Chapter 1535: Out of the Pass

Zu An's face darkened. "Aren't you forcing me into a mistake? Let them all go; they're pitiable."

It had to be said, those who caught the Crown Prince's eye, even his concubines, were exceptionally beautiful, not to mention the added allure of being married women...

He asked himself honestly: if it were before his transmigration, he might not have been able to resist the temptation to act like Cao Cao. But his current self would naturally not do such a thing.

"Pitiable?" the Little Empress sneered. "These people lived in luxury, flaunted their power daily, and oppressed the common folk. What's pitiable about them?" Then, her eyes sparkled playfully, and she chuckled softly. "But since you've spoken, I naturally have to grant you this favor. Releasing them directly is impossible, but they won't be sent to the Imperial Music Bureau. Instead, they can be confined for a period. After all, they were close to the Crown Prince; who knows if any of them harbor ill intentions?"

Zu An nodded, understanding that her concerns were not unfounded. With the young prince now on the throne, his position was not yet stable, so she naturally wouldn't overlook any potential threats.

After dealing with the people from the Crown Prince's Residence, the Little Empress took Zu An on a tour of the estate, introducing him to all the details of his new home.

Zu An thought about how exorbitant housing prices were in his previous life, where buying a house in the capital was a pipe dream for many, let alone such a massive estate.

As they toured, Zu An felt as if he were back to the time he toured Prince Gong's Mansion in Beijing. The estate was truly vast and luxurious, yet its environment was elegant and tranquil. The Crown Prince certainly knew how to enjoy himself.

And now, all of this belonged to him?

Having been a "housing slave" for so long in his previous life, Zu An felt as if he were dreaming.

"The room ahead is the Crown Prince's study," the Little Empress said, stopping suddenly. "No one is allowed near it without permission on normal days." She then instructed her attendants, "The Regent and I have some matters to discuss. You are to wait outside."

"Yes," a group of palace maids replied, curtsying slightly.

Zu An followed the Little Empress into the study. They didn't close the door; with so many palace maids and eunuchs present, closing it would inevitably invite suspicion, and the resulting rumors would be too damaging.

After entering the room, the Little Empress walked near the desk. Zu An smiled slightly and asked, "Does Your Majesty have something to tell me?"

The Crown Prince's study naturally offered top-notch privacy, so there was no worry about their conversation being leaked.

The Little Empress coming all the way here to speak with him... could it be that there was something inconvenient to say in the palace? Were there spies or informants there?

"How could I dare give orders to you? It's only right for you to order me, my dear 'Regent'," she said, dropping her deliberately stern demeanor with no one else present, and gazing at him with a seductive expression.

Hearing her unique pronunciation, Zu An immediately recalled the events of that night, and a surge of heat flared within him.

The Little Empress gently bit her red lips and just looked at him with a smile, her watery eyes seeming to convey a silent invitation. This woman was truly seductive to her very core!

How could Zu An possibly hold back? He immediately pounced.

"Don't wrinkle my clothes," the Little Empress hastily reminded him, "otherwise, it'll be noticeable when we go out."

Zu An felt a bit frustrated. "Then what should we do?"

Although she was dressed simply today, she was still the dignified Empress Dowager; even the simplest dress would require a host of maids to help her put on.

The Little Empress walked to a nearby table, leaned her upper body onto it, slightly lifted her skirt, and glanced back at him, her gaze lingering seductively. "Like this," she murmured.

Zu An's entire being erupted like a volcano. What man could resist such temptation? He immediately moved in.

"Mmm," the Little Empress muffled, pressing a hand tightly over her mouth, afraid any sound would carry outside. Her eyes and brows were filled with sweet satisfaction.

"No wonder you kept leading me further in," Zu An mused. "I thought you truly had something important to tell me."

"Isn't this matter important enough?" she retorted.

"Hmm, it is quite tight," Zu An replied.

"Oh, you!" she chided playfully. "If it weren't for this, with so many attendants accompanying me, how else could I have had them spread out across the estate one by one?"

"Huh, aren't all your attendants your confidantes?" Zu An asked. "I saw many of the maids outside were from your sleeping quarters last time."

"My status is relatively sensitive, after all," she explained. "It's best if as few people as possible know. I also don't want my son to think I'm a bad mother later."

"Doesn't he already call me 'father'?" Zu An chuckled. "What does it matter if he knows?"

"Oh, you!" she replied.

After a while, a maid outside suddenly reported, "Your Majesty, Queen Medusa requests an audience. She seems to be looking for the Regent."

"Ah?" The two inside jolted in fright. After a few seconds, the Little Empress replied, "Please ask her to wait in the main hall. Serve her tea and attend to her well."

"Yes," the maid slowly withdrew, feeling a little confused. Her Majesty's voice just now had seemed a bit strange, unusually languid and sweet, which made one's heart flutter uneasily.

The two in the room were panting heavily. Already many times more sensitive than usual due to the guards outside, and coupled with the stimulation of Queen Medusa's arrival, it was like the spark that ignited a powder keg.

The Little Empress stood up, carefully smoothed down her skirt, and tidied her clothes, ensuring there were no wrinkles or other traces.

Her face flushed and her eyes radiant, she sighed, "I truly envy Queen Medusa; she can be with you openly."

Zu An righted the table that had almost toppled over. "You can too," he said. "Whenever Your Majesty misses me, just send for me."

"You said that, no going back on your word," the Little Empress said, her eyes lighting up.

"Of course," Zu An replied. He had to admit, the Little Empress was truly born with a seductive charm. He wondered why that Old Demon Emperor would leave such a charming young wife to a lonely bed, pursuing some immortal cultivation.

The Little Empress, however, sighed softly in her heart, understanding that given their respective statuses, this could never truly be.

"Let's go out. Don't keep Queen Medusa waiting too long," she said. Just as the Little Empress took a step, a strange sound suddenly echoed, and her face instantly flushed deep red. She cast a mortified glance at Zu An.

Zu An was a bit worried. "Won't the palace maids find out then?"

After all, neither the Empress Dowager nor the Empress would wash their own clothes; all worn clothes were handed down to attendants for cleaning. Wouldn't it be impossible to hide it then?

The Little Empress bit her lip. "Don't worry, I'll use my cultivation to draw what you left in my body further inside."

Zu An was stunned, recalling a line from a movie in his previous life where the female lead had forced something *out*. What was with this reverse operation?

Soon, the two arrived in the main hall. Even though the Little Empress herself was a great beauty, she couldn't help but be struck by the sight: a graceful figure wrapped in a snow-white fox fur coat, yet showing no hint of bulkiness. Instead, she appeared noble and elegant, like an exquisitely beautiful plum blossom faintly visible amidst a snow-covered mountain.

Looking at the other's unparalleled beauty, especially those eyes as dazzling and captivating as a starry sky, the Little Empress secretly sighed. She realized it would probably be impossible to simply bind Zu An with her beauty alone.

She composed herself and gently chatted with Yu Yanluo for a few moments. Noticing she was holding a hand warmer, she immediately instructed her attendants to arrange for skilled artisans to install underfloor heating in the Snake Tribe's new temporary residence.

Yu Yanluo's eyes lit up, and she immediately developed a strong liking for the Little Empress. The winters in the royal court were indeed quite harsh.

The two chatted happily, and the Little Empress soon stood up and left. Given her special status, Yu Yanluo found this quite normal.

Watching her departing back, Yu Yanluo couldn't help but sigh softly to Zu An, "Her Majesty looks so well, not at all like..."

She had originally intended to say "not at all like a recent widow," but immediately realized that would be impolite, so she closed her lips.

Zu An thought to himself, *Nourished day and night, how could her complexion not be good?*

Worried she might notice something, he quickly asked, "Huh, you've already broken through to Grandmaster?"

"Yes, with the help of the Holy Spirit Pearl, it was much easier for me to awaken the power in my bloodline," Yu Yanluo said, a hint of pride on her face. She suddenly took another look at Zu An, and her expression instantly changed. "Huh, something's off with you!"