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Shen Chuwei realized what she had said was somewhat unrealistic as soon as she finished speaking.

Lady Taotao was still Xiao Jinyan’s maid, and pursuing Song Qing openly in the East Palace would be fine if nobody noticed, but if discovered, it would ruin the reputations of both of them.

Song Qing was the newly minted Top Scholar, a well-educated and mannerly literatus, and would not step out of bounds, even if he was fond of Lady Taotao.

The only way was to leave the palace; once out, she would be free to boldly chase after him, greatly increasing her chances of success.

Lady Taotao sighed, well aware that the new Top Scholar was highly sought-after and could be snatched up by someone else if she delayed.

But with her current status, how could she pursue him?

Lady Taotao’s gaze fell on Song Qing, feeling helpless, "He and I are destined to meet but not to stay together."

To encounter by fate but not to hold by destiny.

Shen Chuwei suggested, "Why don’t you leave the palace too? Once you do, take the initiative to chase him. A girl chasing a boy is separated but by a veil, your chances of success are very high. For a pure-hearted man like Song Qing, it’s quite easy to win over."

Shen Chuwei did not forget to cheer her up in the end.

"But once I leave the palace, I’ll find it very hard to see Song Qing," Lady Taotao said with a touch of sorrow, "It’s a good thing to chase after him openly, and Song Qing is a man of education and manners, he certainly wouldn’t do anything improper."

Shen Chuwei was getting anxious for Lady Taotao when she suddenly thought of Xun Qingqing, or rather, Xun Qingqing, whose man in black she didn’t know when would come back to see her.

She naturally hoped that both Lady Taotao and Xun Qingqing would have a perfect ending.

Finally, it was time for Taotao to rest, and Shen Chuwei whispered into Lady Taotao’s ear, "Seize the opportunity well."

After speaking, she led her son away and also called Chu Lingfeng, freeing up some space and time for Lady Taotao.

Lady Taotao watched Shen Chuwei gratefully as they walked away, and then turned to look at Song Qing in the study, realizing he spent all day immersed in books.

Even during a short rest, he would continue to read instead of taking a break to drink tea.

Lady Taotao boldly walked up to the desk, peered at the book in Song Qing’s hands, and although she only saw a couple of lines, she guessed that a scholar like him would only be reading sagely books.

"Mr. Song."

Upon hearing her, Song Qing looked up and saw Lady Taotao standing before him. He quickly put down his book and stood up to greet her, "Lady Taotao."

Lady Taotao looked at Song Qing, who was bowing respectfully, and thought him truly well-educated and mannerly, never forgetting decorum even for a moment.

"Mr. Song, there’s no need to be so formal. Although I am currently His Highness’s Lady, in a few days’ time, I will not be," she said.

Song Qing was taken aback by her words.

Lady Taotao continued, "You must have heard about Miss Xun leaving the palace. In a few days, I will also be leaving."

Song Qing felt somewhat embarrassed, "Lady Taotao, last time, I truly didn’t mean to eavesdrop."

Lady Taotao gave a faint smile, "I know. How could Mr. Song, a gentleman of integrity, be eavesdropping behind the walls?"

Song Qing breathed a sigh of relief, but Lady Taotao’s next words flustered him once again.

"Did you read the book I gave you yesterday?"

Song Qing lied for the first time in his life, "I was too busy yesterday, haven’t had the chance to look at it yet."

Lady Taotao noticed Song Qing’s ears turn red, was he embarrassed?

"I thought you had read it; I was looking forward to discussing its contents."

"I shall certainly read Wild Geese Returning in Spring when I find the time," Song Qing emphasized his words, hoping to remind Lady Taotao she had given him the wrong book so he could return it naturally.

Lady Taotao cheerfully said, "Great! After you have a look, let’s discuss the book’s contents together."

Song Qing paused, stunned. So she hadn’t given him the wrong book?

The rest was over, and Song Qing continued teaching Taotao and young Master Chu.

Lady Taotao didn’t enter to disturb Song Qing, instead, she stood at the doorway, her gaze fixed on him, the scholarly aura enveloping him making him look immensely comfortable to her eyes.

Shen Chuwei approached with curiosity, "How did it go? Did he react in any way?"

"He said he hasn’t read it yet, but I saw his ears turn red, probably out of embarrassment," Lady Taotao said, her eyes never leaving Song Qing.

Although Song Qing was tutoring the Grand Imperial Son, the two lines of sight from outside the door were impossible for him to ignore. He did not know what they were watching.

He could only try to pretend he didn’t see.

Song Residence

After his bath, Song Qing thought of that book and went to the bookshelf to take out "The Return of Spring Geese". He hadn’t read it in several days, not because he had forgotten, but because Lady Tao Liangyuan kept appearing before him, making it difficult to forget.

He hesitated for quite a while before he finally decided to take the book to bed with him, yet he did not open it.

Folk tales, frequently sung by performers, were almost always about the daughters of wealthy families and scholars.

He had never seen a folk tale about an emperor and a woman before.

The story’s beginning was quite tragic and bleak, but it was written in a way that made one look forward to what would happen next.

Yet, it contained such explicit scenes.

Song Qing wrestled with his thoughts for a long while and finally opened the book to continue reading.

People are curious creatures. Accustomed to reading the sage texts, it was inevitable that one would be curious about a book that was different.

Song Qing felt that the description of kissing was so detailed and delicate, it was explicit enough, and while the love-making scenes were only briefly mentioned, they still made his face flush and his heart race.

The story was not long, and it took him one and a half hours to finish. Despite the kissing and love-making scenes, the story was well-written and could be considered very exciting compared to ordinary folk tales.

Unlike the poetry collections he typically read, this book had a strong aftereffect, showing him that emotions could sometimes be so intense, so overwhelmingly passionate, yet at the same time, make one feel so humble.

By the time he finished reading "The Return of Spring Geese", it was late at night. Song Qing placed the book on the desk and suddenly realized that perhaps Tao Liangyuan had not given him the wrong book after all.

Over the next several days, every time Tao Liangyuan came to the study, Song Qing felt somewhat guilty, afraid that she would ask if he had finished the book. Although he had read it, how could they possibly discuss such a book?

Tao Liangyuan didn’t really intend to discuss the book with Song Qing. She simply wanted him to read something different from the sage texts, just to clear his mind.

"Lady Tao Liangyuan, please deliver this plate of pastries to Mr. Song for me."

Shen Chuwei carried over a plate of pastries and put it into Tao Liangyuan’s hands, aiming to create some time and opportunity for Tao Liangyuan and Song Qing.

Tao Liangyuan took the pastries, gave Shen Chuwei a grateful look, and went inside.

Shen Chuwei watched Tao Liangyuan enter, feeling that after so many days without any progress, the pace was too slow, like boiling a frog in warm water.

The ministers outside were watching Song Qing, and now that he was Taotao’s tutor, everyone wanted to forge a connection with him.

When Tao Liangyuan entered, as usual, Song Qing greeted her with a proper salute.

"Try some of the pastries, Mr. Song."

Song Qing looked at the exquisite and tempting pastries in front of him.

What the East Palace didn’t lack was probably food; the flavors served at lunch every day were excellent, and there was also afternoon tea.

The Crown Princess was approachable and down-to-earth, making interactions very comfortable.

The only thing was that Lady Tao Liangyuan’s visits were perhaps too diligent – almost daily.

Tao Liangyuan pulled out a book from its hiding place in her bosom and placed it on the desk in front of Song Qing, speaking gently, "Mr. Song, this is a book I recently finished reading. I’m giving it to you to read."

Song Qing looked at the book before him, suspecting this one might also be a folk tale.

He declined politely, "Lady Tao Liangyuan, I have been too busy to read lately. Please take it back."

Not minding his refusal, Tao Liangyuan said, "If not now, you’ll have time in the future. Reading is not just for learning; it can also be a leisure activity. When you’re bored, glancing at it, taking a look can also be entertaining."

Left without a reason to refuse, Song Qing accepted the book.

Tao Liangyuan happily walked out. She hadn’t gone far when she saw the Crown Princess and excitedly ran over.

"Your Highness, I’ve given it to him."

Shen Chuwei was cleaning stains off her darling daughter’s hands and looked up in confusion at Tao Liangyuan, "Given what?"

A face brimming with excitement, Tao Liangyuan leaned close to Shen Chuwei and whispered, "I wrote a love letter and tucked it inside the book when I gave it to Song Qing."

Writing a love letter and hiding it inside a book for someone you like, she had learned that from a folk tale.

Shen Chuwei’s eyes widened, admiring Tao Liangyuan’s courage to have written a love letter so quickly.