The Prime Minister’s Daughter and the Marquis’s Fool – Chapter 25

Will Not Let Your Mother Die in Vain

Lin Xizhao watched as the blush on Qu Sheng’s face faded slightly. When she heard Qu Sheng say she wanted to bathe, her eyes curved into a smile. “Alright, I’ll have someone prepare hot water.”

She had only managed to wipe down half of her body earlier; it must still feel quite uncomfortable.

Qu Sheng watched Lin Xizhao leave the room, then sat on the daybed¹ in a daze for a while. She had been struck on the back of the neck. Although the blow wasn’t heavy, she could feel a pang of pain with the slightest movement.

However, Qu Sheng had a high tolerance for pain since childhood. When she was learning to walk, she never cried or fussed even when she fell. Now that she was older, she was even less likely to make any unnecessary fuss over such a minor ache.

The trap set today was complete, but she didn’t yet know if its objective had been achieved.

After her bath, Qu Sheng returned to the daybed to lie down. Lin Xizhao did not go back to the ritual altar, and the people from the Qu family had all gone home. Lin Jianhai only instructed Lin Xizhao to take good care of Qu Sheng and said nothing more, but Lin Xizhao had a vague feeling that the private conversation Qu Jinian had requested with her father had something to do with her.

The summer days were scorching, yet this small courtyard was shaded by lush greenery. After nightfall, the room became even more cool and pleasant. Lin Xizhao’s excuse of the hot weather being a reason for Qu Sheng to return to her own residence seemed all the more flimsy.

The Qu family must have guessed what she was trying to do.

Early the next morning, Lin Xizhao took Qu Sheng to her stepmother’s courtyard. Yesterday, Qu Sheng had injured her. Although it was unintentional, an injury was an injury.

Qu Sheng stood in the main hall as Madam Yu stared at her intently. Looking at the dazed-looking Qu Sheng, Madam Yu couldn’t fathom how the girl had summoned such strength the day before, managing to throw a grown woman like her out of the room.

“Sheng’er had a relapse of her old illness yesterday and was frightened, which is how she injured Auntie Yu. I’ve brought her here today to apologize to you.” Lin Xizhao gently squeezed the hand she was holding.

They had already agreed on the way here that they were coming to apologize. Qu Sheng didn’t like to talk, but she could manage a bow.

Feeling the pressure on her fingers, Qu Sheng lowered her head without looking at Madam Yu.

“Forget it. As long as you two weren’t hurt, that’s all that matters.” Madam Yu didn’t dare to press the issue at this moment. After the Qu family left yesterday, Lin Jianhai’s expression had been extremely grim. If she were to make things difficult for Qu Sheng now, it would undoubtedly be pouring oil on the fire².

“Thank you for your understanding, Auntie Yu. We won’t disturb you any longer. Sheng’er hasn’t fully recovered yet, so we’ll be heading back.” Lin Xizhao said, giving a slight bow³.

Although she was the eldest daughter of the primary wife in the Prime Minister’s Residence, this former concubine had now been elevated to the main wife, making her status no different from her own mother’s back then. Therefore, she had to give her the proper face and courtesy.

Madam Yu nodded, watching the two of them leave hand-in-hand. The moment they were gone, her feigned gentleness was replaced by an acerbic expression.

This morning, Lin Xizhao had ordered everything from yesterday’s ritual to be cleared away. Qu Sheng was unwilling to leave her side, and while Lin Xizhao didn’t believe in ghosts and gods, she didn’t dare gamble with Qu Sheng’s health again. If what happened yesterday were to occur again, she would never forgive herself.

Her original plan was to use the ritual to make a scene, hoping to persuade her father to agree to reinvestigate her mother’s death from falling off a horse. For now, she couldn’t be concerned with that.

After having breakfast⁴ in the small courtyard, Lin Xizhao and Qu Sheng stayed in their room. She calculated that the tutor in the rear courtyard should have started class, but it wasn’t long before two figures appeared at their door.

Zhao Jiayu didn’t bother with pleasantries and strode right in. Xiao Bingying, seeing this, hesitated for a moment before following her inside.

Hearing the footsteps, Lin Xizhao turned her head and said with some surprise, “Jiayu, Bingying, why aren’t you in class? What are you doing here?”

Zhao Jiayu snorted twice. “So only you care about little Sheng’er, and we don’t? Such a huge thing happened yesterday, and you didn’t even send someone to let me know.” As she spoke, Zhao Jiayu grabbed a piece of water chestnut cake⁵ from in front of Qu Sheng and stuffed it into her mouth.

Qu Sheng stared at the half-eaten cake in Zhao Jiayu’s hand, blinked, her gaze shifting slightly, then lowered her head and continued eating.

Lin Xizhao wondered what the big deal was; couldn’t they have just talked about it today? Besides, even if she had come last night, Qu Sheng hadn’t woken up yet.

“Bingying, sit.” Zhao Jiayu had already sat down herself while Xiao Bingying was still standing. Lin Xizhao gestured for her to take a seat.

Xiao Bingying nodded and sat down, saying, “The teacher had something to attend to today and gave us the day off.”

“Hey, I heard Uncle Lin agreed to reinvestigate Auntie’s fall from the horse. How come you don’t seem to have any reaction?” Zhao Jiayu interjected whenever she saw an opening.

Lin Xizhao froze for a moment, a look of confusion on her face. “Who did you hear that from?”

“Well.” Seeing that Lin Xizhao genuinely didn’t know, Zhao Jiayu chewed on the cake in her mouth and turned her head towards Xiao Bingying.

Xiao Bingying met her gaze for a moment, then turned to Lin Xizhao and explained, “On our way here today, we saw Uncle Lin and Uncle Qu go to the Capital Prefecture Office⁶ together. They requested a reinvestigation into Auntie Lin’s fall from the horse. The news has probably spread all over the capital by now. Didn’t Uncle Lin tell you?”

Early in the morning, before the Capital Prefecture Office had even opened, two high-ranking court officials had arrived, reportedly accompanied by the Imperial Guard.

Lin Xizhao’s face filled with disbelief. After a moment, she said, “Father didn’t tell me.” But she vaguely recalled Qu Jinian wanting to speak with her father alone yesterday and had a faint guess.

“Hey, as long as the goal is achieved, it doesn’t matter if you find out sooner or later.”

Zhao Jiayu was the most easygoing, but for someone who loved gossip as much as she did, it was strange that she didn’t ask for details about Qu Sheng’s episode yesterday. Her words were also a bit odd.

Lin Xizhao looked at Zhao Jiayu, then glanced at Qu Sheng who was still eating. She casually poured cold tea for Zhao Jiayu and Xiao Bingying, saying, “Thank you both for helping me with such a huge favor.”

Zhao Jiayu was just reaching for the teacup when she heard Lin Xizhao’s words. The water chestnut cake in her mouth instantly lost its flavor. She stared at Lin Xizhao, stunned, then looked at Qu Sheng in shock. “You told her everything?”

The moment Qu Sheng heard Lin Xizhao say that, her heart skipped a beat. Sure enough, Zhao Jiayu had just indirectly admitted it herself.

Xiao Bingying even kicked her lightly after the words left her mouth.

Lin Xizhao had only said they helped with a “huge favor,” not what the favor was. Informing her that the case was being reopened was also a favor. Lin Xizhao’s words were clearly a bluff, but Zhao Jiayu’s mind was a straight line. Hearing the question, she assumed Qu Sheng had told her everything.

Qu Sheng looked up at Zhao Jiayu, shook her head, and then turned to Lin Xizhao, who was still pouring tea for Xiao Bingying.

“Who taught Sheng’er the words she said yesterday?” Lin Xizhao handed the other cup of tea to Xiao Bingying. She never believed in ghosts. Qu Sheng’s speech yesterday was still slow, and it was clearly her own voice. Moreover, the words came out with a sense of unfamiliarity, as if they had been taught to her. She hadn’t noticed it at the time, but thinking back now, it was indeed suspicious.

Xiao Bingying awkwardly accepted the cup. The three of them fell silent. Soon, Lin Xizhao’s gaze fell back on Zhao Jiayu. Words like “I was murdered”… only Zhao Jiayu could have taught her something like that.

“I just saw that you were in a bad mood all the time, so I…”

Zhao Jiayu mumbled, and seeing Lin Xizhao staring at her, she decided to spill everything. “The rumors were flying all over the capital, and you were so down. I asked little Sheng’er what was wrong, and she said you missed your auntie. So I… I resorted to this.” In truth, Zhao Jiayu had heard from Xiao Bingying that Lin Xizhao likely wanted to investigate her mother’s death. With all the rumors circulating, how could she remain indifferent?

“My godfather and godmother, do they know about this too?” Lin Xizhao suddenly felt that Zhao Jiayu’s abilities were quite impressive, to even get the Qu family to cooperate with her.

“I didn’t tell them. They probably don’t know,” Zhao Jiayu denied hastily.

She had only asked Qu Sheng if she wanted to make Lin Xizhao happy and came up with the bad idea. Qu Sheng had agreed so readily and cooperated so well that she still hadn’t figured out how Lin Xizhao had seen through it.

Lin Xizhao looked at Zhao Jiayu, her scrutinizing gaze slowly softening.

“Don’t let Sheng’er do such dangerous things in the future.” Lin Xizhao didn’t blame Zhao Jiayu. She knew she was trying to help, but she didn’t want something like this to happen again, especially when it involved Qu Sheng.

“I promise, I’ll never hide things from you again.”

“It’s not about hiding things. It’s not allowed.” Lin Xizhao’s gaze was firm as she emphasized it again.

Zhao Jiayu quickly agreed, “Okay, okay, not allowed.”

Seeing the atmosphere lighten, Xiao Bingying cleared her throat and said, “The Marquis Qu’s Residence has also gotten involved. With the Qu family’s influence, I believe that when the water recedes, the stones are revealed⁷ regarding your mother’s fall.”

The Prime Minister’s Residence was certainly not lacking in power, but back then, Lin Jianhai had raised no questions after the case was closed. Now that the Qu family was stepping in, they were clearly determined to overturn the previous conclusion.

But no matter what the truth was, as long as it was the real truth, Lin Xizhao would no longer be so melancholic. This was the true purpose of their actions.

Hearing Xiao Bingying’s words, Lin Xizhao looked at her and gave a soft “mm.” She lowered her eyes in thought for a few moments, then looked at Qu Sheng.

Qu Sheng was still eating her water chestnut cake at a leisurely pace, as if being exposed by Lin Xizhao had nothing to do with her.

At noon, Lin Xizhao took Qu Sheng back to the Marquis Qu’s Residence. Qu Jinian was still at the government office, busy working on the case of her mother’s suspected murder.

Lin Xizhao expressed her gratitude and also asked why Qu Jinian had suddenly decided to help her reopen the case.

Jin Yunfei looked at the young girl’s gentle face, so similar to her mother’s, and sighed. “You must have heard the rumors in the capital. I saw how much weight you’d lost last time, and later Sheng’er told me you didn’t want to see her because you missed your mother. Your godfather and I guessed it was because of this.”

Hearing Jin Yunfei’s explanation, Lin Xizhao felt an inexplicable stinging in her eyes. She had done so much, yet her father still wanted to suppress the matter, insisting that her mother’s death was just an accident. Perhaps in her father’s heart, it truly was an accident, but when he had rejected her outright, she couldn’t help but feel hurt.

Seeing the moisture in Lin Xizhao’s eyes, Jin Yunfei looked at her with pity and reached out to wipe away a tear. “But don’t you worry. Your godfather never fights a battle he’s not prepared for. He only dared to bring this up with your father and His Majesty because he had already found some spider silk and horse tracks⁸.”

When Lin Xizhao heard that Qu Jinian had already found clues and had even mentioned it to the Emperor, she stared at Jin Yunfei in stunned disbelief.

“Good child, with us and your father here, we will not let your mother die in vain.” Jin Yunfei pulled Lin Xizhao into her embrace. She genuinely cared for this child.

Qu Sheng sat to the side, listening to their conversation, and looked at her own mother. Jin Yunfei glanced back at her. After their eyes met, Jin Yunfei said to Lin Xizhao, “The chefs in the residence learned a few new dishes today. Come, go try them with your godmother.”

Lin Xizhao suddenly remembered something she had meant to say when she arrived.

“What is it?” Jin Yunfei had stood up, but seeing Lin Xizhao remain seated, she asked softly.

“Godmother, yesterday Sheng’er… It was my fault. I shouldn’t have let Sheng’er do something so dangerous.” Lin Xizhao didn’t mention Zhao Jiayu’s role in persuading Qu Sheng to feign madness, choosing to take the blame herself.

Jin Yunfei already knew about the matter. Hearing Lin Xizhao’s words, she feigned confusion. “Are you saying you told Sheng’er to hit someone yesterday?”

“Yes.” Lin Xizhao lowered her head in shame, not daring to look at Jin Yunfei.

“Not Jiejie, it was Jiayu,” Qu Sheng interjected at the right moment. Even if Zhao Jiayu hadn’t come up with this bad idea, she would have found another way to cooperate with Lin Xizhao to force Lin Jianhai to reinvestigate the fall.

Jin Yunfei and Lin Xizhao both turned to look at Qu Sheng. After a moment, Jin Yunfei’s eyebrows curved into a smile. “Sheng’er wasn’t hurt either, so it’s no matter. You are her Jiejie; it’s only right that she helps you. Jiayu… was probably also acting with good intentions.”

Jin Yunfei didn’t blame anyone, which made Lin Xizhao feel even more guilty.

Seeing the tears welling in Lin Xizhao’s eyes, Jin Yunfei reached up to wipe them away and chuckled. “Come on, let’s go try the new dishes.”

In the afternoon, the two young masters of the Qu family returned a bit early. They went to Qu Sheng’s small courtyard and spoke with Lin Xizhao, who hadn’t left yet, about the progress of the case.

The reason they had to involve the Emperor was because a certain poison had been circulating in the capital in recent years. Though it was a poison, it wasn’t lethal. If a person or animal with a break in their skin came into contact with it, they would exhibit various symptoms of madness. However, if the dosage was controlled, it could be metabolized within a short period without being detected.

They suspected that the horse Lin Xizhao’s mother was riding had been administered this poison.

The other reason was that the perpetrator was connected to the people who had abducted them and taken them to a brothel years ago. Qu Jinian had reported this to the Son of Heaven, using the greatest possible force to magnify the incident’s impact, deliberately leaking the news to make the people in the shadows reveal the horse’s hooves⁹.

A snake lying in the grass is naturally hard to find and capture, but if you startle it, you can see the trail of its movement.

Lin Xizhao had dinner at the Qu residence. Unwilling to part with her, Qu Sheng brought her back to the Prime Minister’s Residence. That evening, Lin Jianhai sought out Lin Xizhao and informed her of the matter.

Lin Jianhai’s tone was neutral. Lin Xizhao was delicate and gentle, and he didn’t want his daughter to know about such sordid affairs, so he didn’t say much, only telling her that the government was going to reinvestigate her mother’s fall.

Back in her room, Lin Xizhao seemed to still be immersed in what she had heard that day. She closed the door and stood inside for a long while without moving.

“Older sister.” Qu Sheng, who was already in the room, had heard the door open, but the footsteps stopped after just a few paces. Worried, she put on her slippers and came out.

She was dressed in a loose-fitting pink nightgown¹⁰. Lin Xizhao looked up and saw the delicate, pink-clad girl before her. She stared, momentarily dazed, then her eyes curved into a smile as she asked softly, “Why did you come out?”

Qu Sheng looked up at her without speaking, but Lin Xizhao knew. Every time Qu Sheng couldn’t see her, she would look for her. She was worried.

“I’m fine. Let’s go to sleep.” Lin Xizhao walked to Qu Sheng’s side, took her hand, and led her into the inner chamber.

Qu Sheng climbed onto the bed first. Lin Xizhao removed her outer robe and followed. After they lay down, Qu Sheng instinctively snuggled into Lin Xizhao’s arms.

Holding the soft little girl, Lin Xizhao’s heart softened as well. The corners of her lips curved up, and she placed a kiss on Qu Sheng’s forehead, gently coaxing her to sleep.

That night, Lin Xizhao had a nightmare again. Perhaps it was a case of what one thinks about by day, one dreams of by night. She dreamt that the horse she and her mother were riding had been tampered with. Both horses went mad at the same time. Just as she was about to fall, someone grabbed the reins.

A slender yet tall figure came into view. It was Qu Sheng.

Qu Sheng held Lin Xizhao, whose forehead was covered in a fine sweat, and mimicked the way Lin Xizhao would coax her to sleep, gently patting her back and whispering, “It’s a dream. It’s all fake.” Qu Sheng rarely spoke with such clarity.

As Lin Xizhao drifted awake from the dream, she heard Qu Sheng’s words. For a fleeting moment, she thought Qu Sheng’s slowness was all an act.

But when she fully awoke, Qu Sheng had lapsed back into silence, and she felt something cool on her own face.

Had she been crying in her dream?

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The author has something to say:

Qu Sheng: “Hold on to my vest¹¹.”

Zhao Jiayu: “My vest is transparent, wuwuwu, and so is my brain!”

Lin Xizhao: “…”

Xiao Bingying: “…”

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