The Prime Minister’s Daughter and the Marquis’s Fool – Chapter 147

Announce General Zhaoyong for an Audience

Another roar of thunder echoed from outside. Just as the lightning struck, it hit a tall pavilion in the Lin Residence. Flames immediately shot up. The snow couldn’t penetrate the blaze, and fanned by a fierce wind, the fire began to spread rapidly.

The web of Qu Sheng’s hand pulsed with savage energy, ready to crush the life from the man before her who had been about to defile her wife.

            

The Crown Prince’s body was lifted into the air, his face turning a purplish-blue as his feet kicked uselessly. Lin Xizhao stood to one side, stunned for a long moment.

“Fire! Fire!¹” Shouts rose from outside. Lin Xizhao snapped back to her senses, glanced toward the commotion, then looked back at Qu Sheng. She tucked away the packet of knockout powder she kept for self-defense and hurried to intervene. “Sheng’er, he’s the Crown Prince! If he dies here, we won’t be able to explain it. Let him go for now.”

Having seen decapitated heads before, Lin Xizhao was no longer terrified by the prospect of Qu Sheng killing someone, though it still filled her with alarm.

            

Qu Sheng had only just returned, and the first thing she did was try to commit murder. She knew Qu Sheng must be incandescent with rage, but some things simply could not be done.

She never imagined something like this would happen upon returning to the residence today. For the Crown Prince to dare come here so brazenly, someone in the household must have helped him.

Just now, the Crown Prince had said her own father had agreed.

            

“Sheng’er!” Lin Xizhao’s voice grew louder as she stared at Qu Sheng.

At the sound of her voice, some of Qu Sheng’s reason returned. She glanced sideways at Lin Xizhao’s furrowed willow-leaf brows and, with a final surge of fury, hurled the Crown Prince out the door.

The Crown Prince tumbled several times across the snowy ground outside. He clawed at his own throat, his eyes wide with terror as he stared at Qu Sheng.

            

Qu Sheng glared at him, seemingly willing to let him go. He had been so close to fainting from the chokehold that while he thought he’d heard Lin Xizhao speak, he couldn’t make out the words.

The Crown Prince didn’t hesitate. The moment he recovered, he scrambled and rolled his way out of the courtyard.

As he fled, he caught a glimpse of the guards he had brought with him—all of them dead, their throats slit by a single sword stroke.

            

Qu Sheng stood her ground, the oppressive anger in her heart yet to dissipate. Worried, Lin Xizhao walked over and took her hand.

The sudden softness in her palm made Qu Sheng’s body go still. A moment later, she turned her head to look at Lin Xizhao.

“I’m all right, aren’t I? Don’t be angry anymore,” Lin Xizhao coaxed in her gentle voice.

            

When Qu Sheng was angry, she always fell silent.

It was true that Lin Xizhao was unharmed, but if she had arrived even a moment later, the consequences would have been unthinkable. She had received the news and ridden nonstop for four days and four nights, not even closing her eyes, just to make it back in time.

A profound, chilling fear now gripped Qu Sheng’s heart.

            

Qu Sheng turned and pulled Lin Xizhao’s delicate body into her arms. Lin Xizhao tilted her head back, her eyes tracing the line of Qu Sheng’s jaw. After several months apart, Qu Sheng seemed to have grown taller, her entire presence sharper, honed to a razor’s edge.

“My Sheng’er has gotten thinner.”

Qu Sheng lowered her gaze to meet a pair of eyes that held her reflection like a pool of clear water.

            

As they held each other, a figure suddenly flew back into the courtyard. The person landed, froze for a second, and then quickly knelt on the ground. “Young Miss.”

Hearing the voice, Qu Sheng’s brow furrowed. After a moment, she released Lin Xizhao and fixed the kneeling Feng Qi with a gaze so cold it was terrifying.

Qu Sheng had ordered him to protect Lin Xizhao at all times, yet when she arrived, the courtyard had been empty.

            

Feng Qi had seen the corpses in the courtyard upon his return. He quickly lowered his head. “Feng Qi failed to protect his charge. I beg for punishment, Young Miss.”

Feng Qi had been lured away. He had no idea where the guards he had brought with him had gone, either.

At this point, explanations were useless.

            

Soon, more people entered the courtyard. Qu Sheng looked over at the guards who had followed her and said in a low, hoarse voice, “Go inform Liang Lianhui. Tell him to bring a thousand soldiers.”

The guard acknowledged the order and galloped away. The fire in the Lin Residence’s pavilion was extinguished, and the masters and stewards of the household all gathered in the courtyard, but Lin Xizhao was nowhere to be seen.

Lin Xirui scanned the crowd. Not seeing his sister, he was just about to ask if she had gone to bed when a troop of soldiers arrived.

            

“Lianhui,” Lin Jianhai murmured, looking toward the entrance.

Soon, Liang Lianhui, clad in a full suit of armor, strode in from outside.

“Fifth Uncle, the fire is already out,” Lin Xirui said, assuming Liang Lianhui had brought his men to help fight the fire.

            

Liang Lianhui glanced at Lin Xirui before his gaze settled on Lin Jianhai.

He raised a hand and waved. The soldiers behind him surged forward and seized Lin Jianhai.

“Fifth Uncle!” Lin Xirui’s voice cracked with panic as he saw them about to drag his father away.

            

Lin Jianhai frowned, asking in confusion, “What is the meaning of this?”

Liang Lianhui remained silent, his eyes fixed on the entrance. A moment later, Qu Sheng walked in.

Qu Sheng swept her gaze over the people in the room, her eyes finally landing on the household’s old steward. Liang Lianhui understood. With another wave of his hand, soldiers moved to take the old steward away as well.

            

Lin Jianhai’s face was a mask of confusion when he saw Qu Sheng had returned.

“Escort King Wenze back to his courtyard. Without my permission, no one is to go near him,” Qu Sheng commanded, her tone glacial.

“I am a king! How dare you!” Lin Jianhai protested, struggling against his captors, but he couldn’t break free.

            

Qu Sheng stared at him, her expression impassive.

“On what authority?” Lin Jianhai demanded, craning his neck.

Leading troops into another’s residence was no small matter.

            

“On the authority that the new Emperor was placed on the throne by my Qu family.” Qu Sheng’s voice betrayed no emotion. She rarely argued with people, but today she retorted sharply to Lin Jianhai. “Take him away.”

Lin Jianhai’s face flushed with anger. As he was being dragged off, he deliberately hurled an insult. “This world belongs to the House of Sheng! What do you Qu family think you are!²”

Seeing this, Lin Xirui quickly asked, “Sheng-meimei, has there been some misunderstanding?” To cause such a commotion and have his father taken away threw his mind into turmoil.

            

Never mind that Lin Jianhai was a king; even for his sister’s sake, Qu Sheng would never do anything to him.

Qu Sheng’s eyes were cold as she replied, “Have you forgotten what you wrote to me?”

At Qu Sheng’s reminder, Lin Xirui suddenly recalled the letter he had sent several days ago, telling her what Lin Jianhai and the Crown Prince had said at the banquet.

            

“What happened?” Lin Xirui didn’t question Qu Sheng’s actions. She wasn’t an unreasonable person; for her to treat Lin Jianhai this way, something major must have occurred.

He had only written the letter to inform Qu Sheng, hoping she would devise a plan. Her relationship with his sister couldn’t be revealed to outsiders, but at the very least, the Crown Prince’s intentions had to be thwarted.

“The Crown Prince was here tonight.” Qu Sheng’s eyes were veiled with a simmering rage, though her coldness toward Lin Xirui had softened somewhat.

            

Lin Xirui’s expression froze. He couldn’t believe his own father would do such a thing to his sister.

With Lin Jianhai taken away, Qu Sheng saw that Lin Xirui was speechless and turned to leave. By now, all the servants of the Lin Residence had been summoned. Qu Sheng began to purge the household.

“All those in King Wenze’s courtyard are to be beaten to death³. As for the rest, anyone who knew and failed to report it will suffer death by a thousand cuts⁴.”

            

Qu Sheng was turning the Lin Residence upside down. Lin Xirui, the heir, couldn’t be bothered with his duties; he rushed to Lin Jianhai’s courtyard.

Qu Sheng started walking toward Lin Xizhao’s courtyard, but it wasn’t long before Lin Xirui caught up to her.

“Sheng-meimei, let me see my Father King.”

            

Lin Xirui had gone to find Lin Jianhai to confirm things for himself, but he had been stopped by the soldiers guarding the courtyard.

The snow was still falling, and Qu Sheng’s shoulders were already soaked. She glanced sideways at Lin Xirui, who seemed unable to believe what had happened today. Lowering her eyes for a moment, she turned and walked toward Lin Jianhai’s courtyard.

Qu Sheng stood in the courtyard, stared at the door for a moment, then slowly walked over and pushed it open.

            

Lin Jianhai was sitting at the table with his head bowed. He looked up at the sound of the door opening.

Qu Sheng brushed the snow from her shoulders and entered the room.

Lin Jianhai glared at her, his eyes filled with hatred. He let out a derisive snort. “Is this the extent of your Qu family’s ability?”

            

Qu Sheng looked up, a chill in her eyes.

Seeing her silence, Lin Jianhai sneered again. “What, are you angry?”

“She is your daughter. Why would you do this?”

            

Lin Jianhai laughed coldly. “Do what? Why don’t you teach me what to do to make my daughter leave you?”

Qu Sheng’s brow furrowed. She looked at the seemingly crazed man before her and demanded, “Do you not feel the slightest bit of guilt?”

“Guilt? I feel guilty letting her follow a woman like you,” Lin Jianhai said with contempt.

            

“Have you ever considered whether Xizhao would be willing?” An unrelated male, entering her chambers in the dead of night… If she hadn’t arrived early… At the thought, Qu Sheng’s hands clenched into fists.

The cracking of her knuckles drew Lin Jianhai’s attention. He lowered his eyelids, glanced at her hands, and asked disdainfully, “Do you want to kill me?”

Qu Sheng certainly dared to, but she couldn’t. No matter how great Lin Jianhai’s crime, he could not die by her hand. She cared about Lin Xizhao, and she was afraid that if she killed him, Lin Xizhao would ignore her forever.

            

Tonight’s actions had Lin Xizhao’s tacit approval, but beyond that, she could do nothing to Lin Jianhai.

And as for Lin Jianhai, the moment he saw Qu Sheng, he knew his and the Crown Prince’s scheme had been exposed. He had anticipated that the Qu family would come to hold him accountable, but what he really wanted was to see the Qu family fall out with the new Emperor.

He wanted to see just how far this woman, who had utterly bewitched his daughter, would go. Of course, if she did nothing, then Lin Xizhao would become the Crown Princess as a matter of course.

            

Becoming the Crown Princess was far better than being with a woman in a shameful, morally corrupt relationship that could never see the light of day.

Qu Sheng’s chest heaved. She stared at Lin Jianhai with her icy eyes, then suddenly let out a sneer. The sound of her laughter made Lin Jianhai look over.

It was a cold laugh. She fixed her gaze on him and said, “You were the one who agreed to accept the betrothal gifts back then. Now you’re the one who wants to break the engagement. For King Wenze to be so faithless—can you truly call yourself a man of honor?”

            

She knew that Lin Jianhai had always prided himself on being a gentleman and would never do anything that might tarnish his reputation.

“Hmph. Have you forgotten how you made me agree in the first place?”

Qu Sheng raised an eyebrow slightly. “It was just a bottle of poison that kills without a trace. If you hadn’t agreed, I couldn’t have done anything, could I?”

            

“Hmph.” Lin Jianhai grunted again and turned his head away, refusing to look at her.

Seeing his silence, Qu Sheng wasn’t flustered. She said in a leisurely tone, “I was only guessing about Yu-shi’s death. Since you were so afraid of that bottle, it seems you were the one who killed her, after all.”

At her words, Lin Jianhai’s brow furrowed involuntarily. Back then, Qu Sheng had threatened him with that bottle. If he didn’t agree, she would exhume Yu-shi’s grave and have an experienced coroner examine the body.

            

Emperor Baoguang had schemed for so long to sideline his powerful ministers, and it had all come down to that one moment of hesitation. At the time, he had been worried he would be exposed, affecting the entire plan, so he had agreed to Qu Sheng’s demand.

That was all in the past. He wasn’t afraid of her bringing it up now.

“So what if I did?” Lin Jianhai turned his face back, his expression full of contempt. “Can you kill me for it?”

            

Lin Jianhai had repeatedly goaded Qu Sheng to kill him. He knew that because of Lin Xizhao, Qu Sheng wouldn’t dare touch him, so he provoked her again and again.

If Qu Sheng killed him, Lin Xizhao would certainly leave her. He was gambling on that. As long as Lin Xizhao left Qu Sheng, his own death was a price worth paying.

Qu Sheng sneered. “It’s true that I can’t do anything to you. But the same can’t be said for others.”

            

Yu-shi’s death had been ordered by Emperor Baoguang. Even if it came out, the matter was long past. Lin Jianhai no longer cared about his reputation or his official position. His authority had already been stripped; the worst that could happen now was losing his title as king.

His two sons were now officials. During his time in office, he had never grown close to other officials, so they couldn’t count on him for help anyway. Thus, he truly didn’t care.

After speaking, Qu Sheng turned and left the room. As Lin Jianhai watched her anger seemingly dissipate, he felt a flicker of suspicion. Just then, his two sons walked in from outside.

            

Seeing his sons enter, Lin Jianhai shot to his feet, instantly tense.

“Father, was what Sheng-meimei said just now true?” Tears welled in Lin Xirui’s eyes. He couldn’t believe his father would kill his mother.

Even if his mother was at fault, the matter should have been handed over to the authorities. That was the woman who shared his bed, yet he had killed her with his own hands.

            

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Qu Sheng entered Lin Xizhao’s courtyard. The bodies along the path had already been cleared away, and the entire Lin Residence was now surrounded, inside and out.

Lin Xizhao was standing outside, holding an umbrella over Feng Qi, who was kneeling in the snow.

She had been trying to persuade him to get up. When Qu Sheng left, she hadn’t said anything, nor had she ordered him to kneel here, but he refused to rise.

            

“You should get up. This wasn’t your fault. I didn’t tell you beforehand.”

When Lin Xirui had informed her, she hadn’t notified Feng Qi. Firstly, she didn’t think it would be a major issue. Secondly, she was afraid that if Feng Qi knew, he would tell Qu Sheng and distract her on the battlefield.

If she had told Feng Qi in advance, he would certainly have been more cautious.

            

Lin Xizhao bent down and reached out to help Feng Qi up, but her hand was grasped by a warm palm. When she looked up, she was lifted into the air.

“Is the hot water ready?”

Lin Xizhao, still holding the umbrella, looked at Qu Sheng in a daze as she was swept into her arms. Her gaze flickered. “Sheng’er, you should let Feng Qi get up.”

            

Qu Sheng glanced down at Feng Qi on the ground, her face cold and silent. She carried Lin Xizhao straight to the bathing chamber.

A brazier was burning in the chamber, making the room warm. Lin Xizhao began to unfasten the armor from Qu Sheng’s body. It was faintly stained with blood—she didn’t know if it was from the Crown Prince’s men just now, or if it was from the battlefield.

Lin Xizhao set the armor aside and started untying her inner clothes. “Today wasn’t Feng Qi’s fault. It’s cold outside, let him go back and rest.”

            

Qu Sheng looked down at Lin Xizhao. Her expression was gentle, but the mention of Feng Qi stirred her anger. She had trusted him so much, had entrusted Lin Xizhao’s safety to him, had given him free rein over the residence guards. Yet he had allowed an unrelated male to enter the inner chambers in the dead of night.

Given that, she was already being lenient by not treating him the same as the other servants.

“Let him kneel,” Qu Sheng said flatly.

            

Feng Qi had rarely made mistakes over the years. When he was young, he had been punished for disobeying her. This time, if not for his many years of service, she would never have let him off so easily.

Lin Xizhao looked up at Qu Sheng, feeling a pang of guilt, as if Feng Qi was in this situation because of her.

Qu Sheng met Lin Xizhao’s gaze and saw what she was thinking. She lowered her eyes for a moment, pressed a hand over Lin Xizhao’s as it undid her clothes, and then threw on an outer robe and went outside.

            

Qu Sheng walked over to Feng Qi and looked down at him, kneeling motionless in the snow. After a moment, she said, “Go and receive twenty strokes of the military cudgel⁵. And stay out of my sight for a while.”

Feng Qi looked up, staring at Qu Sheng in a daze. After twenty strokes of the military cudgel, how could he possibly walk? He wouldn’t be able to see her even if he wanted to.

“Yes, Young Miss,” Feng Qi said, lowering his head with a look of gratitude.

            

When you make a mistake, you have to learn your lesson. Feng Qi didn’t feel wronged. He had nearly caused a catastrophe. If something had truly happened to Lin Xizhao, it wouldn’t be a matter of a beating, but of taking his own life to atone for his sin.

Lin Xizhao stood behind Qu Sheng and watched Feng Qi leave, feeling much relieved.

Back in the bathing chamber, Lin Xizhao helped Qu Sheng undress and began to gently scrub her jade-like back.

            

“Why did you come back so suddenly?” Lin Xizhao hadn’t received any news.

If the Qu family had known Qu Sheng was returning, they would certainly have told her.

Qu Sheng opened her eyes. Her voice was hoarse as she replied, “It was a spur-of-the-moment decision.”

            

It truly had been. She had just led her troops to a narrow victory against the rebels when she returned to camp and saw the letter from Lin Xirui.

After reading it, Qu Sheng had immediately briefed her generals on the upcoming battles, then ridden two horses to exhaustion to reach the Capital City. If Liang Lianhui hadn’t been the one guarding the city gates, getting in would have been difficult.

Lin Xizhao noticed Qu Sheng kept closing her eyes and wasn’t as warm toward her as before. A flicker of disappointment touched her heart. Today’s events had certainly been upsetting, but they hadn’t seen each other for months.

            

Silence filled the room. Lin Xizhao finished washing Qu Sheng’s back. Just as she let go to grab a bathing towel, Qu Sheng’s entire body slumped forward.

Lin Xizhao cried out in alarm and quickly reached back to support her, only then realizing that Qu Sheng had fallen asleep at some point.

Lin Xizhao lifted Qu Sheng out of the tub, dried her off, and helped her to the inner room. Then she called in the people who had returned with Qu Sheng and asked them a few questions.

            

It would have been better not to ask. When she learned that Qu Sheng hadn’t rested for four days and four nights, she stood frozen for a long time, her heart aching terribly. She quickly ordered someone to lead the guards away to rest.

Qu Sheng had come back for her.

Returning to the room, Lin Xizhao lay down beside Qu Sheng. By the candlelight, her gentle gaze traced the contours of Qu Sheng’s thinned face again and again.

            

Qu Sheng was beautiful. Her fair face, peaceful in sleep, was free of the sharp edge she wore when awake, making her seem much softer.

Lin Xizhao watched her for a while, then raised a slender finger and lightly brushed her thumb across Qu Sheng’s soft lips. A moment later, she leaned down and kissed her.

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Last night, nearly all the servants in the Lin Residence had been put to death. Lin Xirui sat slumped in his room, sleepless all night. The residence was now filled with soldiers, and Lin Jianhai’s courtyard was under heavy guard.

            

At the beginning of the Hour of the Rabbit⁶, Lin Xikuan came from outside, knocked on his door, and called for him to go to court.

One of them was now in the Ministry of Rites, the other in the Ministry of War.

Lin Xirui composed himself, changed into his court robes, and went out with Lin Xikuan.

            

The two had risen through the ranks rather quickly, which was not only due to the Emperor’s need for them but also to Qu Jinian’s subtle influence.

By morning, the sky had cleared. Lin Xizhao opened her eyes and saw the person she had missed so dearly. Qu Sheng had barely moved all night.

Whatever position Lin Xizhao had placed her in last night was the position she had remained in. She must have been utterly exhausted.

            

Lin Xizhao got up to prepare some food, only to find that the servants in the residence were almost all unfamiliar faces. It was to be expected, but she hadn’t thought the replacements would be arranged so quickly.

As soon as these new people arrived, they each took up their duties. Anyone who had been blindly obedient to Lin Jianhai had been replaced, even the steward.

Lin Xizhao went to the kitchen herself to make a soup for Qu Sheng, as well as her favorite water chestnut cakes⁷. It wasn’t until noon that Qu Sheng finally woke up.

            

Though she was awake, she still felt drowsy, but she couldn’t sleep any longer. She needed to return to the Qu Marquis Residence and take Lin Xizhao with her.

Hearing movement from the inner room, Lin Xizhao walked over quietly. Seeing Qu Sheng awake, a gentle smile touched her lips. “You’re awake?”

Qu Sheng heard her voice and turned her head. Her mind felt sluggish for a moment, then her lips curved up and she held out her arms.

            

A clear request for a hug.

Lin Xizhao smiled and walked over to the bedside, letting Qu Sheng wrap her arms around her waist and nuzzle against her.

“I made your favorite water chestnut cakes. Would you like some now?” Lin Xizhao asked, stroking Qu Sheng’s hair.

            

Hearing there were water chestnut cakes, Qu Sheng looked up, her tired eyes brightening. She nodded a moment later.

It had been a long time since she had been so openly affectionate. Only in front of Lin Xizhao could she be so unguarded.

Lin Xizhao helped Qu Sheng eat. After she had finished the entire plate of water chestnut cakes, the two of them returned to the Qu Marquis Residence.

            

They first paid their respects to the elders. When they asked after Qu Jinian, Jin Yunfei said he had not yet returned from court.

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Recently, discussions at the Morning Court had revolved almost entirely around the war and provisions. The civil officials felt it was extravagant and that unnecessary expenses should be cut, while the military officials argued that there were not enough supplies and troops.

Lin Xirui, being new to the Ministry of War and still learning its affairs, did not participate in the debate.

            

As the two factions argued, a report came from outside: General Zhaoyong had returned.

For Qu Sheng, who was leading the campaign to quell the rebellion, to suddenly return was no small matter. All the court officials turned to look toward the hall’s entrance.

“Announce General Zhaoyong for an Audience.”

            

Having slept for only a few hours, Qu Sheng’s face was somewhat pale. Her third-rank crimson court robes⁸, embroidered with tigers and leopards, looked out of place on her slender frame among the court’s military officials, yet she was a striking sight in her own right.

“This humble subject, Qu Sheng, pays her respects to Your Majesty. Long live the Emperor, for ten thousand years.” Qu Sheng did not perform a full kowtow, only a cupped-fist salute.

Many of the civil officials murmured their disapproval at this, but the Emperor paid it no mind. “General Zhaoyong, for you to return to the capital at this time, is there an urgent matter?”

            

The Emperor wanted to reprimand her, but he lacked the confidence, so he could only ask in this roundabout way.

Qu Sheng raised her head and replied, “Your Majesty, this humble subject does indeed have an urgent matter to report.”

“Speak.”

            

“Recently, it has come to this subject’s attention that the Crown Prince’s moral conduct is deeply problematic. This subject petitions the throne to depose the Crown Prince and select a more virtuous successor.” Qu Sheng spoke each word clearly, and the ministers in the great hall all looked at each other in shock.

Qu Jinian, standing at the head of the military officials, heard his daughter’s words and glanced toward the empty spot where the Crown Prince usually stood.

The Crown Prince had claimed illness today and was absent from court. Qu Jinian had only learned of Qu Sheng’s return this morning and had no idea what had happened.

            

The Emperor was stunned and confused. “The Crown Prince is the eldest son of the primary wife⁹. Why should he be deposed?”

Qu Sheng calmly raised her eyes and replied, “When the Crown Prince was the Heir Apparent, his first wife bore him two sons and a daughter. Now, swayed by others, the Crown Prince has demoted his first wife to a Secondary Consort. This is a lack of virtue, and that is the first point. Second, Your Majesty is still young, yet the Crown Prince is already thinking of ascending the throne, constantly telling others what he will do when he is emperor. This is disloyalty. For someone so heartless and unrighteous, who is at all times plotting to usurp the throne, this humble subject requests that Your Majesty depose the Crown Prince!”

These words, while sounding reasonable on the surface, were not enough to make the Emperor depose the Crown Prince. But one had to consider who was speaking them.

            

Qu Sheng now commanded an army. She was not the person she used to be, and the Emperor had to take her views into account. She had returned to the capital without an imperial summons, a grave offense, yet she seemed unconcerned, striding into the hall and immediately denouncing the Crown Prince. He must have offended her.

The ministers whispered amongst themselves. Qu Jinian stood in his place, and after a moment of thought, he looked at his daughter.

Qu Sheng’s back was slender; she had lost a lot of weight. The only person who could make her rush back to the capital overnight like this was Lin Xizhao.

            

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The author has something to say:

Qu Sheng: “I’m going to slip my leash.”

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