The Regent Keeps Flirting With Me - Chapter 8

Zhou Jin had ulterior motives for wanting to host the flower appreciation banquet, and Shen Lingyan was slow to realize it.

In the original story, this flower appreciation banquet was of paramount importance. At the feast, Zhou Jin indulged the original host’s madness, showcasing to all the attending officials just how incompetent the current Emperor was. Consequently, the generals who had fiercely held onto their military power finally lost faith in the original host and obediently handed over their military control to Zhou Jin.

But now… Shen Lingyan had already secured the military power. Why would this Zhou Jin still host a flower appreciation banquet? Was she trying to seize the military power back from her? But clearly… she wouldn’t go mad like the original host, and Zhou Jin must have realized that. So, what exactly was the purpose of this banquet?

Shen Lingyan had warned herself many times not to think of Zhou Jin as so evil, but the events unfolding before her made her gradually feel suspicious again, and she even worried that the food she was currently eating might be poisoned.

“Could you pour me some tea?” Shen Lingyan’s almond-shaped eyes were like stars even in the night. She looked at Zhou Jin pleadingly, and Zhou Jin reluctantly got out of bed to pour her water.

The moment Zhou Jin turned to leave, Shen Lingyan took out the silver hairpin placed by the bedside and tested every dish and the millet porridge. None were poisoned.

Just as she was about to put the hairpin back, she saw Zhou Jin already turning around. In a rush, she quickly wiped the silver hairpin carelessly with a cloth, stuffed it under the pillow, and then pretended as if nothing had happened, watching Zhou Jin slowly walking back with the teacup.

When Shen Lingyan took the warm tea, she felt a little guilty. She thought about how Zhou Jin had brought her food and poured her water in the middle of the night, only to be suspected like this. It was truly awful of her.

Therefore, the look in Shen Lingyan’s eyes towards Zhou Jin became particularly gentle. She wondered if Zhou Jin could see it in the darkness, so she simply sat closer to Zhou Jin, tugged at Zhou Jin’s robe, and said in a sweet voice, “Zhou Jin… thank you…”

Hearing this, Zhou Jin seemed very surprised. Even through the fabric, Shen Lingyan could feel that she didn’t dare to move, and her breathing became uneven.

“Your… Your Majesty, why are you suddenly so polite… This is what Ah Jin should do.” Unfortunately, this flustered Zhou Jin only lasted for a few seconds. She instantly reverted to her ‘White Lotus’ demeanor, even pinching the flesh around Shen Lingyan’s waist, making the posture very intimate.

“What are you doing!” Shen Lingyan instantly blushed, shifted her waist, and moved away from Zhou Jin’s naughty ‘demonic claw.’

The flesh around Shen Lingyan’s waist was very sensitive to her. Let alone others, she rarely touched it herself. This time, the wicked Zhou Jin actually pinched it directly, which Shen Lingyan couldn’t bear.

Zhou Jin blinked her innocent big eyes. Fortunately, it was nighttime, so Shen Lingyan couldn’t see the expression on Zhou Jin’s face and wasn’t as afraid to look at her directly. She then raised her head and fiercely scolded the big bad wolf who disguised herself as a little white rabbit: “Dare to lay hands on me? Believe it or not, I’ll fine your salary! I’ll demote you to the imperial dungeon!”

Shen Lingyan, of course, knew that none of this was possible, but being able to get in a moment of verbal triumph over Zhou Jin was good enough.

However, what Shen Lingyan didn’t expect was that Zhou Jin actually started to move closer to her. Shen Lingyan then realized that Zhou Jin’s clothing was very thin. If there were candlelight right now, Zhou Jin’s beautiful curves would probably be fully visible…

While still having wild thoughts, Zhou Jin had already leaned in. To avoid her, Shen Lingyan slowly lay backward until she was fully prone, yet Zhou Jin was still approaching.

Shen Lingyan began to panic, hurriedly using her hands to push against Zhou Jin’s body, trying to stop her from getting closer.

But Zhou Jin was strong. She forcefully moved Shen Lingyan’s hands away and pressed herself directly onto Shen Lingyan.

With her body on Shen Lingyan, she breathed lightly into her ear, and feeling Shen Lingyan’s body trembling slightly, she chuckled: “Your Majesty, why are you so easily teased? If some peerless beauties were to tempt you in the future… wouldn’t you be completely swept away?”

Shen Lingyan was utterly confused and didn’t even have time to react to the warmth of Zhou Jin’s breath. She immediately said, “No one is more beautiful than you…”

After speaking, Shen Lingyan immediately regretted it… Zhou Jin also noticeably froze, her breathing stopping for a moment. Time seemed to stand still in that instant. Only Shen Lingyan covered her face in shyness, secretly cursing herself for letting that slip out.

Zhou Jin removed the hand Shen Lingyan was using to cover her face. The two stared at each other, one on top and one below. Because they were so close, and there was some candlelight from the courtyard, they could both see each other clearly now, even their expressions.

“Empress Sister… no one has ever praised Ah Jin for being beautiful…” Zhou Jin’s tone began to change. Although she was still calling her ‘sister,’ there was no trace of the ‘White Lotus’ facade; instead, it made Shen Lingyan feel a pang of sympathy.

Why did Zhou Jin become the Regent? Why did she gradually strip the original host of power, rising to supreme authority? No one is born with such ambition. When a person experiences too much injustice, they naturally learn the benefits of power.

So Zhou Jin’s past was not glorious; instead, it was a lifetime of obscurity and darkness.

Seeing her low spirits now, Shen Lingyan guessed that Zhou Jin might be recalling the injustices of the past. So, Shen Lingyan quickly wrapped her arms tightly around Zhou Jin’s waist. She didn’t care how intimate they were at the moment; she just wanted Zhou Jin to understand that the past was already dust. The fairness she didn’t receive, Shen Lingyan would now give her.

Zhou Jin’s hair rubbed against Shen Lingyan’s palm. The woman who usually only knew how to tease Shen Lingyan was now being held by Shen Lingyan.

Perhaps she was tired; Zhou Jin fell asleep right there on Shen Lingyan’s chest. Shen Lingyan also placed her hand on Zhou Jin’s impossibly slender waist, and the two fell into a deep sleep together.

It wasn’t until early morning, when it was time to get up for the morning court session, that Yun Zhu came in and was stunned.

She nearly dropped the basin in her hand. The maidservants who followed her in to attend were all startled, waking up Zhou Jin, who was lying on one side.

Zhou Jin sat up, rubbing her eyes, her expression frighteningly dark. She waved her hand to dismiss all the maidservants and ordered Yun Zhu to relay the message: “Tell the officials that there will be no morning court today…”

The sound was a little loud, which also woke up Shen Lingyan. She sat up in a daze, and before even opening her eyes, she tugged at Zhou Jin’s sleeve.

“No way! I am not a tyrant!”

Seeing the adorable and naive Shen Lingyan protesting to her, Zhou Jin’s voice softened. She rubbed Shen Lingyan’s messy, bird’s nest-like hair, her expression turning from gloomy to sunny: “Yun Zhu, immediately attend to Her Majesty’s washing and dressing. Everyone else, prepare breakfast. Our lady Emperor is going to attend the morning court.”

Shen Lingyan giggled foolishly, apparently forgetting that Zhou Jin was still her mortal enemy, and obediently sat down at the dressing table to wait for Yun Zhu to wash her face and braid her hair.

Zhou Jin was also changing into the Regent’s court attire, and she didn’t forget to remind Shen Lingyan: “Mention the matter of the flower appreciation banquet in court today.”

The moment the words fell, Shen Lingyan’s hand holding the hairpin tightened, and her expression became somewhat complicated.