The Prime Minister Knows How to Handle Her Wife (ABO, GL) - Chapter 22

Chapter 22

In the early morning, as the sky just brightened, the mansion’s carriage waited at the palace gate and brought Sheng Shiyue back to the mansion.

Sheng Shiyue woke up twice along the way. The first time, someone carried her into the carriage. She squinted and looked around, but Ning Qingge had likely gone elsewhere, as Sheng Shiyue didn’t see her figure, and then she fell back into a deep sleep.

The second time, she returned to the mansion. The physician reapplied medicine to her wounds, and the pain woke her up. Afterward, she drank some calming and pain-relieving herbal soup. When the medicine took effect, she couldn’t help but close her eyes and sleep again.

When she woke up again, it was already afternoon.

The heavy rain that brewed for a long time last night ultimately didn’t fall. The wind blew half the night, and today remained extremely hot.

Lotus flowers bloomed by the pond. Water surged out from the surrounding corridor, trickling through holes in long bamboo, forming a cool water curtain. Inside the water curtain, two slender figures sat—one upright, one lying down.

It was Ning Qingge and Sheng Shiyue.

Sheng Shiyue lay on a bamboo rocking chair. This rocking chair was somewhat peculiar, not curved like usual ones. Its arc was smaller, allowing someone to lie face down on it. With a soft cushion spread over it, the gentle rocking was far more comfortable than lying on a bed.

This reclining chair was something the dandies in Bianjing had come up with. The price of their mischief was often a beating, and lying face down for a week was truly uncomfortable. So, a group of them brainstormed and stubbornly created such a thing.

Sheng Shiyue, protected by her aunt, had rarely been beaten from childhood to adulthood, so the mansion never prepared such a thing. Fortunately, Meng Qingxin, upon hearing the news yesterday, immediately sought out a craftsman and had one made for Sheng Shiyue overnight.

Thinking of this, Sheng Shiyue couldn’t help but hum, feeling that her help for Meng Qingxin wasn’t in vain.

Ning Qingge sat on a long bench by the corridor. Her left hand held a round fan, fanning Sheng Shiyue, while her right hand held a book for leisure.

Hearing the sound, Ning Qingge raised her eyes slightly, put down the book, and used wooden chopsticks to pick up a piece of lychee flesh, offering it to Sheng Shiyue’s lips, mistakenly thinking she wanted to eat.

Sheng Shiyue, who loved luxury, spent a fortune importing fine fruit trees from afar. She hired craftsmen to plant them in a suburban garden, carefully tended them, and, during the season, had people pick the fruits early in the morning and send them to the mansion. Servants peeled and pitted the fruits, placing them on a small mound of crushed ice to chill.

The fruit flesh touched her lips, and the sweet juice slid inside.

But this couldn’t pry open the lips of a certain fickle young lady. The fruit Sheng Shiyue usually loved was now rejected, and she refused to open her mouth to bite it.

She raised her eyelids, her anger mixed with a hint of embarrassment, and fiercely glared at Ning Qingge.

The other person acted as if she didn’t see it, naturally moving her hand away. Then, she lightly parted her lips and bit the translucent lychee flesh that had just touched Sheng Shiyue’s lips.

Whether intentional or not, her movements slowed, allowing Sheng Shiyue to see every step clearly. Red lips shimmered with moisture, teeth like shells bit through the fruit, and the tip of her tongue curled around the juice…

Sheng Shiyue abruptly turned her head, inwardly cursing: Ning Qingge is definitely doing this on purpose.

But in a fleeting moment, last night’s memories surfaced in her mind. Though the contact was brief, she could still feel that Ning Qingge’s lips were soft—softer than the lychee flesh just now.

It wasn’t her fault for only realizing this now. At Yicui Tower, she was so drunk that only fragmented images remained in her mind, and she didn’t dare recall them. Every time a memory surfaced, she forcibly suppressed it.

The incident at the lotus pond was even worse. Sheng Shiyue was bitten and nibbled by Ning Qingge, too busy crying to notice anything soft or not.

So, only now did Sheng Shiyue have the slightest sense of it.

Her earlobes turned red, but fortunately, her loose hair covered them, sparing her too much embarrassment.

Just then, steady footsteps approached from a distance and soon appeared before them.

Dressed in light clothing, with sweat on her forehead, Ye Liuyun had hurriedly returned.

Seeing both of them there, she first looked surprised, then exhaled and called out, “Your Highness.”

Seeing the newcomer, Sheng Shiyue’s eyes lit up. Ignoring her injuries, she propped herself up to rise, but before she could move halfway, she pulled at the wound below her waist, hissed in pain, and collapsed back down. The rocking chair, jolted by the force, swayed widely.

Ye Liuyun, startled, stepped forward quickly. Before her hand could touch the chair, someone else grabbed its edge, steadying the swaying bamboo chair with a slight effort.

Ye Liuyun awkwardly withdrew her hand and said with a wry smile, “There’s no bad news, Your Highness. Don’t worry.”

Hearing this, Sheng Shiyue first sighed in relief, then looked up at her. Her fluttering eyelashes and slightly blue eyes reflected the scene ahead, somehow carrying a trace of the pitiful look she gave Ning Qingge last night.

Ye Liuyun took a breath, about to speak, but Ning Qingge’s sudden action interrupted her.

Silver chopsticks picked up a piece of grape flesh and placed it at Sheng Shiyue’s lips.

Without thinking, Sheng Shiyue lowered her head and took it, chewing while urging, “Speak quickly, don’t dawdle.”

Ye Liuyun suppressed her surprise, steadied her mind, and said, “Lord Ye is fine.”

Relieved by the firm answer, Sheng Shiyue asked, “Has anything unusual happened in the Southern Border?”

In the past, though the Emperor was displeased with her, out of consideration for her aunt, the most severe punishments were kneeling for a while, a few scoldings, or being confined to the mansion with fifty or a hundred extra pages to copy. Rarely did she face punishments like beatings.

So, upon hearing about the punishment, her first thought was whether something happened to her aunt. Coupled with the long-unanswered letters she sent, she couldn’t help but panic. As soon as she left the palace, she ignored her pain, grabbed Ye Liuyun’s clothes, and told her to quickly investigate.

Ye Liuyun hesitated, then said, “Lord Ye is indeed fine. But for some reason, a few days ago, the Southern Border suddenly stirred, launching a night raid on Kun City. Lord Ye was caught off guard and suffered a major defeat, nearly losing the city.”

“What?” Sheng Shiyue, startled, nearly jumped up again, pulling at her wound once more.

Ye Liuyun stepped forward in alarm, but Ning Qingge grabbed Sheng Shiyue’s wrist and scolded softly, “Why rush? It was only a close call. Kun City wasn’t heavily damaged. Lord Wu’an is reorganizing forces and heading to the Southern Border.”

Sheng Shiyue nearly forgot that the person beside her was the Prime Minister. All matters, big and small, passed through her hands before reaching the Emperor. If there was any news, she would surely know first.

But Sheng Shiyue harbored doubts. Since Ning Qingge couldn’t explain past events, it was hard to fully trust her. So, last night, Sheng Shiyue didn’t ask her directly, waiting until now instead.

Ning Qingge understood this but didn’t mind. Instead, she patted the back of Sheng Shiyue’s hand. Her cool touch eased Sheng Shiyue’s inner anxiety as she gently advised, “Be careful, don’t pull at your wound again.”

Perhaps feeling a bit guilty, Sheng Shiyue didn’t swat away the hand that naturally rested on hers. She asked, “Did His Majesty get angry because of this?”

Ning Qingge shook her head, hesitated after looking at her, and said, “Victory and defeat are common in military affairs. Lord Wu’an has been stationed in the Southern Border for years. Even without great achievements, her efforts are significant. The Southern Border launched a卑劣 sneak attack without warning. Lord Wu’an managed to hold the city, which is already a great feat. How could His Majesty be angry? However…”

She hesitated and said, “There’s probably some redirected anger. Kun City suffered significant losses this time, with most of the granary maliciously burned. The court must fund the recovery.”

Sheng Shiyue closed her eyes and let out a heavy breath.

In summary, her aunt lost a battle in the Southern Border and was asking the court for money. Meanwhile, Sheng Shiyue caused chaos in Bianjing, dragging down the martial champion favored by the Emperor. With no reason to blame her aunt, the Emperor called Sheng Shiyue, who happened to be in the line of fire, into the palace.

In the end, she could only curse, “Have the Southern Border people lost their minds? Why attack Kun City at this time?”

The Northern Di and Southern Border, less prosperous than the Liang Kingdom, had regional flaws and often harassed Liang’s borders due to food shortages.

Based on past experience, the Southern Border had a mild climate, suitable for growing rice and vegetables. But with more mountains than farmland, they had enough food in summer and autumn but little surplus. In spring and winter, they faced famine and resorted to raiding Liang’s borders.

But it was still summer. Instead of resting and recovering, why did the Southern Border suddenly attack Kun City?

No one could answer this question.

Ye Liuyun could only console her, saying, “Fortunately, Lord Ye reacted quickly and led troops to resist.”

Sheng Shiyue’s expression softened slightly, and she said, “Send more people there.”

“Yes.”

Regarding Southern Border news, Sheng Shiyue always had people keeping watch, but they couldn’t match the court’s speed. The incident happened just seven days ago, and the journey from the Southern Border to Bianjing took a full month. Even if spies hurried to deliver news, they could only wait anxiously on the long road.

If Sheng Shiyue hadn’t sensed something was wrong and had Ye Liuyun send people to intercept and use carrier pigeons, they might have learned the news a day later. As for it spreading through Bianjing, that would likely happen only after the court began discussing funding.

With her worries finally eased, Sheng Shiyue tasted the sweet, sticky fruit flesh she bit into. She turned her head to Ning Qingge, signaling with her eyes to feed her more.

Ning Qingge complied, picking up a piece of translucent fruit flesh.

“Not this one,” Sheng Shiyue raised her brow, not giving the Prime Minister any face.

The silver chopsticks turned and landed on a grape instead.

Ye Liuyun, standing nearby, had a complicated expression. She vaguely recalled that Her Highness injured her lower body, not her hands.

But Sheng Shiyue was always lazy and pampered, so being served like this was normal. Yet…

Ye Liuyun’s gaze shifted between the two. Due to her injuries and the heat, Sheng Shiyue wore only a thin, emerald gauze skirt. For some reason, Ning Qingge also chose a long skirt of the same color and material with a bamboo pattern. The two together—one vibrant, one refined—didn’t clash but seemed remarkably well-matched.

Ning Qingge was very attentive. After feeding, she noticed juice on Sheng Shiyue’s lips and used a handkerchief to wipe it, while her other hand kept fanning without pause.

Looking at her Ninth Highness, she no longer resisted Ning Qingge as before. Instead, she acted like a cat, tilting her head and squinting to let Ning Qingge serve her. Perhaps in the next moment, she’d nuzzle her fluffy head into Ning Qingge’s palm, seeking affection.

Strange, very strange.

Ye Liuyun stood not far away but felt oddly separated from the two, utterly uncomfortable.

According to other servants, last night, Her Highness and the Prime Minister jumped into the lake together and embraced for a while at its center. Could the lotus pond have some magical effect on bonding?

She furrowed her brows, watching Ning Qingge bite into the lychee from earlier.

This was Her Highness’s favorite fruit. Last year, she ate two plates in one go, causing a fever and mouth sores, which led to her aunt’s scolding. Yet, she didn’t eat less.

Now, she didn’t take a single bite, letting Ning Qingge have it all.

Ye Liuyun’s heart felt a mix of emotions.

She touched her nose and changed the topic, saying, “Last night, the Xu family reported to the authorities that Young Master Xu was dragged into an alley by thieves and beaten badly. His barely healed legs broke again.”

Hearing this, Sheng Shiyue raised her brow, smirked mischievously, and said, “Which righteous person took action? They should’ve broken both legs to stop him from hopping around like a grasshopper.”

Ye Liuyun laughed along, saying vaguely, “Perhaps some passersby who couldn’t stand his bullying. They saw Young Master Xu acting arrogantly, put a sack over his head, and beat him in a dark alley. The other leg didn’t break, but he can’t move it.”

“The Xu family’s physician said his ankle is swollen like a pig’s hoof. It won’t heal for ten days or half a month.”

Sheng Shiyue feigned concern, clucking her tongue, “How pitiful for Young Master Xu. He’ll probably have to lie in bed for a while.”

Her short sentence twisted with exaggerated tones, practically shouting her schadenfreude.

She bit into the grape flesh, grinning, “This grape is so sweet, like it’s mixed with ten pounds of sugar.”

Ye Liuyun added, “With old and new injuries, the physician said if he doesn’t rest for a few months, Young Master Xu might limp in the future.”

“Oh, a cripple can’t compete in the martial exams. Young Master Xu should be more careful,” Sheng Shiyue said, then added, “Later, ask for me which family has an old, worn-out rocking chair. Hurry and send it to Young Master Xu.”

Ye Liuyun stifled a laugh, saying, “Miss Meng already sent one. Last night, while arranging a craftsman for Your Highness, she ordered a new one for herself and sent the old one to the Xu family.”

She added, “Sadly, Young Master Xu can’t use it. His whole body is in pain, whether lying or sitting.”

“Sigh, I don’t know how Young Master Xu will manage lying in bed these days. Tossing and turning is pure suffering.”

Sheng Shiyue’s eyes curved, and she burst out laughing, finally feeling satisfied.

Ye Liuyun shook her head, sighing, “The thief hasn’t been caught. Young Master Xu insists it was Miss Meng and her group, but they were drinking at Yicui Tower. When the servants there were questioned, they said Miss Meng and her group never left the room. People think Young Master Xu is just angry and raving, biting at random.”

Sheng Shiyue laughed harder, not even noticing what was fed to her. She bit down, grinning, and said, “This lychee is sweet too, better than the grape just now.”

Now, anything that reached her mouth earned praise.

Ning Qingge, nearby, seemed to smile too. Her clear eyes reflected Sheng Shiyue’s figure, not minding her vindictiveness but liking her lively demeanor. Her vibrant brows lifted, and her playful scolding carried a youthful spirit.

Bamboo leaves by the pond fell in the breeze, and the water curtain created ripples, big and small. Water droplets splashed onto lotus leaves, startling the goldfish to swim away.

During the conversation, they mentioned Meng Xiaosi again.

Though Xu Zhengming’s real target was Sheng Shiyue, Meng Xiaosi felt guilty, thinking Sheng Shiyue not only lost a good cricket to help her but nearly lost a polo match because of her. Even Sheng Shiyue’s beating was blamed on herself. After returning home, she declared she’d work hard and not hold Sheng Shiyue back anymore.

Sheng Shiyue was skeptical. Meng Xiaosi had no interest in riding or archery, preferring her golden abacus. But since she was rarely motivated, Sheng Shiyue didn’t discourage her, only wondering how long she’d last.

Her thoughts shifted, and she said, “Tell Aunt Qu to prepare some gifts and send them to the Meng family.”

Ye Liuyun looked at her puzzled.

Sheng Shiyue explained, “If not for the Meng family’s help, I’d probably have to lie down for a few more months.”

This seemingly simple beating had its nuances, like the material of the stick, the executioner’s force, and technique.

For example, in the previous dynasty, court beatings used chestnut wood, shaped into a hammer at the end, wrapped in iron with barbs. One strike could tear flesh, and even strong young men struggled to endure fifty strikes.

The Liang Kingdom was milder, using rounded wooden sticks, but it wasn’t necessarily easy. It still depended on the executioner.

It was said some harsh officials, for bribes, threatened victims to pay “life-saving money.” Otherwise, executioners would swing hard, and some skilled ones could kill in fewer than ten strikes.

Those who paid were allowed to wear thick cotton jackets and soft cushions. A strike would sound loud but allow recovery in a few days.

Sheng Shiyue hadn’t expected this when she left, so she wore no thick clothing. The Imperial Guards found a thick mat for her and reduced the force by half.

But they didn’t dare go too easy, as the Emperor personally ordered the punishment. The Meng family could only do so much, and Sheng Shiyue still had to endure some pain.

Her current state was partly her own fault. Her delicate skin and pampered nature meant even Ning Qingge’s pinch marks on her waist hadn’t faded, let alone the beating.

When she fainted and was carried back, the executioners didn’t dare continue. They found a burly man to stand nearby, pretending to beat her, making loud noises for those inside to hear, thus completing the thirty strikes.

Hearing her explanation, Ning Qingge fed her another lychee and said, “No need to ask Aunt Qu. This morning, I instructed the Southern Garden to prepare generous gifts and send them to the Meng family.”

Sheng Shiyue’s attention shifted, forgetting the lychee stuffed in her mouth, puffing her cheeks, and asked vaguely, “Why?”

“Last night, I could enter Jingyang Palace thanks to Lord Meng’s permission,” Ning Qingge explained gently, smiling at her.

Sheng Shiyue suddenly understood, saying, “Then we owe the Meng family a lot this time.”

Ye Liuyun nodded firmly.

The three talked a bit more. Sheng Shiyue asked about Ye Chiling’s condition and told Ye Liuyun to get some crisp pastries from the kitchen to share with Ye Chiling to beat the heat.

After Ye Liuyun left, Sheng Shiyue realized she’d unknowingly eaten a lot of lychees, her mouth full of their sweet taste.

“Ning! Qing! Ge!” Sheng Shiyue, angry, said each word sharply, glaring at her.

The other tilted her head, acting clueless, and asked with a smile, “What’s wrong, Your Highness?”

“Shameless,” Sheng Shiyue spat out in anger, saying, “How can you be so shameless?”

How could a Kunze feed a Qianyuan something tied to their own scent? Where was the rumored cold, moonlike Prime Minister? Even she, a dandy, couldn’t compare.

Ning Qingge, unrepentant, asked, “Does Your Highness not like lychees?”

“Well, no…” Sheng Shiyue stammered, as it was true, but she felt something was off, like she was falling into someone’s trap.

“Then is it wrong for me to feed Your Highness lychees?” Ning Qingge asked, smiling and guiding her.

Sheng Shiyue, with some wit left, argued, “But I didn’t want to eat, and you still forced it on me.”

“Oh.”

Ning Qingge chuckled lightly, her eyes shimmering, and asked, “So Your Highness wants to eat other lychees?”

Her drawn-out tone was teasing, her intent clear, pulling Sheng Shiyue into her carefully laid trap.

Unable to counter, Sheng Shiyue’s face flushed, leaving her speechless. Qu Li, walking over, misunderstood, quickly placing the back of her hand on Sheng Shiyue’s forehead, exclaiming, “Are you feverish again?”

“I told you to stay in your room for a few days, but you didn’t listen. Now look, your face is burning like a branding iron.”

“Should we call the physician to check why you’re suddenly so feverish?”

Sheng Shiyue tried to explain, but Qu Li’s endless sighs interrupted her. In the end, Ning Qingge came to her rescue.

Ning Qingge said, “It’s not Her Highness being reckless. I teased her earlier, saying she ate so many lychees during the day and still wanted more at night, acting like a child. That’s why her face turned red.”

“Really?” Qu Li was doubtful but couldn’t question Ning Qingge, whose reputation was impeccable.

In the end, she could only say helplessly to Sheng Shiyue, “It’s just a small matter. Call the servants at night if you want. But your cold hasn’t cleared, so eat less hot food. Once you’re fully recovered, eat however you like.”

Her tone was full of concern, like a tired mother watching her child’s antics, unable to control but only indulging.

Sheng Shiyue’s mouth opened and closed, swallowing her frustration, sneaking a glare at Ning Qingge.

But the other showed no guilt, smiling brightly at her.

Sheng Shiyue nearly ground her teeth, thinking: Ning Qingge, just you wait. Tonight, you’ll see!