The Regent Keeps Flirting With Me - Chapter 6

“I trouble Your Highness to inform Her Majesty that someone wishes to see her. I would be very grateful.”

Since the Empress ascended the throne, many families have sent their sons into the palace, hoping to be the first person in Shen Lingyan’s harem. Later, seeing the Regent, Zhou Jin, gain power, they once again gave up on sending their sons, and Shen Lingyan also did not actively seek anyone herself. Thus, her harem remained empty.

“May I ask who your father is?” Zhou Jin held the bowl of soup in her hands, watching the man with a radiant smile as she inquired.

Hearing this, the man opened his fan again and lightly fanned his hair, looking very arrogant: “My name is Tang Ziming, the legitimate eldest son of the Minister of Rites, Tang Quan. Forgive me, Your Highness, for the humble introduction.”

Zhou Jin nodded. So it was the Minister of Rites… Even after knowing, she didn’t say much, only very discreetly walking into the hall with the soup. As if remembering something, she turned back: “Her Majesty is about to dine, I’m afraid Young Master will have to wait a while. I will certainly relay the message.”

Tang Ziming nodded blankly, failing to see the cunning look hidden in Zhou Jin’s eyes.

After entering the hall, Shen Lingyan vaguely heard conversation outside the door. She lifted her head from her overwhelmed state and asked the relaxed-looking Zhou Jin: “Did someone look for me?”

“No, Your Majesty must have misheard,” Zhou Jin said without changing her expression, smiling as she placed the soup in front of Shen Lingyan, the implication being that she wanted to watch Shen Lingyan drink it.

The smiling eyes looked chilling to Shen Lingyan. She lowered her head and looked at the steaming, fragrant soup. Suddenly, she wasn’t that hungry anymore. She silently took the silver needle from Yun zhu’s hand. As the slender silver needle was about to be inserted into the soup, Zhou Jin’s smile vanished.

Even after testing with the silver needle, Shen Lingyan was still uneasy. Just as she was about to summon the Imperial Physician for an examination, Zhou Jin could no longer sit still.

She stood up directly, her entire aura on display. Her eyes narrowed as she looked at Shen Lingyan, gritted her teeth, picked up the bowl of soup, took a sip herself, and then asked in a very poor tone: “Empress, may you drink it now?”

Seeing Zhou Jin forced into such a state by her, Shen Lingyan also felt somewhat guilty. She secretly decided not to judge a gentleman by her own standards and obediently took the bowl of soup, bringing it to her lips to drink.

Zhou Jin was as happy as a child to see her finally willing to drink the soup she brought in. But at that very moment, Tang Ziming burst in, ignoring all attempts to stop him.

“Who is it! How dare you be so presumptuous!” Shen Lingyan put down the bowl, stood up, and looked at the flustered Tang Ziming. Because she didn’t recognize him, it felt quite awkward.

“Who are you?”

It seemed like this character wasn’t in the original novel.

Tang Ziming looked at Zhou Jin, suspicion in his eyes. Did she not relay the message for him?

Now that the question was directed at him, Tang Ziming had no choice but to announce his identity again, which only brought on Shen Lingyan’s disapproval.

“Though I am a woman, I am also the Son of Heaven, the Empress. Is this how the Minister of Rites teaches you manners and propriety?” In modern times, Shen Lingyan could get angry over a minor incident like someone entering her room without knocking, let alone now when she was the Empress. Was she to lose even this much dignity?

Seeing her somewhat angry, Tang Ziming panicked slightly, kneeling on the ground in distress, only repeating the words that he knew he was wrong.

Shen Lingyan was already feeling dizzy and was even more exasperated by Tang Ziming’s manner of speaking. She lifted her head and rubbed her temples, her patience almost entirely depleted.

“Why are you here? Is there something you need?”

Tang Ziming heard this and, feeling a bit embarrassed, spoke of his willingness to serve Shen Lingyan, occasionally covering his face with his fan, a bashful demeanor that was unbearable to watch.

The result was that Tang Ziming was kicked and shoved out by Yunzhu, and his tattered fan was ruthlessly thrown outside.

“You are just a maidservant! How dare you be so rude to me!” Tang Ziming stood by the door, his eyes red with anger.

Yunzhu, however, perfectly imitated Shen Lingyan’s sneer and spoke sarcastically: “Young Master, please don’t vent your anger on us servants, otherwise, Lord Minister will be heartbroken for his daughter… no, heartbroken for the Young Master.” With that, she covered her mouth and walked away, smiling secretly, to be met by the sedan chair carriers.

The carriers were all burly men who looked nothing like sedan carriers. They were specifically arranged by Zhou Jin to “send” Tang Ziming back to his manor.

A man in blue, who witnessed the entire scene, sighed softly: “I’ll find my brothers to guess who the next Minister of Rites will be. What should we bet… ten taels of silver!”

Inside the hall, Shen Lingyan was still standing there, fuming. All her mood for reading memorials and eating was gone. Zhou Jin also stood there in silence, and the atmosphere was thick with awkwardness.

After a long while, seeing time slowly pass, Zhou Jin finally showed a slight smile, moved next to Shen Lingyan, and presented the soup to her: “Empress Sister… please drink it quickly. Otherwise, it will get cold again. I already asked Yunzhu to reheat it. You must drink it now, or you’ll have a stomach ache when you handle state affairs this afternoon.”

Under Zhou Jin’s gentle persuasion, Shen Lingyan finally took the first sip of soup. Her appetite was immediately opened, and she ate a lot more food. After finishing the second large bowl of soup, she finally announced that she was full.

Shen Lingyan, having eaten her fill, was in a good mood. She walked back and forth in the palace with her arms crossed. When Zhou Jin asked her what she was doing, Shen Lingyan merely said she was walking to aid digestion.

But seeing Shen Lingyan pacing, a plan formed in Zhou Jin’s mind. She took her hand and ran out, specifically cautioning Shen Lingyan, so she wouldn’t resist: “Your Majesty, don’t be afraid. Ah-Jin wants to take you around the palace. There’s a view you surely haven’t seen before…”

Shen Lingyan was initially confused, but hearing Zhou Jin’s instruction, she relaxed. She even complained that Zhou Jin wasn’t running fast enough, broke free of her hand, and ran straight down the long palace path, holding up her skirt, and looking back mockingly.

However, when she turned her head, she realized Zhou Jin was gone. Shen Lingyan slowed down in alarm. Although she disliked this overly flattering Regent, Zhou Jin, she had to admit that in this world she had transmigrated to, besides Yunzhu, Zhou Jin was the only person she knew.

“Zhou… Zhou Jin…” Shen Lingyan called out Zhou Jin’s name with a hint of timidity, not daring to move rashly. She turned around and slowly backed up, only looking ahead, but neglecting what was behind her. Suddenly, she bumped into someone, which startled her.

She turned around awkwardly to apologize, only to spot that splash of red.

It was Zhou Jin. The moment Shen Lingyan saw her, her eyes welled up slightly. She pouted with anger. She no longer wanted any of the aura an Empress should possess; she only wanted to settle the score with Zhou Jin.

Zhou Jin observed the crestfallen Shen Lingyan, just about to say some soothing words to coax her, when she was unexpectedly stamped on the foot fiercely.

“Hiss… Sister…” Zhou Jin’s voice was melodious, with a hint of a spoiled tone, as she leaned close to Shen Lingyan’s ear. Predictably, Shen Lingyan’s face flushed again.

There was no one on the palace path. Gusts of summer wind blew through. The scorching sun was partially blocked by the high palace walls, messing up the strands of hair around Shen Lingyan’s ears, which lightly floated onto Zhou Jin’s face, carrying a ticklish sensation.

“Your Majesty really likes to blush…” Zhou Jin realized this from that moment on.