Hearing Shao Mingyuan ask this, Yang Houcheng chuckled, “By the way, I solved the problem of my matchmaking banquet. Now I can finally have some peace.”

Chi Can lazily played with his wine cup, “Speaking of which, you’re not young anymore either. Getting married and having children should be the proper thing to do. Why resist and make excuses?”

Yang Houcheng sat down and poured himself a cup of wine. “I want to go south next year, and I don’t know when I’ll return. Why marry a girl only to make her endure an empty chamber?”

Shao Mingyuan’s hand holding the wine cup paused, and his heart suddenly felt somewhat sad.

If there hadn’t been that imperial edict summoning him back to the capital for marriage, if he had persisted a bit longer and waited until after Yan City was recaptured to marry Zhaozhao, would Zhaozhao not have suffered that arrow through the heart?

Thinking of that arrow, Shao Mingyuan felt pain pierce his heart and drained his wine cup in one gulp.

“Tingquan?” Zhu Yàn called out.

Shao Mingyuan smiled, “Today, both Chongshan and I resolved a matter weighing on our hearts. Come, let’s have a proper drink.”

“Indeed, we should drink well. Once I go south, who knows when we’ll be able to gather together again,” Yang Houcheng slapped the table.

The four raised their cups and drank heartily.

Half an hour later, Shao Mingyuan had acquired an attachment to his leg.

“Tingquan, do you think my grandmother will fall ill from anger if she finds out I ran off to the south?”

Shao Mingyuan thought for a moment and nodded, “Most likely she will.”

“Then what should I do?” Yang Houcheng shook Shao Mingyuan’s arm.

Shao Mingyuan frowned with impatience.

How badly did he want to throw this drunkard out?

“Oh, I have an idea! Miss Li has excellent medical skills, right? Why don’t we invite Miss Li to live at my house? That way, if my grandmother falls ill from anger, we can ask Miss Li for help. Hehehe, I’m so clever.” Yang Houcheng wore a foolish grin and rubbed against Shao Mingyuan’s arm.

Chi Can and Zhu Yàn both turned their faces away, unable to bear watching.

“Invite Miss Li to live at your house?” Shao Mingyuan’s gaze deepened, his tone becoming strange.

Chi Can kicked Yang Houcheng hard under the table.

Yang Houcheng looked defensive, “Shixi, why are you kicking me? I’m telling you, you can’t compete with me for Miss Li. I said it first—”

Before he could finish speaking, Young Master Yang was lifted by the general, whose face had turned dark.

Yang Houcheng’s feet dangled in the air as he exclaimed excitedly, “Hehehe, I think I can fly now.”

Shao Mingyuan carried Yang Houcheng, opened the door, and tossed him into the corridor, saying coldly, “You sober up!”

Yang Houcheng, who had sobered up a bit from the cold wind, hugged Shao Mingyuan’s thigh and cried, “Tingquan, you won’t beat me to death, will you? I’m drunk. I’m telling you, hitting a drunk person is immoral!”

Shao Mingyuan smiled coldly, “No, beating you half to death will be enough.”

After the four friends dispersed, Shao Mingyuan rode his horse straight to Xingzi Alley.

Qiao Zhao received word and quietly came over. Seeing the man’s flushed cheeks and slightly intoxicated eyes, she couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow, “You’ve been drinking?”

The room was heated warmly. Shao Mingyuan took off his cloak and still felt hot, so he began to untie his outer robe.

Qiao Zhao slapped him and scolded, “Why are you taking off your clothes for no reason?”

The man was much taller than the young girl. Looking down at her like this, he seemed to envelop her entirely.

The crisp wine fragrance wafted over, seeming to tint the girl’s cheeks with peach blossom colors as well.

Seeing his hands still moving, having already loosened his collar to reveal his throat, Qiao Zhao felt even more helpless and grabbed his hands. “Are you drunk?”

The man lowered his head with a smile, starlight dancing in his eyes, and breathed out two words with scorching breath, “I’m hot!”

Qiao Zhao held her forehead.

It seemed he was indeed quite drunk.

She had originally planned to come here to “demand an explanation,” but it looked like that wasn’t going to happen.

Wait, could this person be doing this on purpose?

“Wait here, I’ll go make a sobering soup.” Qiao Zhao turned around but was pulled back by the man, so she had to look back at him.

Shao Mingyuan, with wine coursing through him, looked at the girl before him with hazy, drunken eyes, “You help me undress!”

Qiao Zhao’s watery eyes widened considerably as she said incredulously, “Shao Mingyuan, are you acting drunk and crazy?”

The man before her looked aggrieved and asked righteously, “You’re my wife, so why won’t you help me undress?”

A vein throbbed at Qiao Zhao’s temple, “Who told you that being your wife means I have to help you undress? Stop fooling around, I’m going to make sobering soup!”

Shao Mingyuan grabbed her and said proudly, “No one needs to tell me, I just know!”

“Uh, how do you know?” Qiao Zhao raised an eyebrow.

The man seemed unable to support himself anymore. His head lowered to rest against the top of the girl’s head as he said honestly, “I dreamed about it. In the dream, not only did you help me undress, but I also helped you undress—”

Qiao Zhao kicked the man’s calf hard and scolded, “Shao Mingyuan, shut up!”

Why did he have to voice such chaotic dreams?

Shao Mingyuan frowned and advised, “Zhaozhao, kick more gently, be careful not to hurt your foot.”

Miss Qiao, who had been both embarrassed and annoyed, felt her heart inexplicably soften. She raised her hand to smooth the man’s disheveled hair and sighed softly, “If you stop talking nonsense, I won’t kick you.”

“I wasn’t talking nonsense.” The man’s eyes, clear as water, were full of grievance, “I dreamed about it three times. Strangely, each time it was in a cave—”

Qiao Zhao’s face turned crimson as she covered Shao Mingyuan’s mouth with her hand, “You’re not allowed to say any more!”

“Alright, alright, then I won’t say anymore.” The man’s eyes curved as he looked at the girl before him with anticipation, “So will you help me undress?”

“What I should help you with is sobering up!” Qiao Zhao pushed Shao Mingyuan away forcefully and fled in panic.

Half an hour later, the sobered young general had a dazed expression and vigorously rubbed his face.

What kind of nonsense had he just been spouting? He had even shamelessly begged Zhaozhao to help him undress!

“Sober now?” Qiao Zhao dampened a soft cloth and wiped his face for him.

“Mm.” Shao Mingyuan lowered his eyes to hide the embarrassment in them, yet couldn’t help but secretly observe the girl’s expression.

The girl’s expression was serious, showing no signs of joy or anger.

“Zhaozhao, I drank too much just now.”

“I know.”

“So everything I said just now was drunken rambling…”

“I know.”

“Then you—”

Qiao Zhao bit her lip. “Shao Mingyuan, you’re not allowed to drink too much again in the future!”

He was speaking the truth after wine, yet he was trying to convince her it was drunken rambling. Did he think she was an ignorant little girl?

Shao Mingyuan nodded obediently, “I understand. I won’t drink too much in the future.”

Seeing his honest and simple appearance, Qiao Zhao could only sigh, “What’s this about the marriage proposal? Didn’t we agree to discuss it after spring begins?”

Shao Mingyuan grasped her hand, “I didn’t want others to think you couldn’t get married.”

“I don’t care.” Qiao Zhao tried to pull her hand back.

The man gripped it tighter and said seriously, “I care.”

Qiao Zhao was momentarily stunned, then said softly, “But this way, getting my father to nod and agree to the marriage will be even more difficult.”

“I know.” Shao Mingyuan gazed at the girl and said gently, “Then I’ll just work even harder to win your father’s favor. At least now, I don’t want to hear those people gossip about and look down on you.”