People in the Qin Dynasty, entertained during the Warring States period

She read it many times, but each time she couldn't help but feel grief, as if she were experiencing the same sorrow as Daiyu.

Cao Ze gently stroked Madam Hu's hair, tidying it up a bit.

"Why are you crying? It's just a story."

Madam Hu remained silent, pressing even closer to Cao Ze's chest.

Cao Ze inhaled the delicate fragrance emanating from Madam Hu, and his large hands began to wander.

Yingge stood straight by the door with her arms crossed, glancing at Cao Ze touching Madam Hu inappropriately inside the room, and Madam Hu's coy and resistant demeanor. She slightly pursed her lips.

For the past two weeks, she has witnessed firsthand how Madam Hu, under Cao Ze's sweet words, transformed from a dignified and beautiful woman into a demure and affectionate wife who now clings to Cao Ze.

If she hadn't learned a bit about Madam Hu's past from Cao Ze, she would have cursed them as scoundrels just for having Cao Ze ask her to keep watch at the door.

"Cough!" Yingge noticed Liu Yi's arrival and signaled to the two people inside who were secretly exchanging affections.

Cao Ze slowly and methodically helped Madam Hu up and straightened her clothes.

Mrs. Hu was no longer as panicked as she had been at the beginning. She wiped her face with a wet wipe to remove the tear stains, but the rosy complexion of her cheeks remained.

Cao Ze joked, "Sister-in-law, it seems that this is the end of it for today."

Madam Hu gave Cao Ze a reproachful look. "I'm going back to my room now. You can stay a little longer."

After saying that, she tiptoed back to her room.

Yingge lived in a side room, which was connected to the other two rooms, with a small hall in the middle.

Every time Liu Yi invited Cao Ze over, creating an opportunity for Ying Ge to be alone, she would, under Cao Ze's half-coaxing and half-forceful persuasion, exchange opera lines with him for a while in Ying Ge's side room.

Even though she knew in her heart that all she really wanted was to be with Cao Ze, to get a moment of warmth and sweet words.

Cao Ze coughed lightly.

Yingge lowered her head, rolled her eyes slightly, and walked up to Cao Ze.

Cao Ze chuckled and put his arm around Ying Ge's soft waist. "If you're going to put on an act, you have to go all the way. Don't worry, I won't treat you badly in the future."

Yingge remained noncommittal, and said in a low voice, "Ji Wuye has seen me and Liu Yi several times in the past half month to ask about your situation."

"Oh? You couldn't resist anymore?" Cao Ze touched his chin. It seemed that Ji Wuye really valued him.

"Yes, Ji Wuye has given orders that I... be with you this month."

Cao Ze joked, "Would you like to be my woman?"

Parrot said irritably, "Who would want to be your woman!"

Cao Ze chuckled and said, "Isn't there one inside that room?"

Yingge remained silent, unsure whether to feel sorrow or joy for Madam Hu.

"Haha, Brother Cao Ze, I've got some game and some good wine. Come and have a taste with Yingge!"

Liu Yi pushed open the hall door and saw Yingge and Cao Ze sticking together, which put him in a good mood.

"Look how happy you are. Anyone who didn't know better would think your wife is pregnant with our baby..." Cao Ze thought to himself.

If Liu Yi weren't still useful and if he didn't want to break ties with Ji Wuye so soon, he would have already had Yingge hint to Wujiu to send Liu Yi to meet the King of Hell.

"Ha, please go first, brother."

Cao Ze put his arm around Yingge and went to eat with Liu Yi.

That said, aside from his suspicious and accusatory intentions, Liu Yi's act of serving him delicious food after he and Madam Hu had their fun was quite thoughtful.

After Cao Ze had eaten and drunk his fill, he took his leave.

After seeing Cao Ze off, Liu Yi turned to Yingge and said, "Chief Yingge, how is the situation now? The general is still waiting for a reply."

Parrot replied casually, "Soon."

Liu Yi said somewhat anxiously, "What do you mean by 'soon'? If you keep telling the general that it's soon, I'll be soon too!"

"Here's what we'll do: you and Cao Ze go to bed together first, have sex with him first, and then we can talk about it later. We can't delay any longer, it's almost the end of December."

Yingge paused for a moment. Asking her to sleep with Cao Ze? Even though she was mentally prepared for this, she still felt a strange unease.

Liu Yi frowned. "Chief Yingge, is this a difficult situation?"

Yingge calmed himself down and said coldly, "Whether it's difficult or not is none of Lord Zuo Sima's concern. Just don't always interfere with other people's good things."

Liu Yi shouted angrily, "What do you mean? Are you blaming me?"

Yingge sneered, "Does the master want me to tell the general that I should always come over to host banquets and meals when Mr. Cao Ze and I are having our love affair?"

After she finished speaking, Yingge's heart skipped a beat for no reason. The truth was that Cao Ze's love interest was not her, but Madam Hu.

"This..." Liu Yi was speechless for a moment. Could he say that he was worried about his wife having an affair?

But as the end of the month approached and the deadline set by the general drew ever closer, Liu Yi gritted his teeth and said, "Fine! If you don't come out from here, I won't go in!"

"That's good."

Yingge gave Liu Yi a disdainful look before turning and leaving.

He thought to himself, "If Cao Ze finds out, your wife might lose her virginity..."

Liu Yi, of course, saw the disdain in Ying Ge's eyes, and his chest heaved with anger. His original intention to ask Ying Ge about his wife's situation vanished instantly.

He secretly vowed to himself that he would make Cao Ze teach this bitch a lesson.

After leaving Madam Hu, Cao Ze did not return to Zilan Pavilion, but went to the palace with his worries on his mind.

The script has been polished. If we delay any longer and he doesn't act with Xiao Honglian, she'll start making a fuss again.

The young girl is getting too caught up in the role and is increasingly resembling Lin Daiyu, unable to extricate herself from it.

He had already tasted Lin Duidui's flavor a few times, and it was quite sour and refreshing.

But these are nothing serious.

What worried him a little was that there had been no major activity for more than half a month since Madam Mingzhu had attacked him.

Aside from occasionally exchanging a few words with him in the palace, saying things that sparked the imagination.

They weren't as quick and ruthless as they were at the beginning, setting him up directly and acting as if they were going to take him down on the spot.

"Hehe, Mr. Cao Ze has come to see Princess Honglian."

Madam Mingzhu walked over with a graceful figure and elegant demeanor.

Cao Ze saw the curvaceous and voluptuous Lady Mingzhu, sighed slightly, and said, "Here we go again."

Can't we have something exciting, like when we were planning to keep him in the deep palace?

"Greetings, Madam Mingzhu."

Cao Ze was disciplined and polite.

Now that Madam Mingzhu has blocked his way, it seems he won't be able to go to Xiao Honglian's place for a while.

This also showed him Lady Mingzhu's control over the palace.

Lady Mingzhu crossed her arms, a faint smile playing on her lips, and walked a few steps around Cao Ze, wearing dark purple boots.

"Sir, you don't seem to want to talk to me."

"Not at all, Madam is joking. It is a blessing to speak with you, Madam. How could I not want to?"

Cao Ze spoke platitudes, his expression remaining impassive.

Madam Mingzhu chuckled, "Is that so? Then it seems I need to find some time to have a proper chat with you, sir."

What can a lone man and woman talk about? Should they discuss whether they're worthy of greatness? Or how to cuckold King Han An and make him a second Liu Yi?

Cao Ze inwardly grumbled a few words, but outwardly smiled and said, "Everything is up to Madam's arrangements."

"Clouds remind me of her garments, flowers of her face; the spring breeze caresses the balustrade, heavy with dew. If not seen atop Jade Mountain, she will surely be met beneath the moon on the Jade Terrace..."

Lady Mingzhu recited this poem softly to Cao Ze, a poem she had ordered him to compose a month ago, in the main hall.

She spent many days privately admiring it, and the more she savored it, the happier she became without realizing it.

Does this poem have a title?

Cao Ze said, "Qingping Tune".

This poem was written by Li Bai based on two tunes from the Han Dynasty Yuefu (Music Bureau) – the Qingdiao and the Pingdiao – and was naturally named "Qingping Yue".

"Qingping Tune? That's incomprehensible. I think it would be better to call it 'Bright Pearl,' what do you think?"

I have never seen such a shameless person... Cao Ze looked at Madam Mingzhu's beautiful eyes, which held three parts expectation and seven parts threat, and decisively said from the bottom of his heart, "Very good."

Madam Mingzhu laughed heartily, very happy and satisfied with Cao Ze's attitude.

"Wait until I come to you."

After saying that, she gave Cao Ze a graceful and elegant back view before leaving.

Cao Ze shrugged.

Recalling his interactions with Madam Mingzhu earlier, was the Great White Shark about to bite him?

I don't know if it's going to be a cat-and-mouse game or an eagle catching chicks...

As a Sea King trainee who is halfway to the Sea King realm, does he need to take out his harpoon and draw blood?

In any case, it seems it's time to go see Ji Wuye through Yingge.

Cao Ze arrived at the Red Lotus Palace.

When Honglian saw Cao Ze approaching, her previous listless state vanished instantly. She skipped and hopped to Cao Ze with great enthusiasm, and couldn't help but complain, "You're too late this time."

Cao Ze honestly replied, "I just ran into Madam Mingzhu."

"A vixen? What does she want with you?" Ever since her relationship with Hu Meiren improved, Honglian had labeled Madam Mingzhu a vixen, since she also had a very bad impression of Madam Mingzhu.

This isn't a vixen, it's a great white shark! As for why he's looking for him... maybe it's for something... Cao Ze thought to himself.

"It's nothing, I just ran into them by chance..."

And such chance encounters happen almost every time I enter the palace… Cao Ze silently added.

"Hmm?" Honglian looked at Cao Ze with some suspicion. Would a chance encounter really take up time?

Cao Ze remained calm and continued, "In order to get to the princess as soon as possible and have her review the final polished script, I directly dealt with Madam Mingzhu, which greatly displeased her, and she insisted on making things difficult for me."