The Prime Minister’s Daughter and the Marquis’s Fool – Chapter 207
by Little PandaExchange
Lin Xizhao looked at Qu Sheng, who was staring blankly at the bedsheets. The light in Lin Xizhao’s eyes, where desire had not yet faded, flickered. She leaned over and once again kissed the bewildered Qu Sheng. The warmth shared between their lips and tongues brought Qu Sheng back to her senses, and she focused on kissing her wife back.
Lin Xizhao’s fingertips wandered, teasing her, while her soft lips moved downward to trail light kisses across Qu Sheng’s flushed neck…
“Wife…” Qu Sheng’s weak fingers pressed over the back of Lin Xizhao’s teasing hand, the slender blue veins on her skin standing out even more prominently. Lin Xizhao lifted her head to look at Qu Sheng, her voice low and gentle as she asked, “Don’t you want it anymore?”
Qu Sheng’s eyelashes fluttered lightly. Her rapid breaths through parted lips had yet to calm. When Lin Xizhao’s voice reached her ears, it was as if something gave her a gentle push. Slowly, the fingers resting on the back of Lin Xizhao’s hand relaxed their grip.
A hint of a smile touched the corners of Lin Xizhao’s lips. She pressed closer, capturing Qu Sheng’s lips and gently grinding against them, sharing in this quiet yet deeply stirring night together.
The Zhao Residence.
Qu Yu brought Zhao Jiayu and the others back to the Zhao Residence. Today, Zhao Jiayu had gone all out trying to get Qu Sheng drunk, ending up dead drunk herself. Qu Yu wanted to carry her but lacked the physical strength to do so.
Xiao Bingying and Cheng Xi knew their limits and hadn’t gotten drunk.
Xiao Bingying helped Cheng Xi down from the carriage. Seeing Qu Yu holding his daughter’s hand and the servants climbing into the carriage, she knew Zhao Jiayu must have fallen asleep again.
“Go on,” Cheng Xi said. When Xiao Bingying glanced at her, she immediately knew that Xiao Bingying wanted to carry Zhao Jiayu inside.
She had heard that in the past, ever since Zhao Jiayu reached her hairpin age1 and started sneaking drinks, it was always Xiao Bingying who carried her back whenever she got herself drunk. Their sisterly bond was strong, which naturally brought Cheng Xi comfort—it meant that outside of her, Xiao Bingying wasn’t completely without family.
Xiao Bingying curved her lips into a smile, nodded lightly, and climbed into Zhao Jiayu’s carriage.
“Let me carry Mu’er.” Cheng Xi walked over to Qu Yu. Looking at the little one tightly clutching her father’s hand, Cheng Xi grew even fonder of her.
Qu Yu was just about to say it wasn’t necessary, but Qu Zhimu had already let go of her father’s hand, wanting Cheng Xi to hold her.
Seeing his daughter eagerly offering herself up, Qu Yu smiled somewhat helplessly. To Cheng Xi, who had already picked Qu Zhimu up, he said, “I’ve troubled you.”
Cheng Xi smiled and nodded, turning her gaze back to the little one. Looking at the auntie before her, Qu Zhimu smiled brighter than words could describe.
At that moment, Xiao Bingying also carried Zhao Jiayu down on her back.
Seeing her mother dead drunk and unconscious, Qu Zhimu giggled and said, “Mother is happy today.”
Zhao Jiayu had fallen asleep the moment she got into the carriage, a fact Qu Yu naturally explained to Qu Zhimu. If the child knew that her mother hadn’t drunk this happily since getting pregnant with her, she would probably feel guilty.
Xiao Bingying looked up at Qu Zhimu, then at Cheng Xi who was holding her. The corners of her lips curled up, and she carried Zhao Jiayu back into the estate on her back.
Cheng Xi set the child down inside the room. Qu Yu watched as Xiao Bingying covered Zhao Jiayu with a blanket, then bowed to them in thanks.
It was all as ordinary as ordinary could be, yet it was something Xiao Bingying had thought she would never have again in this lifetime.
When the two of them returned to their room, the smile on Xiao Bingying’s lips never faded. Cheng Xi could understand her feelings and deliberately asked with a teasing smile, “Is your meimei more important, or am I more important?”
Xiao Bingying froze for a moment at the question. She looked up at Cheng Xi, blinking as she actually began to ponder the question in her heart. But there was simply no comparison to be made.
Seeing her blank expression, Cheng Xi let out a soft laugh. “I’m just teasing you.”
Of course she knew she was important to Xiao Bingying, but family was equally important. She had a gege too; she knew what kind of care that entailed, and she could distinguish between the two.
“Accompany me to bathe.” Cheng Xi reached out, lifting Xiao Bingying’s chin with her index finger. Today, slightly tipsy as she was, Xiao Bingying looked rather shy and ravishing.
Xiao Bingying drifted into a daze for a second. Hearing the beauty’s invitation, her breathing grew slightly hurried.
The two of them went to the washroom. Before they even entered the water, Xiao Bingying grew somewhat impatient. Wearing only her undergarments and pressed against the edge of the bathing tub, Cheng Xi passionately returned her kisses. Her slender, long arms hooked around a fair neck, soon holding the head that moved against her chest as they carried that pleasure into the water.
Two days later, Qu Sheng announced in the main hall that they would enter into a marriage alliance with the Jin Dynasty. She additionally conferred upon Zhu Ming’an the title of Grandee of Palace Attendance—a Regular Third Rank civil official of the Quzhao Dynasty—and ordered her to lead three thousand cavalry guards to escort Princess Wanyi of the Jin Dynasty back to her country.
Once the Jin Dynasty formally agreed to the marriage alliance, Zhu Ming’an was to escort her back again.
“I thank Your Majesty for this grace. Long live Our Emperor, may she live ten thousand years, ten thousand of ten thousand years.” Dressed in the crimson robes of a civil official, Zhu Ming’an suppressed the joy at the corners of her lips and prostrated herself on the ground.
If this trip was successful, she would be the first person in the Quzhao Dynasty to enter into a marriage between a woman and a woman.
The officials below murmured in discussion, but the Zhu family’s financial support for the Quzhao Dynasty was undoubtedly Zhu Ming’an’s best shield.
Qu Sheng looked at the officials below. A few wore expressions of disdain on their faces, but she simply pretended not to see them.
After dismissing the morning court, Qu Sheng retained Lin Xikuan and a few military generals. Feng Qi was among them.
Lin Xizhao had waited in the rear palace for a long time. By the time they left the palace together, it was almost noon.
At Nanting Courtyard, Xiao Bingying and Cheng Xi were already waiting. Qu Sheng held Lin Xizhao’s hand, her steps slightly hurried, as they headed to the courtyard prepared for Liu Wuxiang.
Xiao Bingying was personally boiling the medicinal decoction formulated by Liu Wuxiang. Cheng Xi bent over, raising a hand above the medicinal steam to gently fan it toward her nose.
They had prepared enough medicine, and Qu Sheng and Lin Xizhao had made their decision.
They wanted this child.
Qu Sheng had decided to test the medicine herself. Regardless of success or failure, she had to try. It wasn’t without signs that Lin Xizhao liked children so much; the three-year-old Qu Sheng had been deeply doted upon by Lin Xizhao, so how could Qu Sheng not know?
Furthermore, Qu Yu and Zhao Jiayu also already knew that they would not be able to have any more children. Although they weren’t reluctant to give Qu Zhimu to them, they had said that Qu Zhimu wasn’t suited to be an emperor.
Even at her young age, one could see she had the same casual, free-spirited temperament as Zhao Jiayu. They didn’t want to bind her and deprive her of her true nature, so they placed their hopes on Qu Ting, who had yet to wake up.
As for Qu Sheng wanting a child, it was entirely because Lin Xizhao liked them. It was she who had deprived Lin Xizhao of the right to have children to bring joy to her knees. If possible, she was willing to repay her in any way—except by giving Lin Xizhao up.
Xiao Bingying wrapped a thick cloth around the medicine pot, lifted it, and poured it into a prepared bowl. After letting it cool slightly, she handed it to Qu Sheng.
Lin Xizhao gripped one of Qu Sheng’s hands, feeling somewhat nervous in her heart.
“There’s no need to worry. These medicines are very mild; they act as a kind of tonic,” Xiao Bingying reassured her.
But all medicine carries a measure of toxicity2; how much Qu Sheng would need to take depended on how well her body absorbed it.
Qu Sheng nodded. Smoothing the cuff of one sleeve, she took the medicine bowl and, without any further hesitation, drank it down in one breath.
The medicine wasn’t actually that bitter. Qu Sheng took the clear water Lin Xizhao handed her and took small sips to wash down the taste, while everyone waited for her body’s reaction.
In truth, prior to this, Xiao Bingying had also taken a bowl.
Cheng Xi’s body was rather special; her blood was inherently a nourishing tonic, and these medicines conflicted somewhat with her body. Therefore, when Xiao Bingying couldn’t dissuade Cheng Xi, Liu Wuxiang vetoed the decision instead.
Liu Wuxiang returned from checking on Qu Jinian and Qu Ting. Seeing that all the girls in the courtyard looked weighed down by heavy thoughts, he smiled and said, “Why do you all look so serious?”
Hearing his voice, everyone looked over. Liu Wuxiang first bowed to Qu Sheng, and then everyone else bowed to Liu Wuxiang.
Cheng Xi walked over and helped Liu Wuxiang take off his medicine chest. Xiao Bingying then took it from Cheng Xi’s hands. Just as she was about to put it back inside the room, Liu Wuxiang called out to stop her. “Wait a moment. Come here and let me check your pulse.”
Xiao Bingying hesitated for a second and looked at Cheng Xi. Cheng Xi took the medicine chest from her hands again and carried it inside.
As Liu Wuxiang checked Xiao Bingying’s pulse, his eyes blinked rapidly. Watching this, Lin Xizhao grew inexplicably worried from the sidelines.
“The dosage can be increased a bit,” Liu Wuxiang simply said.
Xiao Bingying nodded and replied, “Alright, I’ll have Xi’er add a bit more next time.”
Liu Wuxiang stroked his beard, smiled, and released Xiao Bingying’s wrist.
One hour later, Liu Wuxiang checked Qu Sheng’s pulse. Qu Sheng’s constitution was better than Lin Xizhao’s; having Qu Sheng take the medicine had been Liu Wuxiang’s decision.
“You can also add a bit more.” When Liu Wuxiang said this, the smile on his face was highly conspicuous.
At first, he had been somewhat worried that the medicine’s potency would be too strong and that the two of them wouldn’t be able to bear it. However, their bodies were incredibly resilient and had exceeded his estimates.
At this rate, he estimated that by the height of summer next year, he would be able to see two wailing babies born into the world.
One month later, the Jin Dynasty dispatched an envoy. They agreed to the marriage alliance request, but they also raised a demand. They wanted Qu Sheng to send a general who had fought against the Beian Army to go to the Jin Dynasty’s northern frontier to assist in commanding the battle.
Qu Sheng looked at the envoy presenting the demand in the main hall. After pondering for a long time, she turned to the military officials below and asked, “Which of you is willing to go?”
Below, the several valiant and battle-hardened military generals who had followed Qu Sheng almost all stepped forward.
“This humble subject is willing to go.”
“This humble subject is also willing to go.”
“This humble subject is also willing to go.”
The chorus of ‘willing to go’ rising and falling within the main hall left the Jin Dynasty’s envoy endlessly astounded.
One had to know that when the Jin Dynasty’s court had discussed sending someone to the northern frontier, not a single military official had been willing to go. The only general loyal to the Jin family, Jiang Pingchao, lacked the capacity to split himself in two and was currently defending against enemies on the Western Frontier.
Although the Jin Dynasty had established its nation, compared to the Quzhao Dynasty’s abundance of talent, it would likely be annexed by the Quzhao Dynasty sooner or later.
Qu Sheng looked at the generals, lowered her eyes in thought, and selected two to head to the Jin Dynasty’s northern frontier.
“Many thanks to Your Majesty for your benevolence in helping our Jin Dynasty resist the enemy. When the time comes, our Jin Dynasty’s Princess Wanyi will bring a generous dowry. Additionally, Our Emperor misses the Grand Princess and has dispatched someone to prepare a birthday gift. It will be sent along with Princess Wanyi’s bridal escort. We ask that the Grand Princess kindly accept it.”
The Jin Dynasty envoy offered heavy gifts the moment he opened his mouth, every sentence aimed at drawing the relationship between the two nations closer.
Qu Sheng tugged the corners of her lips into a slight smile and said, “Very well. We will accept it on Our Imperial Mother’s behalf.”
The Jin Dynasty.
Zhu Ming’an sat inside Jin Mingyi’s sleeping palace. Watching Jin Mingyi pace back and forth in the hall, she didn’t dare make a sound for a long while.
All these days, Jin Mingyi had been kept completely in the dark. It wasn’t until Feng Sugao sent someone to read the imperial edict that Jin Mingyi realized she had been ‘sold’ by the Jin Dynasty.
She did like Zhu Ming’an, but she hadn’t said she wanted to marry her later on.
Back in the Quzhao Dynasty, she had stayed at the Zhu Residence for two days, but she hadn’t engaged in any sort of physical relationship with Zhu Ming’an. She had only gone to visit the elders of the Zhu family.
After all, she had lived there for a while and had been well taken care of. But who could have known that Zhu Ming’an would secretly go to Qu Sheng, act first and report later3, and directly request the marriage again without caring whether she agreed or not!
“Yi’er, sit down first.”
“Don’t call me that right now.” Jin Mingyi was somewhat irritated, but for the most part, this irritation wasn’t directed at Zhu Ming’an. Rather, it was because the Jin Dynasty had actually used her to make an exchange with the Quzhao Dynasty.
And they had even agreed to let her marry a woman.
The author has something to say:
Qu Sheng: “What should I do then, retract the imperial edict? Someone, come.”
Zhu Ming’an: “No, please don’t!” Kowtows furiously.
Jin Mingyi: “Wait a minute, let me think about it.”
Red envelopes will continue.
Footnotes
- A traditional ceremony for girls at the age of fifteen, marking their transition into adulthood and eligibility for marriage.
- A traditional Chinese saying meaning that all medicines have side effects or a degree of toxicity if taken improperly.
- An idiom meaning to act first and report later; to take preemptive action without asking for permission.
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