Shao Mingyuan glanced sideways at Chen Guang, very dissatisfied that he would ask such a foolish question.

“Miss Li, of course.” After he finished speaking, he noticed Chen Guang remained silent and couldn’t help but frown. “What?”

Chen Guang nearly burst into tears.

The General had finally come to his senses, but the speed was so fast it left him somewhat unprepared!

“Nothing, nothing, please ask! This subordinate will answer everything I know without reservation.” Chen Guang patted his chest.

He absolutely couldn’t drop the ball at this crucial moment.

Shao Mingyuan considered for a moment and said, “She might dislike me somewhat. What should I do?”

“Dislike?” Chen Guang widened his eyes and couldn’t help but shake his head. “General, you must be mistaken. How could Miss Li dislike you?”

“Why couldn’t she?”

“Your physique, appearance, status, character, abilities…” Chen Guang counted on his fingers, and when he finished, he spread his hands. “I can’t count all your advantages on both hands. How could any normal young lady dislike you?”

Speaking of this, Chen Guang suddenly remembered something, jumped up abruptly, and said repeatedly, “Oh no, oh no!”

“What?” Hearing his subordinate point out his advantages, the young general was quite pleased. He needed encouragement right now.

Chen Guang’s expression was somewhat awkward.

“Speak!”

“General, do you remember that rumor circulating in the capital?”

“There are all kinds of rumors circulating in the capital every day. Chen Guang, when did you become so long-winded? Just say it directly!”

Seeing the General getting annoyed, Chen Guang steeled himself and said, “General, you forgot—everyone outside knows you’re ‘impotent’!”

Shao Mingyuan’s expression instantly cracked.

How could he have forgotten this?

He hadn’t thought much of it before, but thinking that Qiao Zhao knew about it, Shao Mingyuan felt terrible.

It should still be in time to explain properly, right?

Seeing his master’s face change color, Chen Guang felt he had guessed correctly and carefully reminded, “General, could it be that Miss Li dislikes you because of this?”

“No.” Shao Mingyuan’s face burned with heat. “She has other objections to me.”

“Other objections?” Chen Guang was puzzled upon hearing this and couldn’t help saying, “General, you’ve always taken excellent care of Miss Li, yet she still has objections to you. That’s too much!”

Shao Mingyuan reached out and smacked Chen Guang, asking with a half-smile, “Have you been a coachman so long that your skin is itching?”

How dare a mere coachman criticize his Zhaozhao?

“Ouch, General, mainly because you haven’t explained clearly, so this subordinate can’t prescribe the right medicine!”

Hearing this, Shao Mingyuan thought it made sense and nodded. “She has a knot in her heart about something I once did. It’s also because of that incident that she keeps her distance from me. However, that matter is irreversible. Do you have any good ideas?”

“Can that matter be explained? Is there a misunderstanding between you two?”

“There’s no misunderstanding. Everything is crystal clear, and no explanation is needed.”

Hearing Shao Mingyuan say this, Chen Guang was dying of curiosity.

He hadn’t noticed the General doing anything to make Miss Li react this way. It must have been something that happened between them during the landslide!

Hiss—could it be that the General and Miss Li were forced into physical intimacy?

Shao Mingyuan felt Chen Guang’s gaze was somewhat too strange and knocked him on the head. “What are you thinking?”

Chen Guang came back to his senses and said seriously, “General, given this situation, this subordinate has only one suggestion.”

“What?”

“Forget the past and forge ahead boldly!”

Since you and Miss Li have already done that, retreating wouldn’t be appropriate either, would it?

“Forge ahead boldly?” Shao Mingyuan murmured these four words.

“That’s right, forge ahead boldly. Since you also said that the matter is irreversible, then simply don’t dwell on it. You’re so excellent—if you work hard to treat Miss Li well, are you afraid she won’t be moved?” Chen Guang became more excited as he spoke. “Of course, remember to stick to one principle.”

“What principle?” Shao Mingyuan found that Chen Guang was making some sense.

“The thicker your skin, the better!”

Shao Mingyuan was stunned.

Chen Guang sighed, “General, don’t forget—even the most virtuous woman fears a persistent suitor! As long as you’re thick-skinned, bold, and ruthless, you’ll win the beauty.”

After hearing Chen Guang’s words, Shao Mingyuan lowered his eyes in contemplation and remained silent for a long time.

Chen Guang blinked.

Did the General think what he said was wrong?

Ahem, although he had no practical experience, he was more perceptive than the General in this regard.

“General—”

Shao Mingyuan looked deeply at Chen Guang and nodded with a smile. “What you said makes sense.”

Since Zhaozhao was willing to perform acupuncture to expel poison for him, it meant she couldn’t bear to see him die.

She had even fed him medicine…

Thinking this way, someone couldn’t help but start grinning foolishly.

Chen Guang was equally dumbstruck.

It was over—the General was completely smitten.

“By the way, General, if you decide to pursue Miss Li, shouldn’t we be wary of Young Master Chi?”

He was a rival in love, after all!

The smile at the corner of Shao Mingyuan’s mouth stiffened, and his mood visibly dropped.

“General?”

“You don’t need to worry about this matter. I’ll find an opportunity to make things clear with him.”

“General, when the enemy is in the open and we’re in the shadows, that’s when we have the advantage!”

“What nonsense are you talking about?” Shao Mingyuan glanced at Chen Guang and said solemnly, “He and I will never be enemies.”

Whether it was Chi Can, Zhu Yàn, or Yang Houcheng, the three of them were the brightest colors in the first twenty years of his life, and this would never change.

He believed Chi Can felt the same way.

However, thinking of Chi Can’s temperament, Shao Mingyuan knew there would be a scene, and he felt somewhat apprehensive. He decided to invite him for drinks tonight before discussing it.

Qiao Zhao hid in her room until the afternoon. The swelling on her lips finally became less obvious, so she took her silver needles to find Shao Mingyuan.

Chen Guang was standing at Shao Mingyuan’s door. Upon seeing Qiao Zhao approach, his eyes suddenly lit up. “Third Miss, you’re here!”

“Mm.” Qiao Zhao couldn’t help but look at Chen Guang more closely, feeling that today’s little coachman was particularly excited.

Chen Guang grinned broadly with joy.

Just then, the door creaked open.

Shao Mingyuan wore a pale azure robe, handsome and upright like a slender bamboo.

Chen Guang was stunned.

Since the General’s wife passed away, he had never seen the General wear any color other than white. The General looked good in pale azure!

So it was true—people should look forward and not always dwell on the past.

Qiao Zhao was equally surprised and looked deeply at Shao Mingyuan.

Shao Mingyuan smiled slightly at Qiao Zhao. “Zhaozhao, you’re here. Come in.”

He stepped aside, but his gaze remained fixed on Qiao Zhao’s face.

His gaze was too intense. Qiao Zhao secretly gritted her teeth and quietly glanced at Chen Guang.

Wasn’t this person afraid of Chen Guang noticing, acting so brazenly?

Seeing the coachman’s foolish expression, Miss Qiao felt relieved.

Mm, it seemed he was dazzled by his General’s beauty and hadn’t noticed anything unusual. That put her at ease.

Qiao Zhao stepped forward and entered.

Shao Mingyuan nodded slightly at Chen Guang, who understood and gently closed the door.

Hmph, at this moment, even if the Jade Emperor himself came, he wouldn’t be allowed to disturb his General!

After Qiao Zhao entered the room, she turned to look at Shao Mingyuan and saw him begin to undress with an unchanged expression.