The Prime Minister’s Daughter and the Marquis’s Fool – Chapter 43

Your Marriage Has Yet to Be Settled

When Lin Xizhao said she would dance for her, Qu Sheng’s deep eyes seemed to ignite with flames. They held the power to start a prairie fire¹, yet were shrouded by a layer of mist, preventing them from breaking out, but also from being extinguished.

Lin Xizhao saw the pleasant surprise in Qu Sheng’s gaze, and her soft lips curved slightly. After her slender, soft fingers caressed Qu Sheng’s fair, smooth cheek, she slowly pulled back. Her gentle, doting gaze remained until her fingers left the warm cheek, replaced by a smile.

Lin Xizhao’s supple figure swayed in Qu Sheng’s eyes. Her waist, like a slender willow caressed by the wind², and her face, half-hidden by a light sleeve, would from time to time cast a smiling glance that could hook a person’s heart and soul³, making it impossible for Qu Sheng to look away.

There was no elegant music, but that did not make Lin Xizhao’s dance lose its light and nimble rhythm. Lin Xizhao had never shown her dancing to an outsider; not even her own father had ever seen it.

When Liang-shi⁴ was still alive, a female teacher from the yuefang⁵ had been teaching her. After Liang-shi passed away, Lin Xizhao stopped dancing.

So many years had passed; logically, she should have grown rusty, but Lin Xizhao’s waist was still unbelievably soft.

“I’m a little rusty.” After finishing her dance, Lin Xizhao walked to Qu Sheng’s side and said with a smile.

The fine sheen of sweat on Lin Xizhao’s forehead proved that, just as she said, she was indeed a little rusty.

Qu Sheng gazed at Lin Xizhao, her eyes tracing her figure in a rare moment of searching. Seeing Qu Sheng’s seemingly curious expression, Lin Xizhao moved a little closer, took her hand, and said, “You’re not allowed to laugh at me.”

Hearing this, Qu Sheng raised her head to meet Lin Xizhao’s gaze, the affection in her eyes completely unconcealed. After a moment, she shook her head and said, “Jiejie, it was beautiful.”

Whether the dance was good or not, she didn’t know, but with every movement of Lin Xizhao’s body, she felt the urge to pull her into an embrace.

Praised by Qu Sheng, Lin Xizhao lay down on the ta⁶ and pulled the little meimei⁷, who was about the same size as her, into her arms.

“Do you think retribution⁸ truly exists in this world?” Lin Xizhao recalled the words of those people at the inn. Her mind was now empty, and as she held Qu Sheng, she seemed to be muttering to herself, yet also seemed to be deliberately asking Qu Sheng.

Qu Sheng’s head was nestled in Lin Xizhao’s embrace, her entire being immersed in the sweet fragrance emanating from Lin Xizhao’s body and the fresh scent of the flower petals from her bath. When she suddenly heard the word “retribution,” the desire that had been constantly eroding her reason was reined in, and she lifted her head to look at Lin Xizhao.

“It does.” Where others’ retribution lay, she did not know, but the retribution that was to befall those who had wronged Lin Xizhao—that would be her doing.

Hearing her voice, Lin Xizhao lowered her gaze. She looked at the trace of determination in Qu Sheng’s eyes and felt as if she were once again seeing a mature, unfathomable Qu Sheng.

Lin Xizhao’s lips curved into a light smile. She whispered, “Whether it exists or not has nothing to do with us. It’s time to rest.” She was the one who had brought it up, yet she was also the one to cut the conversation short. She was deceiving herself and others⁹; she did care.

Yu-shi had merely passed on information and interfered, but the chief criminals and main source of disaster¹⁰ were the Earl Yongshen family. Her heart was not without desire; she was filled with hatred. But the Qu family had already done so much for her. They had offended the Emperor, and Qu Jinian had even had his head injured by the Emperor. How could she be willing to let the Qu family step forward to help her again?

She no longer held any hope for Lin Jianhai. After Yu-shi’s death, Lin Jianhai had been dejected for a long time; both women had been his faqi¹¹. Yu-shi had brought it upon herself, but Liang-shi and the child in her womb…

Putting aside the Guifei¹² in the Imperial Palace, Lin Jianhai couldn’t even touch Earl Yongshen, who had no real power outside the palace. How could he possibly speak of avenging Liang-shi?

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At a corner of a wall one li¹³ outside the Zhao Residence gate, Zhao Jiayu and Qu Yu sat inside a horse-drawn carriage, talking for a long time.

They spoke of everything, from the first time Qu Yu saw Zhao Jiayu, to when Zhao Jiayu tried to block an arrow for Qu Yu at the Lin Prime Minister’s Residence, and then to how Qu Yu began to appear frequently within her line of sight.

All of it seemed like fate, and yet also like it was man-made.

“I was so young then, and you already noticed me?” Zhao Jiayu’s voice was noticeably much softer than when she spoke with Lin Xizhao and the others.

“You were the first girl who ever wanted to block an arrow for me,” Qu Yu said, following her lead.

“Then what would you do if I didn’t like you?” Zhao Jiayu asked in a small voice.

Hearing Zhao Jiayu’s soft voice, Qu Yu said, “If you don’t like me, then you don’t like me. What else could I do? I can’t just have my father and mother go to your family’s residence to send betrothal gifts¹⁴.”

If the Qu family sent someone to propose marriage, the Zhao family would surely agree without even asking Zhao Jiayu. But Qu Yu didn’t want that. He wanted to know if Zhao Jiayu liked him too. He couldn’t bring himself to have the elders pressure her into marrying him.

Logically speaking, they were both from families of military officials, which could be considered a case of doors matching and households aligning¹⁵, but if Zhao Jiayu were to marry into the Qu Marquis’s Residence, it would definitely be a case of marrying up¹⁶.

“Who’s asking you about that? I’m saying, if I didn’t want to marry you, would you still continue to like me?”

“I would.” Qu Yu stared into Zhao Jiayu’s eyes and spoke as if to chop a nail and slice iron¹⁷.

Hearing Qu Yu’s answer, Zhao Jiayu couldn’t stop the corners of her lips from curling up. To hide the little bit of smugness in her heart, she averted her gaze.

“Then when are you going to find a matchmaker to go to our residence?” Whenever Zhao Jiayu felt shy, her words would become a little muffled.

“You… you agreed?”

Although Zhao Jiayu’s words weren’t clear, Qu Yu had been listening intently. When he heard her ask when he would find a matchmaker to go to their residence, he was so excited that he shot up from his seat in the carriage and moved in front of Zhao Jiayu on his knees.

“Jiayu, did you just agree to marry me?” Qu Yu watched as Zhao Jiayu avoided his gaze for a long moment, wanting to confirm if he had misheard.

“Mhm.” Zhao Jiayu nodded, letting out a soft, muffled sound of affirmation.

Qu Yu was certain now, and the excitement on his face became visible to the naked eye once more. “Tomorrow! I’ll have Mother find a matchmaker tomorrow to go speak with Uncle and Auntie.”

“We’ll send the betrothal gifts the day after tomorrow, and I’ll come to marry you next month, how about that?”

“Ah? Isn’t that too fast?” Hearing Qu Yu say he wanted to marry her next month, the shyness on Zhao Jiayu’s face was mostly replaced by surprise.

Qu Yu was impatient, but Zhao Jiayu felt it was a bit too fast.

Seeing Zhao Jiayu’s reaction, Qu Yu suddenly felt he had been too hasty. He blinked his eyes and said with a childish sense of grievance, “Then… next spring?”

“Isn’t that too late?” Zhao Jiayu said, changing her tune when she saw the aggrieved look on Qu Yu’s face.

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Early the next morning, after Lin Xizhao and Qu Sheng had their breakfast, they returned to the residence and saw gifts being prepared in the main courtyard. Qu Yu was holding an account book, checking each item one by one.

“Ah Yu, stop busying yourself here. Go change your clothes and go to the Zhao Residence with your father and mother. Leave this to me.” Jin Yunfei entered from another courtyard gate, walked to Qu Yu’s side, and took the account book from his hand.

“Then I’ll have to trouble First Aunt.” When Qu Yu returned last night, he had immediately started writing the gift list.

They were going to propose the match today. After waiting for the Zhao Residence’s consent, they could send the betrothal gifts tomorrow; there was still enough time.

“Go on now.” Jin Yunfei glanced at the account book and looked up with a smile.

Lin Xizhao and Qu Sheng walked toward Qu Yu. After meeting him, they bowed in greeting, their lovely eyes curving as they said, “Congratulations, Fourth Older Brother.”

What she was congratulating him for, naturally, needed no explanation.

Hearing this, Qu Yu gave a rare, embarrassed smile. He greeted them and then hurried off to his courtyard. The matchmaker had already arrived, and he needed to change into some presentable clothes to go to the Zhao Residence with his father and mother.

Lin Xizhao led Qu Sheng into the main courtyard. Seeing Jin Yunfei busy checking the items, she bowed in greeting and then proactively took the account book from Jin Yunfei’s hands.

“Adoptive Mother, please go rest. Sheng’er and I can handle this.” Lin Xizhao had managed the Prime Minister’s Residence for so many years that she had learned these things through and through. For her, it was a case of what the heart wishes, the hand accomplishes¹⁸.

Jin Yunfei didn’t refuse, but she didn’t leave either. She stood to the side without needing to exert herself, ready to lend a hand if Lin Xizhao got too busy.

She also knew that her own biological daughter would only stand aside and watch. She didn’t want to tire out this sensible and endearing elder daughter of hers.

Lin Xizhao took the account book and checked it item by item. Some of the goods were difficult to authenticate, so she had to take a few extra glances.

Qu Sheng, however, just sat to one side and watched. Jin Yunfei held the tea that Lin Xizhao had ordered someone to bring, watching her elder daughter unhurriedly and methodically busying herself with checking the items the servants had purchased. The more she watched, the more she liked her, and the more satisfied she became.

But when she looked at Qu Sheng, she found that Qu Sheng was just sitting there, doing nothing but eating and watching Lin Xizhao…

However, the few times Jin Yunfei looked at Qu Sheng, Qu Sheng’s gaze seemed to be following Lin Xizhao’s figure. After she had stared several times, Qu Sheng seemed to notice. She turned to look back at her, and after their eyes met for just a moment, Qu Sheng voluntarily lowered her gaze as if nothing had happened and continued to eat.

After a short while, when Jin Yunfei looked at Qu Sheng again, she found that Qu Sheng was no longer looking at Lin Xizhao.

She didn’t know if she was overthinking it, but she always felt that the way Qu Sheng looked at Lin Xizhao was very similar to how Qu Jinian had looked at her all those years ago.

After Lin Xizhao finished checking the items, she sat in the main hall, waiting for the subsequent purchases to arrive for inspection, and started chatting with Jin Yunfei.

“Recently, a new hairstyle has become popular in the palace. I asked a few of the servants, but they all said they don’t know how to do it. Zhao’er, do you know how?” Jin Yunfei, separated from Lin Xizhao by a small square table, turned her head and asked.

Lin Xizhao put down her tea and smiled. “A little. The maidservant in the residence who attend to grooming go to the longtang¹⁹ every few days to learn new hairstyles. One of them was just telling me about this the day before yesterday. If Adoptive Mother would like, I can try to style it for you, but I can’t guarantee I won’t make any mistakes.” Lin Xizhao was being modest. With things like this, she could grasp the basics just by hearing about them, let alone having seen them.

“Alright then, you help me try one out.” Jin Yunfei and Lin Xizhao were as close as mother and daughter, so for something like this, there was naturally no need for false pleasantries.

Lin Xizhao had someone bring a basin of clean water, wiped her hands, and had someone find a bronze mirror²⁰. Right there in the hall, she began to style Jin Yunfei’s hair.

Qu Sheng sat to the side, watching Lin Xizhao’s slender fingers gently stroking Jin Yunfei’s hair. The smile on Jin Yunfei’s face in the bronze mirror was a joy that came straight from the heart.

Qu Sheng thought back on her own interactions with Jin Yunfei. It seemed she had never managed to bring joy beneath her knees²¹, make small talk with her, act spoiled, or do any of the things a young daughter would do.

“It’s wonderful. I think it looks even better than the one worn by Lady Fang.” Jin Yunfei held the bronze mirror, examining the hairstyle Lin Xizhao had created for her from the left and right.

It was a little different, but this one suited her better.

Looking at Jin Yunfei through the bronze mirror, Lin Xizhao’s soft lips curved slightly. “This hairstyle on Adoptive Mother makes you look even younger.” Lin Xizhao wasn’t one to say flattering things, but Jin Yunfei was genuinely beautiful; otherwise, she wouldn’t have given birth to such a striking little beauty like Qu Sheng.

Hearing this, Jin Yunfei put down the bronze mirror, smiled, and raised a hand to pat Lin Xizhao’s slender hand, which was resting near her shoulder. “Speaking of youth, you’ve all grown up. Jiayu is about to marry into our family, and your marriage has yet to be settled.”

For all these years, Jin Yunfei had wanted to find a good match for Lin Xizhao, but after searching and searching, she always felt no one was worthy of her. There were one or two who were more or less suitable, but Lin Xizhao never nodded her approval, so Jin Yunfei didn’t force it and had to let it go.

In truth, she also had a selfish wish: to keep Lin Xizhao in the Qu Marquis’s Residence. Not by having her marry a man from the Qu family, but by keeping her by her side as a daughter for a few more years.

Every time the topic of marriage came up, Lin Xizhao would just smile without a word, neither agreeing nor refusing.

She didn’t want to get married yet. She knew that after a girl’s hairpin ceremony, the elders in the family would begin to arrange a marriage with a family where the doors match and households align. But her own mother had died a tragic death, and the main culprit was still wandering freely outside the law²². These weren’t the only reasons she didn’t want to marry, however. The most important thing was, she didn’t want to leave Qu Sheng.

A year of separation had often caused her to toss and turn at night, wondering if Qu Sheng had anyone to take care of her where she was, if she was being bullied, or if the food she ate was palatable.

As Lin Xizhao listened to Jin Yunfei begin to chatter on and on about her marriage, she glanced sideways at Qu Sheng.

Qu Sheng’s head was lowered, her thoughts unknown. The pastry she held in her hand had also remained untouched for a long time.

“Madam, Eldest Miss, Young Miss, the sixty thousand liang²³ of gold exchanged from the bank are all here. Eldest Miss, please inspect them.” The steward of the Qu Marquis’s Residence led some men in, carrying chests filled with gold from outside.

Hearing this, all three of them looked up.

Jin Yunfei was the first to speak. “Sixty thousand liang, isn’t that a little low?”

Hearing this, Lin Xizhao and Qu Sheng both looked at Jin Yunfei. A betrothal gift of sixty thousand liang of gold was no small amount; many wealthy merchant families would never be willing to part with so much gold.

“Oh, this is what was written on Young Master Yu’s gift list. Should more be added?” the steward asked.

Jin Yunfei thought for a moment and said, “Wait a moment.”

Lin Xizhao and Qu Sheng watched Jin Yunfei leave. She returned not long after with a stack of yinpiao²⁴ in her hand. After having the steward count them, Jin Yunfei said, “Make it a hundred thousand liang, for ten out of ten, perfectly beautiful²⁵.”

The Qu family was not short on money.

The steward took the silver drafts, went out, and ordered the servants to go exchange them for more gold.

Lin Xizhao had people check the amount and weight of the gold and record the newly purchased items in the account book. By the time she was done with all this, it was already afternoon.

Qu Sheng, who had been sitting there, had also had her fill of snacks. Seeing Lin Xizhao standing and checking things for so long, she felt a pang of distress and went out. When she returned, Qu Ting and his wife had come with her.

“Xizhao-meimei, let me and your Third Sister-In-Law take over. You take Sheng-meimei to get something to eat.” As Qu Ting spoke, he gestured for his wife to take the account book from Lin Xizhao’s hands.

This procurement was certainly going to take the entire day. Jin Yunfei was currently instructing the kitchens to prepare some extra dishes that Lin Xizhao loved to eat.

Lin Xizhao heard this, and didn’t refuse. “Then I must thank Third Older Brother and Third Sister-In-Law first.”

“Hey, we’re family, what’s there to thank? Ah Yu is your Fourth Older Brother, and he’s our Fourth Older Brother, isn’t he?” Qu Ting said with a smile.

After exchanging pleasantries for a while, Lin Xizhao looked at Qu Sheng. Qu Sheng was standing to the side with her head lowered. A moment later, a pair of warm fingers took her hand.

“Let’s go.” Lin Xizhao was indeed hungry now, but she was more afraid of Qu Sheng going hungry.

Not many pastries had been prepared today, and she had a good estimate of Qu Sheng’s appetite. Even if Qu Sheng had eaten all the snacks, she should be hungry by now.

The two walked hand in hand, like a pair of conjoined twin sisters. As they walked, Lin Xizhao smiled and glanced sideways at Qu Sheng. “It was Sheng’er who called Third Older Brother and Third Sister-In-Law over, wasn’t it?”

Qu Ting hadn’t been idle. He had received an assignment yesterday and only returned at noon today. When Qu Sheng went to find him, he was in the middle of his noon meal.

Qu Sheng didn’t speak, so Lin Xizhao squeezed her hand. She didn’t blame her, either. She understood perfectly well in her heart that her little one was distressed for her.

The two of them went to Jin Yunfei’s courtyard. The noon meal was almost fully laid out, and Jin Yunfei was just about to send someone to call for them.

After the noon meal, the two went to help out for a while longer. Lin Xizhao was only able to rest after Qu Yu returned.

The sending of the betrothal gifts was set for the day after tomorrow. Although Qu Yu was very anxious, an auspicious time on a lucky day²⁶ still had to be chosen. The day after tomorrow was a great day, perfect for sending betrothal gifts.

Xiao Residence.

Xiao Bingying hadn’t slept at all last night. By the time she learned that the Qu family had come to the door to propose a match for Zhao Jiayu, it was already afternoon. Zhao Jiayu had come to tell her in person.

“Congratulations.” Xiao Bingying was half-reclined on the ta, letting out a yawn. This marriage of Zhao Jiayu’s was a matter of time. She’d had a premonition about it last night, but she had thought it would be dragged out for a while longer. She hadn’t expected Zhao Jiayu to agree so quickly.

Hearing this, Zhao Jiayu pouted. “Ah Jie, that ‘congratulations’ of yours has not a shred of sincerity.”

Seeing Zhao Jiayu becoming more and more adept at acting spoiled, Xiao Bingying smiled, threw back the covers, and got up. She looked at Zhao Jiayu and said, “Congratulations to my meimei on getting married.”

“That’s more like it.” Zhao Jiayu’s face held a trace of shyness, and she was quite happy with Xiao Bingying’s congratulations.

“What were you doing last night? How are you only getting up now?” Zhao Jiayu asked, watching Xiao Bingying yawn again.

Xiao Bingying picked up a dress from the side. When she heard Zhao Jiayu ask what she did last night, her expression froze for a second. A little unnaturally, she didn’t dare to look at Zhao Jiayu. “I came back and read for a while yesterday. I lost track of time, and when I looked up, the sky was already bright.”

“What book was so captivating? I want to see it too.” Zhao Jiayu believed everything Xiao Bingying said, except when it came to her being bullied.

“Oh, I had someone put it back in the study this morning. I think it was called… it was a book on winemaking. Do you want to read it?” Xiao Bingying couldn’t think of a title on the spot, but she suddenly remembered that the residence had acquired a book on winemaking a few days ago, so she said it off the cuff.

“Forget it. I’m good at drinking it, but not at making it.” Zhao Jiayu didn’t have that kind of patience. Wielding blades and spears, drinking and making merry—those she could do. Researching things, she was not good at.

Hearing that Zhao Jiayu wasn’t going to look, Xiao Bingying breathed a sigh of relief in her heart.

The one who had a fever last night was only sent back to her courtyard long after daybreak, after being fed congee. She herself had sat in the room all night and had only just slept for a little over an hour.

“Let’s go find Xizhao,” Zhao Jiayu said after watching Xiao Bingying finish washing up.

Wiping her face, Xiao Bingying could see that Zhao Jiayu was truly happy today. Even though she herself was a bit exhausted, she didn’t want to spoil her mood. It was just that Lin Xizhao probably wasn’t at the Prime Minister’s Residence right now.

“Xizhao should be at the Qu Marquis’s Residence right now. Do you still want to go?” Xiao Bingying handed the towel to a servant and said while applying scented cream.

Zhao Jiayu heard that Lin Xizhao was at the Qu Marquis’s Residence and cast a confused glance²⁷.

“Don’t you forget, little Sheng’er is a member of the Qu Marquis’s Residence, and Xizhao is the Qu Marquis’s Residence’s adoptive daughter. Don’t you think they should return to the residence after learning about Qu-sige’s betrothal gifts?”

“Then what should we do?” Zhao Jiayu listened to Xiao Bingying’s analysis; it did make sense. Now that she had this connection to the Qu family, it wouldn’t be appropriate for her to visit their home directly. But she wasn’t looking for Lin Xizhao just to tell her she had accepted the Qu family’s marriage proposal. “Why don’t we have someone invite them here?”

“Here? To my place?” Xiao Bingying was a little surprised. Other than Zhao Jiayu, Lin Xizhao and Qu Sheng rarely came over.

Zhao Jiayu nodded. “Exactly. Have them come here.”

Lin Xizhao and Qu Sheng had only been free for a short while when a servant from the Xiao Residence sent a messenger to say that the Eldest Miss of the Xiao family invited them to be guests at her residence.

Lin Xizhao had no suspicions. She knew it must have been Zhao Jiayu who called for them, so she had a carriage prepared and went over with Qu Sheng.

As soon as they arrived at the Xiao Residence gate, they saw Xiao Bingying and Zhao Jiayu standing there waiting for them.

Lin Xizhao and Qu Sheng alighted from the carriage, and Zhao Jiayu immediately pulled them toward Xiao Bingying’s courtyard.

Watching Zhao Jiayu’s expression change from initial delight to a cautious look as she closed the door, Lin Xizhao guessed that Zhao Jiayu had something she wanted to tell her.

“Xizhao, have you heard? After His Majesty learned that Earl Yongshen’s two sons were trampled to death by horses, he issued a special decree allowing Earl Yongshen to be released from prison early. The Huang Guifei²⁸ has also been released from the Cold Palace²⁹.”

Lin Xizhao did not know this news that Zhao Jiayu brought, but Qu Sheng did.

Xiao Bingying had already learned of it from Zhao Jiayu before Lin Xizhao and Qu Sheng arrived.

Hearing Zhao Jiayu’s words, Lin Xizhao’s expression soured a little, but she said nothing in response. The Emperor had decreed their release; what could she do?

Knock, knock, knock.

As the group sat in silence, a knock came at Xiao Bingying’s door. They all looked over, and a flash of nervousness crossed Xiao Bingying’s face. The only one who would come looking for her here would be the little handmaiden of that person from last night.

“Miss Xiao, my Princess has a fever again. Could you please come take another look at her?” Chili shouted urgently at the door after receiving no response to her knock.

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The author has something to say:

Qu Sheng: “Mother, just let Jiejie marry me. That way, we can keep her for a lifetime.”

Jin Yunfei: “……”

Lin Xizhao: “……”

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