The Prime Minister’s Daughter and the Marquis’s Fool – Chapter 7

Give Sheng-meimei to me.

Although the Qu family were military officials and also held the title of Marquis of a region, they were never vague when it came to receiving guests and dealing with people, and their etiquette was always meticulous.

Qu Jinian personally took Qu Sheng to the Lin Prime Minister’s Manor. Before this, Jin Yunfei had already sent someone with gifts to pay a personal visit. Although Qu Jinian and Prime Minister Lin Jianhai¹ sometimes had political disagreements in the imperial court, they both worked for the Son of Heaven, and the relationship between the two was considered amicable.

Lin Jianhai received Qu Jinian in the manor, while Qu Sheng followed Jin Yunfei to see Madam Lin. Qu Sheng sat on a small chair to the side, her little legs constantly lifting and falling, with a sugar figurine² prepared for her by Lin Xizhao by her mouth.

Qu Sheng nibbled with her small mouth open, looking as if she did not understand what the adults were saying, her mind solely focused on her food. Lin Xizhao sat to one side listening to the adults converse, and if she were asked a question, she could also answer it very quickly.

After Qu Sheng finished the sugar figurine, her mouth felt a bit sticky. Before she could ask for water, Lin Xizhao brought a cup of warm water over, reminding her in a soft, gentle voice, “Drink slowly.”

Qu Sheng looked at the cup of water before her without raising her head to look at Lin Xizhao. When she was at the Southeast Marquis’s Manor, she had spent two shichen³ with that foolish child and roughly knew how to act. She lowered her head without hesitation, placed her lips on the edge of the cup, and with her little mouth puffing, drew the water in.

The sound of Qu Sheng drinking water attracted the attention of the two ladies in the hall. Jin Yunfei watched Qu Sheng drink, the corners of her lips curling up as she said, “Sheng’er is young, I’m afraid she will have to trouble Xizhao a lot more.”

“Nonsense, Zhao’er is older, so it’s only right that she takes care of Sheng’er. They are like sisters of the same family; there’s no trouble to speak of.” Madam Lin had spoken with Jin Yunfei many times before, so they were quite familiar with each other by this visit.

Jin Yunfei smiled. She watched as Qu Sheng finished the water and Lin Xizhao wiped her little mouth. Only then did the two women retract their gazes and continue their previous conversation.

After Lin Xizhao helped her finish the water, Qu Sheng went back to eating the pastries beside her. Lin Xizhao would glance at Qu Sheng from time to time, but Qu Sheng was always in her own world, as if her heart had no other distractions⁴, singularly devoted to the pastry in her hands.

“Before Sheng’er was born, my eldest son let go of his hands in the world⁵. It was my fault for not being careful at the time. Later, after Sheng’er was born, her temperament became somewhat withdrawn…” Jin Yunfei repeated the same story she had told before, neither admitting that Qu Sheng was a fool nor allowing people to think that Qu Sheng’s intelligence was sufficient to be qualified for the position of Empress.

Back then, when Qu Sheng’s eldest brother died in battle, Jin Yunfei had indeed fallen ill. The physician once thought that Qu Sheng could not be saved, but in the end, she was born.

Hearing this, Madam Lin felt a bit of sympathy and comforted her, “Sheng’er is still young. Perhaps she will be better when she’s a little older.” Madam Lin had already known about this from the time in the Great Hall, and Lin Xizhao had also mentioned it after returning from a trip to the Qu Marquis’s Manor. However, she did not think Qu Sheng was a fool; on the contrary, she felt she was very clever.

Jin Yunfei nodded, a touch of sorrow in her eyes, and said, “I hope so.”

The atmosphere of their conversation became a bit somber, so they later changed the subject. Since this was the rear residence⁶, it was also time for the tutor⁷ to begin class. Qu Jinian sent someone over with a message, and he returned to their manor with Jin Yunfei. Qu Sheng would stay for the day, and someone would be sent to pick her up later.

Jin Yunfei stood up and looked at her daughter. It would be a lie to say she wasn’t worried, but they had already discussed it at their manor; only she and her guard would be left behind.

Qu Sheng did not seem the least bit sad about Qu Jinian and Jin Yunfei’s departure. She was held in the guard’s arms, eating the food in her hands, occasionally lowering her head to take a bite.

The carriage outside the Prime Minister’s manor gradually drove further away, and the people of the Lin Manor also prepared to return inside. Qu Sheng’s guard was holding her, and as she turned, she saw Lin Xizhao standing behind them. Just as she was about to move past, she heard Lin Xizhao’s gentle words, “Give Sheng-meimei to me.”

It seemed Lin Xizhao had already gotten familiar with Qu Sheng in the main hall, but Feng Qi still hesitated, saying, “It’s better if I do it. I wouldn’t want to tire Miss Xizhao.”

Hearing this, Lin Xizhao lowered her eyes in thought for a moment and said, “Alright, then. Follow me.”

Lin Xizhao led them to the rear courtyard. There was a secluded small courtyard there, which was the schoolhouse⁸ the Prime Minister’s manor had set up for the Lin family’s descendants. Though it was called a schoolhouse, it was actually only attended by members of the Lin family and some children from closely related families.

However, because the tutor’s teaching was too strict, some couldn’t bear it, or those who were not planning to pursue a career as an official through the imperial examinations⁹, ended up going elsewhere. Currently, only Lin Xizhao, two of the Lin family’s sons of concubines, and people from the Zhao family attended.

Before Qu Sheng arrived, they had already spoken with the tutor. Due to her young age, the tutor just had her sit and listen in for now. After he finished teaching the day’s lessons to the young ladies and young masters, he would come and teach her to practice writing.

Qu Sheng was arranged to sit next to Lin Xizhao, while Feng Qi sat not far away, watching constantly. As soon as Lin Xizhao sat down, a girl with delicate and pretty features next to her began to speak with her in a low voice.

“Xizhao, how is my younger sister?” The Eldest Miss of the General Xiao’s Manor, Xiao Bingying¹⁰, had been sitting here for a long time. The tutor had already taken his seat, but she still hadn’t seen Zhao Jiayu arrive.

Xiao Bingying was originally the adopted daughter of the Zhao Manor. Because a fortune-teller said she could bring heirs, she was bought by the Zhao family, who had long been without children. Later, she was taken in by the Xiao Manor and became their adopted daughter. The two families were cousins. Although Xiao Bingying’s surname was now Xiao, she was still very concerned about this younger sister of hers.

Hearing this, Lin Xizhao glanced sideways at her, her eyes blinking, and said in a gentle voice, “You haven’t been to see her at all?”

Upon hearing this, an embarrassed expression appeared on Xiao Bingying’s face. Her own sister was injured, and she hadn’t visited her at all. She replied self-reproachfully, “Mother wouldn’t let me leave the house these past few days.”

When Xiao Bingying was at the Zhao Manor, she had indeed lived the life of an eldest miss, but that was not the case at the Xiao Manor. Not long after Xiao Bingying went to the Xiao Manor, they did indeed have an heir. This should have been a good thing, but the Xiao family was not as kind and decent as the Zhao family, and furthermore, the child that was born had some disabilities… This led the people of the Xiao Manor to believe that Xiao Bingying was a broom star¹¹.

The reason Xiao Bingying was able to study here was originally an arrangement made when she was at the Zhao Manor. Later, the Xiao Manor forbade her from coming, and it was only because Zhao Jiayu raised a fuss that she was allowed to continue her studies.

Lin Xizhao thought about how she hadn’t seen Xiao Bingying for several days and replied softly, “She’s fine. They’re all superficial injuries. I estimate she’ll be able to get out of bed in another three to five days.”

Hearing this, Xiao Bingying nodded and hurriedly took out a small medicine bottle from her robes, saying, “This is a liniment for bruises¹² that I asked the manor’s instructor¹³ for. It’s very effective. I’d like to trouble you to bring it to Jiayu the next time you go.”

Upon hearing this, Lin Xizhao glanced up at the tutor. Before she could take it, a figure walked over to her side.

“If you have the time to ask Xizhao to give it to me, why don’t you go yourself?” Zhao Jiayu said, clutching her own bottom, baring her teeth and grinning in pain as she walked.

Hearing this, Xiao Bingying looked up and saw that Zhao Jiayu’s face was still pale. Surprised, she quickly stood up and took her from the maidservant’s arms to support her.

“Can you sit?” Xiao Bingying asked with concern.

“I can. First, put this under me,” Zhao Jiayu said, pointing to the soft cushion in the maidservant’s hands.

“Why did you come today?” Lin Xizhao was a bit surprised that Zhao Jiayu had come.

After being helped to her seat by Xiao Bingying and baring her teeth and grinning, Zhao Jiayu replied, “Today is little Sheng’er’s first day of school. I had to come and join the fun, no matter what.” As she spoke, she looked over at Qu Sheng, who was sitting to the side, still eating.

The other two followed her gaze. Qu Sheng was no longer wolf swallowing and tiger gulping¹⁴ like before. It seemed she was full, but her mouth was still greedy, and she continued to stuff food into it. At this moment, her frail and tiny figure seemed completely unaware that everyone’s eyes were on her.

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The author has something to say:

Lin Xizhao: “Give Sheng-meimei to me.”

Qu Sheng, covering Feng Qi’s mouth with one hand: “Here.”

Adult Qu Sheng: “The milk and water wife gives me are both delicious.”

Lin Xizhao: “……”

(Spoiler) Three CPs¹⁵, Xiao Bingying is the gong¹⁶ in another pair.

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Old works: 《Married a Husband-Cursing Little Widow》, 《Nourishing a Soul》, 《What a Coincidence, I Like You Too》, 《I Married a Wife for My Crown Prince Brother》, 《I Traded My Family Fortune for a Delicate Wife》

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