The Prime Minister’s Daughter and the Marquis’s Fool – Chapter 42

Jiejie Will Dance for You, Okay?

Lin Xizhao was pulled to the residence gate by Qu Sheng, where they ran into Qu Yu, who was just preparing to board his carriage to go out.

“Qu-sige¹, are you going out?” Lin Xizhao asked, standing behind Qu Sheng.

Hearing her voice, Qu Yu’s steps toward the carriage paused. He turned his head and saw Qu Sheng holding onto Lin Xizhao. His peripheral vision caught Qu Sheng’s hand pulling Lin Xizhao’s, and after glancing down at it for a moment, he asked in return, “Are you two going out as well?”

These two siblings had just returned one after the other, and now they were going out again.

“To eat.”

Before Lin Xizhao could answer, Qu Sheng spoke.

Hearing this, Qu Yu asked, “Where are you going to eat?”

“Houxiang Tower.”

“Then I’ll take you,” Qu Yu said, hearing the decisiveness in Qu Sheng’s reply.

“There’s no need, Qu-sige, we won’t go.” Yesterday, Lin Xizhao and the others had gone to Houxiang Tower and nearly caused trouble. When she heard Qu Sheng say they were going to Houxiang Tower, the sliver of a thought she’d had about going with Qu Sheng was now completely extinguished.

Hearing this, Qu Sheng turned her head to look at Lin Xizhao, a trace of confusion in her eyes, but in an instant, it seemed she understood.

“Jiejie², Si-gege³ is coming with us.” Qu Sheng was determined to take Lin Xizhao there today. With Qu Yu present, he could represent the Qu family and show their face. In the future, they could go whenever they wanted without having to watch other people’s expressions.

“Sheng-meimei⁴ wants to go, so just accompany her,” Qu Yu persuaded.

Lin Xizhao watched the two siblings insist. Her soft lips moved slightly, and as she hesitated, Qu Sheng had already pulled her forward to stand beside her.

Pulled off-balance, Lin Xizhao had no choice but to take a step forward. She looked at Qu Sheng, who seemed to be waiting for her consent, a hint of doubt in her eyes. Today’s Qu Sheng was a little strange; she had never been like this before. A little bit bossy.

Lin Xizhao’s eyes curved slightly, her eyelash feathers lightly blinking as she said helplessly, “Alright.”

With Qu Yu there, she was naturally at ease. Although there were some in this capital who couldn’t stand the Qu family’s young masters, no one dared to openly offend them.

“Qu-sige, should we call for Jiayu?” Lin Xizhao and Qu Sheng boarded the carriage and looked at Qu Yu, who was sitting to one side preparing to order the servants to drive.

Hearing this, Qu Yu gave an awkward smile. “To be honest with you, I was just on my way to find Jiayu.”

Qu Sheng, who had originally been looking down at Lin Xizhao’s fingers resting on her lap, lifted her eyes at his words.

“Then we should probably go by ourselves,” Lin Xizhao said. Hearing that Qu Yu was going to find Zhao Jiayu, she suddenly felt that they had disrupted their plans.

“Eh, no need, Xiao Bingying-meimei is going too, so let’s go together,” Qu Yu explained. Adding one is already a lot, and so is adding two.

Hearing this, Lin Xizhao, who was about to stand up, sat back down. Since Xiao Bingying was also going, it probably wouldn’t interfere with the two of them getting together.

The carriage went directly to the Xiao Residence, where Zhao Jiayu also was. Xiao Bingying saw the carriage from the Marquis Qu Residence, glanced sideways at it, and gave Zhao Jiayu a heads-up.

Qu Yu had come to pick her up before, but he had never shown his face. The people of the Xiao Residence had just assumed it was Qu Sheng’s carriage and never suspected anything.

But this time, Qu Yu actually got down from the carriage.

Seeing Qu Yu disembark, Xiao Bingying’s face showed confusion, and she subconsciously glanced at the servants at the residence gate. The servants also looked over when they saw Qu Yu approach, but seeing Xiao Bingying look at them, they quickly averted their gazes.

Qu Yu saw that Xiao Bingying and Zhao Jiayu were worried about him revealing himself and smiled. “Xizhao-meimei and Sheng-meimei are in the carriage. Today, I’ll be your coachman.”

With one sentence, Qu Yu smoothed things over. With two younger sisters in the carriage, and him acting as the coachman, no one would dare to gossip or let their thoughts run wild.

Zhao Jiayu and Xiao Bingying exchanged a look. Qu Yu made a gesture of invitation, and Zhao Jiayu boarded the carriage first. She had originally thought Qu Yu was just saying it, but she never expected that Lin Xizhao and Qu Sheng were really on the carriage.

Seeing the trace of panic on Zhao Jiayu’s face when she saw them, Lin Xizhao teased with a smile, “What guilty deed have you done to be so afraid of seeing us?”

Zhao Jiayu took a breath and said with feigned annoyance, “Hiding in here without making a sound, are you that afraid of being seen?” Zhao Jiayu retorted right back with a smile.

Xiao Bingying had also boarded the carriage by now. Seeing Lin Xizhao and Qu Sheng, she too was slightly stunned for a moment, but she didn’t show the same panic as Zhao Jiayu.

“My dear meimei, are you all settled?” Qu Yu sat on the outside of the carriage, sharing the driver’s bench with the young servant boy, one on each side.

Xiao Bingying, sitting on the outermost side, relayed the message, “Apologies for the trouble, Qu-sige.”

Hearing this, Qu Yu deliberately glanced at the servants at the Xiao Residence gate and smiled. “It’s no trouble.”

As the group sat inside the carriage, Qu Sheng looked up at Zhao Jiayu, observing the shy expression on her face and staring at her for quite a while.

“Is there something on my face?” Zhao Jiayu had long since noticed from the corner of her eye that Qu Sheng was staring at her.

Qu Sheng didn’t speak. Xiao Bingying and Lin Xizhao also looked at her.

Lin Xizhao watched Qu Sheng sizing up Zhao Jiayu, and remembering what she had asked last night, she gently tugged the arm of the girl sitting next to her.

Although Zhao Jiayu was carefree about other things, on this matter, she was extremely shy. For Qu Sheng to stare at her like this, it was obvious she had seen through everything and was deliberately watching her.

Tugged by Lin Xizhao, Qu Sheng understood. She glanced sideways at Lin Xizhao, who was shaking her head at her, and obediently lowered her head.

Seeing that Qu Sheng was no longer looking at her, the shyness on Zhao Jiayu’s face did not diminish; instead, it deepened.

“Where are we going?” Zhao Jiayu asked, her body swaying with the jolting of the carriage.

“Where were you originally planning to go?” Lin Xizhao asked in return.

Uncomfortable with the question, Zhao Jiayu coughed lightly and mumbled, as if her mouth couldn’t quite open, “Just… wandering around.”

Lin Xizhao let out a soft laugh. “Qu-sige is taking us to Houxiang Tower.”

“Really?” The moment Zhao Jiayu heard they were going to Houxiang Tower, her spirits lifted, and she sat up straight.

Lin Xizhao smiled and nodded, then looked toward Qu Sheng. It was Qu Sheng who had insisted on pulling her along. Although Qu Yu had brought them some dishes from Houxiang Tower yesterday, eating at the restaurant and eating at home had completely different atmospheres.

They soon arrived at the entrance of Houxiang Tower. Qu Yu didn’t have them wear weimao⁵, and as soon as they entered, someone took the initiative to greet them.

“Yo, Fourth Master Qu is here! Are you eating in or taking away today?” A xiao’er⁶ came forward, bowing slightly, his face all smiles as he asked.

Qu Yu stood his ground, glanced at the xiao’er, then looked back at Qu Sheng and the others before saying to the xiao’er, “When these young ladies come again in the future, you are to serve them well. Put everything on my account.”

The xiao’er turned his head to look at the four young women behind Qu Yu. When he saw them clearly, he froze on the spot, seemingly recognizing them.

Zhao Jiayu also remembered this xiao’er; he was the one who had given them a hard time yesterday. One moment he said someone had snatched their dishes, the next he said the restaurant was out of ingredients. Just looking at him made Zhao Jiayu angry.

At this moment, the xiao’er’s expression was extremely awkward. He looked at Qu Yu, as if waiting for Qu Yu to give him a hard time.

“Stop looking. Go prepare the food. Bring us some of all the newest signature dishes here,” Qu Yu said, not making things difficult for the xiao’er. He hadn’t done anything disrespectful yesterday either; when others applied pressure, he was also in a difficult position.

Hearing Qu Yu’s words and guessing that he wasn’t going to hold it against him, the xiao’er’s face broke into a joyful smile as he quickly said, “Right away! Master, and you young ladies, please follow me, there’s still a private room⁷ upstairs that you will surely like.” The xiao’er then stepped aside and invited Qu Yu and the others to go upstairs.

Zhao Jiayu wasn’t an unreasonable person either. Although she had Qu Yu backing her up now, this xiao’er truly hadn’t done anything impolite to them. As she passed by him, Zhao Jiayu just gave a light snort and didn’t look at him again.

Seeing the group go upstairs, the xiao’er quickly had someone inform the kitchen to prioritize their dishes.

Upon entering the private room, Zhao Jiayu saw that it was indeed much more luxurious than the one they had booked yesterday. Not only was it larger, but the furnishings inside were all fine objects, pleasing to the eye.

But that wasn’t all. After they had waited for only a short while, two servants who seemed to work at the restaurant came in, carrying two screens, which they used to separate the area around the dining table from the doorway.

Immediately after, several young women entered. Seeing people come in, Zhao Jiayu even stood up to take a look outside.

Whoa, there were even people to play yayue⁸. No wonder men all liked to come to restaurants to eat; it was truly wonderful. After one look, Zhao Jiayu started grumbling in her heart.

“Ahem, I didn’t arrange for this. It must have been the xiao’er’s own initiative.” Qu Yu saw Zhao Jiayu glance at the people outside and then look at him pointedly after she returned. “I’ll have them leave right now.”

“Don’t! They’re already here, and it sounds so nice.” Zhao Jiayu didn’t mind at all now. She had come here for the experience, and she certainly couldn’t let such a pleasant enjoyment leave.

Hearing Zhao Jiayu’s words, Qu Yu couldn’t tell if she was angry or if she really wanted to listen to the music. His gaze could only turn to Lin Xizhao for help.

“Qu-sige, let them stay. We’d like to listen too,” Lin Xizhao said. She had understood the meaning behind Zhao Jiayu’s words; she wasn’t the least bit angry and was probably wishing for some dancers to appear as well.

Qu Yu relaxed. After looking up at Zhao Jiayu, he heard someone outside say, “This way, honored guest. Yesterday I had eyes but did not recognize Mount Tai⁹, I didn’t know you were the Prime Minister’s son. this small one¹⁰ apologizes to you here.”

The xiao’er’s voice carried in, and then Lin Xirui walked in from outside.

When they arrived, they had sent someone to call Lin Xirui over. It was always improper for Qu Yu to be the only man stuck in a pile of girls.

“A-jie¹¹, Bingying-jie, Qu-sige, Jiayu-jie, Sheng-meimei.” As soon as Lin Xirui entered, he greeted everyone sweetly, one by one.

They had never included him in anything they did before. Although he was never free even when they did call him, that didn’t mean he didn’t want to participate.

“Is it nice to look at?” Zhao Jiayu nudged her chin toward the back of the screen, asking the newly seated Lin Xirui.

Without even thinking, Lin Xirui replied with a broad smile, “It is.” At home, aside from the books of the ancients, there was only the ‘zhi, hu, zhe, ye’¹² from his teacher’s mouth. This was his first time listening to young ladies play yayue in a restaurant.

Hearing this, Zhao Jiayu’s skin smiled but her flesh did not smile¹³, and she said, “Then we’ll come more often in the future.”

“Okay,” Lin Xirui readily agreed.

“You can pay for these young ladies,” Zhao Jiayu immediately threw out her second sentence.

Lin Xirui heard this and instantly the dishes went cold¹⁴, looking wilted as he turned to his older sister. He still had to get his monthly allowance from Lin Xizhao.

“Jiayu is just joking with you. In the future, when you come here, just mention my name. It’ll all be on my tab,” Qu Yu said, picking up the teapot on the side and pouring some for Lin Xirui.

Lin Xirui placed a hand lightly beside his teacup. Hearing Qu Yu’s words, a light shone in his eyes. “Many thanks, Qu-sige.”

Everyone at the table watched Zhao Jiayu tease Lin Xirui, their eyes curving as they laughed.

The food arrived quickly, and it tasted much better than the takeout. Moreover, some dishes that weren’t suitable for taking away and hadn’t been made yesterday were served today.

Zhao Jiayu ate until the sash at her waist felt tight, but she still didn’t forget to raise her wine cup and drink with everyone.

With Qu Yu here today, she wasn’t afraid of drinking too much.

Zhao Jiayu couldn’t seem to stop drinking. Xiao Bingying had already kicked her several times from the side, but with the wine right in front of her, it would be too much of a loss not to drink it.

Lin Xizhao whispered to Qu Sheng, “Do you want some more sweet soup?”

Qu Sheng shook her head. She hadn’t eaten much, but she had drunk a lot of wine today. It was already night outside, so she wouldn’t drink any soup.

“It’s been dark outside for a long time. Why don’t we call it a day? We can come again another time.”

Although Qu Yu had brought them here, if Lin Xizhao didn’t suggest leaving, none of the others would likely have spoken up.

Zhao Jiayu was slightly tipsy today, but her mind was still clear. Hearing Lin Xizhao’s words, she was about to protest when Xiao Bingying kicked her lightly under the dining table again.

When they came, she had asked Xiao Bingying to keep her in check, but now that she was drinking, she wanted to go back on her word.

“It is indeed getting late. The next time you want to come, if you need company, just send someone to call for me at any time,” Qu Yu said, standing up.

After the banquet ended, the songstresses outside all rose and stood to one side with their heads lowered. The xiao’er was also waiting outside. Qu Yu led them through the main hall, and as they were leaving, they heard people in the adjacent room discussing the matter of the Earl of Yongshen’s second son being trampled to death by a spooked horse at the racecourse.

“If you ask me, it’s retribution. Think back to Prime Minister Lin’s first wife, such a nation-toppling beauty. Who could have imagined she would die so tragically, one corpse and two lives¹⁵! It’s time for their Earl of Yongshen’s Residence to pay it back.”

As Lin Xizhao listened to the discussion nearby, her steps uncontrollably slowed, and at that moment, Qu Sheng heard it too. After Lin Xizhao slowed down, she also slowed her pace.

After listening for a few more sentences, Lin Xizhao pulled Qu Sheng along and quickened her pace to catch up with Zhao Jiayu and the others.

The moment they left the restaurant and reached the carriage held by the servant boy, Zhao Jiayu eagerly asked, “Did you hear that just now? Both of the Earl of Yongshen’s sons are dead!”

“We heard,” Qu Yu replied, matching Zhao Jiayu’s shocked expression with a serious one of his own.

All of them had heard. Lin Xizhao lowered her eyes and pondered for a moment before saying, “This has nothing to do with us. We made Qu-sige spend so much today. When we have time, we will also fulfill the rites of courtesy demands reciprocity¹⁶.”

Qu Yu had said it was all on his account, but she couldn’t really let him pay for everything. Although their Prime Minister’s Residence was incorruptible, they were not short of silver.

Qu Yu smiled and didn’t politely refuse, replying, “Alright.”

The group split up into the carriages. Qu Sheng was taken by Lin Xizhao, and they returned to the Prime Minister’s Residence with Lin Xirui.

Qu Yu, on the other hand, was responsible for taking Zhao Jiayu and Xiao Bingying back to their manors.

The snow outside was falling heavier and heavier. Although it was a dim night, Qu Yu had the same eyes as Qu Sheng and could see in the dark.

Qu Yu first sent Xiao Bingying back to the Xiao Residence. Zhao Jiayu hadn’t drunk too much today. But Xiao Bingying still trusted Qu Yu’s character, and since Zhao Jiayu herself agreed to let Qu Yu take her home, Xiao Bingying returned to her residence first.

Watching the two tracks left by the carriage wheels in the snow, Xiao Bingying watched until the carriage disappeared into the night before turning and entering her residence.

Ever since Xiao Tong had gone to the Qu family army in Shoulin, the Xiao family’s fortunes, whether from the winery business or rewards from the imperial court, had multiplied several times over.

The Xiao Residence had also moved once, to a residence more than twice the size of the original. Xiao Bingying’s original courtyard had been in a tiny little yard that couldn’t be smaller. It was only because of Xiao Bingying’s association with Qu Sheng that such a good opportunity like going to Shoulin had fallen to Xiao Tong. This was something General Zhao himself had come to state explicitly. After they moved, Madam Xiao had specially picked out a good courtyard for Xiao Bingying.

Therefore, every time Xiao Bingying went out, as long as she said she was going to see Qu Sheng, no one would stop her. Even if her mother had something for her to do, she would have someone else do it.

Xiao Bingying’s life had also become much better than before. At least she no longer had to live with her heart and gallbladder hanging¹⁷ every day, never knowing when her mother’s whip might lash out.

Xiao Bingying entered the residence, stepping on the accumulated snow all the way, a layer of it falling onto her dachang (greatcloak)¹⁸.

“Who’s there?” Just as Xiao Bingying passed through the arched gate of her courtyard, she saw a figure standing not far from the gate.

“Chili¹⁹? Why are you here?” Xiao Bingying watched the person in the distance draw closer and recognized her face.

“Miss Xiao, I beg you, please help our princess again.” The girl Xiao Bingying called Chili pleaded, her eyes filled with tears.

“What’s wrong with her?”

Xiao Bingying’s first reaction wasn’t to shirk responsibility, but to ask what was wrong.

“Young Master Xiao drank too much today and sent someone to summon our princess. Who knew that as soon as our princess went in, he went mad and wouldn’t stop hitting and cursing her. Right now, he’s making her stand in the snow and won’t let her return to her room. I beg you to help her.” As Chili spoke, she was about to kneel.

Xiao Bingying reached out and supported her kneeling body, asking with a worried expression, “Where is she now?”

“Outside Young Master Xiao’s room.”

Hearing Chili’s words, Xiao Bingying turned and strode toward her younger brother’s courtyard.

Xiao Bingying’s steps were hurried; Chili behind her couldn’t keep up even at a run. Xiao Bingying entered the courtyard and, after walking a short distance, saw a figure in a thin dress standing outside the living room of her younger brother, Xiao Yaocai²⁰.

As she walked, Xiao Bingying undid the brown dachang on her shoulders. When she got closer, she brushed the accumulated snow from the woman’s thin shoulders and directly draped the cloak, still warm with her own body heat, over the woman.

It was snowing in the dark of night. In such a bleak, snowy darkness, for a young woman to be standing outside wearing only a thin set of clothes and with bare feet, Xiao Bingying couldn’t imagine how bone-piercingly cold it must be.

Xiao Bingying looked at the woman’s lips, which were already purple from the cold, and frowned tightly. Seeing her shivering and trying to speak, she let out a hurried breath of warm air and said in a low voice, “Don’t speak yet. I’ll take you back.” With that, Xiao Bingying wrapped her in the thick cloak and lifted her horizontally in her arms.

In this residence, no one dared to defy Xiao Yaocai, and Madam Xiao furthermore opened one eye and closed the other²¹, not managing this matter at all.

“Hey, Eldest Miss, you can’t take her away.” The servant standing guard tried to stop her but was silenced by a single cold look from Xiao Bingying.

“If my younger brother looks for trouble with you when he wakes up, just push the blame onto me.”

Xiao Bingying left these words behind and carried the woman out of the courtyard. She took two steps toward the woman’s own courtyard, then retreated, thought for a moment, and walked toward her own courtyard instead.

“Go prepare hot water for a bath,” Xiao Bingying ordered as she entered her courtyard and saw her personal servant come up to greet her.

Upon hearing the order, one servant hurried to get hot water, while the other rushed to open the door for Xiao Bingying.

Xiao Bingying carried the person into her own room and placed her on her ta²².

“Don’t move yet,” Xiao Bingying said, turning back to instruct her as she was about to leave.

The woman, covered by the quilt, sat propped up on Xiao Bingying’s ta, her frost-covered eyelash feathers fluttering slightly, her breathing slow and heavy, each breath in her chest growing more difficult.

“Thank you.” The woman’s voice was slightly hoarse but still very pleasant, though its current weak tone was heart-wrenching.

Xiao Bingying glanced at her, her knitted brows relaxing slightly, and left the inner room. Xiao Bingying moved the huolu²³ from the outer room into the inner room.

“Miss Cheng Xi²⁴, Miss Cheng Xi?” Xiao Bingying looked at the woman’s tightly closed eyes and called out softly.

But after several calls, the person on the ta gave no response. Xiao Bingying frowned slightly, raised her hands, clenched them for a moment, and then hesitantly reached into the bedding²⁵, pulling out a hand that was still ice-cold and slender.

Over the years, Xiao Bingying had often been injured herself and had learned a smattering of medical skills. After taking her pulse, her frown deepened. She then quickly raised her hand again to test the temperature of the woman’s forehead.

Her forehead wasn’t hot; the fever must be internal.

Xiao Bingying wrote out a fangzi²⁶ and sent someone out to fetch the herbs.

When the tangyao²⁷ was brewed and brought over by Cheng Xi’s maid, Chili, Xiao Bingying was helping the person on the ta rub her palms and the soles of her feet.

“You can feed her the medicine,” Xiao Bingying’s tone had lost its urgency.

Just now, when she was writing the fangzi, the characters from her brush had been like they were flying. Fortunately, the clerk at the pharmacy could read it, and the herbs he fetched were correct.

Xiao Bingying got up from the ta and stood at the foot of it, continuing to rub one of the person’s feet, which was exposed and as flawless as white jade.

“Cough…” As she was being fed the tangyao, the person on the ta showed signs of waking.

Perhaps the medicine was too bitter, causing her to frown.

“Make her drink all of it. Once the heat is forced out, she’ll be fine,” Xiao Bingying instructed Chili while rubbing the sole of her foot.

Chili continued to feed her the medicine. After it was all drunk, Chili took the bowl and left. The person on the ta slowly shifted her gaze to look at Xiao Bingying by her feet.

At that moment, Xiao Bingying was looking down, diligently rubbing the sole of her foot for her.

Xiao Bingying felt the foot she was holding seem to struggle. When she looked up, she found that the person on the ta was looking at her.

Whether it was a guilty conscience or something else, the moment Xiao Bingying’s eyes met the person’s on the ta, her hands holding the jade foot²⁸ felt as if they had been pricked by thorns, and she hastily let go.

“I…” Xiao Bingying wanted to explain, but she didn’t know what to explain.

The person on the ta looked at Xiao Bingying, her eyelashes blinking slowly. She didn’t reply, and after a short while, she closed her eyes again.

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Qu Sheng was taken to the Prime Minister Lin’s Residence. Lin Xizhao had also drunk a little too much today, and on top of that, hearing that the two sons of the Earl of Yongshen’s Residence had died had cast a shadow of worry over her heart. She sat by the chair in the outer room, lost in a daze.

Qu Sheng watched as Lin Xizhao, after returning from her bath, sat by the table. She stared at her back for a long time, realizing that Lin Xizhao hadn’t noticed her approach at all, before she called out softly, “Jiejie.”

Lin Xizhao heard Qu Sheng’s voice on the third time she called. Her body stirred slightly, and she slowly turned her head. Seeing the way Qu Sheng was looking at her, she stood up and asked, “Why did you come down?”

Qu Sheng was always faster at bathing than her, and she would always get into bed early.

Qu Sheng didn’t speak. Lin Xizhao didn’t feel like sleeping right now either, so she asked Qu Sheng to sit with her in the outer room for a while.

“Is Sheng’er sleepy?” Lin Xizhao asked gently, seeing that Qu Sheng seemed quite energetic at the moment.

Qu Sheng shook her head.

Seeing the worried look on Qu Sheng’s face, brought on by her own mood, Lin Xizhao felt a little guilty. Qu Sheng was a bit slow to react to emotions, but her heart was very perceptive. She must have realized that something was on her mind and was now worried about her.

Lin Xizhao thought for a moment, temporarily pushing her worries aside. Her eyes curved into a smile as she asked, “Does Sheng’er want to watch a dance?”

Qu Sheng’s face showed confusion. Where would there be a dance this late at night? Could it be that they had to leave the residence and go to a restaurant to watch?

Seeing Qu Sheng’s puzzled expression, Lin Xizhao smiled. “Jiejie will dance for you, okay?”

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The author has something to say:

Qu Sheng: “If you can’t eat it, letting your eyes have a feast first is also good.”

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