The Prime Minister Knows How to Handle His Wife (ABO, GL) - Chapter 8

Chapter 8

The cricket and the rosewood pipa naturally had to be returned.

Sheng Shiyue was not allowed to get off the carriage. She only saw Ning Qingge walking alone into the Xu Mansion.

Not long after, she saw Lord Xu and his mother walking out together behind Ning Qingge. Xu Zhengming had previously broken his leg. His calf was still wrapped in a wooden board. He rested his hand on a servant’s shoulder, hopping out one step at a time. He tried hard to keep a straight face, but he looked extremely comical.

Sheng Shiyue, leaning on the carriage railing, laughed heartily.

To be honest, she was not confident about getting the items back. That day, she had indeed threatened Xu Zhengming casually. If she really reported this matter to the Empress, she would definitely be implicated and scolded too. Moreover, after the incident at Yicui Tower, the Empress surely looked at her with great displeasure. The Empress wanted to find an excuse to discipline her. If she went, would she not be walking straight into trouble?

But Xu Zhengming’s pretense of acting as if nothing happened, showing no sign of remorse, made her extremely irritated.

She was already holding a grudge in her heart. She thought about causing a scene at the Xu Mansion, at least to scare that boy Xu Zhengming. Otherwise, it would not live up to her reputation as Bianjing’s number one wastrel.

Now, although Ning Qingge had taken the lead, the result was even better than if she had gone herself.

She watched Xu Zhengming’s expression twist. He forced out a smile and handed over the valuable items he had bought at a high price to Ning Qingge one by one with a single hand. She felt that the wound on her forehead had healed significantly.

Then the three seemed to say something. The Xu mother and daughter bowed toward her direction, leaving Sheng Shiyue completely confused. Moments later, Ning Qingge walked over alone.

“What did you say to them?”

As soon as Ning Qingge got into the carriage, Sheng Shiyue could not help but ask.

Ning Qingge placed the box to the side. She sat down before speaking, “I didn’t say much.”

“Then why did they hand over the items so readily?”

A whip cracked, and the carriage moved forward again. After passing the Western District, the road became smooth. There were no more crowded situations.

Ning Qingge glanced at her and said, “I only said that Young Master Xu owed my Madam’s items. I came to retrieve them on her behalf.”

Sheng Shiyue caught the key phrase and instinctively wanted to retort. But she remembered that Ning Qingge had just helped her. She could only touch her nose awkwardly and mutter softly, “Who is your Madam?”

Ning Qingge heard but did not say much. She only said, “They were apologizing to you earlier. They said the wedding was too rushed. They didn’t have time to prepare gifts. It will take a few days to send them to the mansion.”

This made Sheng Shiyue pause. She inexplicably glanced at Ning Qingge and replied with an “Oh.”

Ning Qingge did not continue. She instructed, “Lie down and rest for a bit. We’ll find a physician later to re-bandage your wound.”

After speaking, she said no more. She closed her eyes to rest.

These past two days had been exhausting not only for Sheng Shiyue. Ning Qingge had exerted even more effort. She had not rested properly for two days.

Sheng Shiyue, on the other hand, felt more energetic. She could not help but think of the imperial edict she saw last night.

Although the Empress was furious about this, it was only verbal reprimand. She did not strip Ning Qingge of any positions. Even morning court proceeded as usual. Judging by the attitude of the Xu mother and daughter, this matter did not affect Ning Qingge much.

It made sense. Even if she was not the anticipated Sixth Sister or Eighth Sister, she was still one of the royal heirs. No matter how angry the Empress was, she would be somewhat lenient because of this.

Her thoughts were still lingering when the carriage entered the mansion. A large group of servants immediately rushed forward. Sheng Shiyue did not even touch the ground. She was directly lifted onto a bamboo sedan and carried to her room, followed by a flurry of activity.

She bathed, changed clothes, and had a physician re-bandage her head. She ate some light duck porridge, perfect for nourishment. Finally, Sheng Shiyue lay back on her sufficiently soft bed. But Ning Qingge was now beside her.

“Why are you here?!”

Her shocked and fearful voice echoed in the room. Sheng Shiyue, wearing white inner clothes, hugged a pillow and shrank into the corner of the bed. Her wide eyes were filled with helplessness. For a moment, she could not tell who was Kunze and who was Qianyuan.

“Didn’t I already have a room prepared for you?”

Although Sheng Shiyue was not entirely willing, she would not be harsh on Ning Qingge in this regard. After all, Ning Qingge had just helped her. But this did not mean she agreed to the marriage or could sleep in the same bed as Ning Qingge.

The little Qianyuan’s face was full of panic. As she got up and retreated, her loose inner clothes slipped, revealing a glimpse of her fair shoulder and neck. She stammered, “Ning Qingge, you don’t really like me, do you?!”

Before, their statuses were too far apart. She only thought Ning Qingge was using her. She never considered the possibility of affection. Now, she finally grew suspicious. Otherwise, why would a perfectly fine Kunze keep clinging to a Qianyuan?

She blinked and said, “Lord Ning, you can use me, but don’t actually like me. I just want to be a wastrel who eats and waits for death. I’m not the same kind of person as a national pillar like you…”

Before she finished her string of words, she saw the person standing by the bed glance at her faintly. Then, Ning Qingge lifted the quilt, as if to lie down.

Unlike Sheng Shiyue, Ning Qingge bathed after Sheng Shiyue’s bandaging was done. Her loose hair was slightly damp, lazily draped over her shoulders, slightly wetting her inner clothes. The fatigue in her expression was no longer hidden. Faint dark circles were visible under her eyes.

She looked quite pitiful.

Sheng Shiyue opened her mouth. Her words turned into a feeble, “Can’t you sleep somewhere else?”

Her objection had no effect. She could only watch as Ning Qingge lay down, covered herself with a thin blanket, and spoke with a voice full of exhaustion, “Your Highness Jiu, our dynasty has no precedent of newlyweds sleeping apart on the second day.”

“But…”

Ning Qingge suddenly said, “Your Highness, I have to attend court tomorrow.”

What did that have to do with her?

Sheng Shiyue, such a grand wastrel, squeezed herself into a small ball in the corner, looking blankly at Ning Qingge.

Ning Qingge turned her head to look at her. Perhaps because of the change in clothing or her extreme fatigue, her voice softened further, inexplicably tugging at the heart. She said, “If word got out, I might be mocked tomorrow.”

In truth, this statement had many flaws. First, how could such news spread from Sheng Shiyue’s mansion? Besides, as a Prime Minister currently in the Empress’s favor, who would dare mock her openly?

But Sheng Shiyue thought of Ning Qingge kneeling at Yicui Tower’s entrance to receive the edict. For a moment, she forgot these flaws, let alone continued to resist.

Thus, the other succeeded. After closing her eyes, only her gradually slowing breaths remained.

Sheng Shiyue hugged her pillow, her mind a complete mess.

Now, she was a bit confused again. If Ning Qingge really liked her, how could she sleep so calmly beside her?

But if she did not like her, she should have agreed to her suggestion. Sheng Shiyue had already compromised, willing to be used by Ning Qingge, only asking for a divorce after being used, to regain her freedom. Yet Ning Qingge refused.

Moreover, that day, she clearly saw Ning Qingge force the zither player to kneel. Logically, Ning Qingge should be a deeply calculating, unpredictable person. But up to now, although Ning Qingge schemed against her, she did not gain much advantage. Instead, she suffered quite a bit.

She lost her purity and was humiliated by the Empress, who brought up her former status as a criminal slave.

Furthermore, if Ning Qingge wanted to use her for something, she should have kept her confined in the Prime Minister’s mansion. Instead, she easily agreed to let her return to her own mansion and even helped her along the way.

And…

Sheng Shiyue’s gaze lowered, falling on the back of Ning Qingge’s neck, half-covered by her hair. The bitten skin was red, with large and small tooth marks around the most vulnerable gland, showing how harsh it had been, still clearly visible now.

Yet even so, she had not formed a bond with Ning Qingge.

She had long lost the ability to mark others.

And Ning Qingge, who discovered this, never used it to threaten her. Even when Sheng Shiyue deliberately tested her, Ning Qingge did not mention it at all.

A Qianyuan unable to mark a Kunze was unheard of since ancient times. Even the lowest Qianyuan would not be so useless. The Sixth Sister and Eighth Sister were naturally suspicious. If they found out, they would surely send people to investigate. If they discovered even the slightest clue…

Sheng Shiyue’s brows furrowed, showing a hint of anxiety.

The person beside her was at ease, perhaps already in deep sleep. She unconsciously turned inward, facing Sheng Shiyue.

Sheng Shiyue softly called, “Ning Qingge…”

She waited a while. Seeing no response, she gradually relaxed. She placed the crumpled pillow back in place, hesitated, then lifted the quilt to lie beside Ning Qingge.

At this time, the red sun was setting in the west. Smoke rose from chimneys inside and outside the city. Vendors busied themselves packing up. Playful children were dragged home by their parents’ ears. It was the liveliest yet loneliest time.

The light falling on the floor faded. The ice basin in the corner left a puddle of water, completely driving the heat out of the room.

Sheng Shiyue, her thoughts in disarray, sighed. She closed her eyes to hide the complex emotions, then quietly turned to look at Ning Qingge beside her.

They were only an arm’s length apart. If either moved forward slightly, they could easily touch the other’s lips. Sheng Shiyue smelled a faint fragrance on Ning Qingge, like incense, but she could not identify it. Just like her inability to form a bond, she could hardly sense a Kunze’s scent. She was called a Qianyuan, but she was practically the same as a Zhongyong.

Did Ning Qingge not know that an unbonded Kunze would have to endure the torment of the rain period for a lifetime? In the end, even the Clear Spirit Pill would not work, and they could only suffer in pain.

The person beside her gave no answer. Her cold face was softened by the light, appearing harmless and gentle, like a cat exposing its belly without defense.

Driven by some unknown sentiment, Sheng Shiyue quietly said, “You’re awfully trusting.”

She was, after all, a Qianyuan, and one who had been intimate with her. Even if she could not mark, could Ning Qingge really be so at ease?

Her thoughts brought back the scene at Yicui Tower that day.

The falling hair brushed her cheek. The exhausted Kunze struggled to prop herself up, panting softly in her ear, pleading.

“Please, move a little… is that okay…?”

Sheng Shiyue abruptly turned away, facing the opposite direction, suppressing all the images that should not appear. The ears under her hair had, at some point, turned red as if bleeding.