The Regent Keeps Flirting With Me - Chapter 15

It was at this moment that Shen Lingyan discovered Zhou Jin was nowhere to be seen in the main hall. Where was she? Could she just leave early because they had argued and she had lost her temper?

The more she thought about it, the angrier Shen Lingyan became, and her expression turned very sour. The voices of doubt from the officials below gradually faded. They really couldn’t think of anything to refute her with. Even if they wanted to accuse Shen Lingyan of being harsh, the evidence of corruption and bribery was undeniable.

Some dissatisfied officials had no choice but to kneel and offer praises, exchanging knowing glances with one another, completely unable to genuinely smile.

Standing above them, Shen Lingyan observed with cold eyes, seeing their expressions clearly. She gradually grew suspicious. She had initially thought this was merely a conspiracy used by Zhou Jin to belittle her. Could there be something bigger going on behind this?

Shen Lingyan panicked. The coldness on her face was replaced by alarm. She hated the feeling that at least half of the people below were against her. Now, the only person she could use and rely on, Zhou Jin, had also been driven away by her… The thought of potentially struggling at every turn in the Imperial Palace made Shen Lingyan feel desperate. Powerless, she sat back down on the Dragon Throne and waved her hand, signaling the ministers to adjourn. Those men, who were already eager to leave, all bowed politely and took their leave. Before long, the entire hall was empty.

Yun zhu and the other palace maids and eunuchs were also sent away by Shen Lingyan, leaving her alone on the Dragon Throne, feeling an unprecedented sense of helplessness.

Outside, the rain was pouring, splashing against the green brick and stone tiles. Besides the sound of the rain, there were no other sounds in the Imperial Palace; it was so quiet she felt she could hear her own heartbeat.

Shen Lingyan’s mind was a mess right now. Besides the issue with Zhou Jin, there were the mountains of memorials to the throne. Each and every matter made Shen Lingyan feel like she was going to collapse.

Lost in her thoughts, a few tears welled up in the corners of Shen Lingyan’s eyes. Gradually, the tears turned into streams, and amidst the sound of the rain, there was the suppressed sound of sobbing.

Finally, all her composure crumbled in that moment.

Shen Lingyan half-knelt in front of the Dragon Throne, clutching the armrest. The exquisite carving felt smooth to the touch, but Shen Lingyan felt it was prickly.

It was not easy to sit upon this Dragon Throne, and it was even harder to sit securely. Not only did she have Zhou Jin eyeing her closely, but there were also people she didn’t know engaging in major activities behind the scenes. Shen Lingyan now truly understood the meaning of “it is easy to avoid an open spear, but hard to guard against a hidden arrow.”

She buried her head on the Dragon Throne, crying more and more uncontrollably. However, to prevent Yun zhu, who was waiting outside, from guessing anything, Shen Lingyan could only cover her mouth, her shoulders trembling, crying to the point where she couldn’t speak.

She was also just a girl; what the original owner could not bear, Shen Lingyan similarly found exhausting.

But just then, the main hall doors were pushed open. The person who entered did not say a word. Shen Lingyan thought it was Yun zhu and merely managed to suppress her sobs, stammering, “Yun zhu? You go out for now… I’m fine…”

After a long silence, she heard footsteps approaching. She looked up, feeling a little irritated and about to get angry, but instead, she met Zhou Jin’s somewhat pained eyes.

“Why are you crying?” she frowned.

Shen Lingyan’s eyes were red and swollen from crying. She hadn’t wanted to continue, but upon seeing the one familiar person who made her feel complex emotions, her tears immediately streamed down like a broken string of pearls, and she cried even harder.

She reached out and lightly hit Zhou Jin’s arm. The force was very gentle, but it seemed to strike Zhou Jin’s heart.

Zhou Jin immediately pulled Shen Lingyan into her embrace, holding her very tightly despite her struggles.

“Did those old men bully you?” Zhou Jin was referring to the ministers. Shen Lingyan forcefully pushed Zhou Jin away: “No!”

She was already a mess from crying, and her hairstyle was disheveled from the struggle, with a few locks of black hair hanging down, a sight that naturally evoked pity.