The Prime Minister’s Daughter and the Marquis’s Fool – Chapter 200
by Little PandaI Wish to Ask Your Majesty to Arrange a Marriage for Me
Lin Xizhao looked at the little beloved before her, who was inviting intimacy, and her heart inexplicably went soft. The hesitation she had felt earlier about receiving her advances quickly faded.
Lin Xizhao gazed at Qu Sheng’s handsome face, her eyes brimming with tenderness and love. She leaned in slowly, lifted her chin slightly, and their soft lips met, breaths weaving gently together. Qu Sheng lowered her eyes, watching Lin Xizhao kiss her with practiced ease, her heartbeat gradually quickening.
These past few days, she had pressed close to Lin Xizhao more than once, but each time she intended to receive her wife’s attentions, she would lose her nerve at the last moment—simply because the woman before her was too enticing.
“Wife…”
Lin Xizhao’s slender fingers hooked Qu Sheng’s jade belt—the very one she had fastened for her that morning, as she had done who knows how many times since childhood.
As her fingertips tugged at the belt, her soft lips pressed another kiss onto Qu Sheng’s.
This clever mouth, though it rarely cared to speak, she adored.
The third month carried a hint of chill, but the afternoon cool was bearable enough. Seated together on the edge of the bed, Lin Xizhao kissed Qu Sheng while her fingertips worked free one garment after another.
The bed curtains fell. The graceful figure pressed against Qu Sheng’s body was like fire yet uncommonly warm and soft, and Qu Sheng gradually surrendered herself.
Lin Xizhao kissed her gently. Wherever her tongue traced, it sent shivers through Qu Sheng’s entire body.
“Wife.”
Qu Sheng caught the slender hand Lin Xizhao was using to caress her body. Lin Xizhao looked up at the touch, her eyes filled with desire, yet tinged with a hint of confusion.
Lin Xizhao gazed at Qu Sheng, her fingertips following the path Qu Sheng guided them along.
A brief interlude of lovemaking ended, leaving Lin Xizhao lost in thought.
The two stood before the bed. Apart from the flush that lingered from their intimacy, Qu Sheng’s expression was entirely as usual. Lin Xizhao helped Qu Sheng fasten the jade belt at her waist, but a thread of disappointment settled in her heart.
She seemed unable to leave Qu Sheng as thoroughly satisfied as Qu Sheng left her each time. Otherwise, why would Qu Sheng be up and about, holding her hand and strolling around?
Night fell. The palace state banquet was held at Dongqiong Hall. Officials of sufficient rank from every department brought their families to attend. Empress Dowager Jin Yunfei was supported in by Qu Sheng’s two sisters-in-law.
Qu Yu also attended by invitation, leading his daughter by the hand as he followed behind them.
Qu Sheng and Lin Xizhao emerged together from the inner resting chamber of the hall. Jin Yunfei, Zhao Jiayu, and Qian Shuangying sat on one side of the imperial seat. Qu Yu and his daughter also took their places.
Lin Xizhao, however, sat together with Qu Sheng.
At first, many ministers hadn’t understood why their emperor added the character “Zhao” when naming the dynasty. But as time passed, and when Qu Sheng issued a seemingly absurd decree, the signs had already become visible.
Now, seeing Lin Xizhao seated beside Qu Sheng, they weren’t surprised in the least. Moreover, with the Left Chancellor no longer at court, no one dared to openly point it out. Everything seemed to fall naturally into place within this hazy ambiguity.
Qu Sheng was quite satisfied with this, but it wasn’t enough.
One day, she would have Lin Xizhao—as the mother of the nation, as her wedded wife—receive the kneeling reverence of the court and the admiration of all the people.
“Long live our emperor, long live, long live forever! Long live the Empress Dowager, long live, long live forever!”
“Rise, my ministers.” Qu Sheng settled into her seat, her expression mild and warm.
“Our thanks to Your Majesty, and to Her Majesty the Empress Dowager.”
As the ministers rose and retook their seats, Qu Sheng glanced at Lin Xizhao beside her, warmth filling every line of her face. Lin Xizhao’s eyes curved in answer, making no effort to conceal her relationship with Qu Sheng.
Even if someone had guessed correctly, as long as Qu Sheng had not issued an explicit decree, no trouble would arise. And after the Left Chancellor affair, the court had more or less come to know of her relationship with Qu Sheng anyway. With nothing left to hide, it was better to let things take their natural course.
Qu Sheng glanced at the eunuch official beside her. The eunuch bowed his head, stepped aside, and called out toward the hall entrance: “The Jin Dynasty envoy is invited to enter.”
“The Jin Dynasty envoy is invited to enter.”
Two voices called out in succession, one from inside the hall and one from outside. Soon, Jin Mingyi entered, accompanied by two Jin Dynasty ministers.
Jin Mingyi walked at an unhurried pace. As her skirts swayed, a small breeze rose at her feet, brushing past Zhu Ming’an, who had specifically asked Qu Sheng for permission to attend the state banquet.
Zhu Ming’an watched Jin Mingyi enter the hall, walk forward slowly, and kneel in obeisance.
“Grant her a seat.”
After Qu Sheng accepted Jin Mingyi’s obeisance, she had someone lead them to their seats.
Lin Xizhao watched Jin Mingyi take her seat, then looked at Zhu Ming’an beside her. Zhu Ming’an was staring at Jin Mingyi, loneliness in her eyes, but with no sign of giving up.
If she had pursued her all the way here, she naturally wouldn’t give up easily.
Palace maids waiting outside entered the hall in sequence, bearing the banquet dishes. They presented delicacies to the ministers and envoys, then stood behind them to pour wine.
When the wine was poured to the brim before Zhu Ming’an, she glanced at it, picked up the cup, and downed the first one.
She couldn’t understand why Jin Mingyi refused to acknowledge her. She had said she would come for her, and she had—but she had never imagined Jin Mingyi would refuse to see her.
The palace maid behind Zhu Ming’an poured again. When the cup filled, Zhu Ming’an drank it down. Three cups in succession, and Jin Mingyi, seated beside her, noticed.
Jin Mingyi glanced at her, but Zhu Ming’an missed the chance to meet her eyes. By the time she set her cup down and looked over, Jin Mingyi had already turned away, no longer looking at her.
From outside, male and female dancers entered the hall together. The indigo-blue of the men’s attire gave the male dancers an air of steadiness, while the emerald-green of the women’s costumes carried its own allure.
As the men and women danced in alternating patterns, the ministers watched with keen interest. Jin Yunfei, who was well-versed in dance, found the mixed-gender performance novel.
Lin Xizhao sat to one side, refilling Qu Sheng’s jade cup. When she looked toward Jin Mingyi, a small figure appeared at her side.
Qu Zhimu had come over from her father and burrowed into her embrace.
“Aunt.” Qu Zhimu whispered, her little movements never ceasing.
Lin Xizhao lowered her eyes, curved her brows in a smile, set down the jade pot, and gathered her into her arms. Qu Sheng glanced sideways and saw nothing amiss—this was, after all, a familiar sight at Nanting Courtyard.
But the ministers read the winds differently. The dragon throne wasn’t for just anyone to sit upon. Qu Sheng seemed to intend to name Qu Zhimu as the Imperial Crown Princess.
The ministers whispered among themselves, glancing from time to time at King Long, Qu Yu. They had initially guessed the Qu family would place Qu Yu on the throne, never expecting that Qu Sheng, a woman, would ascend as emperor.
Now, seeing King Long seated there with decent color, one could still tell his health was poor.
The song and dance lasted the duration of one stick of incense1. The dancers performed a kneeling bow and withdrew. Qu Sheng was in an unconventional mood today and also ordered shadow puppetry2 and other variety performances brought in.
Qu Zhimu nestled in Lin Xizhao’s arms, eyes shining bright, clapping her little hands and cheering. Jin Mingyi also noticed the shadow puppetry and was utterly delighted by it.
She had loved shadow puppetry since childhood, and Zhu Ming’an knew this well.
Zhu Ming’an watched Jin Mingyi’s gaze locked onto the shadow puppets. She lowered her eyes in thought for a moment, then the corner of her lip curved upward slightly.
After the shadow puppetry ended, gentle music rose in its place—low and soft, perfectly pitched so as not to disturb the conversations in the hall.
“Your Highness, Your Highness.” A Jin Dynasty minister beside Jin Mingyi called to her softly.
With the shadow puppetry gone, Jin Mingyi’s mood had turned low. She held her wine cup, taking small sips, seemingly deep in thought.
Hearing the minister behind her, Jin Mingyi turned to look and remembered her real purpose.
Jin Mingyi lifted her wine cup and rose to her feet. “Your Majesty, thank you for specially preparing such wonderful shadow puppetry for Mingyi. Mingyi offers you a toast.”
Qu Sheng raised her eyes to her, glanced at Zhu Ming’an from the corner of her eye, and lifted her cup to return the toast from across the hall.
Jin Mingyi held her cup with both hands and drained it in one go as she exchanged the toast with Qu Sheng.
The ministers in the hall all turned to look at her. Jin Mingyi dabbed the wine from the corner of her lips and looked toward Jin Yunfei.
“Aunt, your niece offers you a toast as well.”
When Jin Mingyi addressed Jin Yunfei as “Aunt” before the entire court, the ministers’ expressions grew grave. Jin Yunfei smiled, lifted her cup, and drank with her from across the hall. Qu Sheng showed no particular reaction.
After drinking, as Jin Mingyi was about to sit down, a young official from the table diagonally across stood up.
“I am Shen Heng, Vice Minister of Justice of our Quzhao Dynasty. I have long admired Princess Wanyi’s renowned beauty. To behold you in person today is a profound honor. Might I ask whether the Princess is betrothed?” Vice Minister of Justice Shen Heng had risen to his feet and abruptly posed this question.
Apart from the background music, the hall fell completely silent.
Jin Mingyi looked at him, her eyes full of puzzlement.
Qu Sheng and Lin Xizhao also looked over. This Shen Heng was handsome and talented, a former official of the Tiansheng Dynasty whom Qu Sheng had promoted. He had a somewhat aloof temperament. For him to ask such a question now, he must have taken a fancy to Jin Mingyi.
Qu Sheng’s lip twitched. She picked up the wine beside her and actually studied it, but her peripheral vision drifted unbidden toward Zhu Ming’an.
Zhu Ming’an’s gaze was fixed on Shen Heng, her emotions somewhat unsteady.
“Wanyi is not yet betrothed.” Jin Mingyi said it openly. For this man to ask such a question at a state banquet, his intentions were plain—but she wasn’t afraid in the least.
Her aunt was right here. As long as she wasn’t willing, no one could force her hand.
Hearing this, Shen Heng’s eyes lit up. He turned to Qu Sheng with delight, but before he could speak, someone beside him spoke first.
“Your Majesty.” Zhu Ming’an rose and cupped her hands in salute.
Qu Sheng looked over. “Lord Zhu, speak your mind.”
Zhu Ming’an left her seat and walked to the center of the hall. Adjusting her official robes, she knelt and said, “Your Majesty, since the founding of our great Quzhao Dynasty, the Zhu family has never sought or requested any reward. This humble subject dares today to ask Your Majesty to arrange a marriage for me.”
The moment Zhu Ming’an’s words fell, a buzz rose in the hall, but most eyes were darting between Shen Heng and Zhu Ming’an.
Jin Mingyi stood to one side, her heart pounding wildly for no reason after Zhu Ming’an spoke.
She watched Zhu Ming’an nervously, but could hear the Quzhao ministers around her discussing Shen Heng and Zhu Ming’an.
“Someone’s snatching a match at the state banquet! Lord Shen is quite the lucky man.”
“Indeed. The two of them are quite a match—talented man and beautiful woman.”
“Lord Shen, what’s the situation?” A colleague whispered to Shen Heng, who was still standing.
Shen Heng turned back with an awkward smile. He didn’t know what was happening either, but his mind began to weigh the options.
The Jin Dynasty princess was noble, but he was a Quzhao court official. If Zhu Ming’an had taken a fancy to him, and he missed the chance with the Jin princess—the Zhu family heir would actually be the better match.
“Ahem.” Qu Sheng coughed softly, and the ministers all fell silent.
“Lord Zhu has rendered great service in founding our dynasty and deserves reward. But I wonder—whose hand is it that you seek?” Qu Sheng sat on the throne, her gaze drifting toward Jin Mingyi as she spoke.
Jin Mingyi’s fingertips tapped against her wine cup. She looked down at Zhu Ming’an, her mind a tangled mess.
Not just because of Zhu Ming’an’s proposal, but because the hall was buzzing with talk of Zhu Ming’an and Shen Heng.
“This humble subject asks Your Majesty, in the name of a marriage alliance between our two nations, to allow this humble subject to wed the Jin Dynasty’s Princess Wanyi.”
Zhu Ming’an’s words sent an even greater uproar through the hall than before.
Since Qu Sheng had issued the decree allowing men to marry men and women to marry women, no one had dared to exercise that right. Now Zhu Ming’an, a figure of prominent standing, was openly seeking the hand of the Jin Dynasty princess as a woman. The officials were utterly astonished, and some faces darkened on the spot.
The author has something to say:
Lin Xizhao, caught in self-doubt: “My wife doesn’t seem satisfied with my technique.”
Qu Sheng, flipping through a risqué book: “This chapter’s not bad. Noted. Let’s try it again tomorrow.”
Footnotes
- A traditional Chinese time measurement equivalent to approximately thirty minutes, based on how long a single stick of incense takes to burn.
- A traditional Chinese performance art in which articulated leather puppets are manipulated behind a lit screen to cast silhouettes, often depicting folk tales and legends.
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