The Regent Keeps Flirting With Me - Chapter 46

The Prince Regent is Missing

“Recently, you’ve voluntarily offered to look after me, and even took me to the Imperial Garden for a walk.” Shen Lingyan did not refer to herself as ‘Zhen’ (I, the Emperor) this time. Instead, she intimately pulled Dai Sulan close, speaking to her like one would advise a younger relative.

Dai Sulan re-pinned the hairpin in her hand and lowered her eyes, remaining silent. Shen Lingyan, however, seemed to have opened a floodgate that night, pulling Dai Sulan into a conversation about all sorts of things—how Dai Sulan looked when she first met Zhou Jin, and how, in the preceding days, Dai Sulan had protected her like a fervent little fan.

Hearing this, Dai Sulan finally looked up. “Your Majesty, Sulan is willing, and will always be willing, to protect you from now on. Sulan may be without talent or virtue, but Sulan has a heart that desires to share your burdens.”

These words made Shen Lingyan slightly pause. She lowered her head, seemingly afraid to look into Dai Sulan’s eyes.

“Why are you so good to me? Do you know that I am no longer the Shen Lingyan of the past?” Shen Lingyan didn’t know why, but tonight she wanted to tell everything. Perhaps on the verge of death, she felt the need to speak the truth to someone who cared about her.

Dai Sulan looked knowing. She found a stool and sat down. The distinction between ruler and subject disappeared; the two were like long-separated friends reunited, sitting together with countless words in their hearts, yet unable to voice them.

“Sulan knows. Sulan has always known. My female Emperor has finally become ambitious. She’s become somewhat sharp, yet all the more lovable.” Dai Sulan also wanted to speak the thoughts in her heart, but she carefully chose her words, afraid Shen Lingyan would see her as a monster.

Shen Lingyan, as expected, looked bewildered. She raised her head, meeting Dai Sulan’s gaze, her hand still rubbing the floral carving on the redwood chair. “What is… love? Why did you use the word ‘love’? If the one you’ve always wanted to guard and protect was the Shen Lingyan who was once erratic and mad, then the person sitting before you is no longer her…”

Since Shen Lingyan had not spoken much all evening, this time she managed to say such a long passage without coughing, though her breathing became a little ragged. She immediately drank a cup of water to steady herself.

Dai Sulan also reached out and gently patted Shen Lingyan’s back, but she didn’t know how to answer Shen Lingyan’s words.

Why did she use the word “love”? Why did she, from beginning to end, only want to protect Shen Lingyan? Shen Lingyan was the female Emperor now and had no shortage of people to guard her, yet Dai Sulan insisted on interfering.

“Perhaps Sulan likes you, be it the former you… or the current you.” Dai Sulan hesitated for a very long time. Taking advantage of a cool night breeze that lowered her voice, she finally dared to speak.

Shen Lingyan’s current mood was both surprised and expected. She was surprised that Dai Sulan would genuinely confess her feelings, but it was expected because she had long sensed that Dai Sulan’s feelings for her were different. However, Shen Lingyan couldn’t be sure if Dai Sulan liked the original host or the current her.

Dai Sulan did not dare to look up after speaking; she almost buried her head in the teacup, only daring to secretly look at Shen Lingyan’s reflection in the cup. Shen Lingyan reached out, took the cup, poured fresh tea into it, and placed it back. This time, Dai Sulan saw not only Shen Lingyan’s reflection in the cup but also the reflection of the crescent moon in the sky.

“Sulan, no matter if you like the former me or the current me, I cannot give you any response.” Shen Lingyan didn’t know why, but she felt as if her heart was completely filled by someone, leaving no room to look at others. Yet, if truly asked who she liked, Shen Lingyan couldn’t give an answer.

Knowing her own feelings for Shen Lingyan, Dai Sulan had long stopped hoping Shen Lingyan would reciprocate. She only wished Shen Lingyan wouldn’t despise her. Now, even receiving Shen Lingyan’s most direct answer, Dai Sulan was happy.

“As long as Your Majesty does not despise me, I will continue to stay by your side, no matter what. Even now, when you feel your time is limited, and even though you have already written the Imperial Edict… Sulan will still accompany you.” Dai Sulan spoke openly about everything she had just heard and seen. She no longer had any fear of Shen Lingyan, as long as Shen Lingyan didn’t dislike her.

“Then I hope that in these final days, you can always stay with me.” Shen Lingyan smiled, relieved. She hadn’t expected to receive a confession after transmigrating.

The night was very deep. Even the candlelight on the palace paths outside had grown dim. The muggy heat of summer was completely swept away by the night wind. Shen Lingyan stood up, coughing as she closed the window. Dai Sulan knew she was going to rest and instinctively walked over to remove the cloak for her.

“No need, you should go out first.” Shen Lingyan was still unaccustomed to having a friend do such things. She had already regarded Dai Sulan as her friend.

Dai Sulan nodded and didn’t insist. She was eager to run out immediately to process what had happened tonight and how she had slowly confessed all her inner thoughts to Shen Lingyan.

As the gate of Chaohui Palace finally opened and closed, and Shen Lingyan was sure Dai Sulan had left, she immediately stopped what she was doing. Looking utterly exhausted, she lay down on the bed.

This body was growing weaker and weaker. Shen Lingyan truly disliked this inability to do anything and deeply disliked the need to write the Imperial Edict…

Having finally clarified her thoughts with Dai Sulan today, she felt as if a rock had dropped from her heart, and she fell into a deep sleep.

Life in the Imperial Palace was exceedingly boring, especially without Zhou Jin by her side. Shen Lingyan’s days became harder day by day. This day, Shen Lingyan sat in the pavilion of Chaohui Palace. Summer weather changed like a child’s face, and a persistent, drizzling rain had been falling all day. It was now afternoon. Shen Lingyan had just finished drinking a bowl of herbal medicine and was sitting in the pavilion in her warmest cloak, admiring the rainy scenery.

Unfortunately, fate seemed unwilling to let people relax on a rainy day. Just as Shen Lingyan was about to return to her bedchamber for a rest, she heard the heavy footsteps of several soldiers splashing through the rainwater.

“Reporting to the Female Emperor, the battle situation at the front had just turned around, but for some unknown reason, after Prince Regent left alone to pursue the enemy, he has been missing for a full day. All soldiers have gone out searching, but the Prince Regent’s whereabouts are still unknown. We worry that the Prince Regent may have been led into the main enemy forces and may not return alive. We rushed back to urgently request your instructions.” The soldier spoke these words in one breath. It took Shen Lingyan a while to process the information, and a look of bewilderment immediately appeared on her face.

“What?! You mean Zhou Jin went after someone alone? And he’s been missing ever since?!!” Shen Lingyan’s emotions suddenly became somewhat uncontrolled. The moment she stood up, a cough followed. Seeing this, Yun Zhu quickly rushed over, reminding Shen Lingyan not to have such strong emotional fluctuations. Only then did Shen Lingyan manage to stabilize herself.

“Search immediately! Whether it’s enemy territory or anywhere else, the Imperial Guard must find him. If he’s alive, I want to see him; if he’s dead, I want to see the body!!!” Shen Lingyan couldn’t imagine how someone with such high martial arts could be defeated by a few disabled soldiers and still be missing.

The soldier took the order and hurriedly ran back. Shen Lingyan, however, was so agitated that the dangling ornaments on her head kept shaking. She was anxiously pacing back and forth inside the pavilion. Yun Zhu, seeing that she was about to cough again, rushed over anxiously. She held a cup of tea in one hand and rubbed Shen Lingyan’s back with the other, terrified that Shen Lingyan would cough and pass out again.

“How could this happen? Isn’t the Prince Regent always resourceful and skilled in martial arts?” Yun Zhu knew she had asked a meaningless question; if Shen Lingyan knew why, she probably wouldn’t be so anxious.

Shen Lingyan suddenly stopped talking. After a while, she seemed possessed, gripping Yun Zhu’s shoulders and shaking her hard. “From the capital to the border. How long does it take by fast horse?”