subject. “Although Sheng’er has a quiet temperament, she is very obedient. The Crown Prince only suffered superficial injuries, so it’s nothing serious. It’s you, Father, that I’m concerned about.” As she spoke, Lin Xizhao lowered her eyes to stare at Lin Jianhai, who was seated in his chair.
Lin Jianhai looked bewildered.
Lin Xizhao’s voice remained gentle. “Today, when the Empress was speaking with this daughter, she kept asking about Sheng’er. It seemed she was intentionally or unintentionally trying to select a consort for the Crown Prince. This daughter knows that if Sheng’er were chosen, this daughter would have to be separated from her. But many people around us don’t seem to understand Sheng’er’s temperament. Practicing martial arts is for strengthening the body, but it is also for defending against villains and thieves. If it’s all just for show, it will crumble at the first blow. So, when the Qu family brothers taught Sheng’er, they taught her many killing moves. Father also knows the Qu family’s way of doing things: as long as they are in the right, they will certainly repay any grievance. Sheng’er is well aware of this. Today, the Crown Prince nearly injured Sheng’er. At that moment, neither the Attending Eunuch Official nor this daughter could persuade her to hold back. Fortunately, our Godmother arrived in time, and only then did Sheng’er restrain her killing intent. If our Godmother had not gone today, the consequences would have been unimaginable.” Lin Xizhao glanced at Qu Sheng, then looked back at Lin Jianhai and continued, “Of course, if Sheng’er had really killed the Crown Prince, the person who had the Empress summon Sheng’er to the palace would find it hard to escape the blame.”
Lin Xizhao had been very direct. She knew it was Lin Jianhai who had sent the message to the Empress, and she had laid his intentions bare. Lin Jianhai wanted to use the Empress’s power to take Qu Sheng away from her.
Their relationship could not be known to outsiders for the time being. Who would dare defy the imperial family’s selection of a consort? If the Empress truly learned that Qu Sheng was not a fool, and the Emperor issued an edict, Qu Sheng would certainly be chosen to enter the palace.
Back then, the three-year-old Qu Sheng had entered the palace pretending to be a foolish child precisely to avoid this fate. Now, more than a decade later, the Qu family had not explicitly refused to let Qu Sheng enter the palace, but their cover-up had aroused the Emperor’s suspicion. He had repeatedly sent people to verify the truth, and eventually, the Emperor gave up on the idea.
Qu Sheng had endured so much hardship, not hesitating to ruin her own reputation, yet Lin Jianhai wanted to push her into a pit of fire for his own selfish reasons. Lin Xizhao’s heart filled with disappointment for this father of hers.
Lin Jianhai looked at his daughter, his doubts about whether Qu Sheng was a fool seeming to lessen slightly. But he was not used to his daughter speaking to him this way.
After a moment, Lin Jianhai stood up and walked outside.
Lin Xizhao merely watched his back, not seeing him off.
Lin Xizhao had always respected her father and was the most filial and obedient in the residence. But what Lin Jianhai had done had touched her bottom line.
It was wrong of Qu Sheng to have threatened Lin Jianhai, but if Lin Jianhai hadn’t done what he did in the first place, he never would have been threatened. When she learned that Yu shi had died at his hands, and that it was to help the Imperial Noble Consort escape blame, she had been disappointed in him then, too. But he was her father, after all, and she had sympathized with his helplessness at the time. But today’s matter, she found truly hard to forgive.
The door closed, and Lin Xizhao finally let out the breath she had been holding. She knew Lin Jianhai understood, but she didn’t know if he would continue to make trouble over this.
“Let’s go back to the Qu Marquis Residence tomorrow,” Lin Xizhao said, turning around, sounding somewhat weary.
Qu Sheng’s worried eyes met Lin Xizhao’s. She knew that for Lin Xizhao to say such a thing, her heart must also be heavy. But she also felt how much Lin Xizhao cared for her.
“Alright.”
The next morning, Lin Xizhao informed the steward and Lin Xirui, then took Qu Sheng back to the Qu Marquis Residence.
The Lin Residence was her home, but right now it was filled with oppression. The Qu Marquis Residence was much more comfortable.
For more than ten days, Lin Xizhao and Qu Sheng stayed at the Qu Marquis Residence in peace. But today, when Feng Qi returned from outside the courtyard, he brought news: the King of the Haichao Kingdom had entered the Capital City.
Lin Xizhao and Qu Sheng went to tell Cheng Xi the news. Cheng Xi’s reaction was not very strong. But around noon, people from the palace arrived, saying they were to invite the princess of the Haichao Kingdom to the palace.
After Cheng Xi left, Qu Sheng and Lin Xizhao started playing with a small toy in the courtyard, a handmade feather shuttlecock.1 Zhao Jiayu, holding her large belly, sat to the side watching them, her boredom lifting.
Recently, there had been many matters at court, and Qu Yu had been sent to a nearby area to train new recruits. He came back every three to five days, which was still better than Qu Ting.
Far away at the border, he was still in a standoff with the Chemu Tribe. It was almost impossible for him to return. It was hard on Third Sister-in-law, Qian Shuangying, being all alone in the residence.
“So you’re all here! I’ve been looking everywhere for you.” Third Sister-in-law, Qian Shuangying, came in from outside the courtyard. Before she even got close, she saw Qu Sheng and Lin Xizhao playing with the ‘swallow.’
Lin Xizhao stopped at the sound of her voice, and Qu Sheng promptly kicked the feathered shuttlecock into her hand.
It was almost late autumn, so it wasn’t hot. But Lin Xizhao’s stamina was not as good as Qu Sheng’s, and she was already dripping with fragrant sweat. Qu Sheng, on the other hand, looked refreshed and invigorated.
Seeing Qian Shuangying approach, Lin Xizhao smiled. “I’m tired anyway. Let Third Sister-in-law play with you for a while.”
Hearing this, Qu Sheng wanted to refuse; she only wanted to play with Lin Xizhao. If Lin Xizhao wasn’t playing, she had no interest. But seeing Qian Shuangying’s eager expression, Qu Sheng decided to play with her for a bit.
Qu Sheng kicked the shuttlecock over, and Qian Shuangying lifted her foot to kick it back. The two went back and forth, getting faster and faster, leaving Lin Xizhao and Zhao Jiayu staring in amazement.
These two weren’t playing a game; they were clearly competing, neither willing to admit defeat.
A quarter of an hour later, Qu Sheng’s inner shirt was damp and her face was covered in fine beads of sweat. Only then did Qian Shuangying shout, “I’m done, I’m done!” Any longer, and she was afraid she wouldn’t be able to keep up with Qu Sheng.
Over the past six months, Qu Sheng had grown quite a bit taller. She used to be about the same height as them, but now she had shot up by half a head without them even noticing.
Zhao Jiayu even said it was because Lin Xizhao was always feeding her, and for a few days, she had clamored for Lin Xizhao to feed her too.
Qu Sheng only smiled when teased. Her mood had improved a lot recently with Lin Xizhao by her side, and she no longer had moments of sullen anger.
Qu Sheng had someone put the shuttlecock away, and Lin Xizhao stood up to wipe the fine sweat from her forehead.
“Look at this loving little couple. We two are all alone. Third Sister-in-law, let me wipe your sweat for you.” Zhao Jiayu also stood up, holding her belly, and took out a handkerchief to help Qian Shuangying.
As she approached, Qian Shuangying smiled and took the handkerchief. “I wouldn’t dare trouble Ah Yu’s treasure. If he found out, he’d probably come looking for me to have a word.” Qu Yu truly treated Zhao Jiayu like a treasure. When they were in the residence, he was so afraid she would bump into something that he was practically inseparable from her.
Lin Xizhao laughed at that. Zhao Jiayu, feeling teased, said helplessly, “Third Sister-in-law, why are you making fun of me too?”
Qian Shuangying smiled, and after wiping her sweat, she held the handkerchief in her hand. “I’ll give it back to you after I wash it. You can use mine for now.” Zhao Jiayu had already handed her the handkerchief, so she couldn’t very well refuse.
Zhao Jiayu took Qian Shuangying’s handkerchief, glanced at it, and tucked it into her sleeve.
It was just time for the midday meal, so Lin Xizhao invited the two of them to eat with them.
Once the dishes were served, Lin Xizhao put some food on Qu Sheng’s plate. Zhao Jiayu watched for a moment, then smiled. “Xizhao, give me a piece too. I want to grow taller.”
Everyone at the table looked at her, then broke into helpless laughter.
Lin Xizhao’s lips curved slightly. She picked up a non-greasy Lion’s Head meatball2 and placed it in Zhao Jiayu’s bowl.
Zhao Jiayu ate until her eyes curved into crescents, not forgetting to raise an eyebrow at Qu Sheng.
Qu Sheng glanced at her, then looked at Lin Xizhao. Seeing the two of them dueling, Lin Xizhao felt helpless and picked up another Lion’s Head meatball for Qu Sheng’s bowl.
Qian Shuangying watched the three of them from the side and asked with a smile, “Were you all like this when you were little?”
“Pretty much,” Zhao Jiayu replied after swallowing a small bite of the meatball.
The three of them had always been very close. Of course, there was also Xiao Bingying. But right now, none of them knew where Xiao Bingying had gone.
The person who had escorted Xiao Bingying sent back a message saying they had only taken her to the border of Shoulin, and then Xiao Bingying had left on her own.
Cheng Xi had gone to the palace and still hadn’t returned. It seemed she wouldn’t be back today. The three of them chatted idly as they finished their meal. Qian Shuangying returned to her courtyard, and Zhao Jiayu went back for an afternoon nap.
Qu Sheng sat in the room, holding Lin Xizhao in her arms. She whispered, “His Majesty has already released Yan Fengwu and permitted him to retire to his hometown.3 I’ve already had people follow him.”
Lin Xizhao knew what Qu Sheng wanted to do. She raised a hand to cup Qu Sheng’s cheek, her expression grave. “Go. I will wait for you to come back.”
Qu Sheng would not let him get away so easily. She knew that.
Two days later, the Haichao Kingdom’s envoy mission left the capital. Cheng Xi sent a messenger to say that she had left. To prevent the Qu family from being accused of deliberately withholding troops, the new King of Haichao, Cheng Feng, did not pay them a visit.
In the afternoon, Qu Yu returned from the military camp. He and Qu Sheng, disguised, left the city just before the gates were about to close.
Yan Fengwu’s ancestral home was not far from the Capital City, only a half-day’s journey. Since he was retiring, he no longer had any soldiers guarding him.
Qu Sheng and Qu Yu scaled the wall and entered, avoiding the residence guards and heading straight for Yan Fengwu’s bedroom.
They carried their swords. As a cold glint flashed, Yan Fengwu awoke from his sleep in terror. When his concubine beside him was about to scream for help, Qu Sheng threw a dart that pierced her throat.
Seeing this, Yan Fengwu trembled and stammered, “Brave heroes, I have whatever you want. As long as you don’t kill me, I will satisfy you.”
“We want your life!” Qu Yu gritted his teeth in hatred and swung his sword, cutting off Yan Fengwu’s head.
Then, the two of them went to another room and killed his son as well.
Under the cover of night, they returned to the capital’s outskirts. As the sky began to lighten, they arrived at the grave of their second brother, Qu Ming.
Qu Sheng and Qu Yu each carried a head and placed it on the spot for offerings. The person guarding the grave lit joss paper, and Qu Sheng and Qu Yu knelt and kowtowed.
By now, Qu Yu could no longer hold back the tears in his eyes and began to cry silently. Tears welled in Qu Sheng’s eyes, but they never fell.
She had already had it investigated. Years ago, a distant nephew of Yan Fengwu had served under Qu Ce. Because he committed the crime of rape, Qu Ce had dealt with him according to military law and had him beheaded on the spot. Yan Fengwu had held a grudge against Qu Ce ever since. But she didn’t understand. He had already taken his revenge, so why did he have to go after the other three Qu brothers?
Did he think the entire Qu family was incompetent?
The siblings knelt there for a long time. It wasn’t until dawn that they prepared to get up and return to the capital.
Qu Sheng stood up effortlessly, but when Qu Yu rose, he felt a bit dizzy, and transparent white spots appeared in his vision.
“Fourth Brother, are you alright?” Qu Sheng’s eyes were slightly red as she looked at Qu Yu with concern.
Qu Yu was supported as he shook his head. “I probably just knelt for too long. It’s nothing.” He stood up straighter, but the dizziness made him feel like he was going to be sick.
Qu Sheng and Qu Yu returned to the Capital City. Lin Xizhao, who had been awake all night, saw her return safe and sound. Looking at her haggard face, she knew they had been to Qu Ming’s grave.
Lin Xizhao didn’t ask anything. She just pulled her into an embrace. Qu Sheng, who had held back her tears in the outskirts, now cried silently like a child.
Lin Xizhao gently stroked her back, tears also welling in her own eyes.
After the morning meal, Qu Sheng had no time to rest. The Liang family’s Fifth Uncle, Liang Lianhui, had raided several hideouts but still couldn’t find where the bandits were hiding.
Furthermore, the place where they were garrisoned had been ambushed several times. Their grain and fodder had been burned, and the culprits were elusive, like seeing the head but not the tail. Since Liang Lianhui had taken on this task because of their Qu family, Qu Sheng decided to go there personally.
Lin Xizhao wanted to go with her, but Qu Sheng wouldn’t allow it. The last time they had traveled so hard, Lin Xizhao’s body had been sore for a long time afterward. Her heart ached for her. And this time, she was going to help Liang Lianhui command a battle, which would be dangerous at all times. She couldn’t let Lin Xizhao follow her into peril.
“I’ll be back as soon as I help Fifth Uncle clean up that band of mountain bandits,” Qu Sheng said, watching Lin Xizhao pack her clothes.
Lin Xizhao packed her own clothes as well.
After she finished packing, Lin Xizhao turned around and said softly, “I won’t cause you any trouble. Please don’t leave me behind, alright?”
Seeing Lin Xizhao’s pleading gaze, Qu Sheng’s resolve wavered slightly. “No.” Qu Sheng lowered her head. “I’ll be back as soon as I can. Jiejie, wait for Sheng’er at the residence. Sheng’er will definitely return safely.”
Lin Xizhao lowered her eyes and stood there in silence. Qu Sheng’s eyes were now filled with anxiety. She knew Lin Xizhao was not a willful person; she must be extremely worried to be acting like this.
Feng Qi had been waiting outside for a long time. He glanced into the room and knocked on the open door.
“Miss, the horses are ready.”
Hearing his voice, Qu Sheng glanced outside. Just as she steeled herself to move, Lin Xizhao wrapped her arms around her from the side.
Lin Xizhao’s eyes shimmered with tears. Qu Sheng looked down, her heart twisting in pain.
“Don’t leave me,” Lin Xizhao begged.
She didn’t want to leave Qu Sheng. She didn’t know what was wrong with her lately. Perhaps it was because people around her were leaving one by one that her heart had started to feel uneasy.
Qu Sheng raised her hand, her thumb stroking Lin Xizhao’s cheek. Watching the scalding tears roll down, her heart finally softened, and in the end, she agreed.
The two of them, disguised, rode out of the Capital City and headed straight for the Gaozhou region.
After several days of hard travel, Qu Sheng was invited into the command tent as soon as she arrived. She dismissed the servants, carried Lin Xizhao to the simple couch, and helped her take off her shoes. She had someone bring warm water, washed Lin Xizhao’s feet, and then massaged them for a good while.
Qu Sheng didn’t just do this today. During their journey these past few days, she had treated Lin Xizhao the same way at the inns. Lin Xizhao thought she was being a bit dramatic, and from her initial refusal, she eventually had to give in.
She could see how much Qu Sheng cared.
“Jiejie, you rest here. I’m going to discuss the bandit suppression with Fifth Uncle.”
The sooner they cleared out these bandits, the sooner they could go back.
Lin Xizhao nodded. She hooked her arms around Qu Sheng’s neck, pulled her down for a moment, and kissed her on the lips. Her eyes curved. “Go on.”
Seeing Lin Xizhao’s rare sweet and cloying expression, Qu Sheng couldn’t help but kiss her back for a while before leaving the tent and heading to the Central Command Tent.
Back when Qu Sheng was in Changzhou, Liang Lianhui had heard Lin Xizhao say they were going to Gaozhou, and he had guessed that Qu Sheng’s little head was not foolish. Later, when he received the topographical map of the mountain forest that Qu Sheng had drawn for him, he understood about seventy or eighty percent of the situation.
A few days ago, he had written to the Qu family asking for a good strategy, and the plan in the letter was in Qu Sheng’s handwriting.
Not long after writing the letter, Qu Sheng came in person. Now, seeing Qu Sheng, he didn’t ask any questions, just kept smiling at her.
Qu Sheng entered the tent and saw Liang Lianhui staring at her. She looked up at him, and without even saluting, she said directly, “These mountain bandits have lived here for a long time and are more familiar with the terrain than we are. To completely annihilate them, we need external forces.”
“What are external forces?” Liang Lianhui asked, puzzled.
Qu Sheng walked over to the sand table map that had already been set up. She looked down at it for a moment and replied, “Hunting dogs.”
Following Qu Sheng’s advice, Liang Lianhui had people borrow many hunting dogs from the hunters in the surrounding area. Of course, they borrowed the owners as well.
Qu Sheng wore a suit of armor and had a small mustache stuck on her upper lip. When she spoke, only Liang Lianhui, who was beside her, could hear clearly.
The two of them went up the mountain, and Qu Sheng had Liang Lianhui give the order to take the hunting dogs to the locations they had previously occupied.
Even if those people had left, they would still leave behind a lot of scent. After having the men let the dogs sniff the scent, Liang Lianhui wanted to follow them, but Qu Sheng stopped him. The mountain terrain was complex. Following blindly would likely lead to an ambush.
If they could think of this method, the bandits could naturally think of it too. They would definitely have a countermeasure; she just wasn’t sure what kind yet.
However, a search of the mountain was definitely necessary, just to narrow down their area of activity.
The number of troops sent this time was not very large. Qu Sheng recalled the people who had entered the city. Judging by those who passed under the building, their horses and the swords in their hands were all of fine quality.
These people were also colluding with foreign tribes, so it wasn’t surprising they had such things. But it couldn’t be ruled out that they were being led by foreigners.
Not long after Liang Lianhui’s soldiers began searching the mountain, they smelled smoke.
The rotten leaves in the forest had been doused with water and were smoldering. Qu Sheng looked at a pile of rotten leaves emitting yellow smoke not far away, and the corner of her lips curved up. She looked at Liang Lianhui and said, “Fifth Uncle can have the men circle around from both sides.”
“Circle around? What about these hunting dogs?” Liang Lianhui didn’t understand why Qu Sheng wanted to do this.
“The hunting dogs are useless now. We can’t take the path ahead; there will be an ambush.”
If these people hadn’t made any moves, finding them might have taken more effort. But since they had come up with a countermeasure, she knew they were not far away now.
After receiving the explanation, Liang Lianhui ordered his men to split into two groups, while Qu Sheng led a small team back the way they came.
It was about to get dark. As long as Liang Lianhui followed her instructions, he would definitely find these people. But the camp at the foot of the mountain also needed to be guarded, to prevent them from scattering and raiding the camp in a desperate rush down the mountain.
Actually, the most important reason was that Lin Xizhao was at the foot of the mountain.
Qu Sheng led her small team hastily down the mountain. When Lin Xizhao saw her return without Liang Lianhui, she asked while helping her untie her cloak, “Why didn’t Fifth Uncle come back?”
“Fifth Uncle should have found the bandits by now.”
Lin Xizhao paused in the middle of putting away the cloak, turned her head to look at Qu Sheng in confusion, and asked, “Then why did you come back?”
“I have another mission.” She needed to come back and protect Lin Xizhao.
Two hours later, Qu Sheng led Lin Xizhao away from the main camp, leaving the soldiers she had brought back to light up the torches there.
The brighter, the better.
A few quarters of an hour later, from not far away, Lin Xizhao and the others heard the sounds of fighting. The sound was coming from the direction of the main camp.
Before long, the soldiers led by Liang Lianhui also came down from the mountain, tying up the captured bandits one by one.
Liang Lianhui was a valiant commander. He was never afraid of a real fight, but his strategy was slightly lacking. He had been maneuvering his troops here for nearly two months, but he never expected that Qu Sheng would solve the problem of these bandits on the very night she arrived.
If someone were to tell him now that Qu Sheng was a foolish girl, he would never believe it.
After Liang Lianhui captured the bandit chieftain, Qu Sheng and Lin Xizhao stayed in their tent. The subsequent matters had little to do with her. They would rest tonight and hire a carriage in the city tomorrow to return to the capital.
They had rushed here to suppress the bandits as soon as possible. Now that the matter was settled, there was no need to hurry back.
The next morning, Qu Sheng and Lin Xizhao bid farewell to Liang Lianhui.
Liang Lianhui still needed to stay behind to clean up the area, deal with the scattered bandits who had escaped, and completely clear out the bandits’ lairs. It would probably be several more days before he could return to the capital to report.
So, Lin Xizhao and Qu Sheng didn’t wait for him.
The two of them, along with a few guards, entered the city. Qu Sheng first took Lin Xizhao to an inn. Lin Xizhao hadn’t slept a wink last night, and they had been traveling for many days. Qu Sheng wanted to find an inn to let Lin Xizhao rest well.
After entering the inn, Qu Sheng had someone prepare hot water. When the water was brought up, she went to pick up Lin Xizhao, who was sitting to the side.
“Sheng’er…” Every time Qu Sheng held her like this, it was never for anything innocent.
Qu Sheng lowered her head at the sound of her voice, a smile on her lips. She bent down and kissed Lin Xizhao’s hair. “Today, I will help jiejie bathe.”
Hearing this, Lin Xizhao looked at Qu Sheng with a hint of coquettish reproach. But when Qu Sheng carried her to the side of the bathing tub, she set her down.
With a smile in her eyes, Qu Sheng placed her hands on Lin Xizhao’s waist and untied the sash. She sought her soft lips for a kiss, then lifted the undressed Lin Xizhao into the tub.
Lin Xizhao watched as Qu Sheng lowered her head and began to wash her body with a towel, but never moved to untie her own clothes. “Aren’t you coming in?” she asked.
Qu Sheng raised an eyebrow, her hands never stopping their washing motion. She smiled and said softly, “In a bit.”
After Lin Xizhao finished bathing, Qu Sheng lifted her out of the water, carefully dried her off, and placed her on the couch, but did not help her dress.
Seeing Lin Xizhao’s somewhat evasive gaze, Qu Sheng’s own eyes began to burn with heat. While Lin Xizhao was in the tub, she had been trying her best to restrain herself. But now, laid out on the couch in full view, she felt something swelling in her chest.
“Sheng’er…” Lin Xizhao lowered her eyes, wanting to pull the nearby quilt over her flawless, jade-like body.
Her hand was caught by Qu Sheng. Qu Sheng knelt on the couch with one knee, her every breath carrying a scorching heat.
These past few days, she and Lin Xizhao had been constantly on the road. It wasn’t that she hadn’t had such thoughts; she was just worried it would prevent Lin Xizhao from resting well. Now the bandits were dealt with, and they had nothing to do. She had originally wanted to help Lin Xizhao bathe so she could rest properly, but at this moment, she couldn’t hold back any longer.
Lin Xizhao felt Qu Sheng’s initial restrained gentleness turn into impatience. Because she had just finished bathing, her body was hot, making Qu Sheng’s lips feel slightly cool.
Every time Qu Sheng’s cool lips landed and lifted, an inexplicable sensation would run through her body, both comfortable and ‘startling.’
It wasn’t until Qu Sheng lingered over a soft place, her tongue teasing and suckling, that she couldn’t help but let out a soft moan.
While kissing and suckling, Qu Sheng quickly undid her own outer robe. A moment later, Qu Sheng sat cross-legged on the couch and pulled Lin Xizhao into her arms.
Her probing fingertips were already met with slick wetness. Qu Sheng lifted her hand, looking down as she gently rolled her fingers, making Lin Xizhao so shy she buried her face in Qu Sheng’s chest.
Qu Sheng chuckled softly and bent down to kiss Lin Xizhao’s exquisitely beautiful profile. Kissed, Lin Xizhao lifted her head to look at Qu Sheng. Guided by Qu Sheng’s almost obsessive gaze, the arm she had looped around her neck gently pulled, and she took the initiative to kiss Qu Sheng’s lips.
As their lips and tongues intertwined, Lin Xizhao’s willow-like brows furrowed, and she let out a soft hum. Qu Sheng smiled and increased the pressure slightly, rendering Lin Xizhao too weak to even kiss back.
The subsequent soft moans were swallowed by Qu Sheng’s lips and tongue, leaving only the whimpering sounds that escaped Lin Xizhao’s throat.
An hour later, perhaps because her body was too exhausted, Lin Xizhao fell asleep while Qu Sheng was cleaning her up.
Qu Sheng gathered Lin Xizhao into her arms, letting her rest on her arm, giving her enough security for a dreamless, peaceful night’s sleep.
The next day, Lin Xizhao didn’t wake until the sun was three poles high.4 As they were eating their morning meal in the main hall, waiting for Feng Qi and the others to prepare the carriage, they overheard people at the next table talking about the war at the border.
“I heard that young general is tall and mighty. He wields a long-handled axe so fiercely that no one dares to approach, scaring the Chemu Tribe right back beyond the border. For our Northern Frontier to have such a general is truly a blessing from the heavens.”
“Yes, and I heard he’s the nephew of the Marquis Zhengyi. In the future, the marquis title might fall to him. Tsk tsk, the Qu family is full of talent. It’s just a pity about that Eldest Master Qu from back then. I heard he was ten times fiercer than this one.”
“Alright, stop spouting nonsense here. As long as they bring peace to the land and drive out foreign enemies, they are our good generals.”
The crowd chattered on, making Qu Sheng want to go over and ask about the situation at the border. But before she could speak, Feng Qi returned.
“Miss, the carriage is ready. We can depart.”
Qu Sheng nodded. She settled the bill for the meal, helped Lin Xizhao up, and they walked outside. As they walked, she asked, “Do you know how the battle is going for Third Brother and Fourth Uncle?”
A smile appeared on Feng Qi’s face. “This morning, we heard of a great victory at the border. The Third Young Master and the Fourth Master are both safe and sound.”
Qu Sheng nodded, her mood even better than before.
The two of them boarded the carriage and returned to the Capital City at an unhurried pace.
When they entered the residence to report their safe return to Qu Jinian and the others, everyone’s faces were weighed down with worry.
Before Lin Xizhao and Qu Sheng could ask what was wrong, Zhao Jiayu arrived, holding her belly.
Supported by a servant, Zhao Jiayu stepped inside. Seeing that everyone was there, she smiled. “You’re finally back. I was so bored all by myself in the residence.”
“Fourth Brother still hasn’t returned?” Lin Xizhao asked, puzzled.
Zhao Jiayu nodded. “Not long after you left, his attendant brought a message saying he had military matters to attend to, and he hasn’t been back since.”
Hearing this, Lin Xizhao and Qu Sheng exchanged a look. Their hearts began to beat inexplicably faster than usual.
Footnotes
- A traditional Chinese game where players try to keep a weighted shuttlecock, often made with feathers, in the air using their feet and other parts of their body, but not their hands. Also known as Jianzi.
- A large pork meatball stewed with vegetables, named for its resemblance to a lion’s head.
- A formal term for an official retiring from their post, often due to old age, and returning to their hometown.
- Literally ‘the sun is three poles high’, an idiom for late in the morning, roughly 9 to 11 AM.
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