The Prime Minister’s Daughter and the Marquis’s Fool – Chapter 90

My Younger Sister is Not Yet Married¹

A brush of Qu Sheng’s fingertips sent a shiver through Lin Xizhao, body and soul.

Before, Qu Sheng had only ever kissed her. But ever since the day Lin Xizhao had helped her bathe, Qu Sheng’s hands had become insatiable, exploring her body every single night. Lin Xizhao had tried to stop her, but given Qu Sheng’s fragile state of mind, she could only let it happen.

Tonight, however, was different. Qu Sheng was still undergoing treatment for her eyes, and Liu Wuxiang had explicitly warned against letting her emotions get too agitated.

Qu Sheng rolled over, pressing Lin Xizhao gently into the bed. Her fingertips, then her entire palm, found their solace against Lin Xizhao’s skin before her fingers moved to untie the knot of her inner tunic.

“Sheng’er…”

The kisses, once soft, now had a demanding edge to them as Qu Sheng’s mouth suckled at the tender flesh that belonged to her. An intense, spreading emptiness bloomed within Lin Xizhao, making her wonder if something was wrong with her own body.

Qu Sheng couldn’t see, so she didn’t need to look up when Lin Xizhao called her name. In fact, she had no intention of listening.

She had wanted to do this to Lin Xizhao for a long, long time.

With a coordinated assault of lips, tongue, and fingers, Lin Xizhao quickly realized something was off about Qu Sheng tonight. Deprived of her sight, Qu Sheng was navigating the landscape of Lin Xizhao’s body by taste and touch alone.

“Sheng’er.”

When Lin Xizhao finally understood Qu Sheng’s true intentions, she pushed herself up into a sitting position.

She reached out and cupped Qu Sheng’s small head in her hands, her face flushed with a mix of panic and embarrassment.

Forced to lift her head, Qu Sheng felt Lin Xizhao sit up. The moment she heard Lin Xizhao speak, she leaned forward again, searching for her lips and resuming the kiss.

Lin Xizhao naturally reciprocated the kiss, but she couldn’t bring herself to accept Qu Sheng’s attempts to take things further. Besides, Qu Sheng was still healing. She wasn’t supposed to overexert herself or get too worked up.

“Sheng’er… let’s stop here for tonight,” Lin Xizhao said, her voice catching as Qu Sheng’s kisses trailed behind her ear.

Qu Sheng paid her no mind, continuing to kiss the porcelain-white curve of her earlobe. When Lin Xizhao’s body began to react again, she had no choice but to pull away, cupping Qu Sheng’s searching face between her hands.

Qu Sheng’s lips were slightly parted, her breaths coming in uneven pants. Lin Xizhao gazed at that small, glistening mouth and the unwilling pout on her face. With a sigh, she leaned in and gave Qu Sheng a soft, placating kiss.

It worked. Lin Xizhao’s kisses always seemed to achieve their desired effect, and this time was no exception. Qu Sheng’s advances ceased.

A cloth was tied over Qu Sheng’s eyes, so Lin Xizhao couldn’t truly gauge her emotions. She simply watched as Qu Sheng knelt there, her breathing evening out, her rosy lips pressed into a thin line as she fumbled for the blankets beside her.

Seeing this, Lin Xizhao quickly reached out and helped her lie down.

Once settled, Qu Sheng didn’t abandon her. With Lin Xizhao’s nightgown still half-open, she pulled her into an embrace.

Her clothes in disarray and the sash at her waist undone, Lin Xizhao could only lie helplessly in Qu Sheng’s arms, her gaze fixed on the girl.

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The next morning, while feeding Qu Sheng breakfast, Lin Xizhao casually asked where everyone was. She learned that the Qu Ting couple, Xiao Bingying, and Chengxi had all gone out.

It was so early, and they didn’t know the area. Where could they have gone? When Lin Xizhao asked, Feng Qi simply glanced at Qu Sheng.

Qu Sheng noticed the pause between Lin Xizhao’s question and Feng Qi’s non-answer. She explained, “Third Brother and Third Sister-in-law went to look for medicine for me.”

Lin Xizhao looked confused but didn’t press further. “Then what about Bingying and the others?”

Now that Qu Sheng had spoken, Feng Qi felt free to reply. “Miss Xiao and Miss Chengxi spoke with the Third Young Master this morning. They said they were going to see the Haichao Imperial City.”

The hand feeding Qu Sheng paused for a fraction of a second. It was fine for Xiao Bingying to take Chengxi to the imperial city, but she worried Chengxi might be recognized.

Chengxi was a princess of the Haichao Kingdom. The former king had doted on her, taking her on carriage tours every year during their Yuanchun Day² festival, which was much like the one in their own Tiansheng Kingdom. Her face was distinct enough to be picked out of a crowd in an instant. Lin Xizhao hoped they had taken precautions.

“Is Jiejie worried about Bingying-jiejie and the others?” Qu Sheng asked as Lin Xizhao brought another spoonful of food to her lips.

Lin Xizhao glanced at the cloth covering Qu Sheng’s eyes and gave a soft “En.”

“A little,” she admitted.

“Don’t worry. Third Brother should have already given them instructions,” Qu Sheng said, knowing exactly what was on Lin Xizhao’s mind.

Chengxi’s status was a dangerous one. The new king of Haichao hated her with a passion. If he knew she had secretly returned, he would surely have her captured and sent back, or perhaps just kill her outright.

Xiao Bingying wouldn’t have taken Chengxi there if she hadn’t already considered that.

Besides, they hadn’t gone alone. They had traveled by carriage with the Qu Ting couple.

Last night, Chengxi hadn’t mentioned going to the Haichao Imperial City, but Xiao Bingying had already planned to take her. When she’d told Qu Ting that morning, he’d said he also had business there, so they had all gone together.

Upon entering the imperial city, Xiao Bingying’s group split from Qu Ting and his wife, agreeing to meet outside the city gates at the beginning of Shen Hour³.

Xiao Bingying first took Chengxi to a restaurant, a place Chengxi and her brother, Cheng Feng, used to frequent. Despite being a prince and princess, they had always been kind and down-to-earth, and many locals knew the siblings.

Chengxi wore a veiled hat as Xiao Bingying helped her down from the carriage. Through the light gauze, Xiao Bingying’s gaze on Chengxi was full of tenderness.

Once on the ground, Chengxi glanced around discreetly, her eyes meeting Xiao Bingying’s. A small smile touched her lips.

Seeing Chengxi finally smile after so long, Xiao Bingying’s own eyes curved in response. She took her hand and led her into the restaurant.

They requested a private room⁴ upstairs. After spending so much time together, Xiao Bingying knew that Chengxi had never quite gotten used to the cuisine of the northern Tiansheng Kingdom. She had asked what foods from the Haichao Kingdom were good, but her own cooking skills were so poor she feared making Chengxi sick, so she’d given up on the idea of cooking for her.

Xiao Bingying had the attendant⁵ list the specials, hoping Chengxi would pick something she liked, but Chengxi only frowned. The scenery is unchanged, but the people are not the same⁶. Cheng Feng’s rebellion had far-reaching consequences; even their favorite restaurant had changed owners, and the menu was completely different.

“Anything will be fine,” Chengxi said, her voice cool.

Sensing her low spirits, Xiao Bingying simply told the attendant to bring a few of their best dishes. After he left, she reached for Chengxi’s hand again.

As she watched Xiao Bingying lift her hand and press a reverent kiss to her knuckles, Chengxi was suddenly reminded of the night before, when she had rejected Xiao Bingying’s advances.

She had braced herself for a backlash, for some sign of frustration, but Xiao Bingying had said nothing. She didn’t even frown. She had just gently wiped the water from Chengxi’s body, helped her dress, and carried her to bed. And as they lay there, Xiao Bingying had exercised extreme restraint, doing nothing more than holding her.

It wasn’t that she couldn’t feel Xiao Bingying’s desire. It was just that thoughts of her brother had made it impossible to feign the enthusiasm to match it.

Chengxi gazed at Xiao Bingying’s gentle features. On some unknown impulse, she raised a hand and stroked her smooth cheek.

Seeing the tension finally leave Chengxi’s face, Xiao Bingying smiled. “If something is troubling you, you can tell me.”

She had sensed that Chengxi had been weighed down by worries ever since they arrived. She knew Chengxi’s brother was imprisoned in the imperial city’s dungeon. But while she had more than enough power to protect Chengxi, rescuing someone with only the few guards from the Zhao Residence was simply impossible.

“It’s nothing. I was just thinking about the past. I’ll be fine in a few days,” Chengxi said, taking a sip of tea. Telling Xiao Bingying would only burden her. She knew the limits of Xiao Bingying’s power and couldn’t ask for too much.

Seeing that Chengxi didn’t want to talk, Xiao Bingying didn’t press. When the food arrived, they ate a little before moving on.

Xiao Bingying led Chengxi on a long walk around the imperial city wall, finally stopping outside a large estate. She didn’t recognize the place, but she could tell the family was either incredibly wealthy or noble.

Chengxi handed her a letter and asked her to give it to the gatekeeper. Afterward, they returned to their carriage and left.

Inside, Chengxi just stared at Xiao Bingying, who eventually noticed her gaze and smiled. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

“You don’t even ask who I was sending a letter to?” Chengxi found Xiao Bingying more and more difficult to understand. Did she trust her so completely? Did she not have a single doubt that what she was doing wouldn’t bring them harm?

Xiao Bingying’s reply was soft. “You’re the princess of the Haichao Kingdom. That estate must belong to a member of your imperial family.” She didn’t know who lived there, but she was certain they were on good terms with Chengxi.

A hint of melancholy colored Chengxi’s expression. She lowered her eyes for a moment before saying, “It was my Imperial Uncle.”

Xiao Bingying looked at her, trying to understand why she had sent a letter instead of going inside. Dressed as they were, they likely wouldn’t have been recognized.

“My Imperial Uncle is getting old. He retired from court affairs after the new king ascended the throne. I wrote to him… to let him know I’m doing well.” Chengxi didn’t finish her thought. Once Qu Sheng’s eyes were healed, Xiao Bingying would understand everything.

And right now, thanks to Xiao Bingying, she really was doing very well.

Xiao Bingying nodded. “I will always be good to you.”

Chengxi met her sincere gaze and felt the corners of her lips lift. She leaned over and rested her head against Xiao Bingying’s shoulder.

Xiao Bingying looked down at the girl nestled in her arms and pressed a gentle kiss into her fragrant dark hair.

The time they had agreed to meet Qu Ting was approaching. Xiao Bingying bought some pastries from a nearby shop, and then they headed for the city gate to rendezvous with him.

The spring days were growing longer, and the sky was only just beginning to darken by the time they returned to the inn. As Xiao Bingying led Chengxi back to their room, they passed by Qu Sheng’s door and dropped off the pastries they had bought.

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The next morning, it was time for Qu Sheng to have her medicine changed, so the group went to Liu Wuxiang’s clinic. Inside, the doctor was weighing his prepared herbs while asking Qu Sheng how she had felt over the last couple of days.

Qu Sheng answered each question. The initial soreness and swelling had now mostly disappeared.

Liu Wuxiang nodded. He tipped the herbs into a grinder and began to crush them. “Take this back with you,” he said as he worked. “Place it under your bedding and sleep on top of it.”

Lin Xizhao and the others looked confused. Qu Ting spoke up. “How can such a small amount of medicine be effective?”

There were only a few ounces of herbs in the grinder.

Liu Wuxiang blinked and glanced at the grinder. He chuckled. “Oh, this is for Chengxi. That is yours.”

He gestured to a massive sack of herbs piled on the floor. “I was up all day and all night working on this for her.”

During the two days Qu Sheng and the others had been at the inn, Liu Wuxiang hadn’t stopped for a moment. He had only just finished Qu Sheng’s medicine when he immediately prepared a batch for Chengxi as well.

Qu Ting stared at the enormous bag, looking like he wanted to ask something, but the words wouldn’t come.

“This medicine,” Qu Sheng began, hearing the sounds of someone moving the sack, “can someone without an illness sleep on it?”

“A healthy person can, of course, but this old man would have to check their pulse first to know if they’re truly healthy,” Liu Wuxiang said, sizing up Qu Sheng with a grin. “You’re talking about your husband, aren’t you?”

He didn’t know much about Qu Sheng, only that Chengxi’s letter had mentioned the Qu family could help rescue Cheng Feng. What puzzled him was that he couldn’t figure out which of the people with her was her husband.

“Doctor Liu, you’ve misunderstood,” Qu Ting interjected. “My younger sister is not yet married. It’s my sworn sister who has been taking care of her personally, so she’s asking to make sure it won’t be harmful to her.”

“Oh,” Liu Wuxiang said, drawing out the sound. He turned his long gaze on Lin Xizhao. “Come here. Let me take a look at your pulse.”

Lin Xizhao did as he asked, sitting at a nearby table. Liu Wuxiang used both hands to check her pulse, his eyes scanning her up and down. After a moment, he said, “You’re in excellent health. However, this medicine…”

He trailed off, thinking for a few seconds before continuing, “Well, since you’re both young women, it shouldn’t be an issue.”

He left the rest unsaid. After treating Qu Sheng, applying a new poultice and administering acupuncture, he sent her home to rest.

As the group was leaving, Chengxi received her medicine and casually asked, “Does her medicine have any side effects?”

An awkward smile appeared on Liu Wuxiang’s face. He lowered his voice. “The medicine might make one… think of spring⁷.”

As soon as he said it, Chengxi’s face turned bright red. Her illness was the chronic coldness of the body that Xiao Bingying had been treating. Liu Wuxiang had sent someone to buy the necessary herbs, and they had only arrived today, allowing him to finally prepare the prescription.

Back at the inn, Lin Xizhao got busy sewing the huge bag of herbs into a mattress pad. Qian Shuangying came over to help. Once it was done, the two of them lifted it onto the bed. Lin Xizhao carefully smoothed out every corner and edge, afraid any lump might bother Qu Sheng.

When she was satisfied it was perfectly flat, she had Qu Sheng lie down to test it.

The room filled with the scent of herbs. Qian Shuangying found it a bit overwhelming and left after a short while, but Lin Xizhao didn’t seem to mind at all. She watched Qu Sheng resting on the bed, then leaned over and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead.

“Doctor Liu said your eyes are recovering quickly. He thinks you should be able to see in about half a month,” Lin Xizhao said cheerfully, her own happiness evident in her tone.

Qu Sheng nodded. “Jiejie, lie down with me for a while.”

Lin Xizhao smiled and obliged, slipping off her shoes and settling onto the bed beside her.

The scent of medicine filled the bed, but it was nothing compared to the fragrance of Lin Xizhao herself. The moment she lay down, Qu Sheng snuggled closer, burying her head in the crook of Lin Xizhao’s neck and inhaling her unique scent, a cool fragrance now mingled with herbs.

“Sheng’er.”

Lin Xizhao sighed, placing a hand over Qu Sheng’s, which had begun to wander unruly fingers over her waist.

“Jiejie,” Qu Sheng whined, not the least bit embarrassed at being caught. She put on a sweet, cloying act, trying to get Lin Xizhao to yield.

“It’s broad daylight,” Lin Xizhao said gently, offering a perfectly reasonable excuse. While she might have tacitly allowed Qu Sheng’s liberties at night, someone could walk in at any time during the day.

Hearing this, Qu Sheng stirred in Lin Xizhao’s embrace and finally withdrew her hand.

Half a month later.

Accompanied by the others, Qu Sheng returned to Liu Wuxiang’s clinic to have the cloth removed from her eyes. There was still some medicinal residue left, so she kept her eyes closed until Lin Xizhao gently wiped it away with a handkerchief. When Liu Wuxiang told her to open them, she found she could see blurry shapes.

Figures moved in front of her, but they were too indistinct to tell who was who.

Liu Wuxiang held her eyelids open to examine her eyes. When Qu Sheng blinked instinctively at his touch, he let go and asked with a grin, “Can you see?”

Everyone held their breath, their faces full of expectation. Lin Xizhao waited for Qu Sheng’s answer.

But after a moment, Qu Sheng shook her head. “No.”

Liu Wuxiang’s brow furrowed. He quickly had her sit down and place her hands on the table so he could check her pulse. He blinked rapidly, looking from her hands to her face. Her vacant expression made him frown again.

She can see, just not clearly.

“Alright, I have some more medicine here. Add this to your mattress pad as well,” he said, suspecting the dosage might have been too low.

He’d been worried about giving her too much at once, afraid of causing… complications. But half a month had passed. If she still couldn’t see, the problem might not be the medicine at all.

This time, when Qu Sheng returned to the inn, she didn’t have her eyes covered. Liu Wuxiang wanted her to get used to the light again; keeping them covered constantly wasn’t entirely a good thing.

Back in their room, thin gauze had been hung over the windows to block the harsh glare. Qu Sheng’s eyes darted around, but she could still only make out blurry images. She didn’t mention this to Lin Xizhao.

After dinner, Qu Sheng sat listening as Lin Xizhao read to her. The book wasn’t boring, but as Qu Sheng watched the blurry movement of Lin Xizhao’s soft lips, her mind kept flashing with ideas of what she wanted to do to her.

She didn’t know what was wrong with her. These past few days, especially when they were in bed together, her mind was constantly filled with fantasies of being intimate with Lin Xizhao. It had gotten to the point where she would kiss her for a long time every night before falling asleep.

Realizing the terrifying direction of her thoughts, Qu Sheng squeezed her eyes shut.

Lin Xizhao paused her reading and looked up. “Are your eyes bothering you?” she asked, seeing Qu Sheng’s closed eyes.

She rose and cupped Qu Sheng’s face to get a better look.

“It’s nothing,” Qu Sheng said.

Still worried, Lin Xizhao went next door to get Xiao Bingying. Having accompanied Chengxi to Liu Wuxiang’s clinic so often, Xiao Bingying had picked up a thing or two.

Seeing Lin Xizhao’s anxious expression, she came to check on Qu Sheng. She gently held Qu Sheng’s eyelids open and saw that there was a difference from before. A thin, uneven film seemed to cover her eyes.

Qu Sheng’s eyes were different from everyone else’s to begin with, and Xiao Bingying had never examined them when they were healthy, so she couldn’t be sure what the problem was. However, when she checked Qu Sheng’s pulse, she detected an unusual fluctuation, a physical agitation that was stronger than normal.

She had noticed the strange medicinal scent in their room before. If she wasn’t mistaken, Qu Sheng’s restlessness had something to do with that medicine.

How strange, she thought. Doctor Liu is treating Qu Sheng’s eyes, yet he hasn’t prescribed a single oral medication—only external poultices and having her sleep on herbs.

After checking her pulse, Xiao Bingying found nothing else wrong, and since Qu Sheng herself insisted she was fine, Lin Xizhao decided not to trouble Qu Ting and the others to take them back to Liu Wuxiang’s.

Lin Xizhao walked Xiao Bingying out. At the door, Xiao Bingying stopped, looking like she wanted to say something. She hesitated for a moment, but in the end, she kept silent.

If Qu Sheng is like this, she thought, Lin Xizhao must be too.

Because Liu Wuxiang had said it was fine for Qu Sheng to bathe, Lin Xizhao had someone prepare hot water. After testing the temperature, she led Qu Sheng to the tub.

Lin Xizhao was completely focused on the task of helping Qu Sheng undress, but Qu Sheng’s eyes were fixed on her the entire time.

As her robes fell away, a deep blush spread across Qu Sheng’s face. Lin Xizhao helped her into the tub and draped a wet towel over the back of her neck. “If you feel any discomfort,” she whispered near her ear, “you have to tell me immediately.”

“En,” Qu Sheng nodded seriously.

Lin Xizhao began to scrub her back, but she soon discarded the towel and used her hands instead; the cloth had turned Qu Sheng’s skin red.

Her fingers were gentle, and with every stroke, another wave of heat rose to Qu Sheng’s face.

When the bath was finally over, Lin Xizhao dried her off and helped her onto the bed. Then she had the water changed and began to wash herself.

Lying on the bed, Qu Sheng opened her eyes, listening to the splash of water from the tub.

Lin Xizhao took longer than usual with her bath. By the time she emerged in her nightgown and returned to the bed, Qu Sheng had her eyes closed, seemingly asleep.

Lin Xizhao lay down and turned on her side to look at her. She noticed Qu Sheng’s brow was furrowed in her sleep. It must be because of what happened today, she thought. She expected to regain her sight, but she couldn’t.

She was terribly worried herself but knew she couldn’t show it. Qu Sheng was already emotionally unstable. If even Doctor Liu couldn’t help her, she feared Qu Sheng would fall into a deep depression.

Lin Xizhao shifted closer, wrapping her arms around Qu Sheng’s frame, which had grown thinner recently. She nuzzled her forehead against Qu Sheng’s and tightened her hold, pulling their bodies flush against each other.

It was late by the time Lin Xizhao finally felt a hint of drowsiness. She had been too worried about Qu Sheng to sleep. But just as she was drifting off, Qu Sheng woke her up.

In her sleepy haze, Lin Xizhao was already accustomed to Qu Sheng’s touch. It wasn’t that she lacked modesty; it was just that Qu Sheng’s nightly advances were impossible to guard against. She couldn’t stay awake all night just to fend her off, could she?

Eventually, she had just let her do as she pleased.

Drowsiness weighing her down, Lin Xizhao made no move to stop her. It was just a bit of harmless fondling, after all. But as she closed her eyes, she realized that tonight, something was very different.

She snapped her eyes open, staring at the dark canopy above. A growing certainty told her that Qu Sheng’s actions tonight weren’t meant to be a simple, shallow taste.

Qu Sheng burrowed under the covers, her entire body settling lightly over Lin Xizhao’s.

“Jiejie,” she whispered, her small head poking out from the blanket. Her eyes were wide open, staring at the slowly comprehending Lin Xizhao.

Hearing her voice, Lin Xizhao looked down. She couldn’t see Qu Sheng’s gaze in the darkness, but she could feel the strength in her hands.

“Sheng’er…” Lin Xizhao raised an arm to stop her from going any further.

But as she did, a small smile curved Qu Sheng’s lips. She leaned in, capturing Lin Xizhao’s mouth in a kiss. With her other hand, she gently pinned Lin Xizhao’s arm above her head.

In that moment, Qu Sheng could clearly see Lin Xizhao’s every move.

She could see the stunned expression on her face with perfect clarity.

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The author has something to say:

Qu Sheng: “I’ve been poisoned. The sickness has entered my vital organs⁸. I need my wifey to detoxify me, and it needs to be fast.”

Lin Xizhao: “…”

Zhao Jiayu: “Truly have no face⁹!”

Qu Sheng: “…”

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