The Prime Minister’s Daughter and the Marquis’s Fool – Chapter 107

Come, Zhao’er, meet your Maternal Uncle and Biaoge¹

The Crown Prince, not in court attire but in a set of dark, splendid robes, entered from the banquet hall’s doorway. Everyone in the room hurriedly stood up, preparing to leave their seats to greet him.

But as the Crown Prince entered, he raised a hand, signaling that they need not stand on ceremony.

So, the crowd simply stood where they were and bowed.

Lin Xizhao and Qu Sheng curtsied. The Crown Prince’s gaze swept the room, and his eyes lit up when he saw Lin Xizhao. Then, he noticed Qu Sheng beside her.

Qu Sheng was beautiful, but she had a dull and dazed look, lacking the spiritual aura of Prime Minister Lin’s daughter. The Crown Prince nodded and glanced back at the Hanlin Academy Scholar, Yan Fengwu.

Yan Fengwu smiled and followed, gesturing with an outstretched hand. “Your Highness, please take the head seat.”

The Crown Prince nodded and, guided by a servant, went to the host’s main seat.

Qu Sheng had never met the Crown Prince when she had entered the palace years ago. At that time, he was much older than her, and even a bit older than Lin Xizhao. Lin Xizhao had met him, but it had been many years since they had last seen each other.

“Please, everyone, be seated. Today, this palace² has come to congratulate Lord Yan on his birthday banquet. There is no need for excessive ceremony,” the Crown Prince said after sitting down, gesturing for the guests to take their seats.

Once the guests were seated, Yan Fengwu took the wine offered by a nearby maidservant and raised his cup to the crowd. “Thank you, my lords, for bringing your families to attend this subordinate official’s³ birthday banquet. I have prepared some simple wine today; I hope you will not find it lacking.”

“Not at all, not at all. The wine from Lord Yan’s residence is worth a thousand pieces of gold. It is truly our good fortune to be invited to drink with His Highness the Crown Prince.”

“Indeed, Lord Yan, you are too modest. The wine from your residence is something we can usually only drink at a palace banquet. We must be basking in His Highness’s light today.”

The invited officials chimed in one after another, and the banquet hall filled with laughter.

Listening to the guests’ words, Yan Fengwu looked at the Crown Prince with a smile in his eyes. Seeing that they had all guessed, the Crown Prince also stood up. “This wine was indeed purchased with my own private silver. My lords, please drink your fill. There is more than enough!”

As he spoke, the Crown Prince raised his wine cup, and the crowd rose to their feet as well.

Lin Xizhao also stood and took a small sip. As the Crown Prince drank, his gaze swept over the crowd, pausing for a moment when it passed over Lin Xizhao.

After everyone was seated again, the Crown Prince addressed Lin Xizhao. “Xizhao-meimei⁴, we have not seen each other for many years. Why have you not come to the palace?”

After Liang shi’s death, Lin Xizhao had rarely entered the palace. The few times the Empress had summoned her, she had only stayed for a short while before leaving, and the Crown Prince had not had a chance to see her.

Lin Xizhao smiled faintly and nodded. “Her Majesty the Empress works tirelessly managing the inner palace. Xizhao would not dare to disturb her often.”

The Crown Prince nodded, seemingly unconcerned with her words. His gaze on Lin Xizhao was so intense that Qu Sheng, sitting beside her, shot him a cold glance.

As the banquet began, musicians started playing elegant, unobtrusive music that did not hinder conversation. People from the smaller tables began to rise one by one to approach the main table and offer a toast to the Crown Prince.

Lin Xirui also stood up. After a few words of instruction from Lin Xizhao, he walked over gracefully. When the person before him had finished their toast, Lin Xirui stepped before the main table and said, “Lin Xirui, son of the Prime Minister, has come especially to offer a toast to Your Highness and Uncle Yan. Thank you, Your Highness, for providing this fine wine, and thank you, Uncle Yan, for today’s invitation.”

Lin Xirui held no official post, but he understood the dignity of the Heir Apparent⁵. The host clearly intended for the Crown Prince to outshine him, but he could not be impolite and toast only the Crown Prince. Lin Xizhao had just taught him these words for the toast.

The two men listened to Lin Xirui’s words, exchanged a glance, and raised their cups to drink the wine.

The Crown Prince said nothing more, but Yan Fengwu spoke. “I have heard that Worthy Nephew⁶ passed the examination in one go last year. Why did you not have the Lord Prime Minister find you an official position?”

Hearing this, Lin Xirui maintained his humble demeanor and replied, “Replying to Uncle, My Father intends for Xirui to test again.”

“Oh? So the Lord Prime Minister wishes for Worthy Nephew to become a top scholar⁷, just like him?” Yan Fengwu’s expression was somewhat exaggerated, as if he had just had a great realization.

Lin Xirui’s attitude remained unchanged, as if he could not see through Yan Fengwu’s deliberate words. He said humbly, “The talent of a top scholar is one in ten thousand. Xirui is untalented and would not dare to hope for such a thing.”

Yan Fengwu had also once been a top scholar.

Hearing Lin Xirui’s reply, which praised his own father, the birthday star, and humbled himself all at once, the Crown Prince could not help but look at him a few more times.

“Young people must dare to think and dare to act. You can certainly aspire to be a top scholar. Haha, Worthy Nephew, please return to your seat.” Yan Fengwu was pleased, finding Lin Xirui’s words agreeable.

On his way back to his seat, Lin Xirui looked at his sister from afar. Lin Xizhao had taught him almost all of this yesterday, and she had prepared many other lines for him to use later with the other officials at the banquet.

Lin Xizhao smiled faintly and nodded. After Lin Xirui returned, she poured him a little wine and said, “Well done.”

She had heard everything.

Hearing his sister’s praise, Lin Xirui pursed his lips in a smile and looked toward Qu Sheng.

Qu Sheng was just as before, eating whatever Lin Xizhao gave her. She had nearly finished all the fruit and pastries on the table.

“Let me give this to Sheng-meimei,” Lin Xirui said, wanting to pass the plate of pastries in front of him to Qu Sheng.

Lin Xizhao quickly replied, “There is no need. Sheng’er cannot eat too much.” Lin Xizhao was keeping track of how much she ate, afraid that she would overdo her act and actually make herself sick.

Hearing this, Lin Xirui’s hand, which had been pushing the plate forward to curry favor with Qu Sheng, froze. He looked at his sister, his expression a little dejected.

Qu Sheng sat silently to the side, her head lowered, but her peripheral vision was fixed on the distant Crown Prince and Yan Fengwu.

Yan Fengwu is just a Hanlin Academy Scholar with no real power. For the Crown Prince to attend such an occasion in person… it is truly difficult to fathom what Yan Fengwu is trying to do.

As Qu Sheng pondered, Yan Fengwu, at the head table, clapped his hands, and the conversations among the guests ceased.

“Today, I have prepared a song and dance performance for your enjoyment.”

As Yan Fengwu’s words fell, a group of dancing girls entered from outside. They were dressed in thin gauze skirts that were not revealing.

The dancing girls swayed gracefully to the music. While enjoying the performance, Lin Xizhao subconsciously glanced at Qu Sheng.

Qu Sheng was not watching the performance. Instead, the song and dance reminded her of the day Lin Xizhao had danced alone before her.

Lin Xizhao met Qu Sheng’s somewhat feverish gaze, froze for a moment, then reached out under the table to take her hand.

This is a banquet hall.

Feeling Lin Xizhao’s gentle squeeze on her fingertips, Qu Sheng lowered her head to look at their intertwined hands.

When Qu Sheng looked up again, she caught Lin Xirui in her peripheral vision, also staring down at their joined hands.

Qu Sheng turned to look at Lin Xirui. Seeing Qu Sheng’s gaze shift, Lin Xizhao followed it.

Noticing them both looking at him, Lin Xirui gave a slightly unnatural smile and turned his head to watch the dancing girls in the main hall.

Seeing Lin Xirui’s expression just now, Lin Xizhao’s heart began to pound with anxiety. She had a feeling that Lin Xirui had figured something out.

The dances and music changed one after another as the guests chatted and drank freely. Before long, the female singers were replaced by men performing a sword dance.

The swords were wooden, but their edges were still sharp. As Qu Sheng watched, she observed the sword dancers. None of them were embroidered pillows⁸.

The leader wore a mask, and his movements were much sharper than the others. Qu Sheng glanced at the main table and saw that both Yan Fengwu and the Crown Prince were intently watching the sword dance. She lowered her head and thought for a moment.

Just as Qu Sheng lowered her head, the masked sword dancer, holding his wooden sword, was lifted by the arms of the man beneath him and sent flying toward their table.

The sword stopped right in front of Qu Sheng, startling Lin Xizhao so much that she nearly threw herself onto Qu Sheng.

Qu Sheng did not look at the sword dancer again. Instead, she turned her gaze to Lin Xizhao, who was already leaning over as if to shield her, and the corners of her lips curved up.

In front of everyone, in broad daylight, to attempt an assassination on a person known to be a fool… what is the meaning of this?

After the sword stopped, the dancer quickly turned and moved away. The men behind him resumed their coordinated dance.

Lin Xizhao’s face was pale from the shock. Qu Sheng shifted her cushion and moved closer to her. Lin Xizhao’s fingers, holding Qu Sheng’s hand, trembled slightly. Having experienced so many assassination attempts, she had been genuinely terrified just now.

After the sword dance ended, the men bowed to the crowd, but Qu Sheng did not spare them another glance.

Yan Fengwu then leaned over and whispered something to the Crown Prince, who was still seated beside him.

Hearing his words, the Crown Prince looked at Yan Fengwu with a smile.

“Next, I invite you all to move to this subordinate official’s courtyard, where a thousand lanterns have been lit and roasted meat has been prepared for you,” Yan Fengwu announced as the banquet hall emptied, inviting the guests to the courtyard.

Everyone stood up at his words.

Lin Xizhao was still unsettled from the earlier scare. Lin Xirui stood and helped her up, then glanced at Qu Sheng.

Qu Sheng stood up on her own as soon as Lin Xizhao was on her feet.

Lin Xizhao turned to take Qu Sheng’s hand, her grip tightening slightly. Qu Sheng squeezed back, offering a small measure of comfort to Lin Xizhao’s frightened heart.

The entire banquet hall followed Yan Fengwu and the Crown Prince to the courtyard. After several turns through a winding corridor, they soon entered a courtyard with an arched gate.

The first thing they saw was a dazzling display of lanterns. Gasps of amazement rose from the crowd. The thousand lanterns made the courtyard as bright as day.

The courtyard was filled with all kinds of flowers and plants. Between the flowerbeds, a chef stood at every interval, roasting meat. The aroma of meat and flowers mingled in a peculiar way.

“Your Highness, this way, please,” Yan Fengwu said, inviting the Crown Prince to enter and be seated first.

Servants from the Yan Residence led the Crown Prince forward while Yan Fengwu entertained the other guests, guiding them inside. Each family was led to their seats by a servant.

As Lin Xizhao and Qu Sheng followed the servant, they casually surveyed the layout. The area was surrounded by water channels, seemingly for the flowers and plants. In the distance were several rockeries and a lotus pond that rivaled the one in the Lin Residence.

The lotuses were already beginning to bloom, clearly visible under the brilliant lights.

Once everyone was seated, the chefs began to serve the roasted meat on the small tables prepared for the guests, carving it for them.

Lin Xizhao, still shaken, had no appetite and only ate a few bites. Lin Xirui ate a respectable amount. Qu Sheng, however, just sat there and kept eating.

Seeing how much Qu Sheng enjoyed the food, the chef smiled and carved a few extra pieces for her.

Before long, the song and dance performance began again. Accompanied by melodious music, dancing girls twirled among the small flowerbeds by each table, making the guests feel as if they had entered a fairyland compared to the ordinary setting before.

“Sheng’er, you cannot eat any more,” Lin Xizhao said, placing a hand on Qu Sheng’s to stop her from putting more meat in her mouth.

If she did not stop her, there was no telling how much more the chef would give her.

Qu Sheng looked up at Lin Xizhao and put down the piece of meat on her chopsticks. Seeing Qu Sheng sit there obediently, Lin Xizhao’s lips curved into a smile, her eyes filled with an unconcealable affection.

Their eyes met for a moment before Lin Xirui coughed lightly from the side. “If Sheng-meimei is not eating, give it to me.”

He had not eaten much at the banquet earlier. Although he still did not have much of an appetite, the aroma of roasted meat was tempting. The other guests were eating, and it would be rude to seem disdainful.

Before Lin Xizhao or Qu Sheng could respond, he reached over and took the plate from in front of Qu Sheng.

Lin Xirui ate the roasted meat while enjoying the performance.

The courtyard was filled with merriment. During a break in the performance, Yan Fengwu once again toasted the crowd. “Thank you, my lords, for bringing your families to celebrate with this subordinate official. A small performance for tonight, I hope you all enjoy yourselves to the fullest.”

After the toast, Yan Fengwu began to converse with the Crown Prince.

The courtyard was too large, and the music provided cover. No one could hear what they were saying.

Qu Sheng had come here to see what Yan Fengwu was planning. But aside from a normal reception, there seemed to be no other motive.

They stayed for about half a shichen. Everyone had eaten and drunk their fill. Although the chefs still had plenty of meat, the guests were too full to eat any more after the first round.

However, it was still early, and leaving now would spoil the mood. The guests looked at each other, none wanting to be the first to leave.

Especially since the Crown Prince had not yet departed, no one dared to stand up and say their farewells.

This was Lin Xirui’s first time attending such an official banquet. Although he had met many important court officials, tasted fine wine, and enjoyed the performances, it was not as comfortable as being at the restaurant with Qu Sheng and his sister.

Lin Xirui finished Qu Sheng’s plate of meat and another one of his own before he could eat no more. Seeing the chef beside him still roasting meat, he whispered, “Master, you do not need to roast any more. You can rest for a while.”

The chef looked at the two young ladies and the young master, who clearly could not eat any more, but his hands did not stop.

The master told me to keep roasting. How could I dare to stop?

When Qu Sheng heard Lin Xirui’s words, she watched the chef. A moment later, she glanced at the people around them. The other guests were just as full as they were and had no desire to pick up their chopsticks again, yet the chefs beside them… just like the one in front of them, were still roasting relentlessly.

Qu Sheng pondered for a few moments and looked up at the moonless, starry sky.

This is the capital city. Nothing should be drawn here.

But just as she thought this, a strange bird call echoed from the sky. The sound was vast and lingering, and judging by its volume, it was no ordinary bird.

The crowd looked up in surprise. A black object was gliding through the air. The bright lights below seemed to deter it from descending.

Just as the shocked crowd thought this was another amusement prepared by the Yan Residence, the large black bird swooped down from the sky at an incredible speed…

Everyone jumped up in terror to get out of the way. Qu Sheng pulled Lin Xizhao into her arms, wary of the bird’s movements.

As the bird descended, the guests below were so frightened their legs went weak. Some scrambled through the flowerbeds, while others tumbled aside.

The large bird devoured the meat on a table in a few bites, then flew toward another spot. This time, it targeted Qu Sheng’s table.

Seeing the bird flapping its wings, Qu Sheng grabbed Lin Xizhao and ran, but Lin Xirui was frozen in place by fear.

“Xirui!”

Held by Qu Sheng, Lin Xizhao saw the terrified Lin Xirui standing motionless and wanted to go back to pull him. Qu Sheng also turned back at that moment and, seeing him rooted to the spot, had no choice but to reverse course. She grabbed Lin Xirui’s sleeve, and the three of them rolled to the side.

They watched as the large bird smashed their table and chairs to pieces. Lying on the ground, Lin Xirui finally snapped out of it and scrambled to his feet, helping to pull up both Lin Xizhao and Qu Sheng.

The three of them ran toward the lotus pond, thinking they would be safe there without any meat, but another black bird, twice the size of the first, swooped down toward them.

By now, the entire courtyard was in chaos. Qu Sheng led Lin Xizhao and the others to a rockery, where she discovered a cave opening.

In a flash of insight, Qu Sheng suddenly remembered that the servants of the Yan Residence used this entrance to fetch things. There must be fresh meat stored inside.

“We cannot go in!” Qu Sheng pulled Lin Xizhao and continued running forward. Hearing her voice, Lin Xirui followed close behind.

Two more large black birds had appeared in the courtyard, and many people had been injured. Lin Xizhao and Qu Sheng ran toward the lotus pond, but as they reached the edge, the bird followed them.

Qu Sheng frowned, unable to understand why the bird was ignoring the raw meat and chasing them instead.

At that moment, apart from the Crown Prince’s guards and the servants of the Yan Residence trying to fend off the birds, no guards from the Yan Residence had arrived.

Mulling over these questions, Qu Sheng soon guessed that the birds were after them specifically. She glanced back at the lotus pond, then at Lin Xirui.

We have to separate, or this bird will keep chasing us.

Qu Sheng held Lin Xizhao tightly and said to Lin Xirui, “Split up and run.”

Lin Xirui just stood there, stunned. A moment later, the bird flapped its wings and flew toward them. Seeing Lin Xirui frozen, Qu Sheng, still holding Lin Xizhao, shoved him to the side. The bird missed and fell into the lotus pond.

But the water in the pond was not deep. It thrashed a couple of times and flew up again, heading straight for Lin Xirui.

Seeing this, Qu Sheng had no time for words. She released Lin Xizhao and ran toward Lin Xirui. She grabbed his sleeve and pulled him forward. They soon reached the winding corridor, and as they navigated it, Qu Sheng told Lin Xirui to keep running. She took the opportunity to circle behind the bird, and when the moment was right, she drew the dagger from her waist, leaped onto the bird’s back, wrapped her arms around its massive neck, and pierced its throat.

The bird began to thrash wildly, scattering feathers throughout the corridor. After striking, Qu Sheng quickly dismounted and retreated a few steps.

The bird would not die immediately, but it had lost the will to attack. Qu Sheng glanced down the corridor at the still-running Lin Xirui, then turned and ran back.

Lin Xizhao is still there.

Qu Sheng ran back the way she came, through the arched gate, and looked toward the spot where they had separated, but Lin Xizhao was nowhere to be seen.

The servants in the courtyard, armed with clubs, had already killed the smaller bird, but two remained. And those two were no longer in the garden.

As Qu Sheng searched, she looked up toward the sky above the lotus pond.

The two birds were circling overhead while the terrified guests watched from a distance.

Qu Sheng ran into the courtyard, searching for a long time without finding any sign of Lin Xizhao. Then she remembered the ripples she had seen in the lotus pond earlier.

“Xizhao!”

Ignoring the stares of others, Qu Sheng flew toward the lotus pond. The moment she landed, the two birds began to dive toward her.

Without a second thought, Qu Sheng jumped into the pond. She had thought it was shallow, but the moment she entered, she was completely submerged.

Mud from the bottom began to churn upwards. Qu Sheng opened her eyes for an instant before being forced to shut them again, but in that single glance, she saw Lin Xizhao in the water.

Qu Sheng swam toward Lin Xizhao. The moment she reached her, she pulled the struggling, frantic Lin Xizhao into her arms, passed half of her own breath to her, and then they began to swim upward.

As they broke the surface, Qu Sheng looked up at the black birds in the sky. Just as they swooped down, she held Lin Xizhao and started swimming toward the shore.

Qu Sheng helped Lin Xizhao onto the bank, and the birds began to dive toward them again.

As one bird descended, Qu Sheng pushed off the edge of the pond, vaulted up, and rolled with Lin Xizhao in her arms, dodging the bird’s outstretched talons.

Lin Xizhao gasped for air. Only when the bird flew up again did she get a clear look at Qu Sheng beside her.

“Go,” Qu Sheng said, helping Lin Xizhao to her feet and giving her a push.

At that moment, the other large bird swooped down, diving right for their position.

Although the area was brightly lit, the black bird was hard to see when it was high above in the night sky.

But Qu Sheng’s eyes were better in the dark than the bird’s.

As the bird descended and was about to reach her, Qu Sheng dodged to the side, used the rockery wall as a foothold, and leaped onto its back.

Because this bird was larger and had failed to catch its prey, it began to fly upward.

Qu Sheng saw the bird ascending. If she did not kill it now, she would be carried into the sky, where one misstep would mean her body would be crushed to pieces⁹.

In an instant, Qu Sheng made her choice. She plunged the dagger from her waist through the bird’s feathers, deep into its body, and carved a long gash.

Immediately, blood spread across the bird’s back, soaking Qu Sheng’s clothes. The bird could no longer fly and tumbled to the ground with Qu Sheng.

The bird thrashed and rolled, and no one dared to approach.

As the bird rolled, Lin Xizhao saw Qu Sheng still clinging tightly to it. In that moment, she felt like she was about to break down.

Lin Xizhao ran toward the rolling bird and Qu Sheng. By the time she reached them, the bird’s movements were gradually slowing.

When the bird let out a final, weak cry, Qu Sheng released her grip.

“Sheng’er…” Lin Xizhao, at a loss, reached out to help Qu Sheng up, her voice trembling. “Sheng’er…”

Qu Sheng lay on the ground, gasping for breath. She looked at the approaching Lin Xizhao and was about to offer a reassuring smile when she saw another bird diving from the sky. She abruptly pulled Lin Xizhao into her arms and rolled to the side. The bird let out a cry of pain and flew into the distance.

Just then, Feng Qi arrived with their people, bow in hand. A panicked Lin Xirui stood behind them.

It was Lin Xirui who had run into Feng Qi in the Yan Residence. Hearing the commotion, Feng Qi had ignored the servants’ attempts to stop them, fought their way through, and rushed over.

“Miss, Eldest Miss, are you all right?”

Qu Sheng and Lin Xizhao were still holding each other. Qu Sheng seemed to be injured; she stumbled when she was helped to her feet.

Lin Xizhao held Qu Sheng, looking at the bloodstains on her clothes, on the verge of tears. “Find a doctor! Find a doctor!”

The officials attending the banquet, though frightened, had all witnessed the scene. The girl who had been called a fool since childhood had just killed a giant bird.

Qu Sheng did not look at the people around her. She had already figured out that this was a deliberate act, and the person behind it was Yan Fengwu.

Several large birds, chasing no one else, had been drawn to the three of them as if they carried something that attracted them.

“Let us go back,” Qu Sheng said, her voice weak from exhaustion.

If she had not held onto the bird’s back feathers for dear life, she would have been killed by its talons as it thrashed.

Feng Qi picked Qu Sheng up and scanned the courtyard. The people there stared back, but not a single one dared to step forward.

The Crown Prince and Yan Fengwu stood together, protected by the Crown Prince’s guards.

The others looked on, their expressions a mixture of shock and strangeness as they watched Qu Sheng.

The three of them left the Yan Residence without a word of farewell.

Today’s hongmen banquet¹⁰… it seemed they would have to eat a mute’s loss¹¹.

Lin Xizhao held Qu Sheng in the carriage. By the time they returned to the residence, Qu Sheng could walk on her own, though she still looked weak.

Cheng Xi and Xiao Bingying were still at the residence. As soon as Qu Sheng returned, Feng Qi went to fetch them.

Cheng Xi examined Qu Sheng’s injuries and took her pulse. “It is nothing serious,” she said. “She is just extremely weak, with a few bruises on her back. I will prescribe some medicine to clear the bruising, and she will be fine in a few days.”

Hearing Cheng Xi’s diagnosis, Lin Xizhao finally breathed a sigh of relief.

“How did you two end up like this?” Their clothes were soaked, they smelled of mud, and Qu Sheng was covered in blood that was not her own.

Lin Xizhao recounted what had happened at the banquet hall. Cheng Xi lowered her eyes and thought for a moment before asking, “The meat you ate, was it the same as what everyone else had?”

Cheng Xi’s question made Qu Sheng try to recall. She had not eaten the meat, so she could not say what it tasted like, but she had to eat something.

“The meat we ate… was it the meat of those birds’ companions?”

Lin Xizhao had read many travelogues, which often recorded strange and unusual events. One book had mentioned that if you ate the flesh of these creatures, your body would emit a scent that could last for a whole day.

The birds would seek out and attack any animal—or person—that had consumed their kin.

But how could such birds be in the city, and…

In a moment of clarity, Lin Xizhao figured it out. These birds were raised by Yan Fengwu. He was afraid they would not be able to find us, so he deliberately roasted large amounts of meat in the courtyard to attract them.

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The next morning, many officials came to the Marquis Qu’s Residence, all to visit Qu Sheng. Some who were injured and could not come themselves sent their wives instead.

Yesterday, when the large bird had attacked Qu Sheng, they had all stood by, wisely protecting themselves¹², not one of them stepping forward to help.

Fearing Qu Jinian’s resentment, they had come to pay a visit. But Qu Sheng refused to see any of them, leaving Jin Yunfei to receive them.

However, around noon, the Crown Prince arrived.

The Crown Prince had not wanted to come, but he had told the Empress what had happened, and she had ordered him to. When he inherited the throne, he would still need the support of the Qu family. Even if they did not help him, he could not let them hold a grudge against him.

When the Crown Prince arrived, Qu Sheng claimed illness and refused to see him, but he insisted on seeing Lin Xizhao.

Qu Sheng frowned. Feng Qi, seeing her reaction, was about to report that Lin Xizhao was not there when Lin Xizhao spoke up. “I will go.”

She was not injured. It would be unconvincing to lie and say she was. Besides, her presence at the Marquis Qu’s Residence was no secret; anyone could find out with a little inquiry. Such a deception could lead to trouble.

“Do not worry, it will be fine.” She had known the Crown Prince since childhood; he would not do anything to her.

Qu Sheng did not reply, but she stood up. “I will accompany Jiejie.” She was still worried.

Lin Xizhao sighed. Qu Sheng only had a few bruises and was physically fine, so she had no choice but to let her come along.

The two of them went to the main courtyard’s reception hall. Qu Jinian was also there. Because the Crown Prince had come, all the men of the Marquis Qu’s Residence were present.

But besides the Qu family and the Crown Prince, there were two strangers in the room.

“Xizhao greets His Highness the Crown Prince,” Lin Xizhao said, entering the hall and curtsying to him.

“Xizhao-meimei, please rise. There is no need for such formality between us.” The Crown Prince’s eyes had been fixed on Lin Xizhao from the moment she entered.

Lin Xizhao nodded, bowed to the elders, and then gave a simple nod to the two guests in the hall.

“Paternal Aunt, who is this?” one of the strangers, a young man, asked Jin Yunfei.

Jin Yunfei smiled. “This is my adopted daughter, the legitimate daughter of the Prime Minister Lin’s Residence, named Xizhao.”

“Come, Zhao’er, meet your Maternal Uncle and Biaoge.”

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The author has something to say:

Qu Sheng: “One annoying person was not enough, now there are two. How annoying!”

Lin Xizhao: “……”

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