The Prime Minister’s Daughter and the Marquis’s Fool – Chapter 149
by Little PandaSince You Know, Wife, Why Did You Still Let Her Stay?
The moisture in the room was unusually heavy. Lin Xizhao suddenly felt that Qu Sheng had entirely too much to say today, and the things she asked were incredibly embarrassing.
Lin Xizhao’s cheeks grew rosier; she suddenly had the urge to flee. But the person beside her would hardly let her have her way.
Seeing Lin Xizhao gently biting her lower lip, Qu Sheng’s own lips curved into a smile. She leaned over and captured Lin Xizhao’s lips in a kiss.
Two hours later, the two returned to the bed. Lin Xizhao’s body was a bit hot to the touch. Qu Sheng held her, still unsatisfied; the desires that had never fully receded from her eyes surged up once more.
The sleepwear that had only just been put on was nudged around by Qu Sheng’s head, ultimately ending up on the floor. Lin Xizhao gasped for air, silently complaining in her heart. For the past few days, Qu Sheng hadn’t touched a hair on her head. Today, she was acting like she was making up for lost time, seemingly intent on entirely hollowing out her body…
“Sheng’er…” Taking advantage of the little strength she had left, Lin Xizhao cupped Qu Sheng’s cheeks in both hands to stop her from continuing.
Qu Sheng lifted her head, an insatiable greed in her eyes, and licked her lips.
“What’s wrong?” Qu Sheng’s voice was damp, and her face showed a momentary flash of confusion, though her movements didn’t pause in the slightest.
Enduring the strange sensations spreading through her body, Lin Xizhao couldn’t hold back a soft moan.
Seeing this, a victorious smirk tugged at the corner of Qu Sheng’s mouth.
After a moment of breathless suspension, Lin Xizhao’s delicate brows slowly relaxed as she exhaled the breath that had been clamoring in her chest.
Qu Sheng tenderly shifted upward and sought out Lin Xizhao’s soft lips for a gentle kiss. She absolutely adored this delicate, enchanting look on Lin Xizhao.
Kisses rained down again and again, eventually tangling together once more.
The scent exchanged between their lips and tongues was rich, identical to the aroma filling the room. But just a moment later, Qu Sheng was suddenly overtaken as Lin Xizhao rose up to gain the upper hand.
A touch of slyness glinted in Lin Xizhao’s eyes, though she knew well enough that if Qu Sheng hadn’t let her, she wouldn’t have had the ability to assert any dominance.
Qu Sheng completely released her normally restrained emotions, surprising Lin Xizhao but also deeply encouraging her.
A long time passed.
When the two emerged from the washroom, the bedsheets and other linens in the room had already been changed.
Qu Sheng gently laid Lin Xizhao onto the bed, then climbed up herself, burying her head in Lin Xizhao’s embrace.
There lay her haven of tenderness, and the greatest love of her life.
The visits from officials in the Capital City had temporarily ceased. It had been half a month since Qu Sheng returned to the Capital City. The defeated rebel forces in the south had regrouped and were poised to fight again.
The Emperor issued an edict, urging Qu Sheng to rush to the battlefield as soon as possible to wipe out the rebels.
The servants in the Marquis Residence were bustling about, preparing a farewell banquet for Qu Sheng and Lin Xizhao.
After the incident with the former Crown Prince, lingering fear remained in Qu Sheng’s heart. The southern war was already entirely within her control, so she decided to take Lin Xizhao with her.
Early the next morning, a carriage parked in front of the Qu Marquis Residence. Qu Sheng and Lin Xizhao emerged, surrounded by the household.
Jin Mingyi, Zhu Ming’an, Lin Xirui, and Lin Xikuan had all come to see them off.
Qu Sheng lifted Lin Xizhao into the carriage and followed her in to sit down. She pulled back the curtain, watching as Lin Xizhao waved goodbye to the crowd.
When the carriage reached the city gates, Lin Xizhao and Qu Sheng stepped down to converse briefly with Liang Lianhui, who was guarding the city. Qu Sheng had already given him all necessary instructions earlier; this stop was primarily to let Lin Xizhao bid Liang Lianhui farewell.
Leaving the city gates behind, Lin Xizhao leaned into Qu Sheng’s embrace. This time, they wouldn’t suffer the pain of separation. Leaving relatives was certainly difficult, but leaving Qu Sheng would mean enduring bitter days and nights.
Last time Qu Sheng left, it took her a full two months to quell the urge to chase after her. If they parted again this time, she didn’t know if she could suppress that longing.
Qu Sheng pulled Lin Xizhao closer, grabbed a thin blanket from the side, and draped it over her. “Sleep for a while, Wife,” she said softly.
Having some free time lately, Qu Sheng had been finding every possible way to ‘serve’ Lin Xizhao, not even stopping the previous night.
Hearing her voice, Lin Xizhao lifted her heavy eyelids. Seeing the suppressed smile at the corner of Qu Sheng’s mouth, she shot her a playful, reproachful glare before burying her face into Qu Sheng’s chest. She rubbed against her gently, her exhausted eyelids fluttering shut.
With that delicate body in her arms, Qu Sheng’s smile blossomed. She pressed a light kiss to Lin Xizhao’s forehead and tightened her embrace.
In the war-torn south, the majority of Qu Sheng’s forces were busy resettling refugees. She intended to thoroughly purge the region’s establishment, but an influx of refugees could also trigger instability at court. Therefore, she had to conduct pacification and suppression simultaneously.
A few days later, the two arrived at the battlefield south of the Capital City. Hearing of Qu Sheng’s return, the generals rubbed their palms together in eagerness, each wanting to be the first to lead troops out of the camp under her renewed command.
After listening to the current situation, Qu Sheng ordered men to drive the rebels northward.
The Jin family was also part of the subjugation force this time, led by the Jin family’s heir, Jin Mingjun. Qu Sheng had kept Lin Xizhao constantly by her side since bringing her along; even when discussing strategy with the officers, she simply had a modest folding screen brought in to separate them. Because of this, Jin Mingjun never caught sight of Lin Xizhao.
Lin Xizhao sat waiting inside, while Qu Sheng spoke eloquently outside. When issuing orders, she was decisive, showing no hesitation whatsoever. Once the various generals withdrew, Qu Sheng lowered her eyes for a moment before walking behind the screen.
Hearing the footsteps, Lin Xizhao looked up, meeting a gaze entirely unlike the sharp glare Qu Sheng had worn moments ago. There, exclusively for Lin Xizhao, was a deep, tender warmth.
“Wife, come back to the tent with me.”
When they first entered the military camp, the soldiers escorting them had delivered their baggage to the command tent, and the two of them had remained in the meeting hall the entire time.
It wasn’t that Qu Sheng didn’t want Lin Xizhao to rest; it was simply that her tent still needed to be tidied up.
Lin Xizhao followed Qu Sheng back to the tent. Inside, all the necessities were fully stocked; although the furnishings were simple, not a single daily requirement was lacking.
They had arrived at dusk, and by now, the sky was completely dark. Lin Xizhao went to prepare the bed, while Qu Sheng searched for the sleepwear they would need for their bath later.
“Let me go in and see the General. I have something I want to ask her face-to-face,” a woman’s voice rang out from outside.
Hearing the voice, Lin Xizhao’s hands paused. Qu Sheng frowned, glancing toward the tent entrance before looking back at Lin Xizhao.
There was actually another woman in this camp besides them? Seeing the confusion on Lin Xizhao’s face, Qu Sheng didn’t explain. She only said, “I’ll go out and take a look.”
Lin Xizhao’s expression paused slightly before she gave a soft, even ‘Mhm’.
Qu Sheng walked out, her face chilling over as she moved.
“What is it?” The moment Qu Sheng exited the tent, she met the woman’s gaze.
The woman, dressed in armor, immediately looked over and hurriedly asked, “General, did I serve you poorly? Why are you sending me away?”
Qu Sheng didn’t mince words. “I am not sending you away. I am merely telling you to go to your father.”
“My father is a man. Naturally, he has his own guards to attend to him. Please let me continue taking care of you,” the woman pleaded hopefully.
Hearing this, Qu Sheng’s face cooled a fraction. “That won’t be necessary.” She then signaled the nearby guards with her eyes to take the woman away.
“General, why?” The woman didn’t want to leave, dodging the guard’s outstretched hand.
At this moment, Lin Xizhao emerged from the tent. Hearing the faint hint of a sob in the woman’s voice, she asked in a soft, gentle tone, “What’s the matter?”
Qu Sheng turned her head. Seeing Lin Xizhao step out without any trace of panic on her face, she explained, “This is General Kou He’s daughter.”
Kou Huan was startled to suddenly see a beautiful woman appear in Qu Sheng’s tent. Her eyes fluttered slightly, and then she suddenly laughed. “I was wondering why the General would suddenly chase me away. It turns out a better candidate has arrived to serve.”
Hearing this, Lin Xizhao seemed to understand why this young woman was here. Qu Sheng was a woman, and the military camp was almost exclusively filled with men. Most likely, General Kou He felt it would be inconvenient for Qu Sheng to be surrounded by men and had sent his own daughter to attend to her.
For a general to place his daughter in a military camp, he was likely a man of considerable foresight.
Lin Xizhao met Qu Sheng’s gaze, then looked at Kou Huan. The corners of her lips curved into a gentle smile. “Thank you, Miss Kou, for taking care of Sheng’er. If you don’t mind, you may simply stay on.”
Qu Sheng looked up, not understanding Lin Xizhao’s intentions. A wave of grievance welled up in her heart, though it didn’t show on her face. She asked, “Jiejie, do you not want to take care of Sheng’er?”
When she was in the Capital City, Lin Xizhao had handled all her daily needs. By asking Kou Huan to stay, did Lin Xizhao mean she no longer wanted to care for her?
Lin Xizhao laughed softly at this, looking at Qu Sheng with gentle eyes. “How could that be? With an extra person to take care of Sheng’er, jiejie will feel more at ease.”
The two tacitly altered their forms of address in front of an outsider.
This was Lin Xizhao’s first time here. Although she had entered a military camp previously during the bandit extermination in Gaozhou1, she had barely stayed long that day. Being unfamiliar with this camp, she worried that she might not be attentive enough, which could cause Qu Sheng—the commander-in-chief—to encounter problems and delay military opportunities.
Having an extra pair of hands to look after Qu Sheng made her perfectly happy.
Seeing that Lin Xizhao didn’t seem to be acting out of spite, Qu Sheng lowered her eyes for a moment. She looked at Kou Huan and said, “Since you want to stay, then stay.”
A smile broke out on Kou Huan’s face upon hearing that Qu Sheng was letting her stay, but as she looked at Lin Xizhao, the smile faded considerably.
“However, from now on, without orders from me or my jiejie, you are not to enter the tent as you please,” Qu Sheng stated her condition.
In the past, when she was alone, she hadn’t cared about people coming and going. Kou Huan was the daughter of a retainer; the year before last, in Shoulin, this girl of the same age had accompanied her. Because of that trust, she had confidently handed over her daily affairs to Kou Huan.
But things were different now. Her wife had arrived.
Hearing this, the smile on Kou Huan’s face vanished entirely. She cast a sidelong glance at Lin Xizhao—who stood beside Qu Sheng, complementing her perfectly—then looked up at Qu Sheng. Without even bowing, she lowered her head and said, “Kou Huan understands.”
The displeasure in Kou Huan’s eyes was caught by Lin Xizhao. But before Lin Xizhao could say anything warm or welcoming, Qu Sheng took her hand and led her back into the tent.
Back inside, Qu Sheng offered no explanation, keeping to herself as she organized the sleepwear they were about to use.
Looking at Qu Sheng’s back, Lin Xizhao seemed to guess that keeping the girl had made Qu Sheng unhappy.
Lin Xizhao walked up to Qu Sheng and wrapped her slender arms around her narrow waist, pressing her gentle cheek against Qu Sheng’s back. “Why are you unhappy?” she asked softly.
She didn’t quite understand Qu Sheng’s reasoning. She had arrived, but the person who usually took care of Qu Sheng would continue to do so. Nothing was disrupted—what was wrong with that?
Qu Sheng’s shoulders remained stiff. Feeling the soft warmth against her back, she turned her head slightly. “I’m not unhappy,” she said, continuing her task.
Seeing that she couldn’t get an answer, Lin Xizhao didn’t press, though she didn’t loosen her embrace either. Only when Qu Sheng finished folding the clothes did she slowly turn around and look down at her.
Her eyes held their usual tenderness for Lin Xizhao. Seeing the affection pooling in Lin Xizhao’s upturned eyes, Qu Sheng tilted her head, brushed the tip of Lin Xizhao’s nose, and kissed her soft lips.
When it was just the two of them, if Qu Sheng’s kisses lasted too long, she would absolutely not let go easily. Sensing this, Lin Xizhao let out a light laugh and gently pushed her away. “Bathe first.”
They had been rushing on their journey for the past few days, rarely stopping for long. Lin Xizhao urged Qu Sheng to bathe and walked toward the entrance of the tent.
The army cooks must have already boiled the water. They knew their general loved cleanliness; unless in active combat, everyone was aware that Qu Sheng absolutely had to bathe.
Lin Xizhao lifted the tent flap, just about to call for someone, when she looked down and saw several buckets of hot water already waiting outside.
Kou Huan glanced at Lin Xizhao, then peeked inside, asking indifferently, “Is the General going to bathe?”
Lin Xizhao nodded and gave a soft “Yes.”
“You lot, carry the water inside,” Kou Huan instructed the guards standing nearby.
The guards acknowledged the order, lowered their heads, and carried the bath barrels toward the tent. Lin Xizhao stepped aside to make room.
The bathing tub sat enclosed within four panels of a folding screen. The guards walked around it, poured the water in, and then Kou Huan stepped forward to test the temperature.
“Let my jiejie handle it. I don’t need attendance here for now. Go back and rest,” Qu Sheng said, not even looking at Kou Huan. Her gaze remained fixed on Lin Xizhao standing by the tent entrance.
Kou Huan froze in the middle of rolling up her sleeves. She looked up at Qu Sheng, then followed Qu Sheng’s gaze to Lin Xizhao. After a moment, understanding dawned on her. Her face turned slightly pale. She bowed and walked out. As she passed the tent flap, she cast one last look at Lin Xizhao.
Lin Xizhao’s eyes met hers for a fleeting second. In that moment, she understood why Qu Sheng had wanted to send the girl away, and why Qu Sheng had been angry when she told Kou Huan to stay.
This young girl liked Qu Sheng.
Lin Xizhao was deeply familiar with that kind of hostile gaze; she had once seen it countless times in Qu Sheng’s own eyes.
Once everyone else had left the tent, Lin Xizhao stepped behind the screen, rolled up her sleeves, and tested the water. A military camp was nothing like the Capital City. There were no flower petals here, though there were bathing spices—Kou Huan had just brought them in.
Lin Xizhao scooped up some of the spices, sprinkled them into the tub, and softly called out to Qu Sheng beyond the screen. “Sheng’er.”
Hearing her voice, Qu Sheng glanced over through the screen. It was seamless, completely obscuring Lin Xizhao’s silhouette.
Qu Sheng turned back, picked up her sleepwear, and rounded the edge of the screen to step inside.
Seeing her approach, Lin Xizhao smiled softly. She watched Qu Sheng drape the sleepwear over the screen, then reached out to untie the sash at Qu Sheng’s waist.
Qu Sheng looked down at Lin Xizhao. While Lin Xizhao was earnestly undressing her without a single distracting thought, Qu Sheng leaned down and kissed her.
Caught off guard, Lin Xizhao was bent backward by the sudden, fierce kiss. A warm hand immediately caught the back of her neck, forcing her into even closer contact with Qu Sheng.
Qu Sheng’s tongue and lips lacked their previous gentleness; the ravaging kiss seemed tainted with a hint of irritation.
Lin Xizhao’s eyes narrowed slightly, quickly adapting, but a moment later, she pushed Qu Sheng away again. Her breathing was a bit unsteady. “Bathe first.”
Qu Sheng didn’t want to listen to her excuses. Just as she moved in for another kiss, Lin Xizhao reached up and gently covered Qu Sheng’s lips. Her eyes brimmed with patient tenderness as she said, “After we bathe and eat dinner, I’ll do whatever you want tonight.”
Hearing the first half, Qu Sheng had still been somewhat reluctant, but upon hearing the latter half, anticipation sparked in her eyes in a matter of seconds.
Qu Sheng released her, allowing Lin Xizhao to peel away her outer robes. In the military camp, the two kept themselves restrained. After Lin Xizhao finished helping Qu Sheng bathe, she told her to wait outside, but Qu Sheng refused.
Since they hadn’t brought any maids along, Lin Xizhao had to wash herself.
“I’ll help you, Wife,” Qu Sheng said, a smile playing on her lips.
It wasn’t as if she hadn’t been served by Qu Sheng before. Lin Xizhao merely gave her a look before agreeing.
The bath didn’t last long, but Lin Xizhao found it rather exhausting. Not only did Qu Sheng’s hands wander everywhere, but she also liked to bite.
It was a struggle to get out of the tub. Before she was even fully dry, the kissing started again. The initial kisses were normal enough, but soon, those tantalizing lips lost all sense of propriety. Lin Xizhao hastily pulled Qu Sheng upright, shooting her a playful glare.
Unsuccessful, Qu Sheng chuckled, grabbed a towel nearby, dried Lin Xizhao off, and helped her into her sleepwear.
When the two emerged, they put on thicker outer robes.
Just as Lin Xizhao was about to order someone to bring their meal, Kou Huan appeared once again.
This time, Kou Huan didn’t look inside. She asked flatly, “Is the General ready to eat?”
Lin Xizhao nodded with a soft “Yes.” This time, Kou Huan actually bowed to her, dipping into a curtsy before carrying the food box inside.
Qu Sheng was sitting by the table reading an official gazette2 sent from elsewhere. Hearing footsteps, she looked up, saw it was Kou Huan, and naturally lowered her head again.
Kou Huan placed the dishes on the desk and stepped to the side.
After finishing a line in the gazette, Qu Sheng looked up and saw Kou Huan still standing there. Glancing over at Lin Xizhao, who was walking toward the door, Qu Sheng said evenly, “That will be all for now. Come back tomorrow to clean up.”
Qu Sheng suppressed the sliver of displeasure in her eyes.
She had never treated Kou Huan like a servant, merely seeing her as a younger sister. Because of this, she had always been quite friendly toward her, never expecting the girl to harbor improper thoughts.
All the possessiveness she had once shown toward Lin Xizhao was now mirrored in Kou Huan. Though Kou Huan hadn’t said anything explicitly, Qu Sheng saw it clear as day.
Since realizing this, she rarely spoke to her. She had even tactfully informed Kou He that she didn’t need attendance and that there was no need to trouble his daughter, but surprisingly, Kou He couldn’t control this daughter of his either. Eventually, Qu Sheng just let her be.
But today, Lin Xizhao had arrived. She couldn’t keep Kou Huan around and make Lin Xizhao uncomfortable. However, it seemed she had overestimated her own weight in Lin Xizhao’s heart.
Lin Xizhao didn’t care at all.
And that was why Qu Sheng was sulking today.
Hearing the dismissal, a trace of hurt flashed in Kou Huan’s eyes, but she still obeyed Qu Sheng’s order, lowered her head, and left.
Lin Xizhao watched the heartbroken look on the young girl’s face, then looked at Qu Sheng’s foul expression. Walking over with her graceful figure, she sat down and asked, “She likes you?”
Qu Sheng looked up, stunned. Seeing how unbothered—even completely composed—Lin Xizhao was, a fresh wave of annoyance flared in her chest.
“Since you know, Wife, why did you still tell her to stay?”
Neither of them hid their thoughts.
Seeing Qu Sheng’s somewhat irritated expression, Lin Xizhao paused for a second before explaining, “I didn’t know at first.”
Hearing Lin Xizhao admit she hadn’t known initially, Qu Sheng considered it for a moment. That was true; she hadn’t told her beforehand. Lin Xizhao was good at reading people, but she couldn’t see through everyone’s thoughts instantly every time.
Qu Sheng lowered her eyelids. “Then I’ll have someone tell her later not to come tomorrow.”
Listening to Qu Sheng speak in a pique, Lin Xizhao knew her mind was already made up. She persuaded, “She’s served you for so long, so she must be familiar with how to take care of you. I’ve only just arrived and don’t know the staff. Let her continue looking after you for a few more days and we’ll see.”
She had been the one to ask the girl to stay earlier. To banish her barely an hour later made her feel guilty. Besides, she could tell the young girl wasn’t unreasonable. Both times she had gone to ask for hot water and food today, the girl had already prepared them. Even Lin Xizhao wouldn’t have been so prompt and attentive.
“How can you not mind at all, Wife?” Qu Sheng asked bluntly, voicing the grievance that had been bothering her all day.
Lin Xizhao blinked, finally understanding why Qu Sheng was acting so abnormally today.
“Do you like her?”
Qu Sheng frowned, showing a rare flash of anger toward Lin Xizhao. “What kind of thing is that to say?”
Seeing Qu Sheng’s darkened expression, the corners of Lin Xizhao’s lips curled up. “If you don’t like her, why should I mind?”
Qu Sheng’s brain stalled for a second. Why shouldn’t Lin Xizhao mind?
Back in the day, when dealing with Emperor Baoguang’s Crown Prince or that Jin family cousin, Qu Sheng had practically wanted to throw a black sack over their heads and beat their brains out. Why, when it came to Lin Xizhao, was her reaction so terribly bland?
“Why don’t you mind, Wife?” Qu Sheng genuinely didn’t understand, her face full of doubt.
If some random outsider suddenly appeared and lusted after Lin Xizhao, she would want to kill them on the spot.
Lin Xizhao laughed softly. “Miss Kou is pretty and thoughtful, and she takes meticulous care of my sweetheart. What is there for me to mind?” Seeing Qu Sheng frozen in place, Lin Xizhao added, “Should I mind that she has the same good taste as me and likes my excellent Sheng’er? Or should I mind that she exerts herself to take care of my wife for me?”
Qu Sheng stared blankly. Within seconds, a smile she couldn’t quite suppress broke through. She felt Lin Xizhao’s reasoning was a bit of a stretch, but she cared deeply about the identities Lin Xizhao had claimed.
Her sweetheart, her Sheng’er, her wife.
Those three titles washed away all the irritation in Qu Sheng’s heart. They occupied her chest, slowly churning and bubbling up with sweetness.
Seeing the smile tugging at the corners of Qu Sheng’s lips, Lin Xizhao knew she was no longer angry. An ordinary person might have thrown a fit of jealousy over this, but Qu Sheng was different. Lin Xizhao knew that Qu Sheng’s heart belonged entirely to her.
The sense of security Qu Sheng gave her had never, from the very beginning, let her down.
Qu Sheng cherished her more than the rarest treasure—how could she not know?
“Let’s eat first,” Lin Xizhao said. Picking up the wooden chopsticks beside her, she placed some food into the bowl in front of Qu Sheng.
Qu Sheng looked down at the food in her bowl, then lifted her eyes to meet Lin Xizhao’s. Their gazes locked for a moment. Exchanging a light smile, they began to eat.
In the middle of the night, within the pitch-black tent, the fragmented, muffled sounds made every inch of Qu Sheng’s body boil. The harder Lin Xizhao tried to endure, the more Qu Sheng wanted to break her restraint and make her release the melody that belonged only to the two of them.
Using Lin Xizhao’s earlier promise, Qu Sheng tried out the positions she had long desired but which Lin Xizhao had previously refused.
Early the next morning, when Lin Xizhao woke, Qu Sheng had already gone out to discuss the upcoming battles with her generals. Yesterday, they had dispatched a squad to trick the rebel forces into moving north, but for some reason, the information had leaked. Knowing the deployed force was small, the rebels simply remained camped where they were.
The rebel forces were extorting vast amounts of wealth from their occupied territories, commandeering grain and funds. However, the majority of the gold, silver, and wealth was being exacted from the powerful aristocratic clans. Qu Sheng didn’t want them to stay too long; if they did, they would eventually start exploiting the common people.
She only wanted to force the rebels to uproot the deeply entrenched aristocratic ‘old trees’ in the cities, not to scrape the land bare.
Once the generals departed, Qu Sheng called someone in. “Go tell Zhu Baibing to have his people prepare the provisions and grain, and set the price ten times higher than before.”
The subordinate nodded, tucked the token Qu Sheng handed him into his robes, cupped his fists, and left.
When Qu Sheng returned to the tent, Lin Xizhao was already up and washing. Seeing the beauty sitting alone in front of the bronze mirror brushing her hair, Qu Sheng walked over and took the ox-horn comb from her hand.
Lin Xizhao had heard the footsteps approaching. Now, through the bronze mirror, she looked at the heroic, striking face behind her, its sharp contours accentuated by the armor.
Neither spoke as Lin Xizhao allowed Qu Sheng to pin up her hair. Once the dark silken tresses were styled, Qu Sheng withdrew a jade hairpin from her robes and slipped it into Lin Xizhao’s chignon.
It was something she had carved herself over countless nights spent missing her.
Mutton-fat jade3, warm and smooth, carved with several magnolia blossoms. The clear, lustrous petals shone with a full, rich glow—much like Lin Xizhao herself.
“You are so beautiful, Wife,” Qu Sheng said, offering a rare verbal compliment on Lin Xizhao’s beauty.
Through the bronze mirror, Lin Xizhao met Qu Sheng’s infatuated gaze and turned her head.
Her shimmering eyes looked almost like an invitation. In mere seconds, she stole Qu Sheng’s soul away, and Qu Sheng leaned in to kiss her.
A morning kiss, lacking the lust of the night, was an expression of pure, lingering devotion to something beautiful—so beautiful that one dared not harbor a single impure thought.
There was no need for Lin Xizhao to give any special orders; breakfast was brought over automatically. The young girl Kou Huan was incredibly stubborn. After clearing the desk, she set the freshly made meal down and led her people out.
After breakfast, Qu Sheng busied herself with military affairs. Lin Xizhao sat to the side, reading the travelogues Qu Sheng had ordered people to collect overnight, listening to the military reports presented from time to time.
Soon, Lin Xizhao astutely noticed that everything Qu Sheng was handling related to the refugees and the common people; the actual warfare was pushed almost entirely to the back burner.
The author has something to say:
Jiang Huaiyuan: “Both grandmother and grandchild are smooth talkers.”
Huo Qing (Qu Jiao): “Don’t you like hearing it? If you don’t like it, I won’t say it anymore.”
Jiang Huaiyuan: “I love it, I love it. Wife, I love hearing it.”
Qu Sheng: “Ahem, I like hearing it too.”
Lin Xizhao: “Then I’ll say it more often from now on.”
Footnotes
- A prefecture name. Here, it refers to a previous event in the story where Lin Xizhao visited a military camp.
- The dibao, or official gazette, was a bulletin issued by the central government to disseminate imperial decrees, political news, and military reports to local officials and officers.
- A highly prized, top-quality white nephrite jade known for its flawless, translucent, and slightly greasy luster, resembling cooked mutton fat.
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