"Alright, since you all want to go, then you can all go. We'll depart the day after tomorrow."

Cen Xi glanced at Shen Jinchen, then at the others, and agreed.

"Alright, let's all get ready. Zhu Yanniang, go."

Seeing that Cen Xi agreed so readily, Jun Xiaoqiao suddenly sighed, "She's become much more pragmatic. Compared to her arrogant personality before, she's changed a lot."

"Let's go too. I've heard that Minister Shen is a highly skilled chess player. May I ask him for some pointers?"

Jun Jianchou glanced at Cen Xi twice, then suddenly spoke to Shen Jinchen.

“Okay, let’s go to the council hall in the front yard. Ah-Xi, the crabapple blossoms on the mountain are in full bloom. Can you brew us a pot of crabapple wine? We can play chess and drink at the same time, it’ll be perfect.”

Shen Jinchen glanced at Jun Jianchou with amusement, then spoke to Cen Xi, his tone clearly asserting his dominance.

"I don't know how to brew wine, and I'm afraid I'll disappoint you."

Cen Xi rested her chin on her hand, gave him a lazy look, and said.

"Feng Qin Hui, I know you have a photographic memory. I believe you can do it well if he tells you the steps. Is that alright?"

"Yes, how could I not?"

Cen Xi stood up and said that although she thought Shen Jinchen's words were normal, she thought it would be better to agree in order to avoid him causing any more trouble.

Besides, doing this would also benefit Jun Jianchou, allowing him to clearly see how the two of them interacted, so that he could truly achieve his goal. She really didn't want to get bogged down in those pointless arguments with Jun Jianchou anymore. She had never felt so exhausted; it seemed relationships weren't for her after all.

"I had several jars of Begonia Wine placed in your wine cellar last time. Go and get them. Today, Young Master Jun and I will not leave until we are drunk."

Shen Jinchen smiled and continued.

"Yes, Young Master Shen, please wait. I'll be there shortly. When did my Flying Phoenix Mountain become your territory?"

Cen Xi gave him a sarcastic look, then spoke slowly and deliberately, word by word.

"You are my betrothed, so what's mine is yours. When you come to my Prime Minister's residence, that's your territory too."

Shen Jinchen's thin, sensual lips curled slightly upwards, and he spoke with an air of certainty that she wouldn't mind.

"Ah Xi, I'll add some sugar to the wine. You know my taste, Mr. Chen, please!"

Jun Jianchou endured it for a while, but when he reached the door, he couldn't bear it any longer. So he turned around, said this to Cen Xi, and then made a gesture of invitation.

"Young Master Jun, please!"

Shen Jinchen raised an eyebrow and made a gesture of invitation with a smile.

"Then I won't stand on ceremony."

Seeing that this man was still putting on airs, Jun Jianchou immediately felt it was pointless and strode out, thinking to himself that there was no need for such formalities. He, Jun Jianchou, could take things in stride and let them go. He just wanted to make sure he drank to his heart's content tonight.

"I'm waiting for your wine, otherwise I'll climb through your window again tonight."

Shen Jinchen pulled the woman standing next to him into his arms, pecked her on the lips, and then walked away with a smile.

"You childish brat, there's a saying that's true: men never grow up."

Someone touched her and even teasingly kissed her. Cen Xi couldn't help but stomp her foot and pout in complaint.

“Mistress, I’ve discovered that our young master is only a rogue to you. He didn’t have this trait before. It’s all thanks to you. If it weren’t for you, we might never have seen this side of our young master.”

Fengqin watched her young master walk out with a smug look on his face, and couldn't help but shake her head and sigh.

"You dare laugh at me? Then come with me to the wine cellar to move some wine."

Cen Xi kicked Feng Qin, glanced around, and when she didn't see that annoying Shang Se, her mood finally improved.

"Yes, yes, yes, please don't kick me, Mistress. I can't be kicked. My martial arts are not as good as yours. Please have pity on this little darling and don't hurt my fragile heart. I'm very useful. I can be a spy, a spy to watch over the young master and prevent other women from stealing him away, okay?"

Fengqin has always been a chatterbox and deserves a beating. Now she's in her old ways again, spouting nonsense without a second thought.

"Ha! If your young master lets another woman get close to him, I'll dump him in a heartbeat. Why would I need you as a spy? Kid, in my creed, a man who can be seduced is not a good man. I'll discard him without regret."

Cen Xi looked at the young guard provocatively, then spoke arrogantly.

"Is that really what the mistress thinks? I will relay those words to the young master verbatim."

Fengqin led the way, and then couldn't help but ask with a grin.

"I remember last time at your young master's villa, you were the one who led the way for me, right? In the end, you got a beating from him, but I don't think your young master did anything to me. He's lusting after my beauty. What good do you think your words will do to her?"

Cen Xi bit her lip, chuckled several times, and then said arrogantly.

"Mistress, you can actually say such a thing as lust for beauty. You are truly shameless. I am impressed now. No wonder the young master took a liking to you. You and her are a perfect match."

Feng Qin looked up at the sky speechlessly. It seemed that his plan to curry favor with powerful figures might fail, and he might have to keep a low profile from now on.

"We've arrived at the wine cellar. Hey little guard, if you keep thinking about this, you'll break your nose."

As the two were talking, they unknowingly arrived at the West Garden, a wine cellar. Cen Xi saw that Feng Qin was about to crash into the door, so she crossed her arms and kindly reminded her.

"Ah, oh!"

Fengqin slammed his head against the door bolt, which cleared his head considerably. After the pain subsided, he couldn't help but mutter:

"Sure enough, you can't talk too much to this woman that the young master has his eye on, otherwise he'll keep leading you astray. And if you don't do things well, he'll banish you to some remote corner. Shang Se is a good example of that."

"If you keep thinking about nonsense, you'll fall into a wine vat. Are you thinking about women? I heard you've been to brothels. How about we go visit Zhu Yanniang's Yichun Pavilion another day? I'll get you a discount and let you go in for free. I guarantee you'll be satisfied."

Cen Xi knew what he was thinking, but he just wanted to tease the little guard, so he brought up Zhu Yanniang again.

"Mistress... please spare me. I'm still young and haven't done anything wrong. It's really not necessary for me to go to Yichun Pavilion."

Feng Qin turned and smiled at Chen Xi, his face a mixture of amusement and exasperation. He really was just a guard; he couldn't withstand such a blow. It seemed his job by the young master's side was becoming increasingly difficult. Maybe he should say a few bad things about his grandmother and get the young master to banish him. At this moment, he missed that stubborn Shang Se terribly.

"You really don't want to go. I heard from them that Yichun Pavilion has young girls every night, guaranteed to satisfy you, and I'm even offering to let you go for free. You won't do it?"

Seeing his contorted face, Cen Xi felt a surge of mischievousness; she wanted to see what excuse he would come up with to refuse.