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In Qingling Taichung, Tao Sheng regretted what she had said that morning.
Queen Li invited them to have morning tea at the palace. She politely complimented the tea, saying it was delicious and different from breakfast in the capital of the Great Zhou Dynasty.
It was unclear if Lord Li didn’t understand her politeness or if that was how people in Ling State acted, but he took her words seriously. He warmly invited her, “Chef Li from the kitchen is not here today, and his dim sum is the best in the palace. Since you like it, let’s have dinner tomorrow morning.”
Tao Sheng tried to make excuses but couldn’t. The next morning, someone came to pick her up.
It wasn’t pleasant to ride far in a carriage for breakfast, but she still gained something unexpected.
The palace prepared dishes early in the morning for guests, but Lord Li, who had invited them warmly yesterday, wasn’t there now.
Tao Sheng felt something was off. After listening to Ji Yanming and the servant, she learned that Lord Li was busy with important matters.
The day before, the Regent had returned from Tongcheng after inspecting local officials, and Princess Wen Yi, who had been recuperating outside, also returned.
After Lord Li went to court, he went to greet these important figures and hadn’t come back yet.
Tao Sheng remembered that when she watched TV dramas before, she heard that young emperors needed regents to help them rule, but when they grew up, they generally didn’t need one anymore.
Prince Li looked quite old, in his thirties, and his son was old enough to lead an embassy (refers to a group of officials.)) to the capital of the Great Zhou to stir up trouble. The presence of a regent was unusual.
Tao Sheng had only been in Ling State for a few days but had already heard many rumors about the Regent.
This Regent was capable and skilled, known for being loyal to King Li. His main issue was being too forceful, imposing his ideas on others and making many unhappy.
For example, his current plan to ally with the Dai Kingdom against the Great Zhou to expand territory was likely his idea.
Even when Ling State broke away from the Dai State and became independent, it was he who led the way.
The Regent wanted to expand Ling Kingdom’s territory but often ignored the country’s actual situation, not realizing that Ling Kingdom’s resources were insufficient to support his ambitions.
To achieve his goals quickly, the Regent raised taxes and expanded conscription (refers to the draft for military service.)), causing suffering for many in Ling State. Many people wanted to bring him down.
King Li remembered the Regent’s contributions to the founding of the country and was always polite to him, despite some personal grudges. He generally protected the Regent in front of his ministers.
After Tao Sheng and Ji Yanming finished breakfast and left the palace, Tao Sheng said to Ji Yanming, “Being too powerful can threaten the ruler, especially when controlling the government like this. If we can create trouble and cause issues internally, they will be too busy to attack the Great Zhou again.”
Ji Yanming replied, “I did think about stirring up trouble when I first heard about him, but my suggestions didn’t work after several attempts.”
“You can fail too?” Tao Sheng laughed.
Ji Yanming replied calmly, “I overestimated Lord Li’s ambition at first.”
For Lord Li, who preferred art and poetry, having a Regent to help was beneficial. That’s why he was so indulgent toward the Regent.
As soon as Tao Sheng and Ji Yanming’s carriage left the palace, guards from Lord Li chased after them.
“Master Ji, Miss Luo, please wait.”
Tao Sheng opened the curtain and asked, “What’s wrong? Do you want the general to come pick us up personally?”
“When the king heard you two had left, he thought you were neglectful and asked me to invite you both back to the palace for tea.”
Tao Sheng and Ji Yanming wanted to learn more about the Regent and the Princess, so they had to respond when they heard this.
When they returned to Guanju Tower, Lord Li was drawing a fairy mountain scene with a brush dipped in thick ink.
Lord Li enjoys painting and writing poetry, but recent border turmoil and unrest in the court have made it hard for him to focus.
When he left Dai State to establish his own kingdom, he wanted to become the king of Ling State and manage the country well, but he didn’t have big ambitions.
He felt indifferent about these matters.
When Lord Li saw Tao Sheng, he recalled that King Huan once bragged about a remarkable person in their capital, who was the emperor’s personal zither player. This player’s extraordinary music helped Ji Yanming become clear-headed and excel in writing, winning six prizes in a row. This made him think.
After a brief greeting, Lord Li shared his recent troubles, explaining he couldn’t find his mood. He mentioned that he had heard Tao Sheng’s zither playing was very artistic, inspiring many scholars and writers.
Tao Sheng understood this hint well.
She hadn’t expected her performances to gain recognition beyond her own country.
In her previous life, she had composed ancient-style background music for several fairy-tale dramas, which would suit King Li’s desire to experience artistic beauty.
“In that case, I will perform a song for the king.”
***
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