TGPSAC 12

Chapter 12

One Step Closer

Thus, Xuanyuan Yu, a young master from an aristocratic family who had never done any heavy work in his life, began helping her tidy up the flower pots.

Watching his movements, Qin Ziguang smiled.

“You’ve never grown flowers before, have you? You’re so rough with them. You don’t cherish flowers at all.”

He had spent his entire childhood learning all sorts of things. Where would he have found the time to grow flowers?

Having time to admire them was already good enough.

After he had finished arranging the flower pots, Qin Ziguang instructed him again,

“It’s getting dark. Help me move all these flowers indoors.”

Xuanyuan Yu was speechless.

Why hadn’t she said so earlier?

He had just finished arranging all the pots, and now she wanted them moved again.

She certainly had plenty of demands.

“Young Master, are you too weak to carry them?”

Seeing him standing there without moving, Qin Ziguang asked innocently.

Xuanyuan Yu replied,

“Fine, I’ll move them for you.”

If he didn’t need her help, he wouldn’t have indulged her at all.

It didn’t take long before all the flowers had been moved inside.

Just as Xuanyuan Yu was about to take his leave, Qin Ziguang brewed some tea.

“This tea was brought from Prince Qin’s Residence. Young Master, please have a taste.”

Unable to refuse her kindness, Xuanyuan Yu sat down and accepted a cup.

While drinking, he casually looked around the room.

The furnishings had obviously been arranged according to his mother’s instructions and were very thoughtful. Still, everyone had different living habits. He wondered if there was anything she still lacked.

“Princess, if you need anything at all, just send someone to find me.”

Qin Ziguang smiled.

“Then I won’t stand on ceremony. I do need something right now.”

“What do you need, Princess?”

“I want… to take a bath. Not in a bathtub. I want the kind with a bathing pool.”

Earlier, she had already sent Qin Qi and Qin Ba to look around the Prime Minister’s Residence.

They had discovered that the only bathing pool in the entire residence was located in Xuanyuan Yu’s courtyard.

Her objective was obvious.

She wanted to take another step into his personal space.

Xuanyuan Yu looked at her.

“Didn’t you soak in the mountains for half a month already? You still want another bath?”

Instantly, he recalled that time at the Spirit Spring.

Her body immersed in the spring water had looked so vibrant and alluring.

Stop.

What was he thinking?

Xuanyuan Yu suddenly felt that he was behaving anything but gentlemanly and silently scolded himself.

Qin Ziguang had no idea what was going through his mind.

She was only focused on finding an opportunity to get closer to him so they could cultivate together.

“Young Master, just tell me. Does the Prime Minister’s Residence have a bathing pool I can use or not? If it doesn’t, I’m afraid I won’t be able to stay here for long.”

Xuanyuan Yu answered,

“There is. The only bathing pool in the residence is in my courtyard.

“How about this? I’ll give you my courtyard. You can live there instead.”

Otherwise, how could he possibly let her enter his courtyard just to bathe?

That would hardly be proper.

Qin Ziguang smiled.

“You’re really willing to let me have your courtyard?”

Xuanyuan Yu laughed.

“You’re our honored guest. Naturally, you should stay somewhere comfortable.”

Otherwise, she would threaten to leave the Prime Minister’s Residence every other day and stop treating his mother.

“Then lead the way. Let me see your courtyard before I decide whether I want to live there. If the scenery isn’t good enough, I won’t stay.”

“This way, Princess.”

As Xuanyuan Yu led Qin Ziguang toward his courtyard, they ran into Xiahou Hong.

Qin Ziguang respectfully greeted him.

After all, he was a prince and ranked above her. The proper formalities still had to be observed.

“Greetings, Your Highness.”

“Princess, no need for formalities. I heard you’ve moved into the Prime Minister’s Residence to treat my aunt, so I shamelessly decided to stay here as well.

“I’ll have to trouble you with my own health too, Princess.”

Qin Ziguang examined Xiahou Hong’s complexion.

“Your Highness looks much better than the last time we met.”

“You noticed me even back then?”

Xiahou Hong was delighted.

Qin Ziguang nodded.

“Of course. You’re the Empress’s son. Aside from Xiahou Ying, who is everyone’s thorn in the side, you’re the prince I pay the most attention to.”

Xiahou Hong laughed heartily.

“Then this is truly my honor.

“By the way, Princess, where are you headed?”

Qin Ziguang deliberately remained silent while looking toward Xuanyuan Yu.

Left with no choice, Xuanyuan Yu explained,

“The Princess wishes to use a bathing pool. Since the only one in the Prime Minister’s Residence is in my courtyard, I’m planning to let her have my courtyard so she’ll be more comfortable.

“I’m taking her there now to have a look.”

Xiahou Hong nodded.

“Then let’s go together.

“To be honest, I’ve always liked your courtyard too. If the Princess stays there, I’m sure she’ll find it very comfortable.”

Xuanyuan Yu’s courtyard was located near the back mountain behind the Prime Minister’s Residence.

The mountain was covered with countless trees.

Qin Ziguang cultivated the Wood Element, so she always sought out deep forests and mountains for her cultivation.

The moment she stepped into Xuanyuan Yu’s courtyard, a refreshing breeze filled with rich wood energy washed over her.

She gently closed her eyes and drew in a breath of the surrounding spiritual energy.

She could clearly sense that the spiritual energy here was denser than elsewhere, making it an ideal place for cultivation.

Besides the fragrance of plants, the courtyard also carried Xuanyuan Yu’s own fresh, clean scent.

She didn’t dislike his scent.

On the contrary, she liked it.

Having already reached the Golden Core Realm, her five senses were far sharper than those of ordinary people.

She could smell the impure aura clinging to most people.

Even Xiahou Hong carried a considerable amount of it.

But Xuanyuan Yu was different.

There was almost none.

Instead, he carried a refreshing fragrance like fresh grass and trees.

That was her favorite scent.

“I like this place.”

She spoke sincerely.

She didn’t even need to see the bathing pool anymore.

She wanted to live here.

The bathing pool had only been an excuse from the very beginning.

Seeing that she genuinely liked the courtyard, Xuanyuan Yu reluctantly gave it up.

“If the Princess likes it, then please stay here. I’ll move to the Lake Pavilion.”

Qin Ziguang quickly stopped him.

“No need to move. This courtyard is so large. We can simply live here together.”

Xuanyuan Yu froze.

Xiahou Hong froze as well.

After coughing violently several times, Xiahou Hong finally spoke.

“Princess, isn’t it rather inappropriate for an unmarried man and woman to live together?”

Qin Ziguang replied casually,

“Why wouldn’t it be? It’s not like we’d be sharing the same room.

“When I was at the border, every soldier had their own tent, and the tents stood right next to one another. The rooms in this courtyard are much farther apart than tents ever were.

“Or… Your Highness, would you like to move in too?”

To achieve her goal, Qin Ziguang deliberately invited Xiahou Hong as well.

Xiahou Hong was caught off guard.

He hadn’t expected Qin Ziguang to invite him too.

It seemed this Princess had grown up on the frontier and wasn’t overly concerned with rigid propriety.

She wasn’t thinking what he had assumed.

Seeing Xiahou Hong wavering, Qin Ziguang immediately made the decision.

“Then it’s settled. Your Highness can move in too.

“That way it won’t be just an unmarried man and woman living together.

“There’ll be three of us. We’re all brothers.

“Young Master Xuanyuan won’t have to move back and forth either. What a hassle.

“Besides, once Your Highness moves in, it’ll be much easier for me to treat your illness without constantly walking from courtyard to courtyard. This residence is enormous. It takes at least fifteen minutes just to walk between the courtyards.”

Xiahou Hong was extremely satisfied with Qin Ziguang’s arrangement.

“The Princess is right. Then I’ll move in as well.”

He looked at Xuanyuan Yu.

Though it sounded like a question, his gaze clearly said,

You are not allowed to refuse.

Xuanyuan Yu was speechless.

Did he have any other choice?

“It’s an honor that both Your Highness and the Princess have taken a liking to my humble courtyard. As long as you don’t mind.”

And just like that, Xuanyuan Yu’s private courtyard became home to three people instead of one.

Qin Ziguang happily moved into Xuanyuan Yu’s courtyard.

The courtyard was called Green Mountain Residence.

It was very spacious.

Xuanyuan Yu, the owner, occupied the eastern wing.

Qin Ziguang lived in the northern wing.

Xiahou Hong took the western wing.

The southern side overlooked the entire lotus pond, which was the most beautiful view in the residence.

Half the pond was covered with lotus leaves.

Some pink-and-white lotus blossoms had only just broken free of their buds, their tips blushed crimson.

Others were already in full bloom, their petals gracefully spread open.

Since Qin Ziguang had used bathing as her excuse for moving in, the very first thing she did after settling into Green Mountain Residence was, naturally, head straight for the bathing pool.