The Prime Minister’s Daughter and the Marquis’s Fool – Chapter 14

Right, Just Keep Running Like That

After Feng Qi left, Qu Sheng returned to Lin Xizhao’s boudoir and ate all the remaining water chestnut cakes. Ever since Lin Xizhao’s birth mother passed away, Qu Sheng had often stayed over in this room, so it could be considered half her residence.

After Qu Sheng finished the water chestnut cakes, a maidservant from the Prime Minister’s Manor came to the courtyard and led her to the hall where Lin Xizhao was holding her hair-pinning ceremony.

Qu Sheng had a delicate and lovely appearance. Because she had always practiced martial arts, she had no excess fat on her body despite her love for eating. However, only the Qu family and Lin Xizhao’s group knew about her martial arts training.

At this moment, Lin Xizhao was performing the Rite of Bowing¹. After being led over, Qu Sheng scanned the surrounding guests but did not see Zhao Jiayu. Remembering Lin Xizhao’s prior instruction not to run around, she stood obediently among the guests and watched the ceremony.

During a pause in the Rite of Bowing, Lin Xizhao caught sight of her from the corner of her eye. She turned her head and generously curved her eyes into a smile for her.

Today, Lin Xizhao’s charm was tinged with a hint of mature grace. Her every frown and every smile² was imprinted on Qu Sheng’s little heart, causing the corners of her lips to unconsciously lift.

“Look at that fool. What is she smiling about?” someone whispered among the guests.

“Shh, don’t speak carelessly. Everyone is watching.”

Someone’s voice hushed the speaker.

Although Qu Sheng was a fool in the eyes of outsiders, she was still Qu Jinian’s daughter. Even the powerful and influential figures in the imperial court would not dare to offend her easily.

However, there was someone who had always regarded her as a nail in the eye³, even though it was no longer possible for Qu Sheng to become the Crown Princess.

State Uncle Cheng’s precious daughter, Cheng Mianrong, had also come to observe the ceremony today. Gazing at Qu Sheng’s back, she reached out, picked up a date from a nearby table, and, while no one was paying attention, tossed it at Qu Sheng’s shoulder.

Struck by something, Qu Sheng subconsciously turned to look, but her gaze followed the date as it fell to the ground.

Qu Sheng bent down, picked up the date from the floor, wiped it on her clothes, and was about to pop it into her mouth with a smile when Zhao Jiayu’s voice sounded in her ear.

“Xiao Sheng’er.” Zhao Jiayu was quick, directly grabbing the hand Qu Sheng was using to hold the date.

Seeing Zhao Jiayu hurry over, Qu Sheng looked at her with confusion.

“I have other tasty things here. Do you want some?”

Hearing this, Qu Sheng was skeptical and looked down at the date in her hand again. Seeing that her trick had failed, Zhao Jiayu whispered in her ear, “If you dare eat that, I’ll tell Xizhao.”

Lin Xizhao never let her eat things she picked up off the ground.

Upon hearing Lin Xizhao’s name, Qu Sheng’s gaze wavered for a moment, and she loosened her grip on the date. Zhao Jiayu took the date from her hand and glanced towards Cheng Mianrong.

Cheng Mianrong, who had been wearing a triumphant smile, was interrupted by Zhao Jiayu and shot her a glare, fuming.

Zhao Jiayu did not show any weakness. She flicked the date in her hand, and it accurately struck Cheng Mianrong’s leg. Knowing she was in the wrong, Cheng Mianrong let out a muffled grunt when hit by the date but didn’t dare to make a sound, only glaring viciously at Zhao Jiayu once more.

Ever since the day Qu Sheng had injured Cheng Mianrong with an arrow, the Zhao family had maintained a good relationship with the Qu family. Qu Jinian had also helped General Zhao a great deal in the imperial court, and the two families now interacted frequently. The Zhao Jiayu of today was no longer as frail as she once was. Even with two or three guards by her side, Cheng Mianrong was no match for her. No matter how arrogant Cheng Mianrong was at this moment, she did not dare to confront Zhao Jiayu head-on.

After Lin Xizhao’s Rite of Bowing was completed, she listened to the elders’ admonitions and performed the final salutations, concluding the hair-pinning ceremony.

If not for attending Lin Xizhao’s ceremony today, Qu Sheng would have long since been unable to sit still. After Lin Xizhao finished the rites, the manor’s servants invited everyone to the banquet. Seizing this opportunity, Zhao Jiayu pulled the other two out of the manor.

“Jiayu, where are we going?” Lin Xizhao asked, holding Qu Sheng’s hand as she followed behind Zhao Jiayu, not knowing what pass she was trying to sell⁴.

Zhao Jiayu turned her head upon hearing the question and said, “Let’s get on the carriage first.”

Lin Xizhao looked at the carriage before them; it belonged to the Xiao Manor. The two of them followed Zhao Jiayu onto the carriage, and before long, they had passed through the city gates.

Qu Sheng curiously lifted the carriage curtain to look outside. It was just the beginning of summer, and the branches and leaves outside were fresh and new. Qu Sheng lowered the curtain, seeming to already know what Zhao Jiayu had prepared for Lin Xizhao.

“Miss Cousin, we’ve arrived.” The Xiao family servant driving the horse stopped the carriage.

Hearing this, Zhao Jiayu pushed open the front door of the carriage. After Qu Sheng got off, she turned back, extended her hand, and helped Lin Xizhao down.

Lin Xizhao stared at the few horses not far ahead, stunned for a moment, and said, “Where did you get these?” Although Lin Xizhao was not overly delicate, she had never ridden a horse. Also, because her mother had died from falling off a horse, she had developed a fear of riding.

Dressed in a blue-gray, tight-sleeved dress, Xiao Bingying led a horse over slowly. Seeing the three of them standing together, she asked with a gentle expression, “Xizhao, do you want to give it a try?”

Hearing this, Lin Xizhao felt some resistance, but she felt a force from her fingers. Qu Sheng looked at her, tightening her grip on her hand.

“Try. I’m here,” Qu Sheng said, her tone slightly slow.

Lin Xizhao looked at Qu Sheng. Perhaps she should be bolder. Horse riding was something she would have to learn sooner or later, and she shouldn’t remain afraid of it because of her mother’s death.

Lin Xizhao struggled internally for a few moments, but seeing the determination in Qu Sheng’s eyes, she nodded.

Under Qu Sheng’s guidance, Lin Xizhao quickly got used to riding. Although she couldn’t gallop like Zhao Jiayu, she no longer felt an innate fear.

Qu Sheng’s gaze never left Lin Xizhao for a single moment after she mounted the horse, only retracting it when Lin Xizhao dismounted.

Lin Xizhao held Qu Sheng’s hand, while Zhao Jiayu and Xiao Bingying followed behind, leading their horses. The four of them took a casual stroll in the outskirts.

Zhao Jiayu joked that Qu Sheng and Lin Xizhao were like twin sisters, always form and shadow not separating⁵, unwilling to even let go of each other’s hands. Lin Xizhao merely smiled at this.

Logically, her friendship with Zhao Jiayu should have been deeper than her bond with Qu Sheng. But ever since her mother’s death, she suddenly felt that Qu Sheng had become a ray of light in her shadows, a feeling that persisted to this day.

On the night Lin Xizhao’s birth mother died in a fall from a horse, Qu Sheng did not leave the Prime Minister’s Manor after classes ended. She stayed by Lin Xizhao’s side.

Whenever Lin Xizhao had a nightmare, dreaming of her mother covered in blood, there was always someone watching over her through the night, pulling her into a small embrace the moment she woke up in terror.

Qu Sheng didn’t speak much, but her every action and glance soothed her, telling her not to be afraid.

After walking in the outskirts for a while, people from the Xiao Manor came to ask Xiao Bingying to return.

Ever since Xiao Bingying was beaten that one time, and Zhao Jiayu had clashed with Cheng Mianrong over it, the Zhao family’s attitude had hardened. They had taken Xiao Bingying into the Zhao Manor, and she only returned to the Xiao Manor after her hair-pinning ceremony last year.

“He can just find an instructor to teach him, why must he ask you to do it?” The messenger from the Xiao Manor said that the Second Young Master of the family wanted Xiao Bingying to teach him martial arts. Zhao Jiayu frowned, very reluctant.

“It’s fine. I’ll head back first. You all should head back soon too.” Xiao Bingying seemed to have no temper. She treated Zhao Jiayu like a real younger sister, so naturally, she treated those in the Xiao Manor as her real younger brothers.

After Xiao Bingying left, the remaining three did not stay any longer. By the time they returned to the manor, most of the guests had already left. And someone from the Qu family had come to ask Qu Sheng to return to her own manor for a matter.

Two shichen⁶ after Qu Sheng left, the sky had already darkened. Qu Sheng had said she would be back tonight, but when she didn’t return after a long time, Lin Xizhao began to worry.

Lin Xizhao had someone prepare a horse, intending to go to Marquis Qu’s Manor personally to bring Qu Sheng back.

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The Bei Qiao Street⁷ of the Capital City was adjacent to a long, narrow river. Under the dim moonlight, Qu Sheng held a bow and arrow in one hand, a slight smile playing on her lips as she whispered, “Right, just keep running like that.”

In the darkness, objects that were indistinct to others were as clear as day to Qu Sheng’s eyes. She watched the figure running desperately ahead. The moment he turned his head, she released the bowstring. The arrow flew out, one arrow to seal the throat⁸.

“Sheng’er, what are you doing here?” While passing through this section of the road, Lin Xizhao spotted a figure resembling Qu Sheng standing in the distance under the dim moonlight. She had her carriage stopped and got out to investigate, just in time to see Qu Sheng right after she had shot the arrow.

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The author has something to say:

Jiang Huaiyuan: “Good fellow⁹, so my wife’s night vision and throat-sealing kills are actually inherited!”

Qu Sheng: “Ahem, good things should naturally be passed down.”

Huo Qing (Qu Jiao): “…”

Lin Xizhao: “…”

I’ve changed Qu Sheng’s age at this point to eleven.

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