The King of Chu was initially quite relaxed, casually accepting and opening the silk pouch while conversing with Prime Minister Ji Duan.
However, in an instant, as he unfolded the note inside the pouch and caught sight of the first three characters meaning "fox spirit," the King of Chu suddenly stood up straight.
Originally, he had been standing shoulder to shoulder with Prime Minister Ji Duan, with Ji Duan slightly behind the king's position.
Now, with a sudden turn, the King of Chu put at least three people's distance between himself and Ji Duan!
The King of Chu warily scanned his surroundings, and only after confirming that everyone was far enough away to not see the note in his hand did he breathe a sigh of relief.
Seeing this behavior, Prime Minister Ji Duan was also surprised, "Your Majesty, does the sage have important information?"
The King of Chu's entire body stiffened, a thin layer of sweat forming on his back, his face beginning to flush, "Hmm..."
It was indeed very important!
This sage from Jing Country had spoken of the emperor's private matters - how could it not be important?
The King of Chu looked up, once again confirming Prime Minister Ji Duan's position, ensuring he couldn't see the note in his hand, before slowly unfolding it.
The characters that appeared, one after another, made the King of Chu's heart race.
— Fox spirit
— Scholar
— Right buttock, size of a copper coin
"!"
The King of Chu's hand holding the note began to tremble.
How could the sage from Jing Country truly calculate such details?
The King of Chu carefully recalled, he was certain that there was no one hidden under his royal bed on normal days!
The guards were all stationed at a distance outside the door, unable to hear the sounds inside the room.
No one knew about his special preference for role-playing as a scholar in bed!
Except for the Empress, his childhood sweetheart who grew up with him, he hadn't tried this with any of the other young consorts.
Because after his ascension to the throne, he had also married many daughters of important ministers, and he didn't want his special hobby to reach the ears of the officials.
So, the King of Chu was certain that only the Empress and himself knew about this!
Even a few days ago, when he had almost sat on a fire tripod in the room, burning a small area on his right buttock, it was the Empress who personally applied medicine for him.
He hadn't even called for the imperial physician, keeping it secret even from the eunuchs who served him!
But now, the location and size of this scar, the sage from Jing Country knew about it?
The King of Chu was so shocked he couldn't speak, and only after a long while did he recover, ordering the guard, "Send a message to Xiao Yunzhou, I want to meet with him again."
Prime Minister Ji Duan's expression changed, his complex gaze falling on the silk pouch.
But before Ji Duan could think further, the King of Chu called back the messenger guard, "Wait."
The King of Chu took a deep breath, rubbed his palms, and tucked his hands into his royal robe.
"Send a jade ruyi scepter, a jade Guanyin statue, three red coral bonsai..."
Prime Minister Ji Duan's expression changed dramatically!
Was this for the sage from Jing Country?
It seemed that the silk pouch was very useful!
But the King of Chu didn't want to say a word about the note in the pouch to Ji Duan. After hesitating for a moment, he added, "Also add a hundred taels of gold..."
"Hmm, and send two beautiful women as well."
With each sentence the King of Chu spoke, Prime Minister Ji Duan's expression changed from amazement to bewilderment.
This didn't seem like the King of Chu merely wanting to befriend the sage from Jing Country!
It was more like he was trying to curry favor with the sage!
It was as if the sage from Jing Country had caught hold of some weakness of his!
This was no ordinary gift-giving. The King of Chu looked like he was afraid of displeasing the sage!
Sending only jade items might make the sage feel they were useless and unhappy.
Sending money might insult the sage, making him unhappy.
So he decided to send everything, even packing up beautiful women.
The King of Chu had thought of every aspect. As the guard was about to leave, the King of Chu cleared his throat lightly, "Ask Xiao Yunzhou if there's any other good deed he wants me to do, and have him send a message."
"I also think being merciful and compassionate is quite good."
Prime Minister Ji Duan took a deep breath and lowered his head.
What was with the King of Chu acting even more subservient than a grandson?
Anyone who didn't know better might think that Xiao Yunzhou, the emperor of Jing Country, was the King of Chu's father!
But after doing all this, the King of Chu didn't feel he had done anything excessive.
"Prime Minister, do you think this otherworldly sage from Jing Country will like the things I'm sending?" the King of Chu was still very worried.
The handwriting on the note in the silk pouch was clearly that of Xiao Yunzhou, the emperor of Jing Country.
It must have been the sage from Jing Country who told Xiao Yunzhou what to write!
He also didn't know if that sage had told Xiao Yunzhou the details of this fox spirit and scholar story!
The King of Chu could only hope that the sage hadn't said anything.
If he hadn't said anything, then he still had some face in front of Xiao Yunzhou, and didn't have to worry about Xiao Yunzhou spreading rumors outside, affecting his authority in Chu State.
So now, the King of Chu only wanted to satisfy the sage and wanted to seal the sage's lips!
"Prime Minister, if it were you, do you think my gift shows enough sincerity? Even if the sage doesn't like it, he shouldn't hate it, right?"
The King of Chu was worried, and Prime Minister Ji Duan could only offer some comfort, "If it were me, I would certainly feel that Your Majesty's sincerity is abundant."
"That's good." The King of Chu finally smiled.
Compared to the incompetence of the crown prince, the issue of his and the Empress's play, which could affect his reputation, made the King of Chu more anxious.
...
The next day, when Xiao Chuchu woke up in her small bed, she saw a jade ruyi scepter beside her bed.
Then during breakfast, she saw a jade Guanyin statue in the room.
When Concubine Liu carried her out for a walk, Xiao Chuchu saw two beautiful women, one as gentle as jade, the other charming and delicate, each with their own unique charm.
Xiao Yunzhou, with his hands behind his back, came over to take his daughter, and gave her soft little face a kiss.
"My dear, these are all gifts sent by the King of Chu to me."
"I thought the little princess might like them, so I put them in your and the little princess's room."
[Oh my, what do I need these for? I can't eat antiques, and I can't take them back to modern times to sell.]
Xiao Chuchu felt that decorative items like the jade ruyi scepter might break if thrown around to play with.
[I do like the two beautiful women, but by the time I'm seven or eight years old, they might be at the age to leave the palace~ I can't keep them in the palace without freedom for their whole lives.]
[Ah, beautiful women are great, but alas, we have an age difference.]
Xiao Yunzhou, hearing this, could only want to laugh. The King of Chu's attempt at flattery had backfired!
Foolish, King of Chu!
[If he had sent money directly, I would be happier, really.]
Xiao Chuchu couldn't help but fantasize in her heart.
[After all, being born in the palace in this life, I see art pieces and antiques every day, I'm already aesthetically fatigued.]
[Money touches my heart more deeply~]
Xiao Yunzhou: "..."
He never expected that his little princess, reincarnated from a celestial being, would turn out to be such a money lover!
Had he, as a father and king, not given his child enough already?
"Your Majesty, the King of Chu has arrived."
Xiao Yunzhou was just pondering where his daughter's love for money came from when he was interrupted.
He stood up immediately, "Mm, please escort him to the pavilion out front."
[Oh? So the King of Chu really did secretly cross the river and enter Jing Country's territory?]
Xiao Chuchu couldn't help but add her mental commentary again.
But soon, as Xiao Yunzhou bounced her in his arms, her delicate little face twitched.
[Oh crap, I suddenly remembered!]
[In the novel, the King of Chu went incognito to Zhou Kingdom, and not long after, on his way back, he was shot off his horse by an arrow from assassins sent by his own son. After returning to his country, the King of Chu didn't last long and passed away within a few months.]
[It was because the Crown Prince of Chu had been constantly instigated by his favored eunuch, who said he should ascend to the throne early to be prepared for anything.]
[I think this part of the novel's plot happened during the third month of spring. Isn't that around now?]
[Could it be that the novel's plot has changed, and instead of going to Zhou Kingdom, the King of Chu came to Jing Country? If so, will he also be assassinated by his own son on his way back from Jing Country?]
Xiao Yunzhou had only taken one step when his eyes widened in shock.
