The Prime Minister’s Daughter and the Marquis’s Fool – Chapter 249

Extra 24

Already Protecting Her?

Cheng Xi’s warmth was something Xiao Bingying thoroughly savored. After their kiss, Xiao Bingying was like a child, the smile on her face impossible to suppress. Even after the two of them left the room, when Cheng Xi caught sight of her silly happiness, she laughed and said, “What’s making you so happy?”

            

Xiao Bingying only smiled without a word. When she glanced sideways at her wife’s profile, the pressure of her fingertips grew a bit heavier. Cheng Xi noticed, looked up, and roughly guessed why Xiao Bingying was smiling.

She had been neglecting her these past few days. She had assumed that after being together so long, Xiao Bingying would understand—but she had been too confident, and it had left Xiao Bingying feeling anxious and insecure.

“The medical texts at the Academy are numerous and disorganized. I submitted a proposal with the instructors to categorize them, so that we can better teach the students who come to study medicine. I had planned to finish sorting this out before the New Year, but it seems it will take more time.”

            

Xiao Bingying looked at Cheng Xi and asked, “Since when?”

Cheng Xi curved her lips and said, “Since I started neglecting you without realizing it.”

Her small worry laid bare, Xiao Bingying should have felt embarrassed, but right now her nose stung and her eyes burned.

            

Her wife had realized she’d been neglecting her.

Cheng Xi looked at her beloved’s aggrieved expression, raised warm fingertips to Xiao Bingying’s cheek, and said, “But I’ll still have to ask you to bear with it a little longer.”

The matter wasn’t resolved yet, and she didn’t want it to be—not just yet.

            

Xiao Bingying shook her head, her lips breathing out a thin mist as she kissed Cheng Xi’s palm. “I’m not aggrieved.”

What had upset her wasn’t that Cheng Xi had no time for her—it was that she hadn’t explained things to her.

“I’ll tell you everything from now on,” Cheng Xi said, recognizing her mistake.

            

Xiao Bingying nodded, eyes reddening slightly, and slowly drew Cheng Xi into her arms.

The two embraced in the cold outdoors for a long while. Even when passersby cast glances their way, Xiao Bingying couldn’t bring herself to care.

Back at the Zhao Residence, Xiao Bingying attended to Cheng Xi devotedly—helping her bathe and wash, and pressing acupoints to relax her body when she went to bed.

            

Zhao Ningying had come by last night and left flushed red with embarrassment. Today she tactfully stayed away.

As for the palace study companionship, it was normally suspended during the New Year period. But since Lin Xizhao had arranged for Qiao Jin and Qu Zhimu to spend more time together, Zhao Ningying decided to continue going to the palace as a study companion.

Early that morning, Xiao Bingying first dropped Cheng Xi off at the National Medical Academy, then followed her usual routine. After breakfast, she took her daughter to the palace gates and only left with peace of mind once the junior eunuch attendant sent to fetch Zhao Ningying arrived.

            

After entering the palace, Zhao Ningying—though deeply favored by the Emperor and Empress—never threw her weight around. The palace maids and eunuch attendants all liked her very much, often chatting with her as they walked together.

“Has Lord Qiao entered the palace?” Zhao Ningying asked in a low voice.

The eunuch glanced at her, lowered his head, and replied, “Yes, Lord Qiao entered the palace first thing this morning. I heard she’s to serve as the Imperial Crown Princess’s tutor. Has Miss Ningying finished all her coursework?”

            

“Naturally. Eunuch Cai, are you acquainted with Lord Qiao?”

The eunuch smiled at the question and said, “Not well, but I’m quite familiar with her elder brother.”

Hearing this, Zhao Ningying eagerly asked, “Then do you know if Lord Qiao has anyone she likes?”

            

The eunuch smiled again and said, “How would this humble servant know the affairs of young ladies? But her elder brother has been worrying about her marriage for a long time.”

“Worrying about her marriage?”

“Indeed. Lord Qiao is a favored child of heaven¹. Ordinary people are hardly a match for her. No family’s young masters have dared come to propose.”

            

“Oh…” Hearing this, Zhao Ningying felt a secret thrill of delight on Qu Zhimu’s behalf.

When Zhao Ningying arrived at Wenhua Hall, Qu Ning was reviewing what she had learned the previous day, while Qu Zhimu sat there craning her neck toward the doorway, waiting for Qiao Jin to appear. Catching sight of Zhao Ningying poking her head in, she quickly waved her over.

Zhao Ningying walked over with a smile, and Qu Zhimu asked, “Did you see Lord Qiao?”

            

Seeing Qu Zhimu’s impatience, Zhao Ningying smiled and said, “No, but I’ve brought some good news.”

“What good news?” Qu Ning, who could listen in every direction at once, didn’t let her studying interfere with eavesdropping on the conversation beside her.

Zhao Ningying beckoned, and Qu Ning set down her book and walked over. The three of them huddled together. Zhao Ningying draped her arms around their shoulders, glanced left and right, and said with a quiet smile, “I heard from Eunuch Cai in the palace that no one has ever dared visit Lord Qiao’s residence to propose marriage…”

            

“Ahem.”

The three little ones huddled together, completely unaware that Qiao Jin had already entered the hall. A single cough sent them scattering in every direction.

Qu Ning returned to her seat, and Qiao Jin bowed to her. “This humble subject greets Your Highness.”

            

Though young, Qu Ning was the heir to the nation. Hearing Qiao Jin’s bow, she sat up straight and said, “Lord Qiao, there’s no need for such formality. Here there are only teachers and students. It is this palace who should bow to you.”

Saying so, Qu Ning bowed to Qiao Jin. Qiao Jin heard this and returned the gesture with clasped hands. Then she raised her head and bowed to the other two young ladies of illustrious standing.

Zhao Ningying and Qu Zhimu also rose and returned the bow.

            

Before the lesson began, Qiao Jin first asked about their coursework. She had entered the palace at first light that morning and had spent the early hours preparing the day’s lesson.

Though Qiao Jin was new to teaching, the dark circles around her eyes revealed that she had likely stayed up all night. Lin Xizhao’s request to have her teach on such short notice was truly asking a lot of her.

“When promoting talent, one does not discard a rival, nor does one overlook a kinsman.” Qiao Jin held the book and explained the text to the three young ladies before her. “This means that when recommending people for office, one does not deliberately avoid even an enemy or one’s own clansmen. The core principle is impartiality—judging talent not by personal likes and dislikes. This is the mark of a person of noble character and integrity.”

            

Qu Ning and Zhao Ningying listened with keen interest, but Qu Zhimu found the words too idealistic.

“Tutor Qiao, may I ask—if you encountered such a situation, could you be impartial and set aside personal feelings?”

Qiao Jin had been about to continue the lesson. Hearing this, she looked up at Qu Zhimu.

            

It was the first time she had looked at her so directly. Qiao Jin hesitated a moment, then replied, “No. At the very least, I couldn’t do it for my enemy.”

Qu Zhimu heard Qiao Jin’s answer and smiled. “I knew it. Now that’s a normal person. Someone who could cast aside hatred and pave the way for their enemy would be either a fool or someone with no heart.”

Hearing Qu Zhimu’s words—rough-hewn but not without truth—Qiao Jin smiled and continued with the next passage.

            

Qu Ning and Zhao Ningying exchanged a glance. They could see that Qiao Jin’s gaze toward Qu Zhimu held no dislike, and they exchanged knowing looks.

Qiao Jin’s lesson didn’t last long. Though Qu Zhimu liked Qiao Jin, she didn’t spend the entire class staring at her.

When she visited the Empress’s quarters today, Lin Xizhao had advised her: haste makes waste.

            

Lin Xizhao knew that while Qu Zhimu never excelled at anything she learned, she was neither stubborn nor ignorant. She was well-mannered, had considerable martial skill to rely on, and was no fragile princess.

Qiao Jin was exceedingly learned, yes—but Qu Zhimu’s character was not necessarily beneath her.

After class, Qiao Jin returned to her rest room. Qu Ning wanted Qu Zhimu to go directly to find Qiao Jin, but Qu Zhimu refused.

            

“Your jiejie isn’t some slave to beauty. Tutor Qiao has been explaining texts to us for quite a while—she needs proper rest. I’d better not disturb her.”

Qu Zhimu’s refusal surprised Qu Ning and Zhao Ningying, but they soon saw that Qu Zhimu simply didn’t dare go.

“Right, Mu-jiejie isn’t some slave to beauty. And Tutor Qiao isn’t even good-looking—just a bit of literary talent, that’s all.” Qu Ning deliberately stood beside Qu Zhimu and said this.

            

“Who said she’s not good-looking? Lord Qiao is a Top Scholar—you can’t dismiss that as ‘just a bit of literary talent.'”

“Already protecting her?” Qu Ning drawled, deliberately teasing.

Qu Zhimu sensed Qu Ning’s teasing and shot her a playful glare. “Shoo, shoo. I need to study. Don’t bother me.”

            

The two younger girls scattered with a laugh. Qu Zhimu sat at the desk, face flushed, staring at her book—without the faintest idea what the words on the page actually said.

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Xiao Bingying had taken in two difficult cases today. Before afternoon came, she headed to the National Medical Academy. Though Cheng Xi was busy, she made time when she heard Xiao Bingying’s purpose and reviewed her diagnostic notes.

Cheng Xi carefully explained the medication and what symptoms to expect next. Before they knew it, the noon meal had arrived.

            

Cheng Xi invited Xiao Bingying to eat here, and Xiao Bingying didn’t refuse. The two wives had rarely shared a meal lately, and Xiao Bingying wanted to spend more time looking at Cheng Xi. They went straight to the refectory.

Cheng Xi had someone dish out the food. Xiao Bingying stood behind her, and when she glanced up, she was gazing at Cheng Xi with gentle warmth.

Cheng Xi’s brows curved. When her cool, elegant face gained a hint of a smile, it was a beauty even more captivating.

            

Xiao Bingying carried both their meals to the dining table, chatting about the patients’ conditions as she ate.

Both were entirely at ease, not standing on ceremony despite their respective status. After lunch, Xiao Bingying had a general understanding of how to handle the patients.

After they parted, Cheng Xi returned to her quarters to continue organizing the medical texts, while Xiao Bingying hurried back to attend to the patients.

            

In the evening, Xiao Bingying came to pick up Cheng Xi as usual. Xiao Bingying sat in the reception room and didn’t feel cold at all, but the moment Cheng Xi walked in, she instinctively looked toward the brazier and asked, “Did no one come to add charcoal?”

Xiao Bingying followed Cheng Xi’s gaze and smiled. “It’s fine. I have a strong constitution—I don’t mind the cold.”

Cheng Xi said nothing, but a suspicion formed in her mind. She had clearly given instructions that when Xiao Bingying came, charcoal should be added. Yet when she entered the reception room, it was still freezing.

            

“What’s wrong?” Xiao Bingying noticed Cheng Xi’s troubled expression and thought she might have been slighted by someone today.

“Nothing. Let’s go home.” Cheng Xi didn’t want to make an issue of it at the moment. She reached for Xiao Bingying’s hand—the hand that had been holding books was somewhat stiff from the cold.

Xiao Bingying thought nothing more of it and followed behind Cheng Xi.

            

Zhao Ningying didn’t leave the palace today. She and Qu Zhimu stayed in the palace together, the three of them squeezed onto Qu Ning’s bed in her hall, discussing their analysis of Qiao Jin.

“I think Lord Qiao and Mu-jiejie actually have quite a lot in common,” Zhao Ningying said, lying on the bed, gazing up at the auspicious patterns carved into the bed canopy above.

Qu Ning gave an affirmative hum and added, “I think so too. Lord Qiao isn’t like those old Grand Tutors stuffed with stale ink. At the very least, she dares to say what she truly thinks and doesn’t hide her flaws.”

            

“Mu-jiejie, what do you think?” Qu Ning turned to look at Qu Zhimu beside her—only to find that Qu Zhimu had fallen asleep at some point.

Zhao Ningying, hearing no response from Qu Zhimu, tilted her head to look. Qu Ning gazed at her with helpless resignation.

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Early the next morning, Cheng Xi was dropped off at the National Medical Academy by Xiao Bingying. She didn’t go directly to organize the books—instead, she went to the Academy’s Internal Affairs Office.

            

In this kind of cold weather, Xiao Bingying had visited twice and both times there was no charcoal fire. This was not the Academy’s way of treating guests. Moreover, Cheng Xi had said yesterday that she would supplement the charcoal expenses.

But even after she offered to supplement the funds, Xiao Bingying still received a cold reception. This, to Cheng Xi as the Dean of the Academy, was extremely peculiar.

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The author has something to say:

            

Qu Ning: “We were in the thick of our discussion, and that carefree one fell asleep ages ago.”

Qu Zhimu: “Mind your manners! This is what you call a good person blessed by the Matchmaker²—keep your heart broad and destiny will come.”

Zhao Ningying: “…”

            

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