Chapter 637: Relationship Like a Spring

A group of people hurried towards Kunning Palace. While it was usually very difficult for outside officials to enter the inner palace, with the Crown Prince and Crown Princess leading the way and the Empress's personal eunuch accompanying them, their journey was unimpeded.

On the way, Little Gui Zi secretly gave Zu An a meaningful look to show his desire for closeness. As he passed by, he whispered, "Thank you, sir, for saving my life yesterday." Few people who thrived in the palace were truly naive. He naturally knew that he had almost been silenced yesterday and that it was entirely thanks to Zu An that he not only saved his life but also ascended to a position as the Empress's personal eunuch.

Zu An smiled and said, "You flatter me, Eunuch. We simply helped each other out."

Little Gui Zi had intended as much, and seeing that Zu An wasn't arrogant about his contribution, he smiled even more brightly. "Let's become closer in the future," he said. In front of so many people, he dared not converse much. With just that one sentence, he went ahead to lead the way.

Zu An also smiled slightly. Having watched so many TV dramas in his previous life, he knew that the most powerful figures in the palace were the eunuchs. It was best not to offend them if possible; befriending them would be even better. Of course, he also needed to be discreet. Otherwise, if he were branded as a member of the "eunuch faction," he would become an eyesore to the court officials.

"Are you very familiar with the eunuch from Kunning Palace?" Although their conversation was brief, it did not escape the Crown Princess's notice. She approached Zu An and asked with a frown.

Smelling the faint sweet scent emanating from the Crown Princess, Zu An replied, "The last time the Empress summoned me to Kunning Palace, this eunuch also led the way."

"You're that familiar after just one meeting?" The Crown Princess's delicate brows furrowed, and a sense of unease rose in her heart. Could it be that Kunning Palace was trying to plant spies in the Eastern Palace to win over people's loyalty?

"Perhaps I've always had a strong affinity with people," Zu An chuckled, inwardly complaining. Seeing the Crown Princess's wary demeanor, he thought, *indeed, no matter the world, daughters-in-law and mothers-in-law were natural rivals. Moreover, since the current Empress was not the Crown Prince's birth mother, the Crown Princess naturally had fewer scruples regarding her.*

The Crown Princess was speechless. *This guy, a strong affinity with people? Where does he get such thick skin?*

Seeing his grinning face, she felt a slight displeasure. The image of the cool and ruthless Golden Badge Agent Eleven from yesterday surfaced in her mind. *That* was the demeanor a man should have. Thinking of how that person had held her yesterday, she suddenly felt a warmth on her waist. It was where his hand had been yesterday...

The Crown Princess's face flushed, and she quickly dispelled the jumbled thoughts in her mind. She asked, "What exactly did the Empress want from you yesterday?"

"Nothing much," Zu An replied. "Just wondering if the new Crown Prince's attendant the Crown Prince found is reliable, and asking what happened with Shi Kun."

The Crown Princess stared at him. "How did you answer?" As the mistress of Kunning Palace, it was natural for the Empress to inquire about such matters, but the Crown Princess always felt a little uncomfortable, as if the other party was encroaching on her territory.

"Of course, he's reliable. As for Shi Kun, I just repeated what you taught us earlier." Fearing that further questioning would put him in a passive position, Zu An deliberately changed the subject. "Oh, why don't I see that Granny Rong... *cough, cough*, your personal maid?"

The Crown Princess said with a worried expression, "She suffered severe injuries in the fierce battle last night, and her spirit was wounded. Unfortunately, there are no suitable medicines to nourish it, so she will probably need to rest for a while."

Zu An was stunned. *So the Crown Princess had gone to the Imperial Hospital yesterday to find medicine for her maid. But why did she give it to me immediately? If Rong Mo knew the truth, she'd probably faint in the latrine from crying.* Thinking of the Crown Princess's kindness towards his other identity, his heart stirred. He carefully observed the beautiful woman in front of him — with phoenix eyes, a melon-seed face, and plump, slender lips. He had to admit, she was truly a great beauty. Standing together, they could even be called a perfect match. His gaze fell on the red floral ornament on her forehead. He didn't know how it was made; sometimes it looked like plum blossoms, sometimes like a three-leaf clover. It looked quite exquisite and elegant.

The Crown Princess had originally intended to say something else, but as soon as she looked up, she noticed his intense gaze fixed on her. She couldn't help but frown, saying, "Master Zu, please mind your manners." *This guy actually dared to stare at her so directly? Was he out of his mind?* If it had been anyone else, she might have erupted on the spot. But thinking that he was merely a commoner from Brightmoon City who had come to the Eastern Palace by sheer coincidence, it was normal for him not to understand some rules. If she made a big deal out of it, rumors might spread. Her status was sensitive now, with countless eyes watching, so it was better to avoid trouble.

Seeing the Crown Princess leave with a straight face, as if avoiding a pervert, Zu An was speechless for a moment. *Really? I was just looking at your floral ornament, not coveting your beauty.*

Soon, the group arrived at Kunning Palace. The Crown Princess took the Crown Prince in to pay their respects. The Empress responded with a smile, not even glancing at Zu An, and both parties conversed very pleasantly. Zu An, standing nearby, pursed his lips. *What a scene of motherly love and filial piety.* The Crown Princess clearly had many reservations about this Empress, and the Empress had expressed dissatisfaction with the Crown Princess in her tone yesterday. Yet, upon meeting, they acted like best friends. *Tsk, tsk, women are truly terrifying!*

Next, the Empress bestowed rewards upon the other members of the Eastern Palace, commending their efforts in protecting the Crown Prince and Crown Princess. The Crown Princess cast a sidelong glance at Zu An. *She thought, 'Others are fine, but this guy left early yesterday. What credit does he have?' Then she chastised herself: 'Calm down, calm down. As a lady, how can I utter such vulgar words?'*

The chubby Crown Prince suddenly had a whim and clamored for snacks. The Empress, who was looking for an excuse to send them away, smiled slightly and had a palace maid take them aside to find snacks. The Crown Princess naturally had to accompany them. She didn't need to worry about the snacks being poisoned or anything; after all, the Crown Prince was born to the Empress's sister, and when it came to opposing Prince Qi, they were still on the same side. However, watching her nominal husband devour the snacks, she felt extremely embarrassed. But she couldn't show any of it, so she could only stand by in a daze. Unconsciously, her thoughts drifted to Master Eleven, who had saved her during the crisis last night, and she sighed softly in her heart.

The other members of the Eastern Palace were also led to another side hall to be given snacks. Receiving such appreciation from the Empress, each of them was overjoyed.

Zu An, however, was secretly led by Little Gui Zi to another palace hall, where the Empress was languidly reclining on a couch. Her gown embraced her figure, outlining her voluptuous and full curves. *Her generous figure was truly a sight to behold.* Zu An silently offered a remark, thinking, *'Who knows what the Emperor is thinking, ignoring such a beautiful concubine? It's truly a case of extreme disparity.'*

The Empress casually waved her hand, gesturing for Little Gui Zi to leave. Eunuch Lü, standing nearby, also seemed to have received instructions earlier, as he went outside to stand guard.

Zu An couldn't help but laugh. "The Empress specifically sent everyone else away. Now it's just a man and a woman alone in the room. Could it be that the Empress desires my body?"

The Empress's expression turned cold, and she said in a deep voice, "You dog slave, you're getting bolder and bolder. Believe it or not, I'll have someone drag you out and club you to death right now."

Zu An also put away his smile. "Your Majesty, I maintain sufficient respect for you in front of others. But in a private meeting like this, if you still want to threaten me, are you mistaken about something?"

Seeing his extremely aggressive gaze, the Empress's heart suddenly skipped a beat. She didn't know why, but her long-dry heart felt as if it had returned to the gentle spring rain of her youth. She unnaturally sat upright, and her voice also softened a little. "I... I called you here mainly to ask what happened to that assassin yesterday."

Seeing her attitude change so quickly, even dropping her imperial self-address, Zu An was stunned. *Do I have to be aggressive with you for you to act like this? Are you a masochist?* He said in a deep voice, "Don't worry, that assassin is already under my control. He won't go around speaking carelessly."

The Empress's expression changed. "You didn't kill him?"

Zu An smiled slightly. "What if I killed him, and then the Empress secretly found someone to kill me?"

The Empress's expression shifted, revealing her inner conflict. She had indeed entertained the thought of finding an opportunity to send Eunuch Lü to silence him. Although killing a Crown Prince's attendant would be troublesome, compared to her own reputation, the risk was worth it. She certainly didn't want to leave any leverage in someone else's hands.

Zu An glanced at her and said, "Don't worry, as long as I'm safe, that person will remain under control. Of course, if something happens to me, I can't guarantee that rumors won't spread outside."

Rage value from Liu Ning +444! The Empress gnashed her teeth in anger, naturally knowing that he was threatening her. The crucial point was that she truly had no way to counter him. She said in a deep voice, "Do you know that if an accident happens and that assassin escapes, both you and I will be doomed forever?"

"I've arranged everything properly; there won't be any problems," Zu An said confidently.

"I hope you don't disappoint me. Now leave," the Empress said, rubbing her temples, feeling quite annoyed.

Zu An's expression turned cold. He took a step forward, reached out, and pinched her cheek. "Woman, don't talk to me like that." The Empress was stunned. She had never expected this guy to dare to be so rude to her!

(Author's Note) I've been providing three updates a day for 13 consecutive days since the beginning of the month, and I honestly can't keep it up anymore; I feel completely drained. I initially thought I could grit my teeth and continue with three updates for another two days, but for someone like me who types slowly, that would leave no time to outline the plot for later chapters, which might then easily fall apart. For sustainable development, I will revert to two updates a day, likely at 9 AM and 5 PM. I hope to stabilize the update schedule and will try to accumulate some drafts in the future for occasional burst releases.