The Prime Minister’s Daughter and the Marquis’s Fool – Chapter 72

Don’t Let Her In

Zhao Jiayu’s words calmed Qu Sheng down and also left Lin Xizhao stunned in place.

She watched as Qu Sheng kept staring at one spot, slowly shuffled a few steps over with a look of disbelief, and, with trembling eyelashes, raised a hand to wave it in front of Qu Sheng’s eyes.

At that, Lin Xizhao’s heart instantly plummeted from the top of an abyss, nearly causing her to lose her footing.

“Sheng’er…” Lin Xizhao’s tone trembled. She looked at Qu Sheng’s evasive expression, quickly stepped forward, and reached out a pair of slender, trembling hands to cup Qu Sheng’s cheeks.

“Sheng’er, look at me.” Lin Xizhao clung to a sliver of hope, wishing that Qu Sheng was deceiving her. But when Qu Sheng looked up, her gaze had no focus at all, making Lin Xizhao’s heart turn completely cold.

“Sheng’er…” Lin Xizhao couldn’t hold back the tears welling in her eyes, and teardrops rolled from her lashes. Lin Xizhao’s hands continuously caressed Qu Sheng’s cheeks, her own blurry gaze searching Qu Sheng’s face.

But Qu Sheng had no reaction whatsoever.

Everyone stood together watching the two of them, their eyes blurred with tears. Zhao Jiayu, in particular, couldn’t help but cover her face and weep. Her husband was still lying on the couch, unable to wake up. Although he was out of mortal danger, she feared he might never awaken.

Qu Ting had already gone to receive the Qu family’s second son, Qu Jixian. Having lost his son in middle age, he was rushing here from Shoulin.

Lin Xizhao cried until her vision was blurry, but Qu Sheng kept her head down, staring at one spot. She could imagine how tragically beautiful Lin Xizhao looked when she cried, but she could no longer see it.

When Qu Sheng woke up and discovered she couldn’t see, she didn’t cry or make a fuss, much less blame heaven and earth¹. She calmly got up and asked about her brothers’ conditions. Upon learning that Qu Ming had been killed in the explosion, she clenched her fists so tightly that her fingertips dug into her palms, drenching the bedsheet.

She kept blaming herself, thinking if only she had been a little faster. But when Feng Qi inspected the site later, Qu Ming’s location had been bound with cold iron. Even if Qu Sheng had gone in at that time, she wouldn’t have been able to save Qu Ming. If Qu Sheng had insisted on staying, she would have certainly been blown up along with him.

A lot of gunpowder had been buried inside, and the fuse had already been lit.

Not only the thatched hut, but even the area beneath the dry well was turned into a sea of fire by burning oil at the same moment as the explosion.

That person had made Qu Ting choose one of two, but it was only to toy with him. No matter which side he went to, all of them were meant to die.

Lin Xizhao was heartbroken at this moment. If she hadn’t left the capital, Qu Sheng would have surely stopped Qu Ming from going out. Qu Ming wouldn’t have died, Qu Yu wouldn’t be in a coma, and Qu Sheng certainly wouldn’t have gone blind.

It was all because of her.

Lin Xizhao wanted to hold Qu Sheng in her arms, but the moment their bodies touched, Qu Sheng quickly pushed her away. It was as if she had touched something thorny, causing her to become flustered.

Lin Xizhao looked at Qu Sheng’s reaction and seemed to guess that Qu Sheng was blaming her, making her feel even more guilt-ridden. “Sheng’er.”

Lin Xizhao wanted to touch Qu Sheng again, but after hearing her voice and discerning her general location, Qu Sheng walked in the opposite direction.

Behind her was Third Sister-in-law, Qian Shuangying.

Qian Shuangying was bumped by Qu Sheng and immediately reached out to stop her, saying, “Sheng-meimei, are you not feeling well? How about Third Sister-in-law takes you back to your room first?”

Qian Shuangying could already see that Qu Sheng’s extreme reaction was because of Lin Xizhao. This was the mourning hall, and people would be coming to pay their respects later. It wouldn’t do to let anyone see what was happening here.

Qu Sheng stood motionless, using her ears to listen to Qian Shuangying’s words. She blinked her eyes, somewhat flustered.

Lin Xizhao stood where she was, her heart twisted as if by a knife² as she watched Qu Sheng treat her this way. Zhao Jiayu looked at the two of them, her face filled with even more confusion. Qu Sheng always listened to Lin Xizhao the most; why did she now seem somewhat afraid of her?

Qian Shuangying reached out to support Qu Sheng, turned her around, and glanced back at Zhao Jiayu and Lin Xizhao.

Lin Xizhao’s eyes were now red and swollen from crying. Qu Ming’s death was a terrible blow to her, but Qu Sheng’s blindness was a calamity.

Qian Shuangying supported Qu Sheng as they walked toward her courtyard. Lin Xizhao, having traveled through the night and just suffered a great emotional blow, was already finding it difficult just to stand steady.

Zhao Jiayu, afraid something might happen to Lin Xizhao, accompanied her all the way to Qu Sheng’s courtyard.

The moment she entered the doorway, Qu Sheng said to Qian Shuangying, who had been guiding her, “Don’t let her in.”

Qu Sheng’s voice wasn’t quiet, and both Zhao Jiayu and Lin Xizhao, who were behind her, froze. The ‘her’ she spoke of was Lin Xizhao.

Lin Xizhao stood stunned in place, watching Qu Sheng enter the room. Zhao Jiayu, not knowing what had happened between them, turned to ask Lin Xizhao, “What’s wrong with Xiao Sheng’er?”

Lin Xizhao’s eyelashes trembled, and a shaky breath escaped her lips.

She knew Qu Sheng wouldn’t blame her. Pushing her away like this was likely because of her own eyes. It wasn’t that she was overconfident, but it was based on her years of understanding Qu Sheng. If Qu Sheng resented her, her reaction wouldn’t be like this.

“What did the Doctor say about Sheng’er’s eyes?” Lin Xizhao turned to ask Zhao Jiayu.

Zhao Jiayu pulled her gaze back from Qu Sheng’s door and said, “The Doctor said the blindness was caused by the extreme brightness of the explosion, coupled with the powerful shockwave.”

“Can it be cured?”

Zhao Jiayu shook her head. “The Doctor said there’s nothing he can do.”

Lin Xizhao’s figure swayed for a moment. Zhao Jiayu quickly reached out to catch her and asked, “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine.” Lin Xizhao shook her head to steady herself, her lips trembling slightly, and asked again, “How is Fourth Brother?”

Zhao Jiayu pressed her lips together, her mood instantly sinking. “He’s okay. He can swallow and eat, but he just won’t wake up.”

Lin Xizhao looked at Zhao Jiayu, apology in her eyes. “I’m sorry.” Lin Xizhao once again placed the blame on herself.

“What does this have to do with you? It’s those people who are too evil.” Zhao Jiayu was a clear-headed person. She had felt before that Qu Yu sending her to stay at the Zhao Residence for a while was for the purpose of doing something.

Who could stop them from doing what they wanted to do? Could Xiao Sheng’er stop them? No. She had also heard roughly what the three brothers had gone to do. A cold case of over a decade—they were too desperate to find the truth and the mastermind behind it. Even if Qu Sheng had been there, she couldn’t have stopped them.

Such an obvious trap and snare—she didn’t believe Qu Ming was unaware. They all went with their lives on the line.

With red-rimmed eyes, Lin Xizhao glanced one more time at Qu Sheng’s door before going with Zhao Jiayu to see Qu Yu.

“He can hear me speak, he just can’t move.” Zhao Jiayu sat by the side of the couch, helping Qu Yu by rubbing his palm.

When Qu Yu returned, she had already cried many times. Now that she heard he was out of mortal danger, all that was left was to wait.

The Doctor said that as long as Qu Yu woke up, he would be fine. She could wait—one year, two years, ten years, twenty years, she could wait.

Lin Xizhao stood to the side watching, guilt and heartache mingling in her eyes.

As the two left the room, they ran right into Xiao Bingying, who had come to the Marquis Qu Residence looking for Zhao Jiayu.

“Jiayu.” A rare look of joy appeared on Xiao Bingying’s face. “I know of a folk remedy we can try to wake up meifu.³“

Hearing this, Zhao Jiayu’s expression froze for a moment, and she quickly asked, “What method?”

Xiao Bingying also saw Lin Xizhao at this point. Just as she was about to greet her, she answered Zhao Jiayu’s question, “A book says that in meifu’s condition, you can use verbal stimulation.”

Listening to Xiao Bingying, Zhao Jiayu’s immediate thought was to start cursing. Although she knew how to curse at people, she couldn’t bring herself to curse at Qu Yu.

“Is it about telling him things he cares about?” Lin Xizhao asked, getting to the correct answer.

“Correct. Xizhao, you’re finally back.” Xiao Bingying greeted Lin Xizhao as she answered.

Lin Xizhao nodded. “Mm, then let’s go try it quickly.”

As for Qu Sheng, she needed to wait for her to calm down before going over.

Zhao Jiayu led the two of them back into the room. Although Xiao Bingying’s medical skills were not refined, she knew the basics. She took Qu Yu’s pulse.

Qu Yu’s pulse was steady, confirming what the Doctor had said: he was not in mortal danger.

“Jiayu, quickly, think about what meifu cares about most.”

“What does he care about?” Zhao Jiayu thought hard, then deflated after a long moment. “I don’t know either.”

She didn’t know what Qu Yu cared about most. His career? His life?

Lin Xizhao looked at Zhao Jiayu’s anxious state, lowered her eyes in thought for a few moments, and said, “Fourth Brother probably cares about you the most, but since you’re here safe and sound right now, he has no worries on that front.”

After speaking, Lin Xizhao thought carefully again. The siblings were extremely close. When she entered the capital, she had heard from the people of the Marquis’s residence on the way about why Qu Yu had been injured.

At that time, he must have felt he was about to lose control, which is why he made such a desperate gamble. He would rather die than harm Qu Sheng.

“Sheng’er and Second Brother.” When Lin Xizhao said these two names, her eyes darkened.

What Qu Yu cared about was also what she cared about.

Enlightened by Lin Xizhao’s words, Zhao Jiayu glanced at Xiao Bingying, her expression apprehensive.

She didn’t know if this would wake Qu Yu up, or if it would provoke him into an even deeper coma.

“Let’s try it,” Xiao Bingying said, taking out a wrapped set of silver needles from the bag she was carrying. “I’ll open his acupoints to heighten his senses. You do the talking.”

Zhao Jiayu looked at Xiao Bingying, then turned to glance at Lin Xizhao.

Lin Xizhao nodded, so Zhao Jiayu nodded to Xiao Bingying as well.

Xiao Bingying inserted the silver needles into several acupoints on Qu Yu’s head and placed her hand on his pulse.

Xiao Bingying glanced at Zhao Jiayu and said, “You can start.”

She could feel that Qu Yu’s pulse was different from when he was in a peaceful coma; his consciousness was awake.

“Ah Yu, please wake up…” Zhao Jiayu opened her mouth several times but didn’t dare to say that Qu Ming had passed away and Qu Sheng had gone blind.

Lin Xizhao stood to the side, her head lowered, also not daring to listen.

Seeing that neither of them was willing to speak, Xiao Bingying had no choice but to speak up herself. “Brother-in-law, I know you can hear me. There’s something Jiayu hasn’t dared to tell you… Second Brother… didn’t make it back with you. You’ve been in a coma for many days. In a few more days, Second Brother will be buried.” Qu Ming’s remains had long been destroyed in the explosion and fire; what they were going to bury were his clothes.

After she finished speaking, Xiao Bingying’s gaze shifted downward, and she could clearly feel Qu Yu’s pulse beating violently. Xiao Bingying looked up at Zhao Jiayu and the others with a hint of joy in her eyes. She pressed her advantage⁴, continuing, “Xiao Sheng’er’s eyes also went blind while saving Second Brother. You need to wake up. Jiayu has been waiting for you.”

As Xiao Bingying’s words fell, Qu Yu’s fingertips twitched. She could feel him struggling to wake up, but it still lack a bit of fire⁵.

Xiao Bingying frowned, looking worriedly at Zhao Jiayu.

Seeing Xiao Bingying’s slight frown, Zhao Jiayu quickly looked at Qu Yu, took half a step forward, and said, “Ah Yu, we’re having a child. You have to wake up soon. We can’t live without you.”

When Zhao Jiayu said those words, Lin Xizhao’s expression froze, and her surprise slowly turned into delight. Zhao Jiayu and Qu Yu were having a child.

Xiao Bingying wasn’t surprised at all. She was the one who had diagnosed Zhao Jiayu’s pregnancy pulse. It was just that the pregnancy was in its early stages and couldn’t be announced to outsiders. They had to wait until the fetus in Zhao Jiayu’s womb was stable before they could tell everyone. This was something the women in the capital were particular about; they feared that a child hiding from the heavens would be snatched away again if it became known.

As Zhao Jiayu’s words fell, the movement of Qu Yu’s fingertips grew larger, and his eyelids began to flutter.

Seeing this, Xiao Bingying quickly used the silver needles to continue stimulating Qu Yu’s acupoints. In just a few moments, Qu Yu forced open his leaden eyelids.

Qu Yu stared blankly at the bed curtains. Zhao Jiayu, excited, quickly waved her hand in front of his eyes. After a moment, Qu Yu’s gaze began to follow Zhao Jiayu’s waving fingers.

“You’re awake, Ah Yu, you’re awake…” Zhao Jiayu was so excited she started crying again. She looked at Qu Yu’s slightly dazed eyes and fell onto his chest, sobbing her heart out.

Qu Yu blinked his eyes slightly. After a short while, he lifted his hand and stroked Zhao Jiayu’s beautiful hair.

“Mm,” Qu Yu responded to Zhao Jiayu with a muffled sound.

Hearing Qu Yu’s voice, Zhao Jiayu quickly raised her head. Seeing that his eyes were no longer as vacant as before, she began to cry with joy again. “You scared me to death!”

“Don’t cry,” Qu Yu soothed Zhao Jiayu in a weak voice.

Lin Xizhao and Xiao Bingying stood to the side, and seeing the two of them like this, they also began to smile. But as Lin Xizhao smiled, she started to cry.

The tears wouldn’t stop; the moment she wiped them away, her eyes would fill up again.

“I’ll go get a Doctor to take a look.” Xiao Bingying had also been poring over some ancient books these past few days and had even spent money to purchase quite a few at a high price.

Qu Yu waking up today was partly due to luck; they still needed to find a proper Doctor to give him a thorough examination.

Xiao Bingying went out and had a servant in the courtyard fetch a Doctor. Soon, everyone in the Qu family knew that Qu Yu had woken up.

Lin Xizhao now stood in Qu Sheng’s courtyard. She stared at the tightly shut door, feeling helpless and not daring to approach. Before, this was a place she could come to anytime. She had even considered it her home, her room. But now, its owner did not welcome her, causing her unbearable heartache.

It wasn’t just because Qu Sheng didn’t welcome her, but also because of Qu Sheng’s eyes. She couldn’t imagine what her world was like after losing her sight.

Lin Xizhao stood in the courtyard, and Qu Sheng stood before the windowsill. Qu Sheng’s eyes were not completely dark; she could perceive light, but she could also perceive the night.

Before, her world had only daylight, but now she could perceive both night and day.

It was just that the daylight was only white light, with no images whatsoever.

Both of them were draped in mourning clothes, one inside the room, one in the courtyard. Lin Xizhao stood there for a long time without leaving, and Qu Sheng, too, stood before the windowsill, having lost track of time.

In the mourning hall, only Third Sister-in-law Qian Shuangying remained. After standing in the courtyard like this for a while, Lin Xizhao left.

She had also learned about Qu Sheng’s condition from Zhao Jiayu. The injuries on her body were gradually healing, but her eyes could not be treated. Qu Jinian had already gone to the palace to request an imperial physician⁶ for her, but the imperial physician was also at a loss.

After Lin Xizhao left, Qu Sheng fumbled her way to open the door. Feng Qi heard the sound and immediately went over to help her open it.

“Has Xizhao left?” Qu Sheng asked, knowing the answer. She had only opened the door after hearing the footsteps leaving the courtyard.

Feng Qi grunted in affirmation. “She’s gone far.” As he spoke, Feng Qi glanced toward Lin Xizhao’s position not far away.

Lin Xizhao hadn’t gone far. Unsure if she heard something or sensed it, she suddenly stopped and turned around.

Feng Qi supported Qu Sheng as she walked into the courtyard. Qu Sheng roughly discerned the spot where Lin Xizhao had just been standing. She stood there for a long time without speaking.

Seeing Qu Sheng like this, all sorts of feelings welled up in Feng Qi’s heart⁷ as he looked up toward Lin Xizhao.

Lin Xizhao stood there, watching Qu Sheng’s every move. She watched as Qu Sheng seemed to raise her hand to feel for something, pausing in mid-air for a long time before finally dropping it fruitlessly. Qu Sheng’s movement was as if she were tracing her silhouette. In that instant, Lin Xizhao felt a lump in her throat, her eyes stung unbearably, and tears once again burst forth.

Lin Xizhao’s lips parted slightly as she tried to control her trembling breath so Qu Sheng wouldn’t notice.

Qu Sheng still cared about her.

Qu Sheng let out a long sigh, her expression lonely, and said, “Let’s go to Fourth Brother’s place.”

Qu Yu was already awake, and Qu Jinian had gone to the palace again for the imperial physician he had summoned for him. The imperial physician also said that it was a miracle Qu Yu had woken up.

Qu Yu had been lying down for too long and was not yet fit to get out of bed; he could only sit propped up.

“Xiao Sheng’er is here.” Zhao Jiayu was going to fetch the medicinal soup and happened to see Qu Sheng enter the room. She handed the soup to a maid and went to support Qu Sheng herself.

As Qu Sheng was supported into the room, Qu Yu stared at her from the moment she entered the inner chamber’s doorway.

Xiao Bingying had said Qu Sheng’s eyes were blind. He had originally thought she was deliberately deceiving him, but now he had no choice but to believe it.

“Sheng-meimei.” Qu Yu’s eyes instantly turned red.

He didn’t know how he had gotten back, but he knew it must have been Qu Sheng who saved him.

“Fourth Brother.” Qu Sheng turned toward the sound and, with Zhao Jiayu’s support, walked to the side of Qu Yu’s couch.

“Sheng-meimei, your eyes…” Qu Yu felt extremely awful at this moment.

“It’s nothing.” Qu Sheng’s head moved slightly, trying to fix her gaze on Qu Yu, but she couldn’t see, and her gaze was always off-target.

Qu Sheng didn’t say much to Qu Yu. The Qu family members would explain the subsequent events on her behalf. She was afraid Lin Xizhao might come over later, so it was better to return to her courtyard first.

After Qu Sheng left, Qu Yu insisted on getting up. He wanted to go see if his second brother was really dead too.

Zhao Jiayu couldn’t dissuade Qu Yu, so she had no choice but to have someone fetch a litter⁸ to carry him over.

The courtyard was filled with fluttering funeral banners⁹ that brushed past Qu Yu’s shoulder. When he saw the coffin inside the mourning hall, he froze completely.

Qu Yu frantically fell from the litter. He dragged his body toward Qu Ming’s mourning hall, his face beyond description by mere sorrow. The veins on Qu Yu’s face bulged, and his face flushed red from extreme grief.

Seeing Qu Yu fall, Zhao Jiayu rushed to help him up, but after crawling a few steps, Qu Yu began to cry, slamming his hands against the ground.

His second brother was really dead.

Qu Yu’s wails brought out everyone who was holding vigil. Seeing Qu Yu in this state, Qian Shuangying said quickly, “Why was Fourth Brother brought out? Take him back quickly.”

Zhao Jiayu tried to help him from the side, but Qu Yu wouldn’t let her touch him. He hated himself for being useless, for failing to save Qu Ming, and for letting his younger sister lose her sight.

In the end, Qu Yu was carried into the mourning hall. He knelt on the ground, burning paper money¹⁰ for Qu Ming.

Qu Yu originally insisted on holding vigil there, but Qian Shuangying called Qu Sheng over. Qian Shuangying had been married into the family for many years, and the Qu family had long ago told her that Qu Sheng was not a foolish girl.

She had Qu Sheng come to persuade Qu Yu. He had just woken up, and his body couldn’t withstand such torment.

Qu Sheng was summoned. She stood outside the mourning hall, supported by Feng Qi, and walked toward the position Feng Qi had described to her.

Qu Sheng was terrified of taking a wrong step and ending up next to Lin Xizhao.

Qu Sheng shuffled forward slowly. From the moment she appeared outside the mourning hall, Lin Xizhao’s gaze never left her.

Qu Sheng walked up to Qu Yu. She lowered her head, her gaze unfocused, and said, “Fourth Brother, your body has just recovered. You still need to rest.”

“Sheng-meimei…” Qu Yu raised his head at the sound of her voice. He tried to get up but felt dizzy and had to kneel back down.

Zhao Jiayu supported Qu Yu’s body, her expression worried and helpless. She also knew that Qu Yu was tormenting his own body like this, but she couldn’t persuade him otherwise.

“My lady, I’m fine.” Qu Yu glanced at Zhao Jiayu. Besides the grief of losing Qu Ming, his eyes also held an apology for her.

“Second Brother’s revenge still depends on you, Fourth Brother. Don’t you want to recover your health sooner?” Qu Sheng said, picking a topic Qu Yu cared about.

Hearing this, Qu Yu’s expression froze. He wanted to ask Qu Sheng if she knew something, but thinking of the people beside them, he lowered his head again.

As Qu Yu was thinking, words came from Lin Xizhao’s direction. “Fourth Brother, even if you’re not thinking about your own health, you should think about Jiayu.” Lin Xizhao didn’t spell it out. Zhao Jiayu was now with a child¹¹, and staying too long in the smoky, foul air of the mourning hall would be too much for her.

Hearing Lin Xizhao’s words, Qu Yu glanced to the side, then looked back at Zhao Jiayu. Lin Xizhao was right. If he didn’t leave, Zhao Jiayu wouldn’t leave either. How could their child endure it?

Seeing the situation, Qian Shuangying also said, “Second Brother is to be buried the day after tomorrow. Fourth Brother should go back and recuperate.” They would have to leave the city that day. Only by recovering his health could he send Qu Ming off on his final journey.

Qu Yu was somewhat moved. He looked up at Qu Sheng, but she was pressing her lips together, staring blankly ahead, her thoughts unknown.

“All right, I’ll stay a little longer and then go back.” Persuaded by everyone, Qu Yu agreed. He also wanted to spend a little more time with Qu Ming.

The purpose for which Qu Sheng had been summoned was achieved. Feng Qi supported her as they walked out.

Lin Xizhao’s gaze was fixed tightly on Qu Sheng until her figure disappeared into the night, only then did she reluctantly look away.

Not long after Qu Sheng left, Qu Yu was also persuaded to leave again. Only Qian Shuangying and Lin Xizhao remained.

“I can handle things here. Xizhao-meimei, you should go back and rest too.”

Having heard that Lin Xizhao had traveled day and night without stopping, and now had been here for a day without any rest, Qian Shuangying felt compelled to persuade her to leave as well.

Lin Xizhao looked up, her expression gentle, and said, “It’s all right.” Her body could still hold on.

Qian Shuangying sighed. She didn’t know what had happened between Qu Sheng and Lin Xizhao, but it probably wasn’t because of Qu Ming’s death.

Ever since she had married into the family, she knew the two were inseparable. Lin Xizhao had suddenly left after the New Year, and Qu Sheng had chased after her. But when they returned, it was one after the other. She wanted to find out the reason and had asked Feng Qi, but she hadn’t gotten any answers.

Qian Shuangying and Lin Xizhao knelt in the mourning hall, holding vigil. It wasn’t until the latter half of the night that Feng Qi came with a message from Jin Yunfei, telling them both to go rest.

But Lin Xizhao had Feng Qi reply that she was fine and could persevere.

Feng Qi had no choice but to leave, but he returned not long after he left. This time, it was a message from Qu Sheng.

Qu Sheng wanted Lin Xizhao to come take care of her.

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