The Prime Minister’s Daughter and the Marquis’s Fool – Chapter 170
by Little PandaIs It Because You Can’t Do This?
Northern Frontier.
The Tiansheng army had suffered consecutive defeats. The main general lay unconscious, and the army had been forced to retreat into Tiansheng territory, awaiting an opportunity to counterattack. The Bei’an enemy forces had arrived at the Northern Frontier border, wantonly seizing territory, yet they had failed to capture a single city.
The garrison forces of the Northern Frontier cities had stockpiled sufficient provisions and swore to resist to the death. Using defensive tools like the Yacha Rolling Logs1, which could be reused, they blocked the enemy forces who dreamed of breaching the cities.
The Yacha Rolling Log was shaped like a long cylinder. Its rounded surface was covered with sharp, barbed spikes. Using gravity and sharpness, it would strike and pierce through enemies attempting to climb the walls, crushing them below.
Even though the Bei’an army wore fish-scale iron armor2, they could not withstand the Yacha Rolling Logs with their absolute weight, which could shatter a person’s internal organs.
This was something Qu Sheng had ordered prepared in the cities when she reclaimed them, along with various other items, modeled after the standard equipment in Shoulin’s cities.
Unable to enter the cities, the Bei’an army began a standoff, intending to exhaust the cities’ provisions and force them to open the gates and surrender.
Several cities at the border were under siege. Qu Sheng had been brought into Pingwang City3, and the army she had brought was stationed nearby to rest and recover.
After being unconscious for several days, Qu Sheng would still drift in and out of lucidity when she woke. She lay on the bed, her gaze unfocused as she stared at the bed curtains. Her wound was not fatal, but the poison had only just been neutralized. Recently, she had been experiencing hallucinations—especially the constant appearance of Lin Xizhao’s figure before her eyes.
Even so, though Qu Sheng had suffered a knife wound, she had still issued her final order: retreat to the Northern Frontier.
“It’s time to change your medicine.”
Lin Xizhao’s gentle voice floated out. Qu Sheng looked up at the sound, staring at the person standing before her who had the same figure as Lin Xizhao. Her gaze was not burning, but neither was it cold.
Qu Sheng simply stared at the person before her without any emotion, calm and still, letting her change the medicine.
At night, she would be alone in the room. It wasn’t that Lin Xizhao refused to share the bed with her—rather, Qu Sheng wouldn’t let her near, wouldn’t even let her stay in the room.
Earlier, when she had just been rescued after being poisoned, she had seen Lin Xizhao’s figure. She had thought Lin Xizhao had come, but when she called out “Wife,” Kou Huan had promptly corrected her.
Qu Sheng heard a voice that didn’t sound like Lin Xizhao’s. Then the military physician beside her explained that the poison would cause her to lose consciousness from time to time and produce hallucinations.
After that, until her condition improved, she would not issue any military orders—only when Qu Jixian arrived to take over for her. She was afraid she might do something abnormal while hallucinating.
During this time, she wouldn’t let anyone approach casually—even if that person looked like Lin Xizhao.
Later, Kou Huan’s voice changed, but Qu Sheng still treated her with neither warmth nor coldness. Yet she would greedily gaze at that stunning face.
Only, every time Qu Sheng looked, she did so furtively. When the person before her raised her head to look at her, she would hurriedly glance away elsewhere.
Lin Xizhao had arrived at the Northern Frontier with Qu Jixian several days ago. She had been caring for Qu Sheng since arriving. These past few days, Qu Sheng wouldn’t speak to her, but would secretly watch her. It made Lin Xizhao feel both amused and heartbroken.
“The sunlight is very good outside today. The physician says you can go out for a walk at this hour,” Lin Xizhao said as she gathered the used cloths and medicine beside her.
“Mm.” Qu Sheng gave a faint response. When Lin Xizhao turned to help her dress, she quickly stood up, dodging without a trace, and dressed herself.
Qu Sheng walked toward the outside. Lin Xizhao watched her back with some helplessness and could only quickly finish tidying up before following behind her.
Qu Sheng had put on her outer clothes and left the room.
Outside, the trees in the courtyard had sprouted new buds. Qu Sheng had barely raised her head to look a few times when a thin outer cloak was draped over her from behind.
“The General’s wound hasn’t fully healed yet. Don’t catch a cold,” Lin Xizhao instructed gently.
Qu Sheng turned back, looking at Lin Xizhao and the several maids standing outside with her. A doubt arose in her heart—why did only Kou Huan have Lin Xizhao’s appearance?
“Have any battle reports come recently?” Qu Sheng raised her head to continue looking at the new buds in the courtyard, asking casually.
Lin Xizhao’s eyes flickered for a moment at her words. “What does the General wish to know?”
Lin Xizhao had previously addressed Qu Sheng by name, but Qu Sheng had snapped at her. To prevent her anger from worsening her condition, Lin Xizhao had to learn from Kou Huan and address her as General.
“The Bei’an Kingdom has wolfish ambitions4. They won’t remain at a standstill forever.” If they learned that the major cities had stockpiled sufficient provisions, they would surely head south.
Even with the risk of being attacked from both front and rear, they would take the gamble—after all, their equipment was not something the Tiansheng army could compare to.
“I heard they’re still in a stalemate.” Lin Xizhao didn’t know much about military matters; she had only overheard people discussing it outside.
Qu Sheng had been recovering from her wounds recently, and her emotions couldn’t fluctuate too much. Qu Jixian also wouldn’t let anyone come disturb her.
Apart from the military physician coming every few days, it had always been Kou Huan and Lin Xizhao caring for her. Even the maids at the door, aside from sweeping and washing, were hardly allowed into the room. Since Lin Xizhao had arrived, Kou Huan had tactfully left.
Qu Sheng glanced sideways at Lin Xizhao, staring at that face she greedily gazed upon. After looking for a moment longer, she hurriedly averted her gaze and said, “Have there been any family letters for me these past two days?”
Lin Xizhao heard this and stared at Qu Sheng with a naked gaze. She was right here—how could there be any family letter? Lin Xizhao paused for a moment, then answered truthfully, “No.”
Qu Sheng heard this and revealed a trace of disappointment. She had previously ordered people to hide the news of her injury and not tell Lin Xizhao. Recently, because of her wound, she hadn’t written any letters either. At this moment, she wondered in her heart whether Lin Xizhao was angry for not receiving her letter.
Qu Sheng lowered her head. “When did the physician say he would come to examine me again?”
“He said he would arrive around noon,” Lin Xizhao replied softly.
Qu Sheng nodded. As she turned to return to the room, she said to Lin Xizhao, “Go fetch brush and ink.”
Lin Xizhao heard this and raised her eyes to look at Qu Sheng, seeming to know what she wanted to do.
Qu Sheng entered the room. Lin Xizhao instructed someone to find brush and ink. When she entered, she saw Qu Sheng rolling up her sleeves, as if welcoming the brush and ink she had brought.
Lin Xizhao wanted to grind ink for Qu Sheng, but Qu Sheng wouldn’t let her. “There’s no need to serve here for now. You go out first.”
Qu Sheng was cold and distant. Because the person before her looked exactly like Lin Xizhao in her eyes, her tone was also very measured—neither too close nor too distant.
Qu Sheng ground the ink herself. Lin Xizhao stood to the side and didn’t leave. Qu Sheng raised her head to look at her once, and seeing that she had no intention of leaving, she slightly furrowed her brows and said, “I’m going to write a letter to my jiejie. You go out first.” Qu Sheng issued the order to leave again.
Lin Xizhao was somewhat helpless, but after going out for just a moment, she came back in.
The military physician had arrived.
Among the army Qu Sheng had brought, there were still many wounded soldiers outside the city. Though some time had passed, they were still extremely busy. Qu Sheng’s condition, apart from the hallucinations when the poison was heavy at the start and the wound that had mostly healed, had no other issues. So after Lin Xizhao took over her care, the military physician hadn’t come again.
Lin Xizhao brought the physician into the room. Qu Sheng had only written the beginning of a family letter when she set it aside.
However, Qu Sheng was always meticulous. She blew on the letter written with “My wife Lin Xizhao” and tucked it into her bosom.
The military physician examined Qu Sheng. Lin Xizhao stood to the side, watching with some nervousness.
“When will the poison in my body be neutralized?” Qu Sheng asked as the physician took her pulse.
The physician heard this, blinked, and glanced at Lin Xizhao to the side. “General, the poison in your body was neutralized several days ago.”
Qu Sheng heard this and revealed a moment of confusion. She glanced at Lin Xizhao and said, “Then why am I still having hallucinations?”
The military physician showed the same confusion as Qu Sheng and asked, “What the General calls hallucinations—could you tell this humble subordinate about them?”
Qu Sheng’s lips pressed slightly together. She didn’t look at Lin Xizhao again and only said, “Still like last time.”
The physician blinked, picked up the teacup beside him, and asked, “General, what is this object?”
“A teacup.” Qu Sheng glanced at it and answered without hesitation.
The physician asked again, “What is the pattern painted on it?”
Supplies in the city were not lacking. This place could be considered prosperous. Though it had been forcibly occupied before, decent porcelain could still be produced. Qu Sheng stared at it for a moment and said, “Fish playing among lotus leaves.”
“Who is she?” The physician looked at Lin Xizhao.
Lin Xizhao lightly blinked her eyes and turned to look at Qu Sheng, who was looking over. She had always known that Qu Sheng took her for Kou Huan.
These days, ever since Lin Xizhao had arrived here, Kou Huan had gone outside the city to care for the wounded soldiers.
“She is Kou Huan, but her appearance…” Qu Sheng wanted to say it looked like her wife’s, but after raising her head to look a bit longer, she said, “Her face is my jiejie’s appearance.”
Lin Xizhao heard this and was momentarily stunned. She gave a low laugh.
Qu Sheng was drawn to her laughter. Watching her every movement, every smile and frown was exactly like Lin Xizhao. She frowned with displeasure. If not for her hallucination problem, she would have thought Kou Huan was deliberately imitating Lin Xizhao.
“Hiss… but she is the General’s jiejie.” The physician’s words reached Qu Sheng’s ears, instantly as if something was scurrying in her head, something stretched taut but not yet snapped.
Qu Sheng didn’t believe it. Her gaze slowly turned to the physician, then to Lin Xizhao. Watching Lin Xizhao’s curved lips, she blinked and hurriedly looked away. She didn’t believe it.
She was worried the person before her wasn’t Lin Xizhao. If the physician was deceiving her—regardless of the physician’s purpose—if she did something to let Lin Xizhao down, she would never forgive herself.
“Where is my Second Uncle right now?” Qu Sheng asked in a low voice, her tone revealing no surprise.
Qu Sheng had seen Qu Jixian, but at that time her body was still in a weakened state. Qu Jixian’s appearance—she hadn’t mistaken that.
Just as Qu Jixian was mentioned, Qu Jixian had heard that the military physician was coming to examine Qu Sheng today and hurried over from the military camp outside the city.
“Second Uncle.” Lin Xizhao bowed before Qu Sheng could.
Qu Jixian nodded, his expression kind, and looked at Qu Sheng. Qu Jixian had a leg ailment and walked somewhat slowly. Qu Sheng recognized him at a glance.
“Sheng’er, how is your body?” Qu Jixian looked at Qu Sheng and asked.
The military physician rose to bow and replied, “Repaying Lord Shangqing, apart from external injuries, the toxins in the General’s body have all been expelled. She is no longer in danger.”
Qu Jixian nodded. Qu Sheng heard this and quickly made room, letting Qu Jixian sit. “Second Uncle, please sit.”
When Qu Sheng moved the chair, she glanced at Lin Xizhao. At this moment, she seemed to believe that the Lin Xizhao before her was her wife.
Only, between the two of them there still seemed to remain the awkwardness that had sprouted in Qu Sheng’s heart, making her subconsciously hesitate to acknowledge her.
These past few days, Lin Xizhao had accompanied her day and night, yet she hadn’t recognized her—had even treated her as Kou Huan and ordered her around coldly.
Lin Xizhao looked at Qu Sheng, her brows and eyes holding a smile, her gaze gentle. She didn’t seem angry about it. Qu Sheng looked at Lin Xizhao a few more times, her eyes holding apology and tenderness.
Qu Jixian sat down. The military physician wrote a prescription to strengthen her condition and left some medicine for fading scars before departing.
Qu Jixian had been in the military these past few days, and the atmosphere in the camp had improved greatly. Though Qu Jixian had never led troops before, when he was in Shoulin, the Qu family’s military commanders all took orders from him. Thus, since his arrival, the low morale in the army had slowly begun to improve.
Lin Xizhao saw Qu Jixian sit down and thought that since it was already noon, he must not have eaten yet if he came at this hour. She walked toward the outside and instructed someone to prepare the noon meal.
Qu Sheng stared at Lin Xizhao’s retreating back, her heart filled with indescribable joy. Her eyes were also full of reluctance to part, but out of respect for Qu Jixian’s presence, she wanted to speak with Lin Xizhao yet had to remain standing in place.
“Though your wound hasn’t fully healed, I think you should know about matters in the army and help make some decisions,” Qu Jixian said, accepting the tea Qu Sheng had handed him.
Qu Sheng withdrew her gaze and looked at Qu Jixian.
“Today the Bei’an army sent an envoy, asking us to first cede ten cities in exchange for your Third Uncle and your maternal uncle,” Qu Jixian raised his eyes to look at Qu Sheng and said.
Qu Sheng’s brow slightly furrowed, and she quickly asked, “How many cities have they captured now?”
“Not a single one. But they’ve already sent people to other countries to requisition provisions,” Qu Jixian didn’t seem nervous at all about the military situation.
In the past, Qu Jinian had led the brothers on campaigns south and north while he alone held down the fort in Shoulin. He had come through the same way. Though he had never been on a battlefield, he was well-read in military strategy.
“They crossed the river while it was frozen. Now the river ice has melted, so troop transport is difficult, and provisions must also be scarce,” Qu Sheng lowered her eyes for a moment, then said, “Agree to their terms for now.”
“Are you certain you want to trade cities for people?” Qu Jixian asked again to confirm.
“Yes.” Qu Sheng answered firmly. “But how the exchange happens will be up to us.”
Even though they were at a disadvantage against the Bei’an army, they could still induce them while the Bei’an forces were making no progress. As for how to fight afterward, Qu Sheng had already thought it through before she was wounded.
The two talked in the room for a long time. Lin Xizhao had people bring the food to wait outside, and only then did the two end their discussion.
“This afternoon I’ll go to the military camp. Second Uncle, you should return to the capital as soon as possible. I don’t want any small-scale unrest to cause problems at this time.” Unrest had already appeared in the south, opposing the land measurement policy.
“Good.” Qu Jixian agreed.
Lin Xizhao came in, seeing that the two had stopped talking, and asked, “The noon meal is ready. Would you like to eat now?”
Qu Jixian glanced over and smiled. “Just in time—I’m hungry too. Have them bring it in.”
Lin Xizhao smiled and nodded, her gaze sweeping toward Qu Sheng, who was looking at her. Qu Sheng’s eyes had a look of longing.
Lin Xizhao went out and had the servants bring the food into the room. When Lin Xizhao prepared to set out the dishes one by one, Qu Sheng quickly took them from her. “Let me help…”
Qu Sheng wanted to call her Wife, but there were servants nearby.
“Sheng’er will help jiejie.” Qu Sheng changed her address.
Lin Xizhao smiled and let go, her eyes full of gentle love. This was what she hadn’t dared to show these past few days.
She hadn’t known that Qu Sheng would have such self-restraint even with someone who looked exactly like her. But it seemed she had gone a bit too far—how could she be so harsh to a young lady?
That night when she had stayed in Qu Sheng’s room, Qu Sheng had scolded her. She had originally wanted to leave, but thinking of Qu Sheng’s condition, she could only wait until Qu Sheng fell asleep before returning.
During the meal, Qu Sheng diligently served dishes to Lin Xizhao. Without the official business to discuss with Qu Jixian, her eyes held only Lin Xizhao.
Lin Xizhao glanced at her, only smiling lightly, not refusing.
Qu Jixian watched the young couple’s affectionate behavior and smiled, shaking his head.
Qu Jixian finished a bowl of rice, set down his chopsticks, and said, “Second Uncle has eaten his fill. I’ll go to the military camp first. If you’re not feeling up to it today, going tomorrow will also do.”
Qu Sheng heard this, remembering she had said she wanted to go to the military camp, and replied, “Second Uncle go first. I’ll arrive in four hours.”
Qu Jixian nodded and said, “Good.” Qu Jixian rose, and Lin Xizhao and Qu Sheng followed behind to see him off.
“No need to see me off. You two eat first. After tidying up a bit, go over. There’s no rush,” Qu Jixian said with a smile.
Military matters—he had basically arranged everything. There was no rush at this moment. Qu Sheng was anxious to go over, and he knew it was to let the soldiers see the main general and calm the army’s morale.
“Good. Sheng’er respectfully sees Second Uncle off.”
“Xizhao respectfully sees Second Uncle off.”
Qu Sheng cupped her hands in a military salute. Lin Xizhao bowed. Watching Qu Jixian leave the room, Lin Xizhao turned back, preparing to continue eating with Qu Sheng, when her body was suddenly pulled into Qu Sheng’s embrace.
Qu Sheng rested her thin chin against Lin Xizhao’s neck, her arms tightly wrapping around Lin Xizhao’s slender waist from behind, greedily breathing in the cool, fragrant scent that haunted her dreams. She spoke in a low, plaintive voice beside Lin Xizhao’s ear, “Wife, why didn’t you tell me earlier?”
If Lin Xizhao had argued with her and explained the whole process, she might have believed her. Then she wouldn’t have given the cold shoulder to the wife who had traveled thousands of miles to find her for so long.
But thinking carefully, the problem still lay with herself. Her vision and thinking had been confused. Though she sometimes mistook people, she shouldn’t have failed to recognize Lin Xizhao.
Qu Sheng thought of this and began to blame herself.
“Wife…” Qu Sheng held her tighter, nuzzling Lin Xizhao’s neck, pressing her lips against it.
Lin Xizhao’s body trembled slightly at the kiss. She greatly enjoyed Qu Sheng’s intimacy with her. She didn’t blame Qu Sheng at all—seeing her well, able to eat and sleep, and having the strength to scold her, how could she mind those things? But seeing her beloved treat her with distance, her heart had still been sad for a while.
Lin Xizhao gave a soft laugh and said, “You know now.”
“It’s not the same.” Several days had passed, wasting so much time. And during that time, not only in her heart but also in her body, she had been pushing Lin Xizhao away. If she had known earlier, it wouldn’t have been like this.
Qu Sheng separated slightly from Lin Xizhao, staring at her gentle face. Her lashes trembled lightly. In that moment, thousands of things clamored in her heart, pushing her to want to kiss Lin Xizhao, to express her love even more deeply.
Lin Xizhao saw that Qu Sheng’s gaze as she looked at her was different from the gentle look of the past few days. There was more entanglement, more desire. Her lips curved slightly, the tenderness between her brows turning to affection. Her soft voice deliberately asked, “How is it not the same?”
“Is it because you can’t do this?” Lin Xizhao said, raising her slender neck, slowly approaching Qu Sheng’s lips, and gently kissing them.
These past few days, for Lin Xizhao, being able to look but not get close had indeed been a form of torture. Qu Sheng couldn’t control herself around her—but how was she any different?
The author has something to say:
Qu Sheng: “Mom, biological mom, I love you, kiss kiss hug hug lift up high.”
Lin Xizhao: “…”
Author: “…”
Footnotes
- A Yacha Rolling Log (Yáchā Léi) is a spiked cylindrical siege defense weapon. When rolled down from city walls, its heavy weight and sharp spikes crush and pierce enemies attempting to scale the walls. 'Yacha' refers to a fierce guardian figure in Buddhist mythology.
- Fish-scale iron armor (yúlín tiějiǎ) is armor made of overlapping iron scales resembling fish scales. It is highly effective against conventional weapons.
- Pingwang City (Píngwàng Chéng) is a city at the Northern Frontier where Qu Sheng recovers from her injuries.
- An idiom (láng zǐ yě xīn) describing someone with the savage ambition of a wolf. It refers to treacherous, predatory intentions hidden beneath a seemingly civilized exterior.
Thank God Qu Sheng is safe. I am happy the hallucinating wasn’t stretched too much. Because I was feeling sad for Lin Xizhao