The Prime Minister’s Daughter and the Marquis’s Fool – Chapter 285
by Little PandaBonus Chapter 21
In heaven there is dragon meat, on earth there is donkey meat.
The maid whom Zhao Ningying had complimented on her looks watched the two still locked in their intimate embrace. Her eyes flickered with panic for an instant before she lowered her gaze to the hot soup she was carrying and said, “This servant is delivering soup for Your Highness and Little General Zhao.”
Qu Ning frowned slightly at the maid’s unruffled reply, while Zhao Ningying turned her head slowly to look over. In the exchange of glances, Zhao Ningying already understood why the maid had been so bold.
“Bring it in,” Zhao Ningying said, her tone betraying no displeasure.
Qu Ning had wanted to snap at her, but hearing Zhao Ningying’s words, she couldn’t very well override her in front of others. She straightened up and went to sit to one side.
The kiss that had just been interrupted still rankled.
The maid set the soup down properly. Zhao Ningying noticed the gaze fixed on her and glanced sideways, catching the maid looking her way. She returned a smile laden with meaning.
As the maid prepared to leave, she didn’t forget to steal one more glance at Qu Ning.
“Your Highness!”
Qu Ning looked over impatiently at the sound of the maid’s voice, about to send her away, when she sensed something wrong in her nose.
She raised a hand to touch it—her fingers came away smeared with blood.
Zhao Ningying noticed too. She stood up and moved to examine her, but the maid was a step ahead, producing a handkerchief to wipe Qu Ning’s nosebleed.
Qu Ning instinctively took the handkerchief and pressed it to her nose, while Zhao Ningying went out to call for water.
The room was briefly in chaos. After Qu Ning cleaned up the blood, Zhao Ningying took her pulse.
“Has Ning-jiejie eaten anything particularly nourishing lately?” Zhao Ningying asked, glancing sideways.
Qu Ning rested her extended arm on the long table, blinked as she tried to recall, and said, “I haven’t eaten anything special. I’ve been eating the same as all of you, and I haven’t even had today’s meal yet.”
“How could you say you haven’t,” Feng Miao muttered from where he stood to one side.
Qu Ning and Zhao Ningying both looked up at him. Feng Miao raised his eyes to the ceiling and pointed as he said, “In heaven there is dragon meat, on earth there is donkey meat1. I didn’t even dare eat any, but Your Highness had quite a lot.”
Qu Ning recalled that at midday, Feng Miao had procured some meat from who knows where, and she had indeed eaten quite a bit of it.
“Can you not eat donkey meat?” Qu Ning asked, puzzled.
Zhao Ningying withdrew her hand and chuckled softly. “It’s not that you can’t, but it’s best not to eat too much. It’ll cause internal heat2.”
Qu Ning nodded, silently noting this. She had actually thought she’d gotten a nosebleed from kissing Zhao Ningying. If that had been the case, it would have been truly pathetic.
“Go outside and have them release that maid,” Zhao Ningying said to Feng Miao.
When Qu Ning’s nosebleed had started, Feng Miao had come in and detained the maid. She was still being watched at this very moment.
They had thought it was poisoning, but after all that, it turned out to be from eating too much rich food.
Feng Miao bowed and withdrew. Qu Ning glanced at Zhao Ningying and said, “I made Ying-meimei worry.”
Zhao Ningying looked at her, the corner of her lip curving. “As long as Ning-jiejie is all right.”
Qu Ning nodded and followed as Zhao Ningying walked toward the dining table.
Zhao Ningying ladled soup and handed it to Qu Ning. “Even if it’s internal heat, you still need to eat. Later I’ll brew something to clear the heat for Ning-jiejie.”
Qu Ning looked down at the soup, smiled, and accepted it. She sat down with Zhao Ningying and began to eat.
Later, Zhao Ningying personally went out from the yamen to a medicine shop to fill a prescription. The medicine shopkeeper looked at the prescription Zhao Ningying handed over and smiled. “Miss, is this for your husband?”
Zhao Ningying merely smiled without answering. The shopkeeper briskly gathered the herbs, wrapped them up, and handed them to her. “Miss, your medicine is ready.”
Zhao Ningying fished copper coins from her pouch and paid the shopkeeper. She left the medicine shop and walked along the street, gazing up at the lantern light from the buildings lining the road, lost in thought for a few moments.
“Ying-meimei.” Qu Ning stood at the far end of the street, having been watching her for quite some time.
Zhao Ningying turned her head at the sound, and when she saw it was Qu Ning, her lips curved into a smile.
Qu Ning walked over quickly, following the direction Zhao Ningying had been gazing toward. There was nothing up there but lit lanterns.
Her chestnut-purple tunic set off Qu Ning’s skin to porcelain whiteness. She came to Zhao Ningying’s side and asked with a smile, “Why didn’t you call me to come along to fill the prescription?”
Zhao Ningying’s brows curved as she replied, “It wasn’t far.”
It truly wasn’t—just a few long streets away.
Qu Ning gazed at the way she looked when she smiled. In this moment, her heart and eyes were filled with nothing but Zhao Ningying. She reached out and naturally took Zhao Ningying’s fingers in her own, her other hand taking the medicine Zhao Ningying was carrying. “I’ll take you back.”
Zhao Ningying’s eyes went soft, and she left with Qu Ning.
Their steps were slower than before, as though they were deliberately slowing their pace. The people here lived well, and the night life was rich and leisurely.
The two strolled along the long street. Though they spoke occasionally, they were mostly silent. Qu Ning liked holding Zhao Ningying’s hand like this. If she could, she wished this road would never end.
After returning to the yamen’s rear courtyard, Zhao Ningying ordered someone to prepare a stove in the kitchen for brewing the medicine.
Qu Ning’s body needed to clear the heat. The food she had eaten contained not just donkey meat but also some added medicinal herbs. If the heat wasn’t cleared, she would likely get nosebleeds again.
She was, after all, of golden branches and jade leaves3—imperial lineage—and had no need for tonics at all. Zhao Ningying held a fan in hand, bent over, and lifted the coarse-cloth-wrapped lid of the medicine pot.
She fanned away the rising steam, sniffed the aroma, set the fan aside, and lifted the pot with both hands.
Zhao Ningying strained out the dregs, yielding a single bowl of medicinal broth.
As Zhao Ningying prepared to carry the medicine over, she sensed movement behind her. Before she could turn around, a pair of arms drew her into a warm, soft embrace.
“Thank you for brewing medicine for me, Ying-meimei. You’ve worked hard.” Qu Ning wrapped her arms around Zhao Ningying.
Zhao Ningying turned to look at Qu Ning. Seeing the tender longing in her eyes, she curved her lips and said, “The medicine still needs to cool a while.”
Qu Ning knew that, of course. It was just that from the moment she entered the kitchen, she had wanted to hold Zhao Ningying. And deep in her heart, she knew one embrace wouldn’t be enough.
That interrupted kiss lingered on her mind endlessly. Right now, she wanted to taste it again.
Zhao Ningying slowly turned around within Qu Ning’s embrace. Looking at the flame in her eyes, her earlier suspicion was confirmed.
“Is Ning-jiejie feeling unwell anywhere else?” Zhao Ningying asked.
Qu Ning showed a hint of confusion, shaking her head. “I don’t feel unwell. It’s just a bit hot in here.”
The stove hadn’t been extinguished yet, so of course it was warmer than outside.
Zhao Ningying turned, intending to stir the medicine so it would cool faster for Qu Ning to take. But the moment she turned, Qu Ning gently turned her back again.
Zhao Ningying felt a flicker of doubt, but Qu Ning’s gaze silenced any further questioning.
When those warm lips pressed against hers, Zhao Ningying closed her eyes.
A few days later.
After the deployment of garrison soldiers to their respective stations was completed, Qu Ning and Zhao Ningying began their return journey. Before returning to camp, they first went to the small town where Zhu Qianjie and the others were staying.
They had also sent someone ahead to notify Qiao Jin to come to the town.
By the time Zhao Ningying and Qu Ning arrived, Qiao Jin was already at the small residence.
As Zhao Ningying and Qu Ning entered the residence, they saw Zhu Qianjie running toward them at full speed. Zhu Qianjie was younger than both of them, having just reached jiji4—fifteen years of age. Zhao Ningying patted Zhu Qianjie, who had thrown her arms around her waist, and laughed. “You missed me this much after only a few days apart?”
Zhu Qianjie nodded vigorously. “I think about Ying-jiejie every single day.” Then she looked up at Qu Ning and added, “And Ning-jiejie too.”
Qu Ning heard herself tacked on as an afterthought, but she just smiled and didn’t take it to heart.
As they walked into the courtyard, Zhu Qianjie muttered, “You have no idea—every time Jin-jiejie arrives, those two disappear into their room.”
Zhu Qianjie shuddered with goosebumps at the thought of those two being all clingy and sweet with each other. “Can’t they just go out like a normal couple?”
Qu Ning glanced at Zhao Ningying upon hearing this. Weren’t they the same? Though they weren’t married, she had already claimed Zhao Ningying in her heart.
Zhao Ningying held Zhu Qianjie’s hand, her brows curving in a smile. “Mu-jiejie only gets to see Jin-jiejie once in a long while. Be a little understanding.”
“I know, but you haven’t seen them when they stand together—their eyes are only for each other…” Zhu Qianjie caught Qu Ning in her peripheral vision, noticed her gazing steadily at Zhao Ningying, and turned her head for a closer look.
Zhu Qianjie’s small brow furrowed. Never mind—better not to say any more.
These two beside her weren’t any better.
She had already heard from Qu Zhimu that these two were mutually in love as well.
The three reached the courtyard, where Qu Zhimu and Qiao Jin had already come out. They exchanged a few words in the courtyard, then went inside.
“I’ve already sent someone to the restaurant to order food and wine. It should arrive soon,” Qu Zhimu said, looking at everyone.
It had been hard enough to get everyone together—they had to have a proper drink. She no longer needed to nurse, so she could drink freely.
As they talked inside, Qiao Jin said, “Things have quieted down lately, but spring planting has begun, so I still need to visit the various counties to inspect.”
Qiao Jin’s talk was all about court affairs, but Qu Zhimu didn’t find it tiresome at all. She smiled and said, “Then wouldn’t I be able to come along with you?”
Qiao Jin smiled. “If Wife doesn’t mind the travel and hardship, you may come along.”
“Then, I…” Zhu Qianjie wanted to go too, but thinking about how those two only had eyes for each other when together, she turned to look at Zhao Ningying instead.
Zhao Ningying was sipping tea, and seeing Zhu Qianjie look her way, she smiled. “Jin-jiejie entrusted me with some matters earlier, and I should stay on top of them. Why don’t we all go together?”
With the garrison soldiers deployed outside the camp, she couldn’t help but worry. Though Zhao Ningying had already issued strict orders that anyone who violated military regulations while on deployment would face doubled punishment, she still couldn’t fully set her mind at ease.
Qiao Jin smiled. “That would be ideal.”
Zhu Qianjie was thrilled and hurried to refill Zhao Ningying’s water. Seeing the cup full, Zhao Ningying smiled at her, then turned to look at Qu Ning, who sat beside her. “Ning-jiejie, come along too.”
Qu Ning was still absorbed in the brief sting of displeasure from Zhao Ningying not inviting her along at first. Hearing this, she looked over and smiled. “If Ying-meimei is going, then naturally I’m going too.”
Zhao Ningying’s brows curved. The two gazed at each other, eyes holding varying degrees of tenderness.
Qu Zhimu watched the two talk and deliberately asked, “How far along are you two? After returning to the capital, can you tell the elders?”
Zhao Ningying’s expression was composed. She smiled but said nothing.
Qu Ning wanted to, but she remembered how she had begged Zhao Ningying for a chance, and Zhao Ningying had said she would give her an answer before they returned to the capital.
So a thread of anxiety wound through her heart.
Qu Zhimu knew Zhao Ningying’s thoughts—she had discussed it with her in detail before. Zhao Ningying did genuinely like Qu Ning, but it hadn’t yet reached the point where she couldn’t live without her.
Both the palm and back of the hand are flesh5—Qu Zhimu naturally hoped for a good outcome, but Zhao Ningying’s temperament was something neither she nor the family elders could easily sway.
Zhao Ningying might look like a docile, obedient child who only knew how to comply, but in her bones she yearned for freedom. She liked being free and unconstrained, unwilling to let anyone restrict her life—not even a beloved.
The author has something to say:
Qu Ning: “I see. If a lover won’t do, then a daughter it is.”
Zhao Ningying: “???”
I was just too sleepy today, so I’ll leave it at this for now. Finger heart~
Footnotes
- 天上龙肉，地下驴肉 | tian shang long rou, di xia lü rou | Traditional proverb praising donkey meat as the finest food on earth, comparable only to mythical dragon meat in heaven; also implies its rich, warming potency.
- 上火 | shanghuo | Traditional Chinese medicine concept of 'internal heat' caused by rich or potent foods, manifesting as nosebleeds, sore throat, or inflammation; treated with cooling herbal remedies.
- 金枝玉叶 | jin zhi yu ye | Literally 'golden branches and jade leaves,' a classical metaphor for imperial lineage or noble birth, emphasizing a precious, delicate constitution.
- 及笄 | jiji | Ancient coming-of-age ceremony for noble girls at age fifteen, when a hairpin is inserted to signify maturity and marriage eligibility.
- 手心手背都是肉 | shou xin shou bei dou shi rou | Idiom literally 'both palm and back of the hand are flesh,' meaning both parties are equally dear and one cannot choose between them.
0 Comments