The Prime Minister’s Daughter and the Marquis’s Fool – Chapter 256
by Little PandaExtra 31
Half Drunk, Half Awake
Zhao Ningying listened as Cheng Xi confirmed the rumors were true. Recalling how Yun Ming had kept staring at Cheng Xi, she felt a sudden discomfort and whispered, “Mother, has Lord Yun eaten people too?”
Cheng Xi heard her daughter’s unprompted question. She blinked gently, thought for a moment, then smiled. “Not everyone in Raoli eats people — only a small uncivilized portion. Prime Minister Yun is well-read, and Yun Ming is likewise educated and proper. Naturally, they wouldn’t eat human flesh.”
Zhao Ningying breathed a sigh of relief and said, “Lord Yun kept looking at you during the banquet, Mother. I thought she wanted to eat you.”
The smile on Cheng Xi’s face froze for an instant, but she quickly recovered, smiling as she patted her daughter’s head. “Don’t worry. With your mother here, no one can touch me.”
“Of course! Mother’s Long Spear is still unmatched. Mu-jiejie only learned the basics and she can already beat ordinary guards.”
Cheng Xi smiled and touched her daughter’s cheek, then gazed at the sleeping Xiao Bingying. Tonight would likely be a long night.
Before long, Qu Ning arrived, escorted by a palace attendant carrying a lantern. She wore the python robe1 of the Imperial Crown Princess and had someone knock on the door.
Knock knock knock.
Zhao Ningying, who was wringing a towel, heard the sound and looked up. She glanced at Cheng Xi and said, “It must be Ning-jiejie.”
Cheng Xi took the towel from her and said, “Go along. I can look after your mother by myself.”
Zhao Ningying nodded, glanced at the sleeping Xiao Bingying, and turned to leave.
Zhao Ningying opened the door. Qu Ning smiled and reached out her hand. The two held hands and went to Qu Ning’s palace quarters.
Qu Zhimu escorted Qiao Jin and Zhu Qianjie out of the palace, heading all the way toward the Qiao Residence.
Qu Zhimu and Qiao Jin sat side by side, while Zhu Qianjie sat to one side. She kept her head down, staring blankly at Qu Zhimu’s hand resting on the seat, watching it inch little by little toward Qiao Jin’s arm.
After a moment, she looked up at the oblivious Qiao Jin and couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
The two heard Zhu Qianjie’s laughter and turned to look. Qu Zhimu snatched her hand back in alarm and asked, “What are you laughing at?”
Zhu Qianjie laughed and replied, “I’m laughing at Mu-jiejie for being so timid.”
“Who’s timid?” Qu Zhimu’s words came out muddled. She had already guessed that her attempt to hold Qiao Jin’s hand had been caught by Zhu Qianjie.
Zhu Qianjie didn’t expose her. She just said “Oh” and looked toward the front of the carriage, her shoulders shaking as she tried to suppress her laughter.
Qu Zhimu felt ill at ease after Zhu Qianjie’s teasing, but when she looked at Qiao Jin’s elegant, gentle face, she felt she was being too childish.
Why take a child’s words to heart?
But just as Qu Zhimu lowered her gaze, not daring to meet Qiao Jin’s eyes, Qiao Jin reached over and rested her hand on top of hers.
Qiao Jin had noticed earlier. It was just that she still felt guilty toward Qu Zhimu over this marriage she had so abruptly requested.
Qu Zhimu stared blankly at Qiao Jin’s slender fingers. A moment later, an irrepressible smile spread across her face. She placed her other hand on top and gently stroked with her thumb, looking up at Qiao Jin.
Their eyes met, both gazing tenderly at each other.
The carriage traveled swiftly. When they arrived at the Qiao Residence, Qu Zhimu stepped down and helped Qiao Jin out.
Zhu Qianjie looked at the gates of the Qiao Residence, cupped her hands and breathed into them for warmth, then turned back to look at Qu Zhimu and Qiao Jin.
At that moment, Qu Zhimu was straightening Qiao Jin’s robes. Knowing she ran cold, she took off her own cloak and draped it over Qiao Jin’s shoulders.
“You still have to go back. You should keep it on,” Qiao Jin said, reaching to remove the cloak.
Qu Zhimu gently pressed down on Qiao Jin’s hand to stop her. “There’s a brazier in the carriage, so I won’t be cold. You run cold — don’t catch a chill.”
It hadn’t been very cold in the carriage earlier. Qiao Jin lowered her eyes and nodded.
As imperial kin, Qu Zhimu’s arrival had already prompted the Qiao servants to hurry inside and notify the household. But Qu Zhimu didn’t intend to enter. She stood at the gate talking with Qiao Jin. “My father will likely send someone tomorrow to discuss the wedding date with your father. Actually, my mother has already prepared the betrothal gifts.” Qu Zhimu lowered her head, a little embarrassed.
Qiao Jin was surprised by Qu Zhimu’s words, but thinking that the preparation hadn’t been in vain, she smiled and said, “Then I’ll wait for you at the residence tomorrow.”
Qu Zhimu looked up at her, eyes sparkling, and nodded. “Yes, I’ll come over tomorrow. But I wanted to ask you… when do you want to get married?”
Qiao Jin felt a bit shy at the mention of marriage. She lowered her gaze and said, “I’ll leave that to you.”
Qu Zhimu laughed and said, “If it were up to me, I’d bring you home as my wife tomorrow.”
Qiao Jin heard this and smiled. “Then tomorrow it is.”
Qiao Jin knew it was impossible, but she wasn’t stingy about letting Qu Zhimu have the joy of hearing it.
Qu Zhimu pressed her lips together, but the smile broke through all the more, revealing her bright white teeth.
“This subordinate official Qiao Ze greets Commandery Princess Rong’an.” Qiao Ze came out from the residence to receive them. “Many thanks to Commandery Princess Rong’an for escorting my sister home.”
Qu Zhimu looked down at the bowing Qiao Ze. She was in excellent spirits today and smiled. “Lord Qiao, no need for formalities. Today, Her Majesty has already decreed a marriage between me and Qiao Jin. We’ll be family from now on.”
Qiao Ze froze at these words. He looked up, bewildered, at Qu Zhimu, then turned to Qiao Jin beside her.
“Has the Commandery Princess perhaps made a mistake? My younger sister is already betrothed to the Xuan family. This, I’m afraid, would not be appropriate, would it?” Qiao Ze straightened up and said in astonishment.
Today, Qu Sheng had decreed the marriage by imperial word. The edict would not be issued until tomorrow, but if the Qiao household hadn’t received word, it meant no one at today’s banquet had communicated with Qiao Ze.
But a day earlier or later didn’t matter. It was settled.
Qu Zhimu frowned at these words. But then she recalled what Qiao Jin had told her today, and her expression turned displeased. “This Commandery Princess has been with Lord Qiao these past few days. How is it I didn’t know she was betrothed?”
Qiao Ze looked up and smiled. “It was just arranged today.”
Qu Zhimu glanced at Qiao Jin and suddenly smiled. “Today is New Year. The family that came to propose was probably just mentioning it in advance. They haven’t sent the betrothal gifts yet, have they?”
Qiao Ze maintained his smile and said, “That’s so, but the elders of both families have already agreed and exchanged gengtie2. The betrothal gifts will be delivered to our door before long.”
Qu Zhimu looked at Qiao Ze’s smiling face. Her expression suddenly shifted, and she gave a cold laugh. “Is Lord Qiao so confident he can talk me out of this?”
Qu Zhimu took two steps toward Qiao Ze. She stared at him, gaze blazing, without the slightest hint of retreat. Instead, she radiated an aggressive, overbearing pressure — in this moment, she looked just like her father, Qu Yu.
Qu Zhimu leaned close to Qiao Ze’s ear, the corner of her lip curving up, and whispered with a laugh, “Lord Qiao Ze, take a guess — if that Xuan family hears the charge of defying Her Majesty’s decree, would they still dare come to your door?”
When Qiao Ze heard these words from the usually gentle and good-natured Qu Zhimu, the smile vanished from his face. He looked up at her and said nothing for a long while.
“Enough. It’s too late today. My fiancée has been sitting at the banquet for too long — she should rest.” Qu Zhimu turned to look at Qiao Jin, her expression softening.
Qu Zhimu walked over to Qiao Jin, reached out and took her hand, and said, “I’ll come see you tomorrow.”
Qiao Jin pressed her lips together and nodded, giving a soft “Mm.”
“I won’t go in, then. Rest early,” Qu Zhimu said at last.
Qiao Jin nodded again and said, “All right.”
Qu Zhimu reluctantly released Qiao Jin’s hand and watched her walk toward the residence. When she could no longer see Qiao Jin’s figure, Qu Zhimu turned her gaze to Qiao Ze.
The two exchanged a look. Qu Zhimu’s gaze was no longer as friendly as before. Seeing that his sister had entered the residence, Qiao Ze hastily clasped his hands and said, “Qiao Ze bids farewell to Commandery Princess Rong’an.”
Qu Zhimu gave an “Mm” and turned, only to see Zhu Qianjie still standing to the side.
Qu Zhimu coughed lightly. Zhu Qianjie blinked and hurried onto the carriage.
As the carriage moved along, Zhu Qianjie looked at Qu Zhimu with admiration. “Mu-jiejie, you were so impressive just now! I’ve never seen you like that before. You scared that Qiao whatever… your fiancée’s brother so badly he didn’t dare make a sound.”
Qu Zhimu heard Zhu Qianjie’s words and reflected on what had just happened. She might have gone a bit too far. She had never used her status to pressure people before, nor had she ever intimidated anyone.
Qu Zhimu blinked and said, “Did I?”
Zhu Qianjie scooted closer, rather excited. “Of course you did! Your fiancée’s brother’s face went completely pale.”
Qu Zhimu looked at Zhu Qianjie’s vivid, animated expression and let out an awkward, dry laugh.
Half a shichen3 after Zhao Ningying left, Xiao Bingying stirred awake — though “awake” was a generous description of her state. Cheng Xi’s fingertips trailed lightly across Xiao Bingying’s bare skin. Feeling the tickle, Xiao Bingying reached over to scratch.
Xiao Bingying caught Cheng Xi’s hand. Cheng Xi didn’t rush to pull it back. Once Xiao Bingying stopped moving, Cheng Xi repeated the trick — until Xiao Bingying opened her eyes.
Xiao Bingying opened her eyes and gazed ahead in a daze. Then her wife’s voice sounded beside her ear. “Awake?”
Xiao Bingying turned her head at the sound. Cheng Xi was propping her cheek on one hand, watching her.
When Xiao Bingying saw her wife, a smile quickly formed at the corners of her lips — but it was a silly, dazed sort of smile.
Cheng Xi’s brows curved in amusement. She draped her arm over Xiao Bingying and soon pressed her own partially undressed body against her.
Xiao Bingying instinctively wrapped her arms around her. In this moment, her eyes held only Cheng Xi.
Cheng Xi lowered her head and captured Xiao Bingying’s lips in a kiss. When she pulled back, she saw that Xiao Bingying’s infatuated eyes had kindled with an even hotter flame.
Cheng Xi gave a soft laugh and kissed her again.
Wine-sweet lips, a half-drunk, half-awake wife. Cheng Xi’s kiss was unhurried, and Xiao Bingying’s breathing gradually grew shallow beneath it.
“Do you like this?” Cheng Xi asked, her voice low and gentle.
Xiao Bingying felt as though her soul had half left her body. She breathed rapidly. “Yes.”
Cheng Xi chuckled softly. Her warm, wet kisses wandered, making Xiao Bingying’s body tremble and stir.
After a long while, a fresh round of delicate kisses paused behind Xiao Bingying’s ear. Cheng Xi asked in a husky voice, “Since you returned from the Northern Frontier — have you ever resented me?”
Xiao Bingying’s thick lashes fluttered. Her throat bobbed for an instant, and she said, “Yes.”
Hearing this answer, Cheng Xi felt a pang of self-reproach for a moment. If Xiao Bingying were sober, she would never have said such a thing to her.
“Do you still love me the way you used to?” Cheng Xi asked again.
Xiao Bingying heard Cheng Xi’s question and slowly turned to look at her. She replied in a slow, drawn-out voice, “Love. Bingying will always love my wife, and that will never change.”
Xiao Bingying never lied in ordinary circumstances, let alone when drunk. Cheng Xi gazed at Xiao Bingying’s love-filled eyes, her own eyes growing moist. She lowered her head and pressed her lips to Xiao Bingying’s warm mouth. After a brief moment of kissing, she slipped her tongue inside.
Their breathing quickened once more. A moment later, Cheng Xi’s lips traveled downward.
The author has something to say:
Qu Zhimu: “I want to bring my wife home faster.”
Qu Ning: “Did you read the [redacted]?”
Qu Zhimu: “???”
200 red envelopes for you!
Footnotes
- A 'python robe' was a formal court robe embroidered with four-clawed dragon (mang) patterns, worn by imperial family members and high-ranking officials on ceremonial occasions.
- A gengtie is a formal document exchanged during betrothal negotiations, containing the prospective couple's birth date and time characters for astrological compatibility assessment.
- A shichen is a traditional Chinese time unit equal to two hours, representing one-twelfth of a day.
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