Peach Blossom.

If Mrs. Bai succeeded in her assassination, would it be a happy ending?

Tao Ye asked herself in her heart.

"What are you thinking about?" Chen Ji gently pinched Tao Ye's peach-like cheek.

Tao Ye felt strange when facing Chen Ji. She seemed to want to try again. To what extent would Chen Ji give in?

She looked at Chen Ji with an expectant look, raising her demands even higher. "Since the emperor said that I have the final say on who to hire in the Imperial Examination Office, then I still want to use Chen Cuo. Can the emperor let him go for me?"

"No!" Chen Ji answered decisively without any hesitation.

Tao Ye asked in confusion: "Why?"

Chen Ji's smile completely disappeared, and he asked, "You really don't know why I insisted on having him dismissed from office and imprisoned?"

Tao Ye shook her head. She really wasn't sure about this.

"Because he is too close to you! Because he doesn't know how to avoid suspicion! Because he violated my biggest taboo!" Chen Ji's tone was heavy and his eyes were sharp.

Tao Ye was a little confused. Perhaps because of Wang Huan, she had always treated Chen Cuo as a junior and had never considered the issue of avoiding suspicion.

"I am more than ten years older than him... Your Majesty is overthinking it..." Tao Ye smiled awkwardly, not knowing how to discuss this issue.

"Is age the key point?" Chen Ji looked even angrier.

Tao Ye didn't know what to say.

"He was so enthusiastic in helping you run the Imperial Examination Office, working so hard and asking for nothing in return. Have you ever thought about why?" Chen Ji's voice suddenly rose, and there seemed to be an indescribable panic in his anger.

Tao Ye raised her eyebrows in frustration. She looked back at Zhuo Jin and Cai Wei who were following her, and felt almost at a loss as to what to do.

"Is it not okay for me to not let him come to the Imperial Examination Office?" Tao Ye took Chen Ji's arm and said with a smile, "Your Majesty is really overthinking it. I just thought that he has a wife who is in confinement and a newborn child at home who need his care. Can you please let him go home?"

"You've reminded me once again that he's still the son-in-law of the Wang family!" Chen Ji's face gradually turned cold, and hatred gradually filled his eyes. "And this marriage was arranged by Marquis Anfeng."

Tao Ye suddenly didn't want to talk anymore.

She remembered that when she first "lost her memory", Chen Ji forbad anyone to mention the Marquis of Anfeng. She didn't know when it started, but even Chen Ji himself no longer had the taboo...

"If you really care about me, you shouldn't plead for him anymore and don't let him ruin our mood for traveling." Chen Ji held Tao Ye's hand tightly, as if expressing his deep affection, and also as if hinting at something.

Tao Ye Gu remained silent. She had no intention of pleading for Chen Cuo anymore. She felt that she still needed to go sightseeing with Chen Ji.

After returning to Zhaoyang Palace, Tao Ye immediately sent someone to summon Chen Mi into the palace.

She was afraid that she would never come back from this trip, so she had to quickly arrange the marriage between Chen Mi and Lan Yue. She didn't want to be a person who went back on her word.

Not long after, Chen Mi arrived, and Tao Ye asked Lan Yue to leave first.

Without further ado, Tao Ye directly explained her intention to Secretary Chen: "This time, I won the imperial examination thanks to Minister Chen's help, and I should also repay him. You and Lan Yue have known each other for many years, so I will help you two, how about it?"

Not wanting to finish listening to Tao Ye's words, Secretary Chen was stunned.

This reaction surprised Tao Ye deeply. She couldn't help but ask, "Is Minister Chen unhappy?"

Chen Mi finally came to his senses and bowed hurriedly, saying, "Thank you, Queen, for your grace."

Tao Ye was a little confused, but she seemed to feel that she couldn't make blind guesses, so she continued with the original plan: "Tomorrow is a good day. I will prepare a dowry for Lan Yue and wait for you to come and pick her up at an auspicious time."

"Tomorrow?" Secretary Chen's astonishment became even more obvious. "Isn't this a bit too hasty?"

Tao Ye was really upset after hearing this, but she still suppressed her temper and explained, "In a few days, I will be traveling with the emperor. Tomorrow is the only auspicious day these days, so we have to rush."

Secretary Chen smiled and said, "It won't be too late to choose an auspicious day after the Empress returns from her trip."

"Are you willing to marry Lan Yue?" Tao Ye couldn't help but get angry.

Secretary Chen had a faint look of helplessness on his face, but he still wore a smile: "Your Majesty, please calm down. I just feel that tomorrow is a bit rushed and my family has not been able to prepare in time."

"Lan Yue is just going to be a concubine, and you can't marry her formally. A sedan chair can be carried in through the side door. What's there to prepare? She has spent her youth with you. How long do you want her to wait?" Tao Ye blamed Chen Mi again.

Secretary Chen had no choice but to comply: "I thank the Queen for her kindness. I will come to take Lan Yue home in person tomorrow."

Tao Ye was too lazy to say anything more, so she waved her hand and motioned him to go down.

Secretary Chen then bowed and left.

Afterwards, Tao Ye found Lan Yue again and asked, "Didn't you tell Secretary Chen that I wanted to arrange a marriage?"

Lan Yue shook her head, lowered her head shyly, and said softly, "I want to give him a surprise."

Tao Ye chuckled, "surprise", that was indeed the case, "joy", Tao Ye really couldn't tell.

But seeing Lan Yue so immersed in joy, Tao Ye was too embarrassed to pour cold water on her, so she just said roughly: "I have already told him that I will go to the palace to pick you up tomorrow, just wait."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Lan Yue bowed, overjoyed, as if she couldn't wait to get married today.

Tao Ye originally didn't care much about the relationship between Lan Yue and Chen Mi, but now she suddenly felt a little worried, fearing that Lan Yue's infatuation would be in vain.

The next day, Lan Yue got dressed early, put on the wedding dress she had sewn herself, and waited quietly for the auspicious time to arrive.

Tao Ye selected some jewelry and clothes from the warehouse, packed them into a box as Lan Yue's dowry.

Secretary Chen arrived as promised, and it was hard to tell whether he was happy or sad on his face. He specially brought a few maids to support Lan Yue, which could barely be considered formal. He said that the bridal sedan was waiting outside the palace gate.

Tao Ye only escorted Lan Yue to the outside of Zhaoyang Palace and warned her, "If Secretary Chen treats you badly in the future, or if his wife bullies you, come back to the palace anytime and tell me. I will take care of it for you."

"Your Majesty's kindness is like rebirth. I will never forget it." Lan Yue bowed again, and under the red veil, it sounded like she was crying.

Tao Ye smiled and nodded.

Secretary Chen also bowed to Tao Ye, then left holding Lan Yue's hand.

During these few days, Chen Ji also quickly handled several important official duties and urged Zhao Bi to quickly select the best and most loyal soldiers to accompany him.

Chen Ji was already the emperor, so naturally he could not go out and play openly like he did when he was Si Rong's son-in-law. He could only declare in the court that he was going back to his hometown to worship his ancestors, and the court officials had no reason to object.

However, Chen Ji privately told Ma Da the truth, explaining that it was actually Tao Ye's idea to go to Qiao County and that it was also his debt to Tao Ye. On the surface, the affairs of the capital were handed over to the two prime ministers for assistance, but in fact, he only trusted Ma Da. He ordered Ma Da to be vigilant against Chen Liang or Chen Chong causing trouble while he was away, and left a handwritten secret order: "In case of emergency, the right prime minister can execute first and report later."

The day before departure, the Minister of Medicine Tan Yue came to see Chen Ji and begged Chen Ji to include him in the traveling team, claiming that it would be easier to understand the queen's condition while on the road.

Chen Ji thought it would be good to have a doctor with him when he went out, so he agreed.

Everything was arranged properly, and the emperor and empress's motorcade soon set off from the capital to Qiao County.

Chen Ji wanted to be alone with Tao Ye, so there were only the two of them in the first carriage, and the palace servants who usually served him were arranged in the second carriage.

In addition, there were three carriages loaded with various luggage needed for food, clothing, housing and transportation along the way.

There were more than 2,000 cavalry, infantry, armored soldiers, archers and others gathered around the carriage, constantly observing the movements along the way to protect the safety of the emperor and empress.

The convoy drove out of the city gate. Tao Ye opened the curtains and saw the distant mountains and nearby trees. She felt refreshed. She had been kept within the palace walls all day long and she didn't know how long it had been since she had seen the scenery of the suburbs.

Chen Ji was bored, so he chatted about some trivial matters to pass the time. "I heard that you gave one of your maids to Secretary Chen as a concubine?"

When this matter was mentioned, Tao Ye's mood suddenly became not so good.

She recalled Chen Mi's hesitation and couldn't help but complain, "What do you mean I gave him a concubine? They were already in love, right? I'm trying to make it happen, but he doesn't seem happy about it. What a heartless person!"

"Is this something worth getting angry about?" Chen Ji smiled and put his arm around Tao Ye's shoulders.

Tao Ye said indignantly, "Of course I'm angry! Don't you see how infatuated Lan Yue is, and how reluctant Chen Mi is to agree? I get the feeling that Lan Yue really wants to commit her life to me, but Chen Mi is just using this relationship as a pastime."

"That's impossible..." Chen Ji seemed a little unconvinced, and vaguely recalled, "Secretary Chen told me about their relationship a long time ago. They've been together for at least three to five years. The excitement of the momentary rush of love has long passed, but they're still together. It's unlikely that they're just playing around."

"If you are in love with her, why have they been just lovers for three to five years? With his official position and the fact that he is so highly regarded by the emperor, he could have asked the emperor to grant him a marriage a long time ago! If you really like someone, shouldn't you be eager to marry her right away?" Tao Ye continued to reason, and the more he thought about it, the angrier he became.

"You're right... just like how I treat you, I will do anything to marry you as soon as possible..." Chen Ji looked at Tao Ye affectionately, and his lips involuntarily moved closer to Tao Ye.

Tao Ye felt uneasy and somehow dodged again.

But Chen Ji was not angry. He just sighed softly, "I don't know if you remember, but it has been almost ten years since I met you."

Tao Ye didn't say anything, of course she remembered.

But during the nearly ten years of this era, her heart was filled with another person.

Even though that person is getting farther and farther away from her, his shadow can never be erased from her memory.

"I have liked you for a long time, but I have been busy with other things. I think... Secretary Chen and the others may have some unavoidable difficulties." Chen Ji smiled bitterly and sighed again.

Tao Ye smiled slightly, she didn't believe it. Chen Ji had a one-sided crush on her, and it was normal to be unable to be loved. But Chen Mi and Lan Yue were obviously in love with each other, so what strong reason could be an obstacle?

When she thought of this, Tao Ye suddenly remembered that she and Wang Jing once loved each other deeply, but there were always various objective factors that delayed their happiness that was originally within their reach again and again, until there was no chance between them anymore and they were separated forever.

At this moment, Tao Ye seemed to understand why she was so angry on behalf of Lan Yue.

Chen Ji reminisced about the past, recalling so much. Suddenly, he grabbed Tao Ye's hand and asked, "By the way, I wonder if you still remember. Back then, I had the impression that you were illiterate... Also, your origins are unique. Your blood was green back then, and everyone in the city called you the 'Green-Blooded Demon.' When did it turn red?"