The Regent Keeps Flirting With Me - Chapter 36

Long Whip in the Pool

Zhou Jin left the court early, but Shen Lingyan had no intention of adjourning. She sat on the Dragon Throne, her expression composed, as she redeployed all the ministers according to her own long-planned arrangements. Not only did she overhaul Zhou Jin’s previous arrangements, but she also completely changed everything the late Emperor had set up.

The ministers stood in their new posts, resuming their respective duties. The court was instantly bustling with noise—complaints, praises, and indecisive chatter kept going non-stop. Shen Lingyan had initially planned to patiently try and persuade them, but then she remembered that she had now recovered all the power, and Zhou Jin was absent. What did she have to fear?

“Does anyone still regard this as the Imperial Court?” The moment Shen Lingyan spoke, the court fell silent. All the ministers looked at her, and the timid officials were already kneeling on the ground.

Shen Lingyan’s study of history was not in vain. She had drawn the essence from the failures and successes of past emperors, discarded the dross, and combined it with the current situation of the Yongning Kingdom that Zhou Jin had informed her about a few days ago. Such a deployment was undoubtedly superior.

Wei Kangsheng had fulfilled Zhou Jin’s wish to be able to lead an expedition. Now, all he wanted was to properly appease both ‘ancestors’ (the Empress and the Regent). Seeing the ice-cold look in Shen Lingyan’s eyes, he knew he should step forward.

“Before the late Emperor passed away, he spoke a phrase to all the court officials: ‘All people are used only by the Empress.’ Since our Empress has now taken back all political power, shouldn’t we fulfill the late Emperor’s last decree?” As the most senior and highly ranked official, Wei Kangsheng’s words were sometimes even more effective than Shen Lingyan’s.

Everyone’s eyes turned to Wei Kangsheng, waiting for his next words. Some sycophantic officials, already eager, quietly moved to stand behind him.

“All people are to be used by the Empress. If the Empress commands us where to go, we should go there. Even if she asks us to die, we must not refuse. Now, I dare to speak as an old man, and I invite those officials who harbor complaints and dissatisfaction to step forward and discuss with me what exactly displeases them!”

Wei Kangsheng grew increasingly agitated, his voice echoing loudly in the vast court. Those sycophantic officials seized the opportunity to chime in, forming a massive, formidable presence. The few individuals with dissenting opinions naturally shut their mouths, daring not to speak further.

Dai Junwu, not to be outdone, led a portion of the military officials to kneel below the Dragon Throne, their voices even louder: “We, your humble servants, are willing to follow Her Majesty’s command unconditionally. As for those who refuse to follow Her Majesty’s command, there is no use in keeping them…”

With two influential ministers, one civil and one military, speaking up for the Empress, those who had reservations about Shen Lingyan’s arrangements gradually silenced themselves. They dared not speak anymore; afraid they might become the prey of Dai Junwu’s blade tomorrow.

Shen Lingyan’s battle was smoothly won, but she couldn’t smile. Her face was constantly clouded with worry. Even when she announced the adjournment, everyone assumed she was still angry.

The officials quietly chatted as they left the court. Wei Kangsheng and Dai Junwu, however, stayed behind by tacit agreement. The two, who normally seemed to be at odds, exchanged a smile and walked to Shen Lingyan’s side, standing one on her left and one on her right.

This scene reminded Shen Lingyan of the “protectors” class monitors whom her teachers used to assign to stand on either side of the podium during her school days. Thinking of those “protectors,” Shen Lingyan found it amusing, and this smile made Wei Kangsheng and Dai Junwu heave a sigh of relief.

“Your Majesty, why does your face look so troubled? Are they still discussing something behind your back?” Wei Kangsheng carefully chose his words, subtly observing Shen Lingyan’s expression, fearing that one wrong word might set her off. Dai Junwu was less indirect. He simply roared, “If some little brat displeases Your Majesty again, just kill them! Why keep them alive!”

At this, Shen Lingyan laughed again: “Enough. Are you trying to make me an unprecedented tyrant for all generations to come?”

Dai Junwu scratched his head. He was a coarse man, usually only skilled in wielding weapons, and naturally did not understand the deeper meaning. He only felt that anyone he disliked should be dealt with quickly with a single stroke.

Shen Lingyan was very touched. She turned around to look at the painting of the Yongning Kingdom’s territory hanging behind her, her hand tracing every inch of the land depicted in the painting.

“Having you two is the fortune of Yongning and the fortune of me.” Shen Lingyan had never spoken such solemn words before, and now she was saying them privately to the two of them. The two felt deeply moved, rendered speechless for a moment.

After a long, long time, tears could be seen glistening in the eyes of the two old ministers as they stubbornly held back their tears: “Thank you for Your Majesty’s trust.”

These six simple words held a meaning that Wei Kangsheng understood, Dai Junwu understood, and Shen Lingyan understood even more.

Wei Kangsheng and Dai Junwu then left. Inside the grand hall, there was no one else but the palace maids and eunuchs. The only difference was that this time, Shen Lingyan didn’t want to cry and couldn’t cry. In her heart, there was both the joy of having fulfilled her wish and the image of Zhou Jin’s figure silently walking away.

It was completely different from her former grand ambition. Her initial goal when she first transmigrated was to spend a very long time reclaiming the empire that belonged to Shen Lingyan. But now?

It was all too smooth! In these few short days, almost every event had involved schemes and counter-schemes. The only exception was this one matter, which went so smoothly that if Shen Lingyan hadn’t seen the scroll and the waist token in her hand, she would have suspected a trick.

Shen Lingyan knew she shouldn’t fully relax yet, because Zhou Jin was about to lead ten thousand elite soldiers to attack the small border country. If anything went wrong in this phase, it was very possible that Zhou Jin would lead her army back to attack the capital.

Thinking about this and that, Shen Lingyan’s mind was like a pot of porridge. Finally, she stopped forcing herself to think further, stood up unsteadily, lifted her heavy skirt, and walked down from the Dragon Throne, slowly exiting through the side door.

To her surprise, as soon as Shen Lingyan stepped out, she was startled by Yun Zhu, who was guarding the door. Her face was pale, and upon seeing Shen Lingyan, she didn’t even have time to curtsy. She immediately said, “Your Majesty… the Regent… she… she…”

Shen Lingyan was slightly impatient. She looked at the stammering Yun Zhu, frowning in dissatisfaction: “What about her? Yun Zhu, you never used to speak so hesitantly.”

Seeing that Shen Lingyan seemed genuinely angry, Yun Zhu took a deep breath: “Regent Wang is in the side hall where you bathe. She said she had made an appointment with you early this morning…”

Yun Zhu really didn’t want to continue. She had witnessed Zhou Jin undress until only her underclothes remained, holding a long whip and standing in the warm pool water. The charming sight from yesterday afternoon was vividly clear in her mind, and Yun Zhu truly didn’t want to dwell on it.

Shen Lingyan’s face visibly darkened. She rubbed her forehead, annoyedly acknowledging: “I understand. I will go now.”

“Go now!?” Yun Zhu felt her worldview shatter. Could it be that the Empress and the Regent Wang truly had some unspeakable arrangement?

Yun Zhu guessed wildly, and for the first time, she did not keep up with Shen Lingyan’s pace. Shen Lingyan walked a few steps, then stopped and turned around: “Not coming?”

“Ah? Coming!” Yun Zhu hurried to Shen Lingyan’s side. The closer they got to Chaohui Hall, the more she didn’t want to go, even wanting to grab Shen Lingyan’s sleeve to stop her.

“Your Majesty, maybe we shouldn’t go. We can rest in the side hall tonight.” Yun Zhu was nearly bursting into tears. She truly couldn’t bear to imagine whether Shen Lingyan would be beaten or… after entering.

“What? Are you afraid of Zhou Jin?” Shen Lingyan raised an eyebrow and looked at Yun Zhu. Yun Zhu was so scared she dared not speak anymore. She also knew that the relationship between Shen Lingyan and Zhou Jin was not good right now, and one more word might only intensify their conflict.

Yun Zhu didn’t know why the usually long palace path back to Chaohui Hall felt shortened today; they arrived so quickly.

Yun Zhu worried the entire way, and Shen Lingyan was angry the entire way. She was angry that Zhou Jin still wouldn’t let her go, and she was angry that she didn’t know martial arts and still had to let Zhou Jin teach her.

Despite her anger, they had now arrived at the entrance of the place where she bathed in Chaohui Hall. Yun Zhu quickly led the other maids away. Shen Lingyan, with a heavy heart, pushed the door open.

The exquisite wooden door creaked. The mist filling the room made it hard for Shen Lingyan to see clearly. She stepped into the spacious room. The hot spring pool was full of water. As Shen Lingyan walked further in, she could only see clothes draped over a jade screen—luxurious and bright—and a figure pacing back and forth in the pool, holding something in her hand.

Shen Lingyan stopped advancing. She knew it was Zhou Jin, so she spoke directly: “Speak. Why do you want to teach me how to use a whip, and what is your purpose?”

Zhou Jin, standing in the pool, heard her and turned to look at Shen Lingyan behind the screen, a sarcastic curve playing on her lips.

“So, does the Empress now see everyone as a villain, and every action as a conspiracy?”

“No, only when looking at you. Everything you do is a conspiracy in my eyes,” Shen Lingyan said this coldly, completely disregarding Zhou Jin’s feelings.

Zhou Jin was not angered. She slowly walked up and moved the screen aside. Her clothes, completely drenched by the water, appeared before Shen Lingyan’s eyes. The graceful curves of her body and the skin that was faintly visible—Shen Lingyan saw everything she should and shouldn’t see. Her expression, which had been tense a second ago, instantly turned crimson.

“You!!! Why are you not wearing clothes!” Shen Lingyan subconsciously tried to turn away, but Zhou Jin directly held her shoulders, preventing her from turning. She said directly: “Which eye of yours sees that I am not wearing clothes, Elder Sister?”

As she spoke, her hand reached for Shen Lingyan’s waist, her eyes shifting suggestively, with no trace of their previous quarrel. Shen Lingyan, instead, found herself unable to maintain her firmness.

“You… get lost…” Her voice grew softer and softer, and Zhou Jin became more and more presumptuous.

She encircled Shen Lingyan with her entire body. The long whip in her hand, without Shen Lingyan noticing, had already wrapped around her hands…