Women in ancient times were so bold!

The hot springs were well prepared, with fine wines, delicacies, and fruits. Princess Chu enjoyed herself, inviting beautiful young ladies to play music and dance. Each of them was graceful and pleasing to the eye.

Tao Sheng felt grateful that this outing was truly worthwhile.

When King Chu and Ji Yanming arrived for a walk, Tao Sheng and the princess had already gone to the hot spring pool.

King Chu didn’t enjoy hot spring baths, and he only wanted to please Tao Sheng and Princess Chu. Seeing Ji Yanming was in a bad mood for bathing, he had wine and food served at the pavilion and took Ji Yanming aside for a chat.

After Tao Sheng and the princess left, King Chu spoke more casually to Ji Yanming: “Why is it arranged like this today? You know, right?”

Ji Yanming knew the reasons behind King Chu’s arrangements and accepted the favor.

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

It’s nice to talk to someone open-minded, and King Chu finally understood why his father liked a minister like Ji Yanming.

With things settled, King Chu couldn’t help but boast about his achievements, telling Ji Yanming how he disrupted the marriage of Prince Li’s daughter.

Ji Yanming raised his glass to express gratitude again.

King Chu waved his hand proudly, saying, “Why thank me? This is what I should do.”

Finding a wife for Ji Yanming, who firmly supported his faction, wasn’t easy. Besides, Tao Sheng was not only a strong supporter but her father had promised to join his faction early on. Where could he find a girl meeting those requirements?

Naturally, the benefits will stay within the family!

King Chu told Ji Yanming the truth, saying he would try his best to help him “succeed,” but Tao Sheng probably didn’t understand yet, so he needed Ji Yanming’s active cooperation.

Judging by Tao Sheng’s recent behavior, she clearly sees Ji Yanming as a brother and not a potential marriage partner. 

Thus, the King of Chu believed it would be best for Ji Yanming to express his feelings soon. After all, a girl as remarkable as Tao Sheng would attract many admirers. If someone else claimed her first, she might end up in a difficult position later.

Hearing this, Ji Yanming looked at the King of Chu with frustration: “If Your Highness could be more proactive, I would have told her earlier.”

During his time at the Ministry of Justice, Ji Yanming witnessed how losing power could lead to imprisonment. He understood that fighting for the throne was incredibly dangerous. One wrong move could result in losing everything, leaving no chance for a happy ending.

However, he found himself tied to the King of Chu by the emperor’s decree. If the King of Chu ultimately failed in his quest for the throne, Ji Yanming believed he could still help Tao Sheng escape.

Tao Sheng, after all, was truly connected to the emperor, while her relationship with the King of Chu was mostly superficial. They were at most friends who enjoyed eating, drinking, and spending leisure time together. If something happened to the King of Chu, she would be dragged into it.

Until the situation is clear, Ji Yanming must keep his feelings for Tao Sheng hidden. He could only show his love through actions, which was the best way to protect her in the future.

Seeing the confused look on the King of Chu’s face, Ji Yanming feared that speaking too seriously might alarm him, so he sighed and said, “Anyway, this isn’t the right time. Your Highness, please take care of Ah Sheng while I’m away.”

After a long while of drinking, Tao Sheng and the princess finally finished their hot spring bath and came out.

Tao Sheng had likely been drinking again; her face was slightly flushed, and her eyes sparkled brightly, indicating she had enjoyed a wonderful night.

Seeing Ji Yanming and the King of Chu still drinking and chatting, the princess became curious: “What are you talking about?”

“We’ve been talking all day and haven’t finished yet. We’re still at it.”

“Master Buji is about to leave, and he’s giving me some instructions.”

Once the King of Chu finished his drink, he realized that today seemed like a gathering where everyone was having fun, and Tao Sheng and the princess were slightly deviating from the outing’s purpose.

The King of Chu took the princess for a moonlit walk, giving Ji Yanming and Tao Sheng a chance to be alone.

After soaking in the hot spring, Tao Sheng felt completely relaxed. She sat down across from Ji Yanming, raised her hand to reveal part of her white wrist, and poured herself half a glass of wine to quench her thirst.

“I didn’t mean anything by what I said this morning. Don’t take it to heart, cousin.” Tao Sheng swirled her wine glass and continued, “I just thought you might be a little uneasy about going out this time. I hope you take care of yourself and don’t worry.”

Noticing Tao Sheng’s glass was empty, Ji Yanming quietly poured her another glass of honey water. “Well, I know.”

Tao Sheng was feeling a bit drunk; the sweet scent of plum wine still lingered on her lips, making the honey water taste different.

She saw Ji Yanming place the wine glass out of reach. To get it back, she would have to maneuver around his hand resting on the table, making it difficult. Feeling helpless, she retracted her outstretched arm and lowered her head to finish the remaining honey water.

Ji Yanming noticed all of Tao Sheng’s little gestures. He held the wine glass back in his hand and met her annoyed gaze, unable to tease her any longer: “You don’t usually drink much. You had quite a bit today, so you might get a headache tomorrow.”

Tao Sheng responded softly, “Hmm,” seeming to acknowledge his words.

For years, Tao Sheng had always maintained her composure, but now she appeared adorably tipsy and slightly confused. The way she pulled her hand back in disappointment after several attempts looked particularly cute.

Such a side of Tao Sheng was rare to see. In front of her, Ji Yanming found himself momentarily distracted.

He set his cup down, collected his thoughts, and slowly spoke to Tao Sheng: “I’ve already arranged for your father at the Ministry of War. Your uncle has just arrived. If you’re looked after by Minister You, you’ll have someone to discuss things with in the future. Prince Rui came with bad intentions and is becoming increasingly arrogant. He doesn’t get along with the East Palace or the King of Chu. It’s likely he’ll act desperately. You must be cautious of him.”

Tao Sheng understood Ji Yanming was concerned for her and nodded in agreement. Then she added, “I prepared some zither scores for you. They’re all pieces you liked in the past. I found and revised them for you to take. You’ve always played beautifully, so when I’m not around, you can play them whenever you want to hear them.”

Ji Yanming replied, “That’s different.”

You are unique in this world. Even if someone plays the same song on the same instrument, it won’t be the same as your playing.

At this moment, Ji Yanming remembered something: “The mission to Ling State is approaching, and the emperor has sent 30,000 troops to accompany him northward to strengthen the defense line at the northwest border. The emperor asked several generals about their wishes before heading into battle, and many expressed a desire to hear you play a song before they leave, just as a farewell.”

Tao Sheng recalled an old novel she had read, where the heroine danced in front of two armies facing each other. Now, the generals wanted her to play the zither to boost morale before they departed… It felt like the Mary Sue novel she once read had come to life.

Ever since those strange rumors surfaced, she felt like she was moving further toward social awkwardness.