The Prime Minister’s Daughter and the Marquis’s Fool – Chapter 50

Replying to the Eldest Miss, This Slave’s Monthly Salary is One Hundred Taels

Lin Xikuan listened to Xiao Yaocai’s words, a trace of embarrassment appearing on his face.

Xiao Yaocai had originally told him to show some sincerity by offering some silver. Lin Xikuan had brought over a thousand taels¹, but Xiao Yaocai said it wasn’t enough. So, Lin Xikuan went back to his residence to get another hundred taels, but who knew that when Xiao Yaocai saw he had only added a hundred, he directly stated a specific number.

Only after Lin Xikuan brought another thousand taels did Xiao Yaocai finally bring Cheng Xi out.

Lin Xikuan nodded and cupped his hands in a salute, tacitly agreeing that he would continue to bring more silver.

Seeing this, Xiao Yaocai smiled, patted him on the shoulder, and said, “A moment of a spring night is worth a thousand gold pieces². Xikuan-didi³, you should hurry along.”

Lin Xikuan exited the room and followed a servant around a few corners to the room where Cheng Xi was.

Standing outside the door, Lin Xikuan seemed a bit nervous. He glanced at the maidservant waiting by the door, cleared his throat pretentiously, and said, “You may all withdraw for now.”

Hearing this, the maidservants curtsied and left.

Lin Xikuan pushed open the door and entered. Xiao Bingying stood not far away, feeling puzzled.

---

Zhao Residence.

In the dead of night, Feng Qi personally rushed over to inform her that she should go to Xiao Yaocai’s private villa, saying that Miss Cheng Xi and Xiao Bingying were both there.

Zhao Jiayu only heard Feng Qi tell her to go over, but he didn’t specify the details. She asked, “Go for what? Is there a banquet there?”

Feng Qi heard this and glanced up at the maidservant beside Zhao Jiayu. Zhao Jiayu followed his gaze, and it wasn’t until her eyes met Feng Qi’s again, seeing his hesitant look, that she realized and dismissed all the servants.

Watching the servants leave, Feng Qi said, “The Eldest Miss suspects that Young Master Xikuan will harm Miss Cheng Xi.”

Hearing Feng Qi’s words, Zhao Jiayu’s eyes widened for a moment. The image of Xiao Yaocai and Lin Xikuan with their arms slung around each other’s shoulders from a few days ago suddenly flashed through her mind.

Zhao Jiayu asked no more questions and directly had Feng Qi lead the way. The two of them rode swift horses, galloping quickly toward Xiao Yaocai’s private residence.

When Feng Qi and Zhao Jiayu arrived at the gate of the residence and knocked, the person inside took a long time to open the main gate. Zhao Jiayu had seen these servants before. Noticing the man behind her, one of them saluted and asked, “Miss Cousin⁴, our young master is not in. Please come back another day.”

Hearing this, Zhao Jiayu shot a sideways glare at the servant of the Xiao residence and said, “SCRAM!”

She knew Xiao Yaocai all too well. For Lin Xizhao to have Feng Qi come find her, she naturally knew something bad was about to happen.

Zhao Jiayu watched as the servant took a step back from her shouting, then said, “Wait a minute. Where is Miss Cheng Xi?”

“What Miss Cheng Xi?” the servant asked, feigning confusion.

Hearing this, Zhao Jiayu grabbed him by the collar and said, “Don’t think I don’t know what Xiao Yaocai is up to. If Xiao Yaocai isn’t here, then Lin Xikuan must be, right? Where is he?”

“Yo, what wind blew my Older Cousin⁵ over here? Why are you so angry?” Having been informed by a servant of Zhao Jiayu’s arrival, Xiao Yaocai hurried out to deal with her.

“Hmph, just now this dog thing⁶ from your residence said you weren’t here. Did you just jump out of a crack in the ground?” Zhao Jiayu sneered.

Xiao Yaocai heard this and laughed. “These servants talk nonsense. Older Cousin, don’t be angry. I wonder what matter brings you to find me so late at night?”

Zhao Jiayu sized up Xiao Yaocai, noting his seemingly smug expression, and asked, “Where’s Lin Xikuan?”

Xiao Yaocai blinked his eyes and said, “The Second Young Master of the Prime Minister’s Estate? He’s not here.”

“Someone saw him enter your residence. Are you saying he’s not here?” Zhao Jiayu didn’t believe Xiao Yaocai’s words.

“He was here this afternoon. We even had a few drinks, but he’s been gone for a long time now. Are you looking for him for something, Older Cousin?”

Hearing Xiao Yaocai’s words, Zhao Jiayu’s eyes were filled with doubt. She glanced sideways at Feng Qi behind her. Feng Qi looked up at her, his expression unchanging.

“BULLSHIT! Where’s Cheng Xi? Where is Cheng Xi?” Zhao Jiayu had been searching for a whole group of people; a moment ago, when she looked at Feng Qi, his gaze hadn’t signaled for her to leave, which meant they were all still here.

“Older Cousin, you come here and first you’re looking for me, then you’re looking for the Second Young Master of the Prime Minister’s Estate, and now you’re looking for Cheng Xi. Is my older sister next on your list?”

Hearing Xiao Yaocai’s words, the anger on Zhao Jiayu’s face paused for a second. Her eyes blinked, and she said, “I don’t care. You call them all out for me.” Zhao Jiayu was determined to see those two people today.

Hearing this, Xiao Yaocai stood there without speaking, looking away with an impatient expression, ignoring Zhao Jiayu completely.

Seeing Xiao Yaocai acting like a rogue just like her, Zhao Jiayu muttered to herself, looking left and right, “If you won’t call them out, I’ll find them myself.” As she spoke, Zhao Jiayu started walking toward Xiao Yaocai’s inner courtyard.

“Stop her!” As soon as Xiao Yaocai spoke, the several guards behind him all stood in front of Zhao Jiayu.

Zhao Jiayu looked at the guards before her and sneered, “Just the few of you think you can stop me?” As she spoke, she sent a kick flying, sending the man directly in front of her flying a great distance. The others were all stunned, not expecting Zhao Jiayu to actually make a move.

“What are you still standing there stunned for? My cousin has gone mad! Seize her and send her back to the Zhao Residence!” Seeing his man get hit by Zhao Jiayu, Xiao Yaocai roared in anger.

Hearing this, the guards glanced at Xiao Yaocai and all charged forward. Zhao Jiayu’s martial arts were not bad, but dealing with four or five people at once was still a bit of a struggle.

“Feng Qi!”

During the fight, Zhao Jiayu slowly found herself at a disadvantage and had no choice but to call for Feng Qi, whom she had brought with her.

“Guard Feng, I only know that you are from the Qu Marquis Residence, but Lin Xikuan is not here. I advise you not to meddle.” Xiao Yaocai knew that Feng Qi had been following Lin Xizhao for a year.

Xiao Yaocai figured that Feng Qi was here because he was following Lin Xizhao’s orders to find Lin Xikuan.

Hearing this, Feng Qi glanced sideways. Before Zhao Jiayu could call him again, he flew over and, in a few moves, knocked all the guards to the ground.

Zhao Jiayu didn’t even get a clear look at how Feng Qi struck before the men were on the ground. She gave Feng Qi a surprised, longer look.

Seeing that these men couldn’t get up, Zhao Jiayu lifted her foot to leave, but Xiao Yaocai quickly stepped forward and blocked her path.

“Older Cousin, this is my private residence. Even if we are related, you shouldn’t be so casual, should you?” Xiao Yaocai asserted his status as the master of the house, trying to force Zhao Jiayu to leave.

“Get out of my way, or I’ll beat you up too,” Zhao Jiayu said, glaring at Xiao Yaocai impolitely.

Hearing this, Xiao Yaocai looked at Zhao Jiayu, his eyes no longer holding the timid and fearful expression from before.

Seeing that Xiao Yaocai wasn’t moving, Zhao Jiayu threw a punch, but a guard who had been standing by Xiao Yaocai’s side without moving caught her fist in his palm.

Zhao Jiayu looked at this tall and sturdy man, her eyes slightly stunned. Knowing that her martial arts were inferior to his, she tried to withdraw her hand, but the man held her fist tightly, reached out to grab her by the waist, lifted her up, and threw her.

The moment Zhao Jiayu was thrown, Feng Qi swiftly flew over and caught her steadily.

“Xiao Yaocai! Are you crazy? You dare let your man hit me?” Zhao Jiayu roared at Xiao Yaocai irritably the moment she landed.

Hearing this, Xiao Yaocai also shouted angrily, “You were the one who tried to hit me first!”

“You!” Zhao Jiayu was choked with anger. She was going to hit Xiao Yaocai, but it would have just been a scuffle. She wouldn’t have really hurt him; at most, it would have been a superficial injury. But the force with which that man had lifted and thrown her was clearly intended to kill her. Even if it didn’t kill her, she would have definitely broken some bones.

“Jiayu.”

Hearing a voice, everyone turned to look. At that moment, Xiao Bingying was wrapping Cheng Xi in a quilt, seemingly trying to take her away.

When Xiao Yaocai heard Xiao Bingying, his face froze slightly. When he saw the person in her arms, his eyes widened even more as he stared at Xiao Bingying.

“Ah Jie, what are you doing!”

Xiao Bingying had been waiting outside earlier. Seeing Lin Xikuan enter the room, she felt something was wrong. She waited outside for about the time it takes to drink half a small cup of tea⁷ when she suddenly heard the sound of a vase shattering inside. Feeling increasingly uneasy, she ignored the servants’ attempts to stop her and went straight in.

When she entered, Cheng Xi was in her middle clothes⁸, struggling to move toward the door, while Lin Xikuan’s head was bleeding.

Lin Xikuan had originally started to chase after her, but upon seeing Xiao Bingying, he practically vanished, rushing back into the room to hide.

Seeing this scene, Xiao Bingying naturally guessed what Lin Xikuan had intended to do to Cheng Xi. She didn’t question Lin Xikuan but picked up Cheng Xi, who had already fallen to the ground, and went out.

The servants outside now chased after her.

The groups met in the outer courtyard. Xiao Yaocai was yelling at Xiao Bingying. When Zhao Jiayu saw the currently weak and speechless Cheng Xi, she was burning with rage. She shot a glare at Xiao Yaocai and said to Xiao Bingying, “Ah Jie, you take Cheng Xi back first. I’ll handle things here.”

Hearing this, Xiao Bingying nodded for a moment, glanced at Xiao Yaocai with a slight frown, but just as she was about to move, the guard who had tried to throw Zhao Jiayu moved to block her.

Xiao Bingying reacted quickly. Holding Cheng Xi, she spun around in a circle and dodged him.

Seeing this, Zhao Jiayu looked at Feng Qi and said, “Feng Qi, beat this man to the ground for me. If you cripple him, it’s on me.” Zhao Jiayu had never been bullied like this before. A mere guard had dared to try and kill her by throwing her. Even if she reported this to the authorities, she would be in the right.

Hearing this, before Zhao Jiayu could say another word, Feng Qi quickly moved forward and began to fight the man.

The Xiao family had indeed spent a great deal of money to hire a good guard. When Feng Qi first started fighting him, he couldn’t figure out his moves, and the man dodged every time. But it wasn’t long before Feng Qi saw through his style and kicked him in the chest.

But the man’s body was very tough. Feng Qi’s kick didn’t do much damage to him, and the two continued to fight.

In Xiao Bingying’s arms, Cheng Xi let out a weak sound. Xiao Bingying lowered her head to look and saw that her face was somewhat pale. She whispered, “I’ll take you back right away.”

Seeing that Xiao Bingying was about to take Cheng Xi away, Xiao Yaocai once again flashed over and blocked Xiao Bingying’s path.

Holding a person, Xiao Bingying could win a fight against Xiao Yaocai, but she was afraid it would harm Cheng Xi.

Just as Xiao Bingying hesitated, Xiao Yaocai was kicked from the side by Zhao Jiayu.

“Ah Jie, you go first. Leave this dog thing to me,” Zhao Jiayu said, still fuming. Today, she was going to teach this ungrateful cousin of hers a lesson.

Hearing this, Xiao Bingying nodded and left with Cheng Xi in her arms.

Zhao Jiayu looked at Xiao Yaocai getting up from the ground and smiled. “Cai-di⁹, fists and feet have no eyes¹⁰. You’d better be careful.”

---

A long time later.

Zhao Jiayu and Feng Qi looked at the Xiao family members on the ground, including Xiao Yaocai, snorted with laughter, and left first.

Feng Qi then went into the courtyard and dragged out the hiding Lin Xikuan.

Lin Xikuan was brought back to the residence. Lin Xizhao was currently sitting in his room, waiting for him. Qu Sheng and Lin Xirui stood by Lin Xizhao’s side. When Lin Xikuan was pushed through the door by Feng Qi, he still looked as if he were startled like a wooden chicken¹¹.

Lin Xikuan looked up at the people in his room, a timid expression in his eyes.

“Second Brother, did you really keep a mistress?” Seeing Lin Xikuan’s disheveled appearance and the traces of what looked like dried blood on his head, Lin Xirui quickly walked forward to check.

When Lin Xirui’s hand touched the wound on his head, Lin Xikuan hissed and took a step back.

“What happened to your head?”

When asked about the injury on his head, Lin Xikuan looked up at Lin Xirui guiltily and lowered his head.

Seeing this, Feng Qi replied, “Young Master Yaocai gave Miss Cheng Xi a drug.” Feng Qi glanced sideways at Lin Xikuan and continued, speaking to Lin Xizhao, “He wanted Young Master Xikuan to act improperly toward Miss Cheng.”

Lin Xizhao had guessed it the moment they came in. Now, she looked at Lin Xikuan with a cold face. She had never imagined her own brother could be this kind of person.

“How much silver did you give Young Master Xiao in total?” Lin Xizhao asked after a moment of silence.

Upon hearing the word “silver,” Lin Xikuan abruptly looked up at Lin Xizhao.

“Besides the one hundred and twenty taels I gave you, I know you withdrew a total of two thousand two hundred taels in silver notes from the accounting office in Father’s name. How much did you give Young Master Xiao?”

Hearing that Lin Xizhao already knew about him withdrawing the money, Lin Xikuan’s eyes stared blankly, and he slowly lowered his head.

“It’s already come to this. What’s the use of you saying all this now?” Lin Xikuan said in a low voice.

At this moment, Lin Xikuan didn’t feel he had done anything wrong. He only felt that he had been played by Lin Xizhao. She clearly knew he had taken the money but deliberately didn’t stop him. Wasn’t it just to watch him make a fool of himself today?

Lin Xizhao stood up and took a few steps forward. She looked at Lin Xikuan’s attitude of a cracked pot smashing itself to pieces¹². Her voice was gentle, but it carried a certain severity. “Miss Cheng Xi was bestowed upon the Xiao family by His Majesty. Do you know what kind of disaster you would have brought upon Father if you had touched her today?”

Cheng Xi was a tribute from the Haichao Kingdom to the court. Being bestowed upon the Xiao family meant she was an imperial gift. Imperially bestowed items cannot be transferred to others. Even if it were just a randomly bestowed palace maid, no one other than the person she was given to could defile her.

Hearing this, Lin Xikuan’s gaze flickered, and he felt a moment of fear in his heart, but the next moment he felt that Lin Xizhao was just trying to scare him.

If it could bring disaster, how would Xiao Yaocai have dared to agree to it?

“Fine, you won’t talk, is that it? Come with me to see Father.”

Lin Xizhao had originally intended to lecture him today and make him realize his mistake, but even after she had said her piece, she didn’t see a shred of remorse in Lin Xikuan.

“Ah Jie, Father will beat Second Brother to death,” Lin Xirui said. Having seen Lin Xikuan beaten last time, he knew how heavy-handed their father could be. With what happened today, he was worried his father would personally beat Lin Xikuan to death.

“That would be him having only himself to blame,” Lin Xizhao said. She knew she couldn’t indulge Lin Xikuan any longer. If he wasn’t taught a lesson, she feared he would cause even greater trouble in the future.

Things that haven’t happened yet can still be salvaged, but if they do happen, how could she protect his life?

As Lin Xizhao’s words fell, Lin Xikuan lowered his head and laughed, the sound somewhat horrifying.

“Don’t you just want to see me become a laughingstock?”

Hearing this, Lin Xizhao looked at Lin Xikuan, confused.

“Second Brother, what nonsense are you talking?” Lin Xirui felt a chill run down his spine hearing Lin Xikuan’s laughter.

“Doesn’t she, Lin Xizhao, just hate our mother for killing her mother? I’ve had enough of it all these years. Lin Xizhao, you’ve been pretending to be gentle and virtuous in this residence for so long. Are you done pretending now? Finally showing your true colors?”

Lin Xizhao listened to Lin Xikuan’s crazed words, her brows knitting together.

“Second Brother!” Lin Xirui wanted to stop Lin Xikuan from continuing.

“Xirui, let your Second Brother continue,” Lin Xizhao said, unafraid of Lin Xikuan’s words. All these years, she had a clear conscience and had never transferred her hatred for Madam Yu onto him.

“What’s there to say? In this residence, you’re Father’s favorite. Whatever you say, goes. Father listens to you the most. You can go call Father now, let him come and beat me to death.” Lin Xikuan raised his head, his eyes bloodshot, glaring viciously at Lin Xizhao as if he were about to rush out and kill her in the next moment.

Lin Xizhao looked at this brother of hers, who was spouting wind words and wind speech¹³, without a trace of fear.

“Xikuan, let me ask you. You think I hate you. Then tell me, what have I done all these years that makes you feel I’ve mistreated you?”

Hearing this, Lin Xikuan gave a bitter laugh and said, “Is there even a need to say it? Who in the residence doesn’t know?”

Lin Xizhao frowned slightly, not understanding what Lin Xikuan was referring to.

Seeing Lin Xizhao feigning ignorance, Lin Xikuan said, “The residence’s finances are all under your control. When I want to take some, those people stop me. Isn’t that it?” Lin Xikuan remembered the first time he wanted to withdraw a little more silver, the people in the accounting office said they had to ask Lin Xizhao for permission. At the time, he was timid and quickly told the servant to forget it.

“All income and expenses of the residence must be recorded in the ledgers. Everyone’s monthly allowance is fixed, including my own. If everyone could take money as they pleased, wouldn’t it be chaos?” Lin Xizhao explained.

“Stop pretending. Haven’t you taken quite a bit of the residence’s silver over the years?” Lin Xikuan had always believed that Lin Xizhao was managing the Prime Minister’s Estate and embezzling its funds.

Hearing Lin Xikuan say this about her, Lin Xizhao frowned again and asked, “And how do you know that?”

Lin Xikuan was silent for a long time, but his lips trembled slightly. “All these years, Qu Sheng has been staying in our residence. Has she ever lacked for food or drink?”

Hearing this, Lin Xizhao’s brows furrowed even deeper.

Seeing that Lin Xizhao didn’t argue, Lin Xikuan continued, “Don’t think I don’t know. To curry favor with the Qu family, you buy many things for Qu Sheng every year. Even when Qu Sheng isn’t in the residence, you stay overnight at the Qu Marquis Residence and don’t return. Isn’t all this evidence?”

Hearing this, Lin Xizhao glanced sideways at Qu Sheng.

Yes, she had indeed bought Qu Sheng many things over the years. Some of the rare ingredients in the residence were also specially ordered from the kitchens at her instruction. Her own allowance wasn’t enough to cover it, but if you added the allowance given by the Qu family, by the end of the month, she actually had several dozen taels of silver more than her allowance from this residence.

Although she was the Qu family’s adopted daughter, she was treated like a biological daughter. Whatever monthly allowance Qu Sheng had, she had the same.

All these years she and Qu Sheng had been living back and forth between the two residences. This year, because she missed Qu Sheng, and because Jin Yunfei also missed her, one of them would often stay overnight at the Qu Marquis Residence. She never thought that today, her own brother would use this as evidence that she was stuffing her own pockets¹⁴ and bending her will to curry favor¹⁵ with the Qu family.

“Feng Qi, what is your monthly salary at the Qu Marquis Residence?” Lin Xizhao turned her head and asked Feng Qi in a gentle voice.

Feng Qi heard this, looked up for a moment, and replied, “Replying to the Eldest Miss, this slave’s¹⁶ monthly salary is one hundred taels.”

“Then what about Sheng’er’s and mine?”

Feng Qi lowered his head and thought for a moment. “This slave is not clear on that, but the young masters in our residence receive one hundred taels each month. By convention, there is no distinction between men and women in the residence, so yours and the Young Miss’s should also be one hundred taels.”

Although Feng Qi was a guard of the Qu Marquis Residence, he was different from the other guards. His monthly salary alone was on par with that of the young masters and misses of the residence.

Lin Xizhao asked Feng Qi to tell Lin Xikuan that the Qu family had no need for her to curry favor with them. What the Qu family gave her far exceeded what she gave to Qu Sheng.

Not to mention the monthly allowance the Qu family gave her, even if they didn’t, the dowry her mother left her was worth more than half of the Prime Minister’s Estate’s assets.

To this day, almost everything they ate and drank in their residence came from the profits of the shops and manors her mother had brought with her. Why would she need to stuff her own pockets by embezzling the paltry sum of money from the Prime Minister’s Estate?

“One hundred taels? That much?” When Lin Xirui heard “one hundred taels,” he was genuinely shocked. You had to know, they only got six taels of silver.

The Qu Marquis Residence was so wealthy that even a guard was given a hundred taels. How could they possibly care about the little bit of silver his Ah Jie had?

When Lin Xikuan heard what Lin Xizhao had Feng Qi say, his eyes wavered, and he said disbelievingly, “Who knows if you two colluded on this.”

Lin Xizhao didn’t want to argue with him further on this matter. She said again, “You say I embezzle the residence’s silver. I do not admit it. You can take this matter to Father; I am not afraid of an investigation. Are there any other ways I have mistreated you?”

Lin Xikuan looked at the Lin Xizhao of today, who seemed gentle but gave off an air of not being easily trifled with. His Adam’s apple bobbed. He thought for a few moments but couldn’t think of anything else Lin Xizhao had done to mistreat him. But he was too ashamed to bring up the matter of his long-delayed engagement.

Seeing him remain silent for a long time, and remembering how he had spent money today to buy someone from the Xiao Residence, she said, “Your marriage is something Father has instructed to be discussed only after you pass the imperial examinations. It is not I who am preventing matchmakers from entering our doors. If you don’t believe me, you are free to ask Father.” As she spoke, she glanced at Lin Xirui. “The same goes for Xirui.”

Hearing this, Lin Xikuan looked up at Lin Xizhao. Everything he had said today had been completely refuted by her, but he still didn’t believe it.

“If you have nothing more to say, then come with me to see Father.”

“Eldest Miss, the Prime Minister has already arrived,” Feng Qi reminded her in a low voice.

Feng Qi had heard Lin Jianhai’s footsteps long ago. He had been standing outside the door for quite some time.

Hearing this, Lin Xizhao lowered her eyes for a moment, a hint of worry in her gaze as she looked at Lin Xikuan. If it were just about Lin Xikuan spending money to buy someone from the Xiao Residence, the punishment would at most be confinement and reflection. But after Lin Xikuan had spoken to her like that, she was worried that Lin Jianhai would really beat him to death.

Lin Xizhao looked at Lin Xikuan, then glanced at Lin Xirui before walking to the door and opening it.

“Father, when did you arrive?” Opening the door, Lin Xizhao saw Lin Jianhai with his hands behind his back, a look of gentle anger on his face. She even forgot to salute.

Lin Jianhai glanced into the room, then looked down at his daughter. His voice was still relatively gentle as he said, “I’ve been here for a little while.”

At this moment, inside the room, Lin Xikuan shivered in fear upon hearing Lin Jianhai’s voice. Just now, when Feng Qi said Lin Jianhai had arrived, he thought he was being deliberately deceived.

---

The author has something to say:

Qu Sheng: “Wifey, what’s for dinner tonight?”

Lin Xizhao: “You.”

---

---