The Prime Minister’s Daughter and the Marquis’s Fool – Chapter 272
by Little PandaBonus Chapter 8
This humble subject wishes to volunteer to go.
As the peerlessly precious Floating-Head Spear was placed into Zhao Ningying’s hands, the smile on Qu Ning’s face was even brighter than if she had received it herself.
Zhao Ningying opened the box. The spear—its spearhead alone was priceless, and even the shaft was forged from materials rarely found in this world.
So precious a gift—Zhao Ningying knelt once more. “This humble subject thanks Your Majesty for your boundless grace, and thanks the Imperial Crown Princess for her generous favor.”
Had she not known the spearhead was a gift from Qu Ning, Qu Sheng would have had to remind her again.
“Rise. You are a hero of merit. This spear was chosen by Ning’er for you—it took no small amount of thought on her part.” Qu Sheng said with a smile.
Hearing this, Qu Ning felt a twinge of embarrassment just standing there.
Zhao Ningying raised her head and smiled as she thanked her again: “Many thanks to Your Highness for parting with something so dear. This humble subject shall wield this long spear and devote herself to the prosperity and peace of our Quzhao.”
“General Zhao, please rise.” Qu Ning suppressed the smile at the corners of her lips and bent down to help Zhao Ningying to her feet.
As Zhao Ningying rose, she lifted her gaze to meet Qu Ning’s. They looked at each other, both with smiles on their faces. Qu Sheng, seated on the dragon throne, watched this scene and glanced sideways at Lin Xizhao.
Lin Xizhao’s brows curved gently as she gave a soft nod.
Qu Sheng turned to watch Zhao Ningying return to her seat. Once she was properly seated, Qu Sheng spoke again: “Today we feast with you, our beloved subjects, first to celebrate the achievements of Little General Zhao and the officers who distinguished themselves in the bandit suppression campaign. Second, we have an announcement to make. We have decided to dispatch the Imperial Crown Princess to Jiangkou Great Camp to pilot a military agricultural colony system—fighting in wartime, farming in peacetime.”
The moment Qu Sheng finished speaking, the assembled ministers began buzzing with discussion.
While Qu Sheng waited for them to deliberate, her gaze drifted toward Qu Ning.
Qu Ning’s lashes fluttered as she thought for a moment, then she looked up at Qiao Jin, who sat beside Qu Zhimu. Qiao Jin gave a confirming nod, and Qu Ning turned back to Qu Sheng.
Mother and daughter exchanged a glance, and Qu Sheng addressed the officials below: “The remaining positions have yet to be decided. Our beloved subjects are welcome to recommend candidates.”
The ministers below began discussing amongst themselves once more.
Xiao Bingying and Cheng Xi looked at each other, then both turned their eyes toward Zhao Ningying. At this moment, Zhao Ningying was staring at the hall above—she saw Qu Sheng and Lin Xizhao watching her, and her mind began to work.
By rights, she had only just returned to the capital, and this was not a deployment for combat—it seemed nearly impossible that she would be sent out again. Even out of consideration for the Zhao family elders, Qu Sheng and Lin Xizhao would not separate her from her family when they had just been reunited.
Therefore, Qu Sheng’s choice to announce this decision at a victory banquet likely served but one purpose.
Zhao Ningying looked toward her two mothers and, with a soft nod, whispered: “Mother, Mother, this child wishes to accompany Ning-jiejie.”
Zhao Ningying still needed to seek the approval of her two elders. After being separated for so long and only just reunited, to leave again—if she abruptly went up to the hall to request permission, she feared it would break their hearts.
Cheng Xi gazed at her daughter. A child grown must eventually find her own horizon—she could not always orbit around her parents.
Cheng Xi turned to Xiao Bingying and said, “Let her go.”
Hearing this, Xiao Bingying glanced at her daughter. Though reluctant to part, since Cheng Xi had already given her consent, as a mother she naturally supported the decision.
Xiao Bingying nodded, and Cheng Xi turned her gaze to Zhao Ningying.
Zhao Ningying looked at her two parents, who understood her so well. Her lips pressed together softly as she clasped her fist in a military salute.
Zhao Ningying rose and walked toward the center of the hall. Qu Sheng had been watching, and seeing Zhao Ningying approach, she already guessed the answer.
“Your Majesty, this humble subject wishes to volunteer to go.” Zhao Ningying bowed with clasped hands.
Qu Sheng smiled and said with deliberate teasing: “Ying’er has only just returned from the bandit campaign. If we sent you away again, would that not seem rather unfeeling?”
Zhao Ningying raised her head and said: “Your Majesty worries too much. The military is the nation’s vital shield; without a nation, there is no home. This subject must put the state before family. Moreover, my parents have already given their consent. I beg Your Majesty’s permission to accompany the Imperial Crown Princess to Jiangkou Great Camp.”
Hearing this, Qu Sheng glanced toward Cheng Xi and Xiao Bingying. Then, several of the meritorious officers who had served under Zhao Ningying also rose to their feet.
“We humble subjects also volunteer to go.”
Qu Sheng looked at the people kneeling below, inwardly delighted. She had not yet decided whom to send. This reform implementing new military policies would surely face considerable resistance, so she needed her trusted inner circle to go.
The Imperial Crown Princess Qu Ning would naturally take the lead, followed by Qiao Jin, who had first proposed the policy, and then a number of military officers to accompany and protect Qu Ning.
But given Qu Ning’s fondness for Zhao Ningying, and the fact that this deployment would keep them away for a year or more, she wanted Zhao Ningying to accompany her.
At the regular court assemblies, Zhao Ningying was a military officer whose rank did not warrant participation in court affairs. Qu Sheng had been concerned that Cheng Xi might not want her daughter to go, and had thus kept this news under wraps.
Qu Sheng rose to her feet, highly satisfied with the military officers who had volunteered below.
“Very well. We hereby appoint General Wude as Vice General for this mission, to accompany the Imperial Crown Princess. The other officers shall follow the Ministry of War’s arrangements. Come—We shall toast you all first, and wish you swift success.”
Qu Sheng raised the wine cup from the imperial desk, and at Lin Xizhao’s signal, the palace maids poured imperial wine for everyone.
Those below received their wine cups, every face alight with joy. In times of peace and prosperity, it was exceedingly difficult for soldiers to earn distinction.
Afterward, more people recommended various candidates, but Qu Sheng needed to discuss them with Lin Xizhao before making any decisions.
The victory banquet commenced in a flourish of song and dance. Zhao Ningying received no fewer than a dozen toasts. Qu Ning, seated beside Qu Sheng, watched Zhao Ningying juggle an endless stream of congratulations, and lifted her own wine cup, drinking on her own.
Zhu Qianjie, seated among the civil officials, seized a gap in the proceedings and carried her wine over to sit beside Zhao Ningying.
Cheng Xi watched the young lady of the Zhu family with great fondness—moreover, their two families had business dealings in the past.
Zhu Qianjie saw that Zhao Ningying had been drinking too much, so she asked the palace maid nearby to swap it out for fruit wine.
The two chatted as they drank, and Zhu Qianjie soon noticed that Qu Ning had been watching their direction. As she tilted the cup to her lips, she shot a sidelong glance at Qu Ning on the dais, her eyes narrowing into a smile.
“Ying-jiejie, have you noticed that Ning-jiejie keeps looking at you?” Zhu Qianjie always thought the crowd could stand to be livelier.
Zhao Ningying looked up at the sound—and met Qu Ning’s gaze directly.
Zhao Ningying’s eyes curved into crescents as she raised her wine cup and drank across the distance with Qu Ning. Zhu Qianjie, watching this, raised her own cup and drank along with them.
But the two did not have long to exchange glances before Zhu Qianjie monopolized Zhao Ningying’s attention. As the Imperial Crown Princess, Qu Ning could not arbitrarily toast a subject without cause—others might approach her to offer wine, but she could not simply go and toast a minister. And so, she could only sit properly in her place.
Still, she was not one to lose patience easily. Watching Zhu Qianjie and Zhao Ningying laugh and chat, she contented herself with pouring her own drinks.
The banquet dispersed. Court officials departed the palace with their families. Qu Ning escorted her Mother Emperor and Empress Mother back to the sleeping quarters. The three rode in soft palanquins along the way. Lin Xizhao noticed Qu Ning’s hands absently clasping and unclasping each other. She exchanged a glance with Qu Sheng, then turned to Qu Ning: “Ning’er, Ying’er has only just returned and is not yet familiar with the details of the military agricultural colony system. She will be your Vice General on this mission—she will need your guidance.”
“What your Empress Mother means is that we do not need you escorting us any longer,” Qu Sheng added, seeing that her daughter was being particularly dense.
Hearing this, Qu Ning looked up at Qu Sheng and Lin Xizhao, then slapped the armrest of her palanquin: “Stop the palanquin.”
The palace attendants halted the palanquin and set it down on the palace road. Qu Ning stepped out and walked to Qu Sheng and Lin Xizhao’s imperial dragon carriage. She clasped her fist in a bow: “Ning-meimei has only just returned and is not yet well-versed in the military agricultural colony system. Your child subject wishes to spend the night at General Zhao’s residence tonight. May I ask if Mother Emperor and Empress Mother would grant permission?”
Qu Sheng gave a fond snort of laughter, tenderness pooling in her eyes, and said: “Go on.”
Qu Ning raised her head at this, saw Lin Xizhao nod, bowed once more, and hurried off toward the palace gates.
Zhao Ningying was currently by the carriage, helping Cheng Xi aboard. Xiao Bingying followed behind. Before long, they heard the voices of other officials and their family members paying their respects at the palace gate.
“Your Highness.”
“No need for formalities.” Qu Ning raised a hand in gesture, glanced once, and walked directly toward the Zhao family carriage.
Zhao Ningying turned to look. Inside the carriage, Xiao Bingying and Cheng Xi lifted the curtain as well.
“Why has Ning-jiejie come back?” Zhao Ningying seemed quite surprised.
Qu Ning smiled and stepped closer. “You volunteered at the banquet today to accompany me to Jiangkou Great Camp—I had to show some reciprocity, did I not?”
Qu Ning then looked into the carriage at Cheng Xi and Xiao Bingying and raised her hand in greeting: “Ning’er will be staying for one night. I apologize for intruding upon you, Maternal Aunts.”
Xiao Bingying and Cheng Xi smiled. Cheng Xi said, “Please come aboard quickly, Your Highness.”
The two boarded the carriage and returned to the Zhao Residence. Qu Ning was still dressed in the Imperial Crown Princess’s ceremonial attire. Zhao Dian and Mother Zhao would normally have come out to greet her, but Qu Ning specifically instructed that they not be disturbed.
They were returning quite late as it was—how could they trouble the elders further?
The Zhao Residence staff bustled about preparing bathwater for Qu Ning. Before long, Lin Xizhao dispatched palace servants with a change of clothes for Qu Ning.
Zhao Ningying and Qu Ning were in the same washroom, separated by a folding screen, talking to each other.
“In years past, Mother Emperor wished to reduce the size of the military. But as you know, the situation at the border is this—the Jin Dynasty has been exerting itself in governance1 these past two years. They have annexed the Sishi Kingdom to the west and expanded their territory to be larger than ours. However, they have been plagued by internal revolts, so they cannot pose a threat for the time being. Some officials submitted memorials advocating that we conquer the Jin Dynasty, but many civil ministers felt that we have only enjoyed peace for a few short years, our state treasury is not flush, and given Maternal Aunt’s marriage alliance, Mother Emperor has decided against military action for now.” Qu Ning spoke of recent court affairs.
Zhao Ningying’s lean, fair, powerful arms rested along the edge of the bathing tub. Behind her, a maid scrubbed her back as she replied: “I have heard something of it. Mother also told me that although the Jin Dynasty has expanded its territory, their aristocratic families2 maintain a severe monopoly. They still cling to the old institutions of the former dynasty, and I suspect it will not be long before greater turmoil erupts.”
Qu Ning leaned back against the tub, her arms spread along the rim, gazing at the silhouette on the other side of the screen, speaking without distraction: “Conquering the Jin Dynasty is only a matter of time. But right now, what matters most is reforming our military system. The majority of the court’s expenditures go to the military camps. We can sustain it for now, but if we want an invincible army, we must fill in these shortcomings.”
Qu Ning turned around. A maid from the Zhao residence stepped forward to scrub her back.
“The Jiangkou Great Camp we are going to—”
“Ah!” The maid, who was attending to the Imperial Crown Princess of the Quzhao Dynasty, was likely so nervous that she failed to notice the water on the floor. One foot slipped, and her body pitched forward.
Qu Ning’s words were cut short by the startle. She reached out to steady her—only to see the folding screen separating her from Zhao Ningying come crashing down.
With a bang, fortunately the screen was not made of jade, so nothing shattered and flew outward. But the two bathers were now exposed to each other by the screen’s collapse.
Qu Ning and Zhao Ningying’s startled gazes met—and then both froze.
The author has something to say:
Qu Ning: “Oho. I thank you ever so much.”
Maid: “…”
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