Chapter 41: Truly a Captivating Beauty

“What method?”

Facing Peach Blossom, the young prince’s attitude became much gentler, his gaze softening as he asked obediently.

Peach Blossom scooted next to him to sit down, smiling as she said, “It seems Your Highness is unwilling to climb over others. King Jing is innocent, and you couldn’t bear to harm him—that’s the right thing to do. It’s the Prime Minister who is too ruthless.”

She started by affirming his feelings first, and the young prince’s expression instantly softened even more. “So you think so too.”

“Yes,” Peach Blossom nodded, speaking softly. “My suggestion is that you can firmly insist you never went to the snake courtyard, but we don’t have to pin the blame on Prince Jing either. The struggle for succession at court has already begun, and Your Highness could very well use this conflict as a cover to distance yourself from the whole affair.”

Slightly taken aback, Mu Wuxia was somewhat puzzled. “If I were to shirk responsibility, wouldn’t that inevitably bring trouble to someone else?”

Peach Blossom smiled and shook her head. “Not everything in this world is simply right or wrong; there’s always room to maneuver in between. For instance, no one knows how your jade pendant ended up in the snake courtyard, nor does anyone know exactly who Prince Jing had his men chasing after.”

Growing more and more confused, Mu Wuxia stared at her blankly. “What do you mean by that?”

“Do you trust me, Your Highness?” Peach Blossom looked at him with sincere eyes: “If this matter is entrusted to me, I will surely follow your will and also spare you from much blame.”

Could there be such a win-win situation? The Southern King was skeptical, but looking into Lady Jiang’s eyes, clear and bright, she shouldn’t be as cunning and deceitful as Shen Zaiye, right?

Can she be trusted?

Seeing him hesitate, Peach Blossom did not rush. She simply sat quietly beside him, waiting, her gaze always carrying a gentle affection.

The South King has indeed proven himself a man in terms of responsibility, yet when it comes to methods, he is still an innocent sixteen-year-old boy. He is not unaware, nor is he incapable; he simply has no desire to be otherwise. In the eyes of someone as shrewd as Shen Zaiye, such a person might seem foolish, but to her, he is remarkably precious.

Those who always take shortcuts and climb over others are bound to stumble in the end. It’s not a bad thing to be a little foolish and walk a more steady path.

He still had a long time to slowly grow and learn to face dark schemes with strong integrity. Yet now, with wings still unformed, naïve and innocent, he truly needs someone like Shen Zaiye by his side for protection.

“Alright.”

After a long while, Mu Wuxia finally spoke, his eyes full of seriousness as he looked at her and said, “I will listen to you. I hope the final outcome of this matter will not disappoint me.”

“Thank you, Your Highness!” Peaches smiled, rising respectfully to curtsy to him.

Mu Wuxia sighed lightly and murmured, “If not for the differences in our status, I truly wish I could call you elder sister.”

She was so similar to his sister—not in appearance, but in her aura, the kind of comforting and warm presence that made him feel at ease.

Peach Blossom heard this, her heart stirring slightly as she looked down at him. “To receive such a thought from Your Highness, this humble one can be content.”

Outside, Qing Tai’s mouth twitched uncontrollably as he thought to himself: After all, these two once had a marriage arrangement between them, yet now they’re acting as brother and sister so naturally. Who knows what expression the Prime Minister would make if he heard this?

The two reached a consensus, so Peach Blossom had Moss invite Shen Zaiye to come out.

“What did you talk about?” Shen Zaiye asked.

Peach Blossom winked at Mu Wuxia and then said with a smile, “His Highness agreed, and said he never went to the Snake Academy.”

“Really?” Shen Zaiye raised an eyebrow and looked at the person opposite.

Mu Wuxia pursed her lips, lowered her eyes, and nodded: “Let’s do it.”

“Alright.” Glancing at Peach Blossom, Shen Zaive said: “Then I shall go and prepare.”

Hearing this, Mu Wuxia still looked somewhat worriedly at the Jiang family.

After all, being a woman, can she truly influence the affairs of the court and the common people?

No, but I can influence Shen Zaiye. Peach Blossom looked at him with confidence and mouthed the words, “Your Highness, rest assured.”

Licking his lips, Wu Wuxia nodded, saying no more. After exchanging courtesies with Shen Zaive, he returned to his residence through the small gate.

The two in the pavilion remained seated. Shen Zaiye pressed his lips together and asked softly:

“How did you manage to do it?”

“As a subject, it is only natural to act in accordance with the master’s wishes. How else could one gain the master’s approval?” Peach Blossom smiled gently and said, “Sir Prime Minister, you have never been favored by the Southern Prince. Have you ever reflected on the reason?”

Shen Zaiji fell silent. What he did was all correct, so how should he reflect? With the Southern King having such a temperament, could he forcibly change it?

But..

Squinting slightly, he stared at the woman before him and said, “Who told you Prince Nan is my master? If word of this gets out, your life will be over.”

“So I won’t spread it,” Peach Blossom said, her eyes curving into crescents as she smiled at him. “I’m just saying it in front of you. You’ve been planning and protecting Prince Nan all along. If I couldn’t tell what you’re doing, wouldn’t I be foolish?”

Feeling a weight in his heart, Shen Zaiye’s gaze darkened. “I protect him, perhaps only because he’s young and has earned my affection. It doesn’t necessarily mean I intend to support him.”

“Then why do you address yourself as ‘your subject’ in front of Prince Nan?” Tilting her head, Peach Blossom looked at him playfully. “If it’s just affection, given your status as Prime Minister, addressing yourself as ‘Shen’ or ‘inferior’ in front of Prince Nan wouldn’t be inappropriate. Yet every time you see Prince Nan, you refer to yourself as ‘your subject’.”

As the prime minister, to declare himself a subject to a young prince is rare even among the three kingdoms.

His body stiffened, and Shen Zaiye’s face darkened: “Jiang Taohua, are you forcing me to kill you?”

Can’t women just live peacefully within the four walls? Why do you need to know so much?

“No, no, no!” Taohua quickly wagged her tail: “I wouldn’t dare seek my own death! What I want to say is simply that you don’t need to guard against me. Even if I know all your secrets, I will only help you and Prince Nan, with no intention of betraying you at all!”

The gaze of judgment settled upon her. Shen Zaiye’s smile was shallow and without warmth. “And what makes you think so?”

“Are you an idiot?” Jiang Taohua looked at him with an utterly astonished expression. “In the current court, Your Excellency holds the greatest power, and you’re both deeply subtle and cunningly shrewd. Who else could I possibly betray you for? That would be a death wish, wouldn’t it?”

Shen Zaiye: “…”

That makes sense, but didn’t this reckless woman just subtly curse at him again?

“Jiang Taohua.”

“Your servant is here!”

Hearing him call her by her full name signaled that this lord was angry. Peach Blossom quickly and agilely leaped into his embrace, wrapping her arms around his neck with a radiant smile. “Your servant just finished carrying out your orders. Doesn’t my lord plan to reward me? Why are you still so fierce…”

“Reward?” Shen Zaiye was so angry that he laughed. “You’ve even dared to scold me, and you still want a reward?”

“My lord, you can’t misunderstand me like this.” Peach Blossom immediately put on a pitiful look, pouting her small mouth and filling her eyes with tears. “Your servant is filled with admiration and respect for you—how could I ever scold you? Some words are just said thoughtlessly. As a magnanimous man, you surely wouldn’t hold a grudge against a young lady over a couple of careless remarks, would you?”

Listen to each one of these sentences, completely blocking all his escape routes. If he were to dwell on it further, wouldn’t he indeed become that petty man who can’t let things go with a woman?

Sneering, Shen Zaiye glanced at her and said, “I’m quite curious to know how many sweet words you have stored up in that belly of yours, and just how many disasters they can help you avoid.”

Sitting on his lap, Taohua smiled sweetly and charmingly, saying, “This humble concubine still needs to accompany you for a long, long time, so she can’t die too early. Master might as well muddle through and be a bit more tolerant.”

Having said that, she planted a smacking kiss right on Shen Zaiye’s lips.

The move was so swift that Shen Zaiye simply didn’t have time to react, only feeling a soft touch on his lips as a faint, sweet fragrance instantly wafted over.

“……”

“Alright, it’s getting late. We should hurry back and get ready. You probably have a lot of things to take care of, too.” After stealing a kiss, Taohua planned to slip away—her scheme was well-calculated. By catching him off guard, she figured no man would bother making a fuss over it.

However, she made one miscalculation: Shen Zaiye was not only a man but also one notoriously known for his “lascivious” reputation.

Reaching out, he grabbed her by the waist and effortlessly pulled her back. Looking down at her, he chuckled lightly and said, “Did you really think you could get away after just one little kiss?”

Peach Blossom was stunned, feeling him slowly pressing down on her, and couldn’t help but shrink her neck: “Master?”

Wasn’t he not fond of kissing? That night with Wind Dancer, hadn’t he complained about her being dirty?

Staring into those darting eyes, Shen Zaiye’s invasive aura was intense as he pressed his lips to hers, nibbling and teasing.

Her heart skipped a beat, and Taohua instinctively turned her head aside, revealing a pale, delicate neck. In her struggle, the front of her robe had loosened slightly.

“Don’t move.” Reaching out to pinch her chin, Shen Zaiye smiled, “I just want to properly reward you, put away your seductive tactics. I’m not falling for that trick.”

Spotted again? Peach Blossom’s lips twitched, simmering with deep frustration.

If only I had known, I would have worked harder and learned more from my master, so that I wouldn’t be left helpless when facing this poisonous snake.

Her lips were captured once again as Shen Zaïye’s tongue pressed forward, roaming unchecked within her domain. His deep eyes gazed down at her with an intensity that felt particularly profound.

Peach Blossom was stunned, allowing him to press her down and kiss her, yet her gaze remained trapped in his eyes, unable to look away.

Could this little lass possibly know seduction arts too? Otherwise, how could she be so breathtaking?

The air around them grew thick with ambiguity. Qing Tai and Zhan Lu quietly withdrew, leaving their masters entwined in the pavilion, their intimacy so intense that even the newly risen moon couldn’t help but hide back behind the clouds.

Shen Zaiye thought… Jiang Taohua was indeed a rare treasure, one worth cherishing. As long as she didn’t fall into anyone else’s hands, everything would be fine.

Jiang Taohua thought… Shen Zaiye was so heavy, half of his body pressing down on her, making it hard for her to breathe.

“My lord, though it may be rather unromantic to mention, I still feel I must say it.” Gasping lightly, her face flushed like peach blossoms, she said, “This is a pavilion. Are you truly intending to favor me here?”

His movements halted abruptly, Shen Zaije looked at her with displeasure and said, “You really are quite unromantic.”

However, if she hadn’t spoken up, he might very well have not stopped at all.

Reaching out, he lifted her from the table, Shen Zaije straightened her clothing and carried her directly into the nearby room.