Chapter 1359: The Empress Dowager Doesn't Want Her Son to Get into Trouble Either

Who else but the Little Demon Empress could say such a thing? It seems she was still bothered by what had happened last time with him and Xue'er on her bed.

If he didn't go, who knew what she might do? He had no choice but to follow the maid. Fortunately, the assembly was crowded and noisy, so there was little chance of his presence being discovered.

The maid led him in circles, weaving through the crowd, until they finally reached a secluded grove near the plaza.

A carriage was parked there. Unlike her usual opulent carriage, this one was as understated as possible.

"Mistress, he has arrived," the maid said, bowing slightly in front of the carriage.

"I know. You may leave," a soft, alluring voice echoed from inside the carriage.

"Yes," the maid replied, bowing before moving away to keep watch.

"Come in," the soft, alluring voice said again.

Zuan's heart skipped a beat. No wonder everyone had been whispering that the Little Demon Empress was a true enchantress lately; she truly made it easy for one's imagination to run wild.

Once he entered the carriage, the air was filled with a refreshing, sweet fragrance—the unique scent of the Little Demon Empress. Zuan thought no one could possibly mistake it, as this fragrance was one of a kind.

He noticed that the Little Demon Empress was completely enveloped in a black cloak. Despite this, her exquisite, curvaceous figure was still discernible beneath the loose robes.

"Why would Your Majesty seek me out?" Zuan asked. He was still wearing his mask and wasn't sure if she was trying to trick him.

"Your mask is quite ingenious; there's no trace of it being worn," the Little Demon Empress commented. Her fingers lightly brushed across his face, cool and incredibly delicate.

Zuan quickly recoiled. He said sternly, "I don't understand what Your Majesty means."

"The fact that you came here proves my guess was correct," the Little Demon Empress said with a smile. "After all, I am the Empress of a nation; it's not hard for me to find out such things. Take off your mask. Your true appearance is more pleasing to the eye."

Zuan knew he couldn't hide it from her, so he took off his mask and sighed. "If you wanted to see me, you could have just said so," he remarked. "Did you really need to use such an excuse?"

"Would you have come willingly otherwise?" the Little Demon Empress countered, pulling back the hood of her cloak. Instantly, the previously plain carriage seemed to brighten.

"This woman is truly enchanting," Zuan thought.

Zuan secretly marveled. However, being who he was now, he naturally wouldn't be swayed by her beauty and quickly composed himself. "You told your maid about something so private?" he asked. "Aren't you afraid of the news leaking out?"

If that incident were ever exposed, not only would he and Xue'er be in danger, but even the Little Demon Empress herself would face severe consequences.

What's more, even if it wasn't fully exposed, merely this remark being overheard would cause immense turmoil; people would assume they were having an affair.

"Don't worry, who doesn't have a few trusted confidants?" the Little Demon Empress said with a relaxed expression, clearly unconcerned.

Zuan knew she was a clever woman, so if she said so, there was no problem. "Is there something you need me for, Your Majesty?" he asked.

"Can't I just miss you?" the Little Demon Empress said, leaning against the window with her chin resting on her hand, her body's flexibility fully displayed.

Zuan chuckled wryly. "The Demon Emperor would be heartbroken if he heard that."

No matter how conceited he was, he wouldn't believe that after only meeting once or twice, a woman like the Little Demon Empress would develop feelings for him.

"How heartless you are!" the Little Demon Empress said plaintively. "My heart is as cold as the ice shards floating outside."

Zuan raised an eyebrow. "Oh, if that's the case, let's not waste any time," he said. "How about we get intimate first?"

As he spoke, he opened his arms and moved to embrace her.

The Little Demon Empress swayed her waist and naturally dodged him. "I merely wanted to talk to you," she said. "You're so eager the moment you arrive; I truly misjudged you."

As she spoke, her eyes reddened slightly, as if she were deeply disappointed in him.

"Your Majesty, we are both ancient spirits," Zuan said. "There's no need for us to play innocent games here. Just tell me what you want directly." If Zuan had been a naive young man, he might truly have been manipulated by her.

"What a humorless man," the Little Demon Empress lightly scoffed. Then she put away her playful smile and became serious. "Do you remember that you owe me a favor?"

"Indeed. I will repay Your Majesty's kindness, even if I have to work like an ox or a horse," Zuan said, looking at her with a faint smile. Last time, had it not been for her rescue, he and Xue'er would likely have met their end in the palace.

"Work like an ox or a horse?" the Little Demon Empress repeated, her face flushing slightly. "You truly are a rogue, taking advantage of me even at a time like this."

Zuan was speechless.

He had only said it casually and truly hadn't meant it in *that* way. This woman was quite the experienced one, to even twist his words like that.

The Little Demon Empress then said seriously, "There's no need for you to work like an ox or a horse. There's just one thing I need your help with."

"What is it?" Zuan asked, not daring to be careless. Given the Little Demon Empress's status and methods, anything she couldn't accomplish herself would certainly not be simple.

The Little Demon Empress lifted a corner of the curtain and glanced towards the altar. "Tomorrow, the succession ceremony will begin, and the Crown Prince will become the new Demon Emperor," she said. "I also heard about what happened on the arena today. It's clear the Crown Prince is not on good terms with the Snake Tribe. Once he's Emperor, your Snake Tribe will likely face a very grim fate."

Zuan smiled faintly. "Your Majesty exaggerates," he said. "The Snake Tribe is a major clan, after all. Does he dare to annihilate us? With so many tribal leaders watching, he wouldn't be foolish enough to let the demon race fall apart."

"He won't annihilate the Snake Tribe, but getting rid of the Medusa Queen and a few of you would be no problem at all," the Little Demon Empress said, clearly having done her research. "Moreover, power within your Snake Tribe is already unstable, with Elders Bai and Qing holding actual authority. Once the Crown Prince subtly supports them and uses their hands to eliminate the Medusa Queen, the other clans won't be able to say a thing."

Zuan frowned. It would indeed be troublesome then.

In truth, dealing with Elders Bai and Qing alone wasn't a huge problem. But there's no way to guard against a thief for a thousand days. Once the Crown Prince became the Demon Emperor, he would have countless ways to target Yu Yanluo.

Seeing him lost in thought, the Little Demon Empress showed a faint smile. "Besides the Medusa Queen, your affair with Princess Xue can never see the light of day," she continued. "Once he's Emperor, if he summons Princess Xue to the palace, will she go or not? Refusing would be defying an imperial decree, and I don't need to tell you what might happen if she goes."

Zuan snorted. "Has Your Majesty forgotten to mention something else?" he retorted. "Once the Crown Prince takes the throne, how will you, his young stepmother, fare? Do you really believe he'll respect you as the Empress Dowager? The Golden Crow Crown Prince is so lustful, and Your Majesty is so beautiful and enchanting. What if he bursts into your chambers in the middle of the night and says something like, 'Empress Dowager, you wouldn't want anything to happen to your son, would you?' What could you do then?"

"Scoundrel!" The Little Demon Empress's face instantly flushed crimson. Besides scheming for her son, a large part of her concern was indeed the possibility of such a situation.

But the words this brat had learned somewhere were too vivid and impactful. Thinking of such a scenario, she couldn't help but shudder.

Zuan spread his hands. "So, you're clearly more anxious than I am, yet you're pretending to help me?"

The Little Demon Empress took several deep breaths, and her rapidly rising and falling chest gradually calmed. "Let's be frank then," she said. "Our interests in this matter are actually aligned. Otherwise, once the Crown Prince enters the Imperial Mausoleum tomorrow and everything settles, neither of us will have a good outcome. Don't get too smug. If things really come to that, I'll directly report your affair with Princess Xue to him as a gesture of loyalty. At worst, I'll endure some humiliation, but you, Princess Xue, and the Medusa Queen will truly have no place to be buried."

Zuan suddenly sat up straight. Had he just heard "Imperial Mausoleum"?

And the Unknowable Place was located within the Imperial Mausoleum. He had just been wondering how to get in.