The King of Chu was right. After hearing this, the emperor immediately scolded him for being “nonsense.” He was the emperor, the most honorable person in the world, so how could he possibly show goodwill to a mere second-rank general?

As a result, things reached a stalemate again.

General Fu still felt wronged, and the emperor thought it was ridiculous to ask him to bow his head and show goodwill. The King of Chu suddenly had an idea. He decided to do something special that wouldn’t require an imperial decree but would allow Fu An to believe the emperor was showing goodwill toward him.

However, the King of Chu didn’t have many options left. He couldn’t even choose a wife from his own faction for his capable general, let alone accomplish such a difficult task.

After thinking it through, the King of Chu realized he only had Tao Sheng left.

As everyone knew, Tao Sheng was the emperor’s personal zither player, so he wanted to invite her to play a piece of music for Fu An at the general’s residence. However, he didn’t directly explain his purpose to Tao Sheng, only making some vague statements that would lead people to think it was the emperor who sent her.

General Fu had mentioned in a previous conversation with the King of Chu that although he was now recuperating at home, he was still aware of what was happening around him. He had heard about Ji Yanming’s sixth-place finish in the imperial examination and was interested in the affairs of Miss Luo, the cousin of the top scholar.

Fu An also had an appreciation for music from his youth but had neglected it due to years of fighting. So, he yearned to hear about Miss Luo’s mysterious zither skills.

Putting everything together, the King of Chu came up with a new plan.

Today, Ji Yanming was summoned to the palace by the emperor for some urgent business, and Tao Sheng was returning home by herself. This was common in the past but felt unusual now.

This person just can’t get along with anyone!

Tao Sheng felt emotional. Now that she had gotten used to her cousin’s company, she could no longer adapt to being alone.

Tao Sheng had just sat down to read for a while when she heard Xiao Feng calling out long and short calls from outside.

This was a signal that a guest had arrived, and judging by the tone and frequency of Xiao Feng’s calls, the visitor was probably an acquaintance that pleased him.

After hearing the sound, Tao Sheng walked out of the room and saw the King of Chu teasing Xiao Feng. He seemed to be in a good mood, completely different from the King of Chu who had been at a loss when the emperor had asked him to do something a few days earlier.

Tao Sheng approached and greeted the King of Chu. When he saw her, he quickly stood up and said, “Ah Sheng, you came at the right time. I was just looking for you.”

“Looking for me?” Tao Sheng was surprised, knowing that the King of Chu had recently focused all his time and energy on General Fu. He usually came to Ji’s house to relax and seldom chatted with her.

Could it be that everything has been resolved now? Did it actually make the King of Chu want to talk to her?

“I came to see you.”

The King of Chu followed Tao Sheng into the house and explained all his plans.

Now that Fu An and the emperor were in conflict, the King of Chu had to rely on his old methods again and asked Tao Sheng to help create confusion for a while.

After hearing the King of Chu’s plan, Tao Sheng had an idea.

In her mind, the King of Chu had always been a carefree man with no strategy. But now, after listening to his careful and detailed plan, Tao Sheng suddenly realized that this prince could think of things that others couldn’t at critical moments and find a way out.

It was impressive how the King of Chu managed to come up with this method.

Tao Sheng looked at the youthful, unweathered face of the King of Chu and felt a sense of “the man of the Xiao family has grown up.”

_

After Tao Sheng agreed with the King of Chu’s plan, everything he intended to do next went much more smoothly.

The King of Chu took Tao Sheng to visit the general’s mansion. On the way, he repeatedly reminded her not to talk nonsense and to follow his instructions.

Tao Sheng nodded obediently, indicating that she was just a tool this time and would retreat after playing the song, avoiding any chance for General Fu to catch her and ask questions.

Tao Sheng had heard Xie Huaian say before that the King of Chu and Fu An had always had a good relationship. But when she met General Fu, she realized how true that was. The two not only spoke in sync but also seemed to think alike.

After listening to Tao Sheng play the zither, Fu An automatically assumed she was sent by the emperor to show goodwill and play specifically for him, with little prompting from the King of Chu.

Before the King of Chu even opened his mouth to persuade him, General Fu was already moved. He wiped his tears and said the emperor had been very kind to him over the years and that he was almost healed. It was time for him to sacrifice his small self for the greater good and return to serve the court.

Although Fu An had initially refused to attend court due to his dissatisfaction with the emperor, for his own life and the well-being of his clan, he announced publicly that he was in poor health and could not help the court or share the emperor’s worries. He didn’t dare to show any dissatisfaction with the emperor.

As a result, the general, who had been bedridden for a long time, was seen recovering almost miraculously after listening to Tao Sheng’s music. He was able to run, jump, and attend court, which was considered a miraculous recovery.

Soon after, new rumors spread in the capital that Tao Sheng’s music could not only help people pass the imperial examinations but also restore a sick general who had lost his martial skills back to his former bravery, enabling him to serve the court and fight again.